[ 18 Oct 16 ] GILLS v Walsall Match Thread

[Garawa]

The Gills edge the wins 45 to 43 but last beat Walsall in September 2007 (a 2-1 home victory with Mulligan scoring both goals).

The Gills haven't beat Walsall in 9 attempts. The visitors won both matches last season ending a run 6 successive draws between the clubs.

The Gills have lost 8 of their last 14 home games. It took 38 home games before them to see the previous 8 defeats.

Walsall have previously scored just 2 goals away from home in the league - the lowest in the league.

Walsall finished last season 3rd and now sit 14th. They are looking for their first away league win of the season.

Walsall ended last season with a 5-0 win at Port Vale. Their 9 away league games either side it saw them score just 4 goals and lose 5 times.

7.46 Kick Off

8.10
GOAL! Gillingham 1-0 Walsall: McDonald
Walsall have been ahead for only 21 mins in away league games whilst the Gills have only been behind at home for 24, both the least in League 1.

8.32 Half-time: 1-0 (46:18)

8.40
From their 12 league games Walsall have scored 16 goals before today, 3 fewer than the Gills, however only 4 came in the second half.

8.47
The second half kicks off.

9.01
GOAL! Gillingham 1-1 Walsall: Mousa

9.24
Bradley Dack has a free kick saved and tipped onto the crossbar by the keeper.

9.35
The Gills failure to keep a clean sheet means extends the run to 25 league and cup games last seen back in February 1958

9.36 FULL-TIME: 1-1 (94:18)

Position: 18th
Attendance: 5,542
Referee: Charles Breakespear

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

The first of two important home matches this week.Our form is poor,but we need to be picking up points to move away from near the bottom and for Edinburgh to stay in the job.It will be a tough game,but we just need any win!

[Rimshot]

We have the worst defensive record in the division. Time to revisit our assessment of players who seem to enjoy uncritical praise from the supporters.

[gillsfan1066]

SH*T runs down hill, go to the top of the pile and take a look at Glasgow, he is CLUELESS. Scally gave him all the players he asked for this past off season but he doesn't know how to use them, he changes the team every game, puts the players on the field in positions they are not used to playing in, and obviously can not motivate the team because they THINK HE IS A ******* CLOWN.
A loss against Walsall tonight against a team that have not won away all season and this guy must GO before he can do any more damage to GFC.

[Garawa]

I don't advocate changing managers and the performance last game was apparently much better to the point that radio Kent said any talk of losing the dressing room is rubbish and that the players showed they wanted to play for Jed. However I agree with everything Chicago has said. The fact we keep losing winning positions is alarming for 2 reasons. Firstly it is already higher than in most season recent seasons yet we are only a third of the way through it! Secondly we are showing now signs of being capable of stopping it. We are looking at a relegation dogfight but the difference is we are winning games! Most teams struggling find themselves unable to score or to get in front, we don't. It has to be about confidence in their ability to see the game out and I feel that is down to the constant changing of positions etc and that is largely Jed's fault.

Let's hope we win tonight, keep a clean sheet and build with it on Saturday and then maybe all this will be ancient history and the players have their spring back, they are capable of getting the goals to win games that is certain. But a defeat would make it 5 in a row for the first time since February 2012 and extend a run that is already too bad. Priestfield will be tetchy place tonight.

[Rimshot]

Amazing , we couldn't hold the lead. At least we didn't concede in the last five but this is just not good enough.

[Garawa]

Even more annoying was that never looked like scoring so we ensured they did! Poor fumble by Bond gave them an easy tap in from 3 yards out of absolutely nothing. Would have been a win and a clean sheet!

[Rimshot]

His name's Bond, blame Bond.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

A draw stops the rot,but it sounded like we were trying not to lose,rather than win the game.Donnelly,Nouble,and JET were all on the bench and unused.How many managers would have loved those options? Walsall are not doing too well themselves,so they were there for the taking.Charlton on Saturday is the tougher game,but we need a win to move us away from the bottom.

[Garawa]

The moment we conceded you could see the panic invade the defence. Once again a second looked likely but they didn't trouble us enough for all the energy they found after it.

We should have won it after Dack had a fantastic free kick tipped onto the bar with 8 minutes to go so we did still create chances. We have seemed more competent in the last 2 games. I'd rather we stick with the same side (as best we can with 2 suspended and an injury) and let the players find their feet in the same set up and I'm sure we will start to pull out of the run.