has signed for Crawley........is there some sot of player exchange pact between the two clubs? I am very disappointed with his departure - although I am sure that the reason will be the lack of game time that Wright has been told by Harris..... and yet Ehmer is untouchable ( here we go again, I hear you say. Alwaysright is having a go at Max, and the season hasn't even started. ) I will give some credit to Ehmer - but - I still maintain that he largely has been 'carried' by better central defenders around him..... and may I remind you that, prior to January, he was heading for a hat-trick of relegations.. I don't doubt that Wright has his faults (he would be in a much higher league if he was perfect.)..so I am not just focussing on Ehmer's faults - but Ehmer is too slow.. He positions himself too deep (( in an effort to stay goalside of the opposition's forwards.)) - What I will say about Ehmer, is that he likes to 'engage' with the opposition (especially in our penalty area ) - how he has not conceded many more penalties is down to the blind officials. I sincerely hope that Ehmer is given a 'runner' as partner in the defence - because I can see many goals conceded because Ehmer is simply not good enough.... .......oh - and I am so looking forward to Hoofball - again!
Honestly I'm not disappointed at all. He was quite clearly our fourth choice CB going into this season or our third choice RB. His game time was going to be very little unless we saw a big spout of injuries but even then we have talented youngsters like Sam Gale & Alex Giles who can both play CB along with the likes of Max Clark & Robbie McKenzie who are both competent at that position and also Coleman, Dieng & Hawkins also able to play that role. Too often he was positionally unaware of the game when playing at RB and his decision making at CB left us vulnerable. Only have to look at the goal he gifted Northampton at home last season where unchallenged he nonchalantly passes the ball to Sam Hoskins who then has miles of space to run into. Best of luck to Will joining a side that is desperately on its knees but if we have ambitions at fighting at the top of the league or going for promotion, then he doesn't fit the ball for what we need. As for your personal vendetta against Ehmer its quite simply bewildering always. Max Ehmer finished top of the charts in League Two for 2022/23 for most interceptions made. That to me doesn't suggest someone playing too deep. Yes he looked better with Masterson alongside him last season but I repeat what I've said before, defensively we were not the problem pre-Christmas and you cannot lay blame to him for that. If a team has only scored 7 goals in its first 23 league games, then defenders such as Max (who had numerous partners whilst Baggott and Wright couldn't nail down a position might I add) are left with a thankless task of needing to play above themselves, in the hope we could even get a solitary point from a clean sheet. Max has played over 350 times for Gillingham. He's played under Peter Taylor, Justin Edinburgh, Ady Pennock, Steve Lovell, Steve Evans & Neil Harris in that time and every manager has chosen to stick by him and make him their regular. Three of those managers even made him their Captain. We're going into a new season where we have a club that actually has some financial clout and can buy players. We've even bought defenders such as Ogie and yet Ehmer is still going to be playing the first game of the season. That to me speaks volumes about his application as a player for Gillingham Football Club. 6 different managers wanted him, played him, some made him captain and even now in a new era of the club, he's going to be one of the experienced heads trying to lead the club forwards. As far as I'm concerned Max warrants his place in the side and as I mentioned the stats back that up.
I had a look through on twitter to gauge fan opinion. Most seem 'sad' he has gone, with a number of supporters saying that he probably wouldn't get to start in the team, due to the players NH has brought in, and others stating we have sufficient back-up . So I sense, sadness but understanding of the situation, there were a few fans who seemed really disappointed, but with comment from another that it would free up funds for at the top of the pitch. I'm starting to get jittery now Saturdays opener draws closer, I'm just hoping the lads can settle a few nerves. I wouldn't say Wright would be by biggest pre-season concern, my worry is in the striker department and it was last season, sadly they don't come on the cheap and with people knowing we have an American owner now, some will try and exploit that situation when it comes to discussing fees. Anyone remember many seasons a go when I discussed youth v experience on here, well that time is now biting us on the bum - Neil Harris had rightly noticed coming in a lack of structure. No more big money coming in for the likes of Dack, Gazzaniga, Jackson, Jarvis...
I think the ones that are sad about him leaving are in the minority. More seemed to be slightly surprised that he was sold but I've not seen a single argument from any Gills fan to say he would be a starter or regular in the team. Football is a short career and if he has the opportunity to play more games of football for another team then good luck to him. We're more than covered anyway and as @alwaysright frequently reminds me on here, there is no room for sentimentality in football.
