Gillingham FC Forum

I thought when he came he was great. Strong challenges, good replacement for Jackson and a worthy addition covering many positions. He then got injured and came back a little larger than I remember. Yesterday, back in the side, he looks a good few pounds heavier, was slow to realise Oshilaja was much further up the pitch and left more than a door open for their first, almost cost us a second when he played Nelson and our defence into trouble unnecessarily, should have conceded a penalty for a blatant push and was beaten to most balls and was caught out of position. All before half-time when he was subbed!

Not sure how quickly a player can balloon in weight and go from being a rottweiler at the back to an utter liability. Shame.

Well that doesn't say much for the coaching and fitness staff.

According certain folks on here, we didn't have a very good pre- season, which seems to be where everything went wrong, and the boys have only had seven and a half months to put things right. The good news is there looking good and going to be in tip top shape by the time the Northampton game comes around in May.

I do find it somewhat unfair when one player is singled out, everything you are saying about Herd applies equally to all the players in the first half, at least Herd was trying to put in a few meaty challenges, that's how he got hurt.
As for blaming him for the goals, all the defenders went missing including Nelson who let 2 through his legs, he also messed up throwing a ball out where he threw it into the ground, thankfully someone came to his rescue.

I'm not blaming him for the goals. I am for the first though (he wasn't on the pitch for the second). I like Herd but everyone around me were questioning how bad he was. He was rightly subbed at half-time I'm afraid and should have conceded a penalty on a player running away from goal! He made 4 large errors all before half-time. There can be no question either why he suddenly has put a lot of weight on. I don't think the coaching staff would have told him to!