[ 1 Mar 16 ] Fleetwood v GILLS Match Thread

[Garawa]

The Gills 5-1 win over Fleetwood in September was the only win from 5 games against them and saw more goals than the previous 4 combined.

Despite being 2 points off the drop, Fleetwood have only lost twice (2 fewer than the Gills) in their last 9 games but only scored 8 goals in them.

Fleetwood are the only side to earn a clean sheet in games between the sides managing 2 in the 5 ties.

Fleetwood are unbeaten in 4 at home (2 wins) whilst the Gills are winless in 4 away (3 defeats).

Fleetwood have scored just 14 first half goals this season, the second lowest amount in League 1. The Gills have scored 29.

Fleetwood have conceded just 1 goal in their last 4 games at home. The 3 clean sheets is more than they managed from the previous 11.

Before today, Fleetwood had been behind at home for a total of 155 minutes, an average of 10.3 per game. The Gills had been behind for 203 at home, an average of 11.9 per game.

7:45 KICK-OFF

7:49
GOAL! Fleetwood 1-0 Gillingham.
Fleetwood have scored first in 9 of their 15 home games previously this season, winning 6 and losing just 1.

7:51
Fleetwood have a goal ruled out from Shola Ameobi for offside.

7:54
GOAL! Fleetwood 2-0 Gillingham.

8:12
Fleetwood hit the woodwork.

8:20
GOAL! Fleetwood 2-1 Gillingham: Norris

8:32 Half-time 2-1
Fleetwood have won 4 of the 6 home games they led at the break. Only 5 sides before today had fewer half time leads than Fleetwood's 7.

8:48
The second half kicks off.

9:38 FULL -TIME: 2-1

Position: 4th
Attendance: 2,133 (107)
Referee: Jeremy Simpson

[fan_of_mulligan]

I think Gillingham will line up as follows.......................

----------------------------------Nelson---------------------------------------
Jackson-------------El-Abd---------------------Ehmer------------------Garmston
---------------------Wright---------------------A.Morris--------------------------
List-----------------------------Williams------------------------------B.Dickenson
----------------------------------Norris--------------------------------------------

Subs: G.Morris (GK), Chicksen, Hessenthaler, Osadebe, McGlashan, Samuel, Donnelly

I would like to see Gillingham try something different because The 4.4.2 diamond midfield formation has been sussed out away from home, and if we’re now getting found out the way we play at home then Justin Edinburgh needs to find another way of playing and I am a big fan of a 4.2.3.1 formation, had John Egan been fully fit I would of suggested The 3.4.1.2 formation that Justin Edinburgh played towards the back end of last season, but a lack of defensive options makes that line up less then likely.

Luke Norris has to start, I believe that Dominic Samuel and Rory Donnelly have had enough chances now and while both players are decent strikers, sometimes being dropped from the starting line up can be a motivational ploy, and at the same-time Luke Norris deserves to start, Bradley Garmston and Brennan Dickenson will be very effective down the left wing for Gillingham, and let's see what Elliott Lost can do when he is given a opportunity to start, and George Williams will play in The Bradley Dack Role.

After back to back 2-1 defeats, hopefully Gillingham can get back to winning ways against Fleetwood Town tomorrow - COME ON THE GILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

A chance for Gills to get over the defeat to Chesterfield quickly,and a chance to get an away win.We may see some changes after Saturday.A win would be a big boost for the club and would put us on track again.

My Team:

------------------------------------Nelson---------------------------------------
------Jackson----------------------------------------------------Garmston
-----------------------------El-Abd-----------Ehmer
-----------------------------------Wright-------------------------------------
-----------------------------Osadebe----------A Morris-----------------------
-----------------------------Williams---------------------------
------------------Samuel------------------Norris-----------------------------

Subs: G Morris,Chicksen,Hessenthaler,McGlashan,Oldaker,List,Donnelly

Williams can play the Dack role,so could fit in there.Donnelly has been out of form for a bit so I would start Norris.Garmston s more attacking than Chicksen so I would start him.

