Post-Match Thread and Ratings Grimsby Town 1-0 Southend United

[Chairman Trigg]

Just can't see when we will turn the corner on this abysmal 3 year run.The fact that there has been no management bounce and the team just doesn't seem able to compete at this poor level .....,even scoring a goal looks beyond us!
The most worrying thing is I can't remember the last time I enjoyed watching us play or when we've actually dominated a game.Tonights performance just reinforced that the immediate replacement of at least half this team is needed

 

[The General]

If anyone defends that showing you need your head testing and it shows how bad things have got.

 

[amsemp]

Do you think he did though? Apart from starting with Walsh I wouldn’t say he changed things up that massively. Perhaps starting with Egbri, Philips and Walsh would be a bolder choice. Dropping a mid and playing another striker up front with Murphy. I don’t think he’s even got close to that yet.

He started Atkinson, Ferguson and Walsh, all of whom haven’t had much of a look in of late. He changed things up, but I agree probably not in the way I would’ve wanted him to either. We set up like we were scared of Grimsby.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Do you think he did though? Apart from starting with Walsh I wouldn’t say he changed things up that massively. Perhaps starting with Egbri, Philips and Walsh would be a bolder choice. Dropping a mid and playing another striker up front with Murphy. I don’t think he’s even got close to that yet.

Starting Egbri, Philips and Walsh would have left us far far too lightweight. We would have lost much more heavily.

I’m not sure what people are expecting with this squad - but frankly a 1-0 defeat today and a performance that had us in the game for long periods is far better than I feared before kick off.

 

[Texas Eslan]

The man's entitled to an opinion and that is his.

Couldn’t agree more. I was just making light of another defeat! Unfortunately, for me, the quality in the team makes it very difficult for any manager to turn things around. They try and work hard for sure but are simply not good enough.

 

[Tampa Blue]

Played a winger in Walsh who actually got some decent crosses in during the first half but plays 1 up front in the middle and drops the target man - I just don't get it.

Plays White at right back against their tricky left winger (did we scout them pre match) and moves Demi to left back with a left back on the bench - yes he's an inexperienced left back - but I just don't get it

Leaving Brunt to do all the work by playing three immobile centre midfielders ahead of Phillips who at least has some legs - hey, guess what - I just don't get it

Grimsby have lost their last 4 and a point should have been our minimum target but yet again we have NIL points as in Eurovision.

The squad is not the current Managements fault but the selection, and substitutions baffled me

 

[duncan bulgaria]

It’s difficult to watch us week in week out fall short for whatever reason ,is it lack of belief , lack of quality or lack of williness to try and win a game of football .
We need some new blood in before next Saturday, I’ve trust in what Stan has promised and hope we can turn this around before the new loanees like Brunt give up on this sorry lot as without him we’d not even look like competing

 

[jimmyboy999]

Correct. But bringing Dalby on in the 60th minute and potentially getting an equaliser wouldn’t have made the league table look much rosier would it?

It might have at the end of the season who’s to say that a point or 3 tonight might have kept us up in May

 

[Leicester Shrimper]

Starting Egbri, Philips and Walsh would have left us far far too lightweight. We would have lost much more heavily.

I’m not sure what people are expecting with this squad - but frankly a 1-0 defeat today and a performance that had us in the game for long periods is far better than I feared before kick off.

How do we know? We’ve never tried it. And we always lose when we don’t.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Starting Egbri, Philips and Walsh would have left us far far too lightweight. We would have lost much more heavily.

I’m not sure what people are expecting with this squad - but frankly a 1-0 defeat today and a performance that had us in the game for long periods is far better than I feared before kick off.

Agreed but how many points did we get tonight? Tuesday's game(without any new players) is going to define our season.

 

[ColinMorrisWalksOnWater]

For me Kev picked the right formation..only in the short term I stress...and if we hadn't have hit the panic button on the very first cross, would have taken a point from tonight.

We have not got the quality at the moment to play free flowing attacking football, so we have to do what we can with what we have got.

Had we not conceded early and got that point the issues with the squad would not have changed. Those players that Lenny mentioned would not have played themselves into extra contracts, but will have held the fort until reinforcements arrived.

We have been ripped apart this season too many times, tonight we were not, but we also haven't got the squad to go out there and take advantage of the defensive work that was being done.

It is going to take at least 4 new players and at least 6 games once they arrive, until then it is "don't lose" and some fans have got to wake up and smell the coffee, because quite frankly PB could not have put together a worst squad if he had tried....,oh he was and he did!

 

[gatecrasher]

I really wanted a manager who would come in here and shake it up. Kev is proving to be a quite Phil. Zero strategy, zero new manager bounce- we know the team is **** - so why not play some of the youngsters- they cannot be worse than what we have in the first team - not by a long chalk! Where are the new additions - there was notjing to survey and see who was worth playing. White, Demi, coulson, Dunne, Phillips, ogogo, Atkinson are all Sunday league players for one reason or another now. We are just going from game tk game - loss after loss because the manger will not make brave decisions.

