The Season Starts

[CadburyMan]

Looking forward to tomorrow and meeting up with everyone

[Robpthegills]

COYG lets start with a win. Tougher game than most people think.

[gillsfan1066]

Tougher game than most people thought, your rite on that . Lets have a look at the betting from the bookies for the team most likely to be relegated from Division One, it's........................................ Colchester.
Disappointing start GFC, would like to hear from someone who was at the game, ESPN Soccer channel only gives the score till half time.................0-0, then does not show anything till FT, then Gills 0-Colchstr1, what happened in the second half ?
Without seeing the game so I do not know what happened I feel I should be looking under the cushions on the couch to find every dime I can, to bet on Wolves scoring 4 or more next week, someone convince me not to.

[lidbid46]

OK gillsfan, I'll try! The game was hard fought and didn't start too well for Gills when Fish injured himself when no one was around him and had to be replaced after 4 minutes. The sub was a player that few of us had ever heard of before - Butcher, a youngster who I imagine was really only on the bench for experience. He looked all at sea for the first few minutes of his debut but then he settled down and I thought he did very well for the remainder of the game. The first half was evenly contested; chances were few and far between although Keds hit the joint of crossbar and post with a speculative lob shot from about 20 yards. Nelson made a couple of decent saves but there wasn't too much to alarm us. The second half began the same way - eventually Cody was replaced by Beyo and Lee, who had done well but was limping a little was subbed for Weston. It was good to see him back by the way. Legge was named by Bob Taylor as MOM and it looked like a point would be won. However, in the last quarter of the match, Colchester began to pressure our defence as our midfield began to become over run a little. Nelson made some routine saves when shots came tamely at him when perhaps the Colchester forwards should have done better. He also made a couple of outstanding saves to keep the score goalless. The pressure told in the 88th minute when the excellent Legge was outmuscled for once, the ball was pulled back and a forward was on hand to sweep the ball into the net. It was disappointing to lose so close to the end but in truth it was probably a fair result. I must admit to a few worries about the season as I didn't see Gills create very much. We seem to be setting up to avoid conceding and then maybe snatch a goal somewhere. I'm not sure that will work at the higher level. However, in MA we trust and I'm already looking forward to the next game!

[gillsfan1066]

Thanks Mr. Lidbid, and how is the wife and family, all OK I hope, kids still taking all your hard earned money while avoiding work while at University, lol, that's OK one day they will have to go and get a job, then you can move in with them, lol, that's my plan.
Appreciate the effort in giving us folks residing on distance planets the info. Just to make you a little jealous temp here is a cool 60 (7.30 in the morning) going up to low 70's , staying at Grand Geneva with a bunch of guys, one gets married next weekend so a kind of old mans Bachelor party without the strippers and the cheap booze. Playing 18 on the Brute, quick lunch then 18 on the Highlands, bit like playing a local pub footie game at Wembley, then going to play a game at the Olympic Stadium.
So we got off to a crappy start , oh well I guess it is only the first game of the season but against a side hotly tipped for relegation, not the best of starts Only thing that has always worried me about MA is that he seems to like to win 1-0, but I am sure he knows what he is doing,( one more loss and I am sure some will be calling for his head , lol).
I seem to remember that one year Ferguson put out a different team every game and ended up winning the Premiere, so whilst not putting MA in the same group as Sir Alex ,(yet) well only time will telI.
Guess it was looking like a draw and a point until the "almost end", so I think I will just think of it as 1 point dropped not 3, if that makes any sense, lol?
Thanks for the report,have a great day, thanks Steve.

[Garawa]

I have read so many negative comments about the game but in truth, the performance was a massive improvement over the pre-season games. They had the best of the play but we had the best chances, Keds was a stunning effort worthy of winning any game (especially for your own team on your 30th birthday) and how it went wide having hit the helpless keeper on the ground I don't know. We looked at lot more solid playing a straight 4 in midfield than a holding player and it clearly didn't help having such a small squad. That was practically it with Dack and Allen not available and it might be a long wait for the loan window to open!

I suppose the difference between League 1 and League 2 is that you get punished for not taking your chances. We didn't deserve to lose but we never took our chances.

[mark8364]

''that was practically it with Dack and Allen not available''

Dack was available...he was on the bench!!!

[Garawa]

My understanding was that he and Allen had a slight knock and were unlikely to be risked even though on the bench. But then Martin Allen said Weston was fit in pre-season when he wasn't in any squad and he said Lee had gone to Southend when he started for us Saturday so who knows what to think anymore!!!!