Three points and no less is expected by me for this game. First three names on the team sheet...Nelson, Davies and Harriman. I would include a fourth but not sure if Lee is suspended after another yellow card against PNE. In the middle, please not Hollands and Gregory together...if I see them two names come out together then I'll start believing that PT is no better than MA...second game and chance to stamp his mark. German did enough for me to get another chance and this time starting line up, whereas I would also like to see Dack come on as sub as some point during the game if the tactics allow, as it was opportunity missed for him against PNE. How about Weston as a striker instead of Cody? Views and line ups please...
Taylor used to go with 3 CB's in Butters, Ashby and Pennock. Bit early to change this now but Callum, Legge and the skipper wouldnt be a bad option with Harriman and Martin bombing up and down the flanks. Tomorrow i think we'll stick to the back four we had on Sat although would like to see Davies back in myself. Gregory or Hallands to drop out for me with Linganzi coming in. Weston has to start on the left as he is our only pace outlet so i'd go NELSON HARRIMAN, LEEGE, SKIPPER, MARTIN WHELPS, LINGANZI, HOLLANDS, WESTON KEDWELL CODY .....does anyone know for sure whether Lee is suspended or not?
My line up...assuming Lee is suspended... Nelson Harriman, Davies, Barrett, Martin Whelps, Linganzi, Weston Keds German, Dack
I'd still like to go with something fresh and innovative, ....................Legge....Barrett....Davies.... .................. ..................................Linganzi........ ........................ Hariman..............Kedwell..........Dack............ Martin ...........................Weston....German....... ......... PT will probably go for the same as Saturday. I went a bit too innovative and forgot Nelson.
Nice one Grumpy.....ive often sat in stands thinking Kedwell is just what we need in midfield and just go out and out pace up top. Why Cody spent most of the time in his own half on sat i dont know
I seriously can't watch Gregory for another 90 minutes so please god let him be dropped. Im all for the passing game, in fact im an advocate of it, but for a bloke who is supposed to be a passing specialist, i honestly think that 70% of his passes go to the opposition. I'd like to see Linganzi come back in the holding role, with Lee partnering him in a more advanced position (assuming he isnt suspended) Davies to come back in, and start with Whelps and Weston/German on the wing, both impressed when they came on saturday however question marks over both's consistency. Up top, im far from a Kedwell fan but he was the clear MOM for me on Sat, worked hard and had some nice lay offs, Cody was dissapointingly shocking however the best thing for him would be to get straight back in there after a stern talking to, with Lee and Linganzi behind him threading balls he will get more of the 1 on 1 chances he thrives on. Failing that, German up top would not be a bad idea from his 20 minute cameo on Saturday. Whatever team is put out, this is a must win game in every sense of the word, if we lose, then we are in an absolutely dire position.
Something a bit different but I would like to see this: Nelson Davies Whelpdale Allen Linganzi Weston Dack German Bayo Keds Cody. 1-4-1-4 formation, lets go all out attack and thrash them 1-0
I had other thoughts on tonight's weather and just wondering how many free tickets have been given away for this game. What with us being 19th in league on what appears is going to be a wet Tuesday night, it does not bode well for the attendance unless freebies have been given. It will be interesting to see. I've taken time off work to be at this game, albeit with an empty ST seat next to me (att: Mr Scally). While other non paying attendees may be present within the BMS.
I would think we may be kind and shift County fans into the GRS as we have done in the past....they've only sold 140 odd so far apparently. Dont think we give away free tickets for schools in midweek do we? Gems will let get a bit wet tonight too
Davie has to come back in with the pace Notts County have in the team. Legge & the skipper wont be able to cope with it if they are selected ahead of Davies COYG
I think Gillingham will line up as follows....................... --------------------------Nelson---------------------------------- Harriman-------Legge----------------Barrett----------------Martin --------------------------Gregory--------------------------------- Lee---------------------Whelpdale---------------------------Weston -----------------German---------------Kedwell----------------------- Subs: Howard (GK), Davies, Dack, Linganzi, Hollands, Akinfenwa, McDonald I think because it is so important that Gillingham pick up all three points tonight against Notts County then I think we should line up with a attacking team that is going to take the match to the opposition, with that in mind I think one of Steven Gregory and Danny Hollands needs to start and not the pair of them because Steven Gregory and Danny Hollands are too similar, if we're defending a narrow lead then have the pair of them in-front of the back four but don't start the two of them together. Myles Weston and Antonio German impressed me with their appearances from the bench on Saturday and I would start both of them tonight as Myles Weston and Antonio German will inject some pace into the side, and we only started going for it when these two were on the pitch towards the latter stages of the game on Saturday, I think the pair of them starting at the same-time can stretch Notts County at the back and cause their defence some problems. I still think Chris Whelpdale's best position for us is playing off one or two strikers and I think Whelpdale should be played off the strikers on a regular basis, Whelpdale scored 12 goals from midfield for Gillingham the season before last and I think we should give Whelpdale the freedom of a number ten role. (but if Whelpdale tires towards the end of the match then bring on Bradley Dack who scored 27 goals for The Youth Team from a attacking midfield position) Cody McDonald was awful on Saturday and maybe now is the time to drop him to the bench, If Peter Taylor wants to play a passing game then Adebayo Akinfenwa is going to remain on the bench unless we're in the same scenario as we were in on Saturday where we need to go direct to turn a loss into a draw or a draw into a win. With Champions League on the telly tonight, the poor weather conditions and the poor performances at Priestfield, we do well to see 4500 supporters inside the ground tonight, hopefully those who do still turn up are rewarded with their loyalty by seeing Gillingham pick up all three points.
