Freddy Eastwood

[Welly7]

For a few weeks now I've become more and more aggrieved by the criticism of Eastwood from some of the fans on here, at games and in the Evening Echo. It seems that it's been built up to a crescendo that Freddy doesn't try, nor does he want to play for the club anymore and that he's started to believe his own press since the Man Utd game.
Perhaps he is a victim of his own success with the high standards he has set himself and therefore he is an easy target when things aren't going as well all had hoped. I heard a few different fans air their views at Norwich which sum up the ignorance of some of our supporters: "glad Eastwood ain't playing...he's been dragging the team down of late" and "I think it's time Eastwood was dropped anyway. Let's see what Bradders and Harrold can do."
What planet are these fans on??? Do they honestly believe that we are a better team without Freddy in it?
Can they not see a real, real talent in Eastwood? The sort of talent that there hasn't been at Roots Hall since Stan Collymore!
One man doesn't make a team, but arguably it was Freddy's goals last season that dragged us over the finish line to secure promotion. His goals against Barnsley, Swansea and Blackpool - all games when we were struggling and looking for him to produce for something extra special - immediately spring to mind.
This season Eastwood has been dealt with very well by better defenders who know he is our match winner. Does that mean he isn't as good as we thought? No, it doesn't. We are rooted to the bottom of the table for a reason and defenders know that if they handle Eastwood well then there isn't a lot else to us attacking wise within the team.
Fans who continue barrack Freddy, write to the Echo claiming he didn't try at Spurs, post on Shrimperzone that he doesn't work for the team and cheer when he is substituted at home games really haven't got a clue about football!!!
I hope it stops and people realise what a great player he is before it becomes a case of worshipping him after he has left for bigger and better things. However, I think at this moment in time some fans are too blind to appreciate Eastwood's ability and all that he has done for us and that is a tragedy when you consider we are talking about a modern day Southend United legend.

 

[royfox]

Why have you started another Eastwood thread? I'm sure Freddy will silence a few muppets on Saturday with a goal.

 

[andrew_sthnd]

without out a doubt eastwood is good! HOWEVER, if he is not trying and not playing well i would rather have someone who actually works hard start instead. there have been countless times when our defence has been on the backfoot because fred has failed to hold onto the ball or has passed/lost it in bad positions! fred is playing very poorly atm and what is even worse is the fact that he looks like he doesnt care!

 

[Bielzibubz]

If a player is playing below par and being shut out of the game because of opposition quality etc and generally not showing the quality we as supporters, and indeed the manager expect, then we are perfectly within our rights to query why he hasn't been dropped or substituted and we are perfectly entitled to air our views on here, as are the Echo in their column inches.

I said it on another thread, no player is above criticism or above being dropped from the squad.
No one is querying his past achievements for Southend United but those achievements do not automatically entitle him to a place in the starting eleven if for a number weeks that player hasn't been producing the goods.

And what exactly is wrong with dropping your main striker if that striker has done nothing of note for weeks? Isn't that the whole point of having more than two strikers, to replace those that get injured of are not delivering the goods over a period of time.

 

[Bielzibubz]

Hypothetical question Welly.

Lets imagine shall we that Freddy is here until the end of the season. He carries on playing the way he is at present, which you must admit is way below par. Would you keep him in the starting eleven week in week out regardless or would you drop him and give one of the other strikers a chance to shine?

 

[southendutd1]

Quote[/b] (andrew_sthnd @ Dec. 29 2006,00:18)]without out a doubt eastwood is good! HOWEVER, if he is not trying and not playing well i would rather have someone who actually works hard start instead. there have been countless times when our defence has been on the backfoot because fred has failed to hold onto the ball or has passed/lost it in bad positions! fred is playing very poorly atm and what is even worse is the fact that he looks like he doesnt care!

totally agree tbh took the words right out me mouth!

Everyone here knows what Freddy is capable of but you can tell when a person wants to play and weather they dont.

Like about 2 months ago (cant remember who or what team may even been man u) every player strives to keep the ball in player even when its 75% going to go out they still put the effort in

With Freddy unfortunately you can tell that in someways he Cant be bothered! i mean i love the guy and hes done wonders for us - and hopefully on Saturday he will silence us all and prove he still does put the effort in and it was just a blip!

