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

[Welly7]

I happen to agree with that - cutting off our noses to spite our faces, forcing us to play a youngster who didn't look to me as if he was ready for blooding.

You know, we are short of confidence, low on ability and relying on a mix of players who still don't look fit and youngsters who are being exposed to a toxic atmosphere.


I.

Was thinking along those lines. I'll be honest, I have never rated Lennon. Doesn't smell danger enough for me and doesn't engage opponents when being run at. Basically, he's not good enough and has been that way since he signed. However, he does have experience.

What we saw today was a player who was way out of his depth and he got exposed all game. It was uncomfortable watching Taylor. That performance today could have a huge detrimental effect on him for the foreseeable.

So, does Sol look towards Lennon who is more experienced or persevere with Taylor - or someone else? Personally, I don't want to see Lennon back after his antics with his Dover mates, but it's not my managerial career. It might be better for the team for him to come back in (not by much, admittedly), but given the current predicament, it wouldn't be the gamble it could have been had we still had a chance of survival to leave him on the outside looking in.

 

[Spenser]

It's about possession isn't it?

Yes it is but if we're liable to pass it straight to the oppo around our box (and we have plenty of previous) it doesn't seem unreasonable to question the wisdom.

 

[Austin the Shrimper]

I've decided our so-called squad fit into eight categories.
When I have got the inclination to do it, I reckon I can fit every player into their own group. Some might even fit into more than one. Anyway, here are the categories:-

1) Players who don't give a toss and would rather be somewhere else.
2) Young players who in a remotely normal season would be a country mile away from being a first team regular.
3) Players who are playing whilst still clearly unfit.
4) Players way past their sell by date.
5) Players who never had a sell by date.
6) Genuinely injured players.
7) Dubiously "injured" players, otherwise known as "skivers".
8) Loanees whose parent clubs were ecstatic to off-load them on to us.
Anyone not in any of these categories, we should build a new side around.

That’s literally every player covered by those 8 numbers

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.

I admire your optimism...Boarding on delusional though. Just can’t see us improving anytime soon. Hope you are right though.

Individually, I thought a number of our players looked positive - Ralph seemed to get forward a lot; Dieng, mistake apart, continued to be our most impressive CB; Hamilton had the best game I've seen him have yet for us and McLaughlin continued to put full effort in. Elvis also did ok, and, when he came on (why did he not start?), Hutchinson looked the pick of the team.

I've got a lot of time for Simon Cox, who is always brilliant at any JB event, but he is simply not the player he was last season, and I don't think him and Hopper look to be on the same page at all.

Sol needs to go back to basics, play L2 football which includes hoofing and hitting it long, dropping the ridiculous backwards and sideways passing which is absolutely killing us, and letting our forwards play in the right place on the pitch.

Another thing I just thought of, we need to play dirty. I am fed up with getting penalised by officials when we've really not done anything. So, if we're going to get punished, let's deserve the punishment.

Sorry this comment stood out amongst everything else which I can agree with. thought Hamilton was on his heels the whole match, terrible positioning, never proactive and so always chasing the game. If he ever got the ball, it was sideways to Milligan or back. Sorry he is a waste of a shirt and needs to go back to Man u

 

[OldBlueLady]

1. The ladies deaf choir before kick off. I thought they were brilliant. Can anyone remind me of their cause and how to donate?

They were there as part of the Carli Lansley foundation support - if you want to donate to them specifically then they are Hands4voices, but please bear in mind the Carli Lansley foundation.

 

[Swiss Tony]

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.

Overall an excellent 4-0 defeat,things are looking up.

 

[Fairport]

I have seen a few teams playing out from the back from goal kicks etc. However, many managers/coaches have spotted that and put three or four players near the penalty area to pick up on mistakes, today was a good example. The traditional long goal kicks usually meant that opposing strikers were nowhere near your own penalty area. Playing from the back can be suicidal especially at lower level.

