2020/21 General Match Thread

[Luke Imp]

We're travelling down Xmas Day. Can't believe the fixture computer came up with Oxford on Boxing Day FFS.

Will be interesting to hear whether Oxford fans notice anything in our play that was similar to them when MA was there, although MA's said today that he can't play the way he wants to at the minute, and probably won't do this season, so we're having to give up possession and let teams have the ball more than he'd like.

 

[GeneralLee]

We're travelling down Xmas Day. Can't believe the fixture computer came up with Oxford on Boxing Day FFS.

Will be interesting to hear whether Oxford fans notice anything in our play that was similar to them when MA was there, although MA's said today that he can't play the way he wants to at the minute, and probably won't do this season, so we're having to give up possession and let teams have the ball more than he'd like.

We certainly won’t see a repeat of the first fixture. It was a result you don’t often see. MApp will see to it! I readily expect a more evenly matched content, even if it is a more solid defensive display.

I imagine a far closer contest this time around. We got hit 7-1 by Wigan at home under Clotet before returning to Wigan and going down 1-0 under Robinson. I can easily see it being a result with a one goal margin.

 

[Marked Ox]

We're travelling down Xmas Day. Can't believe the fixture computer came up with Oxford on Boxing Day FFS.



Will be interesting to hear whether Oxford fans notice anything in our play that was similar to them when MA was there, although MA's said today that he can't play the way he wants to at the minute, and probably won't do this season, so we're having to give up possession and let teams have the ball more than he'd like.

It did take MA most of his 1st season to get us playing how he wanted and then it was towards the end of it. We were in a relegation battle for a big chunk of his 1st season. In January, he made some key signings such as Kemar Roofe, Alex McDonald etc. So I'm not surprised he is saying that and he is likely right. You'll see a big change in the squad/style next season I reckon.

Like GL, I can't see it being anything like the 1st game.

 

[Luke Imp]

Yeah that was a bit of an anomaly, not aided by our Caretaker manager emptying the midfield when we needed one!

We're averaging less than a goal a game in terms of both scoring and conceding so I doubt they'll be too many goals. Only losing by the odd goal as well. The difference between results when we've scored first and conceded first is quite stark, as is our home and away form so we're pretty predictable, if anything!

Certainly feels like there's some experimenting going on at the minute in midfield and the 3 behind the striker.

 

[AusGill]

Oxford are easily the best team I've seen at NYS this season, the other losses were quite even games that could have gone either way.
Wycombe were efficient and fell down a lot, broke up the game and we couldn't get a grip.
What they do they are very good at, and unless they get a lot of injuries, they might surprise everyone and finish top two.

We are good and poor in equal measures, we need to pick a settled team and go with it to see if we can build partnerships on the field.
I feel for Warney though because injuries have hampered us this season.

But I guess all teams have their own problems with that.

Your two teams (Rotherham & Oxford) have been head and shoulders above everyone else we Gills have played this season. Oxford the best.

But as said, it's only 1 game. We are the only other team to beat Wycombe (before Oxford last week) and it was a comfortable win. They were bang average that day, but they must be otherwise a very good side.

Likewise Peterboro and Ipswich beat us by the odd goal in very even games. A good case for us getting a draw in both.

(all the above based on iFollow and what our fans say. I'm a plastic exile )

Merry Xmas everybody.

 

[SeasideKurt]

Sounds like a Shrewsbury master class. Along with a ref blunder gave them 3 points.

Not worth going up this season. Not ready.

 

[GFC4EVA]

2 points dropped at ipswich today, if we had a goal scorer we would have won comfortably

 

[thewwfc]

Beaten fair and square at Pompey today. PFC shaded the first half, but it was pretty back and forth, albeit with few clear cut chances for us.

Surprised both teams just about kept their discipline as the tackles were getting pretty bloody sloppy at times.

Pompey kept it on the deck better and got it out wide a lot, and were pretty dangerous on the break.

We were winning a ton of set pieces, but were missing the presence of Akinfenwa in the air, given PFC’s giant centre backs.

We didn’t really have much of an answer once the first goal went in other than a few scraps, but we certainly kept going for the 90. Ah well, next.

 

[GeneralLee]

We were a bit rubbish. Apparently a lot of the squad went down with a sickness over Christmas. That being said, we beat Lincoln 1-0. Third in the league. Happy to win. We move on!

