Blair Sturrock

[Grayson]

The collective is more important than the individual. Blair doesn't score many, but we win games with him in the team. That's what matters.

 

[Sutton Who]

Yorkie, out of interest could you list the 7 games that Blair did not start please?...

07/08/10 Southend 1 Stockport 1 (72nd minute)
09/10/10 Chesterfield 2 Southend 1 (Not in squad)
16/10/10 Southend 0 Crewe 2 (Not in squad)
13/11/10 Southend 1 Acrrington 1 (Unused sub)
23/11/10 Stevenage 1 Southend 1 (65th minute)
11/12/10 Burton 3 Southend 1 (46th minute)
8/1/11 Southend 2 Chesterfield 3 (79th minute)

 

[Beefy]

It's hard to argue with the stats that YB has posted. Either that is a massive coincidence, or Blair at his best brings a huge amount to the side.

I say at his best because every single time I've seen him this season he's been abysmal, although in most of those he was the sole striker playing with his back to goal, which doesn't appear to be his game.

 

[Rob Noxious]

07/08/10 Southend 1 Stockport 1 (72nd minute)
09/10/10 Chesterfield 2 Southend 1 (Not in squad)
16/10/10 Southend 0 Crewe 2 (Not in squad)
13/11/10 Southend 1 Acrrington 1 (Unused sub)
23/11/10 Stevenage 1 Southend 1 (65th minute)
11/12/10 Burton 3 Southend 1(46th minute)
8/1/11 Southend 2 Chesterfield 3 (79th minute)

And when he came on at Burton he was the best of a bad bunch.

 

[Beefy]

And when he came on at Burton he was the best of a bad bunch.

And when he came on against Stockport he won us the point.

 

[Rob Noxious]

And when he came on against Stockport he won us the point.

And (I'm led to believe that) he gives us good value on Twitter.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I really find it strange that people who don't think Blair is a striker are accused of having a chip on their shoulder. I have just checked and I don't as yet.
All the basic qualities of a good stiker Blair doesn't have.

HE DOESN'T SCORE MANY GOALS
HE CAN'T SHOOT
HE DOESN'T WIN MANY HEADERS IN THE AIR
HE LACKS ANY PACE
HE CAN'T BEAT A DEFENDER ONE ON ONE (to be fair I can't remember him trying!!)
HIS MOVEMENT IS LATERAL AND HE DOESN'T GET IN BEHIND THE DEFENCE

All the qualities he is praised for are reserved for midfield players.

Let's face it his record at previous clubs as a striker is abysmal, and his striking record with us is in line with what he has done previously.

Yep, this is basically my take on him, like Cricko says, it's an opinion, nothing personal.
I'm just sick and tired of the back to goal thing, tap it back, tap it sideways, anything but face the opponents goal and attack the defenders or the goal. I just feel that we would now be higher up the league with a proper speedy striker to partner Corr.

 

[Rob Noxious]

Style, intelligence, a passing game, facial hair with a difference, stats that prove his value --- what indeedy has The Southend Jedi ever done for us?

 

[The General]

I'll tell you who he actually sort of reminds me of ... Lee Bradbury.

Some good stats by Yorkie and i think Matty has summed it up pretty well. Of course, i stand next to the official home sponsor of BS and have even met the man, so i've got to be kind of nice!!

:winking:

 

[Welly7]

I'm fed up with the constant sniping about Blair Sturrock from certain supporters with chips on their shoulders.

If you've actually been paying attention this season you'll have spotted how Sturrock contributes: the way he has the vision to switch play, the way he stretches defences with his movement, his link-up play, his hardwork off the ball and his general football intelligence. This all makes us a better team.

The vast majority of our support have now accepted what he offers, he even gets his name chanted occasionally, which given the scepticism that treated his arrival, is one of the more noteworthy achievements of the last decade (I think Kevin Maher may be the only other player to have won over a sceptical crowd).

Don't believe me: have a look at the stats.

Has made 25 league starts.

Of those 25 we've won 13, drawing a further 5 games. That's 44 points from 25 games, or the equivalent of about 81 points over a full season.

In the 7 games he hasn't started, we've won a grand total of ZERO, drawn three* and lost four. That's three points in 7 seven games. Over a course of a season that is approximately 20 points.

Despite this, he seems (like SUFC) to have no credit in the bank in certain quarters. One off display and the snipers are back out. He'll shut them up for a couple of games with influential displays, but all it takes is for a couple of mistakes and the goodwill is gone and they'll be back on his case, suggesting he should be dropped.

So his critics should ask themselves why we are a better team with him in it, why the vast majority have now accepted him? Yes, the reason Sturrock is in the side is because his father is the manager but it isn't nepotism, it's because his father is a bloody good coach who has instilled a far greater understanding of football into his son than you are sadly ever going to have with your closed minds. I'm not saying he's a perfect footballer; he certainly has his flaws (like all players), but unless you are also willing to acknowledge the attributes he currently brings to the side then you're really not worth wasting my time arguing with and are no better than Barna Blue.

He might not be my player of the season so far, but he's quite possibly top 3. Well done Blair. Keep it up.

*It's even worth noting that of those three draws, Blair Sturrock came on as sub in two of them when we were trailing and helped us equalise.

