Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 1-1 Port Vale

[5scoops]

Don't worry guys Phil will get us into play offs :smile::smile:

 

[onceknownasrab]

Hang on, no-one complained about the midfield diamond when we outplayed Scunthorpe using it. I don't blame the formation as such because the players' movement was still good and we got into good areas and had decent options. Unfortunately the team's collective radar was way off and our execution was godawful. When we did complete a pass it was largely underhit leaving players, especially our full-backs, having to collect it rather than being able to take the ball in their stride.

I don't think Vale's tactics played as big a part as people are suggesting because it's not like they came to kick us like a lot of League 2 teams did and they didn't snuff out our attacks with clever tactics or crucial interceptions because they didn't need to. I just think too many players had an off-day and our manipulation of the ball was utterly terrible.

Everything you say is right. The problem is understanding why we are now having too many off-days in close order. In our last four games we have had Northampton, Gillingham and Port Vale that felt similarly below par. Only the Peterborough game among these gave us something more to cheer about. I can't put my finger on the issue and can only hope the team gets to the bottom of it and quickly.

 

[dannypav]

Knew you would be along....do one mug.

You really do yourself no favours Mrs B.
So much I could say , but will be polite and leave it at 'walking contradiction' .........

 

[south247]

I thought the rock choir was great. Looking from the South Upper, the dance moves looked really good. I also liked the way they joined in a few Southend chants the first half. I was a bit disappointed when most of them went home after their half time stint. I thought that was a bit of a snub to SUFC. Maybe they didn't realise how cold it was going to be.

Plus they watched the first half....

 

[AndyT]

I loved the fact that they voted with their feet at half-time! :smile:

 

[TTS]

There were 64 replies before you entered this thread,you as usual could only see my input(2 replies from me so about 3% of the total)...fact.

2 in 22.... Great,but only 17points from the last 36,I had the ammo from the Gills game,yet guess what I never ever replied on that thread...fact.

You stated Fortune was knackered ditto Cox,yet you wanted to berate me for offering the same view before you....fact.

No doubt somebody will say I'm thread diverting very soon...so this is my final post on this topic.

Love it when you throw your toys out your pram ..

The reason why I started on your message is because you don't offer balanced discussions , you never have.

You use the word "ammo" from the Gills game, that in itself sums you up, because all you do is look to shoot things down.

You offer nothing in terms of reasoned debate and you never have.

Why don't you try writing something balanced , instead of your usual 4 lines each post ?

Again , ive had many discussions with others on here , thats what they are , discussions, you are unable to join in a debate, because you never take other people's comments on board.

Loads of posts on here make points without being confrontational, yours always are.

For me, the worse thing after a poor performance is not the performance but the fact I know you're be back on here "fact" !

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

Love it when you throw your toys out your pram ..

The reason why I started on your message is because you don't offer balanced discussions , you never have.

You use the word "ammo" from the Gills game, that in itself sums you up, because all you do is look to shoot things down.

You offer nothing in terms of reasoned debate and you never have.

Why don't you try writing something balanced , instead of your usual 4 lines each post ?

Again , ive had many discussions with others on here , thats what they are , discussions, you are unable to join in a debate, because you never take other people's comments on board.

Loads of posts on here make points without being confrontational, yours always are.

For me, the worse thing after a poor performance is not the performance but the fact I know you're be back on here "fact" !

Excellently put!

 

[fbm]

Doing this having not read anyone else's opinion first. I went away straight after the game and there was no wi-fi so haven't had a chance to catch up.

Well, what a let down.

This sadly is I think what we have in store for the rest of our home games. Teams at the bottom will be setting their stall out no to lose. It's essential that we get the first goal and hopefully an early one.

Cox had that chance after 15 or so minutes. How he missed I have no idea. If that goes in, the whole game changes.

Port Vale instead had their own purple patch where they penned us in our penalty area, with a heroic block by Thompson and a header off the line by Demetriou keeping the score blank.

At the other end we didn't really create much and to be honest, the game had 0-0 written all over it.

The second half started a little brighter and then we made a couple of changes, which again injected some much needed pace into the side, who had previously looked slow and ponderous in the build up. There were so little options presenting themselves and the play was positively crab like.

Then a sucker punch. A nothing free kick was given and the ball was hoofed into the area. Somehow it evaded everyone and Eagles headed home to give Vale the lead.

AT last this sparked Southend into life and it wasn't that long before an equaliser arrived. McGlashan won a great header out wide on the left and the ball fall nicely into space for Coker to run on to... the low ball across was poked home by the otherwise poor Wordsworth.

We huffed and puffed without ever really testing the keeper again to cap a fairly miserable afternoon that felt more like a defeat.

Ratings -

Smith - 7 - Did nothing wrong and make a couple of good claims

Demetriou - 7 - Solid and goal saving goalline clearance
Coker - 7.5 - Getting back to his best
Ferdinand - 7 - Untroubled but sometimes slowed the game too much
Thompson - 8.5 - MOM - I can't believe this is the same player from a season ago.

Leonard - 7.5 - Goal saving tackle late on, all energy performance sometimes let down by terrible distribution
Atkinson - 6.5 - Ok comeback but did as much poor stuff as good and kept being caught in possession
Wordsworth - 4 - Without the goal would have been 2 or 3. Poor, uninterested performance
Timlin - 7 - Unlucky to be subbed

Cox - 7 - Unusually poor finishing but intelligent runs made, unfortunately not really in tune with MAF
Fortune - 5 - Is his age catching up with him? Didn't trouble the defence at all

Subs -

Robinson - 6 - Not a target man
Nouble - 6 - A target man but didn't play as one

Ref

Not terrible but let an awful lot go for them against us. I'd love to see the foul count, which must be about 5:1

 

[RobM]

Fortune needs the ball to feet, not throat!

