Well today saw another point gained towards promotion! I didn't go to the game but listening to the commentary it sounded like we deserved to win the game. The sort of game where if you have Cody Mac in your side you win GRR! Really pleased that Bradley Dack got his first goal, after watching him last week in the victory of Plymouth I knew it was coming, saw it on Goals express, good finish! Onto the Rochdale game, a game in which a win would put us in a fantastic position at the top. I know many will want nothing less than a win but a draw wouldn't be a bad result. I know Rochdale aren't nowhere near the playoffs and are in bad form but they're not going to play bad against us are they? We're the league leaders, everyone wants to beat us. I am however going to predict a 1 0 Gillingham win with Chris Whelpdale getting the goal. This is the starting eleven I am going to predict: Nelson, Fish, Barrett, Legge, Martin, Frampton, Robinson, Lee, Whelpdale, German, Burton. Subs: Forecast, Davies, Dack, Kedwell, East, Allen, Gregory. UTG, three points would be a huge step on the road to league one football!
Thoughts on Morecambe game and upcoming Rochdale game
- Thread starter liamgfc
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On balance a Gills win wouldn't have been too unfair on Morecambe, but a draw was probably the right result. The pitch didn't do anyone any favours; on arriving we were advised to keep our tickets as the game was only a heavy downpour away from being called off. Mercifully the weather was at it's best for the game. Morecambe played a very tidy game - a lot of football on the floor, and some neat passing, and despite Gills defence looking significantly more error prone than our defensive record suggests we usually managed to keep out the most dangerous attacks. Morecambe were not undeserving of a 1-0 half time lead, but in the second half the introduction of Charlie Allen for Michael Richardson added a bit more much needed bite to the midfield (I think it took him about 3 minutes to pick up his booking)*, and the ball started to actually move out towards the wings a bit more. Dack took his goal very well, and Fish had a good shot that was a yard or so too high. Towards the end the withdrawal of German more or less ended Gills hopes of getting another goal (after the whistle when the team came across to clap the visiting support he was limping a bit), but Gills certainly had the better of the second half.
Rochdale have been generally disappointing this season, with an unimpressive home record, but they did beat Wycombe 4-1 last Saturday (9th) and also beat Cheltenham 4-1 at home in December, so they certainly can't be expected to roll over when Gills arrive. Also, Keith Hill is back as manager, who likes his teams to play FOOTball, although this team will be a work in the very early stages. Also keep in mind that 90 minutes on a pudding of a pitch at Morecambe, plus the bizarre decision to return to Gillingham after that match and to travel up again to Rochdale on Tuesday will mean that we will have several players who could well not be at the top of their game, and I expect several changes from the side I saw today.
*For the sake of accuracy I've checked and according to the BBC text coverage it was in fact 7 minutes. Still pretty quick though.
Rochdale have been generally disappointing this season, with an unimpressive home record, but they did beat Wycombe 4-1 last Saturday (9th) and also beat Cheltenham 4-1 at home in December, so they certainly can't be expected to roll over when Gills arrive. Also, Keith Hill is back as manager, who likes his teams to play FOOTball, although this team will be a work in the very early stages. Also keep in mind that 90 minutes on a pudding of a pitch at Morecambe, plus the bizarre decision to return to Gillingham after that match and to travel up again to Rochdale on Tuesday will mean that we will have several players who could well not be at the top of their game, and I expect several changes from the side I saw today.
*For the sake of accuracy I've checked and according to the BBC text coverage it was in fact 7 minutes. Still pretty quick though.
the bizarre decision to return to Gillingham after that match and to travel up again to Rochdale on Tuesday will mean that we will have several players who could well not be at the top of their game,[/QUOTE]
I know how they feel tim- I've just got in from the match - feel & look like a bag of poo ( wimp flu ) - can't wait for 4am Wednesday morning for a rest from recent travels.
edit - I feel so lousy I couldn't even edit your quote properly - night,night
I know how they feel tim- I've just got in from the match - feel & look like a bag of poo ( wimp flu ) - can't wait for 4am Wednesday morning for a rest from recent travels.
edit - I feel so lousy I couldn't even edit your quote properly - night,night
B
brb
Guest
alwaysright - I'll be surprised if you make the long trip Tuesday - I've had wimp flu for the last week and its got worse not better. Nasty little virus this one going around.
I wonder if the reason the team travelled back, was because MA intends to play some of the players that were rested yesterday, and maybe didn't travel to Morecambe, and some aren't going to play against Rochdale ,but will be in next Saturday. I thinking here, of maybe Weston,Gregory,East and Birchall, and leaving some of the ones who played yesterday,and picked up knocks,to recover at Priestfield for the Accrington game. Martin also said he wants to bring someone else in,so maybe that's imminent and whoever it is will be in the squad Tuesday.