[baronnight]

.........................Morris..........................
.........El-Abde.....Mitchell......Ehmer...........
..................Wright....Morris....................
Jackson.....................................Garmston
.......................Wlliams.........................
...........Norris...................Samuel...........

Give Nelson a rest, Give Mitchell a chance, Give Fleetwood a hiding.

[Garawa]

Wright captain again today. Norris starts after impressing on Saturday and Dickenson charges back into the starting XI. Need a response tonight.

[Garawa]

Yet again, as most of our games this season, a woeful start put us out of the picture and our 3rd loss in a row wasn't far away then, I said back then it was great coming from behind but we couldn't keep doing it and it was going to hurt us. We hardly ever control a game from the start anymore! 2 down after 9 minutes and Norris on 36 made it EIGHT goals scored in the 2 games with them after 36 minutes!

[lidbid46]

This was entirely predictable being a Gillingham fan but it doesn't help when we have to sit through it game after game. What other team would be in second place at this stage of the season and lose three games on the trot without really looking like we could gain any points from those games? Two injuries seem to have completely derailed us which is tough but shows our squad isn't strong enough.

[Garawa]

I'm not convinced about that to be honest. I think we are overachieving and its largely down to those 2! Players have the confidence that Egan will stop a chance and Dack will create one and without them we are a bit more like our usual selves.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

It looks like a poor first 9 minutes has cost us something from the game.2-0 down by 9 minutes and the game is gone.The conditions seemed awful,but it is the same for both Teams.Three defeats in a row,and hopefully our wobble will stop soon.Credit to the 107 fans that made the trip,great support to travel all that way on a Tuesday night.News has come out tonight that Dack has torn his hamstring,so a massive loss to the Team.

Scunthorpe away next,and if we can get something we can build on it.

[gillsfan1066]

I do not think it is possible to OVER ACHIEVE for 25 games of the season, (in all competitions) we only had 9 loses in 34 or 35 games, but I do think it is possible to UNDER ACHIEVE for 5 of the last 6 games, and that is Edinburgh's fault, no one else's.

[Garawa]

Very good point. But I guess form is based on confidence in this game so who knows what can happen if they go on a roll after a few good games. Something we can never know until they discover parallel universes!

[Rimshot]

I said a few weeks back I thought our results against the better teams suggested we were not genuine candidates for auto promotion and that I'd be happy if we finished in the play-offs. At the moment I'd be absolutely delighted and a little surprised if a crystal ball gazer saw a top six finish.
1066 is right on the money with his assessment of those games, they offered a real chance to bank a wallet full of points.

[Garawa]

Unless you're Gillingham who win the hard games and lose the easy ones!!! At this time the 3 points aren't going to rival sides around us at the foot of the table making each a bad 6 pointer to lose!! (He says somewhat facitiously)!!

[fan_of_mulligan]

I will do My Match Report in A Positives and Negatives post, this will be a long post.

POSITIVES......

I asked for a formation change and that is precisely what happened on Tuesday Night as Aaron Morris and Josh Wright both played as defensive holding midfielders with Rory Donnelly on the right, Brennan Dickenson on the left, and George Williams playing behind Luke Norris in a 4.2.3.1 formation that I have been demanding for and I have been demanding for a formation change for quite some-time away from home, so when Justin Edinburgh makes a tactical change, he should be given praise for making that change, even though the change in formation doesn't change Gillingham's recent run of successive 2-1 defeats.

Aaron Morris and Josh Wright - I thought that these two as a pair worked really well in the defensive holding midfielder roles, both players were among Gillingham's better players against Fleetwood Town and Aaron Morris is Gillingham's Most Improved Player This Season and Josh Wright has to play in every game between now and the end of the season, if we can sort out what is behind these two and sort out the four players playing in-front of them, then Gillingham can get there season back on track.

