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Gillingham first team coach Nicky Southall writes exclusively for the KM Group

Nicky Southall
Nicky Southall

We have had to call Charlie Lee into the office this week because he is becoming a referee’s worst nightmare.

He has picked up a few bookings this season, even more bookings and then even more bookings!

We have had a chat and he knows he has to improve his discipline. He needs to clamp down on that and his defending.

He can be rash at times and frustrated when he gives the ball away.

He can go flying into tackles and he needs to start delaying himself and standing up more.

On Saturday, as a team, we gave 17 free-kicks away and Shrewsbury gave away five. That is remarkable and has happened a few times this season.

We have been giving away too many fouls. When that happens, you lose momentum and they, of course, have possession.

We need to be more patient, throughout the team, not just Charlie, to make it difficult for our opponents.

The majority of teams in this league and most leagues, infact, rely on set pieces, so we need to cut out the number of fouls we give away.

Last weekend was a massive disappointment for us all but we have another important game on Saturday.

Wimbledon beat us at their place in a game where we didn’t start right and we also need to bounce back from our defeat at Shrewsbury. A lot of the top teams are playing each other this weekend, so if we can get the win we want, we can start clawing our way back with the points.

At Shrewsbury, last Saturday, for some reason the edge wasn’t there and neither was the spark. It was a big game and they were one of our promotion rivals.

We knew that if we beat them we could go above them but the performance was flat.

I sensed that in the warm-up and I told the players that in no uncertain terms.

There was no spark in the warm-up and no spark in the game. It was a strange atmosphere.

Players need to get themselves up for these games and that has to come from within.

You can’t rely on other people, not your coach, manager or team-mates, you need to do it for yourself.

As soon as you wake-up on a Saturday morning you need to be focused and switched on for the game.

You need to be in the right mindset to do your job for the team.

Hopefully, if everyone does that then that collectiveness will pull you through but there were too many players far off it.

Right through the team the performance wasn’t acceptable and we need to nip it in the bud straight away.

Kent Matchday Live
Kent Matchday Live
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