 

[onceknownasrab]

Well, what a let down.

This sadly is I think what we have in store for the rest of our home games. Teams at the bottom will be setting their stall out no to lose. It's essential that we get the first goal and hopefully an early one.

Nothing new there but teams at this level can rarely park the bus with confidence and often the tactic turns and bites their own arse. In recent, previous seasons, we did not have the personnel upfront to unlock defensive teams. This season we have some good quality in the forward line, as it has proven, but there are games lately where we look the team of old. To have promotion credentials you have to be able to break through the most resolute of defences and on a better day we would against Port Vale. Yesterday was not a better day. I have a feeling it is a blip and hopefully a brief one that will not lose us too much ground.

 

[tallboyblue]

I know he only had 20 mins or today, but from what i saw his ball control on the deck wasn't great and mis-timed a couple of headers.. very reminiscent on Rangers' home performance v- Sheff Utd...

not convinced, but yes, maybe needs another chance. He won't get a look in over a fit Ranger, IMHO.

Has anyone any idea when Ranger is likely to be fit?

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

One final point was how Wordsworth went for the spectacular pass to the wings - none of which worked.
Sure, it was ambitious, and had they come off maybe a full-back would have been in. But they never were.
If things are going against you, why not the short pass to to restore confidence, at least in the short term?
Can't remember a game when so many passes went astray: easy or hard. Even Ferdinand towards the end was gifting it. Still, there were plenty here saying we would be lucky to survive relegation not so long ago.

 

[South Bank Hank]

Anyone that thought the choir were good? They would be lip syncing to a pre recorded track, just concentrating on silly dance moves. There were no microphones near them lol. So obvious.

However they were most entertaining thing on offer all day.

The giveaway was when a couple of Vale's pre-match shots went into the heart of them as they were 'performing'. I listened carefully for the trademark "heads up", "look out" and "whooah shhhhhh......." through the speakers as the ball cannoned back of one chorister's head. But nothing.

And the BlueVoice attempts at flirting were embarrassing. That's why the pretty ones left at half time.

 

[RobM]

I didn't know the Blue Voice were pretty to start with!

 

[LBBlue]

The first half was absolutely dire - we did nothing apart from the smart move for Cox's chance which was lot more difficult than it looked as the keeper closed the gap quickly.

The foul count at half time was Port Vale conceded 1 we had conceded 9. Apart from the backing in/holding which the ref ignored all game we didn't get near enough for them to foul us. No one would run at them with the ball - until McGlashen did it once soon after he came on and drew the foul and booking. Port Vale only conceded one more free kick all game. We so over did the being patient with the back ward and sideways passing - what has happened to the go for it attitude that lifted us up the table.

The guy next to me thought that Ferdinand was unfit and thus was playing 5-10 yards deeper all game.

Timlin was pushing too far in and leaving Wordsworth no space. I imagine Wordsworth stayed on because there is always a goal in him and Cox was not going to last 90 minutes.

Other have said we don't appear to be fit enough - I think that often we are not athletic enough - we don't have quick feet ball control is not good enough. It was crying out for someone to run with the ball and take the game to them. The other thing we lack is the midfield general to play the Kevin Maher role and pick passes.

And as for our Manager - I did not like the way he was bawling out Ted Smith for about fully 20 seconds in the second half because Ted would not bring the ball 40 yards down the pitch before he lofted it forward.

It's his job to instil into the team to start quickly - that's two weeks running now. Maybe they can't take the pressure.

And his post match excuse in the interview was that Port Vale set up differently to the way he expected and they did a job on us having seen us at Peterborough and they have experienced back room staff. How old is Michael Brown and how long has he been managing?

Just like last year the season is 46 games long.

 

[Thundersley Blue]

Saturday's game cried out for us to play at a high tempo early on. Made it too easy for Port Vale to get into the game.We don't have anyone who is capable of dictating the pace of the game. Indeed we haven't had anyone since Kevin Maher good enough to do that. Yes, we play a different way now and by and large can't really complain at the results snce October but we can always improve.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Let's hope we're having a mini blip. 11 games left, plus a big 6 pointer against Bolton. Keep the faith!

 

[Napster]

And his post match excuse in the interview was that Port Vale set up differently to the way he expected and they did a job on us having seen us at Peterborough and they have experienced back room staff. How old is Michael Brown and how long has he been managing?

David Kelly their assistant has 15 years' experience as an assistant, at some top clubs as well (Forest, Derby, Preston...)

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

After PB talked him up after his performance against Bournemouth midweek, how did Jack Bridge fare?

 

[secondalibi]

Disappointing performance all round on Saturday. The only positive being that we didn't lose and a point might end up being vital at the end of the season. However, with both Bradford and Millwall winning it's made our job a little bit harder.

The next two games are now massive. In reality we need at least 4 points. I certainly don't think we are out of this yet, but we need to push on. We looked so good at Peterborough, but have followed that with two poor performances. The good news is that when we go to Bristol Rovers next Saturday they will attack, which should suit us.

Just thinking about the teams above us, Millwall look in a strong position, but they have a fixture pile up coming that might cause them a few problems. They don't play in the league now until 18.03.17 and then have to play 4 league matches in 10 days, in fact to go a little further it's 6 games in 17 days! That won't be easy, and to make matters even worse, if they could somehow (unlikely) get a draw at Tottenham in the FA Cup, they'll then have to fit in a replay.