Another week another copy cat post so this is not a knee jerk reaction but a consistent opinion.
Football is about results and consistency. One game v Barnet doesn't mean anything.
On the whole, games have been average. Team setup, formation and selection all negative. Yes saved us from relegation to obscurity, added his own players and stamp on the team.
I respect immensely other opinions of outside influences, tired, embargoes etc. I also respect what the team have achieved in relation to the external factors.
On the whole, we have good players. Mooney didn't become a bad player over night for example. Players are being played out of position. Powell is not a striker. Ralph is not a central defender. Gus is a right back. Bridge is an attacking midfielder. All players have their skills, abilities and mentality. Put square pieces in round holes you're going to see disappoint which is echoed through all of these posts
I do find it hard to understand how some fans can't see or understand the impact of the setup. There are too many examples of where teams perform better with the same players and different setups, mentality and formations. You can't argue with proof points.
Brentford 352 - now 433 because they didn't score enough. Man United progress. Brighton potter 352/343 struggles to score but now 4321 with a different manager and a real intent to attack and in the euro places (and potters Chelsea struggling to score with some of the most creative and talented players in the league). I bet whomever takes over at spurs will rip apart Contes 343 formation that also flatters to deceive.
In our own history Barry fry takes over Southend implements attacking football and we hit the heights of div 1, Peter Taylor comes along implements 532 and looked what happened there. Steve Thompson takes over rips up 532 and implements 433 and saves us from relegation as we start scoring and making chances.
We keep playing the same way and getting the same outcomes. No plan b at all just replace players late on. 3 scoring chances in a game isn't enough despite the posession. I would also argue how many of the opportunities are clear goal scoring. At this level you need to create at least 5-6 clear chances with the ability to convert.
Play a possession game with 3-4 attacking players, 7-8 defensive players and a back 3/5 simply isn't working to generate consistent results, compete v the best teams and create enough chances to score more than one if score at all. It's the same comments weekly. Some fans think it's external factors, some think we need new players, some keep blaming Ron. All have a role to play but it you don't setup the team right, have plan bs and implement the right balance of attack and defence we won't deliver consistent results, score goals and entertain.
We don't have the luxury of new players and even if we did it's highly unlikely we would add 4-5 big hitters that would mean our approach to minimise a mistake and score one goal would become a success. Adding new strikers isn't the answer either
Wrexham have arguable the best team of players in the league and play a similar way to Southend. They're up there but not walking it.
Football is supposed to be about scoring goals, winning consistently against all teams and entertainment.
At the start of the season, I said we would win a few, lose more, continue to play the same way game after game, sniff the play offs because we have better players than most and finish upper mid table. I suggested that Maher might be gone by the end of the season but that was without being privy to the terrible events weve experienced - I don't believe that will happen because we've had too much uncertainty.
I would love to be wrong.
I for one and this is my opinion - which we all have and are welcome to - is that this current structure, team setup, mentality will not get us promoted ever.
Great coach but Maher doesn't have my support as a football manager.
