Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth is impressed with the adaptability of his squad.
The Gills remain unbeaten in League 2 having produced different types of displays in their opening five games.
It’s their ability to change tact when necessary that the manager feels will be key going forward.
“It’s really important,” said Ainsworth. “We’ve played and had a lot of shots against Crewe.
“We’ve battled against Accrington and Tranmere when we’ve been away from home.
“We played some fantastic football last Tuesday against Chesterfield, but I thought the football came later in the second half at the weekend.
“We played some real good moves, there were a couple of flicks around the corners, especially on that right-hand side, where I thought if we score this, this is going to be a fantastic goal.
“Football is not all about playing the style that people want to see. Football is about being solid at the back, taking your moments and finding a way to win games.
“We’ve found about four or five different ways to win games and that really excites me as a manager.”
Gillingham sit fifth in the fledgling table with three home wins and two away draws to their name.
A point behind the leaders, it’s a record that justifies Ainsworth’s decision not to make wholesale changes to the squad he inherited towards the end of last season.
“I had the chance to rip up the playing squad,” he admitted. “There were a few contracts up, Robbie McKenzie, Max Clark, Conor Masterson, people like that.
“It’s not the ability of the players. Different managers will get different things out of different players and I believe in myself and my team.
“I think our biggest strength is adaptation to get the best out of what we’ve got.
“I felt for the players last year a little bit. They’d had a lot going on, a lot of managers and a lot of styles of play.
“I sat back and looked at it and thought, you know what, they’re actually good players. You have to look after your own in the building before you go searching elsewhere.
“I think ripping up a big squad is a big thing to do. I did it at Wycombe right at the start. I had to, but we had Joe Jacobson, Sido Jombati, Adebayo Akinfenwa, Matt Bloomfield with me for six, seven, eight years.
“These are the types of players that I’ve said to my boys, you’ll be here long term. I want to build. I’m not this flash in the pan guy, I want to build Gillingham.
“I want to be successful at Gillingham and if I’m here in a few years’ time and the players are here in a few years’ time, we’ve been successful.”
It’s early-season draw specialists Oldham up next for the Gills.
Having won promotion via the National League play-offs at the start of June, Oldham have drawn four of their first five games back in the Football League.
“It’s going to be a tough place to go, without a doubt,” warned Ainsworth.
“Back up to the North West, we’ll have a long journey again, but we’ve travelled well so far this year and I’m really pleased where we are right now.
“To bring anything back home is always good away from home, but I believe we can beat any team in the league.”
