Crewe Alex v Gillingham

[Camborne Gills]

I imagine anyone would be disillusioned if they were on Man Ure's books. He probably had too much time on his hands (just in idea, not a dig)

 

[RainhamEndGills]

Not sure about this line-up, has Dack been moved to accommodate McGlashan? I'm not sure that's the best of ideas. Morris at right back doesn't really offer any pace going forwards either, which is a big part of our system and the way we play. Strong looking team anyway, and a great bench. COYG!

Edit: Looks like it might be Norris up front on his own with McGlashan and Donnelly on the wings?

 

[GFCSludge]

Fan-fucking-tastic, last gasp gem from Rory Donnelly, he's a real player. Top of the league!

 

[joethegill]

I love Rory Donnelly. What a man.

 

[RainhamEndGills]

Sweet baby Jesus, get in there. Good job I'm the only person in this cafe or I'd probably have been asked to leave. Didn't sound like the best performance, couple of injuries, and I'm really not sure about the team selection today but we're the only team in the top 6 to win and 2 clear at the top. Rory Donnelly, please have my babies.

 

[PuB]

Bloody chuffed, if you all love Rory clap your hands...

 

[joethegill]

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Now I know why I moved out of Crewe, town full of masochists and gluttons for punishment. Can't believe some people still think it won't be any different if we sacked Davis. We're fucking dreadful to watch. Playing for a 0-0 at home to Gillingham? Fuck off. 91 other clubs would have sacked this tosser by now.

And half the first team can fuck off to Nantwich for all I care, hope they enjoy their Nando's and Costa, fucking half-arsed prima donnas.

 

[GFC4EVA]

What a find Donnelly is turning into, didn't look a great performance but back to back away wins is always good.

We're gillingham fc and we're top of the league

 

[JJ1532]

Not sure how we were playing for a draw. If anything, we got caught because we weren't. Yeah, we weren't throwing men forward or creating chances, but we certainly weren't caught by sitting back.

First half was pretty even but we had 3 great chances to score. Atkinson blazes one over the bar when he should have hit the target, then King misses 2 more efforts. First was him timidly hitting it straight at the keeper, 2nd was him somehow missing from 4 ish yards out. Sitter. Gills best chance came from an Egan pile driver which Garratt comfortably saved. Few nervy moments, but generally pretty solid. Yet another player goes off injured and Davis for some inexplicable reason decides to bring on the utterly dogshit George Cooper. I don't care how well he plays for the U21s, he has done nothing in 2015 for the first team. Why on earth Wilson keeps getting overlooked is beyond me. Steve, FFS, stop picking Cooper, he's fucking toss!!!

2nd half and as per, we struggle because yet another team presses us and we can't handle it. Fortunate to not fall behind when Atkinson fluffed a clearance and McDonald blew 2 great chances to score. Then a few minutes later, he misses another sitter. Baffling, you'd put your house on him to gobble those sort of chances up. But after that, I felt it turned into a scrappy game and neither side really had any great chances. But I don't think we sat on the 0-0. Davis brought Haber on for Atkinson, which was the correct move. But obviously we lost Kingsley, hope to god he isn't injured, we can't take any more in defence and that meant no more changes. Baillie looks a nervous wreck at the moment, he was poor against Wigan and Barnsley and he got done for the goal today. That being said, quality finish by Donnelly.

But even so, really harsh to lose that game. Davis wasn't really to blame for the result, the amount of wrong decisions made by some players was infuriating. Colclough, dear me. Didn't do one thing right today. Cooper, yeah, terrible. Please please please, get him far far away from the first team. He won't amount to anything under this manager. Inman was good, been our most consistent forward player this season, just wish he'd shoot more. Fox had another solid game, he's been good overall. Back 4 until we had to switch things around were also ok, few shaky moments from Guthrie in the 1st half, but all in all, not too bad. Bringing Baillie on at the moment is just a disaster waiting to happen. A growing trend under this manager is players coming into the team and looking strong to start with, before going downhill rapidly. Baillie and Cooper being 2 of a long list. Like I said, harsh to lose that. Injuries, bad decisions/mistakes on the pitch, undone by a cracking finish.

Yes, it feels like groundhog day because its just another home game that we've lost and in the grand scheme of things its just not acceptable. But judged in isolation, that was different from the other home games we've lost. We lost them by conceding midway through the first half and meekly surrendering. This time, we got done late on. Yeah, Davis should go, but that's a pointless discussion. He isn't going anywhere. Fingers crossed we can get something from these next 2 games. Just hope LDV and Kingsley have avoided injury, can't afford any more.

As for Gillingham, it may sound bitter, but they weren't up to much today. Dack was excellent and Donnelly only needed 1 chance to score, but other than that they were pretty average. I know they are obviously better that what they showed today, but still, should have got something from this game. Oh well, on we go into Tuesday.

 

[Crewealexfan123]

If I hadn't already booked my accommodation for Blackpool next week then there's no way I'd be going, thinking about spending the day along the seafront instead and completely forget about going to the match. Deeply saddened by everything to do with Crewe Alexandra at the minute.

By the way we defended a point was probably deserved today, however when you have a manager who insists on playing 11 men behind the ball at home despite the score being level then you deserve to concede because it's shocking how any tactics can possibly be that uninspiring.

 

[Westbars_Spireite]

Surely the Crewe managed gets his cards now. Give them half a chance of survival.

