Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 0 - 4 Oxford United

[billy best was god]

Quick question - supported the Blues for 52 years with 1 physio why do we now need 2 or is he simply a friend of Sol

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

SOUTHEND United manager Sol Campbell feels the Shrimpers have a mountain to climb if they are to stay in League One.
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Everest is like walking up a hill, compared to the mountain we have to navigate?.

 

[Gridelet's contact lens]

True forwards had little or no service till Hutch came on, I like Macca but he is better played wide, Maybe left wing back in this formation. Cox and Hopper tried but its hard with no service , chasing nothing and thats hard work at times. We are to slow to get the ball in the box which is what they need.

Milligan was awful, he always is, most of his passes go to the opposition. Hopefully he never wears the shirt again,

How many more times are we going to say hopefully he never wears the shirt again.

 

[Strykr]

Bunch of arse. Sick of it.

 

[Andy_S]

Quick question - supported the Blues for 52 years with 1 physio why do we now need 2 or is he simply a friend of Sol

He’s the doctor.

 

[Chrisb]

I do have to give credit to a few of the boys, Dieng is getting better and better each week. Milligan showed some class today who was in his element with the new style of football, really put himself out there. Same with Hutchinson, really starting to thrive and play well.
UTB

I guess we all see things differently but I thought Milligan was terrible today.

 

[AndyT]

Bring back pat scully dave cusack proper defenders

Cusack was exactly who I was thinking of in my post, above.

If in doubt it went in the West Bank with a massive cheer from us faithful in there.

 

[Rayleigh boy]

Bad idea to give Taylor his debut .. very very bad idea --
and if you are going to play him tell Dieng and co to be careful with him for the first 20m

Bad idea to banish Lennon -

The the usual crap ref does not send off the OX no.6 for a terrible tackle on Macca -

Then Dieg bales out Taylor with a "me too" moment of crapness ..

Then we played oK - defended well ... started to get into it ..

Last 5 minutes they got a gift from Cox and another ..

Could have been 0-0 without the gifts and with them being down to 10 could have nicked

All the players looked a few pound lighter and fitter

Going to Bristol full of optimism .. yep - I think Campbell is progressing

still hating the roots hall moaners and groaners - backs against the wall time ... don't come if it makes you so unhappy ..

Bishop 6 - done some good stuff

Elvis - 8 got battered for the shirt

Ralph 6 - looked better and strong goinng forward

Kiernon 6 - didn't concede a goal and good defensive work

Taylor - debut destroyed after 90 second ... to much too soon .. was finshed after 60m

Dieng 3 - good game but gave them a goal

Milligan - 3 - didn't concede a goal

Hamilton - 5 - didn't concede - does the donkey work

Cox - 4 conceded a late goal - looked sharper as we bagan to push on 2nd half

Hopper 6 - no decent service

Macca - 8 - total effort and committment

Goodship 6 - looked lively

HUTCH - 7 looked quality

John White 11 - doing a charity collction ... if only he was fit we would not have played Taylor and he knows when to get it down field

SOL - 8 ..... terrible error putting Taylor in - and overdoing the passing out from the back ... but clearly has improved the fitness and spirit in the squad. A strong line in the sand has been drawn for players who are not fit and maybe not totally committed - thinking that players like Mantom, Shagassay, Lennon, Demetriou ,Humphries, Hyam are learning that Sol would rather play kids than put up with half fit "professionals" with half arsed poor attitude ..

His pre-match comment were things around the club "had got a bit loose" .. I think he is getting it sorted and has my full support as do the players playing for him.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Okay, we conceeded some really silly goals today and Bish made some excellent saves that kept the score down.
The fitness was noticeably better across the team & collectivly they were more together.
Sol passed many good instructions from the sidelines, and a few got listened to, most especially pushing out faster from the back, seemed to fall on deaf ears
3 at the back is confusing and too high brow for our squad but the 2 main centre backs aren't correct atm.
Work ethos from all, including the much maligned (including by me) Kiernon was better.
We have no luck, get few rubs of the green, deflections or 50 50 decisions, we a low on confidence. We don't shoot enough, we had 4 good balls across Ox box, none were met.
At 2 nil we might have scored and gone to rescue a point.
We are done surely bar a miracle so let's rebuild as that is what it is about.

 

[AndyT]

There's a lot of talk about PL styles of play not working for us, which I totally agree, but actually the most successful PL sides of recent years have actually had defensive pairings that don't dither about :

Stam/Ferdinand
Adams/Keown
Terry/Cahill
Huth/Morgan

Even at the top level, the basics of football are still the same.

The last line is the defence. Pass the ball into midfield and let them interchange passes.

You can still try playing like Barcelona, but even they don't fiddle about at the back.

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Agreed. It’s knowing when to put your foot through it and when it’s safe to pass it. You get zero space or time on the ball at this level (unless you’re playing us that is).
I’m not a particularly vocal fan but I’ve screamed “get it out” a fair few times this season.

 

[Tombstone Blues]

That’s a very selective “recent years” of successful PL centre back pairings ????

 

[AndyT]

That’s a very selective “recent years” of successful PL centre back pairings ????

Recent in terms of the overall history of football and, of course, all since 'The Revolution' and it being fashionable to have 3-5-2 formations.

 

[Tombstone Blues]

I just can’t believe we lost.....

I mean we got rid of the Dover celebrating **** head Harry Lennon and ANYONE must be better than he’s been...literally anyone!!!

Then we went and beat Wimbledon’s reserves with a performance of the season which included some stunning football and a born again set of players scoring fantastic goals...all while stroking the ball around for 22 passes before shooting.

Then to top it all we had no game Saturday so the players had a well earned rest all weekend!!!

It’s mental. We should’ve ****ed that game.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

Ron’s going to announce the club will be bankrupt within 6 months ! ?

Hang on! I got a pic removed for because it was Sol with a public figure.
Surely, this strays beyond the allowed?

Mod: yep sorry, like our defence this was a mess up on our part - should’ve gone to Specsavers!

 

[AndyT]

... LOL. Did you?

 

[AndyT]

I tell you what was poignant today.

The kick-off to start the second half took place to complete silence.

If anything summed up the situation it is that.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Diabolical from start to finish. Bishop and Elvis did ok the rest oh my if we play three centre halves and Milligan u are inviting the opposition to have a go which Oxford duly did. Naive tactics from Sol. Front two left chasing shadow. Hutch did ok why wasn't he starting. Milligan Kiernan absolute dogsh*t. The midfield 3 must be the worst we've fielded for some time. Could've and probably should've been 6 or 7. Oxford looked in second gear for a lot of the game. I'm seriously wondering if we will even reach double figures in points.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

Can’t send them back unless there is a clause allowing it. Wont save Ridgewell money as we will have to pay the contract up i guess or most of it

Winding up this sort of contract sees something of a compromise.
Remember, he's not playing (appearance money) and therefore bonuses are a non starter on top.
If he goes to the States, he's not going to be paid by both clubs.
No doubt, the haggling is what percentage of the remainder we pay him.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Quick question - supported the Blues for 52 years with 1 physio why do we now need 2 or is he simply a friend of Sol

I don't know but have heard a rumour that the lady who comes on doesn't have the full qualifications hence why the doc now also comes on.