Lop-sided Gills must look for lefties

Last updated : 10 July 2008 By Simon Head

We've taken a look at the Gills squad and assessed the strength in depth for each position, using the squad's experienced members as a guide.


GOALKEEPERS: Simon Royce, Alan Julian

Unquestionably the club's strongest position. Thanks to the shrewd acquisition of Alan Julian from Stevenage, Stimson now has two quality goalkeepers to call upon this season. This will make a huge difference to the side, and hopefully improve the confidence of the back four, too. It wasn't all that long ago that we fielded a host of loanee keepers in one season.

Stability is as important as quality with goalkeepers, and with Royce and Julian at our disposal, we now have both.


RIGHT BACKS: Barry Fuller, Sean Clohessy, Nicky Southall

There are more than enough options at right back for Stimson to choose from. Southall has the experience, but is a far better midfielder than defender. The other two options are both young, hungry and have plenty of potential.

Clohessy looks the better player in possession, while Fuller looked solid defensively after a decidedly shaky start. Either would do a sound job on the right hand side of Gillingham's defence this season.


LEFT BACKS: John Nutter, Simon King

The left back area is worryingly short of cover - John Nutter is the only senior left back we have. If 'Nuts' gets crocked or suspended, Stimson may be forced to move Simon King out of the centre to play left back, removing our best defender from the heart of defence in the process. Not ideal.


CENTRE BACKS: Simon King, Garry Richards, Mark Bentley

We're not exactly blessed at centre half, either. The starting pair of King and Richards looks reasonably strong, but there's precious little cover.

Mark Bentley is being trialled as a potential centre half, and after turning down the services of promising youngster Moses Swaibu, the club are now looking at the experienced, but 'well-rested' Leo Roget, who hasn't played a league game since April 2006. The players we have should serve us well, but we definitely need more cover.


RIGHT MIDFIELD: Nicky Southall, Dennis Oli, Mark Bentley, Adam Miller

Plenty of options for Stimson at right midfield. Southall is the outstanding candidate for the starting role, with his delivery from out wide and remarkably good engine belying his advancing years. Bentley will provide more grunt and an aerial threat if needed, while messrs Oli and Miller would offer greater attacking options.


LEFT MIDFIELD: Adam Miller, John Nutter, Dennis Oli

A left midfielder/winger signing would make a huge difference to Stimson's options, because at the moment, players are being forced to play out of position. In fact, the only genuine left-sided option available to Stimson is the man who'll be playing left back, John Nutter. So Adam Miller's likely to be played out of position to fill this role, with licence to roam inside. Dennis Oli provides the 'pacy winger' option, but he's more of a right-sided player.

Taking the left midfield spot and the left back spot together, it's clear to see that the left hand side of the team needs strengthening with at least one signing.


CENTRE MIDFIELD: Andrew Crofts, Stuart Lewis, Mark Bentley, Stuart Thurgood, Charlie Howard

Stimson has a plethora of central midfield options to choose from. Crofts is a certain starter, while Lewis showed real improvement towards the end of last season. Bentley must be a strong contender, providing he's not needed elsewhere in the side, while Thurgood and Howard will provide cover.

Stimson is still trying to lure Kevin Maher to the club, which would add even more quality to the mix. Centre midfield is arguably the outfield position where we are strongest in depth.


STRIKER: Simeon Jackson, Mark McCammon, Dennis Oli, Gary Mulligan, Andy Pugh, Luis Cumbers

If I was being harsh, I'd say that looking at the list, we've got lots of options, but perhaps not a lot of goals. Pugh and Cumbers both have bags of potential, and hopefully they'll feature as the season progresses, but we can't rely on them to score the goals. That burden appears to be very much on the shoulders of Simeon Jackson. Clearly the best finisher at the club, Jackson is likely to score the majority of the goals for us this season.

The thinking behind Mark McCammon's signing appears to be very much along the lines of providing service for Jackson. The big Barbados international is far from prolific, but should help create chances for his smaller strike partner. Oli looks like the ideal impact substitute, while Gary Mulligan looks to be rather further down the pecking order and will have to find his shooting boots if he's to break into the starting XI again this season.

Losing Jackson to injury, suspension or transfer would leave us looking pretty toothless up front, and would probably need one of the young guns to step up and play the goal-poacher's role. The lively Cumbers could be that man. Look out for a few goalscoring cameo appearances from him this season.


As things stand at the moment, I have to say the squad looks reasonably solid, but pretty lop-sided. We look strong in goal, at right back, right midfield and centre midfield, and we have an array of options in attack, but we look decidedly short of options down the left hand side.

If Stimson can bring in one or two lefties, then I think we'll have a strong, balanced squad with which to challenge for a top seven place. Chuck Kevin Maher in as well and it could be even better.