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Sport

Gillingham's Leo Da Silva Lopes encouraged to be in the opposition's face more often by boss Steve Lovell

By: Luke Cawdell lcawdell@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 00:00, 19 March 2019

Updated: 09:00, 19 March 2019

Gillingham boss Steve Lovell wants to see more of Leo Da Silva Lopes’ nasty streak.

The on-loan Wigan midfielder showed a bit of it at Luton on Saturday.

Lopes was brought back into the starting line-up against the league leaders, having been relegated to the bench for the midweek match against Bristol Rovers.

Gillingham's Leo Da Silva Lopes gets to the ball before Luton's Luke Berry Picture: Ady Kerry

Lovell said: “He is a talent, a massive talent, but he needs to work a little bit harder on the other side, the nasty side, the horrible side of it.

“I spoke to him about it on Friday and he showed he had taken it on board.

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“That is what we are about in our dressing room. You have to work hard and buy into it, because if you don’t buy into it, players won’t like you, it’s as simple as that.

“He took on board that role and worked really hard off the ball and on the ball he is clever, a really good player.

"I am really pleased for him, everyone gave everything and that’s all you can ask of them.”

Lopes went off late in the game with a shoulder injury.

Lovell is confident it’s not a major problem, adding: “He won’t be taking any throw-ins this week but he should be all right, he should be fine.”

The manager is pleased that with Lopes, and others, his advice is getting through.

He said: “We work on things. It’s all right talking about it but you have to work on things in training.

“When you stick to your plan that you work on all week and it comes off on a Saturday, it’s lovely. I am really pleased because of it.

“It is so easy to work on things and for people to then do their own thing but that’s not happening now and because it is working they buy into it.”

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