Post-Match Thread and Ratings Cheltenham Town 1-0 Southend Utd

[Shrimpet steve]

I take your point, but I think if you're a lone striker you're tasked with doing both

I take your point, but I think if you're a lone striker you're tasked with doing both

Exactley shaun foster was a target man and look how many goals he scored.I could name loads.

 

[rigsby]

Good point but easy to answer. Not all , certainly, but most players dont have much going on between the ears,never did.
They were the sporty ones at school not the academics and to make matters worse "Pro footballers" such as Mr N Ranger only serve to prove my point.
Limited ability, but some, No intelligence, emotional or otherwise and think the game owes them. A whole overpaid waste of space generally.

I guess the ones that were neither academic or sporty end up full of bile on football forums?

 

[Shrimpet steve]

Why not play Demi there ? What is this fascination with Demi in midfield all the time ?

The same fascination he has with aquah a player who doesent score or ever look like changing the outcome of the game! Same as demi doesent do much in midfield to change the game!! Unfortunately They are MM favourites and they would still play if we signed messi and Ronaldo combined!!

 

[Danshrimper]

Why not play Demi there ? What is this fascination with Demi in midfield all the time ?

It’s not a fascination, that is his position. Demetriou hasn’t been a RB for at least 2 years. Doesn’t mean he couldn’t have played there tonight but to call what is now undoubtedly his main position a ‘fascination’ makes no sense.

 

[sufc4life21]

Why not play Demi there ? What is this fascination with Demi in midfield all the time ?

Seem logical to me to play jd at right back and put macca in central midfield.

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

It’s not a fascination, that is his position. Demetriou hasn’t been a RB for at least 2 years. Doesn’t mean he couldn’t have played there tonight but to call what is now undoubtedly his main position a ‘fascination’ makes no sense.

Well he was a RB when we signed him. And he played his first few seasons at RB. He's even an international at RB. Yet we play him in midfield...even when our regular RB isn't there ?

 

[MisterStubbs]

Was one of only 3 players to have a shot! He hasnt hardley played either so needs match fitness where as acquah plays almost every game and does nothing to affect the outcome of a game.

Don’t you see where you continue to contradict yourself though? You can’t keep saying that the likes of Holmes, Mellis and Ranger should start because they are so much better than what we have despite everybody else telling you they aren’t fit and ready to play and then on the other hand blame their fitness and match readiness on the fact they aren’t fit or match sharpe. Do you see why it doesn’t add up,

On Emile, I feel like at this point over the last couple of weeks we’ve been backwards and forwards so much on the subject but we aren’t really getting anywhere. I feel Emile gets a rough ride by some when in truth his performances aren’t helped by the role he is being asked to perform. Emile is a target man who performs best when he is partnered alongside someone. The last three games Emile has played up front by himself against teams that play with 3 central defenders. What’s strange is that for some time before the last few games we were more than happy to try and lump the ball up to Akinola and now that Emile is in the side, we seem to want to either knock it long for him to chase. That doesn’t suit him. For me that is something we can questions of MM about.. yet despite this I happen to think Emile has performed the role he is being asked to the best he can.

 

[wiggy]

If MM is a “PE teacher”, what are the majority of people who spout utter dribble on this forum?

I’m damn sure no one on here would ever play Acquah up front on his own or play Hobson right back. He loves Demi in midfield where he is fairly hopeless and when his right back berth comes up he plays Mr Clumsy there instead.
We never play two games alike and he looks totally clueless on how to set up a forward line.
Got lucky with wonder strikes just recently and without them what is he going to try next.....I know, Acquah up front again, I give up with the Tinkerman.....this League is rubbish and we should be out of trouble already but he just keeps shooting us in the foot with weird ideas.
Ferguson and Taylor was about the best strength and skill pairing lately, tell you what, let’s play Demi and Halford instead!

