Gillingham analysis

[BushBlade]

1. The camera zoomed in a bit much to say for sure, but I think they had pretty much every one of our players covered for our goal kicks, so throws looked risky as well. Often it was a struggle for us to get going from throw ins, as they pressed so hard. Long did try to aim out wide as well, but we had no aerial strength and their full backs were strong and athletic as well. Maybe we could have tried pushing Basham a bit further forward, but he was sat deeper most of the time.

2. Nobody stood with the taker when they scored, no. I think Collins and/or Basham was supposed to attack it, but they probably left it because Long shouted that he'd go for it. As mentioned a few times my opinion is that Norris fouled him when he backed into him. In terms of our organisation I think someone should have prevented Norris from challenging Long.

3. I think a tweak was due to be fair, we looked like being seriously overrun, especially as nothing was sticking up front. Maybe a target man would have helped.

I'm not a manager but I'd have thought that if you're playing 442 against a team well known for pressing a target man is obligatory.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Or 2/ Collins was ball watching ......... basic defending for long throws a man in front and behind the attacker on the near post and make sure A/ the ball don't reach him B/ make sure he don't impede your keeper. You can't pin it on Long by saying he probably shouted for it

I basically pin it a) on our organisation that has nobody helping Long with Norris and b) on the referee who doesn't spot the foul. I say I reckon Long shouted for it based on both Collins and Basham avoiding to jump for it, almost bending away from the situation in this photo:

 

[Kempy]

I won't focus too much on the goals, as that's been covered well already, but let's look at our shape and formation and why it became such a difficult game for us.


Our starting formation was a normal 4-4-2, like this:

Long
Freeman Collins McEveley McFadzean
Woolford Basham Baxter Murphy
Adams Sharp​

We got off to a poor start, where Gillingham were all over us and pressed us high up the pitch. The ball didn't stick up front and just came back again and again. This put us under pressure and Gillingham won a few set pieces, from which they looked very dangerous. They got their early goal following a long throw.

We wanted to play it short from goal kicks, but with their aggression we had to avoid it. Long's clearance was blocked after Freeman returned a short goal kick and he started kicking it long after this. Problem was that every long ball came back immediately, as their defenders were all over Sharp and Adams. After 11 minutes I don't think Murphy had touched the ball, and two minutes later Adkins changed our formation, matching their diamond, like this:

Long
Freeman Collins McEveley McFadzean
Baxter
Basham Woolford
Murphy
Adams Sharp​

This helped a little in terms of avoiding them running straight through us as we matched them man for man centrally, at least in numbers. However they kept being very aggressive and were still first to most second balls and their athletic full backs were overlapping and putting a number of driven crosses in. Our full backs were too deep to stop these crosses, our not-so-wide midfielders were too central. In terms of their chances, most came from set pieces though.

Second half

Sammon came on for Baxter at the break, with us changing to this odd looking shape, though basically still a diamond:

Long
Freeman Collins McEveley McFadzean
Basham
- - - Woolford - - - Murphy
Adams - - - - - - - - - -
Sammon Sharp​

We had some early pressure, before they starting breaking again. Reed and Scougall came on, meaning we finished playing like this:

Long
Freeman Collins McEveley McFadzean
Basham
Reed Scougall
Murphy
Sammon Sharp​

Collins headed in their third goal from a corner, which was won following a great run by their impressive young midfielder Osadebe.

Gillingham finally looked a bit more tired and started defending deeper. With our narrow formation we failed to penetrate, although we had a better spell ten minutes before the end. Just before full time they scored a brilliant fourth.



Summary

People are too hard on individuals. We came with a game plan, but looked shocked by their aggression and appetite for the game. They got an early goal which further helped their morale while it ruined ours. We made a tactical change, which didn't help much. Instead, it created more problems, upset our shape which we worked on in pre season, and we never really regained our composure. Our midfield was our main problem.

In hindsight, against their diamond I would have changed to 4-5-1, like this:

Long
Freeman Collins McEveley McFadzean
Adams Basham Baxter Woolford Murphy
Sharp​

It would have given us a trio centrally, while also having wide midfielders who could have helped our full backs and stopped some of the crosses. On the attack we would of course have sacrificed a striker, but I think that was necessary to get into this game.

Of course set pieces would have remained a problem, but maybe there would have been fewer of them if we'd coped defensively as a team and had a better shape about us. People may cry out for two new centre halves, but they weren't the main problem.

