Gillingham manager Mark Bonner knows his team need to start producing more at the top end of the pitch.
Since putting Carlisle to the sword on the opening day with a 4-1 win, the Gills have struggled to show their ruthless side – averaging just two shots on target in the last four league encounters, scoring only twice.
More: Boss says returning player is an example to others
Bonner’s had to deal with numerous injury issues in the opening weeks, which hasn’t helped with the cohesion, but he’s working hard to get the team to click.
Chances were at a premium last weekend in a 1-0 defeat at Doncaster.
Bonner said: “We had a few moments where we might have done better, but we didn’t hold the ball high up the pitch, we weren’t strong enough first half to get some control, we didn’t find the ball enough or progress enough at times with the ball.
“There is loads to work on. One of those is the creation of chances at the top end, for sure. We had lots of opportunities in the top third of the pitch, quite a lot of the ball.
“We had moments to serve the box, we had set-plays, we couldn’t find enough quality to test the goalkeeper, to work chances, so there is certainly work for us to do in that.”
The Gills host unbeaten Tranmere at Priestfield this Saturday.
Their weekend opponents have won two and drawn two in their opening four league games, scoring just three goals but conceding only once.
“Good teams respond quickly,” said the Gills boss.
“We’ll need to do that. I liked the effort of the team but I think we’re lacking a bit in personality that I want to see a little bit more of in certain games, especially when you [play] the best teams.
“We have no given right to win anywhere or to beat anyone and we have had a monster start of the seven games we’ve played, five in the league and two in the cup.
“We have played some really good sides and played some teams who are definitely in the mix. We are competitive with all of them but we haven’t been better than many over the duration of the game.
“That is fine, we are finding loads of ways of getting points and results, but it gives us loads of space to grow.
“That is the exciting thing because we know how much there is to improve and how much development there is in the team.
“We will lose again over the course of the season, we have 41 games to go. It is ‘how do you lose and how do you respond when those games have gone against you?’.
“That will be the case for us. We’ll have a good week of training and try and get a good result [this] weekend.”
