MK Dons v Gillingham- Match Thread

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

Not long to go now until the first Match of the season .I will be going by Kings Ferry Coach from Sittingbourne Railway Station.I`m looking forward to it,but not expecting a win as I think MK Dons are going to be a side in the Top 6.We smash and grabbed them last season,but I feel they will win.If we get anything then I will be really pleased.I think we will go with one upfront,most likely Kedwell.This will be my first trip to MK Dons,and the Stadium looks fantastic.I don`t agree with the way they became a Club,but their Stadium looks top notch.

Line Up?

Nelson
Fish?,Legge,Egan,Martin
Hessenthaler,A Morris
McGlashan,Loft,Dickenson
Kedwell

Subs: G Morris,Hause,Linganzi,Dack,German,McDonald,Norris

[Garawa]

The first game of the season always seems to end as a disappointment (Swindon excluded). So on that basis maybe we might sneak another 1-0 win although I would be happy with a draw. No idea about the side though!

[gillsfan1066]

Think we will pick up a point with a 2-2 draw, now if we get our behinds handed to us in a brown paper bag I will be very disappointed,the team is " new " I understand that , but they have had plenty of time to get organised, it's not like in years gone by when the new players did not come in till a couple of days before kick off.
GO BIG BLUE lets pick up point or three at MKD and then follow that up with wins over Yeovil and Swindon.

[fan_of_mulligan]

I will be making the trip to MK Dons via car as me and Diane were shocked to see that The Supporters Coach were leaving from Woodlands Road at 11.30AM and we're going to leave a hour earlier.

Stadium MK was the best ground I went to last season and the facilities and the view you get from the top tier was out-standing and the seats would not look out of place in an office, I know atmosphere wise there are better stadiums, but my enjoyment at Molinuex and Bramall Lane were ruined by some of our away supporters combined with poor stewarding and reserved seating, these two stadiums should of been in my top two but for Wolves Away I sat next to this teenager and middle aged bloke who wanted to knock each other out and at Sheffield United there were three drunk blokes who stood up singing and blocked everyone's view.

I would take the same result and even the same performance as last season's smash and grab win at Stadium MK, a win's a win regardless of how you win and it would be nice to start the season with a win.

I post My Line Up Prediction later this week because I think Gillingham will sign someone before the start of the season.

[lidbid46]

Surely Dack has to start as many games as possible this season? Our one player who consistently looked comfortable at this level, so he should be even better this year with another year's age and that experience under his belt.

[Elgrande]

Disgraceful; fans standing up and singing, whatever next? Cheering when the team come out!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Garawa]

Bit different to wanting to knock each other out Elg! When you pay £20 odd quid plus all your travel to watch a side that loses 3 in 5 matches, having idiots ruin your game through probably too much to drink is unacceptable. I know you have a big issue with the sterility of the atmosphere in modern football and I appreciate that but you can't condone that which would be an arrest if it happened anywhere else in the country!

Standing up singing though is good in my book as long as us shorties are allowed to move but with allocated seating that rarely can happen. I hated the town end terrace as I saw virtually none of the game and get getting pushed off the step by Rik Waller in one game. If I wanted to spend £20 looking at a step I would have bought a couple of bottles of strong cider and drank them in the street!!!

[fan_of_mulligan]

Disgraceful; fans standing up and singing, whatever next? Cheering when the team come out!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elgrande, I have no problem with people standing up and singing, but these three blokes had no consideration for the supporters sitting behind them who's view of what was happening on the pitch was obscured, by half-time Sheffield United stewards opened another block and most of The Gills Supporters moved and that's why I mentioned poor stewarding in my above post, had the third block been open before kick off then there us supporters would of been spread about the away end - why do we get crammed into 1 - 2 blocks for away games ???

[fan_of_mulligan]

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/sport/taylor-impressed-by-pritchard-showing-21487/

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/sport/martin-21499/

Josh Pritchard, Amine Linganzi, Joe Martin and John Egan are all fit to play against MK Dons tomorrow.

No news on Matt Fish so we will either see Josh Hare starting at right back tomorrow or Aaron Morris might play at right back as Aaron Morris can play anywhere across the back four.

[CadburyMan]

Trust all/any supporters travelling by train are aware that there will be serious disruption on the line over the weekend - engineering works mean the lines around Watford will be closed down every weekend during August

[fan_of_mulligan]

I think Gillingham will line up as follows.......................

