Steve Lovell has been reflecting on last week’s home double header saw Gillingham take three points from six, as they slumped to yet another midweek home defeat under the Priestfield lights.
The solitary wonder goal from Jonson Clarke-Harris meant the points were heading down the M4 to Bristol, and left many home fans leaving the ground disappointed, upset and disillusioned.
Not though it would appear the manager, as he explained in his weekly briefing. “It’s amazing how one goal can change people’s mental approach away from the football club,” Lovell commented.
“Within the club we feel that we did a good job on Tuesday but I’m not going to get carried away – I just felt that in midfield we weren’t as strong as we have been. It shows the strength of depth we have in the squad and Tuesday possibly was just the people we play in certain positions which we need to look at and make sure it’s a lot more balanced!”
Asked about the improvement in the goals against column recently, the Gills boss said, “It’s definitely something that we’ve improved on recently – I think defensively for the last four or five games we’ve been very, very good, and so that’s the difference – we’ll always create something which will mean that we’ve always got the chance of scoring goals, but that said, we’ve got to be a lot more clinical in front of goal.”
“Attempts on goal don’t come enough from inside the box – they’ve got to be headers or volleys from inside the box; that’s where people score goals against us, why can’t we do it to them?”
“There will be changes made again for Saturday – it’s not because of the players involved, we will go into the game with what I consider to be the best team that I fell can play against the League leaders – it might be a different team against next week against Wimbledon! I’ve said before I’ve now got a squad who I can utilise and people sitting on the bench who can come on and change things as you saw the other night!”
“Luton are a very good footballing side who create a lot of chances but can leave themselves a little open at the back which is something we will look to exploit – they know what we do and I’m expecting it be a very tough game tactically as they will look to push on from this amazing run that has taken them to the top of the League.”
Lovell was asked about his post-match criticism of young midfielder Darren Oldaker after the Rovers defeat. “I won’t just say these things and I’ve got to be mindful of what we do,” Lovell admitted, “he’s a professional footballer, but he’s also a young boy who’s got to learn. And he will learn. And if he does learn he’ll go on and have a great career in the game.”
“So, he’s a good lad, he’s a good player who’s done well for us this season, but he didn’t have a good game on Tuesday which is one of those things, so he learned from it and he’ll come back from it.”
“Again, but it’s alright me saying that I was disappointed or frustrated I was, it’s how highly I rate him and respect him when I expect him to play as he has been playing and doesn’t – he looked a little bit nervous and that’s something we must look at and get him back to normal!”
“Alex (Lacey) is nearly there, Ricky (Holmes) is nearly there, but again, I’ve got enough people not to need to rush them back. Billy (Bingham) is OK – his recovery is going well and he’s a couple of weeks away.”
“I’ve got a good squad of eighteen that we’ll take to Kenilworth Road meaning a few will miss out but that’s the way it is and perhaps next week they might get a game.”
“It’s good that we could have everyone fit for the last nine games as every game will be important and tight and we need to get to our points target as quickly as we can to try and take some of the pressure off – we’ve got to make sure that we stay focused on what we need to do – I felt that we did enough to win the game on Tuesday and we’ve got to take that on into Saturday and into these last nine games too!”