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The negativity towards Neil Harris

Discussion in 'Gillingham' started by brb, Sep 3, 2023.

  1. brb

    brb CR250

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    I hate it!

    discuss...
     
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  2. alwaysright

    alwaysright @ Very Angry Camel

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    Whist I am realistic about Gills will ever achieve, it is considered that the current squad has individual players who should be more than capable compared with other L2 players..... but
    It is Harris who dictates the formation and tactics.....and when they're not working - as has been very quickly obvious in games, Harris has the responsibility to give orders from the touchline... Harris can instil a greater sense of urgency that has been needed.... especially against Colchester, and yesterday's dismal 'effort.'

    I have been critical of Ehmer's unnecessary hoofball.... Gills just keep on losing possession from those hoofs.... If we haven't got the ball we can't score! - and yet Harris does nothing to encourage possession... and Max will do whatever it takes to resolve his own problems during the game - without much thought to secure the next successful pass ((( but, in his defence, there is very little dynamic movement in front of him. ))) .....

    So we get to the situation where, in the first 4 league games we score the first goal - then progressively retreat and long before the end of the game we are defending ..... and if we concede the opening goal, there seems to be no increase in tempo to equalize - let alone think about scoring twice..

    If we have the tools - we need to use them properly....If the operator can't read the instruction manual, he needs to think about a different job.......
    ....is tht negative enough for you ?
     
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  3. brb

    brb CR250

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    I thought to see people asking for the managers head after a fantastic start to the season, was too much for me. I get people have opinions just like me, but sometimes it's how we express them that counts.

    As far as I am concerned with Neil Harris, he has until the end of the season, my hopes are no less than play-offs, anything less is failure, BUT let's wait until that time and get behind the team and the manager until then.

    If it had been up to some of our fanbase, NH would have been walking last season, but after Christmas we saw a different club let alone team due to the investment by the Galinsons - I stood by Neil because I said at the time, you have to give him the tools to do the job.

    Well he now has the tools to do the job, so he gets until the end of the season as far as I'm concerned. We've both been Gills supporters for five decades or more, we know from experience that sacking managers resolves nowt.

    But if things do go completely wrong, I'll have the satisfaction in knowing there will not be a clamber for tickets, and I'll be back to the cold winter November nights, when I was only one of 3k in the crowd, because they are my club come what may, lock, stock and smoking barrel...

     
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  4. alwaysright

    alwaysright @ Very Angry Camel

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    brb - I suppose that I have technically entered my 7th decade (just), of supporting Gills........ I have seen plenty of defeats - a lot without any criticism ........ because of the way in which we played...
    ...coincidentally, I remember losing 0-2 to Grimsby many years ago (( when Grimsby won promotion to the old Division 2 )).... I came away disappointed with the result - but - not the performance. It was a really good effort by Gills to compete with the 'better' opposition.
    I think that v Colchester, and especially yesterday, the performance was woeful... People expect instant returns for their money - and certainly will not tolerate underperforming..... and the angst will be against the manager.. Harris hasn't got the excuse of really crap players as in the first half of last season... Fans accept that the squad ( individually ), is good enough for a lot more -- Harris has to get the best out of them (( from minute 1. )).....and I don't really care if he uses a carrot or stick !
     
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  5. brb

    brb CR250

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    I just feel some of it gets too personal, I feel some fans are waiting for the opportunity to jump all over him - in fact I expect it everytime we lose, and that's what I don't like. By all means have a go at the tactics and poor performances.
     
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  6. alwaysright

    alwaysright @ Very Angry Camel

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    I know what you mean.... Not sure if these 'fans' will be around for long (( as you intimated earlier. ))...I'm not sure that they understand the mechanics of supporting a very humble 'local' team - which mainly involves a lack of success.....All I've ever asked for is 100% commitment from the players....I get p'd off when the players put in a dreadful effort (( when I know that they're capable of much more. ))
     
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  7. brb

    brb CR250

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    Yup agree.

