The Voice - Match preview Gillingham vs Bradford City Saturday 16th December 2023 @ 3:00pm

I think we have only had one poor loan signing and that is Chisom Afoka.
Rayhaan Tulloch has had some lively performances, notably Newport away. He doesn't seem to fit with the way Alexander wants to play, but that doesn't make him a bad player, presumably he was recruited to Hughes' requirements.
Oyegoke has been unlucky. He was sent off in our first match due to Ash Taylor dropping him in it. He has also been competing with Halliday who has consistently been in good form. He came on in McDonald's first game in charge and looked a player transformed, especially going forwards. He then picks up a serious injury when coming on as a sub for Ridehalgh. We can't really say he has been a poor loan signing.
We haven't seen much of Tomkinson due to international call ups, but he got man of the match on Saturday.

 

Not always , some are better in the long term brought on slowly . Remember even MH used him very sparesly.

 

I like Oggy , but the remainder with the exception I mentioned earlier, don’t improve us. We never seem to get the “Kemps”, the “Youngs” of the loan market, that’s what I mean probably.

 

I thought Banks and Wright last season were pretty good. No player is guaranteed to work out at our level.

 

Fair point.

 

Be good to be able to balance out the squad a bit and bring in another real engine to that midfield. Legs and energy are always useful to have as we move into the second half of the season.

 

Talking of Scott Banks….was on a train to Leeds last night and there was a group of young Scottish lads - footballers - on their way for a night out. Got talking, as you do when pissed up….. one of em went to school with Banks. Said he has been sent to St Pauli in German second tier this year! Bizarre loan destination!

 

Wasn’t on here yesterday but what a result that was. Glad to hear Tomkinson did well.

felt yesterday was a good game to gauge where we are at under GA - we came through with flying colours it seems!

3 pts off the playoffs……mmmmmm

 

And wrecked his ACL didn’t he?

 

I think Pointon could do the job as an "eight" and I'd much rather give him the chance first rather than bring in another to the already bloated squad.

 

It's a good club. He made a great start but sadly did his ACL and is still out injured. I think a loan to a decent club in Germany is good experience for a player like Banks.

 

Hard to see where he fits in the current 352 formation. We’re playing with wingbacks rather than wingers/wide midfielders. And he’s not getting into central attacking midfield ahead of Walker or Pattison.

 

Genuine question - Have I missed something?

Under MacDonald he was literally our best player, I'm fairly sure he was given Motm in 3 or 4 home matches on the bounce. Even towards the latter stages of Hughes he was clearly our brightest spark on the pitch when we were playing some turgid stuff.

Has something occurred to halt his progression? I just don't understand why we wouldn't utilise a rapidly rising superstar we have amongst our ranks. Every opposition team's fans at VP commented on how he looked a class above anyone else on the pitch with his movement, dribbling, passing, awareness etc.

He'll be a class above both Walker and Pattison very, very quickly.

 

Didn’t know this until Allotment said! Poor lad. Hope he recovers ok

 

I also rate him but I think GA when he came in played the ‘safe’ cards initially. That meant using the experienced Ash Taylor at CB and more experienced options ahead of Pointon in an attacking role.

what hasn’t helped Pointon really is the good goalscoring form of Smith and our switch to 5-3-2. Our team has been better off for the switch but Bobby isn’t a striker and he’s not a wing back so he’s effectively fighting with Gillead, Smallwood and Walker for a CM spot. Gilly and Snallwood offer more defensively and Walker is a better player and represented a safer option to pick when GA came in.

It must be frustrating for Bobby as he has looked great at times. Realistically he’s just gotta sit tight as Walker is injury prone.

But our team is better off in a 5-3-2 and Bobby’s suited best to 4-2-3-1 really.

 

I don’t think I can add anything to what @borderlescott has posted above. He’s said it all.

 

He’s not a superstar , that’s being rather optomistic. Look at some of the 17-19 olds playing in the Prem and CC.

He was a bright spark for sure , because everyone else's candle was dim.

Telling an inspiring young footballer that he’s going to be a superstar means one thing only…You ain’t doing him any favours whatsoever.

 

Are you sure about that? On the basis of three or four promising appearances? Obviously I hope you’re right, but football is littered with youngsters who looked like they were going to be top notch but, for a variety of reasons, never made it.

 

Hope you have a sick note from ya mum......................

 

Pointon may well feel hard done by. But he must keep training hard bide his time and when his chance comes take it