Post by stevek192 on Sept 18, 2019 7:47:32 GMT
Some will feel I have gone over the top after another undefeated home game but this is exactly how I felt last night having watched the team waste another opportunity to build on a good away win and fail to hold onto a lead that should have been in the bag. Gillingham were what I can only describe as a very ordinary outfit in what could really be a very ordinary division this season and yet despite one of our best starts to the season in recent years there was a complete flatness around the Mem last night that in all honesty represents to me a club that has had its heart ripped out and a squad which represents a total lack of any ambition and this is the reason that we find ourselves probably 3000 down on what we should be getting at this time. I can honestly say that I looked up at the West stand and thought to myself that there is just no leadership at our club and the atmosphere has been drained out of us supporters. It is a long time that I have felt that we supporters deserve better but recently I feel there is more a case for us getting what we deserve and maybe the missing thousands are in fact part of the problem or is it just a case that the lack of any ambition in the summer team building exercise in which the problems we had last season which caused the relegation battle have not really been addressed?
Don't get me wrong it was not a bad performance last night but there is something missing and I would say it is almost a belief that we are not good enough to be winning these home games and that our results are maybe better than we actually are! There is a spark missing and that seems to represent the lack of interest in our club from the top to the bottom and I would describe the bottom as being us supporters where I would say the detachment between club and supporters is as great as the gap between the Championship and League 1 on the pitch. It is like a ship with no captain in terms of investment made and the news from the Al Quads early in the season that they were looking to sell has probably had a bigger effect on people than Wael could have thought when he made the announcement. It is very clear that with the club already running at a loss that the loss of 2-3000 on the home gate is hardly going to show the owners that we care a lot more than they do about the state of our club. Looking at Saturdays game at Lincoln when compared to the support their fans gave I would say we look distinctly average and they very much had the look of a club on the up similar to us after our promotion back to League 1. Their team like Gillingham last night looked little better than us and that seems to be the sad state we find ourselves in. A few positive signings here and there would have ,I am sure, inspired supporters that we did mean some sort of business rather than waving a white flag! Those missing thousands are not going to be easy to get back as the lack of any real creative instinct in the team shows clearly every game- three defensive midfielders in a home game with little to no width is hardly going to inspire people to make the effort to attend and the promises last season that we were only playing the way we were to get out of trouble which I believe was accepted by the majority has now been shown to be absolute rubbish as we are playing exactly the same style of football with the same lack of inspiring players.
Anyway that is the way I feel and I will go through the individuals last night who show no lack of heart but a lack of the ability to put an ordinary League 1 outfit to the sword. It was very much a case of more of the same with an overall good defensive performance met with a hard working but uninspiring midfield supported by two full backs rather than any attacking width and a lack of speed and strength in attack other than the powerful Clareke-Harris .
Jaakkola 7.5 A competent performance . Looked dominating in the air and made a couple of good saves but I am not sure if he should have done better on the goal as Bonham probably should have on our goal.
Hare 7 A strong game on his return to the side and in truth until he was carried off we had little in the way of problems on that side. Very much hope that the injury is not as bad as it looked and that he will soon be back in contention because we do look short of real competition all over the pitch and only one injury in any of the departments of the team make us look a bit threadbare.
Leahy 5.5 Still flatters to deceive with only one cross looking up to the standard we were given to expect in his attacking play and it was a very average performance although sometimes his control of the ball shows that he may yet be able to improve.
Davies 8 Another strong performance in an area where we can be satisfied with the transfer dealings. The back three has worked well in most games and we more than held our own against a Gills attack that looked to be clearly missing the 20 goal a season striker that Tom Eaves was.
Craig 8 Tony Craig is performing as well as ever and IMO it is a lot down to him as to how the other two "new" first team players have performed. Until Hare went off we had contained Gillingham well and looked well capable of holding the lead that we held for so long.
Kilgour 8.5 MOM Just edged it from the other two centre halves for me with an overall excellent performance that bellies his years. It is amazing how the three central defenders have slotted in together and cover each other so well/
Upson 8 His performance has now become the norm to expect from him and what a good player he is on the ball and always wanting it and making himself available to receive it. Should probably have scored with his second half attempt from just inside the box which went agonisingly wide with the keeper beaten. Had it gone in or Sercombes chance I feel we would have gone on to win comfortably
Ogogo 7.5 Battled for everything as usual and along with Upson was in contention for Man of the Match.
JCH 7 effort and commitment could not be faulted but lacked the finish last night and would probably have been disappointed with himself when one against one in the second half with their defender but failed to get past him and a headed opportunity that was straight at Bonham.
Smith 7 Runs about a lot and scored a good goal but for me his overall contributions were too lightweight and lacks the technical aspects of Nichols game but he could well develop into a good partner for Clarke-Harris Not sure if it was him first half who nearly pounced on a slow Bonham reaction to lob the keeper and then watch as the ball was cleared on the line.
Clarke 6 Better than he has been in other games this season but still short of his best although I am not convinced that Sercombe improved the midfield when he came on which is probably our problem in that the three midfielders selected are probably our best three available.
Sercombe 6 Not the Sercombe of old and just did ok . The Sercombe of old would have come off with at least one goal out of two good opportunities.
Victor 3 Added nothing to the attack and looks way short on confidence and may I add ability. Reminds me too much of Blissett!
Little NOLE but key in the equaliser and looked off the pace.
