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

rigsby said:

Apart from 3 points the most important thing was Oxley having a good game. The save late on was outstanding and about half the team went over to congratulate him.

The one that people are saying was similar to Northampton, was in fact far more difficult. The shot was from much closer, harder and lower, so it was more of a block. Besides he managed to gather the lose ball. Good tip over from a header in the second half at 1-1.

Well done to the crowd. We done just enough to pressure the ref into giving that penalty. By building the anger at his decisions, when he had to make a big call on that handball, he paused for a second and then gave it.

Ferdinand looked comfortable and Inniss grew into the game. Some good commanding headers in the second half, just what we need.

Their 10, Chris Maguire looks a very useful player. Roll on Saturday.

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one good save and a fumble, a good win guys, but the Oxley was not great, should have gone to spec.......

their 10 looked like Cox...

shrimperjon said:

Were u even there tonight, oxley won us the game

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Absolute hogwash. No way has he yet convinced me that he will make a success of it at this level. We were very fortunate to get even a draw tonight and as DWB said, we should be grateful for Oxford's wayward shooting. The charging out of his area in the second half and getting nowhere near the ball was farcical. Yes he made one good save when he tipped a point blank range effort over the top, but generally he does not inspire confidence, and is very reluctant to come off his line.

Harsh criticism maybe, but no way should we be getting carried away with either his performance or indeed the teams.

Ironshrimper said:

really I was there, made one good save, crappppped my pants as he fumbled one really bad....as above don't agree with blinder..

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At least it came out the right end for once.

Stuart W said:

Absolute hogwash. No way has he yet convinced me that he will make a success of it at this level. We were very fortunate to get even a draw tonight and as DWB said, we should be grateful for Oxford's wayward shooting. The charging out of his area in the second half and getting nowhere near the ball was farcical. Yes he made one good save when he tipped a point blank range effort over the top, but generally he does not inspire confidence, and is very reluctant to come off his line.

Harsh criticism maybe, but no way should we be getting carried away with either his performance or indeed the teams.

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Harsh mate. He came out and made the save, then pressured the striker and stayed on his feet. Good keeping.

Can't believe there's some moaning about the entertainment of the game. Baring in mind our horrendous run, our last two home games have been rather entertaining. Millwall more so than this one granted. But both teams having shots at goal, three goals scored. What more do you want? I've seen much much worse over the years!

Stuart W said:

Absolute hogwash. No way has he yet convinced me that he will make a success of it at this level. We were very fortunate to get even a draw tonight and as DWB said, we should be grateful for Oxford's wayward shooting. The charging out of his area in the second half and getting nowhere near the ball was farcical. Yes he made one good save when he tipped a point blank range effort over the top, but generally he does not inspire confidence, and is very reluctant to come off his line.

Harsh criticism maybe, but no way should we be getting carried away with either his performance or indeed the teams.

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As a goalkeeper I thought Oxley did the right thing for the part when he came out the box. He got contact with the ball but the ball drop wasnt overly kind. As many have said; profligacy in front of goal and trying to be a bit too pretty at times meant Oxford didnt capitalise

Firestorm said:

No southend player won us the game, the Oxford forwards won it for us. They could have had 5 or 6

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But so could we, first half we should have been 2 or 3 up before they scored

Stuart W said:

Absolute hogwash. No way has he yet convinced me that he will make a success of it at this level. We were very fortunate to get even a draw tonight and as DWB said, we should be grateful for Oxford's wayward shooting. The charging out of his area in the second half and getting nowhere near the ball was farcical. Yes he made one good save when he tipped a point blank range effort over the top, but generally he does not inspire confidence, and is very reluctant to come off his line.

Harsh criticism maybe, but no way should we be getting carried away with either his performance or indeed the teams.

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They are winding you up, it was a shakey performance by him, apart from the save he tipped over.

marlow17101032 said:

Someone get me a paint brush
No being serious this is what we have got put up with
Until we get players in ,back 5 at home get used to it

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And again in English.

Stuart W said:

Absolute hogwash. No way has he yet convinced me that he will make a success of it at this level. We were very fortunate to get even a draw tonight and as DWB said, we should be grateful for Oxford's wayward shooting. The charging out of his area in the second half and getting nowhere near the ball was farcical. Yes he made one good save when he tipped a point blank range effort over the top, but generally he does not inspire confidence, and is very reluctant to come off his line.

Harsh criticism maybe, but no way should we be getting carried away with either his performance or indeed the teams.

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Sorry, u say hogwash then spout that rubbish. Who is getting carried away. I'm not stating that Oxley is the real deal, but tonight he did well. Give the lad a break. We have no other choice at present. Ted Smith isn't the answer either, so we might as well at least get behind the lad. Apart from one fumble first half he did little wrong. He came off his line well second half, made the save then hassled the guy with little support from the defence. He also made at least 2 or 3 other decent saves. Why can't people get off our players backs FFS

Some interesting and varied views.

My take on it was that they were more organized than us and channeled everything through Chris MaGuire.

A combination of us being worried about the lack of pace at the back and their flooding the midfield meant that we spent long periods of the game on the edge of our own penalty box.

I really don't like one upfront. Never have done. But I guess needs must, with Ranger unfit and clearly PB and Cox have issues.

