Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 1-2 Accrington

[mfurok]

He has been injured most the time he has been here.

Why do you come out with this stuff?

 

[Jam_Man]

Why do you come out with this stuff?

Er, because he has?

He had a thigh injury pretty much as soon as he joined.

 

[rigsby]

That is my opinion and I wager many others at the ground or on here will agree,why would anyone wish for failure?,I get it you want to defend Phil which is fine that is your opinion.

Managers come and go and ultimately Phil will leave for a bigger club or get the sack here,that is football.

That's the very reason why a of a lot of fans don't attend any more, they realise who ever is in charge or what ever constraints their under the whingers will always moan. Its not always a good atmosphere on the zone or at RH.

 

[mrsblue]

That's the very reason why a of a lot of fans don't attend any more, they realise who ever is in charge or what ever constraints their under the whingers will always moan. Its not always a good atmosphere on the zone or at RH.

If we were top and winning most games 5 0 there still would be arguments or serious discussion on here,that is the nature of message boards.

I suggest the fans staying away are fed up with what they have seen and the abuse/frustration fans shout at games.

I never understand why people say the atmosphere on here is dodgy,plenty of discussion which at times is over the top(me included)but nobody would put me off,I even have stalkers on here which I find flattering.

 

[FarmdogSUFC]

Don't know if anyone else has the same opinion as me but JBW and Thommo seem to play a lot better away from home IMO. At home they look nervous and shaky. Away from home they seem to play with a bit of confidence. The away games I've seen this season with them 2 at the back I've been impressed. At home, they play like an accident waiting to happen.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Don't know if anyone else has the same opinion as me but JBW and Thommo seem to play a lot better away from home IMO. At home they look nervous and shaky. Away from home they seem to play with a bit of confidence. The away games I've seen this season with them 2 at the back I've been impressed. At home, they play like an accident waiting to happen.

I haven't seen us play away from home for a while - I can barely put up with home games - but presumably they are better shielded away from home where our midfield sits deeper than at home games?

 

[rigsby]

Don't know if anyone else has the same opinion as me but JBW and Thommo seem to play a lot better away from home IMO. At home they look nervous and shaky. Away from home they seem to play with a bit of confidence. The away games I've seen this season with them 2 at the back I've been impressed. At home, they play like an accident waiting to happen.

Agree with most of your post. Have been told the young players are more nervous at home. Thommo was MOM for a lot of people on Tuesday but for others he should have been dropped for Saturday. I like his style and don't think you can fault him for bravery and commitment. Been enough players in the past that I would never pay that compliment too.

 

[Tampa Blue]

For obvious reasons i wasn't at the match but my boss who has supported Southend for the same amount of time as me (first match 1970) and still buys his season ticket even though he lives in Florida was back in the UK and went to the match.

He sent me the following email on his opinion of the game which I thought I would share:

" I am concerned at home at least it may be the case of theluck run out Sounds Like York could have won here as well if they hadtaken their chances and the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] half Vs Cheltenham was apparentlydire.

No issue with the keeper

Defense
Crocker – was clearly carrying a bit of injury and could notforge forward – big negative for us

I am really not sure about B-Williams – he is strongand fast but for every good thing he does he makes a **** up. He does not likea team player

He and Thompson do not look like a defensive pairing - Ifyou see there 2nd goal it was a chip forward and their only guy up front simplyruns straight down the middle, ahead of the central defenders and scores.Terrible.

Suggestion
Bring Prosser in for Williams & Barrett to left bac****il Crocker is fit.

Midfield

Too negative – need to play Worrall to give some width andto deliver a quality cross

Forward

At home – need to play Corr as Cassidy in particular looksnothing special, maybe away from home with more space you can play them bothbut home against organized teams they are simply not good or physical enough tomake an impression Also in a team that scores so few goals which come form 4players I think you are almost forced to play all 4, Corr, Piggott, Payne andWorrall everytime.

