The first 30 minutes of the Gillingham game tonight...

[Mellotron]

...How quality was that passage of play?!

Slade had clearly told them to keep it on the deck, ball to feet, pass and move etc, we looked absolutely brilliant during that spell.

Even Elphick and Virgo were trying to pass it out of defence instead of hoof it.

If we can get the players playing like this week in week out, we will move up the table fairly rapidly from here.

 

[sam86]

I took someone who hadn't been to the 'Dean before. I tried for the first 40 odd minutes to explain that we had never, ever, kept the ball so much, and passed it along the deck so quickly and efficiently (bar one scary moment in the second half). I don't think he could believe me (which is a good thing, as it showed we looked good). But least I know it's true.

In Slade we trust.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Next target: let's see if we can do that for the whole match.

It was great to watch....

 

[Austin "Forster" Powers]

Agreed, some of the passing and movement off the ball tonight was quality, particulaly in the first half. Two classy fullbacks who like to get forward and play the overlaps with the wingers especially down the right (some serious pace there) also the tracking back when not in possesion was good to see. Some suspect moments from Virgo but a lot less hoofing forward as you say. Getting better slowly but surely, play like that for ninety minutes and we can give anyone in this league a game.

 

[NMH]

...How quality was that passage of play?!

Slade had clearly told them to keep it on the deck, ball to feet, pass and move etc, we looked absolutely brilliant during that spell.

Even Elphick and Virgo were trying to pass it out of defence instead of hoof it.

If we can get the players playing like this week in week out, we will move up the table fairly rapidly from here.

You have speaked the truth, it was absolutely sublime stuff - for most of the first half really.
I saw passing that I have not witnessed The Albion doing for many years, and how the scoreline stayed so within reach for Gills is more by their good fortune than anything - and amazing that we didn't score from open play. One pass was 35 yards across the field to the right forward, and split their defence totally - astounding good football!

They did try to address it and stop us in the second half, and they had their moments and chances - but in all fairness we fully deserved our win, and The Gills got off lightly.

In my opinion, that kind of footer will trounce many better sides than Gillingham in the months to come, if we keep working on it and producing it.

 

[Mellotron]

wrong account.

 

[Chesney Christ]

The first half hour was pretty incredible, and I didn't count a Virgo or Elphick hoof in that entire period. That is the most amazing statistic.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

It was certainly great to watch, but we've got to carry on this momentum against Tranmere.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Has RS just found out that BB and DW had the game plans upside down until last night ?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

The first half hour was pretty incredible, and I didn't count a Virgo or Elphick hoof in that entire period. That is the most amazing statistic.

Spot on. And it had Gillingham on the back foot. Patently the way forward. Trick now is to extend that half hour. To the first half. To an hour. To the whole game. First 30 last night was like watching a whole new team. It was great to watch.

 

[Husty]

Negativity incoming:

It was a great spell of football, but ultimately it was well counter balanced by the dreadful performance straight after the start of the second half, how hard is it not to just come out second half and sit back?

 

[NMH]

Negativity incoming:

It was a great spell of football, but ultimately it was well counter balanced by the dreadful performance straight after the start of the second half, how hard is it not to just come out second half and sit back?

I don't recall much 'sitting back' from us at all. We took the game to them, and frustrated their attempts quite nicely in balance. Their tactic was not to shoot from distance, nor were they going to get a breakaway goal either, as we looked after the defensive numbers there too.
They did seem to get behind us a couple of times, and their crosses were pretty effective - away from Kuipers onto the edge of the 6yd box (must have watched our previous match at Withdean) and with a centre in there (who came close once, but FDM saved well).

Tactically we were good, passing and formation excellent, individual positional play exceptional - result, very satisfactory.

 

[Napper]

The problem was that whilst it was brilliant brilliant stuff , we still got lucky at least twice when Gills should of scored. The defence is still iffy

 

[Monsieur Le Plonk]

The problem was that whilst it was brilliant brilliant stuff , we still got lucky at least twice when Gills should of scored. The defence is still iffy

Agreed, but in the first half we could easily have had another couple ourselves

 

[Husty]

I don't recall much 'sitting back' from us at all. We took the game to them, and frustrated their attempts quite nicely in balance. Their tactic was not to shoot from distance, nor were they going to get a breakaway goal either, as we looked after the defensive numbers there too.
They did seem to get behind us a couple of times, and their crosses were pretty effective - away from Kuipers onto the edge of the 6yd box (must have watched our previous match at Withdean) and with a centre in there (who came close once, but FDM saved well).

Tactically we were good, passing and formation excellent, individual positional play exceptional - result, very satisfactory.

First15-20mins of the second half, once again we came out, sat back and just let them come at us, Russell mentioned it in his post match interview and i o think if we hadnt got the goal it would have simply been a matter of time until the equaliser came. With the goal we simply played a bit further up the pitch and from there the game looked safe.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

First15-20mins of the second half, once again we came out, sat back and just let them come at us, Russell mentioned it in his post match interview and i o think if we hadnt got the goal it would have simply been a matter of time until the equaliser came. With the goal we simply played a bit further up the pitch and from there the game looked safe.

Absolutely...we did ait back in that period and Im glad we didnt concede...too many times we have this season. There was a real sense of relief when Elphick scored.

 

[Mr Blobby]

I spent the first 30 mins waiting just waiting to join in with the anticiapted Slade out chants. I know my hearing isn't great but I failed to hear the chant at any time on Tuesday night.

Perhaps I will get the opportunity to join in with this at Tranmere on Saturday!

I have to agree that the passing at times was superb, Bennett scared them to death by running at them. If we can get Thornhill or Cox or Davies doing that on the other wing them we should be able to take most teams apart. Dicker is class and Crofts had a great game. Perhaps the gel is starting to work!

 

[Husty]

I spent the first 30 mins waiting just waiting to join in with the anticiapted Slade out chants. I know my hearing isn't great but I failed to hear the chant at any time on Tuesday night.

Perhaps I will get the opportunity to join in with this at Tranmere on Saturday!

I have to agree that the passing at times was superb, Bennett scared them to death by running at them. If we can get Thornhill or Cox or Davies doing that on the other wing them we should be able to take most teams apart. Dicker is class and Crofts had a great game. Perhaps the gel is starting to work!

A lot of postitives yes but until we can sort out the mindset of just sitting back, normally in the second half, especially at home against teams like gillingham, we will never really succeed this season, we saw it at yeovil, today and earlier in the season and it has cost us a lot of points.