Yes @essex_wanderer I agree that we probably paid Gillingham too much respect by going with 3 central midfielders instead of Freeman/Tyson out wide. Blooms did everything well, but wasn't going to hurt them in the way the natural wide players can. It limited the chances we created, but that said, we still had enough to have claimed at least a point.
Lots of very interesting and perceptive comments this evening and much to agree with.
I thought Matt Bloomfield had a better game than one or two comments suggested and one stinging drive (well fielded by Tomas Holy) encouraged him a minute or two later to try another one from further out. Can’t recall that happening very often.
There were several positives to be taken from today’s game, the greatest of which, as one or two have alluded to, is the all-round brilliance of Curtis Thompson. He seems to me to be the complete midfielder - strong in the tackle and on the ball, technically accomplished, extremely fit and industrious, and with the ability to shrug off the attention of two or three opponents with strength and clever footwork. A great signing.
Defensively we were rarely troubled and Anthony Stewart’s confident and assured performance after playing so little recently was very reassuring. At times, especially in the first half, we seemed to be playing two at the back and he and Sido, with their mobility and athleticism, dealt admirably with all but that one threat seven minutes from time.
The introduction of Freeman and Tyson had a positive effect and provided the width, at least on the left, that had been sadly lacking. On a more negative note, I was disappointed that, after two characteristically pacey runs to the byline, leaving defenders trailing in his wake, Tyson seemed to cross the ball without looking up and beyond the furthest teammate. Maybe the latter should have stayed much wider. Dunno.
All in all, I feel rather better about this afternoon’s performance than I did at five o’clock.
It was the lack of urgency that really got me today.
After an ok, if uninspiring 1st half, to come out for the 2nd without any pressure on the ball, or energy to move it forward, in a winnable game is hugely disappointing.
Not hugely bothered by Bayo's performance - won balls well, did his usual hold-up thing that has served us well, but with no one around him, it's all rendered fairly pointless.
It's so irritating to watch PCH, who can take the game by the scruff and inspire comebacks when he fancies, yet fails to make an impact against an average Gills side.
With 3 losses in a row, and a tough game against Posh next week, you do get the feeling we could be dragged into it.
If Bayo didn’t start we would have won. Simple as.
As for Paris.... in my opinion one of the worse players I’ve ever seen. Completely lost. Yeah he’s can produce pieces of class ...every 10-15 games. Just poor all round apart from Thompson of course
Bayo was a bit off the pace to begin with but did his usual stuff well and could have had two goals...the idea that we lost because he was on is laughable. Lucky Ritchie has another loss to warm him and his barking attacks on our players. He is relentless. I do not think Bloomfield was bad..or did anything wrong...just not what we needed against a limited side when gape and Thompson are winning the ball. Even when he is in the box I'm never confident he will score. Also disagree about Paris. He should have stayed on in my opinion. We showed them too much respect and it was always going to be a one goal game.
We seemed to line up as if a draw was OK. Long way to go yet but we do need to put some points on the board to avoid getting sucked into the relegation battle.
We looked a bit better when Freeman came on but all in all a very poor game.
I think if McCarthy puts away that chance at the far post just before their goal, we'd probably all be patting the team on the back, calling it a decent, solid performance and a deserved win. Sometimes we can over analyse, when the reason for a defeat can be as simple as the opposition sticking the ball in the net whilst we missed several clear chances.
That said, I don't disagree that Freeman or Tyson for Bloomfield (who had a good game) may have resulted in more pressure and chances created against a fairly limited opponents.
The three points for Gillingham maybe what sends the pnl back towards where they least want to go. In which case it could make the next (last) game at the Kassam somewhat amusing for some of us, and overlay some memories.
If they do get wound up, club - not supporters - is a points deduction possible this season or next?
I realise that this could be in a separate thread rather like the Bristol City - "non league Bristol Rovers thread" which lit up on the day of the miracle at Torquay.
Annoying game really. Played well enough to at least get a point and defended solidly for most of the game.
Really should have scored at least one. Slightly annoying that Freeman can’t get more game time. When we are struggling for goals and he’s one of our best creative threats, it is shame he is so often on the bench. PCH was poor yesterday and Freeman’s cross for the McCarthy miss was the best bit of quality we produced in the whole game.
I wonder if maybe the strategy was too cagey. Gillingham looked very average. We seemed to base the whole game on the expectation their defenders would fail to deal with Bayo enough times for us to score. In fairness, that probably was the case. But we didn’t put the chances away.
Bloomfield as per usuual was consistently tidy on the ball, made good choices and put in another 7/10. The constant scapegoating of him is ridiculous and has been going on for about a decade.
Thompson could not play another minute before August and still be player of the season.
As so many other say, just one of those games, but thought Tyson would have been better coming on earlier, maybe instead of Samuel. The few minutes he had, his pace caused them some problems.
