Let's talk about the Gillingham game

[selby]

  Beaten 2-1 at home to Peterborough tonight in the cup, but unbeaten in the league and clean sheets in the last three games
 Gillingham come down our way on Saturday sitting top of the division in a game where 5th play first in a game that against most sides would be a cracker, but if my memory is correct and Gillingham come with their stop football being played at all costs approach we have witnessed in the past and just spoil and use the tactical foul to extreme we could be in for a poor afternoons entertainment if history is repeated.
 You will gather that i have not a lot of admiration of  games past and reading the Chesterfield report of their 1-0 defeat at Gillingham last week where Paul Cooke described the game as being reds, yellows and free kicks gives me little hope of the Leopard has changed it's spots.
   So on to Saturday and us on a little roll of our own with three on the trot wins in league and cup and a chance to go above them if we win the game.
   Ehmer their captain will be suspended being sent off v Chesterfield and incidentally booked tonight v Peterborough so a good chip  off the old  block, but McKenzie with a header at the far post ( take note Sterry) took the points v Chezie and they are yet to concede a goal in league away games, and one for the budget lovers they have the top budget in the division I have been told.
  Bradly Dack is back in the fold so will cause problems most likely  if he plays and S Ogie had the honour of being booked in the first minute no doubt setting the tone of the game v Chesterfield and with Clark also being booked the other full back our wide players can expect a warm homecoming no doubt.
  As for our own team I will leave it to the manager, I thought the game tonight tough, both sides playing to win the game and most players played well to put themselves forward which is great to see some putting pressure on Saturday starters who didn't figure v Huddersfield, Lawlor especially played well.
   .So what do you think? it would be great to go on another run of victories and add to the three already under our hat, but it will be hard, Gillingham with their new found riches will make it so, never thought I would put riches and Gillingham together.
   Lot's to discuss about this game, one that we can definitely put down a marker in if we do well, lot's of difficult choices for our management team, and no doubt difficult opposition to overcome.
   Please have your say.

[RobTheRover]

The first goal is vital in football, and probably none more so than in this game.

We need a good start, dominate possession and hope we have a ref who won't stand for their histrionics. If they are allowed to disrupt our fluidity with fouls and niggly physicality it could be a long afternoon. Grant will have the team well prepared, I'm sure. I'd be advocating some serious set piece practice this week as I can see plenty of free kicks.

I'll go for a 2-0 win.

[scawsby steve]

  Beaten 2-1 at home to Peterborough tonight in the cup, but unbeaten in the league and clean sheets in the last three games
 Gillingham come down our way on Saturday sitting top of the division in a game where 5th play first in a game that against most sides would be a cracker, but if my memory is correct and Gillingham come with their stop football being played at all costs approach we have witnessed in the past and just spoil and use the tactical foul to extreme we could be in for a poor afternoons entertainment if history is repeated.
 You will gather that i have not a lot of admiration of  games past and reading the Chesterfield report of their 1-0 defeat at Gillingham last week where Paul Cooke described the game as being reds, yellows and free kicks gives me little hope of the Leopard has changed it's spots.
   So on to Saturday and us on a little roll of our own with three on the trot wins in league and cup and a chance to go above them if we win the game.
   Ehmer their captain will be suspended being sent off v Chesterfield and incidentally booked tonight v Peterborough so a good chip  off the old  block, but McKenzie with a header at the far post ( take note Sterry) took the points v Chezie and they are yet to concede a goal in league away games, and one for the budget lovers they have the top budget in the division I have been told.
  Bradly Dack is back in the fold so will cause problems most likely  if he plays and S Ogie had the honour of being booked in the first minute no doubt setting the tone of the game v Chesterfield and with Clark also being booked the other full back our wide players can expect a warm homecoming no doubt.
  As for our own team I will leave it to the manager, I thought the game tonight tough, both sides playing to win the game and most players played well to put themselves forward which is great to see some putting pressure on Saturday starters who didn't figure v Huddersfield, Lawlor especially played well.
   .So what do you think? it would be great to go on another run of victories and add to the three already under our hat, but it will be hard, Gillingham with their new found riches will make it so, never thought I would put riches and Gillingham together.
   Lot's to discuss about this game, one that we can definitely put down a marker in if we do well, lot's of difficult choices for our management team, and no doubt difficult opposition to overcome.
   Please have your say.

Sorry to be a pedantic spoilsport, Brian, but we've only won 2 on the trot in league and cup. We lost to Everton last week.

[Fal]

Is it me or everytime we play Gillingham at home they always seem to be top of the league or thereabouts? Sure they were top last season too.


For those that can’t make it the game is on Sky Sports+ due to the international break.