Spoiler: Boring notes from the game

Gillingham notes

• Starting in regular 4-4-2
• Ball not sticking up front, Gillingham more aggressive and looking dangerous at set pieces
• Early lead after throw in
• Trying to play out short, Gillingham won't have it
• Long clearence hit their player
• Murphy not seen the ball yet, 11 mins
• Gillingham first to every second ball, gets it out wide, crosses comes in
• Back four looking ok in open play. Midfield struggling.
• 13 mins - switch to diamond, same as their's
• 16 mins - decent move, Sharp shoots wide. Freeman run, Basham through ball
• Centre halves nothing wrong so far
• Gill defence exceptionally aggressive, outmuscling our players
• Just can't get our passing going. Struggling to get things going even from throw ins
• Gill continue to cause havoc at set pieces
• 28 mins Freeman shot side netting
• 30 mins Baxter almost reaching JM with through ball
• Few chances apart from set pieces. G chip after throw in
• Long's kicking poor.
• JM tries to run, but is stopped and not getting help from ref
• Gill full backs getting crosses in
• Long misses cross, McFadzean gives a corner. Goal from corner. Freeman losing his man.
• Looking all over the place in midfield, can't close them down

Second half

• Sammon on for Baxter. Bash holding JM and MW in front of him. Che roaming in the hole
• 4 mins chance after corner
• Some early Blades pressure
• More even. Dangerous Gill free kick after 12 mins
• Sammon losing every header so far, can't get up for them
• Again Gills are all over us, pressing very hard, leading to miscontrols and difficult passes
• Breakdowns for Gills who bombs forward with pace every time
• 18 mins, example of Gills corner where they manage to find a player who's marked by a small Blade, ie McFadzean, header wide
• 19 mins Sharp effort blocked/forced wide
• 23 mins, Reed and Scougall on for Woolford and Adams
• 30 mins, Gills now defending deeper
• Good work from Reed, good cross, JM went down
• 36 mins own goal by Collins. Gills got corner after great run by no 16 Osadebe
• 40 mins Blades chance, Murphy through
• 41 mins, another chance, best spell, few crosses from both sides
• Freeman protesting after obvious yellow card
• 48 mins, great long shot 4-0,

As usual, cracking post BB. I enjoy reading your analysis of fuck ups like these and fair play to you for taking the time to do it. How you don't end up crying in despair is beyond me.

Nice to see a different take on it, I think the defensive failures as you mention are well apparent and we lack in that area. I'm more concerned that these havnt been addressed for arguably over 2+ years now however, we'll have to see what Edgar brings to the table.

Your points here relate to another major problem in our team which I also think has applied for the last 2+ years. That being the weakness of our midfield. I honestly do not see how we can compete on the pitch playing a 442 formation without (J) Wallace and Basham playing in the central role. Despite the wealth of options we have in midfield, including some exciting players, we seem to have too many who cannot fullfill the basic tenants of a CM. i.e. Be fit and strong enough to work box to box for 90 mins and break up play. I would argue the majority of our midfielders are either luxury players or players who cannot and are not physically able to cope and challenge an opposition in a 442 formation.

Now I would not argue that means many of these midfielders (Baxter, scougall, coutts, reed, etc) are not good enough. Employed around a strong midfield player or two (Jwallace and Bash) in a five in midfield could work very well, hence the past few years cup exploits. However, this formation is also arguably not best employed in league one where we are the team expected to get up and attack.

So there lies one of our major problems which I think will only become more evident across this season. NA wants to play a 442 formation, yet we still do not have the players to control midfield. Without another powerhouse CM signing (unlikely with the large squad / cm options we already have) I cannot see this formation working. There still seems to be many gaps of which need filling. I for one don't think we have the time, budget, or foresight to plug them.

 

[metalblade]

I basically pin it a) on our organisation that has nobody helping Long with Norris and b) on the referee who doesn't spot the foul. I say I reckon Long shouted for it based on both Collins and Basham avoiding to jump for it, almost bending away from the situation in this photo:

View attachment 12836

Unless we were in the six yard box we will never really know if Long shouted for the ball (highly unlikely reading the post's where almost to a man the forum says he is very quiet in games and doesn't command his box). But look at the two defenders both in front of the attacker they are almost stood on the goal line, would you as a defender really duck out of a clearing header a metre or two from your goal line ? Somebody has to attack that ball and that somebody is our biggest defender Collins.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Unless we were in the six yard box we will never really know if Long shouted for the ball (highly unlikely reading the post's where almost to a man the forum says he is very quiet in games and doesn't command his box). But look at the two defenders both in front of the attacker they are almost stood on the goal line, would you as a defender really duck out of a clearing header a metre or two from your goal line ? Somebody has to attack that ball and that somebody is our biggest defender Collins.