 

[MisterStubbs]

I’m damn sure no one on here would ever play Acquah up front on his own or play Hobson right back. He loves Demi in midfield where he is fairly hopeless and when his right back berth comes up he plays Mr Clumsy there instead.
We never play two games alike and he looks totally clueless on how to set up a forward line.
Got lucky with wonder strikes just recently and without them what is he going to try next.....I know, Acquah up front again, I give up with the Tinkerman.....this League is rubbish and we should be out of trouble already but he just keeps shooting us in the foot with weird ideas.
Ferguson and Taylor was about the best strength and skill pairing lately, tell you what, let’s play Demi and Halford instead!

And yet here you and I are, at home or wherever discussing things on a Internet forum. We can all have our own opinions on whether Emile should be in the team or if JD should play at CM or RB but at the end of the day MM spends all week with these players, he sees and knows their strengths and weaknesses and understands them better than we do. I don’t agree with everything he has done doing his time here and I won’t agree with everything he does from now until the day he leaves but I’ll for the time being I’ll continue to support him because I’ve seen enough, especially in recent weeks to suggest that he does actually know what he is doing (imagine that, a professional football manager knowing how to do his job) and whilst we still have a chance to survive, surely it’s more helpful to support rather than to slag off?

 

[shrimperjon]

MM cost us that game tonight. Too many changes, 6 in all is half the outfield players against a top three side. We looked like a team that hadn't played football together. The decision to play Hobson at RB as baffling as the 5 at the back fiasco. Why change your CB partnership that has been doing so well when in JD you have a natural RB. Hobson has done brilliantly recently at CB but looks clumsy and lost at RB. This resulted in the winning penalty, the only way they were likely to score. But in setting up so defensive we then struggled to change into an offensive side and once again our lack of forward play, creating chances has cost us again. In truth Cheltenham were average at best but they didn't need to Be anything other than that to claim the three points.

The midfrield was disjointed, the frustrating ANG saw a lot of the ball but has no end product. I Felt sorry for Holmes as although he looked rusty he saw little of the ball and the one real chance he had was goal bound but blocked. Emile again tried hard but lacks the quality to play that lone striker role and always seems to be caught on his heals and one step behind

I keep reading it's ok cause Barrow and Grimsby both lost, but we need to be bettering their results not matching. They win their games in hand and we are in real trouble. Col Utd were 4 points ahead at Ht, by the end of the night due to the Win they are 7 points, that's how cruciall points are at this stage. Stevenage a few weeks ago were a relegation rival, after tonight they are nearer the playoffs than relegation. A young inexperienced manager who has made a few good signings in attack and they are climbing the table, a club that should have been relegated last season.

I don't give a **** about performance, we battled hard, we went toe to toe. We've done that three times recently against Bolton, Salford and tonight and got one point. Yes our defence is solid but If we don't find a way to score and win matches we will go down, Barrow have a way superior goal diff to us and they may well be crucial come May. Saturday is a must win now, Oldham fans not happy with their team and Barrow won there last week. MM must put out a solid but attacking side as another back to the wall performance will not cut it.

 

[southendkid]

I'm not sure why people think Demitriou would be good at RB just because he used to play there when he was younger (when he had some pace), he's 33 and can barely sprint, he'd get done by most wingers in this league now.

 

[Derbyshire Blue]

I'm not sure why people think Demitriou would be good at RB just because he used to play there when he was younger (when he had some pace), he's 33 and can barely sprint, he'd get done by most wingers in this league now.

Think you’re probably right, MM certainly seems to agree. Did show tonight though that we don’t have cover for Elvis.

 

[shrimperjon]

I'm not sure why people think Demitriou would be good at RB just because he used to play there when he was younger (when he had some pace), he's 33 and can barely sprint, he'd get done by most wingers in this league now.

Surely it's a better option than a CB there and if anything JD is quicker than Hobson and for me it would have been better with JD at RB, Hobson with White (why split up this partnership) and then Macca in the middle

 

[Barling Magna]

Not too worried about that defeat provided the team don't let it hit their confidence. I thought we deserved a draw tonight and but for a moment's stupidity from Hobson we would have achieved it. If Acquah and especially Dieng had directed their headers better we could even have won. So, onward to a series of slightly easier fixtures. If nothing else some of our better players have been rested. We only need to finish 22nd and Barrow and Grimsby lost again.

