Question Andre Blackman

[rayleigh dan]

Owen was ok
Not brilliant
But nowhere as bad as people have tried to make out
For what it’s worth I thought Blackman was not too bad today
Unfit yes
But not too baf

I don't buy the unfit argument. If he's unfit, why? He's been training with us since early pre season, why should he be less fit than anyone else? Or is it that he's just crap?

 

[C C Csiders]

Ben Coker on crutches would be an improvement

Ben Crutches on Coke would be better

 

[rigsby]

I did warn you all on the MK post match thread.

 

[Mr Browns Ghost]

Good to see Ben Clarkson back on the match day bench

 

[OldBlueLady]

Good to see Ben Clarkson back on the match day bench

Yep, said as much to him in passing by.

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

I thought offensively he wasn't too bad. He put a great cross into the box in the first half. I also thought he was decent at getting forward against Orient too.

However, as others have said, defensively he leaves a lot to be desired. He didn't get much protection in front of him though and never did Elvis. Elvis got skinned quite a few times too. Hutch really isn't great at tracking back and staying with runners. We need Ralph back ASAP.

In the 2nd half, when they were getting down both sides far too often, I thought we were going to go Elvis and Demi one side and Blackman and Macca the other. Just for a bit more protection and balance. I didn't think Goodship being whacked on the wing again was going to help the cause.

Big decisions ahead for who plays left back and on one of the wings. Hutch is no winger.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Good to see Ben Clarkson back on the match day bench

Ben back on duty and Bond now gone. Coincidence?

 

[norman the baker]

worse central defence worse fullbacks and midfield we have had

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

Blackman has the skill of a professional footballer, decent first touch, good passer, crosser etc.

Where he lacks is two things. An engine. He doesn’t have the stamina to play league football, however more importantly he has zero defensive positional sense. I mean absolute zero.

If he was 18 or 19 he could learn this, but sadly he isn’t. When to go forward, when to mark, when to let your opponent go and pass him on to your midfielder to mark.

Oh and I didn’t think that Gilbert was too bad either.

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Blackman and Ridgewell signings just showed how woefully inept Bond was. And Ralph hasn’t impressed me, not to say he won’t improve. Just goes to show, if Coker and Hopper had been fit all last season we’d have been fine. Really feel for SCP there. Coker wasn’t just a decent player he was a character in the dressing room. We are lacking those badly.

Even so the fact Blackman is off the pace and looks out of his depth and he’s getting picked isn’t his fault, not sure it warrants a thread slagging him off. That’s far from the worst performance I’ve seen in a Southend shirt.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

We just need to do what we did today in the latter part of the game if Ralph isn't fit. Play Bwomono LB and Demi RB. Simples

No! Play Demi at LB and keep Elvis at RB. Demi started off his career on the left hand side and tends to look inside anyway, suiting a wrong footed full-back. You're negating Elvis' threat to go outside and get to the byline by putting him on the wrong wing. Hopefully Waddock only did this this match because he wanted the better defender Elvis to negate their attacking play down our left that was causing us so many problems.

The idea that the senior player pulls rank and the junior player should be the one who plays out of position (see also Goodship going on the wing and to a lesser extent Hutchinson) is outdated. The senior player is the one better placed to move and use their experience to adapt to an unusual position.

Blackman and Ridgewell signings just showed how woefully inept Bond was.

Both were desperation signings to fill out the squad. Blackman was signed because the Cypriots were out injured - that's why it was only a month-to-month. Now Demi is back (admittedly not fully fit but Blackman doesn't look fit either) it makes him expendable. Personally I'd rather see Clifford than Blackman anyway.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

No! Play Demi at LB and keep Elvis at RB. Demi started off his career on the left hand side and tends to look inside anyway, suiting a wrong footed full-back. You're negating Elvis' threat to go outside and get to the byline by putting him on the wrong wing. Hopefully Waddock only did this this match because he wanted the better defender Elvis to negate their attacking play down our left that was causing us so many problems.

The idea that the senior player pulls rank and the junior player should be the one who plays out of position (see also Goodship going on the wing and to a lesser extent Hutchinson) is outdated. The senior player is the one better placed to move and use their experience to adapt to an unusual position.



Both were desperation signings to fill out the squad. Blackman was signed because the Cypriots were out injured - that's why it was only a month-to-month. Now Demi is back (admittedly not fully fit but Blackman doesn't look fit either) it makes him expendable. Personally I'd rather see Clifford than Blackman anyway.

I'm happy that anyone but Blackman plays at LB or any position to be honest

 

[Shrimper93]

He played ok yesterday in a poor backline, don't get me wrong he is not great. We would most likely being a bit kinder if someone had got on the end of his cross in the first half.

 

[Barry.C]

End contract please and bring in someone better if needs be from the unattached. I see Accrington and Bolton still signing outside the transfer deadline.
I wouldnt write Ridgewell off at all either, looking forward to seeing him in action when fitter

 

[davewebbsbrain]

End contract please and bring in someone better if needs be from the unattached. I see Accrington and Bolton still signing outside the transfer deadline.
I wouldnt write Ridgewell off at all either, looking forward to seeing him in action when fitter

I'm hoping Kyp will be back soon. He can play LB or CB so gives us more options

 

[united we stand]

I liked Sankofa too, another one was Anthony Straker who got a lot of stick I liked him too.

Sankofa had the game of his life vs Chelsea away where he was immense
Steamer - you always had the excitement of “ maybe today”. Didn’t he score two and almost get a hatrick on an away game?

 

[rigsby]

Your first job as a defender is always to be a good defender. So forget the odd nice touch or a decent cross going forward. Just look at how bad her was for their 2nd goal and then he gets even worse. keep am eye on him for the whole move for their 3rd. At that stage me and the lad next to me were laughing at our own player......To ourselves of course.

Poor fitness, poor attitude and a poor player.....Poor us for being agents last choice or as in the case of Blackman the agents only choice.

 

[Chrisb]

Ben back on duty and Bond now gone. Coincidence?

Of course not.

 

[Medway Blue]

Ben back on duty and Bond now gone. Coincidence?

Ben who? Clarkson? Was he back on Saturday? Didn’t see him.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Ben who? Clarkson? Was he back on Saturday? Didn’t see him.

So Mr Browns Ghost says. I didn't see him, I only saw the female physio come onto the pitch