Gills Manager wants positive home display
Martin Allen is refusing to take today’s opponents lightly and says teams at the bottom will always provide dangerous competition.
Plymouth Argyle visit MEMS Priestfield 23rd in npower League Two, but the Gills Manager says they will provide just as tough a challenge as they presented earlier in the season when the teams drew 2-2 at Home Park.
He said: “They played very well against us that day that’s for sure, in the second half we stepped up our game and played well.
“They had a good result at the weekend – they beat Barnet 2-1 and played very well. Our result away at Aldershot was OK, we didn’t play great but we didn’t really start playing until the last half an hour.
“We got a draw and probably should have got a win with the chances we had in the last 10 minutes but we are hanging on in there at the moment, we’ll keep picking up points.
“There have been a few stutterings along the way but there is room for improvement I would say.”
Martin said that although he would like to improve on the club’s recent home form, he was quick to point out that it was only fairly recently that the Gills did pick up all three points at Priestfield.
He said: “Well it hasn’t been that hard to find three points here because we beat Dagenham a couple of weeks ago didn’t we? And it was only about a month ago that we beat Northampton so it’s not been horrendous but with the two defeats against Wycombe and Oxford, obviously those games 1-0 at home, that’s disappointing.
“Against Wycombe we played very well for 65 minutes but never managed to get ahead, against Oxford we completely dominated in the second half without creating that many chances it’s got to be said.
“On the counter attack in the last few minutes they’ve nicked away and scored a goal. It’s not as if we are playing dreadfully but we’ve to get better and we have to improve it and deal with it.
“We will make some changes this weekend because we haven’t got the results that we wanted when we have been playing here so other people now will get their chance.”
The Manager says he and the coaching staff have worked hard with the players on how to combat other teams set-ups when they visit Gillingham, and says clubs have done their homework in how to approach playing the league leaders.
He said: “We played some really good stuff earlier in the season but teams had us watched and now they have changed and play a different way and a different formation.
“The mentality now when you come to Gillingham is to get behind the full backs and our defence as quick as possible, keep your shape, don’t leave any gaps for them to pass through you.
“Then you have to look at different ways on how to get through them, but that’s the challenge for me, the coaching staff and the players to adapt, be patient and we still have enough good players here to put in good performances.
“We need to play with confidence, show some personality and some nuts on our home patch and come out and do it in front of our own supporters and play as well as what we can.”
Martin's press conference can be watched on Gills Player here.
To see comments from defender Matt Fish click here.