Richard_Cadette
The Realist
I have managed to somehow refrain from posting hours after the final whistle in previous weeks, purely because I felt the need to try and sit back and evaluate what I had just witnessed before saying things which werent necessary, but no more.
What I witnessed this afternoon was one of the most gutless, inept, passionless and pathetic displays I have seen from a Southend side in a LONG time.
After seeing us play so well on Tuesday night, I arrived this afternoon with high hopes that we were turning the corner and things were on the up - I could not have been more wrong.
A shambolic performance, almost without exception, and I include the management of the team in that assessment.
Make no mistakes, Ipswich are a poor side, one of the poorest we have played this season, and yet again, we allow them to score 3 of the easiest goals you will ever see.
On top of this, what the hell does Tilly say to them at half time these days?.... Go out there lads and do your best to concede as many goals as possible in the first 3 minutes of the second half, and then see if we can turn it around?
OK, I jest, but I am sorry, he must be doing something very wrong at half time for them to continually concede so early in the second half - It was embarrassing, and yet, you knew, you absolutely knew, it was going to happen.
His substitutions were bizarre to say the least. OK, Freddie and Matt were unwell, but why oh why was Jay Smith and Moussa not given a run out? People can argue whether or not Smithy is good enough for this league, and I must say, I have my doubts, but for goodness sake, can we not at least try and find out?
? What has he got to do to get some time on the pitch for us this season?
I heard he slammed his top down when Tilly obviously told him that sorry Jay, were 1-3 with no hope of getting anything else out of the game, I am going to play a centre half in midfield and even with one substitution left up my sleeve, Im still not going to put you on. Ridiculous, Im sorry, but it is, and I really feel for Jay - I hope, for his sake, that he demands a transfer, because I want to see him do well.
As for the rest, defensively, all over the show this afternoon again. Hammell is OK on the ball, and going forward, but defensively, not even close to being good enough. His distribution and set pieces were poor today as well. AB had yet another terrible afternoon at the office. Clarke I actually thought was the pick of a bad bunch and wasnt nearly as bad as some have said. Hunt was poor, which is dissapointing as I have been saying for ages he should be back at right back.
Midfield, Gower was completely non existent until we were 0-3 down, and that cannot happen. Why is it when he has a bad game, he has a terrible game???
Gutteridge was again woeful. He is in the side to not only tackle and fight, but to get forward and support the front two, and I dont think I have seen him do that once this season. Maher tried, but most things he tried were not good enough, Set pieces, which almost goes without saying these days, were shocking, abd his passing was not quite on the radar today, and usually, again as always, looked to blame someone else. Francis did OK, but has the worst first touch I have ever seen on a professional football player, and I include Dave Regis in that!!
Up front Freddie and Matt were both non existent, but thats not all there fault. With a supply line like we have, Ronaldinho and Henry would stuggle up top. Having said that, Freddie needs a partner that carries with him some kind of goal threat, and I hate to say it, but Tilly has signed some very mediocre strikers from what I can see. The one gem has now, for reasons we still have no idea about, left us, and that needs to be addressed asap. Having said that, I will give credit for Paynter who came on, ran his heart out, and actually looked effective, and a performance like that week in week out would do wonders for us and Freddie.
Tilly is not beyond criticism here either, something is wrong with us at the moment, there seems to be no organisation at the back, the team talks at half time have the desired effect, but only for our opponents and he is clearly targeting one player that he doesnt like, and that is Jay Smith. I think he has to buck his ideas up as well as the team - Oh, and I dont want no 'Have I forgotten about the last 2 and a half years' crap that gets spouted on here as soon as you criticise the manager, because no, I havent, but he needs to up his game considerably, along with the team.
I hate to say it, but I cannot see us getting out of this current mess we are in. We have played 3 extremely average Championship sides in a week, and have conceded 6 goals at home in the process and only gained one point. That is nowhere near good enough and things need to be changed radically for us to improve.