----------------------------Nelson-----------------------------------
Hare------------Legge-------------------Egan------------------Martin
---------------A.Morris---------------Hessenthaler-------------------
McGlashan------------------Loft-----------------------------Dickenson
--------------------------McDonald-----------------------------------

Subs: G.Morris (GK), Hause, Linganzi, Dack, Kedwell, Norris, German

I probably must be getting on everyone's nerves by posting a 4.2.3.1 formation so I apologies in advance - I just think this is the way Peter Taylor wants Gillingham to play - especially away from home - and away to a MK Dons Side who I expect we will see in and around the top six this season, and I have just checked some of the signings MK Dons have made and they have signed Tom Hitchcock (who scored a hat trick past us last season), Will Gregg and Benik Afobe so MK Dons have done there bit to replace Patrick Bamford, because without Bamford MK Dons did not have a lot up-front.

I think Josh Hare has done enough in pre-season to deserve his chance to start at right back tomorrow, I know Aaron Morris can cover that position but I have no problems with Josh Hare starting at right back against MK Dons tomorrow, also I want to see Aaron Morris and Jake Hessenthaler protecting the back four as these two should give McGlashan and Dickenson the freedom to go forward and use there pace to cause MK Dons a few problems.

I know Antonio German has scored four goals in pre-season (and he could be a surprise inclusion to start tomorrow), but I can see Cody McDonald given the lone front role, as Cody McDonald was superb as the lone striker at Stadium MK last season and if McGlashan and Dickenson can get up alongside Cody McDonald then it's a 4.3.3 when we go forward.

I will be happy with a draw tomorrow and delighted if we get the same 1 - 0 result we got away at MK Dons last season

[Garawa]

I also think that formation and I thought it would be useful last season. Kedwell not playing is a crime as his defensive capabilities would really shore up the midfield and for that reason I wonder if Loft could play in the Hessy role and Keds in the Loft position. Someone is going to have to miss out and I can't see it being Danny over Jake.

For those that like their facts as always each game will be accompanied by some match facts. They will be posted on twitter as normal during the match and other game specific stats will be added to this thread as the game progresses. Have a look and follow on twitter or keep checking the thread below of not on twitter. Home games may have less posting due to Priestfield's internet connection and workload.
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1127

[Elgrande]

I get the feeling Fanny Mulligan is not a Kedwell fan.

[Garawa]

Someone is going to miss out though Elg. I have Hessy being left out and I am a big fan of his! Going to be an interesting afternoon providing all are fit.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

A disappointing result in our first game of the season.It looked like we were going to win comfortably after we went 2-0 up after half an hour.Cody who has had a bit of stick on other sites for not scoring in pre-season,silenced the doubters with a good finish after 6 minutes.Then on the half hour mark he ran into the box but was brought down by their keeper.I think the Keeper should have been sent off but,he only got a yellow card.Kedwell stepped up and did what he does best burying the penalty 2-0 Gills.We were passing the ball around well,and McGlashan was terrorising Lewington with his pace and trickery and drawing fouls.Five minutes before half-time the game started to change,Nelson dropped the ball as it came in and Hause some how gets a touch which goes in the net.10 minutes beforehand Nelson made a great save down low,so it was surprising when the mistake happened.The game changed and I was glad that we got to H/T in the lead.

At the start of the second half there was a surprising sub,Glenn Morris came on for Nelson,and we knew it must have been an injury.We now know it is a suspected broken thumb.Another big blow for us came early in the second half when Kay fouled Cody and we knew straight away it was a bad injury as Cody was moving around on the floor holding his head in his hands.There was around 8 minutes of stoppages,and he was stretchered off.Cody received applause from both sets of fans,and the Gills fans sang "We love you Cody we do" And "Oh Cody McDonald".Two key players off and a now confident MK Dons side were dominant .The ref made some poor decisions which lead to them going 3-2 up.He gave a free kick which wasn`t,and a corner which wasn`t.I still thought we could have defended better,and it was a concern how we folded after Nelson and Cody went off.Before MK Dons took the lead Morris who looks quite small made a couple of important saves,so 4-2 which it became could have been a couple more.

I don`t think we troubled their keeper second half,German didn`t look good enough today,and McGlashan had a quiet second half.4-2 the final score,but we must not be too critical as for 45 minutes before the injuries and first goal we conceded,we played some good stuff.We have a lot of new players and it will take time to gel.The best time to judge is after ten games.

MOTM? I would give it to Legge who despite scoring an own goal,he made some well timed challenges,and won a lot of headers.