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Sarfend Result

Discussion in 'Gillingham' started by The Gills PegLeg, Oct 7, 2019.

  1. The Gills PegLeg

    The Gills PegLeg Up yer Harris

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    Right so despite my current scepticism and dubious thoughts of our current position, against my better judgement I dragged myself and my other half (to her obligatory one game per season) to Priestfield on Saturday.

    Decided to visit the Factory before the game and sit in the "newly opened" restaurant section, which for the life of me I can't work it out why it's taken five years to open up considering it's just some extra tables and chairs with little else. The £4 "gourmet burger" they were offering left you more pondering the definition of gourmet than it did be a tasting experience. Had the experience frustrated again in that the bouncers wouldn't let us through the door into the Rainham End so begrudgingly trudged around to the turnstiles. This however bemusingly appeared to be a futile experience as we walked straight through without myself or my partner getting searched, leaving us very much asking what was the point?

    Anyways onto the match. The first half, well, that was pretty dire from both sides. Stats may show we had a few opportunities but honestly the football was so incredibly dull I was already questioning why I had wasted my time and money going. Jones' deflected goal on 43 minutes didn't even get the normal celebrations a goal should as I think half of the crowd had fallen asleep not expecting it. Hitting the bar just before half time left us with some hope however that we might have a decent second half. Second half kicked off and we came racing out of the traps and Ndjoli & Hanlan started causing their defence all sorts of problems and we deservedly went 2-0 up with another shot the keeper tipped into his own net. After that however we just seemed to revert back to the football of the first half, shrimpers making two changes and they were all of a sudden on the front foot. Their goal came from a lapse of concentration from a freekick and I think even Bonham was caught half asleep when it went in.

    The next part of the game however can only be described as pure anarchy frankly and it started thanks to one of Southend's substitutes. He came on clearly to try and rough up Connor Ogilvie as one of his first attempts at participating was to lamp Ogilvie in the face. Ref only gave a yellow but he continued to be what can only be described as cheating and got his second yellow very soon after for what looked like a horrible challenge on Barry Fuller (having since seen the replay it's not as bad but the speed in which he goes into the challenge was dangerous). Thankfully off he popped to leave Ogilvie alone (who had done a sterling job defending against this lump might I add). This extra man advantage helped create the first penalty from a typical route one long ball with Hanlan flicking it on to Ndjoli who got brought down. The less said about the two penalties the better really.

    Last goal came from good work down the side and the hopeful Marshall taking a weak shot at goal with Oxley fumbling yet again and Hanlan was able to put away from about 3 yards.

    Good and bad points:
    Some good performances out there on Saturday with Ogilvie & Ehmer handling their attack very well. Hanlan & Ndjoli caused problems but missing two penalties isn't great. Olly Lee impressed me with some touches and vision that we haven't seen perhaps dare I even say since Dacky. O'Keefe and Byrne were both industrious but didn't get into the game enough for me at times.
    Marshall looked like a wasted sub frankly, I would have rather have seen Pringle over our new Myles Weston.

    Still not convinced we will do well this season from that but it's three more points we desperately needed. Still only three wins in thirteen <whistle>
     
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  2. alwaysright

    alwaysright @ Very Angry Camel

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    cheats nearly prospered !
    pegleg,
    I see that you're getting used to being cynical ! I note that you mentioned cheating by Southend -- I'm surprised that nobody has yet commented on the disgraceful nonsense that went on before BOTH penalties were taken. I refer, of course, to the outrageous behaviour of Southend (( and I mean this accusation against Southend United F.C.)) - by scuffing up the penalty spot ! This was an obvious attempt impede the spotkick taker, and to change the direction of the ball. The referee noticed this 'cheating', before the first penalty - but the official missed the same nonsense by Southend's keeper before the 2nd penalty.

    They say that 'cheats do not prosper' - but - - with the way that Gills were playing, even at 2-1 up, against 10 men, the fact that both penalties were missed, allowed Southend a reasonable chance of grabbing a point............ I hope for their sake that this was a 'one-off' -- otherwise I don't fancy their chances of surviving against relegation.......... and, cheats should never prosper
     
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  3. brb

    brb CR250

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    Very good write up pegleg, and although as you know I was not at the game, it's a write up I can very much relate too. The side has something good about it, underneath all the crap, it's one alwaysright has covered a number of times, in saying we have dispensed with hoof ball.

    So it makes you wonder, if the tactics applied are fine, but the players are just not good enough. Marshall great description of him, another Myles Weston. I've said previously on this forum, the final ball is disappointing. It's great entertainment, pace and football on the ground, but if you can do no more than run the wing, then what's the point.

    The penalty misses although irrelavent due to the result and three points on the board, we really do need to focus on for the bigger games, when a spot kick will become critical to put away. So we don't appear to have a Keds in our team, the bar has been set high and Ndjoli failed to deliver, not once but twice. Although under VAR I wonder if the keeper may have broken a few rules - he psyched Ndjoli for sure on the first pen, it was like seeing Grobbelaar of old from the twitter feed.

    However, without too much disrepect to Southend, they were easy money on form away for them. The real challenge starts now, Pompey away and Posh at home. Make or break time, Saturday was just the bread and butter, now time to apply some jam.

    This win gives Evans a tad longer, I predicted that we would tolerate this until Portsmouth away, but he will clear that date now, but........did i mention we play Shrewsbury away on the 22nd October, hmmm deja vu?
     
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  4. alwaysright

    alwaysright @ Very Angry Camel

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    Blancmange
    brb
    Regarding Marshall -- I think pegleg needs some extra award for his comparison with Myles Weston -- I really couldn't have put it better.
    Regarding your comment about tactics and not being good enough -- I believe that, in general, we are not good enough. We have had plenty of games to 'gel' - but the gelling we're doing with our freebies, seems to be producing nothing more threatening than jelly !....................

    ....... and if pegleg was asleep in the first half, I need to apologise to all in the GRS for snoring !
     
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  5. brb

    brb CR250

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    My early observations of the season was that Marshall was easily knocked off the ball, in that case you have to have a touch of Myles Weston about you, but if you are not able to deliver that ball into the box, then we might has well go rescue our old left back from Northampton, and stick him on as winger. Actually why we are about it can we afford Wycombes penalty taker too.
     
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  6. The Gills PegLeg

    The Gills PegLeg Up yer Harris

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    Although I've only seen him on a couple of occasions, I can't really work out what sort of role Marshall is meant to be playing. He doesn't really seem to want to take players on and doesn't seem to have much crossing ability for someone who came with a decent pedigree. Just like Weston I guess who could never work out if he was a striker or a wide player but without Weston's pure speed.
     
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  7. grumpygit

    grumpygit les misérable

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    Having just got back from his dad's funeral, it would be nice if we could cut Marshall some slack, he didn't do anything wrong and in his 25 minutes managed a shot on target which led to the 3rd goal.
    As for the match overall, if you can't enjoy a 3 - 1 win then you need to stop your Sky subscriptions, whilst it wasn't on a par with the premiership, it was a good performance for league 1.
     
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  8. The Gills PegLeg

    The Gills PegLeg Up yer Harris

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    In terms of Marshall yes it must be a horrible time for the guy but if he isn't emotionally fit to play then I'm sure Evans wouldn't have picked him for the squad. As harsh as if may sound, if he's mentally able to play, then he should be mentally able to take certain criticism of his performances and I don't think anyone has been overly harsh on him. Being likened to one of our League Two winning players can't be a bad thing after all.

    With regards to the match @grumpygit you yourself have commented on how you're happier with the football we're playing under Evans and yet the first half really was quite dull and boring. I don't think anyone here will disagree that the second half wasn't entertaining as it certainly was but it was just as much down to Southend's theatrics as it was down to our own doing. However I have to ask the question again, if we're only going to bother to play football for 45 minutes rather than 90, then what was the point of replacing Steve Lovell? It was after all a constant gripe of his side last season.
     
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  9. grumpygit

    grumpygit les misérable

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    18 shots, 9 on target, I really don' know what you are expecting if that's a boring match.
    SL has gone and we need to except it and move on, he will always be a club legend but he was a poor manager.
     
