Match Thread Bury FC v Bradford City AFC Saturday 8 July 2023 3pm

Gilliead improved with Clayton. The two midflelder's we have in now are an upgrade so let see...

 

Absolutely right. I don't think anyone dislikes Gilliead personally. He seems a grand lad and he's one of the fittest footballers I've ever seen. It's just the fact that he hasn't a creative bone in his body and, more than that, his presence on the field has a negative effect on the team as a unit. Every move comes to nothing the moment he's involved.

 

He's 60, he was leaving home at 5:30 am, driving 3 hours around M25 and getting home at 7:00 pm. It would be a brave man to suggest he was a joke to his face.

 

Gillead is now playing holding midfielder his primary job is not goal scoring Pattison is an attacking midfielder so you would expect those stats

 

I bet anyone any money he got reduced terms to get the two years. I would have taken it in his shoes, because he probably knows he won’t be a fixture in the 11 , like he was last season?

 

Well I can certainly see it.
East should play before Gilliead every time IMO.

 

Ryan East is a tidy but lightweight player who by the way is credited with 25 appearances without a goal to his name

 

Gilly's role is to close players down, particularly when we've lost possession, win back possession and, once in possession, maintain possession - he does very well at those things. Sadly, none of these things get totted up in the goals and assists column so people who see the game a certain way can't appreciate what he offers

 

100%

 

Yet still has 3 times as many PL manager of the month awards than Hughes despite you describing him as a "joke".

Anyway, it's way off topic so that'll be my last reply unless you want to make a proper thread on it Serg otherwise we'll get in bother.

 

He didn't at Bury. He played alongside Pattison and I think, if he plays, he'll be in that role.

For a comparison and clarity though, Smallwood got 3 from that position last year. That's as many as Gillead has in over 100 games with us and many of those in a much more attacking position.

 

I sincerely hope so!

 

That's the whole teams job isn't it? Surely it's not a specialist role?

 

Pattinson played first half,and Giillead the second,not together.

 

He specifically gets quickly to any loose balls and in terms of retaining possession, no it's not everybody's job because some people's job is to get it in the box, play it through or get a shot off... his job is to get it to those players.

People complain about him being 'negative' but:

1. He's probably under orders to do that
2. As I'm sure you and many others have pointed out, he's not great at crossing or shooting so I don't know why those same people are so angry at him for doing the sensible thing in that case and making sure the ball gets to those who can

 

Doubt it, it wouldn't fit his narrative.

 

Which is exactly what Smallwood is there to do.
Do we need 2 players playing the same role ?

 

Smallwood doesn't do that at all, Gilly was the legs and Smallwood dictating the play (in theory) - In terms of roles like Xavi Alonso compared to Milner

 

Managers realise what Gilly gives to the we team that’s why he has been an almost an ever present not only with us but also Scunthorpe.