Gillingham v Coventry

[GFCSludge]

Couldn't be bothered coming up with a fancy thread title, it is what it is.

We have to win this game and win well, if only to silence the cretinous "JED out" portion of our fanbase. Lose to a Coventry side currently rooted to the foot of the table and I think the tide might turn irretrievably against him in terms of fan support from the majority. He's an ok manager, not brilliant but not awful and I don't know what some of these people honestly expect.

I suspect the majority never attended games through the early-to-mid 90's when we were genuinely, laughably awful, but we just laughed or had a mild grumble to our mates and turned up again the next week to support the side. The fact that any yahoo can now espouse their miserable, badly-written gibberish on a multitude of online platforms is one of the drawbacks of today's society. We have no God-given right to win games and the rampant dummy-spitting from sections of our "support" when we don't is pitiful. A 1-1 draw with Bradford for instance, just an average result against a side second in the table, but among certain fans a result that should have seen the back of the manager. Crazy.

We're carrying several passengers through injury and I don't think we've once been able to name our strongest line-up this season, which on paper should be a Top 10 side. Yeah, Scunthorpe was an aberration and Port Vale disappointing, but this league is bang average. Even if we're in our current league position come Christmas, there should be no real panic, do the opposite to what we did at the end of last season and we would be there or thereabouts.

The modern breed of football fan is eroding my love of the game. This sense of entitlement, that we should win every game whilst playing like City or Bayern or Barca. We're a third tier side comprised of mainly journeymen pros with a sprinkling of rough diamonds, we do alright for the level we're at and if that's not good enough for you, then look elsewhere.

In Gills I trust.

Gillingham 2-0 Coventry

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

Sludge,
To be fair I go most weeks and whilst you can sense a lot of frustration around the place I have heard very little "JED out" stuff.
As you say, it seems mainly on the forums and I suspect most are people who rarely, if ever, go to games.
The excellent first 80% of last season plus the signings of players like JET, Wagstaff and O'hara seem to have given some very high expectations.
They seem oblivious to the fact that O'Hara has hardly kicked a ball, Wagsaff has played about an hour all season and Dack is only just now getting back to somewhere near full fitness.
Anyway, on to Coventry and I sense a positive performance and comfortable win, which is just what we need right now.

 

[GFCSludge]

I just needed a rant I think.

 

[joethegill]

I must admit, I have no enthusiasm for this. Not that it's Coventry we're playing, I'd feel the same about any opposition this weekend.

Last night was a tremendous anti-climax, and you could go on about our failings in the game til you're blue in the face. Midfield shoddy, forward line lacking bite, full backs who can't defend and Stuart 'throw it in my own net' Nelson back between the sticks.

But we need to move on rapidly from the disappointment and win this game this weekend. Coventry will no doubt look at our goals against column and see this as an ideal chance for them to get off the mark win-wise for the season - which it really is for them. In terms of the starting 11, I'm really struggling. I don't know what formation suits us best anymore! From last night, Deji, Ehmer and Cody came out of the game with any credit for me, and Cody was purely down to work-rate rather than effectiveness, seeing as he was barely on the ball. So those three start for sure.

• Bond won't be back for this (still waiting on a timeframe for his injury - yay for our injury list), so Nelson will be in goal.
• We don't have any other right-backs cause of piss-poor transfer strategy so Jackson will play.
• Konchesky will start because Garmston isn't fit yet, although he is back running.
• Wright will start because he's captain, even though he's been absolutely shite this season. Just be a holding midfielder you tit.
• Dack will start, because he's Dack.

So that's 8 of the team more or less definitely starting. Knott looked about the best we had last night on the ball, and he wasn't on long. Would give him a start. Likewise Wagstaff, deserves a starting role. Paddy and Byrne both looked so far out of their depth last night, but one of them will probably start - Byrne most likely. JET looked to get injured, so doubt he'll play.

Nelson
Jackson - Ehmer - Deji - Konchesky
Wagstaff - Wright - Byrne - Knott
Dack
McDonald​

Pask, List, Oldaker, Donnelly, Hessenthaler, Osadebe, Dickenson.

Look how inexperienced and weak that bench is.

Look at it.

Gills 0-1 Cov.​

 

[Chris Cov 87]

Lose 2-0 but insignificant at moment as all we need is SISU out so we still have a club to support.

 

[JoeJoeJoeJoe]

Team:

Charles-Cook

Turnbull

McBean Sordell K. Thomas G. Thomas Tudgay Becchio Jones Wright Agyei

probably get a 1-1 draw

 

[Camborne Gills]

Best case scenario, Gills to win, Nelson plays a blinder, and Cov sort their stuff out (33/1 anybody?)