We had no out ball time and time again and Mooney worked tirelessly, but mainly ineffective.

There were some real positives. Our shooting was way better than normal. We really tested Simon Eastwood all night and I'd be interested to see our shots on target ratio. Far more like it.

Lenny struck that sweetly for the opener and Wordy took an excellent spot-kick under pressure, but in-between we looked disjointed, with players often running into cul-de-sacs as they had no forward option on.

When we did get beyond Mooney, we scored the first goal and Demetriou had that effort cleared away and a great strike at the end.

The save Eastwood made from AB was quality and likewise, Oxley pulled off a good one to save us.

Overall, I have to say, I thought we did OK and for once, ground out a result.

Oxley 7 - Did well overall and was a good performance after Saturday.
Demetriou 7 - Very positive and always looked for a forward option. Close to MOM for me.
Inniss 7 - Steady enough debut. Would like to see him show a little more strength, though.
Ferdinand 7 - Really struggling for fitness, but made up for it with a solid performance.
Barrett 6 - Thought he had a very average game for him, in truth.
Coker 6 - I don't really know what to think. Did really well for our pen, but always seems to give an opponent a yard too much space. Doesn't fill me with any confidence at the moment.
Leonard 6 - Not one of his best games, but kept on going.
McGlashan 6 - Just needs more conviction on the ball, for me.
McLaughlin 7 - Decent performance.
Wordsworth 7 MOM - Just edged it, I think. Moved the ball well when he had it and made some good tackles when needed.
Mooney 7 - 100% commitment. Really tough upfront on your own.

SUBS :

O'Neill 7 - Nothing great. Nothing bad.
Atkinson 7 - As above.

OVERALL :

I can see where people get frustrated watching us. We chiseled out a result, but it was more like an away win than a home one.

We could be a good team, but the system looked off-balance to me. 4-4-2 with someone sitting on Maguire in front of the back four, Deegan style, and 2 upfront would have probably been more effective in controlling the game.

A win is a win, though.

Onwards!

Ironshrimper said:

They are winding you up, it was a shakey performance by him, apart from the save he tipped over.

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Shakey, how? What one fumble? Like their keeper did also.

rigsby said:

At least it came out the right end for once.

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So you was there after a few larger tops in The Spread, you saw the comical fumble, spilled out of his hands...?

Ironshrimper said:

So you was there after a few larger tops in The Spread, you saw the comical fumble, spilled out of his hands...?

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Isn't McNasty the one with the larger tops?

great result to wake up to !!!

That was bloody awful. But a win is a win. Fortunately, we will not play a worse side all season. Oxford simply did not turn up and for long periods in the first half it looked like we were playing, well, us. No tempo to their attacking and, with us having decided pre-game to sit so deep, it looked simple for us to mop things up. Poor David Mooney, so isolated and he put in a good shift. The wingers did well to try and be in two places at once but unfortunately they were being asked to tuck in so Coker and Demetriou had absolutely no options when they had the ball in wide positions.

The players played well on the whole. I was impressed by Inniss and Ferdinand and McGlashan had his best game I have seen (missed Millwall). But the setup was bizarre for a home game against a newly promoted side - it looks like we have accepted our relegation battle and we looked like we were playing for a point, or not to concede. No interest from Brown in attacking.

We were extremely lucky that Oxford were off their game. Their finishing was dreadful and they gave the ball away an awful lot. Oxley had a very decent game, I was impressed with a moment in the second half when our defence went to sleep and they got through with a long ball. He was out fast, forced their lad out wide and then closed down the midfielder on the edge of the box, forcing him to shoot wide. The spillage down to his left in the first half was a mistake (although it was a well struck low shot from 15 yards) but it was the only one he made. Some good saves in the second half.

I'll get shot down for being negative - believe me I am delighted it is the first win I have seen in 6 months - but that was a League Two game.

We were in the South Upper and right behind the one Oxley "fumbled" and as Jai said, that came at pace and through a bit of a crowd and he recovered well. Wasn't anything like Saturday's, frankly, gift for O'Toole.

Interesting that cox is still not getting near the team. Mooney offers a presence up top and battled hard. But probably the best partnership in the short time played is surely cox and ranger, wonder when fit we will see these two together again.

We are missing a player like their McGuire. He is very similar to Payne and we lack a playmaker.

AndyT said:

We were in the South Upper and right behind the one Oxley "fumbled" and as Jai said, that came at pace and through a bit of a crowd and he recovered well. Wasn't anything like Saturday's, frankly, gift for O'Toole.

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Im afraid there are a few on here that clearly don't like the guy so therefore will only see the bad in oxley and not focus on the good that he did tonight. To compare the fumble tonight with Saturday is laughable, as you say there is no comparison. Other than that he did nothing wrong. But people have an agenda, need to ruin someone, unfortunately this season it's oxley.

Similar to Saturday in some ways - we deserved to be ahead at half time but weren't, and then were poor second half. Fortunately the rub of the green and the ref's decision was with us today. Special mention to Ox who was much improved - hopefully confidence will grow. Our MOTM was either Wordy or Demitriou, and what a cracker from Lenny.

Penalty was harsh, although probably right. I haven't heard PBs interview, but I'm sure it is all about how the decision from the ref won us the 3 points, and not his tactics or the players he bought :winking: