Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 1 Shrewsbury & dodgy pitch 2

[AndyT]

After with a lot of what has been put. Would disagree about 1st goal. Rather than the pitch to blame I thought it was typical of a number of goals we have scored this season. Two "defenders" winning the ball off lone opponent giving us ball in advanced position compared to rest of opponent's defenders. The fact our "defenders" are a winger and a centre forward makes all the difference.

Fair assessment, though the first goal came from Demetriou completely losing his footing. On the highlights, you'll see a chunk of turf come up, where it gave way under his feet.

That said, you broke well and forced the opportunity by putting the ball in the danger area.

Good, well organized unit. Hunting in packs and breaking quickly. Like Leicester did so well a couple of seasons back.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Fair assessment, though the first goal came from Demetriou completely losing his footing. On the highlights, you'll see a chunk of turf come up, where it gave way under his feet.

That was exactly where they had done their warm up, the pitch was churned to pieces there and trodden back in by one of their staff after.

 

[blues exile]

What was that Wordsworth was saying before the match about how Southend would know better than Shrewsbury How to play on our pitch?

 

[westie]

The pitch is awful, but ...

It's the same for both teams and ... it's our pitch!

 

[OldBlueLady]

What was that Wordsworth was saying before the match about how Southend would know better than Shrewsbury How to play on our pitch?

Hubby told me that Shrewsbury train on a pitch that's in a similar state to our actual pitch so, if that's the case, it will have stood them well.

 

[Harry Bullocks]

Maybe there's a lesson for us, prior to home games ..:unsure:

 

[ol blue eyes]

I think our 'dodgy' pitch has actually been our 12th man this season, an advantage that Wordsworth may have been alluding to. Up until yesterday we had lost just one league match on it. We know the pitch, but visiting teams (a) can't play their game on it and (b) don't fancy risking injury on it. Whereas our form on decent pitches would put us deep into the relegation battle.

 

[BasildonShrew]

Hubby told me that Shrewsbury train on a pitch that's in a similar state to our actual pitch so, if that's the case, it will have stood them well.

Up to last season we did. This year a lot of money has been spent on training ground and pitch there

 

[Eddy Melito]

the pitch is a bit of a red herring for me. its awful, and thats had a chance to get into players heads. they dont trust it, wont attempt anything other than safe choices because of it. opposition teams may come unstuck occasionally because of the pitch, but also they havent the inbuilt mistrust of it that hampers their mindset.

 

[GBJ]

It was the start of a slippery slide if I remember rightly, I know there were other factors. But how much more is League 1 status worth to us than League 2? A damn site more than £700k I would think....

The slippery slide started when the players didn't receive their wages, and several had to actually borrow money to pay their mortgages.

You simply can't link the sale of Barney to our relegation. And right now is no different, if we went down this season, it wouldn't be down to selling Lenny.

 

[slapheadsteve]

I am not the biggest Mc Glashen fan over 90 minutes but I do agree with Tango bring him on for the last 30 Minutes.
His pace will scare the sh??? out of the opposition.
Why oh Why yesterday if we bought him on did we continue to play hoof ball to Nile. Who all game had 2 defenders on him.
Was this the players not listerning to the Manger or being told to continue hoof ball.
I counted one pass for Mc Galshen from the middle of the South Upper, so what was the reason, only 1 ball.
Just look after at the pitch in front on East Stand all cut up. But in Front of the West Stand much better due to the ball in front of the East Stand all the time.
The only way we were going to open Shrew's up was a ball behind them making them turn and run to defend, would they have caught Jearmaine! Ok maybe we may not have converted the chance but a ball in the penalty area can be put away.
I used to say keep Brown but now with his contract at end of season up a few games before end of the season bring a new man in.

 

[LBBlue]

A bit like all the other games at home really only we gave them two goals and Oxley didn't have another save to make the whole game. They don't concede more than 1 - so the expected result for me.

Wright should have got a tackle in when the pitch gave way beneath Demetriou's foot as he tried to push off and Wright could have been out a bit quicker to block the shot for the second goal.

Looking at the highlights Coker was a bit unlucky.

As for the rest we had the majority of the possession with our sideways, sideways, backwards punt forward game.
Midfield really is the problem.

We did give a bit of a go in the second half - the first half was dross. But they were always quicker to the ball and sharper with it - and very organised. I'm sure they would have been disappointed the way we scored - but then they had no one on the post.

I thought their 20 year old loanee goalkeeper was excellent, their 22 year old loanee centre forward was a pain in the neck and caused us problems all the time he was on and their 19 year old loanee midfielder scored with a precise strike from distance. Added to those three were Whalley, Rodwell, Nsiala, Nolan and Bolton all of whom had considerable experience at non league level.

Two teams at the extremes of recruitment philosophy with the expected result.

 

[AndyT]

^
Good post, that.

Pretty much as I saw it. :thumbsup:

 

[Pak Power]

A bit like all the other games at home really only we gave them two goals and Oxley didn't have another save to make the whole game. They don't concede more than 1 - so the expected result for me.

Wright should have got a tackle in when the pitch gave way beneath Demetriou's foot as he tried to push off and Wright could have been out a bit quicker to block the shot for the second goal.

Looking at the highlights Coker was a bit unlucky.

