How many more bad performances before Ron makes a change ?

[Chrisb]

I always thought that CP would be safe enough as manager this season but now believe that the next two or three results will be crucial for him. Ron doesn't rush to make changes but must be questioning whether CP and his coaching team can keep us in League One.

 

[NZamba Legend]

If we lose the next three he is gone. Definitely. One or two draws might not be enough either. But, I think we will win one of them and that will be enough for now. If, however, we then lose at Pboro and Shrewsbury at home, CP won't make it into April. Somehow I think we'll win 2 out of the next 5 and he'll then make it to the end of the season. Which is great.

 

[Grapevine]

Rochdale just sacked their manager

 

[Barling Magna]

I'm hoping that CP can hang on, but he would be well advised to play two upfront against Wombles, Shrews and Wycombe - nine points for the taking there if we go in with a positive approach. Kelman or Wabo should be partnering Cox in those crucial matches.

I think we will struggle at Blackpool who will be smarting from the heavy defeat by Brizzle Rogers and also playing before more home fans than usual following the removal of Oyston from their Board of Directors. It will be interesting to see how they perform against Accrington tomorrow night.

By the way, Rochdale have just sacked their manager......

 

[MK Shrimper]

Ron's not one to push the panic button. I think he'll last until the end of the season. If we manage to stay up then he'll stay for at least half of 19/20.

 

[Shrimper]

Rochdale just sacked their manager

They'd lost 4 in a row and won 1 in their last 11 and drawn 1. 4 out of 33 points

We've won 2 and drawn 3 in our last 11. Not great but better. 9 out of 33 points

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

I think we will struggle at Blackpool who will be smarting from the heavy defeat by Brizzle Rogers and also playing before more home fans than usual ....

And then onto Scunthorpe, def not one of our lucky grounds?.

 

[tallboyblue]

If we lose the next three he is gone. Definitely. One or two draws might not be enough either. But, I think we will win one of them and that will be enough for now. If, however, we then lose at Pboro and Shrewsbury at home, CP won't make it into April. Somehow I think we'll win 2 out of the next 5 and he'll then make it to the end of the season. Which is great.

It’s not just CP though is it. His assistants have got to go as well and can Ron afford it,

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I'm hoping that CP can hang on, but he would be well advised to play two upfront against Wombles, Shrews and Wycombe - nine points for the taking there if we go in with a positive approach. Kelman or Wabo should be partnering Cox in those crucial matches.

I think we will struggle at Blackpool who will be smarting from the heavy defeat by Brizzle Rogers and also playing before more home fans than usual following the removal of Oyston from their Board of Directors. It will be interesting to see how they perform against Accrington tomorrow night.

By the way, Rochdale have just sacked their manager......

This was one of his many mistakes against Barnsley. We reserve our worst performances when playing just Cox up front. It invites so much pressure. And then we reverted to hoofball. Even McLaughlin said it was stupid to lump it up to Cox as obviously he got beat in the air. CP should have shouted to the players to stop it. I have been on his side up to now, but if he plays with just Cox as the main striker much more, he can go. It's just clueless.

 

[Kris]

In fairness we started with two strikers against Pompey, Cox played on his own up front after Humphrys was injured and scored 3 goals.

SCP clearly wants to play 2 strikers, hence why he brought in Humphrys and tried to bring in more.

 

[Maldon Shrimper]

Cant see us getting any points in the next two away so making the wombles a must win game.If we lose that one and other results go against us can see Maher being put in the hot seat until the end of the season

 

[Chrisb]

In fairness we started with two strikers against Pompey, Cox played on his own up front after Humphrys was injured and scored 3 goals.

SCP clearly wants to play 2 strikers, hence why he brought in Humphrys and tried to bring in more.

If Cox is played on his own up front at least we should try and play it on the ground to him rather than hoofball.

 

[jim]

With the players CP has got at his disposal I think 4 points would be good 5 would be great.

 

[Kris]

If Cox is played on his own up front at least we should try and play it on the ground to him rather than hoofball.

