Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 2-1 Blackburn Rovers

[RHB]

First home game, very good gate, never play well against decent opposition and a big gate. Only we did...............the first 45 minutes we totally bossed the game and gave Blackburn a reminder of the tough season they face in FL1. Good crisp football, closing down of their midfield and constant prompting from both wings. Come half time we were really worth the two goal lead courtesy of Kightly and Lendog. Second half was scrappy at times but not really surprising as Blackburn had realised that they had to have a go if they were to get anything out of the game. Overall Fortune battled, held the ball up and took a bit of a battering but the free kick he conceded for their goal was something he will want to forget. Good free kick strike from their man and it was 2-1. After that it was nip and tuck at both ends and we could have scored at least three more but I'll settle for 2-1 against the bookies favourites. Nobody had a bad game but for me the MoM was between Kightly and John White, with Kightly just edging it.

Well done Phil and the boys, great opening game result.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Bigly win! Sure there will be many such cases this season. As for Blackburn, sad!

 

[Jam_Man]

PLEASE NOTE:

I have moved the posts regarding to the supporters death to a new thread for people to post their condolences.

We can keep this thread for the game itself as despite the sad events we are all still entitled to enjoy the moment.

 

[MisterStubbs]

Firstly I just want to send my condolences to the family and friends of John, such tragic news after what's been a really positive day.

On to the football, I thought we were excellent today both for different reasons in each half. First half we were brilliant, our quality on our squad really did shine through and the two goals were excellently taken. We looked fitter than Blackburn and dare I say, more hungry in the opening 45 minutes. Second half we had to show some real fight and determination. Blackburn game out of the blocks all guns blazing and we really had to dig deep to get through that period with the lead intact. For me it's really encouraging to see the mix of quality and determination and that should do us well this season.

Oxley: 7, didn't have a great deal to do. No chance with the Rovers goal.
Demi: 7, linked up really well with Mcglashan and looked threatening when going forward.
Feedinand: 8, calmness and quality from the skipper, a real leader.
White: 8, top class performance, didn't look out of place at all.
Hendrie: 7, like Demi, he linked up with the winger in front of him well and handled their attackers well.
McGlashan: 8, attacked well, tracked back and helped out the defence even better.
Lenny: 8, professional job, looked committed in the tackles and took his goal well.
Timlin: 7, controlled the midfield well, excellent set piece delivery.
Kightly: 9, top class performance. Different level to anyone else on the pitch. Made the right decision every time.
MAF: 7, had a real battle with Mulgrew (who was different class for them) and worked his socks off.
Cox: 7, put a shift in, unlucky with his half volley in the first half.

McLaughlin: N/A
Robinson: 6, good movement resulted in a couple of chances he should have converted.

Overal I'm delighted with how the game panned out against the early season favourites. Plenty of reasons for us to be excited about the season ahead.

Up the Blues!

 

[Wickford Blue]

Agree re condolences - my Dad died at Upton Park and a real shock for the family. But at least the team gave him a great send-off! Fantastic start to the season and the stats show how dominant we were and perhaps a change in tactics - 17 shots today!!
Thought Kightly really showed his class today and White and Ferdinand was awesome. Would have Mulgrew back though at a heartbeat - he was immense for Blackburn!!

 

[David Icke]

It seems a few Blackburn fans are embarrassed to lose to little old Southend :winking:

Yep. One of them screamed at me the match was our little club's cup final - to which I replied " Wrong, but when we
come to you, that'll be yours".

 

[Shrimper]

Kightly was incredible today, really impressed with him. My man of the match for sure

 

[mrsblue]

Brilliant !

Best I've seen us for many years....every player was decent BUT Fortune was excellent IMO .

Pitch was cutting up badly...shame


RIP to the old gentleman.

 

[Magnum PI]

First half dominance today from start to finish. We never let them get going and they were largely anonymous. The only surprise with the first goal was not that it came, but that it came from a set piece. The delivery's were so much better today than usual and no surprise there with Kightly on cue. Lenny's reaction showed what it meant to him. Great bit of work by everyone at the club in keeping him, and credit to Lenny for remaining so professional. We actually got some ball-run on the second goal for a change and suddenly it's 2-0 against everyone's Champions-Elect.

The second half was always going to be a test and we started poorly - losing the ball, and giving away unnecessary fouls. Knew when Mulgrew got the free-kick it would be in and completely unsaveable - a wonderful free-kick. He was head and shoulders over every other player in his team and surely too good for League 1. After that we looked flustered for about 5 mins but soon got our composure and after that looked pretty comfortable. They made their subs and it didn't really change anything - we always looked the most likely to score again. When Lenihan went down injured and had to limp on we had it in the bag. Not sure how ref found 5 mins but on the whole he reffed the game very well and very sensibly.

