After two weeks in Spain I expected to return to see the Gills flying high in League 2 but I was shocked to see them sitting in 20th - just a point off bottom team Barnet.
Looking at things from afar it’s easy to see why so many people are getting agitated, after all the bookies were tipping the Gills to win the league, the manager and chairman were saying much the same, and most fans expect to be back in League 1 next season.
We are only seven games in and it’s still early but the gap between the Gills and top team Shrewsbury (the only team Gills have beaten so far) is already 10 points and margins like that aren’t easy to make up, especially when you’re scratching around trying to get a result.
Injuries have clearly hampered the Gills so far but a lack of confidence must also be creeping in. Players are big worriers and they’ll be only too aware of how disappointing the results have been. The longer it goes on the harder it’s going to be to get into a winning swing. The last minute blunder at Bradford must have been a massive body-blow to the players, as well as the fans.
Lance Cronin was singled out by the Gills boss for his error on Saturday but the players need to take collective blame - after all, where were the goals? When you don’t score you are always putting yourself under added pressure.
That pressure is mounting and it’s no surprise to hear the fans getting frustrated. The team looks good enough on paper and they need to start proving they are good enough by getting some points on the board.
Luckily we’re still in September and all is not lost. With two winnable home games coming up, against Burton and Southend, this really could be the time for the Gills to get going.
While on my hols I did have the pleasure to witness France being beaten by a last minute goal against Belarus - much to the annoyance and anger of the bar full of Les Bleus fans. I imagine there was much the same reaction from Gillingham fans in Bradford following the late defeat there.
There is never a shortage of under-performing teams and at the moment Gills are doing that in a big way. Hopefully the Gills can head into October with six more points and start hunting down those table-toppers.
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