Ref 4 About the usual standard of referees we get at the Mem
Gills 5 A very mid table team who look way short of the usual team that Steve Evans puts together. They would have been very happy with probably an undeserved point
Crowd 5 Quiet throughout and seemed almost expectant of an equaliser.
GC- Can't really fault him on what he selects and what he has available although not convinced that Victor adds anything at all to the squad.
So we move on to probably my least favourite destination of Wimbledon. We know what to expect but our three centre halves should be well up to the challenge and I have the feeling that we could be celebrating another away vicory but this is Rovers so who knows!! UTG
Don't get me wrong it was not a bad performance last night but there is something missing and I would say it is almost a belief that we are not good enough to be winning these home games and that our results are maybe better than we actually are! There is a spark missing and that seems to represent the lack of interest in our club from the top to the bottom and I would describe the bottom as being us supporters where I would say the detachment between club and supporters is as great as the gap between the Championship and League 1 on the pitch. It is like a ship with no captain in terms of investment made and the news from the Al Quads early in the season that they were looking to sell has probably had a bigger effect on people than Wael could have thought when he made the announcement. It is very clear that with the club already running at a loss that the loss of 2-3000 on the home gate is hardly going to show the owners that we care a lot more than they do about the state of our club. Looking at Saturdays game at Lincoln when compared to the support their fans gave I would say we look distinctly average and they very much had the look of a club on the up similar to us after our promotion back to League 1. Their team like Gillingham last night looked little better than us and that seems to be the sad state we find ourselves in. A few positive signings here and there would have ,I am sure, inspired supporters that we did mean some sort of business rather than waving a white flag! Those missing thousands are not going to be easy to get back as the lack of any real creative instinct in the team shows clearly every game- three defensive midfielders in a home game with little to no width is hardly going to inspire people to make the effort to attend and the promises last season that we were only playing the way we were to get out of trouble which I believe was accepted by the majority has now been shown to be absolute rubbish as we are playing exactly the same style of football with the same lack of inspiring players.
Anyway that is the way I feel and I will go through the individuals last night who show no lack of heart but a lack of the ability to put an ordinary League 1 outfit to the sword. It was very much a case of more of the same with an overall good defensive performance met with a hard working but uninspiring midfield supported by two full backs rather than any attacking width and a lack of speed and strength in attack other than the powerful Clareke-Harris .
Jaakkola 7.5 A competent performance . Looked dominating in the air and made a couple of good saves but I am not sure if he should have done better on the goal as Bonham probably should have on our goal.
Hare 7 A strong game on his return to the side and in truth until he was carried off we had little in the way of problems on that side. Very much hope that the injury is not as bad as it looked and that he will soon be back in contention because we do look short of real competition all over the pitch and only one injury in any of the departments of the team make us look a bit threadbare.
Leahy 5.5 Still flatters to deceive with only one cross looking up to the standard we were given to expect in his attacking play and it was a very average performance although sometimes his control of the ball shows that he may yet be able to improve.
Davies 8 Another strong performance in an area where we can be satisfied with the transfer dealings. The back three has worked well in most games and we more than held our own against a Gills attack that looked to be clearly missing the 20 goal a season striker that Tom Eaves was.
Craig 8 Tony Craig is performing as well as ever and IMO it is a lot down to him as to how the other two "new" first team players have performed. Until Hare went off we had contained Gillingham well and looked well capable of holding the lead that we held for so long.
Kilgour 8.5 MOM Just edged it from the other two centre halves for me with an overall excellent performance that bellies his years. It is amazing how the three central defenders have slotted in together and cover each other so well/
Upson 8 His performance has now become the norm to expect from him and what a good player he is on the ball and always wanting it and making himself available to receive it. Should probably have scored with his second half attempt from just inside the box which went agonisingly wide with the keeper beaten. Had it gone in or Sercombes chance I feel we would have gone on to win comfortably
Ogogo 7.5 Battled for everything as usual and along with Upson was in contention for Man of the Match.
JCH 7 effort and commitment could not be faulted but lacked the finish last night and would probably have been disappointed with himself when one against one in the second half with their defender but failed to get past him and a headed opportunity that was straight at Bonham.
Smith 7 Runs about a lot and scored a good goal but for me his overall contributions were too lightweight and lacks the technical aspects of Nichols game but he could well develop into a good partner for Clarke-Harris Not sure if it was him first half who nearly pounced on a slow Bonham reaction to lob the keeper and then watch as the ball was cleared on the line.
Clarke 6 Better than he has been in other games this season but still short of his best although I am not convinced that Sercombe improved the midfield when he came on which is probably our problem in that the three midfielders selected are probably our best three available.
Sercombe 6 Not the Sercombe of old and just did ok . The Sercombe of old would have come off with at least one goal out of two good opportunities.
Victor 3 Added nothing to the attack and looks way short on confidence and may I add ability. Reminds me too much of Blissett!
Little NOLE but key in the equaliser and looked off the pace.
Ref 4 About the usual standard of referees we get at the Mem
Gills 5 A very mid table team who look way short of the usual team that Steve Evans puts together. They would have been very happy with probably an undeserved point
Crowd 5 Quiet throughout and seemed almost expectant of an equaliser.
GC- Can't really fault him on what he selects and what he has available although not convinced that Victor adds anything at all to the squad.
So we move on to probably my least favourite destination of Wimbledon. We know what to expect but our three centre halves should be well up to the challenge and I have the feeling that we could be celebrating another away vicory but this is Rovers so who knows!! UTG