The Gills v The Dale

[joethegill]

Gills (Can't defend) + Dale (Can't stop scoring) = Problems.

Having said that, Dale have pretty poor away form of late so this isn't a write-off. I expect goals both ends, and maybe a high scoring draw. Sticking my neck out on a 3-3 draw.

 

[Fedora Dale]

I think the biggest difference for the Gills from last season to this is the loss of your best defender, John Egan. For whatever reason, you're looking a lot shakier at the back this time out, slightly odd in that Ehmer and Oshilaja also looked very competent last season as well.

So it looks like we might do well to have a go. However, to do this, we need the ball. We've got a very strong midfield, but then so have you (Dack, Hessenthaler, Knott, Wagstaff). I think whoever wins the midfield battle will win the game.

As for attack, Davies is on good form for.us, Henderson is back.from injury and due a goal whilst JET and McDonald also know what they're doing. And both teams have goals throughout them. I had a quick look, and I think 13 different players have scored for Gills this season, and 14 for Dale.

Prediction. Not a draw. Depends.on the midfield battle, but our lot looked very good on Tuesday night (albeit against poorish opposition). So I'll go for an optimistic 1-3 away win, with Camps and JET trading worldies before Steve Davies makes it 8 in 4 games with his usual brace, to send 129 travelling fans home happy...

 

[joethegill]

I think the biggest difference for the Gills from last season to this is the loss of your best defender, John Egan. For whatever reason, you're looking a lot shakier at the back this time out, slightly odd in that Ehmer and Oshilaja also looked very competent last season as well.

So it looks like we might do well to have a go. However, to do this, we need the ball. We've got a very strong midfield, but then so have you (Dack, Hessenthaler, Knott, Wagstaff). I think whoever wins the midfield battle will win the game.

As for attack, Davies is on good form for.us, Henderson is back.from injury and due a goal whilst JET and McDonald also know what they're doing. And both teams have goals throughout them. I had a quick look, and I think 13 different players have scored for Gills this season, and 14 for Dale.

Prediction. Not a draw. Depends.on the midfield battle, but our lot looked very good on Tuesday night (albeit against poorish opposition). So I'll go for an optimistic 1-3 away win, with Camps and JET trading worldies before Steve Davies makes it 8 in 4 games with his usual brace, to send 129 travelling fans home happy...

To be fair we were never THAT good defensively last season, it's just teams didn't tend to want to attack us until about February. Once everyone realised we couldn't defend and actually made an effort against us we crumbled. Egan was of course, an absolute gem and is proving that in the Championship this season - he'll go on to get many, many international caps as well as several years in the Premier League without question. I just hope we aren't fleeced by the tribunal.

Ehmer and Oshilaja are odd ones, because as you say they both seem competent. Trouble is they aren't leaders. With an experienced head alongside them (such as El-Abd towards the end of last year) they look great, but left to their own devices they're a worry (Deji moreso). The lad Cargill we've brought in to partner them looks like a player, but isn't a leader again. You would hope Konchesky would be able to be a calming voice on the pair but that doesn't seem to have been the case either.

Interesting you mention the midfield. We have a LOT of midfielders, and a lot of them would get into most teams in this league but they're very tippy tappy, good on the ball sorts without any real defensive side to their games. When we have the ball, they plus the forwards tend to look very neat and tidy, and quite often dangerous. When we lose the ball the midfield is about as solid as a post-curry shit.

I keep thinking we'll get up the table sooner or later, and there have been green shoots of recovery in amongst the turd in the last few weeks. We played well against Charlton and deserved the win but drew, played well against Northampton and deserved the win and got it, picked up a win at Walsall based on a defensive display and by all accounts deserved something at Oxford in the week.

 

[Dale4ever]

Not able to be there today, just seen we have Trevor Kettle in charge though .

 

[Dale4ever]

Our away form is shocking .

 

[Dale4ever]

(League only)
Last 6 home: won every game scored 15 conceded 0... (it's actually 7 in a row but to make a point of how contrasting we are I've gone for the last 6 as they are clean sheets)
Last 4 away: lost every game scored 0 conceded 12.

 

[valefan16]

(League only)
Last 6 home: won every game scored 15 conceded 0... (it's actually 7 in a row but to make a point of how contrasting we are I've gone for the last 6 as they are clean sheets)
Last 4 away: lost every game scored 0 conceded 12.

Welcome to our world! 21 points at home, 6 away!

 

[Dale4ever]

Welcome to our world! 21 points at home, 6 away!

So frustrating isn't it. 22 points at home 8 away. Scored 20 conceded 6 at home, scored 7 conceded 19 away. We looked to have had more shots and possession today too, but don't take our chances away.

 

[GFC4EVA]

How shit Rochdale must be we kept a clean sheet lol

 

[PuB]

I hate late goals hehe

Actually it sounded like we were hanging on at 1-0, then broke away twice to score two in the dying minutes. First clean sheet since Queen Victoria was on the throne though, so that's great

 

[joethegill]

Thoroughly deserved win. Rochdale didn't really threaten, and most of their efforts were from range. 3-0 was probably an unfair scoreline, but we definitely deserved to win to 0 today. Very pleasing!