Luke Norris's Goal - Chris Maxwell rolls the ball out to Joe Davis who takes far too much time on the ball and Luke Norris intercepts the ball and places the ball into the bottom right corner of the net and there was nothing that Chris Maxwell could have done about that strike, this was Luke Norris's first starting appearance since The 1-0 defeat away against Blackpool and Luke Norris has had to be patient to earn his spot back in the starting eleven, and Luke Norris has taken that opportunity by scoring the goal to get The Gills back into this match, as we halfed the deficit.

With the half time score-line at 1-2, I was hoping that with the wind in Gillingham’s favour we could capitalise on that and Fleetwood Town would struggle to get the ball out of there own half, but the conditions second half weren’t as bad as they were in the first twenty minutes, although the wind was defiantly blowing towards Fleetwood Town’s Goal.

George Williams - The Young Fulham Loanee looks neat and tidy in possession of the ball, capable of picking out a pass and has the confidence and composure to go past a player, he hasn’t really tested Chris Maxwell between the sticks and spends more time outside the penalty area then looking to get on the end of things, but his performance has had more positives then negatives, I also thought that the young midfielder looked neat and tidy on the ball, hit a woeful free kick over but was one of the few players looking to create something for Gillingham.

A Top Save From Stuart Nelson - Shola Ameobi squares the ball to David Ball, who plays a first time through-ball for Ashley Hunter to run on to and Stuart Nelson remained as big as he could of as long as possible and turned Ashley Hunter’s shot on goal around the post to keep The Gills in this match.

Brennan Dickenson - Put in a performance which suggested that he has a point to prove and played exceptionally well on the left wing, with better service and maybe with Bradley Garmston playing at left back, we would of seen more from Brennan Dickenson, I would start him against Scunthorpe United if Justin Edinburgh decides to stick with The 4.2.3.1 formation, I don't want to judge Brennan Dickenson too harshly because this was his first start in a long time, but why not give him a run in the starting line up for the next 5-6 games to see what Dickenson can do on the left wing - that was the position Dickenson was supposed to be playing for Gillingham when we first signed him.

[fan_of_mulligan]

NEGATIVES......

Both Goals Conceded - After that save by Stuart Nelson from Wes Burns Free Kick, Fleetwood Town take the lead from the resulting corner kick and there is no way that Wes Burns In-swinging corner kick should of have gone all the way through and into the back of the net, why Luke Norris appeared to duck out of the way when he should of headed or cleared the ball away from danger and for me Luke Norris is the main culprit for the opening goal, obviously the team as a collective have failed to do there jobs defensively, but if your at the near post with the task of defending a near post cross, then header / kick the ball away from danger.

And just like The Chesterfield goal for 1-0, the first goal we conceded against Coventry City and quite a few others, Gillingham conceded a second goal when we're pushed so high up the pitch, Adam Chicksen's throw on to George Williams and George Williams plays the ball back out-wide to Adam Chicksen, who's first time cross towards the far post is headed clear by Amari'i Bell and Eggert Jonsson's first time defensive clearance goes straight to Aaron Morris, who's pass out-wide was going out of play until George Williams kept the ball in play and both Adam Chicksen and George Williams combine nicely, but George Williams dangerous in-swinging cross from the left side of the pitch is headed clear by Joe Davies, and Jimmy Ryan plays a fantastic ball down the line for Wes Burns to chase, and now Adam El-Abd is in the left back spot and Wes Burns pulls the ball across Gillingham's Penalty Area and Shola Ameobi scores a fantastic first time finish to double Fleetwood Town's lead and already Gillingham are 2-0 down after nine minutes.

The defensive line is far too high, and with Adam Chicksen too far forward, it means that the centre backs are having to defend in wide area's, but one ball down the wing from Jimmy Ryan has allowed Wes Burns to get to that ball and his first time cross is perfect for Shola Ameobi, who scores with an excellent first time finish, but Gillingham are gifting the opposition goals because we're incapable of defending, Fleetwood Town have already scored two goals, Chesterfield, Oldham Athletic and Doncaster Rovers have all scored two goals past Gillingham in 2016 and Wigan Athletic scored three goals, if you cannot defend, you cannot expect to win the vast majority of the football matches your playing in, because your forcing the midfielders and strikers to score three goals a game to win a football match and that isn't always going to happen.

