Away Match Day Thread 10/10/2020 L1 Gillingham v OUFC

[IsleofWightYellow]

Jesus, you've slept on it, and you're still whinging?!?

Throughout a season, a goalkeepers mistakes will cost you games, but his saves will also win you games, and Simon Eastwood is no exception.

Yes, he's made mistakes, but are you going to deny that he saved us points, and won us games in the league last season, or got us to the quarter finals of the league cup, and the final of the playoffs, with his saves?

If we're gonna drop Eastwood because of his mistakes this season, then we've got to drop the whole backline, for the same reason, but do we have the players with the relevant experience at the moment to replace them, unfortunately not, so it's a risk.

Steven's is getting games in cup games this season that he wasn't before, so Robbo obviously feels it's time to start progressing him, and has praised him for his progress, and has said he's now in a position to genuinely push Eastwood for the no1 spot, but maybe Robbo, who see's the players in training every day, doesn't feel Steven is quite ready to step up to being a league one goalkeeper yet, as let's face it, he's still a very inexperienced goalkeeper, especially at league one level, and it's a big step up from hardly ever being used, even in tinpot games, to suddenly being no1 in a league one side, and hopefully this is the season when he'll get the game time, to gain the relevant experience, to then step up and take his chance when it comes.

For what it's worth, I have repeatedly said in previous posts throughout last season, and at the start of this season, that I thought Stevens should've been used in ALL league cup, and tin pot cup games, so he could gain the relevant senior first team experience to genuinely challenge Eastwood, and maybe if that had happened, he'd already be our no1 goalkeeper by now, but as it stands, he's got virtually no experience as a senior goalkeeper at all, let alone a league one keeper, and is that Robbo's fault, for not giving him game time in cup games, and progressing him sooner? Maybe.

As I've also said, repeatedly, I'd be all for Jack Stevens being given his chance to stake his claim for the no1 spot right now, but I'm not going to drag Simon Eastwood's name through the mud in the process, as he doesn't deserve it.

One thing you haven’t answered - is there a consistency or number of mistakes which Eastwood could make after which you would allow criticism of him/call for him to be dropped? If so, what is it? Another mistake next game? And the game after? If not, when?

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

Hang on a second...his ‘penalty heroics in the play-offs’ were only after he’d been beaten at his near post at Pompey and just preceded his and Moore’s complete catastrophe at Wembley!

Since then, he’s been at fault for a goal at Lincoln, he’s conceded a penalty at Accy after punching a player in the head and he was at fault for the first goal yesterday. We’ve only played 4 league games for Christ sake! How many mistakes are acceptable in your opinion?

The first goal at Wembley was an og where he completely fluffed the corner as well . He has been a great keeper but since injuries I think a steady one , nothing more.

 

[horseman]

On one hand we have some saying they'll be happy if we sit mid table and at least have an existing club for seasons ahead and on the other some picking holes at every opportunity in certain individuals and pairings. Of course if a defender and especially a Goalkeeper makes a mistake it will often lead to a Goal and suddenly these players are considered not good enough and should be loaned out or binned.
It seems as ever over the years some fans just never take to certain players and they must never make a mistake or have a below par performance whilst the considered Golden Boys can do no wrong when the reality is they all wear the shirt for the team we all support and they all deserve our full backing.
it's fine to have an opinion on a player but when we lose the odd game the criticism is often way over the top and to a large extent some way off what we all just watched, we win as a team and lose as a team and as i stated the other day some fans need to realize we are in the 3rd tier and get the Super Sunday and the likes out of their heads and thought process.

 

[ljs]

Gills fans critical of Clare and Eastwood :

Quite funny listening to them complaining about the ref not booking our players for consistent fouling. I guess every fan sees this kind on thing differently depending on the team they are supporting.

 

[ljs]

On one hand we have some saying they'll be happy if we sit mid table and at least have an existing club for seasons ahead and on the other some picking holes at every opportunity in certain individuals and pairings. Of course if a defender and especially a Goalkeeper makes a mistake it will often lead to a Goal and suddenly these players are considered not good enough and should be loaned out or binned.
It seems as ever over the years some fans just never take to certain players and they must never make a mistake or have a below par performance whilst the considered Golden Boys can do no wrong when the reality is they all wear the shirt for the team we all support and they all deserve our full backing.
it's fine to have an opinion on a player but when we lose the odd game the criticism is often way over the top and to a large extent some way off what we all just watched, we win as a team and lose as a team and as i stated the other day some fans need to realize we are in the 3rd tier and get the Super Sunday and the likes out of their heads and thought process.

Relating the above to Eastwood, I think practically every fan thought we had a great keeper two seasons ago, and no one didn't take to him (even though his distribution was always slow and often inaccurate).

Last season he wasn't as good. This season he has already made quite a few mistakes too, and with Stevens looking good in his few appearances, then its perfectly reasonable to be having discussions on who should be the first choice going forward.

 

[horseman]

The first goal at Wembley was an og where he completely fluffed the corner as well . He has been a great keeper but since injuries I think a steady one , nothing more.

is that not the point though?, when a keeper makes a mistake it will often lead to a goal, when a defender does it may do but you'll remember it as it led to conceding a gioal.
When your star striker misses a golden chance or just makes a weak shot or header that does not get dragged up weeks later because just like your keeper or defender nothing is ever perfect but your star striker can be expected to get you 15-20 goals but is your keeper not likely to prevent similar against you over the season?
Why does one get grace yet not the other?

 

[Mad Dog]

One thing you haven’t answered - is there a consistency or number of mistakes which Eastwood could make after which you would allow criticism of him/call for him to be dropped? If so, what is it? Another mistake next game? And the game after? If not, when?

I haven't got any problem with ANY player being criticised, and I criticise ANY player myself, when I feel it's deserved, and Eastwood is no different?

I just don't think it's fair to keep laying all the blame solely at his door, like he's solely responsible for all the goals we've been conceding, he's not.

I have suggested in the past that it might be time to start progressing Stevens, as Eastwood's performance levels had dropped, and I've been the first to criticise him when his performance has been below par, just go look at my player ratings for the Accy game, I pretty much slated Eastwood, but I also still think he's a good league one goalkeeper, and would be happy to see him continue as our no1.

Yes he needs to cut out the mistakes, otherwise Stevens will get his chance, and rightly so, but shock horror, a keeper WILL get beaten at his near post sometimes, he WILL drop a clanger sometimes, and he WILL get his positioning wrong sometimes, he'll also be stitched up by his defence, and concede goals that aren't his fault, and he'll also be beaten by moments of magic, that aren't his OR his defences fault, he'll also make lots of good saves and put in lot's of match winning performances.

At the end of the day, he's a league one goalkeeper for a reason, like all league one goalkeepers, because they WILL make mistakes, which is why they're not playing at a higher level.

 

[Mad Dog]

is that not the point though?, when a keeper makes a mistake it will often lead to a goal, when a defender does it may do but you'll remember it as it led to conceding a gioal.
When your star striker misses a golden chance or just makes a weak shot or header that does not get dragged up weeks later because just like your keeper or defender nothing is ever perfect but your star striker can be expected to get you 15-20 goals but is your keeper not likely to prevent similar against you over the season?
Why does one get grace yet not the other?

Exactly

 

[horseman]

Relating the above to Eastwood, I think practically every fan thought we had a great keeper two seasons ago, and no one didn't take to him (even though his distribution was always slow and often inaccurate).

Last season he wasn't as good. This season he has already made quite a few mistakes too, and with Stevens looking good in his few appearances, then its perfectly reasonable to be having discussions on who should be the first choice going forward.

in the interest of Balance let me ask you this were people not questioning Stevens positioning for Watfords Goal ?

How about the late penalty the other night v Rovers was there anything there to at least ask a question fromthe Keepers point of view?

 

[ljs]

in the interest of Balance let me ask you this were people not questioning Stevens positioning for Watfords Goal ?

How about the late penalty the other night v Rovers was there anything there to at least ask a question fromthe Keepers point of view?

A bit of positioning is nowhere near the same as the goal let in yesterday, or punching a player in the head.

And, I think Steven's distribution is far better.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

On the radio yesterday Dave Pritchard from the OM said we are about to play something like 11 games in 36 days. We have six defenders of which Mousinho is still injured (leaving just two centre backs), one of those in Atkinson couldn’t play this weekend as he’s got a niggle, and the only left back in Ruffels has just returned from a four week injury and will now need to play every three days or so for 5-6 weeks. There is also Covid, which will only become more prominent over the next month or two and make multiple players unavailable. Although most squads will have to juggle and patch things up a bit at various times, two positive tests and we’re absolutely screwed defensively. And that’s assuming everyone is fit and available to begin with - if there’s an injury on top of that then it’s pretty much game over.

There is a very, very important game in a fortnight and if we go into that unable to even name a proper defence, or down to the absolute bare bones again with midfielders playing right back and right backs filling in at centre back etc, there will be a bloody riot. We got away with it last season in terms of depth and injuries, but now Cadden is gone (people forget he’s a full Scotland international and was being watched with a view to a recall while with us), and Dickie has gone to the Championship and been replaced with a prospect from non-league who needs time to grow and evolve. Injury status aside, Mousinho is also another year older and becoming more coach and less player with each passing week.

If we get to next Friday and all we’ve done is sign a winger and another centre midfielder (we already have seven), and defensively there’s nothing but a 19 year old loanee as some sort of token gesture, the people making that call need their nut sacks flicking.

 

[horseman]

A bit of positioning is nowhere near the same as the goal let in yesterday, or punching a player in the head.

Why exactly both led to a Goal...there were similarities to both watford and Wycombe goals but one keeps being brought up whilst the other is overlooked.

Just trying to keep things balanced

You didn't respond re Rovers pen, maybe you didn't see the game or it's easily erased because nobody cares about that competition?

 

[greatunclekip]

On the radio yesterday Dave Pritchard from the OM said we are about to play something like 11 games in 36 days. We have six defenders of which Mousinho is still injured (leaving just two centre backs), one of those in Atkinson couldn’t play this weekend as he’s got a niggle, and the only left back in Ruffels has just returned from a four week injury and will now need to play every three days or so for 5-6 weeks. There is also Covid, which will only become more prominent over the next month or two and make multiple players unavailable. Although most squads will have to juggle and patch things up a bit at various times, two positive tests and we’re absolutely screwed defensively. And that’s assuming everyone is fit and available to begin with - if there’s an injury on top of that then it’s pretty much game over.

There is a very, very important game in a fortnight and if we go into that unable to even name a proper defence, or down to the absolute bare bones again with midfielders playing right back and right backs filling in at centre back etc, there will be a bloody riot. We got away with it last season in terms of depth and injuries, but now Cadden is gone (people forget he’s a full Scotland international and was being watched with a view to a recall while with us), and Dickie has gone to the Championship and been replaced with a prospect from non-league who needs time to grow and evolve. Injury status aside, Mousinho is also another year older and becoming more coach and less player with each passing week.

If we get to next Friday and all we’ve done is sign a winger and another centre midfielder (we already have seven), and defensively there’s nothing but a 19 year old loanee as some sort of token gesture, the people making that call need their nut sacks flicking.

I suspect thinking we'll sign anyone this weeknis optimistic. I think we have what weve got, and pray by some miracle some managers havent watched Wycombe, Lincoln and Gills in how to play against us.

 

[horseman]

i don't get the obsession with Cadden, unless my memory is playing tricks he had quite a few indifferent performances towards the end of his time here?

 

[horseman]

I suspect thinking we'll sign anyone this weeknis optimistic. I think we have what weve got, and pray by some miracle some managers havent watched Wycombe, Lincoln and Gills in how to play against us.

or they might be praying or shitting themselves at the constant wave of yellows towards their goal....Should they adjust their game too or they could be on the end of a hiding.

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

is that not the point though?, when a keeper makes a mistake it will often lead to a goal, when a defender does it may do but you'll remember it as it led to conceding a gioal.
When your star striker misses a golden chance or just makes a weak shot or header that does not get dragged up weeks later because just like your keeper or defender nothing is ever perfect but your star striker can be expected to get you 15-20 goals but is your keeper not likely to prevent similar against you over the season?
Why does one get grace yet not the other?

It's when it starts happening on a more regular basis then it becomes an topic of conversation . I think that this season will see Jack naturally come to the fore and it's disappointing that Easty isn't quite up to where he was .

 

[PottersRightBoot]

We’ve also got a new defensive coach this season. He hasn’t started very well.

Fans go on and on about the back 4 but it’s missing Gorrin - and to a lesser extent -Mousinho - which is key to our goals conceded tally.

 

[MiddleBartonYellow]

An experienced central defender is a priority above all else isn’t it.
We sell a guy who was a top defender and don’t replace him, sorry but I don’t get it. Unless of course people think that a guy who has never played a league game before this season is that replacement. Personally I think it’s unfair on Atkinson to just throw him in at this level, he should be introduced gradually in my opinion. If they don’t it will unravel, they have already let in 8 in 4 games.

 

[OxfordBoy]

i don't get the obsession with Cadden, unless my memory is playing tricks he had quite a few indifferent performances towards the end of his time here?

He was good for us and certainly better than what we have now, gave us a good outlet going forward and wasn’t too bad defensively either

 

[horseman]

An experienced central defender is a priority above all else isn’t it.
We sell a guy who was a top defender and don’t replace him, sorry but I don’t get it. Unless of course people think that a guy who has never played a league game before this season is that replacement. Personally I think it’s unfair on Atkinson to just throw him in at this level, he should be introduced gradually in my opinion. If they don’t it will unravel, they have already let in 8 in 4 games.

how many of those games with the same back "5" please ?