Seems to me there's been a bit of a pattern a few times in the last few years. We seem to have a decent run of wins or draws, followed quickly by a run of defeats, more than we have odd wins, draws, and losses close together. We have a good result or two, especially against a fancied club, which breeds confidence - we then go on a run of wins (with perhaps a few draws). Then we come up against a team with a formidable record (like Luton away), and get well beaten. Another tough game (like Barnsley away) follows, we lose that one, and all of a sudden we don't seem able to even buy a goal, like yesterday. It seems as if our confidence, especially in front of goal, gets easily hit, and we can't see where our next result is coming from. Eventually we do win, but it might be via a flukey goal. That's enough however to bring the confidence back. To me this seems to demonstrate how much confidence may play a part in our performances and results.
We just need a solid win to get us back on track, as we're almost there, but not quite.
The return of the attacking loanees is now starting to kick in, when it looked like we'd got away with it a bit.
Freeman and Paris simply aren't as consistent, although on their day do have a threat
A routine 2-0 win ruined by some poor finishing, a couple of decent saves and a single piece of skill by Gillingham. Another awful ref was saved by two honest teams.
Not a disaster by any means but a wake up call. Gillingham knew they are in a relegation battle and that extra 1% made a difference.
Stewart looked great after so long but the formation stopped both teams playing. Great if you take your chance but not if you don't
As I said (presciently - thank you) a few weeks ago: we support Wycombe. They would never make it easy for us with a calm, comfortable mid-table stroll to May.
We will lose the next three or four, then fluke a win, beat someone comfortably. Lose appallingly and need 3 points from the last 4 games of the season to be safe.
Yesterday felt a little end of season to be fair. Two fairly limited teams sparring without too much flair.
The squad yesterday was our full 18 players available. Hopefully we don't drop below that, as a non full bench always gets you slightly concerned.
Charles could do with being available for more than 1 game in 10.
And Yves, albeit a non starter, seems to have had the worst hand injury ever. Taking way longer to recover than Allsop did with what sounded a much worse injury!
Was it Gareth who said the squad was the full set of available players? And the other week I'm sure he said something that sounded like Yves was still quite a bit off.
Comments
Bayo was very poor today and showing against a poor team he aint gonna be here next season even if were relegated.
Yes @essex_wanderer I agree that we probably paid Gillingham too much respect by going with 3 central midfielders instead of Freeman/Tyson out wide. Blooms did everything well, but wasn't going to hurt them in the way the natural wide players can. It limited the chances we created, but that said, we still had enough to have claimed at least a point.
Bayo started poorly, but improved as the game wore on. Had the better of their defenders all afternoon, but didn't put his chances away.
Funny how people see things so differently, I thought Bayo started well but faded throughout. Still would rate him as having had a good day though.
Lots of very interesting and perceptive comments this evening and much to agree with.
I thought Matt Bloomfield had a better game than one or two comments suggested and one stinging drive (well fielded by Tomas Holy) encouraged him a minute or two later to try another one from further out. Can’t recall that happening very often.
There were several positives to be taken from today’s game, the greatest of which, as one or two have alluded to, is the all-round brilliance of Curtis Thompson. He seems to me to be the complete midfielder - strong in the tackle and on the ball, technically accomplished, extremely fit and industrious, and with the ability to shrug off the attention of two or three opponents with strength and clever footwork. A great signing.
Defensively we were rarely troubled and Anthony Stewart’s confident and assured performance after playing so little recently was very reassuring. At times, especially in the first half, we seemed to be playing two at the back and he and Sido, with their mobility and athleticism, dealt admirably with all but that one threat seven minutes from time.
The introduction of Freeman and Tyson had a positive effect and provided the width, at least on the left, that had been sadly lacking. On a more negative note, I was disappointed that, after two characteristically pacey runs to the byline, leaving defenders trailing in his wake, Tyson seemed to cross the ball without looking up and beyond the furthest teammate. Maybe the latter should have stayed much wider. Dunno.
All in all, I feel rather better about this afternoon’s performance than I did at five o’clock.
It was the lack of urgency that really got me today.
After an ok, if uninspiring 1st half, to come out for the 2nd without any pressure on the ball, or energy to move it forward, in a winnable game is hugely disappointing.
Not hugely bothered by Bayo's performance - won balls well, did his usual hold-up thing that has served us well, but with no one around him, it's all rendered fairly pointless.
It's so irritating to watch PCH, who can take the game by the scruff and inspire comebacks when he fancies, yet fails to make an impact against an average Gills side.
With 3 losses in a row, and a tough game against Posh next week, you do get the feeling we could be dragged into it.
If Bayo didn’t start we would have won. Simple as.
As for Paris.... in my opinion one of the worse players I’ve ever seen. Completely lost. Yeah he’s can produce pieces of class ...every 10-15 games. Just poor all round apart from Thompson of course
@DaveyKm that's such a ludicrous post unless today was your first ever game
Bayo was a bit off the pace to begin with but did his usual stuff well and could have had two goals...the idea that we lost because he was on is laughable. Lucky Ritchie has another loss to warm him and his barking attacks on our players. He is relentless. I do not think Bloomfield was bad..or did anything wrong...just not what we needed against a limited side when gape and Thompson are winning the ball. Even when he is in the box I'm never confident he will score. Also disagree about Paris. He should have stayed on in my opinion. We showed them too much respect and it was always going to be a one goal game.
