Gills v Latics

[Hurrikeen]

The games come thick and fast as here’s one in which we have a good recent record in. However, that good record has to end some time doesn’t it?

Results wise Gills seem to have picked up a little of late - though if the weekend’s reading literature is to be believed, the win at Walsall was daylight robbery? The same could be said for Wimbledon on Tuesday - horrendous finishing prevented that from being a bloodbath.

We’re certainly a different side under Wellens, and we are playing the best football I’ve seen us play for years.

W:5
D:3
L:1
S: 18
C: 13

Got goals galore written all over it really.

Placide
Dummigan
Gerrard
Bryan
Hunt
Fane
Gardner
Byrne
Nepomuceno
Davies
Doyle

I’ve got to remain optimistic so going with a 2-1 win, with 250 Latics in attendance.

 

[GFCSludge]

To be fair we're in an identical position under Steve Lovell, his record is identical to Wellens, although two of the games were FA Cup and the Mickey Mouse trophy. It's about time we started winning at home though.

 

[hold'um Oldham]

Confident here.

Which means we will lose.

The bad thing about being good is you expect to win every game. Would love to see where we would go this season had we had this set up from the off

 

[Hurrikeen]

Confident here.

Which means we will lose.

The bad thing about being good is you expect to win every game. Would love to see where we would go this season had we had this set up from the off

I don’t think I’ve ever gone into a Latics game expecting to win. That includes this Wellens period.

I’m never that confident.

 

[Gills4years]

Oldham are one of our bogey sides so I am not confident regardless of either team's current form.
If we keep up or recent improved form we could nick a point but I expect us to either have our usual off day against them, or our fifth sending off this season will happen early in the game, or perhaps hand them a freak own goal? Something like that.

 

[Bottega Don]

Confident here.

Which means we will lose.

The bad thing about being good is you expect to win every game. Would love to see where we would go this season had we had this set up from the off

I'm really not sure when Oldham fans are being serious anymore.

 

[Hurrikeen]

I'm really not sure when Oldham fans are being serious anymore.

Leave me out of this. I found that comment a tad strange too.

 

[UTS]

Are Oldham really as good as their fans think they are, or has 20 years of being shite inflated their view of what constitutes a good side?

 

[PuB]

Are Oldham really as good as their fans think they are, or has 20 years of being shite inflated their view of what constitutes a good side?

They're wank. Maybe not as wank as us, but still wank.

 

[hold'um Oldham]

Easiest thing to do would be to ask those we have already played since welled took charge.

Gutted we played and got beat by wigan/shrews under she early season. That would have been a good test.

People may mock my confidence but we really are playing some cracking stuff.

 

[Hurrikeen]

Are Oldham really as good as their fans think they are, or has 20 years of being shite inflated their view of what constitutes a good side?

There’s certainly an element of that. But all we can go off is how we have played under Wellens and it’s light years ahead of anything else I’ve seen for years. Just a shame when he took over that we only had 1 point from 7 games.

I’m just happy I can enjoy the performances again and that we are actually creating chances and scoring goals.

A win today will mean we have scored more by November this season than the entirety of last season!

 

[SELatic]

And that game is the reason why we won’t challenge at the top, no matter how good we think we are.

Gillingham were not very good but we never got going. Tom Eaves is a big lump and caused us problems but aside from direct play to him we seemed generally comfortable at the back. However for whatever reason we struggled to break Gills down. Lots of misplaced passes today. Byrne, for all his ability, needs to keep his head up when things aren’t going to plan.

Poor performance but only because we’ve been spoilt under Wellens so far.

Hope the lad who got stretchered off in the first half is okay - looked nasty.

 

[PuB]

On another day that could have ended 4-4, I thought we were going to nick it at the end but it wasn't to be. Can't be disappointed with a draw as both teams cancelled each other out, first game I've seen for a bit and we've definitely improved. Scally needs to reinvest some of the money from Compass in to the playing squad in January, I was impressed by Eaves but we need more options up front. Wilkinson is a waste of a wage.

 

[joethegill]

Another decent point. Considering we normally get turned over by Oldham on a yearly basis it's almost a miracle.

I'm confident we'll be ok this season, we're pretty solid at the back (which a lot of teams don't seem to realise and assume it's their forwards having an off day!) but we just need a bit more going forward. I think 3 additions in January will propel us to mid-table - a powerful central midfielder (the two we have right now are decent on the ball but midgets and can get overrun), a centre forward to play off Eaves and a pacey winger as we don't really have any other than List, who is National League standard at best unfortunately. Should be well within reach.

 

[Gills4years]

.
I'm confident we'll be ok this season, we're pretty solid at the back (which a lot of teams don't seem to realise and assume it's their forwards having an off day!) but we just need a bit more going forward. I think 3 additions in January will propel us to mid-table - a powerful central midfielder (the two we have right now are decent on the ball but midgets and can get overrun), a centre forward to play off Eaves and a pacey winger as we don't really have any other than List, who is National League standard at best unfortunately. Should be well within reach.

If we manage to extend Sean Clare's loan, I think it would be better to acquire a left back to release Clare back in to the midfield.

Alas, Garmston does not seem to be able to stay fit for more than a couple of games so we have had to use Clare at full back which is a waste with his flair.

BTW, thanks to the Oldham fan that expressed concern for Lee Martin. Nice touch. He went to A&E but was somehow back in time to shake the players hands at the end and is fine now.

 

[joethegill]

If we manage to extend Sean Clare's loan, I think it would be better to acquire a left back to release Clare back in to the midfield.

Alas, Garmston does not seem to be able to stay fit for more than a couple of games so we have had to use Clare at full back which is a waste with his flair.

BTW, thanks to the Oldham fan that expressed concern for Lee Martin. Nice touch. He went to A&E but was somehow back in time to shake the players hands at the end and is fine now.

Clare's been playing right back, but I take your point. We do have decent depth in defence really, they've just been a bit injured of late! O'Neill, Lacey, Nugent, Zakuani, Ogilvie and Ehmer can all play centre half, with O'Neill and Ogilvie (is he a half season or full season loan) the obvious full back options until such a time that Garmston isn't broken. Depends what system we play really, as if it's full backs then Wagstaff can do that role too. Agree it'd make sense to free Clare up a bit to add to the midfield which I think is definitely on Lovell's radar, but he's done well at RB too.

 

[Gills4years]

As you say, Joe, we do have sufficient defenders but as Lovell now sees Oglivie as better in the centre, and he has been playing well there, we are now top heavy with central defenders. That is why O'Neill has been switched to the left, leaving us with one true full back and he is playing on his less favoured side.

If Wagstaff is the solution I would have thought he would be playing at right back already whereas Clare seems to be preferred there at the moment.

I am not sure whether Lacey can play at full back but I believe he is nearing fitness.

In summary, if our midfield was already talented enough, then Clare could continue at RB but IMHO he is missed in the middle. One of our best loan signings in many a year.