Post-Match Thread and Ratings Gillingham 3-1 Southend United

[Evening Echo]

GARY Waddock feels Emile Acquah will learn from the red card he received at Gillingham.

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[Steve Giles]

GARY Waddock feels Emile Acquah will learn from the red card he received at Gillingham.

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Wasn’t there just seen the highlights on Quest, yes prehaps a bit stupid, but please don’t learn to not give a toss as some of our players think is the done thing

 

[Harry Bullocks]

Nope I posted this up in the Match Thread but have added it here as well to reply to you.

Is that "Ron no mates then" …..

 

[Harry Bullocks]

Well I'd like to say that was a "good day out"...……………..not.

As said previously, 1st half was "pony", certainly we were.
2nd half....after 58 mins we came alive, goal , buzz, anticipation...Acquah on ...Acquah off...

They milked it, but anyone would...after 70 mins I was hoping that it was 90.

12 mins in yer face football isn't enough, especially for the travelling 704 of us.

No drum, no volume, despite concerted efforts - due to being in an open end.

Millwall won...no AB
Stoke won......no NJ

The field is clearing.....Ron, crack on mate...…………………………...please

 

[Angell Delight]

To be honest I’m just surprised ANYONE wants this job. It’s a guaranteed relegation on the CV....

 

[Harry Bullocks]

Top tip ………………..……...Elvis, try as he might and, under instruction (or lack of cover)….is NOT a left back

 

[Austin the Shrimper]

Why we keep playing Hamilton and Milligan week in week out is beyond me. They are a massive part of the problem. They are chasing the game constantly, never really being effective. In football a new manager can change things...but I find it really hard to see with this group of players. If we survive this season, will be a Miracle.

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

I made a last minute decision to go today, still not sure why.
First half we looked disjointed and would have been behind earlier if Ox hadn't made some good saves. Elvis looked poor at left back. I thought we were going to hang on until half time but then our inability to clear the ball led to the deflected effort that wrong-footed Oxley and we go in a goal down.

The second half started with us playing musical statues while they walked around us to allow Stuart O'Keefe to score against his old club and suddenly we're 2-0 down after 46 minutes.

Acquah came on and we looked more up for it - his two bookings were a bit naïve, but were contributed to by play acting by the Gills players which incited the crowd and fooled the inexperienced ref.

I thought we gave it a good go after that and it made a change to see the players looking like they were up for the fight. Sadly though they are poor quality and so the the new manager is going to have to manufacture silk purse performances out of a sow's ear of a squad.

 

[Wobbler]

Why we keep playing Hamilton and Milligan week in week out is beyond me. They are a massive part of the problem. They are chasing the game constantly, never really being effective. In football a new manager can change things...but I find it really hard to see with this group of players. If we survive this season, will be a Miracle.

Both have been poor but neither of them are suited to playing in a two man midfield. Milligan hasn't got the legs and Hamilton is all over the place positionally.

To echo what was said on the previous page 442 is suicide with the make up of this squad. We don't have a single midfield pairing that isn't unbalanced or offers ample protection for the back four. We have just one wide player with decent workrate and our two best strikers look completely unnatural as a partnership.

However I do think both Milligan and Hamilton have quality and would show it in a system which suits their strengths, under a manager who has a clue tactically. Go three in the middle, let Milligan do what he's supposedly best at and focus on protecting the defence and while I don't particularly rate him I'd bring in Hyam for his mobility. The extra man will allow Hamilton more freedom going forward and some cover for his flaws defensively.

It's far from perfect but it goes to show that for all the praise of Bond's summer signings it was in reality a disaster of a transfer window, which has left us with a desperately unbalanced squad.

 

[rayleigh dan]

Why we keep playing Hamilton and Milligan week in week out is beyond me. They are a massive part of the problem. They are chasing the game constantly, never really being effective. In football a new manager can change things...but I find it really hard to see with this group of players. If we survive this season, will be a Miracle.

I agree, but what alternative do we have? Hyam? Mantom? Dieng? They're all IMO worse. The only alternative I can see is Milligan as CB and Kiernan in midfield, it's got to be worth a go surely.

 

[flangejackrabbit]

With the players we have we should be playing a 3-5-2, Demi can play left wing back if Ralph is out, Milligan screening behind Hyam and Hamilton. Elvis looks best in a wing back role tbh. We don't have enough of an engine in the middle or the right wingers for 4-4-2

 

[fleabag1]

Can anyone thing of a worse SOUTHEND team .Would this team be midtable in conference .Because this team would definitely be near bottom of div 2

 

[Harry Bullocks]

On the way home last night Radio 5 Live invited callers to name the "worst United currently".

Obviously targeting Manchester or Newcastle...…………...…….I encouraged my son to text / call in

 

[Harry Bullocks]

ps....Ox MoM by a country mile..

The "goading" of their penalty taker x 2, telling him where to put the ball, was hilarious

 

[Mr Browns Ghost]

Why we keep playing Hamilton and Milligan week in week out is beyond me. They are a massive part of the problem. They are chasing the game constantly, never really being effective. In football a new manager can change things...but I find it really hard to see with this group of players. If we survive this season, will be a Miracle.

Beaucase very midfielder is abysmal ... they are both shocking but Mantom and dieng and that little plastic **** hymn should never grace the playing surface in a Southend shirt again

 

[Thorper]

Top tip ………………..……...Elvis, try as he might and, under instruction (or lack of cover)….is NOT a left back

Hooray!! I thought it was only me! Elvis great to watch,has lots of skill and gives 100% every game (unlike some) but at full back he's a liability. Wide midfield is where he should be, for me.

 

[Thorper]

I listened on the radio. Pennyfather said 'No-one tracks runners, there's no proper marking, and no communication'.
So we concede soft goals every game. Yet we persist in sending out attacking formations, apparently in the forlorn hope we might score more than them.
Memo. to new manager: go and watch a team like Newport.

 

[blues exile]

We are conceding soft goals not because of throwing caution to the wind with attacking football but by having a row of inanimate dummies in defence who stand there and gawp at opposition forwards who go past them at will. Gillingham's second goal was a prime example. Traffic cones would have presented a better defence.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Hooray!! I thought it was only me! Elvis great to watch,has lots of skill and gives 100% every game (unlike some) but at full back he's a liability. Wide midfield is where he should be, for me.

I said this in the prematch thread. If Waddock didn't fancy starting Clifford, a proper LB, then Demi would have been a better choice at LB. Much as I have a huge amount of time for him, Elvis is very one sided.

 

[kentblues]

Top tip ………………..……...Elvis, try as he might and, under instruction (or lack of cover)….is NOT a left back

Totally 100%- pure stupidity putting him there- first half away at Portsmouth last year an absolute disaster, earlier this season cutting back on his right foot because he had no left, giving ball away and goal and yet unbelievably put him there again.

Completely unfair to Elvis and seems like just an effort to get Elvis and Demi on the pitch- in which case put Demi right MF. Elvis' left foot is for standing on and absolutely nothing else. We would have be way better off with Clifford or McL there.