I agree with an earlier post that we paid them far too much respect.
We seemed to line up as if a draw was OK. Long way to go yet but we do need to put some points on the board to avoid getting sucked into the relegation battle.
We looked a bit better when Freeman came on but all in all a very poor game.
I think if McCarthy puts away that chance at the far post just before their goal, we'd probably all be patting the team on the back, calling it a decent, solid performance and a deserved win. Sometimes we can over analyse, when the reason for a defeat can be as simple as the opposition sticking the ball in the net whilst we missed several clear chances.
That said, I don't disagree that Freeman or Tyson for Bloomfield (who had a good game) may have resulted in more pressure and chances created against a fairly limited opponents.
my comment on Bayo now has its own thread ..... been great but old Father Time has caught up !!
The three points for Gillingham maybe what sends the pnl back towards where they least want to go. In which case it could make the next (last) game at the Kassam somewhat amusing for some of us, and overlay some memories.
If they do get wound up, club - not supporters - is a points deduction possible this season or next?
I realise that this could be in a separate thread rather like the Bristol City - "non league Bristol Rovers thread" which lit up on the day of the miracle at Torquay.
Annoying game really. Played well enough to at least get a point and defended solidly for most of the game.
Really should have scored at least one. Slightly annoying that Freeman can’t get more game time. When we are struggling for goals and he’s one of our best creative threats, it is shame he is so often on the bench. PCH was poor yesterday and Freeman’s cross for the McCarthy miss was the best bit of quality we produced in the whole game.
I wonder if maybe the strategy was too cagey. Gillingham looked very average. We seemed to base the whole game on the expectation their defenders would fail to deal with Bayo enough times for us to score. In fairness, that probably was the case. But we didn’t put the chances away.
Bloomfield as per usuual was consistently tidy on the ball, made good choices and put in another 7/10. The constant scapegoating of him is ridiculous and has been going on for about a decade.
Thompson could not play another minute before August and still be player of the season.
Positives Thompson was sublime and Stewart was excellent otherwise frustration against average at best opponents
“..... Thompson could not play another minute before August and still be player of the season........”
Well, that’s at least one thing we all seem to agree about.
I also share the frustration about Nick Freeman not getting more game time.
Post match interview with Gaz
“A disappointing result but not a disappointing performance”
https://philcatchpole.com/2019/02/24/wycombe-wanderers-0-1-gillingham/
As so many other say, just one of those games, but thought Tyson would have been better coming on earlier, maybe instead of Samuel. The few minutes he had, his pace caused them some problems.
Seems to me there's been a bit of a pattern a few times in the last few years. We seem to have a decent run of wins or draws, followed quickly by a run of defeats, more than we have odd wins, draws, and losses close together. We have a good result or two, especially against a fancied club, which breeds confidence - we then go on a run of wins (with perhaps a few draws). Then we come up against a team with a formidable record (like Luton away), and get well beaten. Another tough game (like Barnsley away) follows, we lose that one, and all of a sudden we don't seem able to even buy a goal, like yesterday. It seems as if our confidence, especially in front of goal, gets easily hit, and we can't see where our next result is coming from. Eventually we do win, but it might be via a flukey goal. That's enough however to bring the confidence back. To me this seems to demonstrate how much confidence may play a part in our performances and results.
We just need a solid win to get us back on track, as we're almost there, but not quite.
The return of the attacking loanees is now starting to kick in, when it looked like we'd got away with it a bit.
Freeman and Paris simply aren't as consistent, although on their day do have a threat
A routine 2-0 win ruined by some poor finishing, a couple of decent saves and a single piece of skill by Gillingham. Another awful ref was saved by two honest teams.
Not a disaster by any means but a wake up call. Gillingham knew they are in a relegation battle and that extra 1% made a difference.
Stewart looked great after so long but the formation stopped both teams playing. Great if you take your chance but not if you don't
As I said (presciently - thank you) a few weeks ago: we support Wycombe. They would never make it easy for us with a calm, comfortable mid-table stroll to May.
We will lose the next three or four, then fluke a win, beat someone comfortably. Lose appallingly and need 3 points from the last 4 games of the season to be safe.
Which we will be
Yesterday felt a little end of season to be fair. Two fairly limited teams sparring without too much flair.
The squad yesterday was our full 18 players available. Hopefully we don't drop below that, as a non full bench always gets you slightly concerned.
Charles could do with being available for more than 1 game in 10.
And Yves, albeit a non starter, seems to have had the worst hand injury ever. Taking way longer to recover than Allsop did with what sounded a much worse injury!
I just assumed Yates was named in the squad on merit. Yves seemed fine in the warm up. Is he still injured?
Was it Gareth who said the squad was the full set of available players? And the other week I'm sure he said something that sounded like Yves was still quite a bit off.
A triple break, I heard.
GA and injuries is a joke, he lies constantly.