Right so I've been pondering this and thought it would be quite hard to come up with a best XI from the actual squad. So if everyone was fit and had no suspensions, what are people's opinions on our bext 11? I would go with this lineup: Nelson Hewitt Legge Davies Martin Linganzi Harriman Whelpdale Dack Kedwell McDonald. Subs: Howard, Barrett, Hessenthaler, Smith, Lee, Weston, Akinfenwa Reasons why Hess has only made the bench is that I think a wide diamond midfield is probably best suited to this team at the moment and I would only want Hess playing in the middle of the park. Keds just gets the nod over Bayo as Keds workrate can create goals and Bayo can make an impact from the bench. Whelpdale for me is more consistent over the 90 minutes so even though I've put him on the wrong flank, I would rather he start than Weston who is an impact player.
You didn't mention form ! Not sure if I could trust Weston to sell the matchday program ! For all of Kedwell's endeavour & running, he doesn't link up with McDonald as well as Akinfenwa - who is so much more a nuisance for defenders than Kedwell can ever be. With the limitations of the side as a WHOLE, we need to have Hessenthaler rather than Whelpdale (at his current level of form). Young Hess has a more natural and effective ability to break up play - and can also make an attacking pass.
For me I don't think Whelpdale and Lee have shown much this year and I wouldn't have them in my 18 man squad. The 10 minutes I saw of Marriott would get him an inclusion at least on the bench. Gregory would also be a starter for me as he does a lot more than many people realise, the team has an overall win rate of 32%, with games involving Gregory the win rate goes up to 36%.
Nelson Hewitt Legge Davies Martin Gregory Harriman Hessenthaler Dack Kedwell McDonald Subs: Howard, Barrett, Whelpdale, Linganzi, Lee, Weston, Akinfenwa Had to include Gregory as he has improved a lot and would be in my team, also Hessenthaler over Whelpdale as I feel he is more consistent and the team plays better when he is in the team. Kedwell over Akinfenwa due to work rate and I feel he works well with McDonald as they were getting a good amount of goals when they were together. Davies over Barrett as I didn't really have much choice which is why we need a new centre back so that we have more options.
I've just come up with a cracking idea...why not stick Barrett in goal and Nelson at centre back...I'm sure Nelson would make a better CB and then Barrett can just jump about all over the place rugby takling everything that moves whether it be vertical or circular.
The strange thing is with this the omission of ***an in the 18 player list, I've just looked at his stats and they look quite impressive. Games started 6. Assists 2. Clean sheets 2. Win ratio 44%.
I explained why no Hess. Im not a fan of playing people out of their natural position which is also why I oppose playing Dack on the wing or Kedwell in midfield. My XI is playing with two wingers and it was a toss up between Weston or Whelpdale and frankly I prefer Whelps.
I would go with the following........ ------------------Nelson---------------------- Hewitt-----Legge---------Barrett--------Martin --------Hessenthaler-----Gregory------------- Harriman----------Dack-----------------***an ----------------McDonald------------------- Subs: Davies, Smith, Lee, Whelpdale, Marriott, Kedwell, Akinfenwa I think this formation is the only way we can really get the best out of Bradley Dack and getting him to play to his strengths because Dack has to make do to appearances from the bench because we cannot start him in a four man midfield, and I think we can build a good Gillingham Side around Bradley Dack because if we play Dack in the right position he could become a influential player for Gillingham. I play ***an on the left over Weston because I think ***an is a better footballer then Myles, he played through two fantastic passes for Cody to run onto against Brentford on Friday Night, one Cody scored and the other one in the first half Cody really should have scored, but both chances came from excellent through passes by ***an and Weston does not have the awareness to play those sort of passes. For some reason neither Peter Taylor or Martin Allen have not given Callum Davies the nod at centre back and I tried to get Davies into the side as a holding midfielder but Steven Gregory really has made that position in-front of the back four his own and Jake Hessenthaler has been out-standing ever since making his debut against Rotherham United earlier in the season, it is also harsh to see Danny Kedwell dropped to the bench because he has performed well for The Gills this season but I think Cody suits the lone striker in a 4.2.3.1 formation then Kedwell as Cody can run in behind the opposition's defence. I would like to see us sign another centre back who will start alongside Leon Legge though, sadly it appears that Callum Davies is not rated by Peter Taylor or Martin Allen to play in that position and I have no idea why, Davies played for The Gills in the back to back wins against Crewe Alexandra and MK Dons and that is the only time we have won two matches on the spin this season.
FOM I have to disagree with you on the point regarding Cody. Throughout his career he has always struggled playing as a lone striker. At Coventry they always played a 4-5-1 and Cody was like a lost sheep. In order for him to play at his best he needs a partner in either Bayo or Keds.
Coventry would stick Cody out on the wide left or wide right and they never played him through the middle, against Stockport County when we beat them 5 - 1 at Edgeley Park Cody McDonald scored a hat-trick as our lone striker and he missed 2 - 3 chances he should of scored in that match as well. But if we were to play Cody as a lone striker then we have to play to his strengths and not knock the ball over the top expecting Cody to win the aerial battles because that is not in Cody's game at all. The reason why I named a 4.2.3.1 formation is that I think we can build the side around Jake Hessenthaler and Bradley Dack and we have to play five in midfield so that we can play Dack as a central attacking midfielder, because Dack's best position is behind the strikers.
