Therealwaldo
Vital 1st Team Regular
I've finally plucked up enough courage to report on today's shambles. Firstly my heart sank when I saw we were playing 3 centre backs. It's never worked for us before and it didn't work for us today. Secondly I'm not sure what actual formation we were playing. I'm assuming that Jackson and Wagstaff were playing as wing backs. In which case JET and Nouble were 2 up front but they were hardly ever in the box. So at times we seemed to be playing with 0 up front. Also if you are winning nothing in centre midfield then the wing backs are stuck not knowing whether to get forward or stay back. It was the same problem when Peter Taylor tried to play the system.
However, whatever the formation, nothing forgives the basic lack of skills demonstrated by the whole team. We lost nearly every first header and were then second to the second ball. We were slow ponderous and lacking any real fight and determination. I said after the Oldham game that if we had continued like that I couldn't justify JED staying. Well the frustration us that we had improved but we are now back at the standard of the Oldham game. The sad thing is we could just as easily improve again but with the same underlying problems.
My scores:
Nelson 4 now some might think that harsh but I'm basing that on one incident alone. Now forgive me but isn't Nelson the vice captain ? We are 1:0 down with 5 minutes to go and we desperately need to get the ball forward. We get a goal kick and Stuart takes the time to go through his routine of taking the mud off his boots before taking the kick ! Frankly that was an appalling example to the team and demonstrated an utter lack of urgency and desire. Makes a mockery of all his shirt thumping when we win.
Jackson 5 sponsors man of the match and all you can say is that he wasn't quite as appalling as everyone else.
Ehmer 5 probably the better of the 2 centre backs.
Oshilaja 3 sorry but just a liability. Overplayed and lost the ball a couple of times. Getting sent off was a bit of a relief.
Cargill 4 probably his worst game in a Gills shirt. There were holes through the defence all afternoon and coming forward nothing went right for him.
Wagstaff 4 I just thought he got stuck in no mans land too often, neither in a position to defend nor getting forward very effectively. Nonetheless I couldn't see the point of his substitution.
Wright 3 just completely ineffective both in the air and on the floor.
Hessenthaler 4 marginally more competitive than Wright but one moment summed him up when he ran shoulder to shoulder with the man on the ball for about 50 yards without once getting in a challenge.
Byrne 3 just never in the game. The ball spent a long time in the air and when you're not much over 5 foot that doesn't give you much chance.
Nouble 3 poor touch, poor in the air, no use of his pace. No redeeming features.
JET 3 lost the ball more than he kept it. Appears to be stapled to the floor when the ball us in the air to be won. About the same in redeeming features as Nouble.
Subs. Donnelly 2 he must have been on the pitch. The match stats say so.
McDonald 6 showed more desire in his time on the pitch than the rest of the team put together. Provided the ONE good moment in the whole match for the Gills. The overhead kick which was just over.
Oldaker 3 surely not the right kind of match to bring him on with Herd and Knott on the bench ?
The only good thing about today is that we remain 8 points above the relegation places. UTG
However, whatever the formation, nothing forgives the basic lack of skills demonstrated by the whole team. We lost nearly every first header and were then second to the second ball. We were slow ponderous and lacking any real fight and determination. I said after the Oldham game that if we had continued like that I couldn't justify JED staying. Well the frustration us that we had improved but we are now back at the standard of the Oldham game. The sad thing is we could just as easily improve again but with the same underlying problems.
My scores:
Nelson 4 now some might think that harsh but I'm basing that on one incident alone. Now forgive me but isn't Nelson the vice captain ? We are 1:0 down with 5 minutes to go and we desperately need to get the ball forward. We get a goal kick and Stuart takes the time to go through his routine of taking the mud off his boots before taking the kick ! Frankly that was an appalling example to the team and demonstrated an utter lack of urgency and desire. Makes a mockery of all his shirt thumping when we win.
Jackson 5 sponsors man of the match and all you can say is that he wasn't quite as appalling as everyone else.
Ehmer 5 probably the better of the 2 centre backs.
Oshilaja 3 sorry but just a liability. Overplayed and lost the ball a couple of times. Getting sent off was a bit of a relief.
Cargill 4 probably his worst game in a Gills shirt. There were holes through the defence all afternoon and coming forward nothing went right for him.
Wagstaff 4 I just thought he got stuck in no mans land too often, neither in a position to defend nor getting forward very effectively. Nonetheless I couldn't see the point of his substitution.
Wright 3 just completely ineffective both in the air and on the floor.
Hessenthaler 4 marginally more competitive than Wright but one moment summed him up when he ran shoulder to shoulder with the man on the ball for about 50 yards without once getting in a challenge.
Byrne 3 just never in the game. The ball spent a long time in the air and when you're not much over 5 foot that doesn't give you much chance.
Nouble 3 poor touch, poor in the air, no use of his pace. No redeeming features.
JET 3 lost the ball more than he kept it. Appears to be stapled to the floor when the ball us in the air to be won. About the same in redeeming features as Nouble.
Subs. Donnelly 2 he must have been on the pitch. The match stats say so.
McDonald 6 showed more desire in his time on the pitch than the rest of the team put together. Provided the ONE good moment in the whole match for the Gills. The overhead kick which was just over.
Oldaker 3 surely not the right kind of match to bring him on with Herd and Knott on the bench ?
The only good thing about today is that we remain 8 points above the relegation places. UTG