 

[wiggy]

And yet here you and I are, at home or wherever discussing things on a Internet forum. We can all have our own opinions on whether Emile should be in the team or if JD should play at CM or RB but at the end of the day MM spends all week with these players, he sees and knows their strengths and weaknesses and understands them better than we do. I don’t agree with everything he has done doing his time here and I won’t agree with everything he does from now until the day he leaves but I’ll for the time being I’ll continue to support him because I’ve seen enough, especially in recent weeks to suggest that he does actually know what he is doing (imagine that, a professional football manager knowing how to do his job) and whilst we still have a chance to survive, surely it’s more helpful to support rather than to slag off?

Not sure he does know how to do his job, a lone striker that is immobile and very rarely scores. I would always support his borderline decisions as it is a matter of opinion however this one is a blatant mistake, week after week after week!

 

[Strykr]

I appreciate the defence needs to be tight and not concede. But you just cannot rely on someone not making a single mistake for 90 minutes, like oxley did and now hobson.

We all know once we go 1 - 0 down its all over, mm must try and win some games before its too late. Everyones crap in this league, he must instill belief and work on some strategies that arent purely defensive or we are going down.

The tippy tappy football, the 5 at the back , MM seems to be a slow learner. Lets hope not too slow.

 

[Evening Echo]

CHELTENHAM Town boss Michael Duff is backing Southend United to avoid relegation this season.

Read more on this story


Help with Echo links

 

[bluesfansince1952]

Our task is to finish the season with more points then Barrow or Grimsby. Harrogate and Orient did the business defeating our rivals both of whom who were at home. A far more disastrous night for them.
We rested some players in order to be able to field our preferred side against Oldham on Saturday. I suspect the management team targetted this game as being more winnable than last night's fixture.
We are not going to win every game between now and the end of the season or be able to avoid defeat during this period. If we are to lose let it be on a day when both Barrow and Grimsby go pointless.

 

[wiggy]

Our task is to finish the season with more points then Barrow or Grimsby. Harrogate and Orient did the business defeating our rivals both of whom who were at home. A far more disastrous night for them.
We rested some players in order to be able to field our preferred side against Oldham on Saturday. I suspect the management team targetted this game as being more winnable than last night's fixture.
We are not going to win every game between now and the end of the season or be able to avoid defeat during this period. If we are to lose let it be on a day when both Barrow and Grimsby go pointless.

Cheltenham were very very average, we are very very poor at home.....I don’t think Oldham is a more winnable game than last night, especially the way he sets up!

 

[rigsby]

Cheltenham are far from average, they have only lost 7 all season and don't conceded many. Way back in October they ticked all the promotion essentials for L1 in the modern game. Have some height, Be hard to beat, be able to defend, be strong in both boxes and then have some quality in the final 3rd.

Well done MM you picked the right people to match them. Which we did in all the areas except the quality in the final 3rd. We were still in the game right to the 94th minute but from the usual whinging on here you would think otherwise. For those of you claiming MM cost us the game, you have to be in it to win it.

Bringing in Monty was 100% the right decision and who is to say without MOM Cordner in at CB we wouldn't have been 2-0 down before Hobson did what Bolton got away with. For all you moaners, just swap those two decision and we would have 4 points from two of the strongest teams in L2......Shame we lack the most vital thing in the modern game... Go down when you can, its expected and its the only time a ref will give you anything....In football cheats always prosper.

Shame we don't know how to work off of a long throw. To early for one and didn't bother for another. Just one player in at the back post and Halford would be worth a start. If not then he would really rattle teams in the last 15 with that throw as we come to business end of the season......with the Ranger option gone its something to think about.

We actually created the best chance from open play in the game. Sadly Dieng chose the fashionable and very annoying choice of the glance. I would fine a player two weeks wagers for not heading a ball back where it came from.

The good news is i'm reading yet again about another "ordinary" top team. At least some of us can see why that is and long may it continue. Shame we never got a point but we need to improve that final ball, including up to Acquah. Some real shockers in the last two games. lets hope Oldham pay the price.