 

[Gator]

After our semi-decent start to the season with the wins over Southend (x2) and Watford, I don't know what's happened. Is it the reactions to all the injuries, to not having a settled side? Or just a continuation of our post-Wigan form from last season?

Either that Spurs defeat's gonna have knocked us for 6 (or 5 if you will) and we wilt, or hopefully gives us a positive reaction and Cov take the backlash.
Hoping for the latter but rather fearing the former.

 

[joethegill]

I think the thing is that teams don't have any fear playing us any more. Last year no-one came to Priestfield and tried to attack us until later in the season, and they got through at will. This year from the outset teams have attacked us and got their rewards (other than Swindon, who played for the draw), because we simply can't defend well enough. I think we've been fortunate to have played a couple of the weaker sides in the division in away games, which makes the overall record look a touch better (Southend and Shrewsbury), but even in those games we had defensive issues. Southend could've been 2/3-0 up in the first half in the league game, but they were terrible up front.

We aren't that much of a threat anymore.

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

Things are imploding big time off the pitch that this game is very much second or the third thing on our mind.
Today we found out that the current training site
is being sold for just £2 million (our only asset left ) so 75 new houses can be built. Is it the last move of a desperate owner before they go, or will someone from the club come out and actually say what's going on.
They have banned the local paper from all press meetings as they started a SISU out campaign this week.
What with the likely hood of losing the academy as well the club is in appalling shape.
I can only see a comfortable Gills 3-0 home win and we move on to the game Tuesday

 

[joethegill]

Hard to believe it's less than a year since our match at the Ricoh - top v 2nd, both sides looking great and the future promotion prospects rosy....

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

Hard to believe it's less than a year since our match at the Ricoh - top v 2nd, both sides looking great and the future promotion prospects rosy....

That seems light years ago, how we have fallen apart.
I still say we are not a bad side,we create chances but God do we miss a goal scorer . Our defence is Ok ,I know we have only five points but that shows only three defeats, we just can't win games atm .
I'll take a draw again right now.

 

[Kim Mitten]

Thanks to Gillingham FC sending my sons school free tickets we will be attending this game tomorrow. No idea what to expect, hoping for some goals.
Also what is the proportion of Gills fans that want Justin Edinburgh out? very high I hope, one of my favourite Southend players from when I first started watching football, he would be a very pleasing replacement for Phil Brown.

 

[PuB]

I'd say it was an extremely low proportion of gills fans, I certainly haven't heard any chants at games calling for him to go, and I honestly do not know who we'd replace him with. We have struggled though, particularly in midfield where we just don't have the players available to play JED's preferred diamond. As well as being limited by injuries.

I don't want to predict a score for tomorrow, I just hope Cov can rid themselves of their parasitical board sooner rather than later.

 

[joethegill]

Thanks to Gillingham FC sending my sons school free tickets we will be attending this game tomorrow. No idea what to expect, hoping for some goals.
Also what is the proportion of Gills fans that want Justin Edinburgh out? very high I hope, one of my favourite Southend players from when I first started watching football, he would be a very pleasing replacement for Phil Brown.

Very low percentage, but enough to make a ripple on social media. Hope you and your son enjoy the game tomorrow, hopefully we'll put on a show.

 

[GFCSludge]

3pts, wasn't pretty.

 

[SkyBlueElephant]

Can someone make this season end already?

 

[JoeJoeJoeJoe]

Fuck off Tony you massive prick

 

[MJA]

probably get a 1-1 draw

 

[MJA]

Tony Mowbray is a footballing genius

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

Our lowest away following in five years, oh my lord what is happening to my club

 

[joethegill]

Deserved win in a low-key game. Not much to add.

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

Well it seems our SISU pain could becoming to an end after nine years of agony.
Local radio and things coming out of the club tonight is SISU will be out Monday and we will have new American owners.
I would have taken relegation if it had got rid of them, but the local protests and dropping attendances have finally made them see sense.
I won't believe it till its confirmed but local radio has never said anything like this.
They obviously can't invest in the team till January so hopefully we can stay in touch , but I'm going to drink a decent bottle of whisky Monday if this comes true.
The clubs dying ,but have we found a lifeline.

 

[ccfctommy]

Sounds like a down the pub rumour to me.

Sisu and TM can do one.

 

[Kim Mitten]

Well, that was turgid. Gillingham deserved the win, but only due to the ineptness of Coventry defending, otherwise they were distinctly average.