 

[Welly7]

I don't think past glories entitle anyone to a starting place, whatever that particular player has done. What I do think is that Freddy is in a totally different league to Messrs. Harrold, Bradbury, Hooper, Paynter and Lawson and therefore he shouldn't be dropped or criticised for recent performances - I say that because I haven't seen this prima donna of a striker that people have mentioned in recent weeks.
However, that doesn't give him carte blanche to play with a lack of desire safe in the knowledge that he is going to start week in, week out -which in my opinion isn't the case and if it was then maybe my view would change.
I think that Freddy should be treated with a little more respect than he has been shown by a number of fans over recent weeks.

 

[Welly7]

Quote[/b] ]D62SUBOY Posted on Dec. 29 2006,00:48
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hypothetical question Welly.

Lets imagine shall we that Freddy is here until the end of the season. He carries on playing the way he is at present, which you must admit is way below par. Would you keep him in the starting eleven week in week out regardless or would you drop him and give one of the other strikers a chance to shine?

Yes I'd play him even on current form. He is a match winner and we haven't the options on the bench to even contemplate dropping him...in my opinion!

 

[Jam_Man]

He certainly isnt playing as well as he can, however what people seem to be totally ignoring is the fact the team isnt exactly setting the world alight, he cant win the games single handed.

People know Freddy is leaving and are now using the fact he doesnt "try hard" and turning him into a scapegoat.

Personally I dont see him trying any less than before, he has always been laid back.

If anyone really thinks he doesnt care take another look at him when he missed against Luton, he was devastated.

Its a bygone conclusion he is leaving anyway, but if there was any doubt in his mind the boo boys would have made his mind up for him...

 

[southendutd1]

Quote[/b] (Jam_Man @ Dec. 29 2006,01:12)]He certainly isnt playing as well as he can, however what people seem to be totally ignoring is the fact the team isnt exactly setting the world alight, he cant win the games single handed.

People know Freddy is leaving and are now using the fact he doesnt "try hard" and turning him into a scapegoat.

Personally I dont see him trying any less than before, he has always been laid back.

If anyone really thinks he doesnt care take another look at him when he missed against Luton, he was devastated.

Its a bygone conclusion he is leaving anyway, but if there was any doubt in his mind the boo boys would have made his mind up for him...

at luton yea what about spurs? ok service isnt great but still as said before its hopefully a blip! although maybe a rest could be good for him

 

[palexander]

Quote[/b] (southendutd1 @ Dec. 29 2006,02:35)]

Quote[/b] (Jam_Man @ Dec. 29 2006,01:12)]He certainly isnt playing as well as he can, however what people seem to be totally ignoring is the fact the team isnt exactly setting the world alight, he cant win the games single handed.

People know Freddy is leaving and are now using the fact he doesnt "try hard" and turning him into a scapegoat.

Personally I dont see him trying any less than before, he has always been laid back.

If anyone really thinks he doesnt care take another look at him when he missed against Luton, he was devastated.

Its a bygone conclusion he is leaving anyway, but if there was any doubt in his mind the boo boys would have made his mind up for him...

at luton yea what about spurs? ok service isnt great but still as said before its hopefully a blip! although maybe a rest could be good for him

I doubt that Freddy wouldnt be 'trying' against Spurs at White Hart Lane - thats a nonsense. If anything, he would be trying harder (i.e. being greedy) infront of a bigger audience and testing himself against better players.

If anything, you'd expect somebody in Freddy's postiong to 'not try' against Barnsley at home or something.

Have you considered that Freddy looked out of sorts at Spurs because he was defended against by a much higher quality of player.

It may show that Freddy isnt ready to play against that level of opponent week in, week out, but not trying - rubbish...

