I’m not sure theirs was a penalty, Gunter had no reason to bring the guy down. But my two thoughts are that we need to do more if we are going to have 70% possession. At least mix it up with some long goal kicks. And why did we take that free kick short in the final minute? Should have pushed everyone up and dropped the kick into the box.
He clipped the blokes heel. Was 100% a penalty. Intent has nothing to do with it.
I’m not sure theirs was a penalty, Gunter had no reason to bring the guy down. But my two thoughts are that we need to do more if we are going to have 70% possession. At least mix it up with some long goal kicks. And why did we take that free kick short in the final minute? Should have pushed everyone up and dropped the kick into the box.
If anything it was careless from Gunter as could have skipped out the way to avoid even touching their player
Too ponderous, too much passing around the back & not enough goal threat. Got to be more quick & adventurous. Don't score enough goals to get into the top 2.
Only positive was coming back from going behind......but still couldn't win it from that position. 18 games & counting
Maatsen and Matthews then have limited options going forward.
I think our problems are stemming from that CDM role.
Perhaps you should let Bowyer know?
Not a popular opinion I know, and I may have been spoiled by Bielik/ Cullen last time we were down here.
However Watson does love a sideways pass a bit too much for me.
The last minute where he decides to pass it 10 yards sideways rather than pumping it into the box to have a go made me laugh. Just feels very negative at times.
I'd agree with that.
A minute left and it's your last chance to grab a vital winning goal .... you've surely got to attack the opponents box. What does Bowyer say ...... get the ball into their 6 yard box?
No silly risks though, you can't afford to get caught on the counter and concede.
Not great, in fact pretty poor to be honest, however other recent seasons we would have lost that, so getting a point is better than nothing. Ref was without doubt the worst I have witnessed in many a year, absolutely awful and that is the best comment I can make about him! Anyway on to the next game, good to see Gilby back and to be fair if he was 100% on his game he could have won it for us at the end. Pity we were so slow in the build up on the many occasions we were dominating, we do seem to lack pace when Smyth isn't playing! Overall 6 out of 10.
Frustrating match where we dominated play but didn't create enough.
Our starting front 3 were poor. Maddison was ineffective from open play, constantly making the wrong decision, while the Gillingham centre backs had an easy 60 odd minutes against Bogle and Washington. Aneke was so much more effective as a centre forward than Bogle, more powerful in the air AND better movement.
I like Smyth, though to be he's a wide/creative midfielder rather than a striker. In the last 15 we really needed Aneke, Smyth AND another striker, rather than Gilbey
The rest of the side where fine without being brilliant. Careless of Gunter if he did touch the Gillingham player for the penalty, though at the time I thought Amos should have come and collected anyway
Disappointed as they are not a good side at all. No CB's on the pitch was a concern although it was in the final third that was so disappointing. Thought Bogle was relatively poor as was Maddison, who I'm sure will get better. Gilbey rusty unsurprisingly.
Maatsen continues to impress and I love watching Shinnie dictate play. Watson done what he was supposed to well but I just read a poster saying because he isn't good on the ball others come too deep. I agree with that and was something I thought about during the game.
Great see big Chuks come on and score again, I just wish he was fit enough to play more regularly because he's such an asset.
Frustrating game. The ponderous build-up play was obviously part of the game plan. Amos kicked the ball long once in the entire game, and that was with a bout two minutes of added time to go. It's surely worth mixing it when you have good hold-up players like Aneke (who was excellent again when he came on) and Bogle. Other, better teams will have watched that and they'll simply press our defenders and Watson very hard in future games. Interestingly we don't play like that with Innis in the side; he's a more hoof the ball to safety type of centre back.
Awful officials in many ways; no need to go into detail as it's all on the match thread.
But in many ways it was a well-earned point when we weren't at our best.
Reminder to those getting carried away that we’re actually not as good as some people think we are. We’ll be alright and up there in the mix but we’re going to have to work very hard.