Looks like play offs again"

 

[rigsby]

I haven't seen us play away from home for a while - I can barely put up with home games - but presumably they are better shielded away from home where our midfield sits deeper than at home games?

Jack Payne had his best game [ that I've watched] at Shrewsbury. He actually pushed on higher up the pitch, to mark Ryan Woods. Looked a better player when he stole the ball, rather than at home were he has to make it happen.

On Saturday early doors, he cut inside onto his right foot to very similar position to his Shrewsbury goal. Being at home their was a little less space and sadly for us a Stanley defender got in a good bloc.

 

[Jam_Man]

For obvious reasons i wasn't at the match but my boss who has supported Southend for the same amount of time as me (first match 1970) and still buys his season ticket even though he lives in Florida was back in the UK and went to the match.

He sent me the following email on his opinion of the game which I thought I would share:

" I am concerned at home at least it may be the case of theluck run out Sounds Like York could have won here as well if they hadtaken their chances and the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] half Vs Cheltenham was apparentlydire.

No issue with the keeper

Defense
Crocker – was clearly carrying a bit of injury and could notforge forward – big negative for us

I am really not sure about B-Williams – he is strongand fast but for every good thing he does he makes a **** up. He does not likea team player

He and Thompson do not look like a defensive pairing - Ifyou see there 2nd goal it was a chip forward and their only guy up front simplyruns straight down the middle, ahead of the central defenders and scores.Terrible.

Suggestion
Bring Prosser in for Williams & Barrett to left bac****il Crocker is fit.

Midfield

Too negative – need to play Worrall to give some width andto deliver a quality cross

Forward

At home – need to play Corr as Cassidy in particular looksnothing special, maybe away from home with more space you can play them bothbut home against organized teams they are simply not good or physical enough tomake an impression Also in a team that scores so few goals which come form 4players I think you are almost forced to play all 4, Corr, Piggott, Payne andWorrall everytime.

Looks like play offs again"

Thats pretty accurate, but no Barrett at left back thanks. Know he played there before but he isnt a fullback.

Think he is harsh on Cassidy, I thought the pair of them did ok on Saturday, but as he hasnt hit the net in previous games people are focusing on him and not Pigott (who missed a sitter).

The big question is how do you set the team up with Payne and Worrall in it.

Jack Payne had his best game [ that I've watched] at Shrewsbury. He actually pushed on higher up the pitch, to mark Ryan Woods. Looked a better player when he stole the ball, rather than at home were he has to make it happen.

On Saturday early doors, he cut inside onto his right foot to very similar position to his Shrewsbury goal. Being at home their was a little less space and sadly for us a Stanley defender got in a good bloc.

Payne was playing high up on Saturday still, just behind the strikers. Interesting point though that away from home he would get more space in that "hole" than when teams come to Roots Hall. He just repeatedly ran into defenders first half, only second half when we added players wide after going 3 at the back did he then have more space when they were stretched and he started to spread some decent passes around.

 

[Benfleet Blue]

Very frustrated but in no way surprised. This performance carried on from the second half Tuesday where quite frankly we were awful. Tuesday was an opportunity to really rack up the goals and build some confidence, yet We sat back and allowed Cheltenham into the game. Today, other than piggotts chance which he should have scored I can't remember working their keeper once in the first half. Whether Accy came for a point or not, when it mattered they did the business in front of goal and for me deserved their win, which from our point of view is embarrassing.

i am not a PB fan, I dont like his tactics, team selections at times are baffling and subs the same. I appreciate our league position etc, but with this squad of players we should be there or there abouts if not higher. We have thrown away so many points. We have been extremely lucky in so many games, which is a good sign I guess, but I can't remember many games, and I've been to plenty that I can honestly say I enjoyed.

