I’m sure I preface every Gillingham preview with some unpleasant memories, so you’ve heard them all. One pleasant one was at Gillingham when we met Glenn Wilson with his Popular Stand magazine just outside the Away end, accommodation which enables patrons to stand and enjoy a complete weather experience fully and directly.
But this is at home and without looking it up, I have the feeling we won the least encounter. This time Gillingham have scored very few goals yet sit top of the league. They have had five 1-0 wins and one 2-1 and their total goal tally is a mere 7 with 6 conceded.
It is worth noting that only one of their wins has been against a team in the top half of the table (Crawley!), so whilst the points they have taken from the teams have contributed in part to where they now sit, their opponents have been of a different quality to ours. Interestingly they lost 3-0 at home to Colchester.
Their away record ( W3, L1) is is nevertheless good and we know there has been a big investment in the club late last season. Against that, I do believe some key players are injured.
So it can’t be any worse than Wrexham Away. And we are becoming a more coherent entity. Marsh seemed better midweek according to reports and Faal and Sotona ought to be on an upward learning curve. Olowu remains an enigma, praised by some midweek, but clearly dangerously inconsistent which can be, and is costly in his case, as a defender.
I would like to mention Close in the context of a bonus, but for me he has some way to go to wipe away the memories when he has seemed part-time and safety-first which is not what is needed in a key role requiring constructive input. Perhaps he will respond to the crack of the McCann whip.
We are going to win this one - I hope, so 2-0 (Ironside/Marsh)
DPL v Gillingham
posted on 23/9/23
That was Close!
posted on 24/9/23
Nookie, you are becoming the King of Comedy, and getting the score correct!
A reasonably good performance from the Rovers, especially in the second half. From the game, I have I have two main worries:
1. Goals coming from the mid-field and not our strikers (OK, I want as many as possible to score, but Faal should have at least one. Others went close, but not close enough).
2. We had the best aggressive start for a long time, but after scoring went back to playing backwards too much of the time, and this continued into the second half.
However, I’m becoming to be more confident of a real turning point has been reached.
Changes for the next game? I’d leave Jones in goal, as except for that wild kick that resulted in a corner, he did well, and his distribution is good, except when forced into playing too short out of the back.
I’ve not been too impressed by Wood, but Olowu gives me near heart failure too often, so would play Anderson and Wood, or may be Anderson and Faulkner.
Two youngsters upfront (Faal and Marsh) did not work, so it has to be one of them with Ironside until Miller is fit.
Do we bring Rowe back??? Can’t drop Close, and Biggins is playing well, and Westbrook is getting better by the game. Interesting questions for Grant to decide upon.
Who’d be a football manager?
posted on 24/9/23
I have seen the extended highlights now and after the impression left by the sound commentary, perhaps I feel less confident of a big upturn than I was.
Gillingham are not a hugely impressive team and we relied again on long-range shots for the goals when we ought to be more dangerous closer in. The skill levels of the forwards do not seem to enable us to work the ball near enough to the goal to provide more simple opportunities.
In the eyes of his admirers, one of Jones's main attributes is his distribution. He is incredibly indecisive within a crowded box. Every time I see him he seems to change his mind about coming out - as with their goal when the strategy looked as though he would come out and either block the angle to that side of his goal with defenders covering the other side or ideally gather the ball. He started to come then changed his mind and watched the ball enter the net to his right without moving towards it even with his hand. So another goal written off as "he had no chance" by his admirers.
In their big chance at the end he was standing on his line not far from where the ball was and looked like he might come for it, but didn't. Again he seemed uncertain as to what to do until the ball fortuitously bounced into his arms.
Good results will improve team spirit and confidence, but there seems quite a long way to go.
posted on 26/9/23
Donaldo,
On Thursday I’m having cataract surgery on both eyes, so I have no idea whether I’ll be able to focus on my computer keyboard on Friday, so will you add my prediction after you start the game thread.
Over the last six games, Barrow are a one goal team, all games being 1-0, 0-1 or 1-1, some against the better teams. I’m hoping for 2-1 to the Rovers, but will go with 1-1. I’ll say Ironside if he starts, Marsh or Hurst if he doesn’t.
Hopefully I will be able to see enough to watch the game!
posted on 26/9/23
Good luck Micky in having both eyes done at once. I had one done at a time. At least you’ll come out of it with both of them with similar vision capabilities. And it restores you to a world that is very much more colourful. You don’t realise how much glare you had to cope with when driving etc.
I should think your sight ought to be fine for Saturday.
posted on 27/9/23
Ditto re the eye surgery. Everything is clear and bright now! Barrow is the ancient word for graveyard. It has proved to be for Rovers if my memory is right. So I'm not confident. I'll await Donaldo's preview though. I'm in Greece and it's lightening. Let's hope Rovers wingers can do the same.
posted on 27/9/23
Ideal weather for the punster then, Nookie.
posted on 27/9/23
Yes but I had to endure rants from 2 Wednesday supporters in a rural souvlaki bar today! Amazing what an international game football is.
posted on 28/9/23
The first time I went to Greece 40 years ago, the waiter in the local bar was from Doncaster, probably the only one in the whole of the country!
So did the Wednesday-ites want Moore back? I feel some sympathy for him now.
posted on 29/9/23
Donaldo, you were right! A new bright world is around me. I was amazed that immediately everything in the Operating Theatre was in focus. I'll need "readers" for about a month until a full test to determine the best combination for me. Until then, Pauline will have to get used to me not wearing glasses, and worries that I'll see wrinkles!
What is this weird connection of Doncaster to Greece? On our first visit to Athens in 1981 we were in a restaurant in the Plaka (Taverna Sissifos, my memory thinks) and heard a group of lads chatting - they were Rovers' fans!