Thanks for your massive insight. Would you like to fill us all in as to who has a better squad and is better than us. Why do we have to have people who constantly knock us. Should we have won that game YES.
Glad we never gave up but it did feel like we were mugged. Twelve-man Gillingham defended well but had little threat despite our missing defenders. I don't think they'd have ever scored without the ref's help. As for us, we looked alright but just couldn't find the right positions up front to threaten enough. I think the most telling stat of the day (other than the final scoreline) was our half-time passing success rate: 85% in total, but only 50% in the final third - I think that tells the story of how we got crowded out. Most useless stat of the day saw Gillingham winning 65% of aerial duels and us somehow winning 40%. Despite our real issues being up front today, I still think our biggest misses were Famewo and Inniss. I think if we'd had them in the side we could have afforded to play a midfield with more of an attacking edge. I can't wait to see them both back.
Was disappointed in Maddison. His first league start, but he started both the FA Cup and Pizza Cup matches, and has had the international break to get sharper too
Back line picks itself when everyone is fit but Bows has a job in figuring out his best midfield and attack. I liked the look of the starting XI, particularly Maddison, Albie and Shinnie together. Thought there were flashes of excellent play, however in the end no one truly shone but no one let themselves down either.
Gills made themselves tough to break down and it was a bad game to miss a penalty with so few clear cut chances on offer. Theirs looked very soft but for a moment it looked their plan was going to work perfectly for a smash and grab win.
Smyth’s pace improved us and we did well to get back level. I thought we might win it from there but our big chance was that breakaway where Maatsen lost his cool and tried to play Aneke in too early.
Point was probably fair and we didn’t do anything to get excited or down hearted about. An away point is an away point and it’s another step in the right direction. Win at Burton and it’s been another strong week.
Comments
any points on the road are good points
Credit to Gillingham who did a good job of stopping us.
We came back well after what I thought was a pen (would have screamed for it had it been the other way around) and looked the more likely to nick it.
Don't think Maddison is, as yet, doing enough but Watson looks better.
Like Gilbey, Maddison doesn't look match sharp yet.
Wish Aneke could start and finish every match.
No need to over react, we didn't play well but we didn't lose and still lots of games to play, but some will.
Lee Bowyer's red and white army
Inniss now out for an extended period! Had hoped it was a short term one.
What are we doing to these players!
Only positive was coming back from going behind......but still couldn't win it from that position. 18 games & counting
A minute left and it's your last chance to grab a vital winning goal .... you've surely got to attack the opponents box.
What does Bowyer say ...... get the ball into their 6 yard box?
No silly risks though, you can't afford to get caught on the counter and concede.
Our starting front 3 were poor. Maddison was ineffective from open play, constantly making the wrong decision, while the Gillingham centre backs had an easy 60 odd minutes against Bogle and Washington. Aneke was so much more effective as a centre forward than Bogle, more powerful in the air AND better movement.
I like Smyth, though to be he's a wide/creative midfielder rather than a striker. In the last 15 we really needed Aneke, Smyth AND another striker, rather than Gilbey
The rest of the side where fine without being brilliant. Careless of Gunter if he did touch the Gillingham player for the penalty, though at the time I thought Amos should have come and collected anyway
Maatsen continues to impress and I love watching Shinnie dictate play. Watson done what he was supposed to well but I just read a poster saying because he isn't good on the ball others come too deep. I agree with that and was something I thought about during the game.
Great see big Chuks come on and score again, I just wish he was fit enough to play more regularly because he's such an asset.
Other than his free kick, very little contribution from Maddison.
Chuks and Smyth up front so much better than Washington and Bogle.
Good news that Famewo isn't far away though. With him, Pearce and Pratley we should be ok whilst Inniss is out.
Didn't Gallen say Inniss had basically never been out injured? Then he comes here.
Gills made themselves tough to break down and it was a bad game to miss a penalty with so few clear cut chances on offer. Theirs looked very soft but for a moment it looked their plan was going to work perfectly for a smash and grab win.