Winning is important ….but ‘HOW’ you lose, also is important. I don’t expect The Gills to win every game… At times, I expect them to only try to not to lose ! My only demand is total honest commitment – such as the 2nd half v Swindon –( where the overall result was fair. ) The result was slightly disappointing, but the effort couldn’t be faulted…. I‘m not sure about yesterday [at Newport], until the last 10 minutes ! I’m as guilty as many for criticising Clemence’s formation and style of play – which, too many times, has been incredibly defensive and utterly boring – despite due consideration that in certain games ( mainly away from Priestfield ), the priority is to be defensive and secure one point……Obviously the ‘plan’ is abandoned when the team concede – and have to try ‘harder’ to score to equalize !- causing me to be frustrated with knowledge that, with a bit of earlier enterprise, and/or a bit of better luck, Gills would not have lost v Newport. It's the manager’s job to set up the team… His objectives will be slightly different to the fans ! … Of course, we all want Gills to win every game – but we have to be realistic…and we have to accept that, in most / practically all away games, Gills won’t be trying to win - but - trying not to lose ! – and it won’t be very pretty to watch….If Gills had come away from Newport with a point – nobody would now be moaning at the seemingly ‘lack of effort’ to draw or win the game until the last 10 minutes…. The ‘direction’ of the result of a game (especially after it is lost), is the responsibility of Clemence. Ultimately, it is his tactics that will decide the outcome… Fans (me), have been quick to criticise Clemence when Gills lose after having been ultra negative – and that criticism is given greater argument when fans see the team become desperately unlucky with their attempts to save the game and, maybe quite rightly, fans will tell Clemence that he should be doing A,B or C ! I will offer Clemence some leniency despite the result at Newport..Gills efforts (albeit only in the last 10/15 minutes ) deserved to have been rewarded with the point that was the objective – Gills were unlucky………but you have to make your own luck ! In very recent games, Clemence has relented his extremely defensive tactics in Home games – but—even so, that has been confined to the 2nd half of games – when invariably we are 0-1 already (( we haven’t scored a home league goal in the 1st half for 13 games ! ))… Gills have started to create some chances to score, and have greatly improved our negative goal difference…The players, for all their limited ability, have proven that, with a bit more ‘positivity’ and ambition, they can score… I would like Clemence to use the whole 90(+) minutes to try to win a game – and if Gills still lose ….. fans won’t complain because of the loss, but given 'sympathy' because of how they were ‘managed ’ to lose ! ... it's often said ( often by 'losers' ) that '' winning isn't everything ''- but- even 'loser' know that 'it's how you lose that counts.'
gioblues ....I can understand that for [ many] people, winning is all what 'counts.' ...Football has become obsessed with results - [[ probably why managers are afraid of adventurous play]] - where there may be a bigger risk of losing.. I realise that managers need to judge how much 'positivity' or 'negativity' needs to be deployed - and when !.... I am fairly sure that most fans will say that in far too many games this season - particularly at Home, the tactics have been dreadful in terms of entertainment - and, perhaps more importantly - they have led to the side conceding first - and, until very recently, have failed to recover even one point......... I find it difficult to believe that Clemence couldn't see that his tactics failed so,so,so ,many times...madness ! It's all very well being ultra defensive - but- if you don't bother to try to score until the opponent has scored first, you then need to score at least twice to have a remote chance of a win (( currently we are less then one goal per game ! )) In my original post, I moaned about Gills (Clemence) wasting at least half the game in not bothering to try to win !...I gave credit that the players possess ability to score - and to win - but - the tactics of Clemence are holding them back -------- who do you think gives instruction to defend a throw-in with all the side in our penalty area ?..... The height of Clemence's ambition seem to be to be happy enough to get a point from each game!... oh well, at least I won't have to worry about the scramble for Wembley play-off tickets...... and to think that I booked a break to Croatia for after the L2 play-off final...... and, knowing my luck, Gills will score bagfulls of goals in the games I'll miss in the 3 weeks I am in Florida in October.
I didn't think Clemence could go more defensive !......... When I saw the line up before the game, I really didn't want to actually enter the ground - I was expecting even less forward movement than we've had for a looooonnnngggg time ! - but - by then, I was already committed to my 100 mile commute - and didn't think that even I could make an argument in a kebab shop last 90 minutes (( although I probably would have had more fun trying. )) I'm sure Mr. Clemence is a decent chap - but - he certainly isn't a decent football manager! What possessed him to put Walker & Clarke in the forward 'positions' on the team sheet [[ no - I didn't say upfront - that was left to Mr. Nobody ]].... Gills were always going to score NOTHING. After every game, Clemence comes out with something similar to '' we were poor in the first half...We could have done better going forward. '' etc etc etc...Tell me something I don't know... Tell me that you will actually spend time in between matches doing something different - that might actually involve worrying the opposition goalkeeper........or are you now spending time on Plan A as the only route to getting the ball somewhere near the opposite penalty area ? The only reason I stayed awake during last night's game was that I needed to go to the loo - but - couldn't be bothered to leave my seat.... therefore, I had to be careful I didn't wet myself in my sleep.... For those who couldn't stay awake, Plan A involves trying to win a throw-in somewhere close to in line with the opponent's penalty box.... Ogie is instructed to take the throw (( only after making sure that all the defenders have enough time to comfortably be in position ! )) - I'll let you guess what next happens - but, in the 2nd half, Gills had no shots on target. Now for Plan B............. I'm sorry - did you miss it ? - so did I. The only way that Clarke & Walker was going to have a chance of scoring last night was if Turner released the ball quickly - and sent the round thing to the aforementioned - to dazzle us a-la-Hurtado !.........Unfortunately, that would have required a number of things. 1. Turner going against the instructions of Clemence to move quicker than a snail (( I'm not actually kidding - and very surprised that Turner didn't get a card for blatant time wasting. )) 2. Turner having the ability to keep the ball within the confines of the grass - his kicking is awful..... I even suspected that kicking the ball out of play - coupled with the statuesque ballboys (not providing a replacement ball ), was another time-wasting tactic. 3. Walker / and / or Clarke would needed to have been in the opposition half (( or off the sidelines )), to receive the ball from Turner. 4. Walker / &/ or Clarke having Hurtadoesque skills to complete the job ..... I'm sorry - I didn't mean to make you laugh. 5. And, of course, Plan B would have needed Hurtado himself. I'm going to stop my rant against the tactics of Clemence for today - I've got a funeral to attend in a short while - where I'm bound to have some entertainment.... and the guest-of-honour will still probably move quicker than our forward line.
Still waiting for this Clem ball passing game. This looked exactly like Evans/ Harris football. The (forwards) use this loosely in first half are to weak to play together. So second half we brought on 6'5 Hawkins on. He actually did well heading the ball in both defense and attack. Only option were long throw ins from Jackson sorry Ogie. Williams tried but rest of midfield don't run or go forward. I thought we had wing backs with 3 centre backs but they hardly went in opposition half
Spot on. I would add that whilst we create very little and it is very difficult for the strikers to make any impact Walker offered us nothing and Clarke not much more, when Nadesan coming off of the bench gives you hope then you are in a bad place. Can I add the Dieng is a pussy, backed out of every 50/50 he had last night, I am actually thinking that getting Shaun Williams back in the side wouldn't be the worst option, Coleman is young and played a lot of matches and last night I thought the game passed him by again, Williams may give him the help he needs if we are going to try and play a more possession based game, though at the moment who knows what Clemence plans are.