I'll start by saying my usual viewing of football matches is Conference South and Isthmian League level, I am yet to see any club from those division defend so badly as Coventry did today. I counted 5, if I'm being generous, contested headers won by Cov defenders today, thought Gills first half set up perfectly against them, lob it up, especially in a full back area and we'll win the header, joy all day. It was just as good for Gillingham playing the ball on the floor as well, defenders utterly disjointed and out of position on numerous occasions, if Gills had a bit more bite they would have had a hat full. The Gills first goal - lol, lol, lol, what on earth was that, just a long throw which Cov of course couldn't even get a slight sniff of and the keeper just watched it in.
I don't know enough about Cov to know where the blame lies, the actual players not being good enough, not being coached well enough? but I cannot believe any of them are of league standard on todays showing.
The bright spots for Cov - the 11 Reid, who scored a cracker, first half unplayable, 2nd Gills did what they had too, 2 or 3 men round him as soon as the ball was anywhere near him, he was the best player on the pitch by a country mile. I also thought Marvin Sordell had a good game, at least he looked like he cared and he was the only one in midfield that could actually play a pass.

Gills - Didn't really need to turn up, kudos goes to the manager for setting up the team right and really picking on Coventry's weaknesses. No real stand out player but they played well as a unit. I'm really glad to see Kevin Maher has been re-incarnated as Bradley Dack, and that is not a slight of any sort, Maher was a rolls-royce of a player, simple things right, kept things neat and used to sniff out trouble superbly, Dack does this and takes set pieces, great player, like Maher does dirty and simple work that often goes un-noticed but always contributes to a team being better.

On that performance I don't think a change of ownership will help Coventry avoid Division 4, maybe the manager has lost the dressing room, maybe the players are just not good enough for league 1, whatever it is they need some help and quick. A very sad state of affairs for a team that when I started going to football had just won the FA Cup and would have laughed heartily at the thought of losing to Gillingham.

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

Sounds like a down the pub rumour to me.

Sisu and TM can do one.

It sounds iffy I know , but we know lots have been going on at the club this week, then this disclosure about Yankee investment on the radio.
Tommy I'm as desperate as the majority for a fresh start so any rumour of a new start we all grab too in the vain hope it's true.
As you know I sometimes even try and see from SISU's perspective especially the need to build a new stadium which if they have to stay they must follow through with, but we desperately need some fresh hope.

 

[PUSBCCFC]

SISU OUT

 

[GFC4EVA]

Not a great performance by us but was the better team and deserved the win

 

[joethegill]

Well, that was turgid. Gillingham deserved the win, but only due to the ineptness of Coventry defending, otherwise they were distinctly average.

I'll start by saying my usual viewing of football matches is Conference South and Isthmian League level, I am yet to see any club from those division defend so badly as Coventry did today. I counted 5, if I'm being generous, contested headers won by Cov defenders today, thought Gills first half set up perfectly against them, lob it up, especially in a full back area and we'll win the header, joy all day. It was just as good for Gillingham playing the ball on the floor as well, defenders utterly disjointed and out of position on numerous occasions, if Gills had a bit more bite they would have had a hat full. The Gills first goal - lol, lol, lol, what on earth was that, just a long throw which Cov of course couldn't even get a slight sniff of and the keeper just watched it in.
I don't know enough about Cov to know where the blame lies, the actual players not being good enough, not being coached well enough? but I cannot believe any of them are of league standard on todays showing.
The bright spots for Cov - the 11 Reid, who scored a cracker, first half unplayable, 2nd Gills did what they had too, 2 or 3 men round him as soon as the ball was anywhere near him, he was the best player on the pitch by a country mile. I also thought Marvin Sordell had a good game, at least he looked like he cared and he was the only one in midfield that could actually play a pass.

Gills - Didn't really need to turn up, kudos goes to the manager for setting up the team right and really picking on Coventry's weaknesses. No real stand out player but they played well as a unit. I'm really glad to see Kevin Maher has been re-incarnated as Bradley Dack, and that is not a slight of any sort, Maher was a rolls-royce of a player, simple things right, kept things neat and used to sniff out trouble superbly, Dack does this and takes set pieces, great player, like Maher does dirty and simple work that often goes un-noticed but always contributes to a team being better.

On that performance I don't think a change of ownership will help Coventry avoid Division 4, maybe the manager has lost the dressing room, maybe the players are just not good enough for league 1, whatever it is they need some help and quick. A very sad state of affairs for a team that when I started going to football had just won the FA Cup and would have laughed heartily at the thought of losing to Gillingham.

Good round up that, can't argue with any of it. The word to describe our performance yesterday was 'fine', no better, no worse. This was good enough yesterday, but we need to start putting in 'good' performances against better sides or we'll be marooned in midfield all year.