Pre-Match Thread Southend Utd vs Portsmouth FC

[SeaSideDoughnut]

I'm not convinced Lennon is ready. If he were to play I can see another injury, just a feeling.

I don't know what my starting eleven would be, it feels like we're trying to draw orange juice out of the pith at this point. I'm not hopeful to say the least.

 

[Chrisb]

I'm not convinced Lennon is ready. If he were to play I can see another injury, just a feeling.

I don't know what my starting eleven would be, it feels like we're trying to draw orange juice out of the pith at this point. I'm not hopeful to say the least.

Yes, I have voted for Turner above Lennon, only for that reason,.

 

[RHB]

Any chance the game can be called off due to poor form, frozen pitch, bad team selection, pretty much any excuse so my work colleagues won't see how awful we are.

Come on BD, loud and proud mate. You have a 50% chance that we will dish up some good stuff and maybe even win.

 

[Austin the Shrimper]

John White is ruled out through injury.

Really hoping Hyam and Lennon can be fit for this one.... probably to soon though.

 

[Clarky176]

Bishop
Bwomono Moore Turner Hart
Kightly Dieng Mantom Macca
Cox Humphrys

Don’t think anyone will return from injury

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Bish
Moore Turner Lennon Hart
Kightly Dieng Mantom Macca
Cox Humphreys​

 

[Jay_SUFC]

Bish
Moore Turner Lennon Hart
Kightly Dieng Mantom Macca
Cox Humphreys​

Moore is our best centre back, so wasted putting him on the right.

Also Lennon hasn't played a game of football in months, so there is no way he should start.

I agree with the rest of your side, though Elvis would have to stay in, due to the above.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Moore is our best centre back, so wasted putting him on the right.

Also Lennon hasn't played a game of football in months, so there is no way he should start.

I agree with the rest of your side, though Elvis would have to stay in, due to the above.

Elvis is like a lost child. Admitedly it isn't being helped by the fact we change between a flat 4 then a 5 each week. But Dieng spends most of his time covering him so I'd put Moore there because I agree, he's our best defender. You can tell straight away so many teams clock Elvis is our weak link, we don't need someone who likes getting forward there, we need a defender.

If Lennon ain't fit he shouldn't be on the bench. If Moore or Turner pulled up at Donny along with White he'd have had to play

 

[RHB]

Elvis appears to have good games and bad games. He is due a good one, so here's hoping.

 

[Evening Echo]

ECHOSPORT talks to Portsmouth fan Joe Robbins ahead of tomorrow’s clash at Roots Hall.

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[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United manager Chris Powell insists the Shrimpers have ‘everything to gain’ against Portsmouth tomorrow.

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[Jay_SUFC]

Elvis is like a lost child. Admitedly it isn't being helped by the fact we change between a flat 4 then a 5 each week. But Dieng spends most of his time covering him so I'd put Moore there because I agree, he's our best defender. You can tell straight away so many teams clock Elvis is our weak link, we don't need someone who likes getting forward there, we need a defender.

If Lennon ain't fit he shouldn't be on the bench. If Moore or Turner pulled up at Donny along with White he'd have had to play

The issue for Elvis, is CP is hell bent on not playing wide players, which then leaves him totally exposed, so it actually doesn't matter who you stick there.

We need to go back to basics and ensure he has someone permanently in front of him.

Moore is our best centre back, that doesn't make him our best full back; totally different positions!!

Agree, if either Turner or Moore had pulled up, then we may have no choice (though personally I would put Dieng ahead of him if that was the case).

I didn't say Lennon wasn't fit, but he hasn't actually played a game for months - huge difference in needing someone for short period towards the end of the game, than starting them.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

The issue for Elvis, is CP is hell bent on not playing wide players, which then leaves him totally exposed, so it actually doesn't matter who you stick there.

We need to go back to basics and ensure he has someone permanently in front of him.

Moore is our best centre back, that doesn't make him our best full back; totally different positions!!

Agree, if either Turner or Moore had pulled up, then we may have no choice (though personally I would put Dieng ahead of him if that was the case).

I didn't say Lennon wasn't fit, but he hasn't actually played a game for months - huge difference in needing someone for short period towards the end of the game, than starting them.

Elvis' biggest problem is going forward when there's no winger to cover him. He gets caught out of position a ridiculous amount of times. Sprints forward and jogs back. Just dont go forward

Demetriou's return really cant come soon enough

 

[Grapevine]

Keep doing what you’ve always done and you’ll keep getting what you always got....

Amazes me how despite how much griping we’ve all done on here, when push comes to shove everyone goes for safety in what they know despite knowing it’s not been good enough....