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  10. The Gills PegLeg

    The Gills PegLeg Up yer Harris

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    Again Grumpy I said the second half was entertaining but the majority of those shots did happen in the second half and we were gifted all three goals. Getting defensive over the guy whose got us only three wins in thirteen a bit too much ;)
     
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  11. alwaysright

    alwaysright @ Very Angry Camel

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    Pegleg / grumpygit,
    1. I can understand compassion & sympathy for Marshall - following the loss of his father.
    2. I don't think anyone has been overly critical of, or insensitive towards Marshall .I didn't know about his dad - but any 'criticism' of Marshall hasn't been confined to this latest effort. I am disappointed with what he has brought to GFC - not the Marshall of old ! -- and I respectfully do not think that the issue was influenced by the situation with his dad.
    Hindsight is a wonderful thing - and perhaps Marshall should have been told to take ' compassionate leave.' -- but I doubt if we will ever see any real improvement from him in terms of what he does on the pitch.

    I can understand Pegleg's frustration with the lack of 'progress' ( in terms of results .) I can also appreciiate what grumpygit is saying - re the different, less boring football than of previous years ----- although you wouldn't have thought so if you had been at Bristol, Oxford and the first half against Southend ----- and with these performances coming so recently -- when, by now, you might expect that the team should be gelling to start to fulfil the hype given by Evans & Raynor before the season began.......... and it is these, recent performances that people like Pegleg have concerns for our future in L1 (( let alone any aspirations of top 6 places )) - and, dare I say it, I believe that over the last 3 season of fighting against relegation - coupled with the less than impressive recent performances (( notwithstanding any personal grievance against Mr. Stephen Evans as a 'human' being )), I suspect that many Gills fans have had enough.
    It is left to the stupid diehards ( and occasionally brb <laugh> ) who can be bothered to come to Priestfield. We have to accept reality - NOT the propaganda from Messrs Scally & Evans.
    The reality is that we have a squad of players according to our budget. In terms of footballing quality, it isn't going to be much --- you get what you pay for. ( and I am sure that each of them are nice chaps -- even Mr.Evans showed his compassionate side by donating to the Southend charity ).
     
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    Last edited: Oct 8, 2019
  12. brb

    brb CR250

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    and that is certainly where i stand in the reality box, that is what frustrates the hell out of me, when we get impressions of grandeur, when we all know it's a fit for budget and rightly so!

    I can still remember when Maddog, before winning the L2 title for us, made a comment of smashing League One...I was at the front of the queue, laughing at him. So I don't just pass judgement as most will know, just because it's Evans. It was the stupidiest thing he (Martin Allen) ever came out with and I don't subscribe to it.

    In regards to Marshall, I made my thoughts clear from the FIRST HOME LEAGUE GAME. I wasn't aware of his current personal situation and of course if I had known, I may not of made the comments I made this week. But over the course, they remain valid. Pegleg made a perfectly reasonable and judged opinion in comparing him to Weston - it's something we do as supporters all the time. I don't even see it as a detriment but a compliment.

    As alwaysright rightly points out, we don't subscribe to propaganda, there's enough of that coming out of the club.
     
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  13. grumpygit

    grumpygit les misérable

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    I have to smile at the moment with all the press guys queuing up to see Oli Gunner sacked because of poor results, they make their case by telling you how it's the worst Man-U start for 30 years, however they stop short at telling you who the manager was 30 years ago. <doh>
     
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  14. brb

    brb CR250

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    I was pleased that Newcastle beat Man Utd. But nothing to do with Solskjaer, I actually like the guy, and wish him all the best. The only reason I wanted Newcastle to win, was for Steve Bruce, he was under immense pressure and I knew a win against United would appease their fans just that little bit longer. However, it never avoids the inevitable in the long term <whistle>
     
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  15. gioblues

    gioblues Well-Known Member

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    Gills are not much better than under Lovell. What looks different is home form is better and looks like we can beat teams similar to us. We should stay clear of relagation but still think we will finish about half way. Will we finish higher than last season ? Not certain.
     
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