• Smith in goal did well, but you could see his inexperience, would be concerned if Bentley is injured for a few weeks. Kicking needs a lot of work and decision making will come with game time, but think it's a bit soon for him
• JBW has been an accident waiting to happen, apparently a left back by trade, oh dear. Then in desperation PB plays him at CB. Yesterday's performance has been on the cards for weeks. How he gets ahead of Prosser or AB is baffling. Don't care about the last few weeks, you play the best players in the best positions and he isn't one of them
• AB is bought as much for his experience than his playing ability, yet after playing the last 20 mins on Tuesday doesn't even get on the bench yesterday, apparently he was fit. Should have been playing in my opinion, or if not Prosser in and AB on the bench.
• The Coker substitution is right up there as the most bizarre since Worrell got taken off against Chester. Along with Worrell Coker is by far one of our most attacking players and one of the best crosses of the ball. Why was he taken off in a game we were chasing, leaving JBW on who quite frankly in the last 15 mins was even more out of position than previously. Were we playing three at the back? If yes why did hurst spend most of his time on the pitch playing left back. Coker was fuming when he came off and gave the management a right mouthful.
• why did Worrell not start? He is our best player, he gives us the one thing this side needs and that is width. We now have two decent strikers in the side who win headers, yet we play so narrow. I've read much criticism of white on here, but yesterday he had the ball numerous times but no option. The middle of the pitch was congested and no one out wide to play it to. Payne is not the answer at home at least. He has no strength and mostly runs into a cul de sac. He is more suited to away games where the game can be more open. Did we'll for the goal though.
• Leonard is a shadow of his former self, think he needs to take some time out and look at his game. He seems lacklustre, slow in his decision making, constantly falling over and passing not far worse than JBW
• really like Cassidy, and yesterday he was better and sharper than Piggott, so why take him off?

All in all a bad day at the office, maybe? But PB got a lot wrong yesterday and not for the first time in my opinion. Sometimes luck can carry you so far, but eventually it runs out, yesterday it did. Stevenage will be a tough test next week, he needs to get it spot on. Get the experience back in defence, get some bite in midfield and some width in the side.

Absolutely spot on. PB states we were inexperienced and naive and yet picks 2 young full backs as centre halves and takes off probably our best player, Coker, at left back and replaces him with Hurst who sits in at that position and is totally ineffective. I can see why Coker was furious. And to have AB sitting in the Directors Box watching that dross he must wonder what he's done. Marking Balotelli one week, and doing a bloody good job of it, and sitting and watching Thompson and Williams screw it up the next.

 

[FarmdogSUFC]

I haven't seen us play away from home for a while - I can barely put up with home games - but presumably they are better shielded away from home where our midfield sits deeper than at home games?

This is true. I've noticed at home it seems to be Lenny covering back, whereas away from home Timlin and Atkinson sit a bit deeper as well. It's a strange one though, I honestly can't quite put my finger on what we can do to change these home performances. It's plain to see where we struggle and what we do wrong, but I honestly don't know how to change it. Maybe a PS style of football in terms of getting the ball in the final 3rd and play from there? One thing I personally wouldn't do though is play Atkinson at home, rather see Deegan come in and allow Lenny to push on more.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Jack Payne had his best game [ that I've watched] at Shrewsbury. He actually pushed on higher up the pitch, to mark Ryan Woods. Looked a better player when he stole the ball, rather than at home were he has to make it happen.

On Saturday early doors, he cut inside onto his right foot to very similar position to his Shrewsbury goal. Being at home their was a little less space and sadly for us a Stanley defender got in a good bloc.

Payne pushed on, but what of the other 3 in midfield?

We haven't had anyone winning the ball high up the pitch since Laird was frozen out. Winning the ball high up the pitch is one way of alleviating the problem of getting the ball into dangerous positions. Prior to Laird, Sturrock did it with Kane Ferdinand and before that Anthony Grant when he converted them from defensive midfielders - I think he'd do a similar thing with Ryan Leonard. Tilly had someone in that role in McCormack and before that Bentley and Pettefer.

We win the ball back in deeper positions than we have done for quite a few years.

 

[MisterBlue]

Thank you mrsblue, your posts, 45 on the Brown echo thread for example back up perfectly my point perfectly on 'wishing for failure'

Not to worry Rigsby. It's not Southend United or even football related. The issues with mrsblue run far deeper. I know Southend failing makes her feel better about herself.

