Whitstablegills 1. My username ( only one L by the way - and written in lower case) ( as previously stated - several times ) is 'tongue in cheek' 2. I am (naturally) blessed with so many assenters in this forum - but you are most welcome to disagree with me - but at least give some qualification for your disagreement. 3. My post ( No.10 ) in this thread did state that I was being mischievious - that should have given you the idea that I didn't really believe what I was writing. however - and without needing to justify myself to anyone on an internet forum - I will expand on the point that I made; I will defy anyone not to accept that when a new manager is appointed, the first thing thing that he does is to bring in his own backroom staff. He will then look to the chairman/board of directors for funds for 'new ' players. (Barcelona being the exception to the rule) Although some of the previous personnel are retained - either on or off the pitch - over a short period of time there is usually an influx of new players - and in most cases this is to the detriment of any developing / young players on that club's books. ( that is why the Premier League has so many foreign players .) A lack of funds does not allow for the exact same situation ( with regards to foreign talent ) to prevail at L2 level, but the same principle of staff changes still applies - even at Gillingham - where Martin Allen ( being no different to any other manager ) will feel the need to be in control of the players he wants. AND @ Gillingham we have a slightly peculiar situation where the previous manager is still at the club and so close to the decision making. 4. I enjoy a healthy exchange (not always agreement ) with other members - some of whom I have had the privilige of meeting ( to continue to share our agreement/disagreement .) It helps to keep this site very much alive. I don't think that you could possibly disagree with the sentiments contained in my point 3 above, but - please do explain - Otherwise I will have to consider that you may be one of the few remaining ignorant ( I didn't introduce the adjective to this thread )members of the Flat Earth Society.
Its not a requirement for the top team in the league to have the top goalscorer in the league. As I posted in a thread about a month or so ago only one team out of the last five to have won League 2 had the top goalscorer for that league. Most of those teams highest goal scorers were only averaged about 5th or 6th with even fewer reaching the 20 goal mark. Already we have Kedwell on 12 goals this season and Burton with 10, both of these strikers have the potential to knock on now and get much higher. We also have Myles Weston, Chris Whelpdale and Charlie Lee. Again these midfielders have the ability to notch on into double figures. We mustn't forget that Whelps was our joint highest goalscorer in the league last season with 12 (Keds scored 2 in cups). Lastly we have a striker in Adam Birchall who has more than enough ability to also rack up the goals. In the last three games alone his speed, agility and fox in the box style of play has caused trouble for defences and aslong as he can get a run in the team, the goals will quickly rack up. So if you were to ask me if we needed a new striker? I would personally answer no.
The Gills PegLeg Your statistics cannot be faulted - although I would argue with you on the point - and quote examples such as Messi with Barcelona, RVP @ ManUtd and many others - where 'normally' the league leaders have one of the top goal scorers. I subscribe to the viewpoint that such a striker is 'usually' a requirement in a team. I'm not sure that Kedwell fits that role. He has a heavy first touch and ( despite his finish on Saturday ), the end product is not good enough for a No.9 - as he proved towards the end of the game. I do agree that Birchall appears to add some agility in the forward line - hopefully he will soon start banging in the goals. grumpygit raises a valid point - about the current ( or any new striker ) not being able to eradicate the mistakes that led to Vale's first goal - and the awful mistake that led to Barnet's match deciding goal. It can be accepted that if we had Messi in the team we still need to defend better - although with Barcelona you just know that they will score more than the opposition. Whilst there is a need to defend properly, ultimately scoring goals wins games - and we need to address that situation - because the early season scoring prowess of the squad ( at home ) appears to be disappearing too quickly for my liking. 7 goals for and 9 against in the last 6 ( one win only ) games is not promotion form.
This will probably be the last time I post this season, Just wanted to say that threads like this are why I keep coming back to this board - such intelligent and informed debate which is absent from so many other online forums I will express my view before I go back into lurk mode though, Cody was great when he played for us but I'm less certain he could return and start banging goals in, there must be other players out there who could do the job too and dare I say it better ?- we are slightly Cody obsessed I think? Roy
2 of the most successful teams I've watched in my time as a Gills supporter have been 1963/4 and 1995/6, one we were promoted as champions the other auto in 2nd place. 1963/4 Champions goals for 59 against 30, Southport who scored 63 goals finished in 21st place. 1995/6 Auto promotion 2nd place, goals for 49 against 20, Mansfield scored 54 goals and finished in 19th place, Chester scored 72 goals (23 more than us) and finished 8th. As I have said before a new striker would be nice but it's not always as straight forward as it seems.
oldsparky (Roy), with decent posts like that you shouldn't just lurk mate. Keep giving us your views please. Did you used to work in the Dockyard with that username? I wouldn't mind seeing Cody back here, if nothing else it would give the fans a massive boost. However, like you I think we are a bit obsessive now. And I think 'IF' we were to get another striker in, I'd maybe prefer someone with a bit more overall record for regular scoring like a Benson or McLeod type. As for Adam Birchall, I really hope he puts away a couple of goals in the very near future to get his confidence. I think he has the ability to then go on a run and get the goals we require regularly. I don't mean to be harsh, and lots will probably disagree. But Adam has now started 3 games with no goals, and coupled with his other 8 subs apps this season (4 of them for 20-30mins so at least a bit of time) for just 1 goal, plus 6 games for Dover for only 1 goal. He is not exactly setting the world alight for goals/game so far. He really does need to find the net real soon. And then regularly. Otherwise we are back to just Burton & Keds with no real alternatives.
We are very lucky to still be in an auto place. The recent home form has been dire but MA, who I still support, has been able to face this off with our position to speak for him. A couple of dodgy away results will bring the house of cards tumbling down around him. The Port Vale game was one which needed to provide us with a point....no matter how ugly. Tactically, MA got it wrong on Saturday, and arrogance is starting to catch up with him. If he does not wake up soon, fails and wastes the start that he had, he will be consigned to the scrap heap quicker than you can say Neal Cooper.
I can't at times believe what I,m reading. We're second with a game in hand. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. How many of you would have picked a vastly different team for our home games. Maybe Birchall may have been preferred over Burton?or Kedwell? If MA had made wholesale changes from our away wins,that would have been wrong IMO he was quite right to stick with virtually the same team and I agree something is not quite right at home, but we could just as easily come away with 1 or 3 points as none, because we went close on numerous occasions ,but sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and say its not our day, NO NEED TO PANIC
On the other hand in that 2 months of not winning at home we have only played 4 games. 3 of them against teams with excellent away records - Port Vale, Fleetwood & Exeter. The other "poor" home loss was to lowly Barnet. However, take a look at their current form. I think they are top of the form table since Davids took over and as well as beating us they have recently stuffed Rotherham, Bradford and Burton and drew at Exeter. So that loss was not as dreadful as it sounds. I too think that (being a promotion favorite) we should have an outstanding home record. But as stated many times, by many people on many forums, this division is just too topsy turvey. 10 clubs have better away than home records. Rotherham have lost 6 at home already! Bet their fans are happy. If our home/away records were swapped, we'd all be delirious whilst still saying what a great away record we have (6-3-4).
