The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

I dont post very often and I try to hold any controversial opinions to myself as I am fully aware this forum can just turn into bickering. But it seriously frustrates me how people slate Gash consistently.

I like to think I know a bit about football playing to a decent standard and I'm a qualified coach but I do admit that I can't get to many games at the moment.

Now when ever I've seen him play he has excelled in the air winning flicks and putting defenders under pressure in the air. The short coming is not his ability to win the first ball, its the complete lack of people around him to pick up on the second ball. O'connor and who ever has partnered him (P C-H hopefully for a long time as ive played with him at diamonds before he left) Hug the touch line in a 4-3-3.

To make him a valuable weapon we need to get players in and around him and gambling on him winning the ball. If the other 2 took a chance and went in behind, with their pace and a bit of luck, can pick up on the loose balls and create chances.

Even if he doesnt win it he occupied at least 1 centre half creating space in the centre for the likes of Porter and Power to exploit and makes it a lot more difficult for Centre backs to clear the ball easily meaning we can restart attacks and maintain pressure.

No hes not a goal scorer, but I certainly feel he is a valuable player and creates chances. His short coming is that he is getting isolated and needs people in and around him to pick up off what he creates.

Rant over (prepares to have argument pulled apart ;) )

Could not agree more!

I sense a 4-4-2/4-3-3 debate brewing!

I agree he is good in the air ,mobile and has a good touch

I agree that Gash is good at what he does, and i regularly praise him on here, but his goal return is poor. I know he's not necessarily a goal scorer, but if he's playing upfront and not scoring or creating then it's a waste of a shirt.

He's a good player and if he could score goals he'd be extremely good.

Thing is, would you rather have him doing what he does or have someone like Louis or Rankine (who both used to get slated on the forum) who know where the net is. Like Raz said, waste of a shirt i'm afraid!

Yes he has got a half decent touch and wins a fair bit in the air but his goalscoring record is woeful. Curtis looks more likely to hit the back of the net than Gash :|

Diamond_ Wolf wrote: Curtis looks more likely to hit the back of the net than Gash :|

Now you are talking c**p. Barn door and banjo with that guy. :evil:

At least Gash has scored once. It a shame because he scored two goals in every three appearances when he played for Cambridge City in the Conference South about 4 or 5 years ago but after scoring 11 goals for Ebbsfleet it would appear that his goal scoring touch has deserted him.

Good points have been made about his ability to win balls in the air and his general hold up play and the onus is, I feel, for O'Connor and others to gamble and try to read his flicks.

Regarding the comments of a 'waste of a shirt' I fail to see who could replace him from the bench from our current crop of fit and available players.

I'm not saying someone should replace him. I don't even necessarily think he should be dropped, but i can fully understand why people are slating him.

I agree with the first, initial point.

The amount of times he has nodded the ball down and the has been no Rushden player is infuriating, for us and probably him aswell. I'm not a qualified coach but I reckon if he could head it down to either Porter or Power they could feed it in for O'connor or Cowan Hall to get a shot away or a cross into the box (which could give Gash a chance to put his head on it)

Everbody who sits around me is always giving him a hard time, but I think he trys hard, wins alot of balls and could be/is a good team player if people can pick up on his knock ons.

My mini rant over

alex_RDFC wrote: To make him a valuable weapon we need to get players in and around him and gambling on him winning the ball. If the other 2 took a chance and went in behind, with their pace and a bit of luck, can pick up on the loose balls and create chances.

Even if he doesnt win it he occupied at least 1 centre half creating space in the centre for the likes of Porter and Power to exploit and makes it a lot more difficult for Centre backs to clear the ball easily meaning we can restart attacks and maintain pressure.

Exactly what we were saying last night, perhaps a decent winger that is used to put balls in from the wing would make a good combination.