Well I've never thought that I have paid for an experience where I would consider describing my role as a masochist but this ordeal has opened my eyes. Questions must be raised over the performance as we have once again succumbed to a team that (judging by form) we should be dismantling. It has been a while since I have seen us opened up to this extent; they cut through us like a hot knife through butter and we lacked any form of a cohesive response. On my forty minute walk home from the ground I thought to myself "What can we do to change?" and I struggled to find an answer. We have what appears to be a talented squad (on paper) and a manager who has experience at the highest level both domestically and internationally. This should be working. What changes can we make to improve? Is it shape? The starting eleven? I have no idea. Anyone?
Personally, I think its the manager. I know some may groan at such an attitude but I look at that squad and see a team that can easily hold there own in this league for example comparing the two squads today we were far greater on paper but lost far too easily (even when 10 men down). Peter has great experience but tactically we look dull and nervous, for example we are terrified of leaving one up at corners to make them leave 2 to mark him (which would actually be a more effective way of defending, hence fans frustration). I would be keen to Taylor moved up to a director of football style role where is knowledge of the game can still be used but without having a hands on role with the team. Something does need to be done though as 12 games in we are in a relegation scrap yet again.
I think that's it with Taylor, the style is conservative and invites pressure upon ourselves. I don't have an issue with holding on to the ball and going for 1-0 wins if there is a bit of fluidity and control but there is points watching the play where we are clearly devoid of ambition and passion. That doesn't appear to be something that a tweak in a midweek coaching session would sort out. I also don't agree with Cody as a captain, he's a lot of things our Cody but I don't see him as a captain.
I felt today at the game and like gillslad69 coming away, where was our midfield, I don't pretend to be any tactician but i was trying to identify the problem and the only area i could identify as the issue was midfield. Now i know everyone will expect me to raise Hessy's name, but i do, why is he not playing? Linganzi did his bit when he came on and never gave up the cause but i feel him and Hessy are world's apart. Hessy is so much more controlled in his game. He rarely loses a ball, or a one on one challenge, his through balls are precise and to the man. And today we needed someone in control. The Irons had strength, we failed to hold them through the middle. Hessy was our rock up to and including the Walsall game, when we were on the verge of the playoffs, why has that changed, is he injured?
I thought Hess looked a bit burnt out by the Walsall game and wasn't able to play to his utmost. Linganzi was a breath of fresh air in the Peterborough match, offers our most physical presence in midfield and in my mind should have been brought on earlier in the Walsall game. If Linganzi had been brought on to partner Pritchard as soon as the sending off happened I think we could have shored up and been harder to break down. I believe Hess and Pritch are too diminutive a pairing to have dictated play.
Anyone who heard Taylor's post match interview will know he was fuming at the players and rightly so. he sheltered them on Tuesday night when the second string put in a good shift, so that they should have been busting with energy. This performance was 100% down to the players and their lack of belief once Loft had stupidly departed, spoke volumes. Only Biwater escaped criticism. McDonald and Norris were toothless.
From the GRS side it looked as if he kicked out - and I don't mean at the ball ! Did anyone get a closer look, and can give an 'impartial' observation as to why Mr.M-W wasn't invited to share Loft's bath water. I thought Loft deserved his red card - although only he will know why he needed to tackle so recklessly ( in the centre area of the pitch ) - but surely the referee had a duty to send off M-W ? And on the same subject the Irons' No. 9 committed a poor foul on Joe Martin - which went unpunished. A little while later he kicked the ball away some distance - and again got away with it. Decisions change games. Gills have traditionally not fared well when reduced to 10 men. Maybe the result would have been the same if there wasn't a red card for Loft - it's not a case of sour grapes - because we didn't deserve anything for the lack of REAL fight - but I cannot believe that the referee can have viewed those incidents without a blinkered point of view.
alwaysright - I felt i had a good view of two important decisions, now despite most the Medway Stand might disagree with me in my section....I actually felt the ref got both decisions spot on! In my honest opinion Loft deserved to walk, and before i even saw the ref's outcome, right from the moment of his high foot...i thought, your walking. So despite the jeers in the man in black direction, he was correct. I just thought Loft, what are you playing at, like a rush of blood. Maybe unintentional but if that had been an opposition player i would have expected the same outcome. As for the decision between their number 11 and i think Norris...again the ref was correct, despite being under immense pressure from the RE. It was a yellow card and no more, our player was looking for the same ref reaction as what happened to Loft. Fortuantely the ref saw through it. So despite decisions going badly against us, they were good calls.
I'm not going to refer to our performance too much, which was terrible. However I completely disagree with your references to the red card being correct because it was simply wrong. He lunged yes, but his studs were not up when he made the slightest bit of contact which then the cheat of a left back decided to milk for all it was worth. The referee had no intention of giving a red card until their paddy madden started in his ear. Additionally, the Myrie-Williams incident, he kicked out so quite simply is that or is it not a red card? Yes if he's deemed to kick out and you've already set a president for sending off someone for hardly tapping a player then he has to go. That being said, I never thought he'd send him off, and to further show the weakness of the referee, he started walking away and was not going to take any action until our players got in his ear, resulting in him booking MW and Norris, utterly ridiculous.
I'd also add that the midfield seem to have taken the flak for being outnumbered, why Taylor decided to leave 2 up for the entire game when we had 10 men I will never know. Clearly the midfield would then be outnumbered.
G-m-A-D I share the frustration of all Gills fans - but in the 'modern' game the style of tackle performed by Loft is deemed dangerous - even if NO contact is made - and qualifies for a red card. I would prefer a little less 'cleansing' of the game- but it will never revert to a bit more of an old-fashioned 'physical' challenge. With regards to M-W 'kicking out' - the referee had created a precedent regarding the punishment he dealt to Loft... Even so, the action of M-W was a DELIBERATE act of 'violence' (albeit not the worst kind ) - M-W's action, unlike that of Loft, was not in the passage of normal play - but as an assault after the event. The referee had NO option but to produce a red card. ......and, yes - another Taylor tactic faux-pas for leaving two up front ( not that Norris broke sweat to try to make up the numbers )
I think we need to revert back to the 3-5-2 system that we started the season with that got us to 10th. Davies, Egan and Hause all have the legs to cover each other at the back there and it would give Aaron Morris his calming influence to be able to sit back in the defensive mid role with Hess or Pritchard. McGlashan or Hoyte for the right wing and Martin for the left. Gives Cody a strike partner to play off and the hard working Dack or Linganzi to be able to play just behind them. Agreed our 2 most influential players are missing at the moment but at least we were playing well and scoring with this system when they couldn't play.
no way! hause and egan centre backs.hoyte and Martin full backs.Hessy Dack linzingi and macglasion .upfront is the problemwho plays with cody.