Is that better?
Sorry you're feeling so rough. If you do make it up here on Tuesday I'll see if the Cem can fix you up with a nice whisky & warm water (or two, or...) to help you through the match.
Vinney - sorry but that doesn't wash with me. Unless he changes all 11 players (+ subs), some will have to suffer the journey. Probably (hopefully) in slightly more comfortable conditions than alwaysright & his travelling companions, but it IS tiring. If he is going to make changes, then get Saturday's team up here on Friday, let those who aren't going to be involved on Tuesday to go home after the match or on Sunday, and get the replacements up on Sunday so that the revised squad could train together on Monday. Then on Tuesday the squad can loosen up in the morning before a SHORT trip to the ground.
Just out of interest, does anyone know if they stayed up after the Bradford match, before the York re-arranged match?
My view on yesterday
I set off for my fourth away game of the season yesterday , hoping to come back with something and knowing that it is not all about the win and a point would be good . The game started evenly , scrappy on poor pitch , Michael Richardson had a great chance and with a bit more experience should have scored and in my opinion if he had scored we would have gone on and won because when we score first we are good . Then on the 40 th minute a very scrappy goal was conceded, 3 scuffs and the ball found its way in to the back of the net .
Half time 1-0 down
We come out in the second half much quicker and really started well and got our deserved goal and I was so happy for bradley dack . charlie Allen really changed the game and bought extra energy at a time when we needed it . Joe Martin made some surging runs and looked a real threat . and after that we were the only side in it and unlucky not to take the 3 points
Ft 1-1
Good performance and probably unlucky not to take 3 points . 1 concern is that our players looked really tired . Good support again and now on tuesday IMO a point is not a bad result again . 1 point closer I promotion .
MoM either Kedwell or Barrett .
I set off for my fourth away game of the season yesterday , hoping to come back with something and knowing that it is not all about the win and a point would be good . The game started evenly , scrappy on poor pitch , Michael Richardson had a great chance and with a bit more experience should have scored and in my opinion if he had scored we would have gone on and won because when we score first we are good . Then on the 40 th minute a very scrappy goal was conceded, 3 scuffs and the ball found its way in to the back of the net .
Half time 1-0 down
We come out in the second half much quicker and really started well and got our deserved goal and I was so happy for bradley dack . charlie Allen really changed the game and bought extra energy at a time when we needed it . Joe Martin made some surging runs and looked a real threat . and after that we were the only side in it and unlucky not to take the 3 points
Ft 1-1
Good performance and probably unlucky not to take 3 points . 1 concern is that our players looked really tired . Good support again and now on tuesday IMO a point is not a bad result again . 1 point closer I promotion .
MoM either Kedwell or Barrett .
B
brb
Guest
A win at Rochdale on Tuesday, would put the Gills in a very commanding position of ensuring auto promotion. It would take our points total to 74, so now let us look at our competitors currently occupying the playoff places:
Cheltenham - Currently 64 points.
Would need to win three and draw one of their next four games to equal our total: Barnet, Port Vale, Northampton, Plymouth - even then they have to play us and Exeter in the final run in before finishing against Bradford.
Exeter - Currently 63 points.
Would also need to win three and draw one of their next four games to equal our total: Rotherham, Plymouth, Rochdale, Dag & Red - before finishing against Wimbledon, Cheltenham and Chesterfield.
So basically IF we win at Rochdale for the above two teams to even equal our total, they would also need to hope we did not pick up further points during that same four game period. Adding that with Exeter and Cheltenham facing each other, one of them WILL drop points, even after that four game period.
The situation does not fair much better for Northampton and even worse for Rotherham who would need FIVE successful games on the bounce.
However, since when have we ever done things the easy way...
Cheltenham - Currently 64 points.
Would need to win three and draw one of their next four games to equal our total: Barnet, Port Vale, Northampton, Plymouth - even then they have to play us and Exeter in the final run in before finishing against Bradford.
Exeter - Currently 63 points.
Would also need to win three and draw one of their next four games to equal our total: Rotherham, Plymouth, Rochdale, Dag & Red - before finishing against Wimbledon, Cheltenham and Chesterfield.
So basically IF we win at Rochdale for the above two teams to even equal our total, they would also need to hope we did not pick up further points during that same four game period. Adding that with Exeter and Cheltenham facing each other, one of them WILL drop points, even after that four game period.
The situation does not fair much better for Northampton and even worse for Rotherham who would need FIVE successful games on the bounce.
However, since when have we ever done things the easy way...
I think if we win the next 2 games we will be going up, hopefully as champions. But we are Gills so no chance of that happening. We will be doing it the hard way and leave it to the final 2 games. Think we will get 4 points though which would be good.