Gillingham match and my player assessments

Firstly you have to say that was a great result from the point of view that they started the day near the top of the league and we were (according to some) a boring midtable side going nowhere. They've had some decent results though so must be doing something right. What I saw today though was a cynical, over-physical side who had no respect for what was, as it turned out, a completely USELESS referee.

The most laughable part of Mr Deadman's performance today was when he gave the foul against their right back in the second half and reached for the yellow card while gesturing for the player to come to him for a talking to. The arrogant player walked away and refused to come to the referee. Deadman just stood there gesturing for him to come and he ignored him. Just as it looked as though he was reaching into the back pocket for the RED card he had a change of heart and went to the player instead. Completely and utterly incompetent. The foul was worth one yellow and the dissent deserved the second one, but the fool with the whistle was clueless.

To be honest he let them get away with countless fouls on our players - none of them particularly vicious, just petulance and occasionally over physical. Perhaps I should give them the benefit of the doubt but the referee could have stamped down on them earlier on, but he failed. In the end it didn't matter because we won, but it was one of those "boo the ref and the opposition" days. Shame because, apart from that, it was a good game. We were the better of the two teams, no doubt about that. If we had connected with some of those terrific crosses into the six yard area we could have been 5 or 6-0 winners. Then again, we could have conceded a couple as well. Credit the defence for that - they did well.

Townsend - no Manuel Neuer-type wanderings today. He stayed in his box and caught or punched when necessary and did a bit of decent shot stopping as well. He is slowly making that position his own and will probably keep it until he gets injured. Solid game from Nick today.

Wabara and Smith - excellent full back displays from both again. Going forward, defending, passing, heading - it was all there and young George got a deserved MoM award, though I might have voted for Pearson had I bothered. Smith had probably his best game for us and had the confidence to dribble his way out of trouble a few times. He is really coming on. Hard to see how James Bree is going to get back in and, of course, Marc Roberts is unluckily being excluded as well. What choices we have in defence!

Nyatanga and Mawson - terrific centre half performances from both. Alfie has the defensive skills by the bucketload and is never afraid to move it out of defence instead of just hoofing it. Hope we don't lose him in January because there are bound to be some clubs interested in him. Lewin ran Smith (and Pearson) close for MoM with an assured performance. It's becoming the norm for him though - unflappable, experienced and a real asset.

Scowen and Pearson - Josh had a wobbly start but soon recovered and just spent the rest of the match doing what he does. He's a metronome on two legs. He tackles, he heads, he passes and runs with the ball. Terrific player, as is Ben Pearson. He had his best game of the season I think and took his goal really well. Powerful low drive through the defence from 25 yards. He should be scoring more but you just couldn't fault him today. Not really sure why he got taken off, unless it was to give him a rest.

Hourihane - fairly quiet game by his standards but, once again, he put himself about as a tackler which is nice to see. I don't expect him to do all the dirty work that Pearson and Scowen do but it is good to see him getting stuck in. Some disappointing deliveries from dead ball kicks but you can't expect a goal every time, can you?

Watkins and Harris - two more great performances down the flanks and inside as well. Marley is really getting himself a reputation for his strength and skill on the ball and he was there to set up SSW for our second with a great run. Love to see him play. Kadeem Harris terrorised their defence throughout and I was sorry to see him go off when he did because one more run at that nasty little right back would have got the guy sent off. I'm sure of it.

SSW - put himself about all over the field, as always, and took his goal really well. It looked like the ball was lost after Watkins released it but suddenly there was our super centre forward spinning on it and turning in a lovely goal. That's four for him and hope he gets to twenty at least.

Crowley - came on for Harris and didn't really improve things but he had a few nice runs and twists and turns. He is hard to get off the ball but, unfortunately, he gives it away a bit too much for my liking. He's a youth team player though and looks about 14 from a distance so it will come.

Michael Smith - replaced Pearson, and that was an odd one. I hope LJ wasn't giving in to the clamour for "two up front". What I have seen of Smith so far doesn't give me much reason to want him signed permanently (same as Conor Wilkinson). Not really fair to judge him yet though. It would be nice if he got a start against Donny or Crewe, just to see what he can do.

Marc Roberts came on with a minute or two to the final whistle, replacing SSW, and not sure he even got a kick.

So, another victory chalked up and a good one too. We could have lost it. We could have won 6-0. It was never anything less than entertaining though and why some people can't see that is beyond me. I love the way we are playing MOSTLY. Luckily I missed the Rochdale and Blackpool matches, but happy enough with what I have seen otherwise.

If we had beaten Shrewsbury (we SHOULD HAVE) and beaten Blackpool (repeat the first half performance and we WOULD HAVE) we would be sitting second in the table tonight. As it is, 8th will do me nicely. I can't go to my closest match next week because I am out of the country but I will be hoping for three more points, and another three against Crewe.

We could do something this season, we really could

 

According to SSW we remained one up front as he was asked to drop in to midfield when Smith came on. So no, he didn't give in to the "clamour".

 

I don't think he dropped back any more than usual. He tends to play all over the pitch whether told to or not!

 

Thanks for that pleasing to hear

 

From the horses mouth, not mine.

 

How strange.

The one who wasn't there gets it right.

 

No he definitely did go into centre-mid when Smith came on...

 

I was merely entering in to dialogue with the OP regarding the point he made about 2 up front and was referencing what Winnall himself said in his post match interview.

The OP made a point to which I responded. Why are you looking for an argument? Why are you looking to run down a fellow fan? Odd.

 

You contradicted the original poster.

As you are entitled to do.

It is odd indeed - that you think that what i posted constituted an attempt to look for an argument.

I merely stated that the one who did not attend the match had, in my opinion, posted correctly what had gone on.

But by all means find an argument and a running down if you wish.

 

I agree with that. I'd numerically rate the players as follows:

Townsend - 7
Wabara - 8
Mawson - 7
Nyatanga - 8
Smith - 8
Pearson - 8
Scowen - 6.5
Hourihane - 6.5
Watkins - 7.5
Harris - 7
Winnall - 7

 

Pretty much agree but 8 or 9 for Marley from me.