As for the rest we had the majority of the possession with our sideways, sideways, backwards punt forward game.
Midfield really is the problem.

We did give a bit of a go in the second half - the first half was dross. But they were always quicker to the ball and sharper with it - and very organised. I'm sure they would have been disappointed the way we scored - but then they had no one on the post.

I thought their 20 year old loanee goalkeeper was excellent, their 22 year old loanee centre forward was a pain in the neck and caused us problems all the time he was on and their 19 year old loanee midfielder scored with a precise strike from distance. Added to those three were Whalley, Rodwell, Nsiala, Nolan and Bolton all of whom had considerable experience at non league level.

Two teams at the extremes of recruitment philosophy with the expected result.

All far too young. They would never make it into our team that's for sure

 

[fbm]

What more can be said?

The whole game was like a throwback to the L2 days and the first half in particular was absolutely dire.

Re the pitch - I wonder what the physical effect of playing on it twice in 5 days are? It is dreadful, dreadful, dreadful. It must be like playing on the beach.

That said, Shrewsbury were faster to the ball, quicker to the tackle, more organised and more hard working than we were.

For their first goal, my initial thought at the time was that Coker was unlucky. Having seen the goal again, the forward heads the cross and changes the direction. He's have done well to get out the way of it. So I don't think it was a bad header at all.

We were dreadful at getting the second ball and whenever it was cleared from either penalty area, there was always not one, not two but usually three Shrewsbury players who had a chance to get the ball without a blue shirt in sight.

I lost count of the number of times John White just pumped the ball diagonally either into touch or to one of their guys. Our ball retention when he has the ball is poor, which is way Demetriou is favoured as a right back. You can't fault him for effort but it just doesn't seem to work with him playing as a centre back.

The other JW may well have well just not been there. Slow, pedestrian, ball watched, did nothing of note. McGlashan was ready to come on as he kicked the turf and went down waving like mad. Hmmm.

Wordsworth was anonymous and was a shadow of the player v Charlton where he made several superb defence splitting passes.

The choice of MOM was almost as hard yesterday as it was on Boxing day but for a different reason... no-one stood out! Lenny edges it but more along the lines of a "best of a bad bunch" award.

Ratings -

Oxley - 6

Demetriou - 5
Coker - 6
Turner - 6
Ferdinand - n/a

Wright - 2
Wordsworth - 4
Leonard - 7
McLaughlin - 5

Ranger - 5
Cox - 6

Subs

McGlashan - 5
White - 5
Robinson - n/a

 

[Stan33]

stan33

the pitch is a bit of a red herring for me. its awful, and thats had a chance to get into players heads. they dont trust it, wont attempt anything other than safe choices because of it. opposition teams may come unstuck occasionally because of the pitch, but also they havent the inbuilt mistrust of it that hampers their mindset.

Stu guys r over thinking ,we r a very poor team

 

[RHB]

Stu guys r over thinking ,we r a very poor team

Nice one Stan, always a good way to start the new year posting something I can't really understand.

 

[Stan33]

Sorry RHB ,it should have read u guys r over thinking we r a very poor side

 

[OldBlueLady]

Sorry RHB ,it should have read you guys are over thinking we are a very poor side

Amended for you

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

What more can be said?

The whole game was like a throwback to the L2 days and the first half in particular was absolutely dire.

Re the pitch - I wonder what the physical effect of playing on it twice in 5 days are? It is dreadful, dreadful, dreadful. It must be like playing on the beach.

That said, Shrewsbury were faster to the ball, quicker to the tackle, more organised and more hard working than we were.

For their first goal, my initial thought at the time was that Coker was unlucky. Having seen the goal again, the forward heads the cross and changes the direction. He's have done well to get out the way of it. So I don't think it was a bad header at all.

We were dreadful at getting the second ball and whenever it was cleared from either penalty area, there was always not one, not two but usually three Shrewsbury players who had a chance to get the ball without a blue shirt in sight.

I lost count of the number of times John White just pumped the ball diagonally either into touch or to one of their guys. Our ball retention when he has the ball is poor, which is way Demetriou is favoured as a right back. You can't fault him for effort but it just doesn't seem to work with him playing as a centre back.

The other JW may well have well just not been there. Slow, pedestrian, ball watched, did nothing of note. McGlashan was ready to come on as he kicked the turf and went down waving like mad. Hmmm.

Wordsworth was anonymous and was a shadow of the player v Charlton where he made several superb defence splitting passes.

The choice of MOM was almost as hard yesterday as it was on Boxing day but for a different reason... no-one stood out! Lenny edges it but more along the lines of a "best of a bad bunch" award.

Ratings -

Oxley - 6

Demetriou - 5
Coker - 6
Turner - 6
Ferdinand - n/a

Wright - 2
Wordsworth - 4
Leonard - 7
McLaughlin - 5

Ranger - 5
Cox - 6

Subs

McGlashan - 5
White - 5
Robinson - n/a

As reported this week, Josh Wright and Woody played whilst carrying injuries. Woody since October. It's backfired badly as Josh Wright has now done more damage and Woody had a nightmare in most of those games since October, especially away from home. We have Yearwood chomping at the bit but we play half fit players in midfield. I understand the manager likes to play his best Eleven, but when they are more of a passenger it doesn't make sense, especially as we're losing more games than winning.