If the keeper shouts, don't jump, it's a basic rule.

 

[metalblade]

If the keeper shouts, don't jump, it's a basic rule.

We'll agree to disagree.

 

[sheepbridge]

Looking again at all the goals, I think Collins and the defence are far more culpable than Long, who I'm not sure could have do anything about any off them (apart from the first maybe), and I doubt Howard would have done any better.
For the first, not sure if Long shouted or not, but he was being blocked by the Gills player. Collins makes no attempt to jump, and even if he had it wouldn't have mattered because he was well underneath the flight of the ball and way to close to Basham on the front post. Long does seem to go around the wrong side of the player to try and punch, but he couldn't have gone the other way from the way he was being blocked.
The second goal is a corner to the centre of the six yard box, which goes over 3 United players at the front all marking one Gills player, all very close together to an unmarked Gill player in the middle of the 6 yard box. He miss heads it back towards the group of United players, one of whom in trying to clear the corner (McFaz) had jumped into another one (Baxter) knocking him off balance, Long moves in that direction across his line and the ball is prodded back to where Long had just moved from. Again, actually, not sure what Long, or any keeper, could have done. He couldn't have got the ball from either the corner or the group of players it ends up at and the shot was from close range away from the direction he was moving. There is another Gills player who is completely unmarked about 9 yards out. It was was again just rank bad defending, with Blades defenders hindering each other more than the opposition.
The third goal the ball goes over a United defender and Gill player to Collins who is marking another player on the 6 yard box, who then heads the ball towards the net that gave Long no chance.
The forth is an excellent shot.

 

[Zanzibar]

I basically pin it a) on our organisation that has nobody helping Long with Norris and b) on the referee who doesn't spot the foul. I say I reckon Long shouted for it based on both Collins and Basham avoiding to jump for it, almost bending away from the situation in this photo:

View attachment 12836

With six defenders in the picture, including Long, my conclusion is incompetence....against only two attackers.

 

[AlienBlade]

Ah, the dreaded 5 in midfield.

The big problem with 5 in midfield is Billy Sharp. If he's going to be the loan striker in any formation, that's a problem, because he won't score goals.

didnt seem to have too many chances when we had 4 in midfield and someone up top next to him... I believe the attackers were described as isolated!

 

[BushBlade]

If the keeper shouts, don't jump, it's a basic rule.

Disagree. If you can head it out, do so, don't take chances in a crowded box.

 

[AlienBlade]

Completely disagree about the OP

This is the formation we adopted

Balls on the pitch






Balls left on the bus.
o
oo oo oo oo
oo oo oo oo
oo oo

are you saying Long only has one ball normally... or was it MIA somewhere between the pitch and the bus?

 

[Dnblade]

On the first goal,I also think George was fouled...one thing I noticed was an earlier throw from about the same place fell well short of the near post..and we ....well sort of dealt with it...the next throw for the goal,it clears about 7 Utd players who seemed to be convinced the ball would land around the same place as the first time...and it takes them all out of the game..George gets blocked off and they score....wonder how many times that throw will cause problems for other teams this season.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Disagree. If you can head it out, do so, don't take chances in a crowded box.

 

[BushBlade]

He hurt his head. So what, he's a defender, he's supposed to get hurt.
Nothing wrong with that at all. Keeper cleared it, and cleaned Luiz out at the same time. They both attacked the ball, which is usually preferable to neither doing it.
Long should have done that to Collins after he'd had a go at him

 

[Kenilworth]

are you saying Long only has one ball normally... or was it MIA somewhere between the pitch and the bus?

He's only a young feller - I guess he's waiting for he other to drop

 

[mattbianco1]

A very good write up Bergen Blade ... But, you haven't said if the fan who shouted "You're a cunt Long, fuck off and die" was infact right or wrong??

 

[alcoblade]

Did you think our performance was good, apart from the conceded goals?


We man marked at set pieces. It wasn't Collins or McEveley's men that won headers or scored their two first goals.

He could have told you our problems, without room for debate, before the season started.

What's more, he would have renegotiated all our players contracts to free up the cash for replacements, who'd have just come without negotiation.