I understand if he wants to be sure and make the right choices of those coming in but we need to never see most of that first team tonight even in the squad ever again.

 

[Leicester Shrimper]

For me Kev picked the right formation..only in the short term I stress...and if we hadn't have hit the panic button on the very first cross, would have taken a point from tonight.

We have not got the quality at the moment to play free flowing attacking football, so we have to do what we can with what we have got.

Had we not conceded early and got that point the issues with the squad would not have changed. Those players that Lenny mentioned would not have played themselves into extra contracts, but will have held the fort until reinforcements arrived.

We have been ripped apart this season too many times, tonight we were not, but we also haven't got the squad to go out there and take advantage of the defensive work that was being done.

It is going to take at least 4 new players and at least 6 games once they arrive, until then it is "don't lose" and some fans have got to wake up and smell the coffee, because quite frankly PB could not have put together a worst squad if he had tried....,oh he was and he did!

But we are losing. Every week.

 

[Pak Power]

from their forum;

A win is a win. Thought it was a weird game as personally felt very edgy for most of it but truthfully they barely threatened. Feel for Southend and might be time to start looking for directions to Hungerford and Tonbridge for them. Thank intercourse the takeover went through or I reckon we'd be exactly where they are.

 

[Joolz]

So reading this lot so far you would have thought we were completely rubbish, we weren't. You couldn't fault the effort tonight and contrary to the view of many we didn't wilt after going a goal down. Our biggest problem was that we were too slow to react at vital moments and our team efforts into their box reeked of a lack of confidence. But the lads did keep going, chased and harried and gave Grimsby a game, you know, the Grimsby that were 3rd in the table and were going to rip us a new one.

I agree that Kevin's substitutions were late and lacking purpose in terms of timing, but he is still learning his job and hopefully he will have seen that sooner would have been better tonight. New players needed? absolutely, but they have to better than we have and want to come to us now, not an easy ask I reckon. What is for sure is that the early love for our new manager, and with it patience, have zoomed out of the window pretty damn quick on here. We are improving, it will take far longer than most want but it is what it is. Anyway that's my opinion, and opinions are like arseholes, everybody has one.

I keep thinking what if, what if Ralph and Clifford were fit and available, what if Agogo could last 90 minutes and so on. We definitely need newbies and I have no doubt the management team and Stan are working hard to achieve that, but until then Kev and co have to keep working with what they have, and I'll keep supporting them as they need us more now than ever.

Now that I have calmed down a bit, I actually think this is a fair reflection of the game and our current predicament - in isolation.

The problem I have (and no doubt countless others) is that that performance has been piled on top of 3 years of total and utter gash.

So whilst I know I shouldn't, I can't help focussing on the negatives again - no win, no goals, and barely 1 shot on target.

I understand the need for patience, honestly I do, but I just haven't got any left any more, I really haven't.

 

[Andy_S]

It hurts, it really f**king hurts.

 

[Texas Eslan]

I really wanted a manager who would come in here and shake it up. Kev is proving to be a quite Phil. Zero strategy, zero new manager bounce- we know the team is **** - so why not play some of the youngsters- they cannot be worse than what we have in the first team - not by a long chalk! Where are the new additions - there was notjing to survey and see who was worth playing. White, Demi, coulson, Dunne, Phillips, ogogo, Atkinson are all Sunday league players for one reason or another now. We are just going from game tk game - loss after loss because the manger will not make brave decisions.

I understand if he wants to be sure and make the right choices of those coming in but we need to never see most of that first team tonight even in the squad ever again.

Was thinking this just earlier today but then I thought most teams that have the bounce have quality players who stopped playing for previous manager. Difference is we do not have the quality even at this level. Klopp would make no difference to the results we are currently getting.

 

[wakes123]

If anyone defends that showing you need your head testing and it shows how bad things have got.

3 or 4 players need to go ASAP, but we knocked it about ok I thought. I saw worse games on I follow last year. Guess I need my head testing then.

 

[Whispering Bob]

There was a lot of talk on TV about their goal, us relaxing (thinking it was offside) not reacting to the loose ball etc but, if anyone has the inclination (I certainly can’t face it again) can anyone please confirm the awful body shape and skewered clearance that I recall just prior to that.

 

[sufc4life21]

Regards to signings...... is there actually any funds to make any signings? Even getting loans in will be tough now considering the transfer window round the corner, league 1/2 clubs will have the pick of the potential loans talent.

Are 3 wise men are starting to realise what a tough job this is now. If there stuck with the same group of players till the end of the season, we are pretty much relegated in my opinion.