    I look at yesterday and I remember thinking to myself before the game, that NH better start Jayden Clarke after his performance at Luton, and I don't know what went wrong yesterday but myself as a fan made the wrong choices to, you just never know which way those choices are going to go. The only difference being that the manager is paid to make the right choices and achieve the goals of the club and owner and I'm sure he more than anyone realises that. Anyway Orient in EFL Trophy Tuesday, it is actually on Ifollow to watch for anyone that don't know, I'm not overly worried what happens in that game, the more important factor for me is ensuring he uses that game to prepare for Saturday in the league again.
     
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  8. gioblues

    gioblues Well-Known Member

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    Today was another load of dross. Luckily we got a goal from first shot on target in injury time.
    Maybe we should call Harris (Lucky Harris).
    Very lucky to still be in job last season when we looked like dropping to non league before the new players in January.
    This season been outplayed in half are games but managed 5 wins all 1-0.
    We are top but lowest scorers in league
    Injury time goal to win it today by Williams who was lucky to still be on the pitch after having poor game.
     
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  9. brb

    brb CR250

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    The table don't lie...

    please log in to view this image


    <party>
     
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  10. The Changing Man

    The Changing Man Well-Known Member

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    Terrible game today, if Harris is going to persist with this football he had better hope that Hawkins gets fit soon so that the Gills actually win some headers. Watching Bonne getting bullied for an hour by centre halves who had his number was very frustrating.

    Clarke made an impact from the bench as did Nadesan and Nichols to a lesser extent. I think there is a player in Mahoney if we can get him enough of the ball and Scott Malone is a class above most of his team mates.
     
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  11. Resurgam

    Resurgam Top Analyst
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    Would you rather get promoted the way you are playing, or would you sacrifice promotion playing attractive football, and hope that promotion comes with it later?
     
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  12. brb

    brb CR250

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    I've watched the last two games that were heavily criticised across social media platforms, and I honestly and genuinly did not see a problem, yes of course taking onboard constructive criticism, we could have done better up front, but we have plenty of players with the ability to score goals.

    Even if none of them are a Cody McDonald, I'm sure when we won the league last time under Maddog, our goals then came from various players. Albeit Martin Allens team, didn't have problems scoring goals.

    For me, just keep doing what we are doing and let us hope that something eventually clicks to turn on the goals. I'd say for Bonne who was up front yesterday, and against Orient, he only turned it on for one of the four halves, and that was the second 45 mins against Orient (no disrespect to him intended, it's just my observation).

    I said from the beginning of the season, I struggle to see the goals in Nichols, the one player that has been giving us something up front is Nadesan, but he was sitting on the bench, I don't know what the reason is for that, but I'd have preferred him playing, but maybe Neil Harris thinks he can make something work with Bonne instead, I have to trust that judgement, and finally Hawkins is out, I don't know when he is due back.

    My favourite players so far in no particular order are Jonny Williams, Cheye Alexander, Shad Ogie, Scott Malone, and Mahoney has started to come to my attention. Goalkeepers I don't care if it's Turner or Morris, they are both very capable goalkeepers, so that's six positions I've got covered in my list of players, you'll note some vital cogs that are missing (up front).

    I've not included Hawkins because he is injured, if I had to choose one up front here and now it would be Nadesan, but that don't help if he is sitting on the bench.

    Oh I forgot to add I think Jayden Clarke is a breath of fresh air, question is why was he on the bench!? (make that seven positions now).

    I bet you wished you'd never asked lol
     
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  13. alwaysright

    alwaysright @ Very Angry Camel

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    brb - the way that Harris sets up the formation - it gives virtually no chance for the 'main' frontman to have any nearby 'partner.',, Bonne was doing a lot of work - to actually win the ball ( or, at least, some control ) - but had nobody near him to continue the play -- which then broke down as he was bullied off the ball. .. Harris should (imo ) employ two forwards ( at least at home ) --- because the midfielders are so slow to combine with the lone ranger upfront......... even Cody struggled without Akinfenwa.

