Walsall (H)

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

The games are coming thick and fast,and we play again at Priestfield on Sunday against Walsall who are chasing the Playoffs.Their League form is not so good at the moment with one win in six games.They lost on Boxing day 1-0 at Bristol City.This is a winnable game for us,and one where we need to take something from the game.We do need to kill Teams off,and it does seem we need a two goal lead to get something from games with our poor defensive record.

Team? I expect we will play the same Team as we did against Orient yesterday.Whelpdale and Linganzi could make the bench.

[gillsfan1066]

Someone tell the team the game is 90 minutes PLUS the overtime the ref adds on at the end of each half. 2-1 win for the Gills and 3 valuable points going into the New Year.

[Rimshot]

A very poor return from two precious home games. Astonishingly low amount of possession today and lucky to get even a point. It's going to be a long winter.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

Listening to the first half I could have easily have fallen asleep.They mentioned on Gillsplayer how well Walsall were passing the ball,and that we struggled to get the ball off of them.Saying that I don't remember their ball possession hurting us in the first half,and Kedwell`s miss was the only chance mentioned.The second half start was not something I was expecting Cody scoring an overhead kick outside of the area in the first minute of the second half.Whelpdale hit the bar not long after which could have killed the game.But as we keep talking about we conceded an equaliser,and then a predictable late goal to look like we would lose again heartbreak circumstances.Thankfully Cody equalised not long after,and we nearly won it aswell.

We need to stop giving away these sloppy goals as they`re racking up now.Atleast the January window opens in a couple of days and we can look to strengthen the squad.

[Robpthegills]

I think Walsall had 68% of the possession.

I thought we were truly DIRE. We had no idea how to get the ball, when we got the ball we were clueless as to how to keep it. We threw possession away
cheaper than confetti.

We may have had some chances but it was us who were lucky to get a point in my opinion not walsall. They lost a bit up front when Batt went off injured.

Dire performance. To see our fans celebrating the draw at the end was amazing considering the tripe we had just been served up.

Why we do not seem able to pass to each other is beyond me. The midfield just seems AWOL half the time.

[lidbid46]

I actually disagree with you for once Rob. We all knew exactly how Walsall would play and I thought we handled them well in the first half. Yes, they had loads of possession, but what did they do with it? They posed no threat to us and we had the better chances even in the first half. We took the lead and bar a brainstorm from Joe Martin, we would have held it until the 90th minute. That is where I got worried and of course the inevitable injury time goal duly turned up! I just saw that goal again and Davies was unlucky not to clear the ball. Good for us that we got the equalizer and even then apart from an outstanding save, we would have won. I am much happier with a game like that, where I think we played quite well, than some of the horrible performances we have suffered this season. However, everyone is aware that this infernal late goals are damaging our season. Is it just coincidence or is there actually something that could be addressed? Fitness maybe, or do we just go so deep when trying to hang on that we put ourselves under too much pressure? I remember a few times last season when we were protecting points when we were superb at taking it into the corner and keeping it there for ages. Keds in particular is good at that. I think when we are winning or hanging onto a point we must attack and keep the ball away from our goal. Already looking forward to the next game!

[Robpthegills]

Hiya Lid

could I first of all say sorry for mentioning BATT lol. I was talking to my mate mark about the orient game whilst typing about the walsall game so it kinda got put in.

The thing is Lid, allowing teams so much possession means you are chasing the ball ALL the time, so you are going to tire. Every game now we seem to be chasing the ball and not keeping it so I think no matter how fit we are we are going to be exhausted compared to the other team in the last 10 minutes.

We just do not know how to keep the ball.

[Garawa]

There is an element of truth in that Rob but I agree with Lidbid. We knew before the game Walsall will pass the ball to death in the hope we tire. We let them dictate and tried to catch them out and like Lidbid said, they did virtually nothing with it. In the second half we changed and they had no answer to it for a while and scoring early helped as it forced them to come forward more instead of playing the ball around the back 4 all of the time. We hit the woodwork twice and Cody should have won it at the death. Had he done so I doubt we will even mention the possession today but 5-3 wouldn't have been an out of place scoreline from the most likely of chances to score from.

I am happy with the point, happy with the way we handled a side that passes constantly in their own half but not happy that we again fell behind having been ahead.

And by the way, can we stop shooting towards the Rainham End in the 2nd half! Last season and this our win percentage is something like 31% but is 78% from games we shoot there in the first half!!!