brb According to Evans, Gills have some 'outstanding' players !! - so why do we lose so abjectly ? I am under no illusion. The quality of the squad is very limited. One reason for this is down to player budget - but - I do not know the extent of our quality - because Gills only seem to deploy one tactic - hoofball !........ which doesn't work. We've hardly tried to play with the ball on the deck... when we do, it gives a tiny bit more confidence that we might threaten the opposition goal --- and you can't legislate for when your main striker manages to not score from about 3 yards from the goal line ! Gills just launch the ball forward - usually to a lone striker - who can't be expected to cope - even if he was half decent. We have little possession - which is spent mainly going backwards ! It is dire stuff, and painful to watch...... And, of course, all of this usually ends in defeat... ..... So - if It's not working - why do we persist with the same tactics ?.. ... ... Is it because Gills simply cannot do any better ? ... Or is it because the players are following the instruction of Evans ? I suspect that the answer is that it is a combination of poor players using poor tactics. I can give Evans some sympathy if all he's got is poor quality players - Gills have had them before.... but - I'm fairly sure that Evans has not sufficiently explored tactics that are different to the one that keeps failing...... You can't keep repeating the same wrong thing - and expect a different outcome -- Einstein will tell you that is a sign of madness ! Gillingham will always have players of little or modest ability. Their overall results will reflect the quality level of the squad. Realistically, these levels are about mid range of Tier 3 of the EFL..... Whilst I am a pragmatist, I would like to think that a so-called football manager can see my viewpoint ( regarding continually failing tactics ), and try something different... We might still lose - but - it might be a little more palatable to bear (( a bit like it may be for supporters of Leeds when they lose 3-4, or 4-5 etc)). At the moment there is virtually no redeeming feature to watching Gills matches....... I cannot believe that Mr. Scally enjoys what he sees..... Does he not tell Evans that the same failing tactics (hoofball), is not just sending us back to League 2, but that it is crap to watch. Evans out ? - Gills can't do a lot worse.
Raynor has the answers apparently if you don't convert your chances, you can't take the 3 points. easy once you know.
Yeah because they need better strikers! I've been saying this virtually all season. Put another way, they aint no Deon Burton and Danny Kedwell.
Im torn, i really wanted Evans to work being an experienced manager which i believed and still think we need. However i dont think any manager will consistently get results out of this group of players. having said that, most of them are his signings, so it all bounces back to the budget...or lack off!
I'm not buying the budget nonsense, are you telling me that Burton have a big budget. Or indeed Accrington, Yes the team that scored 2 against us whilst keeping a clean sheet, you think they have a big budget??????? What they have is a plan, don't lose, yes that's right they have built from the back, if working on a low budget it is the only way. We wasted money on Akinde, (31 years old) never really cut it in league football above league 2 level. We did the same with Oliver, (29 years old) again never really done anything above league 2 level. Dominic Samuel is a little younger (26 years old) unfortunately still hasn't got a good scoring record. So too compensate for the poor forward line S E tries to push the defenders up supporting our attack, The trouble is if they still fail to score, our entire defense is out of position. first and foremost "Let our defenders defend" Likewise our midfield are pushed forward leaving their defensive duties to take care of themselves. stopping the opposition attacks through midfield should be the priority. Up front you either spend money on a proven league 1 striker, as opposed to waste money on a proven failed league 1 striker. Or for the same or less money, you can get 3 young non-league strikers and hope one comes good. They couldn't be any worse.
Let's not forget Evans was given money in January 2020 to sign a striker and he bought Akinde who has returned us four goals in that time frame. Now there was another striker I mentioned at the same time who is about 6 years younger, slighter and faster who was available for same cash and probably lower wages. That chap was Fejiri Okenabirhie who signed for Doncaster from Shrewsbury for a fee to be rumoured of £50,000 which was around the money we paid for Akinde. He's returned 9 goals for Doncaster in the same time period. His type of player is different to what we have and would have made the difference for us up front this season. The reason why I mention that player is that it sums up how bad the recruitment has been this season. Limited budgets are one thing but as @grumpygit mentioned, Accrington have a smaller budget than us and their riding high in the play offs. They've done what Evans fails to do and fails to do at every club, they've kept their core and added to it. The 14, 15, 16 signings made each summer quickly loses the team's identity. The failure to keep hold of players like Ehmer, Fuller, Hanlan & Mark Byrne is hurting us now. I'm not saying I know what the answer is whether that's Evans out or not, but strong questions have to be asked. Evans himself hasn't really achieved anything since leaving Rotherham in 2015 so maybe he's starting to become a dinosaur in the changing environment of football.
Gills are only getting the leftovers during any transfer window. Be it reputation of the club or manager, Gills are left with the scrapings.......
It's all about opinions and for me, it's all to do with that part ^^^ that I've quoted from your post. Sometimes I just button it, because you guys must get fed up with me going on like a parrot. Evans messed up bringing them in imho. I give players such as Dempsey and Graham as players that I would want in my team. We've got a League Two set up for L1 football - Maddog was shown the door quick enough when he didn't adapt. So what would I do. Go find anyone, L1, L2, National League, National League South, anyone that can move quicker than a tortoise. Aerial dominance don't win you nowt in this league. My concern is the first quarter of the season, was good enough, not good, but good enough, the second quarter of the season has got worse, that isn't good enough. I jest when I say Evan's Out, I do it because I think the topic needs discussing. I'm not even suggesting I'm right. Everyone who has posted on here has much a valid opinion as me. It's down to those in charge at the club, to take the opinions they choose onboard.....but one thing is clear to me, it's not working.
Those two in bold, I'm still shell shocked over. To let them go was just unreal, I actually took my frustation out on Bristol Rovers regarding Ehmer. We will not find anyone as loyal as Fuller, the guy was a workhorse. Keeping them would have allowed us to push a couple of the boys at the back into different positions more beneficial but no, they was allowed to go. We have always shared some good banter over Cody and Martin, everyone knows I'm a wind-up merchant, but I can't even joke about our currrent set-up.
Have to say we have not got a big budget but within that budget Evans has brought in Akinde Samuel and Graham aswell as Dempsey. All must be on decent wages. . Keep hearing what a small squad we have but even with injuries we still have no youngsters on the bench apart from one. As for Fuller being released was madness. Still was good enough in either full back positions. Maybe bring him back as player manager.
Crawley playing League One football at League Two level, solid performance against Leeds. I hope Evans was watching it.
Just to add to it I counted five Gills links in that Crawley squad yesterday. Glenn Morris the keeper was our number 2 and briefly number one between 13-15. Jake Hessenthaler of course we're all aware of. Josh Wright on the bench again former captain of the Gills. England's number one Stuart Nelson was also on the bench and finally their manager John Yems, coached at Gills shortly after Ian Hendon left as assistant in 2011/12 under Hess Snr as boss.
Funny you should mention this, I kept looking at Yems and thinking, where the hell do I know you from, you've solved my mystery. Yup spotted Jake, actually him and his dad got a mention during the game. I only twigged with Morris near the end of the game, which was a bit naughty of me.