 

[Thorper]

They were there as part of the Carli Lansley foundation support - if you want to donate to them specifically then they are Hands4voices, but please bear in mind the Carli Lansley foundation.

That's great thanks for replying.

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

why play a old system that will be changed with the arrival of better players

To pick up points.

 

[AndyT]

You can still play possession football without three centre-halves.

In fact, it's probably easier.

 

[rayleigh dan]

It's about possession isn't it?

I guess that's Sol's thinking. Someone showed me the half time stats and I think we had something close to 70% possession. Yet if it wasn't for Bishop we could have easily been 4 or 5 down. Just shows possession means bugger all when it's all sideways, backwards bollocks in your own half.

The sooner Sol realises that and plays the percentages, the better. By that I mean get the ball forwards quickly and push the defensive line up. Any chance to get the ball in the box, do it. Otherwise known as Paul Sturrock style. Not pretty, but much more effective.

 

[shrimperjon]

Said the same to my son today, soon it's just gonna be season ticket holders and the hardcore left.

Well if that's how it goes then so beit. True fans stick with the team through thick and thin. I've been going for 39 years and my son now in his ninth season. Yes it's desperate and dire but it's our football club. Got tickets for Bristol Rov and weekend booked for Bolton. If people want to stay away then let them, their choice but not one we will be taking. Southend til we die

 

[rayleigh dan]

Well if that's how it goes then so beit. True fans stick with the team through thick and thin. I've been going for 39 years and my son now in his ninth season. Yes it's desperate and dire but it's our football club. Got tickets for Bristol Rov and weekend booked for Bolton. If people want to stay away then let them, their choice but not one we will be taking. Southend til we die

True. I went to the pub in Rayleigh after the game. Only myself and my mate (who beats me by going to every away game too), had gone to the game.

There were a fair few 'fair weather' fans in there, none of who had gone, including a group who had season tickets under Brown. They couldn't understand why we still go! I guess we're showing who the true fans are now!

 

[Steve Giles]

To pick up points.

What 1 or 2 very short term. Accept we’re down and plan long term

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Keep battling on, its a long old season and there is plenty of time to turn things around.

There really isn't that much time, nearly half way through the season and just 1 win. Need to win 14+ games just to be in with a chance of staying up.
On current form we could actually be relegated in February!

 

[Steve Giles]

Management speak translated - and I've heard a few hundred interviews in all leagues over 30 years.

'mathematically we’re still there' - not really. We're going to get relegated.

'hopefully the players are around me too'. He can see they are not.

'I’ve got to turn it around not just football wise but in other areas too'. The team spirit stinks.

'We’ve got to get solid because everything has been very loose here'. It's Bond's fault.

“There wasn’t a good pre-season here'. It's Bond's (and Ron's fault).

And much as I love and respect him your mate is also at fault

 

[tallboyblue]

There really isn't that much time, nearly half way through the season and just 1 win. Need to win 14+ games just to be in with a chance of staying up.
On current form we could actually be relegated in February!

Frankly that would be a relief.

 

[mfurok]

Everyone was well pleased with us playing like Barcelona midweek against Wimbledon’s U12 reserve team....and everyone was full of support for playing the same team that had a win under their belts.....

No one considered that the game the circumstances and the outcome may differ with the opposition?

Absolute nonsense again.

You just don’t listen to anyone’s opinions but your own.

 

[rayleigh dan]

Interesting that he talks about mixing it up and playing long at times. It looked to me like the defence were under orders to do anything but today.

 

[Tombstone Blues]

Absolute nonsense again.

You just don’t listen to anyone’s opinions but your own.

Why are my post the only ones you’ve commented on all week ???

You don’t have to read my opinions and I’m entitled to not read anyone else’s too....the fact I do read them and in turn reply or respond to them seems to be lost on you. ?

 

[mfurok]

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.

Couldn’t disagree more with most of this but hey.....that’s why we’re on an opinions forum.