Other teams are using the loan market, and we have to do so as well, no excuses about money etc and how difficult it is to get players in on loan because that is bullsh*t, heard it too many times and am no longer interested in it. Other teams, lesser teams, do it, so we can too.
Havent felt this angry and let down after a Southend performance for quite some time, and at the moment, it is no longer fun watching the team I love.
What I witnessed this afternoon was one of the most gutless, inept, passionless and pathetic displays I have seen from a Southend side in a LONG time.
After seeing us play so well on Tuesday night, I arrived this afternoon with high hopes that we were turning the corner and things were on the up - I could not have been more wrong.
A shambolic performance, almost without exception, and I include the management of the team in that assessment.
Make no mistakes, Ipswich are a poor side, one of the poorest we have played this season, and yet again, we allow them to score 3 of the easiest goals you will ever see.
On top of this, what the hell does Tilly say to them at half time these days?.... Go out there lads and do your best to concede as many goals as possible in the first 3 minutes of the second half, and then see if we can turn it around?
His substitutions were bizarre to say the least. OK, Freddie and Matt were unwell, but why oh why was Jay Smith and Moussa not given a run out? People can argue whether or not Smithy is good enough for this league, and I must say, I have my doubts, but for goodness sake, can we not at least try and find out?
I heard he slammed his top down when Tilly obviously told him that sorry Jay, were 1-3 with no hope of getting anything else out of the game, I am going to play a centre half in midfield and even with one substitution left up my sleeve, Im still not going to put you on. Ridiculous, Im sorry, but it is, and I really feel for Jay - I hope, for his sake, that he demands a transfer, because I want to see him do well.
As for the rest, defensively, all over the show this afternoon again. Hammell is OK on the ball, and going forward, but defensively, not even close to being good enough. His distribution and set pieces were poor today as well. AB had yet another terrible afternoon at the office. Clarke I actually thought was the pick of a bad bunch and wasnt nearly as bad as some have said. Hunt was poor, which is dissapointing as I have been saying for ages he should be back at right back.
Midfield, Gower was completely non existent until we were 0-3 down, and that cannot happen. Why is it when he has a bad game, he has a terrible game???
Gutteridge was again woeful. He is in the side to not only tackle and fight, but to get forward and support the front two, and I dont think I have seen him do that once this season. Maher tried, but most things he tried were not good enough, Set pieces, which almost goes without saying these days, were shocking, abd his passing was not quite on the radar today, and usually, again as always, looked to blame someone else. Francis did OK, but has the worst first touch I have ever seen on a professional football player, and I include Dave Regis in that!!
Up front Freddie and Matt were both non existent, but thats not all there fault. With a supply line like we have, Ronaldinho and Henry would stuggle up top. Having said that, Freddie needs a partner that carries with him some kind of goal threat, and I hate to say it, but Tilly has signed some very mediocre strikers from what I can see. The one gem has now, for reasons we still have no idea about, left us, and that needs to be addressed asap. Having said that, I will give credit for Paynter who came on, ran his heart out, and actually looked effective, and a performance like that week in week out would do wonders for us and Freddie.
Tilly is not beyond criticism here either, something is wrong with us at the moment, there seems to be no organisation at the back, the team talks at half time have the desired effect, but only for our opponents and he is clearly targeting one player that he doesnt like, and that is Jay Smith. I think he has to buck his ideas up as well as the team - Oh, and I dont want no 'Have I forgotten about the last 2 and a half years' crap that gets spouted on here as soon as you criticise the manager, because no, I havent, but he needs to up his game considerably, along with the team.
I hate to say it, but I cannot see us getting out of this current mess we are in. We have played 3 extremely average Championship sides in a week, and have conceded 6 goals at home in the process and only gained one point. That is nowhere near good enough and things need to be changed radically for us to improve.
Other teams are using the loan market, and we have to do so as well, no excuses about money etc and how difficult it is to get players in on loan because that is bullsh*t, heard it too many times and am no longer interested in it. Other teams, lesser teams, do it, so we can too.
Havent felt this angry and let down after a Southend performance for quite some time, and at the moment, it is no longer fun watching the team I love.