    Of the 7 league games so far - I have mentioned that we stole extra points at Stockport. Sutton deserved a draw. Crawley was daylight robbery.. Colchester and Grimsby was crap - now add Harrogate to that rubbish (( it was torture to watch. )) How the Hell are we top after all that rubbish ?
    There won't be too many who will care if we win 1-0 all the time -- and I wouldn't normally complain with any win - but the entertainment value is getting close to non-existent..... I suppose that, being starved of success for virtually all our history, we'll take 3 points any way they come.
     
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  14. brb

    brb CR250

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    I'd argue how much help does Bonne need if we are playing him, Malone and J Williams all put decent balls into the box and came close themselves to scoring. I don't agree we were rubbish, we may have been frustrated at times by teams, but that's what happens when you are sitting top of the league, pretty football if you did have it is not going to change that or get us out of this league.

    My view is maybe fans should actually get behind players, encourage and motivate them to do better, jeering does not help. In the first 20 minutes of the Harrowgate game I genuinly wondered what the hell people were moaning about. People were late returning to their seats in the Medway Stand for the second half, how the hell did they think the players felt running about for 103 minutes on the pitch, in that heat!

    I don't dispute a second player up front, I'm open minded on the solution, so certainly wouldn't dismiss suggestions, but for any fan to call it rubbish is ridiculous. Obviously we have contrast views about what is on show, it is what it is, but some fans I've seen on twitter are just waiting for an opportunity every single game to bury Neil Harris, I find it upsetting and quite depressing, one particular fan did it game after game, win, draw or lose, I got to the stage where I was asking myself, are they really a fan!

    I worry every game and wonder how long before they turn on Brad, thankfully I follow his account and realise he manages social media way better than Scally ever would, so I feel reassured Galinsons know what's what and how to deal with times of strife with sometimes very fragile egos of Gillingham fans.
     
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  15. alwaysright

    alwaysright @ Very Angry Camel

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    brb - I will stick with my description of the performance as ( more-or-less ) rubbish.
    It comes after several unconvincing efforts - especially v Colchester and Grimsby....... Also I was a bit frazelled after my journey to the game..... Mrs A and I visited younger son in East Kent - for a family birthday..... Sons and me broke away from lovely family time to enter the nightmare that was the closed M2..... If we had used the Official diversion we'd still be travelling to the ground !!!....... Luckily we ignored the A2 and went via Stockbury - arriving at Priestfield as the ref blew for kick off.
    ........ but - this is the level of my commitment to The Gills .... Perhaps I was expecting a bit more 'entertainment' than the tripe that was on offer...My 'Star Player' selections were all defenders - because they did quite well - and dealt with the likes of Odoh far better than in our last home (league) game - otherwise the result might have been similar.
    I mentioned Cody needing Bayo - because, just like Bonne, a lone striker isn't usually going to have much joy against L2 defenders.
    Harris complained about the heat - but -that was the same for Harrogate.... and the 'excuse' wasn't relevant v Colchester or Grimsby..... we are just so bloody slow ! (( I expect Harris will say it's too cold in a month or two. ))......

    Oh well - I can't wait for my normal mere 100 mile journey to Priestfield next Saturday..... and I won't be expecting more than 1 goal.
     
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  16. brb

    brb CR250

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    Fair enough, oh well I enjoyed the game, yes I really did. If that's rubbish as you say, then I'm happy that style of rubbish is keeping us top of the league. I remember a certain other manager was supposedly rubbish, so much so Scally sacked him at Shrewsbury, I did tell you that day that something was afoot - and what did the Gills achieve after sacking the first manager to give us a trophy in what was it 50/60 years? Well let me tell you how we did, ok well you already know, we've won absolutely nowt, wash, rinse, repeat, the same old Gillingham short wash cycle! I said last season I was sticking by NH, and I will stick by him this season, until such time we've failed to achieve the goal of at least a play-off place, and IF we fail I know there will be a queue of people waiting to tell me they were right lol. I might have changed my username by then haha.
     