 

[Tom_ITFC]

2 points dropped at ipswich today, if we had a goal scorer we would have won comfortably

If your left back didn’t walk across the other side of the pitch to take EVERY throw and corner then you may have had more time to create other chances

In truth we were woeful and could easily have been 2, 3 or 4 behind first half mostly through our own mistakes at the back. You lot ran the game in the first half but second half it was a slog from both sides really, slowed up by the ref and the trotting Gillingham left back

 

[Back in the DHSS]

Literally went for a Burton today. Albion were better than us from start to finish. The 4-2 score line flatters us a little bit, although funnily enough at 3-2 we had a couple of chances to equalise.
I have always been a big fan of Lucas Akins, unfortunately for us today he was by far the best player on the pitch!

Bah humbug!

 

[FarehamPompey]

You blues!
Two wins in a row against the top 2, 2 clean sheets. Is it finally clicking together? Autos here we come.

 

[Muzzle]

another point towards double figures

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Absolutely fantastic result today, never saw that coming but well deserved

 

[Reginald Fodstain]

We didn't turn up and were torn to pieces down the flanks. Burton had over 20 shots, so a small mercy that we only let four in. January looking like a big month for strengthening the team.

 

[RLC]

We didn't turn up and were torn to pieces down the flanks. Burton had over 20 shots, so a small mercy that we only let four in. January looking like a big month for strengthening the team.

I think the centre of midfield is our biggest problem. Perkins and Danns were run ragged and we have got no mobility or energy in the middle of the pitch.

 

[SuffolkBlue]

2 points dropped at ipswich today, if we had a goal scorer we would have won comfortably

Agreed, we were there for the taking but you only seemed interested in wasting time. Too poor teams on today's display in truth. Lambert out for me

 

[Bartonyellow]

We didn't turn up and were torn to pieces down the flanks. Burton had over 20 shots, so a small mercy that we only let four in. January looking like a big month for strengthening the team.

Unfortunate timing for you, playing us when we seem to have hit some form and players returning from injury.
A few weeks ago you would have won that 3.2

 

[Bartonyellow]

Literally went for a Burton today. Albion were better than us from start to finish. The 4-2 score line flatters us a little bit, although funnily enough at 3-2 we had a couple of chances to equalise.
I have always been a big fan of Lucas Akins, unfortunately for us today he was by far the best player on the pitch!

Bah humbug!

Safe journey back. Two entertaining games this season, the return fixture of our late capitulation at your place with 2 late goals.
Thought u played some good stuff today and are very dangerous going forward with good pace and movement.

 

[RLC]

Safe journey back. Two entertaining games this season, the return fixture of our late capitulation at your place with 2 late goals.
Thought u played some good stuff today and are very dangerous going forward with good pace and movement.

You looked a lot better than in the reverse fixture. Lucas Akins was ok when he was with us, but seems to have come on in leaps and bounds since those days.
Our front four can cause teams problems with their pace and skill, but there are gaping holes elsewhere in the squad unfortunately.

 

[AusGill]

Agreed, we were there for the taking but you only seemed interested in wasting time. Too poor teams on today's display in truth. Lambert out for me

Gills 15 shots to 7
7 on target to 0
10 corners to 5.

Were we really time wasting?
Anyway, pity about dropping the 2 points, a win for us might have put Lambert a bit nearer the chop. Sorry about that.

 

[SuffolkBlue]

Gills 15 shots to 7
7 on target to 0
10 corners to 5.

Were we really time wasting?
Anyway, pity about dropping the 2 points, a win for us might have put Lambert a bit nearer the chop. Sorry about that.

Did you go to the game? There was tonnes of time wasting and gills were miles better than us. Just spent most of the second half settling for a point from what I could see. Not bothered about Lambert, most managers would have us top with this squad

 

[Marked Ox]

Ground out a 1-0 win vs Lincoln. Superb strike by Shandon Baptiste for the winner.

 

[Tom_ITFC]

Gills 15 shots to 7
7 on target to 0
10 corners to 5.

Were we really time wasting?
Anyway, pity about dropping the 2 points, a win for us might have put Lambert a bit nearer the chop. Sorry about that.

Tons of time wasting! You really could have won if it weren’t for that!

 

[Bucket_]

The last few games I’ve seen at Fratton have really made me think the standard in the league is a lot lot lower this season - there’s no one anywhere near the quality of Luton, Barnsley and Charlton last year.. the closest I’ve seen are Peterborough. The promotion spots are really anyone’s to gain.. could be a low points tally come the end. lt’s bizarre how it goes up and down per season with the tallies that we/Sunderland and the promoted sides got.