So, on reflection a few things spring to mind.

Rob Kiernan - probably the most miserable player in camp today seeing White's performance - if he steals the centre half pairing with Anton then it would be a travesty as John White was absolutely immense today. Coggers was in his ear at the end congratulating him. It was a sensational performance from a player out of position and not the first time he has done so.

Michael Kightly - Looks a class above, both in touch and delivery. Once/if we get Ranger back in the team we will score plenty of headers and expect us to be much more potent on set-pieces this year.

Pitch - Grass looks a bit long - are we hiding something?

A great start to the season and a big marker laid down for everyone else.

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Everybody played well today a great team performance. Motm would have to be John White didn't put a foot or head wrong all afternoon

 

[Jam_Man]

Everybody played well today a great team performance. Motm would have to be John White didn't put a foot or head wrong all afternoon

Who was it that missed the header early on which led to the keystone cops defending moment? That was White wasnt it?

Proper bad defending from about 3 players all at once, missed header, then confusion between Anton and oxley, luckily got away with it.

 

[Rooting-for-the-Blues]

Well pleased with my first game at Roots Hall and the win.
I enjoyed what I saw the defence right across coped admirably with the Blackburn attack.
Their goal was a shocker and against the run of play,but hey The Blues came good when the sun shone. :smile:
Was quite impressed with a few players today White and Ferdinhand looked good together the left and right backs coped well.Leonard what can I say great goal.
Thought Fortune was a bit standoffish for the first 15/20 mins but after that got into it and caused problems for Blackburn.
I will get the hang of the others lads names eventually. :smile:

If Blackburn really want to do well this season they may well need another manager.
Mowbray was a great player for Boro but not a good motivator as a manager and only has one way of playing.
Defend try and catch the oposition on the break.
The Blues coped really well with them tactics today
I watched him at Boro for 3yrs playing that way.
He simply as no plan B.

 

[RobM]

Be aware - it isn't always this good!

 

[RHB]

Stuff I should have mentioned but forgot. The home crowd today were first class, behind the team from the beginning on the noise front and kept it going the whole game. The Blue Voice were loud, extremely gobby and just what we needed today. I'm pretty certain that the drummer managed a drum roll, very impressive if it was. And finally a special mention for my new seat. Shiny new blue seat back, same old faded scruffy seat bottom with number still missing. Only at Southend eh? Still as Mrs RHB said, 'at least you haven't got to wear it in', very true. COYB.

 

[Rob1920]

I'll be honest, I never saw that coming. Bloody brilliant start to the season!

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Pitch was cutting up badly...shame

Pitch - Grass looks a bit long - are we hiding something?

Must be the worst opening day pitch we have had for some years.
Lets hope it can get a chance to recover a bit after Tuesdays game and they can work on it.

Maybe the old groundsman wasn't so bad after all!

Mind you all must be well if that's all we have to moan about!

 

[Eddy Melito]

I think the pitch is struggling to root. Perhaps it's got so sand based now that it's struggling. At the Brighton game it was noticeable that despite leaving it meadow length (usually seen as protecting it) whenever anyone went to ground in a tackle, huge lumps of turf came up like badly laid carpet tiles. The ease with which they came up is worrying for this time of the season baring in mind we've just had the best part of the year to work on any flaws and to strengthen the pitch etc.

 

[ms brush]

Well, wasn't expecting that performance or result! Fantastic start to the season.

Really got the impression that Blackburn just thought they could turn up at Roots Hall and take the 3 points home. they weren't expecting to be 2-0 down at half time and us to be as good as we were today! They are a decent side, and much lauded as favourites, and good to see we were better than them!

Couldnt pick out any poor performance today, the whole team looked good - apart from that early heart in mouth moment where we almost scored an own goal... we recovered quickly, thankfully and we were the better side for at least 70 minutes. Kightly is a massive addition to the squad, John White was awesome, McLashan was causing havoc and MAF was a joy to watch. Can't pick a MOM, as all played brilliantly.

Fantastic touch before the game, with the whole team wearing t shirts with Cokers name and number 3. Lovely show of unity and support for Ben.

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

There were perhaps three players today who may have been unsure whether they would start:

- White (instead of Kiernan)
- McGlashan (instead of McLaughlin)
- Fortune (instead of Robinson)

All three put in Man Of The Match performances.

A bit of competition does wonders.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

Be aware - it isn't always this good!

I think that's being a bit harsh - other than the poor start last season (and a bit of a stuttering end) we played some excellent football