18 points from 18 games exactly the same as last year, can SL turn it around? On Saturday he seemed unable to change things around, long balls up to Eaves with creative midfielders on the bench, how many substitutions did make.....zero, only slightly less than shots on target. A loss against Hartlepool and the thin ice might just crack.
I don't think it's so much is he on borrowed time, but who will replace him. We ain't got no money, so i just think what's the point? He's giving the youngsters a chance and they will grow, but i also accept, they will only grow at this level, not league two level, where we would have to change our whole squad all over again. And that would be a shame, considering the quality of what we actually do have coming through, if we can get it together. So let's say we do get rid and get another manager, how much do we have to pay off SL...well that's money we can ill afford straight off. But we could argue that money would be reimbursed by avoiding the losses of relegation. No new manager is going to come in with no money to spend, just to inherit a squad someone else built, so if we have the money for that give it to Steve Lovell. Keep swapping managers achieves nothing, you only have to go as far back as Maddog to see that - what have we won since we sacked him...let me tell you absolutely NOTHING! Now i got that tune in my head! What is it good for...absolutely nothing Talking of which, Hartlepool and Luton will decide his fate....watch this space
It is quite odd at how inconsistent we can be. Scoring 7 goals in 2 games and looking more than comfortable then follow it up with a dull draw against a team 2 leagues below us and losing a very winnable game at Oxford (checkatrade score is irrelevant as it's a pointless trophy). If we actually managed to hold some form then we're a very dangerous side for this league but it just seems to be we only try hard for 50% of the time.
Pegleg, As you [all] know - I hate it when the players don't 'try'. I can accept defeat - but not a lack of commitment. At one stage on Saturday - Gills were in the Oxford penalty area when we lost possession and suddenly threatened by a 'breakaway'. Several of the team looked uninterested in trying to get back to defend. It was only Byrne and Fuller who were breaking sweat to get back -- and Byrne was at least 10 yards further from our goal than List -- who I watched, just ambling along. I thought List had a poor game. Ehmer was incredibly slow in clearing his lines. Hanlan was ineffective. Eaves won very little (( OK - the linesman didn't help )) - Holy's kicking was poor. SL continues to confuse me. Against Blackpool and Hartlepool we managed bugger all in the way of decent opportunities ( no shot on goal against non-league opponents.) No goals against either side. At Oxford, it still wasn't working - yet no substitutes - when you had players like Oldaker ( who has created two of our best goals in recent matches ). There was Mbo - who could have been given 10 or 15 minutes !!!! We haven't got players who have quality, form and consistency for 50% of the time - let alone ALL the time - but we have it too many times when individuals don't 'try' - which is unacceptable.
I agree with brb, but it's the inconsistencies that are so frustrating. I know that earlier in the season a number of potentially key players were injured, but I think that he's now got as full a squad as he's ever going to have. It's important to bring through the young players as they are the key to our financial stability - PS has said that they budget for income from player sales / sell ons at £750k a year. That's a LOT of money to have find from that source. But it's going to more difficult to sell players from a losing team, only the really outstanding ones will attract attention. And reports of the style of play are worrying. OK, so it seems that the pitch had to be replaced to avoid the possibility of getting sued by clubs whose players were getting injured, but if that's the standard of pitch expected in L1 then there is surely a case for playing decent FOOTball and changing if necessary if they do come across a less than perfect pitch. Hell, looking at Hartlepool's pitch on TV on Sunday, that seemed pretty good. Anyway I'll see it, and the current playing style, first hand on Wednesday. Possibly the only game I'll be able to get to see them in the Cup this season if previous form is anything to go by.
I wasn't suggesting that SL should go, probably because it isn't up to me. I was just wondering what Scally might be thinking when our form is identical to last year.
Hartlepool 2 Gills 0......... tick tock, tick tock Do you want to hear what I think ? Fffffffffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu n isn't what I call it
On a more serious note - IF we can't get positive results on Saturday and again on Tuesday, then it really does mean that the players are not good enough. It may not have anything to do with the management quality of SL. If the players are not good enough, what is the point of having a manager and other members of the coaching staff - we might as well get rid of them and save the money.
No - I have helped my younger son to move house today - I'm knackered - and don't have the energy for the grief that I anticipated .
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/45992000 I dare you to scroll down and have a look............. what the hell was Holy doing for the first goal -- just as bad as at Oxford on Saturday
