A week or so ago I said I wasn't going to let early pre-season results cloud any judgement I had regarding the current season, but with just two week's worth of games remaining before the season kicks off, now's the time that we should expect to see the players really upping their game as they stake their claims for a starting role against Bournemouth on August 9th.
Clearly, that's something that didn't happen against Grays at the weekend, according to manager Mark Stimson. The Gills crashed to another 1-0 defeat, and the gaffer was was less than impressed with the Gills players' performances against the Blue Square Premier side.
Goalkeeper Simon Royce also had words to say on the matter following the Gills' second defeat in three pre-season games and it seems that things aren't exactly going according to plan so far.
For the manager and one of the club's senior pros to come out and criticise the squad so publicly this early in proceedings is unusual - and it suggests that for whatever reason, the players in the Gills squad simply haven't been "on it" during their pre-season games so far.
Sure, we thrashed Faversham 8-0, but they were what the boxing fraternity would call a "can" - a vastly inferior opponent set up purely to be knocked over with the minimum of effort.
But when faced with competitive opposition in the form of Conference sides Stevenage and Grays, things were decidedly different. Not only did the Gills concede in both games, they also failed to score in both, too.
As I've said before, pre-season results aren't that important, but the performances and the progression certainly are - and judging by the comments this weekend from Messrs Stimson and Royce it seems the team is lacking on that front, too, and that's worrying.
And it's not just the manager and the goalkeeper who are getting worried - a number of fans are beginning to get decidedly twitchy too, and that's understandable. If the manager and a senior squad member see fit to publicly criticise their team, then the fans have every right to be concerned.
But let's put it into perspective. It's still pre-season, there are still two weeks to go before the season kicks off and there are a handful of pre-season games still to go - each one an opportunity for the players to step up and produce a performance.
Let's hope they do just that, so we can go into the opening few games of the season in a positive frame of mind. After such a disappointing season last year, the fans are desperate for the team to produce and, following our relegation to League Two, that time is now.
MISFIRING MISFITS
With Mark Stimson looking to strengthen in one or two key areas, it was important to offload those players clearly not part of his plans, but it seems that the club's previous regime has conspired against him in his efforts, leaving him with two misfiring misfit strikers on his books.
Gary Mulligan hawked his wares around League One, but after finding no takers, happily took up the one-year option on his expired contract. If you believe what you read, the club supposedly had little say in whether to take him or not.
And we now "welcome" back Mulligan's strike partner from last season, Delroy Facey. It seems the former Rotherham and Huddersfield striker is one of the club's highest earners, and it appears his wage demands have seen him fail to agree terms with a number of League Two clubs, including Wycombe Wanderers. Still under contract at the Gills, Facey has now decided to come back to Priestfield in a bid to earn a place in Mark Stimson's starting lineup.
Considering the lengthy pursuit, and subsequent signing, of Mark McCammon this summer, I can only see Facey being third-choice at best behind the new arrival and the club's only recognized goalscorer, Simeon Jackson.
When you look at what the two strikers bring to the table, I think their wages could have been better used on a genuine left winger and some cover at centre half and left back.
But it appears Stimson's hands have been well and truly tied on this one and as a result he is now saddled with two underperforming strikers who, in all probability, he didn't want at the club this season.
Not ideal.
MAKE YOUR MIND UP TIME FOR MAHER
If Kevin Maher was stalling on signing a deal with Gillingham in order to attract interest from other clubs, then it's worked.
Both Oldham and Swindon have made offers to the former Southend man, with the latter sounding particularly confident about signing him. Indeed, Swindon even suggest that Maher will play for them in Tuesday night's friendly against Hampton and Richmond.
What about us? I hear you cry. Well, we're waiting for a phone call, apparently. I'd love to be proved wrong, but I can't help thinking we've been taken for a ride a little here. We've heard about Maher "being honest" with Stimson, but after all this to-ing and fro-ing, it's about time Maher just answered one simple question.
Does he want to play for Gillingham, or not?