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  17. The Gills PegLeg

    The Gills PegLeg Rock 'n' Roll Football

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    I think some of the frustration on Saturday very much came from the fact Harrogate clearly came for a draw and that was it. I think the way we started in the first 15 mins, gave fans enough expectation that we could comfortably beat them.

    The decision making by the team/players was very wrong on many occasions and tbf, that isn't Harris' fault. Where I was sat in the upper tier of the Medway stand, I had a very good view of Neil on the touchline and could see him pulling his hair out on more than one occasion. The midfield in particular offered very little, and whilst I appreciate we didn't have loads of options for Saturday, for me S.Williams & McKenzie very often didn't make themselves available for passes from the backline which continued @alwaysright 's favourite style of play of endlessly hoofing the ball (even without Max on the pitch might I add). S.Williams I actually thought played very negatively for most of the game rather wanting to pass it backwards then try and start an attack or infiltrate Harrogate further. What was worse about our setup was that Lapslie was starting the game after only 30 mins of training across 2 and a half weeks. The bloke was clearly spent after about 20 mins in the first half and playing in those conditions meant that Bonne was left isolated. Jonniesta & Mahoney continued to run the channels without perhaps being on the same wave length as their teammates and that further compounded the game between defence, midfield (or lack of) and then attack.

    Harrogate was the type of game we probably could have accrued a 3/4-0 type victory if our players had a bit more gumption. In all honesty for me, we were crying out for a Dom Jefferies type player on Saturday and it was only when Jayden Clarke came on that we livened up. However a win is still a win. Will we get found out against teams like Mansfield, Notts County or Swindon if we continue to play like that? Most probably.

    I left the match calling that the most frustrating 1-0 Win I've ever seen. I think many will probably echo that point but we are top of the table. If we continue to win 5/7s of our games this season 1-0 then chances are it does the job of getting us promoted. Is it pretty on the eye? Not overly, are we still developing as a team? Yes. Have we got some key players to come back from injury like Hawkins, Jefferies & Dieng? Also yes.

    Have we accrued more points and clean sheets in 2023 than any other League Two team? Yes. That is probably the most important statistic.
     
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  18. brb

    brb CR250

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    Excellent points made as always. It made me smile reading through the names and seeing your comments on S Williams and McKenzie, both players that did not feature in my comments on the MOM thread (their absence is telling), and that you mentioned only when Jayden Clarke come on did it liven up, and we eventually scored. I think this highlights we can all see the problems, but it's what can we do it about it, well as you allude to the answer in what lays ahead when certain players come back from injury. From my perspective when I went through the twitter storm on Saturday before the goal, I saw a lot of moaning, so imagine my surprise and as you mention, when I saw a good starting 15 minutes, far too often people focus on the negatives and fail to give any constructive criticism on twitter, then the people who aren't negative don't comment to avoid getting dragged into an argument, much like I did in one of our league losses, I just turned the whole lot off. But back to the positives, we are top of the league!
     
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    Last edited: Sep 11, 2023
  19. The Gills PegLeg

    The Gills PegLeg Rock 'n' Roll Football

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    Its definitely fair to say we aren't the finished article. I personally think we're wasting Jonny Williams on the Left wing as his creativity/ability to drive forward was something we craved from the middle of the park on Saturday. I can understand why Clarke was dropped as he's still young and learning the level, but as we don't seem to have a plethora of people who can play wide, I think we need to bring him in for the next one to start once again. He's not going to get it right every game, that will come with experience, but Lapslie will need to be managed better and frankly, I don't think many Gills fans could put up with another midfield performance like that again.
     
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  20. brb

    brb CR250

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    I did wonder why Jonny was on the left wing, I'm sure he played in the middle against Orient. I agree Jayden should start. Thinkly openly about these two now you've mentioned them, if they both played and started in those positions in the paint pot cup, was it something from that game that made NH decide to change them for the Harrowgate game, and what his logic of thinking was.
     
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