So we all know that we have been struggling for consitancy from all areas of the pitch and maybe havent been playing to our full potential given the talent in the squad. yes some of this has been due to inujuries etc but still we're not where we want to be. so what do people see as our long and short term solutions? for me and i know this may cause an outcry of sorts or atleast a heated debate maybe we should consider dropping rooney from the left side atleast maybe move him to just behind the strikers (which is where he seems to end up anyway). for me a lot of the apposing team threat has come down our flanks espically our left which puts a lot of pressure on the full back and as good as jackman and martin are they are going to have the occasional slip up or poor game. problem is solving this short term, given the injuries we have the only option would be to move jackman out to the left and let him and lee interchange down that flank. in preseason jackman and spiller did this very well and it gave us another element in attack and they swapped between the central and wide role, i think jackman would use the ball better than rooney and wouldnt lose it by trying to take on another defender when a pass inside or cross would see us better placed. it would also add to the defensive side of the midfield that has been missing since jack payne has been out. long term we do need jack payne back to help mop up after we give the ball away and to link the back 4 to the midfield, if we have the money then maybe another winger to challange rooney and whelpdale as an attacking threat and hopefully sign kuffour up to a contract for not a lot of pennies and this would solve the need for another striker especially when birchall is back. thoughts? any good ones will send to hess
As many have already stated that we have a squad of players who are proven at this level and higher, so if the quality of the playing staff isn't the issue than you have to look at the coaching staff and the manager. Too often we have seen short comings in the tactics and the hestitation to make any changes before the 60 minute mark and not just this season but last season too. I think the club seriously needs to look at bringing in an experienced coach or assistant manager to support Hess, or getting in a more experienced manager at this level because as much as I hate to say it I don't think Hess is up to the job
Right for starters I'm tactically inept, so there is no point in me giving Hessy suggestions! However, I can say what my thoughts are in regards to what I have seen and let other people then work the tactics out, I'm not doing the whole squad but here goes with some selection... Flitney - He proved me wrong - he's a top keeper for league two at least, always feel confident now that we are in safe hands. Frampton - Should be the first name on the team sheet - end of on that one. Richards - Sorry not for me. Martin - Got to be left back who else have we got. Lawrence - I like vocal and physical warriors, so should play alongside Framps. Fish - Don't wish to be unkind for one minute but starting to become a little bit of a liability. Jack Payne - Can someone please tell me, why the hell he is not playing? Nouble - On the left, why the hell is in on the right? Kuffour or Kedwell - Can't decide, until Keds finds his scoring boots, maybe sit him out on the bench. Rooney - You all know I like him, so play him where you think he needs to be but he must start. Whelpdale/Lee - Undecided. Can't be bothered to decide on the rest at the moment.
personally for me richards has been more solid that lawrence, to many slips at crucial moments. i agree tho im surprised framps isnt starting but its hard to break up a cb pairing that have (bar wombles) been playing very well. as for payne hes still recovering from his injury. wouldnt be surprised to see him on the team sheet this week or atleast the bench, obviously depending on fitness. for me atm we really miss him and spiller but neither of them should find it hard to work their way back into the team given the way our midfield is currently playing
Danny Spiller seems to be missed quite badly. Never afraid to shirk the defensive side of the game. Luke Rooney back to the bench - still better against tiring defenders. Danny Kedwell - big disappointment. Seems to lack a bit of quality and confidence. Can't criticise him for effort though and seems to be suffering for all the time spent as a lone striker. Now fallen behind Nouble and Kuffour I think. Matt Fish - Seems to be low on confidence. Does anyone else remember how good Jack Payne was at right back against Leeds a couple of seasons ago? Chris Whelpdale and Charlie Lee - Passengers at the moment. Charlie Lee looks to be a shadow of the player we saw on loan last year. Andy Hess - I thought he did well in the transfer market but his signings just aren't performing. He needs to find a way to get things to gel. The Hess headhunters at Kentonline comments are growing both in number and ferocity, although from reading some of the more dubious comments I sense a lot of these comments come from people who have a personal dislike of Hess possibly unrelated to football .
Now then, if I had just taken over Gillingham in Football Manager 2012 with the current injuries, form and money, I would consider doing the following: 1. Offer Oli and S. Payne to any BSP/League 2 club mad enough to take them off our hands. 2. Scout out a potential right back to loan for the rest of the season from League 1/Championship 3. Once done send Matt Fish out on loan preferably to a BSP club to gain more experience and confidence. 4. Try and sign Jo Kuffour for as little as possible in the January transfer window and offer him the wages saved by getting rid of Oli and Payne (S). 5. Judging by the lack of real width in the team, I would employ a narrow 4-1-2-1-2 diamond formation and stick Jack Payne as the holding midfielder and Rooney behind the front 2 in a free role. 6. Obviously Flitney in goal. 7. Back 4 would have to be loan r/b, Lawrence, Frampton, Martin (with both full backs given the freedom to act as wing back if width needed) 8. Perm 2 from Lee, Whelpdale, Weston, Montrose and Jackman for the other 2 midfield roles (being honest, not a lot to choose between them at the moment) 9. Has to be Nouble and Kuffour up front. Unfortunately you canât quit and try again like you can in FM if it goes wrongâ¦