[selby]

  They were up there last season when we played them at home, and unusually we got to win the game 2-1 in September when we were starting our run to the bottom four for Christmas.
  With the draw near the end of the season away it was an unusual season of us getting the better of them in a season, we are the team they have historically their best record against in league fixtures and have a long history of getting the better of us.
  A win at the weekend would probably make Grant our most successful manager in fixtures against them and would be just what the doctor ordered, the next best thing would be not to lose the game and come away with something out of the game at least.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Judging by comments from their fans, they feel they are somewhat fortunate to be top of the league. They were battered by Chesterfield but managed to score a good set piece goal while their mom was the woodwork.

We expect they'll be physically strong, organised and a threat from set pieces with one or two pre planned routines.

As per usual, in open play we should have the advantage but, needless to say, if we get sloppy and give them free hits, we'll struggle to keep a clean sheet.

As the games tick by, I'm sure we'd all like to see a little more control for longer periods as so far, we're scoring at the right times but losing the initiative leaving games in the balance.  This will be our toughest test yet.

Should be the best attendance of the season so far with quite a few from Gillingham so looking forward to a great atmosphere, particularly if the lads get us off our seats from the off....both halves please!!

[POD]

McKenzie with a header at the far post ( take note Sterry) took the points v Chezie and they are yet to concede a goal in league away games,

The winning goal against Chesterfield last Saturday was a corner routine straight off the training ground, with McKenzie standing with a bunch of players on the edge of the box then completely losing his marker and running round to the back post to head in. 

A really well executed set piece goal and one which I’m sure our coaching staff won’t allow to be repeated on Saturday.

[drfchound]

McKenzie with a header at the far post ( take note Sterry) took the points v Chezie and they are yet to concede a goal in league away games,

The winning goal against Chesterfield last Saturday was a corner routine straight off the training ground, with McKenzie standing with a bunch of players on the edge of the box then completely losing his marker and running round to the back post to head in. 

A really well executed set piece goal and one which I’m sure our coaching staff won’t allow to be repeated on Saturday.

A bit like the first Crewe goal at the Eco in the play off game then.
Sometimes those plays are impossible to defend against.

[ravenrover]

Hound if you watch it back Ironside is totally blocked from covering the Crewe player scoring

[drfchound]

I know mate, I remember it well without doing a video replay.
As I say, sometimes it is not possible to defend against things like that.
In the Everton game some people were getting on to Lawlor for flapping at a ball which came in from a corner.
They all forgot to mention though that the Everton player on the goal line was holding Lawlor and not letting him get off the ground.
The referee didn’t see it either.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Yes, blocking is a very important tactic in set pieces. It doesn't take much to give a player a yard and that's all that's needed.  I don't see much of us doing the same thing to give anyone a better chance of attacking the ball cleanly. Same with decoy runs.

[les@donr]

A very tough game against a promotional rival. We need to be at our very best to overcome their spoiling tactics. Every player needs to be playing their optimum game. A win will tell all the other promotional rivals that we are the team to beat.

[idler]

Yes, blocking is a very important tactic in set pieces. It doesn't take much to give a player a yard and that's all that's needed.  I don't see much of us doing the same thing to give anyone a better chance of attacking the ball cleanly. Same with decoy runs.

It isn’t just the blocking though, you need accurate delivery as well. Something that we have fallen short on over the last few seasons. I remember Ian Harte playing against us for Reading in a night match at the Keepmoat. Every corner and free kick was right on the money with pace. Eventually Dave Kitson equalised from a corner. It was an absolute master class from Harte that night.

[NickDRFC]

Yes, blocking is a very important tactic in set pieces. It doesn't take much to give a player a yard and that's all that's needed.  I don't see much of us doing the same thing to give anyone a better chance of attacking the ball cleanly. Same with decoy runs.

It isn’t just the blocking though, you need accurate delivery as well. Something that we have fallen short on over the last few seasons. I remember Ian Harte playing against us for Reading in a night match at the Keepmoat. Every corner and free kick was right on the money with pace. Eventually Dave Kitson equalised from a corner. It was an absolute master class from Harte that night.

Harte was brilliant at set pieces, wasn’t he. I remember when we lost 4-3 down there and he scored a free kick, set up one or two of theirs and could have had three or four additional assists as well.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Yes, blocking is a very important tactic in set pieces. It doesn't take much to give a player a yard and that's all that's needed.  I don't see much of us doing the same thing to give anyone a better chance of attacking the ball cleanly. Same with decoy runs.

It isn’t just the blocking though, you need accurate delivery as well. Something that we have fallen short on over the last few seasons. I remember Ian Harte playing against us for Reading in a night match at the Keepmoat. Every corner and free kick was right on the money with pace. Eventually Dave Kitson equalised from a corner. It was an absolute master class from Harte that night.