We need a win tonight,It doesn`t matter how we get the three points as long as we win.We have to be beating the sides that are down there with us.Hopefully we will go with an attacking Team and look for an early goal.Notts County have not won away from home yet.
An important win tonight. We started poorly and scored against the run of play, but after we scored we improved and should have won by a bigger scoreline. Kedwell was fantastic and proved playing upfront on his own he was awesome. He is a striker not a midfielder. Barrett was also brilliant at the back. The shocking decision to take off Campbell Ryce for Notts led to gillingham supporters giving him a standing ovation as he was the best player for them and run us ragged.
Turning point for me was Gregory going off. Whilst they had a lot of possession, we had the middle locked up. They weren't getting inside of us very often and when they did it never resulted in much. Where our issues happened to come was the wing, especially Campbell Rice. Gregory went off and Linganzi was like a lost sheep. Hopefully that's just down to lack of match practice. I'm fed up with the slating of him. He's a defensive effing midfielder. He never lights it up but is solid and, quite frankly, our most consistent player this year so far. There was a bloke next to me crying for Gregory to push out to the wing and blaming him for everything going down there to the point I had to 'kindly' point out the guy is a central defensive midfielder, not a bloody winger. Didn't really occur they were going that way because they weren't getting through the middle. Despite their good start, I didn't really feel they would get through us in the first half at all. In fact, I didn't really think they would until that moment Gregory went off. Poor decision by Taylor.
I find it strange how one good result changes opinion in favour of Gregory. Having looked through twitter last night there was certainly a lot of praise in his direction. Although personally i feel something has been overlooked. Supporters are timing Gregory's departure (61 mins) with the change in Notts County fortunes or our backs to the wall time, whereas I would suggest the change came about because of the depature of the best player on the Priestfield pitch last night number 20 Campbell-Ryce on 67 minutes. Just look at the ovation he got from the 5,000+ that turned up. Why did that change come about, why would you take your best player off, was he injured? Peter Taylor taking Gregory off was the right decision. Let's face it we were up against a side currently 23rd in League One and are we going to take a hammering when we play one of the bigger boy's again. I liked Nott's County's style and pace, sadly they lacked any real strength to beat our back line until near the end. Why did that change come about, was it because of Gregory's departure? No, I say but because of a very brave tactical change by County...maybe? I suppose we just all look at games differently. MOM Chris Whelpdale. Keds again...really?
First time I have been for a while, and I enjoyed the game it was more open than I was expecting and personally I thought that our back 4 (5 if you include Nelson) and front 3 all played well, Kedwell played as well as I have seen him play for us. Then we come to the midfield who all worked incredibly hard without question and they all closed down well, tried to get a foot in and did the ugly things that are required, my issue is that all the 3 of them are very similar players, big on work rate but short on quality and I think that if you add Linganzi and Allen into the mix we are still in the same boat. Notts Co played prettier football and were more pleasing on the eye, but we created the better opportunities and worked their keeper more often, so which is more important? This was a must win game and we won it, and for that I am grateful but sterner tests lay ahead and we will need our midfield to be better in possession against the better sides.
I was just behind the dugout which provided some interesting insights last night. Campbell-Ryce played for himself not for the team which infuriated the County bench. They removed him after he cut inside for the fifth time in ten minutes and floated yet another right footed shot wide of the goal when he had passing options. So far as Gregory was concerned it seemed as if he had a back problem. I am not a Gregory extremist in either way but the reason he seemed so good was because Linganzi was so bad and the County goal was attributable to Linganzi's failiure to block a run from midfield. Best aspect for Gills last night was the appetite of Whelpdale who seemed interested at last but ho should really have got a hat-trick. It was another superb performance from Kedwell but these seem to be the norm now. Despite the more up front role, he still cleared most of the setpiece attacks by County. It was an important 3 points but lets be realistic. County were poor but still came close to gaining a point and having dominated the first 70 minutes, Gills should have been out of sight. This win did not signal any improvement.
Good performance i thought, but in all honesty, it was a good AWAY performance. We countered well and were awarded 2 goals because of that, PT is right in saying we should have extended at the start of the second, Harriman, Lee, Whelps x 2, Weston x 2 and Kedwell all could have scored before they pulled one back, which by the way was a fantastic goal. Im still not a Gregory fan, he gives the ball away far too much and although last night he did OK, you have to remember as BRB stated that they are 2nd bottom, regardless of how they keep the ball, I think they were allowed that time on the ball beacue of our formation which made them look better than they were, i mean I don't remember Nelson making anything other than routine saves. Linganzi for me will be a great player, he just needs direction otherwise he is here there and everywhere, how someone can even consider Gregory to be a better player is beyond me. Hollands was better last night, as was Whelps and I was pleased with Weston. From memory, the only other time Weston did 90 minutes was the Wolves game, where he may as well not have bothered turning up, so for him to continue running the line for 90 minutes was great to see. Barrett and Legge defended well, but their distribution was terrible and I'd still love Davies to come back in, it was the shakiest i've ever seen Nelson, perhaps old club nerves but fortunately it didn't create any issues. I was surprised we made no subs after their goal, Kedwell was clearly tired as was Whelps, just because they have done well for 70/80 minutes doesn't mean they have the right to finish the game, we actually have a really strong bench and in the last 15 minutes we needed to freshen up the team. 1 final thing, please God Peter leave someone up from corners/free kicks, i was hoping that would go out with MA but it seems to still be the case, we're basically asking for their entire team to attack the corner! We also need to practice defending from our own set pieces as im constantly concerned with goals that come from our own promising positions (Colchester, Preston, Swindon etc)