 

[mrsblue]

Not to worry Rigsby. It's not Southend United or even football related. The issues with mrsblue run far deeper. I know Southend failing makes her feel better about herself.

See Rigsby my very own stalker who only posts about me haha.

 

[Fairport]

Reasons why we don't score enough goals.
Playing Atkinson and Tomlin in advanced midfield roles, number of goals between them this season.....NIL

Centre backs: Number of goals this season.....NIL

 

[slapheadsteve]

Ok waited till today as wanted to give this some thought.
At the back we did seem to be worrying a bit was this due to Teddy being in goal.
I digress did anyone read Tango's comments in Echo.
He played Teddy.Instead of Paul as Teddy plays like a sweeper.
Is this reference to Paul staying on his line!!! (DWB may answer).
I also counted 5 of the first 6 Williams passes went to a Accrington Player. Way not good enough!!
Thompson should have another partner at Stevenage. Otherwise back four the same.
Dont get me started on why Coker went off. Too me the best player on our books!!
Midfield it went wrong in this area. Far too narrow.
We cant play Jack and play a 4-4-2- (or diamond if you want to call it that) at home.
They packed the area and we just could not get through.
Play Hurst and Worrall with Lenny and Timlin in the middle.
We cant keep setting the team out to allow Jack to Play. It has not worked at home for a while now!!
I lost count of the times Jack was legally physically moved from the ball.
We need width, a midfield as above would open the defense up, not running in striaight lines in the box.
Hurst and Worall can score. Yes Jack can but he has no physical presence, and is not the answer at home.
Yes i did go to Shrewsbury when he was great.
We have a massive problem at home no width allowing us to open up the defence is the way forward.
I like Cassidy off the ball but we cant give him many more games if he does not put the ball in the goal.
AS Bazza did score on Saturday.

 

[Pubey]

Still fail to see how we're better with Atkinson in the team. He feels like a luxury.

Two things I commonly see said about Atkinson are:

1. He works hard
2. He's all over the pitch

Firstly I think 1 should be the bare minimum from any SUFC player. And with point 2 I don't think that's necessarily a positive for a midfield player, especially one who is in a wide position.

 

[OldBlueLady]

And with point 2 I don't think that's necessarily a positive for a midfield player, especially one who is in a wide position.

Which several of us have alluded to, he wanders off leaving White exposed.

 

[Jam_Man]

Ok waited till today as wanted to give this some thought.
At the back we did seem to be worrying a bit was this due to Teddy being in goal.
I digress did anyone read Tango's comments in Echo.
He played Teddy.Instead of Paul as Teddy plays like a sweeper.
Is this reference to Paul staying on his line!!! (DWB may answer).
I also counted 5 of the first 6 Williams passes went to a Accrington Player. Way not good enough!!
Thompson should have another partner at Stevenage. Otherwise back four the same.
Dont get me started on why Coker went off. Too me the best player on our books!!
Midfield it went wrong in this area. Far too narrow.
We cant play Jack and play a 4-4-2- (or diamond if you want to call it that) at home.
They packed the area and we just could not get through.
Play Hurst and Worrall with Lenny and Timlin in the middle.
We cant keep setting the team out to allow Jack to Play. It has not worked at home for a while now!!
I lost count of the times Jack was legally physically moved from the ball.
We need width, a midfield as above would open the defense up, not running in striaight lines in the box.
Hurst and Worall can score. Yes Jack can but he has no physical presence, and is not the answer at home.
Yes i did go to Shrewsbury when he was great.
We have a massive problem at home no width allowing us to open up the defence is the way forward.
I like Cassidy off the ball but we cant give him many more games if he does not put the ball in the goal.
AS Bazza did score on Saturday.

Totally agree with pretty much everything you say, but that last bit is surely linked.

If we arent creating then why replace the striker. He will surely benefit from that width?

As you then say Corr did score, and where did the ball come from? Out wide....