Harte was brilliant at set pieces, wasn’t he. I remember when we lost 4-3 down there and he scored a free kick, set up one or two of theirs and could have had three or four additional assists as well.

That's right. We were 3-1 up. Ref gave a dodgy free kick for handball against Stock who couldn't get out of the way of a ball hit at him from two yards.   It was about 30 yards out but Harte moved the ball 5 yards further forward when the ref turned his back.

Jimmy O'Connor ran back to stand on the post as extra defence to the keeper. Harte hit it so sweetly, it hit the small gap between JOCs bald head as he jumped,  and the crossbar. Ffs.

Those corners of his at the KM were like exocets!

[ncRover]

The new manager Bonner seems a good guy and isn’t known for his dark arts shithousery that the likes of Neil Harris and Steve Evans’ who came before him were known for.

Bonner comes from Cambridge where he got a team consisting of Paul Mullin, Wes Hoolahan, Joe Ironside and Kyle Knoyle promoted playing attacking football from this league in 20/21. He also did well keeping the club in league one in recent years.

Over the last 3 seasons combined, no EFL team has scored less goals than Gillingham. So the new man has a job on his hands, despite the considerable investment over the last 18 months.

[Alan Southstand]

Wasn’t Bonner the manager when we played them at the end of last season? The infamous TLT sending off game.

[mushRTID]

Wasn’t Bonner the manager when we played them at the end of last season? The infamous TLT sending off game.

No that was Stephen Clemence, he was sacked a few days later.

[Dutch Uncle]

Wasn’t Bonner the manager when we played them at the end of last season? The infamous TLT sending off game.

No that was Stephen Clemence, he was sacked a few days later.

Sacked just after bringing our club record equalling winning run to an end 

I am old enough to remember when we had to beat teams for them to sack their manager 

[scawsby steve]

Some very good players for them missing on Saturday through injury and suspension.

Max Ehmer, Tim Dieng, Connor Masterson, Aaron Rowe, and Ollie Hawkins.

[ForsolongaRover]

Mark Bonner’s preview of the match is very balanced and respectful: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/an-athletic-game-well-need-to-be-quick-gillingham-bos-312451/

In fact he devotes most of what he says to putting where his team are in the league into perspective with the emphasis on positions in the table at his stage being relatively unimportant.

[Goldthorperover]

Getting excited for this game, im taking my eldest to watch his first ever live game. I say watching, he only turned 3 last month so I'll have to see how he goes on in that regard. If anyone sees a big stocky (fat) dark haired (greying) bloke chasing a 3 year old round the front of the west stand it will probably be me.

[Chris Black come back]

Live on Sky+ tomorrow.

[mushRTID]

Would anyone know if you can enter the stadium at HT?

Young un is at a friends party tomorrow and his mum will drop him off at HT if they allow it?

Looking forward to this one! And feeling VERY confident, 3-0 Rovers

[adamtherover]

Getting excited for this game, im taking my eldest to watch his first ever live game. I say watching, he only turned 3 last month so I'll have to see how he goes on in that regard. If anyone sees a big stocky (fat) dark haired (greying) bloke chasing a 3 year old round the front of the west stand it will probably be me.

i took my lad when he was 3, he was bored out of his skull, so played with his tablet for 90 mins, i was devastated, i desperatly wanted him to love the game as much as i did. Fast forward 12 years,and he now goes on the coach with his mates without me to away games, and loves it more than anything..   i couldnt be happier for him. He's descovered the mighty reds from an early age. :-)

[DearneValleyRover]

I was 3 when I first went, 50 odd years later and I’m still going, not a bad age to start

[drfchound]

Getting excited for this game, im taking my eldest to watch his first ever live game. I say watching, he only turned 3 last month so I'll have to see how he goes on in that regard. If anyone sees a big stocky (fat) dark haired (greying) bloke chasing a 3 year old round the front of the west stand it will probably be me.

Live on Sky+ tomorrow.

I wouldnt have thought that Sky would bother sending a team to film a fat grey bloke chasing a three year old kid across the front of the West Stand.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Would anyone know if you can enter the stadium at HT?

Young un is at a friends party tomorrow and his mum will drop him off at HT if they allow it?

Looking forward to this one! And feeling VERY confident, 3-0 Rovers

Yep done that with my kids at parties in the past. You may need to go to reception but they'll let you in.

[mushRTID]

Would anyone know if you can enter the stadium at HT?

Young un is at a friends party tomorrow and his mum will drop him off at HT if they allow it?

Looking forward to this one! And feeling VERY confident, 3-0 Rovers

Yep done that with my kids at parties in the past. You may need to go to reception but they'll let you in.

Thanks mate

[graingrover]

Will Grant go with Tom Anderson to take care of the towering Josh Andrews or will he go with Joe and Jay .