Clarke started against Grimsby which was are worst performance of season. We were overran that's why he didn't start. He will not start many league games. He will mostly only come on if we need a goal in second half. J Williams has been a big disappointment so far very much like Lapslie last season. Both should be doing a lot better even if not playing in their favoured position.
So who told you 'that's why he didn't start' against Harrowgate? He started the very next game in the EFL Trophy against Leyton Orient, which we won. I'd even mentioned his notable contribution from that game. So unless you heard Neil Harris say 'he didn't start because we were over ran' - I can only assume you are making up false narratives. Also if Harris felt he wasn't worth starting, surely he would also feel the same about bringing him on 58 minutes when we are searching for a goal, again Clarke made a notable contribution as soon as he came on. You also have absolutely no idea how many league games he will start unless you are Neil Harris' PA.
Pretty obvious. The Orient game is/ was a nothing game. Just gives players minutes to play. Harris will never play his strongest team in that competition. Clarke is a squad player will be on bench unless we have injuries. The Grimsby match was his chance but didn't work out. Mahoney will always be ahead of Clarke unless injured same as Jefferies when fit. You can quote this after next 5 games if you like.
What? In the words of @alwaysright RUBBISH! You sure you've not got a touch of heatstroke, because both Mahoney and j Clarke have been starting TOGETHER at both Grimsby and Orient, on opposite flanks, so how's that always make him ahead of Clarke lol? Grimsby was his chance lol. Against Harrowgate Jayden replaced Lapslie, so that's the last three games on the trot he has played at the same time as Mahoney. You need to pay more attention to what is actually going on on the pitch.
brb - would you mind if I kept out of your bromance with gioblues...... I have my own 'affair' with Pegleg.... .... anyway I too am suffering from heatstroke....................... apparently !
If you're also suffering from heatstroke, does that suggest that you also don't believe Clarke deserves to start? @brb won't be happy....
Pegleg - ( you know I'll bite ) -- I happen to like the way that Clarke plays.. He is more dynamic than most - and his level of movement is more likely to create opportunities - but - that will also require others around him to move a lot quicker than we seem to aways play.... The pace at which Gills advance might be subject to Harris insisting on defending being the best policy. Maybe Clarke is better suited to being a 'super-sub' -perhaps for the 2nd half or the last 30 mins.... I certainly am of the opinion that changes should be made much , much earlier than we previously did ( last 5 minutes - or less ). Clarke, Nas, and Nichols were given a reasonable amount of time to make a difference - and it was noticeable that Gills actually threatened the Harrogate goal with their greater pace to give a more 'progressive' style...... .... and (( just to please you ) - I was more than happy to see Ehmer put on immediately we scored...His boring style was exactly what was required for those last few minutes. ..... strewth ! - me praising Ehmer - I definitely have got heatstroke !
Harris played a 50 percent Lapslie rather than start Clarke. Says it all really aswell as Mahoney on other side In case you think I don't like Clarke you'll be wrong. I like him a lot same as Green last season. Just fill Harris does not have faith in him. Good player to come on as sub
I'm still undecided what works best at the moment, but yes I certainly see a place in the team for Jayden, simply because he adds a dynamic we appear at times to be lacking. I think our defence is sound, it's what is happening up front or the delivery from midfield that brings the questions. I've seen Jonny Williams work well with Jayden, Mahoney and Malone coming up on the wing, which is great, but somewhere in all that I'm not seeing the strike force. I'm no tactician and have never pretended to be, far from it, but I've seen Nichols and I genuinely can't see what he is adding, and I know it's early days but I'm seeing the same questions about Bonne. Nadesan I've seen more from, but what do we need to do for him to make it happen in front of goal ( or for Nichols or Bonne) - well I know a young man with legs that can, he currently sits in midfield and plays second fiddle to Mahoney, according to some on here lol. Stick him in a Dack role behind Nads and see what happens, what have we got to lose, other than a constant one nil to the Arsenal Gillingham. Anyway it's great to get some activity on here, afterall we are sitting top of the league. Careful with that heatstroke lads.
Personally I think J. Williams is wasted out on the left wing and I think we'd be more utilising his strengths playing him more centrally, whether that be in a flat 4-4-2 midfield or with him playing that 10 role that Lapslie is currently occupying. Whilst Lapslie clearly has talent, I think it was a big risk to play him on saturday considering he'd only trained for 30 mins in the previous 2 & a half weeks and did we really see the best out of him? I don't think so, or not at least against Harrogate. For the Morecambe game I'd be wanting to see J.Williams playing more centrally, that and we can't have a repeat of S. Williams' negative play either (not that McKenzie pulled up any trees either). Whether Clarke is an out and out winger I guess remains to be seen but as @alwaysright pointed out, he is certainly more dynamic than a lot of the other players we have. Just like Jefferies, he has that confidence and ability to want to run at players and that will always create problems at this level, and perhaps he may have attributes that suit him to an impact player such as the Myles Westons or John Hodges of years gone past, as we aren't blessed with loads of options right now, I don't think it would be a bad thing to throw him back in the starting lineup either. Harris did say he covered more metres against Luton than any other player and by some margin so the lad clearly has a good engine on him also.
Funny as I think Nichols has been are best attacking player since he signed. Once Hawkins back expect Nichols to play with him. We got best from Nichols when we had Hawkins and Macdonald. No one has provided those balls from MacDonald since he left.
I agree, and bad wording on my part in my last comment, I did mean keep J Williams more centrally, you are absolutely spot on with that imho. Yeah I was trying to think who J Clarke most reminds me of, it would be a Myles Weston type of player. I'm not adverse either to gioblues idea of a supersub, but would rather us give the lad his chance before putting him into that type of box/category.
Yeah I'm probably being a little unfair on Nichols. Like you say, let's see what happens when Hawkins is back.
I am not sure anyone would say that they had enjoyed the Harrogate game, but the Gills were the better side, and if we had scored (as we should have done) in the opening 15 mins, Harrogates game plan to sit deep and flood the midfield would have eventually had to change and we might have had a more comfortable win to enjoy. Top of the league after 7 games we are doing something right. The football is certainly no worse than the Pulis promotion winning side served up at least we don’t go out to just kick the opposition off of the park, and if the end result matches Pulis first season I am sure we will all be very happy.
