Stevenage (A)

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

Another game of the Christmas period,and we travel to Stevenage in a big game on New Years Day.Stevenage are 23rd in the League and come in to this game off the back of a 4-1 defeat at Bristol City,another side down the bottom.On Boxing Day Stevenage were also heavily beat 4-0 at Colchester,so they`re conceding quite a few goals at the minute.We`re not playing badly and in our last away game we beat Tranmere 1-2 away against another side in the bottom half with us.I think we can go in to the game positively after the win at Tranmere,we played well against Orient,and had good chances in our 2-2 draw with Walsall.We have enough in the squad to score a few against Stevenage and get an important win.The concern will be that we`re likely to concede a couple of goals.

Team? What Team would you play at Stevenage? Cody is likely to partner Bayo upfront having been rested yesterday against Walsall.Whelpdale picked up a knock yesterday,but hopefully he will be fine to play some part.Dack was rested and I think he will start the game.

Nelson
Harriman,Legge,Barrett,Martin
Gregory
Fagan,Hessenthaler,Dack
Akinfenwa,McDonald

Subs:Howard,Davies,Daniels,Lee,Whelpdale,German,Kedwell

[Garawa]

I think there are simply two key factors to winning this game. An in-form striker and not giving away sloppy goals.

Cody's brace was probably the kick-start he needed, perhaps now he can go on to reproduce the sort of form we all know he is capable of. The defence is an issue especially late goals. We have conceded 20 second half goals from our last 15 matches, 6 of those saw 2 go in. That cannot continue is it means we need to score 3 second half goals to win if we were level and if we don't score again we are likely to lose. If Hewitt does return perhaps he can help to create some stability - we only conceded 2 goals in the 270 minutes he played, a whole 80 minutes on average better than Leon Legge and 84 better than Nelson & Barrett.

[Garawa]

Well we will have to wait and hope our fears are resolved at home to Wolves instead as the game is postponed. With the weather warnings for Friday I can see that game going the same way as well!

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

I`m not surprised the game was called off,just a shame that quite a lot of fans had already travelled.I suppose the positives are we will be fresher for Wolves if that game goes ahead.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

The first of two away games this week.The game was meant to be played on New Years day,but with the pitch waterlogged it was unplayable I think we can go to Stevenage in confident mood after yesterdays win.We did collapse and nearly threw it away,but attacking wise we`re capable of scoring a few goals.Stevenage will be fresh after their game at Crawley was postponed yesterday.I think we can get another win,but I would atleast like to get something from this game against a rival.Our current position looks very good,but a couple of defeats could change that.

Team? I think Dack will start the game,Linganzi should keep his place,and Bayo and Cody are likely to start again upfront again.

Nelson
Hewitt,Legge,Barrett,Martin
Gregory
Harriman,Linganzi,Dack
Akinfenwa,McDonald

Subs:Howard,Davies,Hessenthaler,Smith,Weston,Fagan,Pigott

[gillsfan1066]

We can beat the worst team in the division who have only managed 3 wins in 12 games at home ,should not prove to much of a task for the Mighty Gills. I think we can knock in another 3 without to much trouble if we put 4 or 5 forwards out there who each take half a dozen cracks at goal. Lets go at them full speed from the start, we are out of the drop zone, the pressure is off, time to open the flood gates and show the World how good we really are.
GO BIG BLUE , going to chuck a few bucks on the Gills at +240 .

[Garawa]

Get an early goal and they will probably collapse but leave it and I think they will keep a clean sheet. Not getting 3 points would totally waste the win earned at the weekend. There are loads of interesting facts for this one:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=851

[Garawa]

Very dissappointing. How much the result hinged on the sending off and penalty I don't know but we had enough in the locker to get back in the game. I really don't understand why players handle the ball, it may stop a certain goal but the likely hood of them missing the penalty anyway is small. We then not only spend most of the game with 10 men but also lose them to suspension - all for a goal that happened anyway. Very annoying.

Our away form hasn't been great but it is getting a bit worse. During the last 9 goals we have conceded in away games we have only scored 2 ourselves, both meaningless consolations from Cody. But then continue with win, lose, win, lose and a 50% win rate will do nicely!!!! Let's hope that continues with game 2 of 4 consecutive away games!!!

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

The talking point will be about Hewitt`s sending off.I listened to the game,and they said Hewitt handballed it.I hope Hewitt will learn from his sending off and not take one for the Team next time,as going to 10 men has cost us.Most Players score penaltys so not only did we go 1-0 down,we had to play around 70 minutes with 10 men.Then to go 2-0 down just eight minutes later makes it even harder to try and get back in it.They said Cody missed a great chance to equalise before,but hit his shot over the bar.What surprised me was we changed a winning Team that played really well for 60 minutes on Saturday.Barrett,and Harriman have played a lot of games this season,but it was a surprise not to see them play.Also once Hewitt went off I was surprised we never put Harriman on as his natural replacement.In the second half they said we played better and passed the ball about well.Cody grabbing a consolation to give us us a small chance,but conceding not long after killed any hopes of a draw.The win lose,win lose trend continues and we should have been looking at getting atleast a point last night.Carlisle away next which will be tough,and with the Sheffield Utd game postponed next Saturday the next three games are all away which is not good with our current away form.