 

[RPG]

Quote[/b] (Welly7 @ Dec. 29 2006,00:11)]For a few weeks now I've become more and more aggrieved by the criticism of Eastwood from some of the fans on here, at games and in the Evening Echo. It seems that it's been built up to a crescendo that Freddy doesn't try, nor does he want to play for the club anymore and that he's started to believe his own press since the Man Utd game.
Perhaps he is a victim of his own success with the high standards he has set himself and therefore he is an easy target when things aren't going as well all had hoped. I heard a few different fans air their views at Norwich which sum up the ignorance of some of our supporters: "glad Eastwood ain't playing...he's been dragging the team down of late" and "I think it's time Eastwood was dropped anyway. Let's see what Bradders and Harrold can do."
What planet are these fans on??? Do they honestly believe that we are a better team without Freddy in it?
Can they not see a real, real talent in Eastwood? The sort of talent that there hasn't been at Roots Hall since Stan Collymore!
One man doesn't make a team, but arguably it was Freddy's goals last season that dragged us over the finish line to secure promotion. His goals against Barnsley, Swansea and Blackpool - all games when we were struggling and looking for him to produce for something extra special - immediately spring to mind.
This season Eastwood has been dealt with very well by better defenders who know he is our match winner. Does that mean he isn't as good as we thought? No, it doesn't. We are rooted to the bottom of the table for a reason and defenders know that if they handle Eastwood well then there isn't a lot else to us attacking wise within the team.
Fans who continue barrack Freddy, write to the Echo claiming he didn't try at Spurs, post on Shrimperzone that he doesn't work for the team and cheer when he is substituted at home games really haven't got a clue about football!!!
I hope it stops and people realise what a great player he is before it becomes a case of worshipping him after he has left for bigger and better things. However, I think at this moment in time some fans are too blind to appreciate Eastwood's ability and all that he has done for us and that is a tragedy when you consider we are talking about a modern day Southend United legend.

Good post agree 100%!!

Without Eastwood's goals last season we would not be in the Championship - fact!

Where our other strikers are so poor teams can afford to man mark Freddy out of the game.

Also Freddy will almost certainly be going at the beginning of January - if you were him would you risk getting injured?

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

Welly7 - good post.

As someone said Freddy has hit the woodwork 4 times in the last month. Had those gone in nobody would be questioning his desire and they'd still be singing his name.

Our fans are amongst the worse in the league and don't deserve a player like Freddy.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Well said Welly, also and IMO it is worth consideration if Freddy has been suffering from a virus which was bad enough to keep him out of the Norwich game, who on here has not gone to work/college/school etc when also suffering?

 

[mattytheshrimper]

i have said negative things about freddy after the brumme game which i now feel were way too harsh. i was very angry about our performance and i think everyone is used to freddy being the star of the show and when he doesn't score is he made into a very easy target. i hope the whole team gives us a performance tomorrow and i will be very happy with a draw but would love to get an away win at their place! I'll be there!

 

[effy67]

We have come a long way in a very short time and one of the main reasons for that is down to Freddy.  Even if he is not firing on all cylinders he is our best striker end of.

To say he's not trying is ridiculous he is now being man marked by 2 defenders in virtually every game, which should open up plenty of room for our other strikers and midfielders but unfortunately they have not been good enough to capitalise.  Just say hypothetically he was n't trying and as stated I think that is complete b****x, a neutral would still be hard pressed to tell you that one of our other strikers was any better.  Realise what we have and enjoy it while it lasts and if he has played his last game for us then I think he deserves better than some of the shabby name calling he is now receiving.

Carpe Diem and get behind those rip roaring blues

 

[nnatt76]

I agree we get some rubbish written on here by some narrow minded morons......but thats just my OPINION.


Nothing like negative comments when your at the bottom of the league.

Tilson out anyone ?

 

[southendutd1]

changing the subject a little here - can people sop saying things like our other strikers are so poor its so bloody annoying

Paynter - Hasnt really been given a fair cance IMO

Harrold - Scored a few although does look a little bit of the pace

Hooper - Could be anything needs more chances though

Bradders - Good hold up player just needs to get back in to shooting

Personally i think that with Fred injured its their chance to proove their good enough so well just have to see

 

[Shrimpbizkit]

Yep most teams have wised up to the fact that we are pretty much the only team in the whole league who are totally reliant on one player for goals, marked Freddy heavily and thus beaten us quite easily. The midfield should shoulder most of the blame.

 

[footychick]

I agree.
Freddy does get marked out of the game sometimes and the midfield should start taking chances and having a few shoots on goal themselves. i'm a big fan of fred but however good he is he has been below par the last few games but we've got to stop relying on him to get the goals, we have got great players who are capable of getting goals aswell.