Pre-Match Thread Gillingham FC vs Southend United

[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United manager Chris Powell is hopeful John White and Tom Hopper will both be fit to face Gillingham this weekend.

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[Stuart W]

SOUTHEND United manager Chris Powell is hopeful John White and Tom Hopper will both be fit to face Gillingham this weekend.

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Based upon recent player recovery assessments, that probably means 3 weeks layoff for Hopper and 6 weeks for White.

 

[RHB]

After the bad dream of last night its the Gills up next at the Priestfield Stadium. Neither side covered themselves in glory yesterday so anything is possible on Saturday. Teams, news, new pitch thoughts down here please.

Don't forget, Adam Barrett will be there supporting one side or the other! Just remember Adam, we gave you a banner and stuff so remember where your loyalties lie ok?

 

[Harry Bullocks]

Midfield rested, centre backs on the mend....ops normal, let's go

 

[Fairport]

The weather forecast looks good, 20c. Hopefully that will mean a good Shrimpers turnout sitting in the sun.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

After the bad dream of last night its the Gills up next at the Priestfield Stadium. Neither side covered themselves in glory yesterday so anything is possible on Saturday. Teams, news, new pitch thoughts down here please.

Don't forget, Adam Barrett will be there supporting one side or the other! Just remember Adam, we gave you a banner and stuff so remember where your loyalties lie ok?

Yes, but Phil Brown peed him off big time and made his mind up to retire.

 

[mattytheshrimper]

The weather (touch wood) is looking good now. A couple of days ago bbc had it down as raining in Gillingham between 2pm-5pm but has since changed.

Last time I went I got soaked so fingers crossed that doesn't happen this time.

I've been Gills many times and we always play terrible and I've either seen us lose or at best draw. Hoping to finally see a win.

 

[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United’s Timothee Dieng is happy to fill in at centre-back for the Shrimpers - now he remembers how to play there!

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[tottenham541]

It’ll be freezing in the roofless away stand with a strong breeze.

 

[bess30]

It’ll be freezing in the roofless away stand with a strong breeze.

A freezing 23degrees with 16mph winds

 

[RHB]

So what will my team look like come kick off Saturday? At one stage I would have had messers McLaughlin and Kightly as starters but based on recent performances, or lack of them, the best I would consider would be the bench.

It;s a no-brainer in goal, so Oxley is in. At the back Turner and Taylor Moore are two of my stoppers, after than I'm struggling a bit, dependent on John white and Harry Lennon. No news of either at the moment and Lennon didn't even get a sniff of the bench last night (that sounds a bit rude now I've typed it). So lets assume that both are crocked then if we are to play three across the back then it will have to be Dieng. The two wing backs will be Coker and Elvis and the other mids will be Yearwood, Sam Mantom and Hendrie. Up front Coxy and Hopper to complete the line up. Although Hendrie and Elvis are not regulars I liked their work rate last night and they deserve a shout on Saturday.

Oxley
Taylor-Moore Turner Dieng
Elvis Yearwood Mantom Hendrie Coker
Cox Hopper​

 

[tottenham541]

A freezing 23degrees with 16mph winds

Strong breeze then, chilli with it, it’ll be 19 at tops in gillingham

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

It’ll be freezing in the roofless away stand with a strong breeze.

I think Scally is a Scallywag. It's just come out that Gills had £450,000 to spend on the pitch, drainage and irrigation, without having to apply for a loan. So he could have easily upgraded that 'Temporary' (25 years) away stand before the pitch trouble. He knows that no roof or cover means it's hard to out sing the home fans, especially in the wind and/or rain. If that was a home stand, it would have been done.

 

[Grapevine]

With injuries to Hooper and White it’s more likely to be :-

Oxley
Taylor-Moore Turner Coker
Elvis Yearwood Mantom Dieng Hendrie
Cox Robinson

In my eyes as poor as Theo was last night he was taken off after an hour with this in mind....he’s the natural replacement for Hopper.

Hendrie is better going forward than he is defending and Coker at least has pace and Ariel ability to compliment Turner which also means Dieng can continue in the middle of the park.

 

[bess30]

Anyone know how ticket sales are going for this ?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

So what will my team look like come kick off Saturday? At one stage I would have had messers McLaughlin and Kightly as starters but based on recent performances, or lack of them, the best I would consider would be the bench.

It;s a no-brainer in goal, so Oxley is in. At the back Turner and Taylor Moore are two of my stoppers, after than I'm struggling a bit, dependent on John white and Harry Lennon. No news of either at the moment and Lennon didn't even get a sniff of the bench last night (that sounds a bit rude now I've typed it). So lets assume that both are crocked then if we are to play three across the back then it will have to be Dieng. The two wing backs will be Coker and Elvis and the other mids will be Yearwood, Sam Mantom and Hendrie. Up front Coxy and Hopper to complete the line up. Although Hendrie and Elvis are not regulars I liked their work rate last night and they deserve a shout on Saturday.

Oxley
Taylor-Moore Turner Dieng
Elvis Yearwood Mantom Hendrie Coker
Cox Hopper​

Why Hendrie in midfield and Dieng in defence?

I think it'll be Kightly (or McLaughlin) instead of Hendrie and then more of a question of whether it is a 3-5-2 as we started last night or 4-4-2 as we had second half.

The other option is Cox dropping deeperofficially playing midfield and Theo partnering Hopper - the extra pace wouldn't go amiss. Either way we need at least three attack minded players in the team if we're going to break defences down.

 

[RHB]

Why Hendrie in midfield and Dieng in defence?

I think it'll be Kightly (or McLaughlin) instead of Hendrie and then more of a question of whether it is a 3-5-2 as we started last night or 4-4-2 as we had second half.

The other option is Cox dropping deeperofficially playing midfield and Theo partnering Hopper - the extra pace wouldn't go amiss. Either way we need at least three attack minded players in the team if we're going to break defences down.

Dieng showed last night that he can play at the back and if JW and Lennon are not ready for Saturday and Harry Kyprianou is on International duty then I don't see any other option. As for Hendrie, I'd rather have him starting than Kightly, for the extra pace he has if nothing else.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Dieng showed last night that he can play at the back and if JW and Lennon are not ready for Saturday and Harry Kyprianou is on International duty then I don't see any other option.

Why don't you see Hendrie as an option when, like Dieng, he played there last night?

 

[RHB]

Why don't you see Hendrie as an option when, like Dieng, he played there last night?

Dieng is very strong in the air and has more height that Hendrie. I also think that Hendrie has a bit more than Dieng going forward.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Actually I'm going McLaughlin over Kightly.

McLaughlin has scored in each of his 5 last matches v Gillingham.