Sturrock's game is better suited for when we are away from home. He holds up the ball well when it's played into his feet and that allows others to join in from deep. I'd even go as far as to say Blair's more than played his part in helping us win points away from Roots Hall.
But, as far as I'm concerned, that's all he has to his game. He doesn't pose a threat in front of goal, he doesn't dominate a centre half aerially and he doesn't have pace. IMO he doesn't work as hard as people make out and although at times he seems a fairly intelligent player, he's not good enough to execute what his mind is telling him.
I'd not play him at home, but I would away due to lack of options. My opinion is that if Paul Sturrock wasn't his Dad then he wouldn't have been signed, depite the aspects of his game that are decent.
Does this mean I have a closed mind? A clueless idiot that doesn't know anything about football as I've read I must be in your and other posts on the subject? The answers no to both. It's just my opinion and yours is just that also. I don't boo Sturrock, I just think he's not very good - the opposite to you.
I've noticed from a lot of your posts that you seem to have placed yourself on a pedestal in thinking you have superior football knowledge to those with 'closed minds', but the bottom line is I don't rate Blair, you do. I'll keep bemoaning the fact he's playing and you keep rejoicing in his 'ability.'
It's a difference of opinion...that's football.

 

[the_forgotten_man]

nothing will make him anything but a Blue Square player in my eyes.

So regardless of what he does on the pitch, you won't rate him?

 

[Cricko]

So regardless of what he does on the pitch, you won't rate him?

It does not come down to rating him,IMO he does very little and is on par with players/strikers of BQ capability....I will admit he gives 100% effort which is credible but this is to hide his inadequacies elsewhere in his game.It is nothing personal towards BS.

This is of course just my opinion.

 

[Mick]

It does not come down to rating him,IMO he does very little and is on par with players/strikers of BQ capability....I will admit he gives 100% effort which is credible but this is to hide his inadequacies elsewhere in his game.It is nothing personal towards BS.

This is of course just my opinion.

For me 100% effort should be the starting point for any professional footballer (assuming he's being paid!). It's not a plus point (assuming you meant creditable).

 

[chapperzUK]

This topic is never going to be resolved. There are two arguments, for and against.

The main argument for, is that he links up the play well and that, judging by the stats alone, we play better as a team with him in the starting 11.

The biggest argument against is that he doesn't score/shoot enough. Looking at his past record, the one thing that you could safely put your house on, was that he wouldn't be our 15/20 goal a season player.

Do we really need two 20 goal a season strikers? Look towards the end of our 2008/09 season, we had Barnard and Robinson up front, but capable of scoring 20+ goals a season, but we were extremely one dimensional, as neither of them could hold the ball up and when we got desperate, we would hoof the ball over the top and hope that one of them would get onto the end of it. Maybe if we have Sturrock playing behind the strikers, we could add something different to our play.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

This topic is never going to be resolved. There are two arguments, for and against.

The main argument for, is that he links up the play well and that, judging by the stats alone, we play better as a team with him in the starting 11.

The biggest argument against is that he doesn't score/shoot enough. Looking at his past record, the one thing that you could safely put your house on, was that he wouldn't be our 15/20 goal a season player.

Do we really need two 20 goal a season strikers? Look towards the end of our 2008/09 season, we had Barnard and Robinson up front, but capable of scoring 20+ goals a season, but we were extremely one dimensional, as neither of them could hold the ball up and when we got desperate, we would hoof the ball over the top and hope that one of them would get onto the end of it. Maybe if we have Sturrock playing behind the strikers, we could add something different to our play.

I think of recent with the 4-3-3 formation, it could be said that with Hall and Corr playing of front and Sturrock also there, maybe the plan is for Hall and Corr to play off Sturrock with him playing more the link up man between the 3.

There is the argument that Sturrock doesn't score goals but he does provide a lot towards the goal tally with his build up play etc. I wonder if 2 out and out strikers were played, who would provide the link up play and would we score so many goals?

 

[sky240286]

Sturrock's game is better suited for when we are away from home. He holds up the ball well when it's played into his feet and that allows others to join in from deep. I'd even go as far as to say Blair's more than played his part in helping us win points away from Roots Hall.
But, as far as I'm concerned, that's all he has to his game. He doesn't pose a threat in front of goal, he doesn't dominate a centre half aerially and he doesn't have pace. IMO he doesn't work as hard as people make out and although at times he seems a fairly intelligent player, he's not good enough to execute what his mind is telling him.
I'd not play him at home, but I would away due to lack of options. My opinion is that if Paul Sturrock wasn't his Dad then he wouldn't have been signed, depite the aspects of his game that are decent.
Does this mean I have a closed mind? A clueless idiot that doesn't know anything about football as I've read I must be in your and other posts on the subject? The answers no to both. It's just my opinion and yours is just that also. I don't boo Sturrock, I just think he's not very good - the opposite to you.
I've noticed from a lot of your posts that you seem to have placed yourself on a pedestal in thinking you have superior football knowledge to those with 'closed minds', but the bottom line is I don't rate Blair, you do. I'll keep bemoaning the fact he's playing and you keep rejoicing in his 'ability.'
It's a difference of opinion...that's football.

Couldn't have put it better myself

 

[jamie sutton]

hopefully he never takes another penalty again in his life

 

[davewebbsbrain]

hopefully he never takes another penalty again in his life

Cos Blair is the only player ever to miss a penalty.....grow up

 

[jamie sutton]

Cos Blair is the only player ever to miss a penalty.....grow up

yeah but it was one of the worse penalties ive seen in my life..

 

[davewebbsbrain]

yeah but it was one of the worse penalties ive seen in my life..

You can only be young. I've seen a lot worse from Prem strikers....Stuart Pearce didn't even hit the target in the world cup...he must have been ***** musn't he?