Hang on, who switched the console off.......


UTB

 

[mattbianco1]

I've only seen the goals but your analysis of the game and your conclusions are very worrying.
Having played exclusively 4-4-2 all through pre-season, surely we should be trying harder to make this work rather than changing our system after just 13 minutes to try and counteract the opposition?

That is incorrect. We may have started 4-4-2 in the games but flip in and out of different formations on many occasions at different points of the game. This is something that Clough also did and something that many SUFC fans fail to see, even though it happens week in week out, right before their eyes.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

That is incorrect. We may have started 4-4-2 in the games but flip in and out of different formations on many occasions at different points of the game. This is something that Clough also did and something that many SUFC fans fail to see, even though it happens week in week out, right before their eyes.

Only seen Newcastle match this season and we generally played 4-4-2. What formations do you think we played? N.B. A striker dropping deep for the ball during play doesn't constitute a change in formation in my book.

Cough mostly played 4-5-1 last season with occasional variations. I'm not convinced you're seeing something that the rest of us tactical thickies are too simple to spot.

 

[JohnDenver]

Ah, the dreaded 5 in midfield.

The big problem with 5 in midfield is Billy Sharp. If he's going to be the loan striker in any formation, that's a problem, because he won't score goals.

Which is the reason why I wouldn't have spent significant money on him. He's an icing on the cake player. Step one is the cake...

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Could it be that Gillingham have a very good team?

And it appears a very good manager . Good luck to them this season.

UTB

 

[Kenilworth]

Which is the reason why I wouldn't have spent significant money on him. He's an icing on the cake player. Step one is the cake...

We are actually at the step of breaking eggs and creaming the butter and the sugar together but we don't have the right ingredients at the moment. Too much flour, not enough baking powder

 

[BushBlade]

We are actually at the step of breaking eggs and creaming the butter and the sugar together but we don't have the right ingredients at the moment. Too much flour, not enough baking powder

Jose snorted it.

 

[Bartleby]

Think our lack of height in Midfield and at fullback doesn't help. It's clear the assemblage of Dwarves we currently have get bullied out of games when we face physical teams.

and yet the average height of our starting 11 was 5' 11" - slightly taller than Gillingham's

 

[Silent Blade]

2) Adkins said before the match that their long throws were going to be a threat. What was done to counteract this? Did we have a man stood directly in front of the thrower to try and disrupt his throw? Did our best header make it his job to attack the ball before it dropped? (a la Shaun Murphy v Tranmere several years ago). Did other defenders make it their business to protect Long and prevent attackers getting right in his face?

Oh yes, Warnock's plan to defend against Dave Challinor's long throws worked well. He instructed Shaun Murphy not to mark anyone in the box when Challinor was taking a throw, his job was to run to the front post to attack the throw and that Tracey would be behind him to catch the throw if it goes over Murphy's head. The rest of our players in the box were man marking the Tranmere players. It worked very well so that late in the game Tranmere tried short throw ins

 

[Jehovah]

A few people tipped Gillingham as the surprise package this year. Looks like the prophecy is on course.

 

[Chali 2na]

A few people tipped Gillingham as the surprise package this year. Looks like the prophecy is on course.

They haven't got a lot of depth in their squad so they will have to get really lucky with both form and injuries to finish in the top 2 I would have thought. That said, a top 6 finish seems achievable given the promise they've shown up to now.

 

[DSB-91]

A few people tipped Gillingham as the surprise package this year. Looks like the prophecy is on course.

Think how well they do will depend to a large extent on whether they can keep hold of Dack. They have a decent squad but he always stands out when I've seen us play them (Gillingham's proving a bit of a cursed ground for us it seems). He's got 4 already this season.

 

[Northyorksblade]

Think how well they do will depend to a large extent on whether they can keep hold of Dack. They have a decent squad but he always stands out when I've seen us play them (Gillingham's proving a bit of a cursed ground for us it seems). He's got 4 already this season.

What I particularly like about our team is we have so many potential scorers, rather than one player you rely on

 

[grafikhaus]

We came with a game plan, but looked shocked by their aggression and appetite for the game.

This, for me, was a critical failing under Clough. We never showed desire, urgency or aggression and that's why most first halfs passed with little or no incident.

We'd better get used to 'aggression and appetite' from opposition teams unless we match it from the first whistle.

Memo to Adkins: 'Red meat and head-banging in the dressing room, followed by a 'starburst' entrance onto the pitch.'