Bromley defeat highlighted everything that’s wrong at Gillingham
Gillingham’s 4-1 thumping at home by league leaders Bromley exposed the flaws that currently plague the club.
Fresh off back-to-back victories that both saw the team score three times, there was an air of optimism around Priestfield as league leaders Bromley came to town.
That optimism didn’t last too long, and ended with frustration, disappointment and, in some quarters, anger.
That’s because the Gills were defeated in every single facet of the game that matters. I’m not talking about pointless invented stats like xG. I’m talking about tactical nous, doing the basics well, winning challenges, and finishing chances. In all of those categories, Gillingham were a distant second to a Bromley side who did everything well, and didn’t just beat the Gills – they embarrassed them.
Ruthless efficiency
Bromley’s direct, up-and-at-em style was reminiscent of the old Tony Pulis days at Priestfield. And, just like that Pulis Gillingham team, they were strong, well organised, knew each other’s roles, and were ruthlessly effective. They might not win any awards for beautiful football, but that’s not how football is judged – and they shouldn’t care, either. Bromley have a way of playing that works, and it absolutely blew Gillingham away on Saturday, just as it threatened to do the same in the first half at Hayes Lane earlier this season.
Everything Bromley did had a purpose. It was deliberate, it was targeted, and the players knew exactly what they were doing. Right from the opening kick-off, where they executed a rugby-style kick for the corner – a move that immediately put pressure on the Gills’ back line – it was clear that Bromley were here to bully the Gills. The most disappointing thing about it all was the sad fact that this Gillingham team just wasn’t prepared, or able, to stand up to it.
Tactically, the team was all over the place, with a disjointed formation that left players exposed, particularly out wide, while also leaving gaping holes in the middle of the park. Some of the team selections were bizarre, too. Playing the likes of Aaron Rowe – whose forté is trickery and pace, rather than strength and physicality – in a match that required much more of the latter than the former was a strange choice, at best. It was a match that required a “horses for courses” approach, and in some areas of the pitch, it was clear that Ainsworth had saddled up the wrong steeds.
Making chances count
While the visitors ruthlessly punished the Gills by finding the net with almost every attack in the first 55 minutes, Gillingham certainly had chances to get back into the game. With Bromley sitting back to protect their 4-1 lead, Gillingham had room in midfield for the first time in the game, and started to create chances. But, as we’ve seen – not just this season, but for the last four or five seasons – creating chances counts for nothing if you can’t put them away.
Gillingham had 19 shots at goal, and hit the target with 11 of them, but scored just once. Compare that to Bromley, who only hit the target six times during the 90 minutes, but scored with four of them. That’s a ludicrously efficient 66 percent strike rate. Gillingham’s strike rate? 9.9 percent.
A rare bright spot
Amongst the frustration, there was a lone encouraging sign. New striker Ronan Hale looked very lively and was denied by a couple of outstanding stops by Bromley keeper Grant Smith. Hopes will be high that, if we play him correctly and continue to create chances, the Northern Irishman will score goals for Gillingham. I just hope he’s deployed centrally, with a strike partner alongside him.
But after being out-fought on the pitch, and out-thought in the dugout, there’s much for Gareth Ainsworth to ponder as he looks to turn an underperforming squad into the sort of side he, owner Brad Galinson, and the Gills faithful are expecting to see over the next 18 months.