Beaten fair and square at Pompey today. PFC shaded the first half, but it was pretty back and forth, albeit with few clear cut chances for us.

Interesting, I thought you lot edged the first half if anything! I suppose it was just tight and well fought. As was the rest of the game - thankfully we were clinical but it was on a knife edge for quite a while!

You’ve perfected your style of play, that’s for sure. Three tricky attacking players backed up by eight anti-footballers! Maybe that’s a little harsh and I am half teasing but how do your fans feel about the style/rep you have under Ainsworth? Not intended as a dig; clearly it’s working, so credit where it’s due, but christ it winds me up when we play you.

You blues!
Two wins in a row against the top 2, 2 clean sheets. Is it finally clicking together? Autos here we come.

It’s definitely clicking - they’ve been playing better football for a while and it’s starting to show in results. I thought the whole team was magnificent today, brilliant effort all round and some quality performances in there. Raggett might look like a footballing giraffe but he’s actually a very very solid defender.

We’re well in it now; bar another January fuck up, I feel cautiously optimistic. We have a tough run in though. Harrison has been massive for us, he’s the perfect outlet going forward as he can hold up play AND shoot (sorry Ollie Hawkins..)

 

[Bar Carousel]

It’s definitely clicking - they’ve been playing better football for a while and it’s starting to show in results.

The last 5-6 weeks barring Accrington, we've finally started to look fairly cohesive as a team, and playing some decent football at times. I'm still unconvinced that we're THAT good, but this league seems so ordinary this year that anyone who can string a run of results together suddenly finds themselves in or around the automatic spots. Can see this season being open right up until the final day.

I wonder what will happen in January. Some of Jackett's more high profile signings (Marquis and Downing) have so far failed to have the impact you would have expected. I wonder if either are being touted around fellow league one clubs, to make way for replacements.

 

[thewwfc]

You’ve perfected your style of play, that’s for sure. Three tricky attacking players backed up by eight anti-footballers! Maybe that’s a little harsh and I am half teasing but how do your fans feel about the style/rep you have under Ainsworth? Not intended as a dig; clearly it’s working, so credit where it’s due, but christ it winds me up when we play you.

Well I don't get to many games not being local to Wycombe (that was my 5th this season) so a note of caution there.

I didn't think we were playing anti-football though - for example your lot were getting wound up by Curtis Thompson and thinking he was play-acting (like when your player literally lifted him off the ground as he thought he was faking)...the fact that he actually went off injured tends to scupper that theory.

We do break up play when we're on the back foot for sure, but so did you, you weren't shy of the professional foul when we looked to have a decent break going. It's just what happens.

Also I don't know how your centrebacks were getting away with some of the chokeholds they were putting on Samuel up front for us. I'm not pretending our defenders aren't physical and don't hold on to forwards when they think they can get away with it, but not quite so blatantly.

We would have been better served by playing it more on the deck in those conditions for sure, you did that better than we did and it paid off. There was no point in playing for all those set pieces when we didn't have enough physical presence enough front to make the most of them.

 

[FarehamPompey]

It’s mad how a few weeks ago everyone was ‘Jackett out’ and ‘relegation battle here we come’, and now we’re 3 points off 2nd!

 

[Gassy]

God we were terrible. Wimbledon were also terrible but 2 weird/freak goals gave them the 3 points. Not sure they deserved the 3, probably a draw was fair but hey ho that's life.

Not a good start for Garner, first game in charge and we didn't really play the successful, direct football we've seen this season. A lot of tip tap football (especially in the first half) but absolutely zero penetration. It was kinda like watching an England game 3/4 years ago at home against a small nation - Wombles had all 11 players in their half whilst our CBs just passed it amongst themselves left to right.

Referee was absolutely terrible for both teams. Really not even sure he got a single decision right all game tbh. At one point, the Wimbledon player kicked the ball into JCH's face and the referee gave a freekick for it

Where does the EFL get these guys from?

 

[Bartonyellow]

It’s mad how a few weeks ago everyone was ‘Jackett out’ and ‘relegation battle here we come’, and now we’re 3 points off 2nd!

And yet only 6 points off Sunderland who are 15th.
Its going to be another wide open season whereby you can make a run from lower mid table and still be in the mix come may.
Probably indicates the quality is not there this year.