Gillingham and the season so far So where do we start we are now 19 games into the season and we sit in 7th place, you can decide if we are on target, my belief is that we could be in a much better place than where we currently are, I think that we should have picked up around 6 points more which would mean we would be only a small margin off the automatic promotion places. So why are we not there? I think the problem lies with the defence, I donât think Fish is up to the standard, he may improve but at the moment we could do with someone who is much more defensively strong as we cannot make mistakes at this point of the season because every point counts, we do not want to be playing catch up in the final part of the season, it is better to get the points on the board as early as possible. But I donât think the blame all lies at the door of Matt Fish; I think a few others have to take a part of this blame. Andy Frampton has not been at his best in all of the games this season with making a few mistakes and giving away a few penalties which he should not have given away. We have had the injuries, but we have them every year and I think we have missed Payne but now he is back what will be the excuse we canât say we are not reaching targets just because of injuries, teams have to fight on and cope without players at time, Tottenham do this and they seem to do well each season even when most of the defenders are injured, so why canât we do this? I have the belief in the Gillingham team and I think we can go on to actually finish in the top three but in order to do this I think we will need to make sure we do a few things, here is my ideas. I think we will need to bring in some sort of right back, someone who is strong and knows the type of football played in League 2. Also I think we will need to bring in Jo Kuffour as I believe he will be vital to where we finish in the league. And finally I think we could do with a slight bit more of pace in the midfield so the addition of a winger would be great as it would also add to the ranks, we could do with someone who is like Barcham as I believe we miss him and we have not got anyone of that pace to run the ball and put it into the box, this is part of the reason why we play a lot of long ball as we have not got many players to play the ball on the ground as now we also have not got Rooney in the team due to the problems going on with contract talks, so a winger would really be great for our team. Hope you found this an interesting read, you may have different thoughts to me but this is what I think.
All valid points Hoadie but I feel the main reason we are in our current position, which isn't bad but isn't great either (I think we would all take the playoff at the end of the season, begrudingly though) lies at the door of the manager. (Please note this isn't a Hessy bashing exercise but an honest crictique (sp) of his performance). I don't think Hess knows his strongest team / formation. We habe played 4-4-2, 4-5-1 and 4-3-3 so far in these and Hess still chops and changes between the three at this stage of the season, meaning that nobody really gets a chance to settle in any given position. Case in point last week, we played 4-5-1 very successfully against a higher division team, we then changed formation (one assumes just so we could play Kuffor and Nouble) and the players didn't perform. Also I don't think Hess can successfully change a game, I am struggling to think of a time when his made a tactical sub which successfully altered the tempo / shape of the team and turned things around. To make things worse (and this is more of a personal gripe) the comments Hess makes at the end of games annoy me. "We weren't at the races", "we didn't earn the right to play"... arrrghh. These are all things the manager should be able to change i.e. the style of play, the shape of the team, motivation of players. Ok Hessy bashing over
Refresh my memory Hoadie, when has Frampton given away a few penalties? I am not saying he has not, it is just the old brain matter is struggling on it. Andy Barcham, well there is another story, did not make the best use of him whilst at the club, certainly missing him this season. I thought Nouble was going to start covering down the left but Hessy wants him down the right. Difficult one because I can remember a couple of matches where he has performed well on both sides of the pitch. We have a big problem coming up though...am I right in thinking that Nouble's last game will be at home against Bristol Rovers? (Then we have Crawley away in the next game!). So what is Hessy's plans on this which is what more concerns me? Any news on Adam Birchall?
I think Hess is doing well and Frampton has gave a few away, one or two at the start of the season and one recently, Can't remember certain games. I have Birchall on facebook and I know he is running, yesterday he said this "Been beastin the gym this week, looks like I'll be running in two weeks, Birchy is getting back boiiiiiiiii. "
Yer Famps worries me sometimes . He always seems to have hold of the guy he is marking and its just wether the ref sees it or not.He knows he does not have the pace and uses experience instead. I think the recent criticsm of Fish although justified does not fully take into consideration the lack of cover he sometimes gets from the right side of midfield or the hospital balls Richards has sometimes been feeding him (Would you like to take a pass under pressurre from him) I also dont really agree with the winger thing causing us to play the way we have. Nouble has after all been playing ....on the wing!! But i do think we miss someone with a bit of creative guile like Barcham or Mark O Connor or if you remember him a Terry Cochrane lol I dont know what all the answers are but Hess has got a habit of getting good players in whatever the case so I am not worried. Bradford was a bit of a blip but it happens. Quite happy with the way we are chugging along at the moment
I know footballers aren't particularly known for being the most intellegent profession but I do despair over the use of the english language by the youth of today
LOL I know his use of english is poor but some of the best are thick so hopefully the worse english, better football.