 

[JJ1532]

We weren't defending for a point. The goal came from us being a bit too high up the pitch if anything. I mean, you can't criticise the manager for sitting deep when he brought off a midfielder for a striker! I'm sorry, but to claim we were defending a point is ridiculous.

 

[dannyc5]

What game were you watching mate? We created nothing 2nd half, and Gills kept us in our own half for much of it. Nonsense 2nd half performance, after doing quite well in the 1st half.

 

[JJ1532]

The one where I clearly pointed out we did fine in the 1st, crap in the 2nd, which I already noted. My issue is with the fact some seem to think we were sitting on the point. We weren't, at any stage.

 

[dannyc5]

The one where I clearly pointed out we did fine in the 1st, crap in the 2nd, which I already noted. My issue is with the fact some seem to think we were sitting on the point. We weren't, at any stage.

But we clearly were, in the 2nd half.

 

[Wootball]

Davis did nothing wrong yesterday, and had that goal not gone in on 95 minutes I'd have been pleased with how we played. I'm not going to rant and rave when it's not deserved.

Those booing Haber and giving him shit before he even came on though... They can die. c***.

 

[Crewealexfan123]

If there isn't a financial clause in his loan deal then Steve Davis requires mental surgery for giving Adam King the amount of game time he does.

He may be the clubs top scorer but he's not good enough at all. The lad looks like a rabbit in headlights. If he's still here beyond the expiry of his loan deal then there is something seriously wrong.

He's not the only one obviously, but he's the one we could realistically do without as he's not one of ours. And to think I moaned about Ness at times last season, careful what you wish for and all that.

 

[darren gregory]

Forest Green is in Gloucestershire for those of you who didn,t know.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Not really much to say on the match. Doesn't really matter if we defended a point or not. Still didn't manage a meaningful shot on target.

Stagnation continues from top to bottom.

Those booing Haber and giving him shit before he even came on though... They can die. c***.

Tbf, they were probably the same fans who 6-12 months ago thought he should be the first name on the team sheet cos he's tall, despite the fact he has always been an absolutely appalling footballer. So Haber's had a good run, I wouldn't feel too sorry for him.

 

[JJ1532]

But we clearly were, in the 2nd half.

You do realise there is a difference between playing shit and being stuck in your own half and that actively being the game plan right?

Don't get me wrong, Davis loves a good "lets sit on this" plan, but at no stage was that the case yesterday.

 

[Football Purist]

Forest Green is in Gloucestershire for those of you who didn,t know.

Thanks Daz,but of no real relevance to us as we're unlikely to ever be in the same league.

 

[Camborne Gills]

Apart from next season, which is a real possibility.

 

[Football Purist]

Apart from next season, which is a real possibility.

Nah,we'll be off to our lucky ground in Kent...Priestfield.

 

[Camborne Gills]

Oh I see, you are going to get promoted alongside us are you?

 

[Football Purist]

Oh I see, you are going to get promoted alongside us are you?

I doubt your side will be plying their trade in The Championship in a years time.
Probably more likely we'll sneak up via the play-offs.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

We were definitely sitting back for a point. The tactics are genuinely like Brendan Rodgers' are, this "death by football" bollocks which means keep possession but show no decent penetration in the opponents box and get mugged off on the counter attack repeatedly because there are gaping holes in the defence. This football club amazes me when we take free kicks and within 10 seconds we go from the Gills 18 yard box back to Ben Garratt, it's so negative, dull and boring to watch.

Some players are absolutely motionless at times, walking back whilst Gillingham had the football and attacking at walking speed and allowing Gillingham to race back and put 8/9 bodies behind the ball. Our fullbacks are pathetic for backing off constantly when Gillingham's fullbacks dealt with Colclough, Inman and Cooper with ease all game by closing them down and giving them no space. Adam King is a dreadful slow footballer but he's been put in the defensive midfield role by our defensive manager when he's an attacking midfielder. Defensive midfielders break down attacks, Adam King doesn't have the build to perform that job.

Great to see two Gillingham homegrown midfielders have great games yesterday in Dack and Hessenthaler, it shows you that the development of young footballers is not necessarily down to the Category of your Youth Academy but the quality coaching and man management, two attributes which Steve Davis basically lacks.

And for anyone wanting Davis in, give me a good reason why you think that other than "Who else are gonna bring in?". That excuse was pathetic, these same fans couldn't wait to see Dario, a true legend, leave 4 years ago and why they believe Steve Davis is unsackable is down to some of our fans milking off his past successes.

 

[dannyc5]

You do realise there is a difference between playing shit and being stuck in your own half and that actively being the game plan right?

Don't get me wrong, Davis loves a good "lets sit on this" plan, but at no stage was that the case yesterday.

So you're implying that Davis went for the win? How? He brought Haber on, but that was only to try and get the ball to stick up top, to try and alleviate the pressure on the defence. I would argue this was a defensive substitution.

 

[dannyc5]

And you do realise how condescending you are.

 

[JJ1532]

There is a huge deal of difference between going for the win and defending for a point. But I have never heard an extra attacker being brought on for a midfielder being called defensive. I mean, your description of why he did it surely supports the case that it wasn't defensive, if he was trying to get the ball forward more and keep it there. It just confirms my suspicion that you(and others as well) are now intent on criticising Davis no matter what he does, because you'll only twist it to suit your agenda. I don't care if I do sound condescending, I clearly don't have any chance of having a reasonable argument.