Stuart Nelson's Kicking - The wind was atrocious as it was blowing towards our own goal and after the first few goal-kicks, Gillingham should of played shorter goal-kicks to either Max Ehmer and Adam El-Abd, or out-wide to Ryan Jackson and Adam Chicksen, this is what Chris Maxwell did for Fleetwood Town in The Second Half as Fleetwood Town's Back Four were in and around the penalty area meaning that there was a passing option, although Luke Norris, Rory Donnelly and George Williams all pushed high to try and force Chris Maxwell to kick the ball long.

The First Kick Out for Stuart Nelson lead to the free kick which lead to the opening goal and even though Josh Wright flicks the ball into Brennan Dickenson's path, Brennan Dickenson's return pass to Josh Wright was poor, but I thought that Josh Wright did extremely well to intercept the ball off Wes Burns as The Fleetwood Town Midfielder tried to thread the ball through to Shola Ameobi and there is no way that Fleetwood Town should of been awarded a free kick, Wes Burns could try his luck from distance from twenty five yards out and Stuart Nelson was required to use two fists to punch the ball out of play for a corner kick.

Rory Donnelly - For someone who has a chance of playing for Northern Ireland in The European Championships this summer, Rory Donnelly isn't exactly doing enough for Michael O'Neill to pick up the phone, OK Rory Donnelly played on the right wing against Fleetwood Town, but he hasn't scored for The Gills since the brace he scored against Doncaster Rovers, he should of scored that header against Chesterfield on Saturday - to be fair all strikers miss those type of chances - and I just think a spell on the substitutes bench will do Rory Donnelly some good.

Lack Of Pace At Centre Back - Max Ehmer and Adam El-Abd got in a mix up as Ashley Hunter intercepts the ball from Adam El-Abd and Shola Ameobi plays a return pass through to Ashley Hunter to run on to and I personally thought that Max Ehmer had fouled Ashley Hunter and would of been sent off for pulling Ashley Hunter back and Referee Jeremy Simpson chose the safer option to book Ashley Hunter for simulation, but the lack of pace at centre back is further exposed with Ryan Jackson and Adam Chicksen bombing forward and both Adam El-Abd and Max Ehmer come into the defenders defender category, and not a ball playing centre back, I would like to see another centre back play alongside these two, to cover Adam El-Abd's and Max Ehmer's lack of pace, but also give Gillingham the additional cover of a third centre back.

Obstruction - Ryan Jackson and Bobby Grant both fall to the floor and Bobby Grant is clearly obstructing the ball, this allows Jimmy Ryan to get to the ball first and The Fleetwood Town Midfielder shows great footwork to retain possession of the ball, but Elliott List lunges in and is correctly shown a yellow card, but a free kick to Gillingham for obstruction would of prevented this from happening in the first place.

Long Balls and Long Throws - Why don't players anticipate where the ball is going ??? why does everyone follow the ball like a fly to fly zapper instead of picking pockets of space where the ball is going to land ??? and why does Justin Edinburgh substitute the only striker we have got who has a chance of winning the ball in the air - keep Luke Norris on if we're going to knock it long - against Chesterfield this didn't work and we haven't got A Plan B or another way of playing, teams now know to defend against us and they know where to hurt us, the lack of any physical presence in both boxes is really hurting Gillingham at the moment.

Players don't get into the opposition penalty area - George Williams spends more time outside the penalty area then in it, Rory Donnelly, Elliott List and Brennan Dickenson are in all wide area's and if Ryan Jackson crosses the ball from the right Brennan Dickenson should be at the far post, and likewise if Adam Chicksen crosses the ball from the left, Rory Donnelly / Elliott List should be at the far post, this is where we miss Bradley Dack because he arrived in the penalty area late for the winning goal against Barnsley and there aren't too many players in the squad who can do that, I guess this is one of the weaknesses of 4.2.3.1 as your only playing with one striker up-front, but the defending and conceding some really bad goals is contributing to our downfall at the moment.