Agree. Problem is, even when we do that and keep possession the crowd gets impatient.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

We need 6 points from these next 3 games at the absolute minimum

Always wonder when an other team down there sacks a manager if it maybe has a knock on effect to the other clubs. Both Rochdale and Bradford have made a change (for the record I think Bradford are doomed regardless)

Rochdale are actually in better form than us over the last 7 games. If we get to full time of that Wimbledon game as we've taken less than 6 points in that week I wonder how itchy Ron's trigger finger will get

 

[Thundersley Blue]

I think I must have been at a different game Saturday. We didn't start with Cox up front on his own. Dieng was clearly playing up front with him.

 

[southendkid]

This was one of his many mistakes against Barnsley. We reserve our worst performances when playing just Cox up front. It invites so much pressure. And then we reverted to hoofball. Even McLaughlin said it was stupid to lump it up to Cox as obviously he got beat in the air. CP should have shouted to the players to stop it. I have been on his side up to now, but if he plays with just Cox as the main striker much more, he can go. It's just clueless.

I disagree, we looked much, much better before Kelman was bought on. 2 up front works well when one of the strikers is good at knocking the ball down and holding it up or if one of them is pacy enough to run behind the last man and cut it back to his strike partner. Kelman and Wabo aren't aerial players though and they don't look that quick from the cameos I've seen them in so all sticking two up front does is mean that instead of one player being wasted because they lose 90% of the lobbed balls forward you've now got 2 players doing nothing.

Cox isolated up front doesn't work but Dieng playing just behind Cox, as he did for the Portsmouth comeback and I assume the Accrington match once Humpreys went off (where it sounded like we played well) is a much better option until Humpreys returns.

 

[Grapevine]

I disagree, we looked much, much better before Kelman was bought on. 2 up front works well when one of the strikers is good at knocking the ball down and holding it up or if one of them is pacy enough to run behind the last man and cut it back to his strike partner. Kelman and Wabo aren't aerial players though and they don't look that quick from the cameos I've seen them in so all sticking two up front does is mean that instead of one player being wasted because they lose 90% of the lobbed balls forward you've now got 2 players doing nothing.

Cox isolated up front doesn't work but Dieng playing just behind Cox, as he did for the Portsmouth comeback and I assume the Accrington match once Humpreys went off (where it sounded like we played well) is a much better option until Humpreys returns.

I agree that we looked better before Kelman came on. But at the risk of being controversial I’ve said that before! I made a point of it a few weeks ago that when he comes on it’s a desperate throw of the dice and often when he comes on we lose our shape completely and it’s difficult to even see what formation / position he has been asked to play.

Someone at Southend needs to be very careful with the lad. Using a 17 yr old boy who has no football education as a desperate get out of jail sub can be detrimental to him and the results. I’ve said it before, that he needs to get regular football at 23s level (he currently has just 3 appearances under his belt!!) and learn his trade a little or we risk a promising player not developing at all. For me, from his appearances since “that” goal, he’s not been able to impact games at all and has had just two shots and little or no involvement in any link up play....

Two up front doesn’t only work with a Keegan / Toshak, big man little man combo!!!

Who was knocking on headers for Ian Rush? Which one was the target man with Yorke and Cole? Bergkamp and Wright?

You have to play to suit what you have. Cox up front is NOT a problem at all (as proved v Portsmouth!!) IF you work at building up play through midfield and find Cox with the ball to his feet!

What I agree with is there is no point whatsoever of playing Cox (or Kelman / Wabo / Hutchinson or anyone else) up front if we insist on playing aimless balls from the GK directly into an area of the field for him or anyone else to battle aerially for....

I love Bishop in goal but someone has to tell him that no matter how much he just loves pinging a ball upfield he’s actually giving the ball away unopposed 90% of the time he has it...

BTW, Hutchinson came on up front with Cox at Accrington not Dieng....

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

This was one of his many mistakes against Barnsley. We reserve our worst performances when playing just Cox up front. It invites so much pressure. And then we reverted to hoofball. Even McLaughlin said it was stupid to lump it up to Cox as obviously he got beat in the air. CP should have shouted to the players to stop it. I have been on his side up to now, but if he plays with just Cox as the main striker much more, he can go. It's just clueless.

The second goal was yet another goal conceded trying to play out from the back.

 

[Chrisb]

Anything other than a win on Saturday and I think Ron will make a change.