Does anyone expect to beat Portsmouth tomorrow? Probably 80% will answer no....so why not lose going all out?

Throw some youth, some legs, some enthusiasm, some fearlessness at it....something different to what we’ve always done.....same faces same gripes same failures.

We have all seen how Bishop has grown and improved and adapted with a run of games....because he’s a GK we see it as no option but why not adopt that approach to an outfield player? Live with them kicking out to keep their heads above water and see if given some time they will learn to swim...

“Too late now” I hear you all say...too much to lose....too close to relegation.....I get that....but how long are we gonna see the same players failing?

What happened to Batlokwa? He was excellent early season....no appearance since.

Klass was great early season (checkatrade and EFL) not seen again til last week.

Hutchinson showed real promise off the bench and a super league debut v Gills...not been seen since the dire team performance against Plymouth.

Wabo....what we gonna do, release him without ever knowing if he could or couldn’t?

I’m not saying all at once but how would Hutchinson be now if he’d had a run of games since Plymouth? Better than Macca?

What if Klass now had 20 game sunder his belt? Better than Dieng?

Wabo MAY have scored a goal out of nothing if he’d had 10 sub appearance...

I know it’s ifs and buts but my point is WE SIMPLY DONT EVEN KNOW!!!! We keep persevering with what we’ve seen NOT working!!

 

[Feathers]

McLaughlin probably played his best football for Powell (last season).

I wonder if it's more fatherhood that isn't bringing the best out of him?

In fact maybe the reason we're better away from home (I'm guessing we went up on the day for a night game v Donny) is because the players spend the night in a hotel away from screaming kids?

McLaughlin played his best football under Brown in the season we finished just outside the play offs. He linked up particularly well with Wordsworth. Both are intelligent, attack minded players.

Powell has let Wordsworth go (given his age and injury record the correct decision) but not replaced him with any attack minded midfielders. It is not surprising that McLaughlin and Kightly are both struggling, when they do get into attacking positions there is no midfield support and Cox is variably out of position as he has had to go hunting for the ball his central midfield players are not providing to him.

McLaughlin, like most League One wingers, is inconsistent. However his form is not likely to improve with rare substitute appearances, often playing multiple positions. Twice this season he has come on, had a positive influence, only to moved to left back and faded out of the game.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

Elvis' biggest problem is going forward when there's no winger to cover him. He gets caught out of position a ridiculous amount of times. Sprints forward and jogs back. Just dont go forward

Demetriou's return really cant come soon enough

You have a go forwards with 5 at the back though, that's why he's exposed; the likes of JW should be covering in a back 5, but he wasn't; just look at the goals we conceeded against Bristol Rovers. I also disagree he sprints forward and jogs back.

 

[Grapevine]

Let me ask how many of you would’ve tolerated the level of performance consistently shown by some, if they were 20 or under.......

In some cases you are hoping for a return to form of yesteryear that simply may be out of their reach ever again, simply due to nature.....it’s reasonable to suggest that possibly you may never see them play any better than they are now, ever again....

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

After witnessing Tuesday night's debacle and the two previous home games (but sadly not the Charlton game!) I am filled with dread about tomorrow's performance. I'm at a loss as to what team to suggest as it's a bit like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic!

Assuming that Bunn and Hyam are still not fit, then we really have little choice than to go with what we've got. I think the only thing I would say is let's make Simon Cox central to what we do as his work rate might just rub off on those around him and shore up some of the gaping holes in the midfield. Therefore I would go with:

Bishop

Bwomono Turner Moore Hart

Mantom Klass Dieng

Cox

Kelman Humphries​

Subs: Smith, Clifford, Lennon, Kightly, McLaughlin, Hutchinson, Wabo,​

 

[SHRIMPERPETER]

After witnessing Tuesday night's debacle and the two previous home games (but sadly not the Charlton game!) I am filled with dread about tomorrow's performance. I'm at a loss as to what team to suggest as it's a bit like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic!

Assuming that Bunn and Hyam are still not fit, then we really have little choice than to go with what we've got. I think the only thing I would say is let's make Simon Cox central to what we do as his work rate might just rub off on those around him and shore up some of the gaping holes in the midfield. Therefore I would go with:

Bishop

Bwomono Turner Moore Hart

Mantom Klass Dieng

Cox

Kelman Humphries​

Subs: Smith, Clifford, Lennon, Kightly, McLaughlin, Hutchinson, Wabo,​

Where's the width?

 

[Evening Echo]

TIMOTHEE Dieng wants smiles from faces in Southend and France this weekend.

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