[Archived] League Cup - Gillingham Away 25/08/09

[joey_big_nose]

THought I may as well start a thread.

Thinking about going to this one. Only an hour out of London, cheap tickets, the opportunity to see Kalanic in the flesh alongside some of our younger players and returning walking wounded. Also the chance to see Salgado show off his superman like qualities of inspiration, hurculean feats of endurance, and a instatiable thirst for violence.

In many ways our hopes for the season depend on how the guys on display tomorrow do, as the current attacking options are relatively one dimensional. We really really need Kalanic to start scoring, the four injured veterans we have to build fitness, and it would be enormously useful if at least one of Hoilett, Doran or Olsson could make the step up to become a decent player to give us some real pace.

Possible team for tomorrow (likely to be wildly inaccurate)

-------------Kalanic-----Hoilett

Van Heerden------Emerton-------Doran

------------------Grella

-Olsson----Givet-------Zurab----Salgado©

----------------Robinson

We rneed to be scoring two or three, particularly useful if Kalanic could get one and either McCarthy or Roberts score when they come off the bench.

[bennyboyt11]

I'm going to be there, I agree about Kalanic needing some goals to get his confidence up after the rather dismal debut of his.

Looking forward to seeing some of the younger players like Hoilett and Van Heerden in action.

[novella]

This is the game to kick start our season. I would like to see alot of first team players in this game, hopefully getting a decent scoreline and a well needed boost in confidence.

[Bobby G]

Id play ->

------------------------------------Brown-------------------------------------------

Salgado---------Zurab--------------------------Samba------------------Warnock

Hoillett----------Emerton------------------Grella---------------------van Heerden

-----------------Kalinic-----------------------------Roberts

Id consider drafting Doran in for Roberts and having Hoillett play further up.

[joey_big_nose]

Id play ->

------------------------------------Brown-------------------------------------------

Salgado---------Zurab--------------------------Samba------------------Warnock

Hoillett----------Emerton------------------Grella---------------------van Heerden

-----------------Kalinic-----------------------------Roberts

Id consider drafting Doran in for Roberts and having Hoillett play further up.

I think Warnock will be all but sold by the time we play. IU would be very suprised he would play in case he gets injured.

[Bobby G]

Didnt nicko say we are giving them 48 hours to sign him, otherwise we play him tomorrow?

Also, interesting that Sam said Grella, Dunn, Emo and Reid will all be in the squad but none of the them are ready for 90 minutes so he has to be careful in who he starts with.

[tcj_jones]

My first game of the season, this, and I'm really excited. Looking forward to seeing some of the youngsters / new boys in action.

Gonna go for a 2 - 0 victory.

Apparently, 600 of our 1,000 tickets have been sent back to Gillingham.

[novella]

Salgado probably wont play, didnt he play last night or is playing tonight for Real Madrid?

[Big Fat Sam]

Ah the league cup, experiment time!!

-------------------Brown-----------------

Jacobsen---Zurab-----Givet----Olsson

----------------Salgado------------------

Doran----------Emerton---------Pedersen

-------------Hoillet-----Klaninic---------

Fill the bench with Kiddo's, Benni and Andrews, or even our other two sick notes if they are ready.

No I don't think Salgado is playing for Madrid, he's only watching by all accounts.

[spencey7]

Ah the league cup, experiment time!!

I don't think we're really in a position to be able to experiment, we really have to get the team going. It should be what Allaryce deems his strongest side, and nothing short of that.

[tcj_jones]

I think this is the perfect fixture for Kalinic to regain his confidence and get his head together for our next Premier League fixture. I really wanna see him score.

[Hughesy]

Apparently, 600 of our 1,000 tickets have been sent back to Gillingham.

Hardly suprising is it!!

270 miles - Probably about 4 hours each way for a midweek game, in the league cup round 2

[Big Fat Sam]

I don't think we're really in a position to be able to experiment, we really have to get the team going. It should be what Allaryce deems his strongest side, and nothing short of that.

Nah sorry, competitive games against opposition of this standard happen maybe two or three times a season. Its a great chance to give some of the kids a full 90 or at least 60-70 minutes on the pitch.

[roversmum]

A pretty expensive outing from Blackburn and a goal drought to boot...

[tcj_jones]

Was just saying Hughesy!

For me it's less than an hour door-to-door, so I'll certainly be there. Such a shame I couldn't make either of our first two fixtures and that, for the West Ham game, the trains are completely messed up, so won't be making that either

[alexanders]

Is it on tv?

[Beta Ray Bill]

The last trip to Gillingham was good fun with a lot of happy memories.

Jordan running alongside the team bus with Souey wig and moustache; someone presenting the team with a birthday cake for Souey's birthday (pity he wasn't there); no-one giving a fig about the result; Nathan Blake scoring a goal.

[67splitscreen]

Removed

Salgado's, Real goodbye is though. Not that he will play.

[philipl]

No Samba, Nelsen, McCarthy or Di Santo- all lost to injuries.

Salgado not in squad.

Warnock is probably travelling.

Dunn, Reid, Emerton and Grella are all travelling but none are fit enough to play 90 minutes, never mind extra time as well.

Will make for an interesting substitutions challenge for Sam- how many subs allowed in the League Cup? The usual 3 from 7?

[bennyboyt11]

3 from 7 Phillip

With that information my starting lineup would be:

-------------------Brown-----------------

Jacobsen---Zurab-----Givet----Olsson

----------------Grella------------------

Doran----------Andrews---------Hoillet

-------------Roberts-----Klaninic---------

Switching Grella with Reid/Emerton depending on score and fitness at halftime.

[spencey7]

----------------Grella------------------

Doran----------Andrews---------Hoillet

My God, just look at that midfield.

What are the odds for a Gillingham win?

[CrazyIvan]

My God, just look at that midfield.

What are the odds for a Gillingham win?

My god, your posts are miserable. We'll beat Gillingham.

[modes98]

Doran looked good at the end of last season, Grella is a good DM, Andrews is at his level vs Gillingham, Hoillet is unproven but an ideal match for him to show us what he is made of.

Just out of interest Spencey what world class midfielders do Gillingham have thesedays?

[joey_big_nose]

So is Van Heerden injured or what?

[spencey7]

I'm not suggesting that Gillingham are a good side - but neither are we at the moment. They will be fired up for the game, and it will come as welcome respite from their own poor start in the league. We're missing our first-choice centre-backs, our best striker (Benni) and currently don't have a midfield worthy of the name. I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see extra-time.

A question to all those who have no problem with Allardyce's style of football - Should we be playing that way against Gillingham?

P.S. joey_big_nose - Van Heerden may or may not be injured, but he is absolutely terrible. He'll make Rigters look like Alan Shearer. Watch this space.