Hoadie - sorry to be a pain on this one but you haven't answered my earlier question... By your most recent reply your now stating in so many words that Framps has given away up to 3 penalties. I've been to every home game this season except Bournemouth and I cannot remember him giving away 3 penalties, unless it was away. To help you out I have gone to the pain of having a quick look through on this one, now this might not be 100% accurate but reading the match reports, the first penalty conceded was by Joe Martin against Brighton (Carling Cup), the second penalty was conceded by Ross Flitney against Shrewsbury (League), the third penalty conceded was against Barnet and I don't know by whom in the paint pot. If he has fair enough but I have got to be honest and say if you make such a statement at least back it up
Right just looking into it he gave one away in the Hereford 1-6 Gillingham game, no impact though there. "61:31 Corner taken right-footed by Simon Clist, Andy Frampton gives away a Penalty for an unfair challenge on Harry Pell. "
Hoadie - your entitled to your opinion but in mine your clutching at straws mate. So you found one penalty and then they MISSED it!!! So using that as part of your basis if that puts Framps not at his best, what does that make of the players who did actually give away penalties that were put away. Criticise Framps for other reasons but not a claim of giving away three penalties and then only find one that was missed. ps. whose 5 star(ing) all this stuff, only appears to happen mainly on our board?
I'm not trying to criticise Frampton here, just set the record straight. Brighton, 64th minute, shirt pulling/holding. Barnet, 10th minute, shirt pulling holding. Shrews, didn't concede the penalty that Flitney saved but was penalised for encroachment, the retaken penalty was scored, 2 points lost. Bournmouth, own goal. As I said this isn't a criticism, I'm sure if we look there are errors from all the players, it is funny however that certain players are remembered whilst others are forgotten.
brb. I think it is pretty obvious who is awarding the 5 stars. Could we have a system change please so that if the author rates their own thread then we are all made aware. Maybe 5 turds could appear.
Sorry grumpy - can you confirm, my understanding is Framps did not concede those penalties, unsure on the Barnet one though? ps. I have had enough, I am going to have to go and research this one in detail!!
Ok, I accept Hoadie is right, I have just gone through the Gills player archives. Barnet conceded by Framps. Brighton conceded by Framps after Martin could not keep pace. Hereford one did not watch but I had already conceded that was Framps. Then Bournemouth OG. Shrewsbury was conceded by Flitney Apologises Hoadie, it was obviously me clutching at straws.
brb, I had to look it up as well, the memory doesn't get any better. Oh and the missed penalty in the Hereford game, it was also Framps who gave away the freekick that they eventually scored from.
I've been trying desperately to think up a case for the defence The only one I could come up with is Barnet was tin pot cup, Brighton was another tin pot cup, Hereford we won 6-1 anyway so I expect Framps was having a nap. So in the League Framps done good, which is why I didn't know.
Anyway,back to Hoadie's original points.....I think we could do worse than leave Lee at right back. Thats where he played for Pterborough last season,and he looks strong in that poistion. We'll see how he does in that position at Orient, but my feeling is that he should stay there for the rest of the season. That,then makes a midfield position available.Fish could come on and play ifn front of Lee,as he did as sub against Bournemouth, but if Hess is looking for a wide player,then he could think about Marshall from Barnet. Very quick and makes lots of chances for them. He'd be an ideal replacement for Rooney, although he would cost a fee.
My memory is no better these days, but wasn't the retake against Shrewsbury due to one of their's encroaching? I'm sure it was tucked away both times.....
I think Lee is the best option at Right back, I have not said there is anything wrong with him there, just that we are then weaker in midfield. We could do with signing a Right back.
