Post-Match Thread and Ratings Oldham Athletic 0-0 Southend United

[Shrimpergonzo]

I’m fed up of all the Acquah bashing that goes on. I’ve just left the Southend United group on Facebook because of it.

We looked far better with him on the pitch than after he was subbed yesterday. Yes, he missed the one on one, but it was on his wrong foot and the strength and turn to create it were great. He had a header saved at point blank range too and held the ball up well and brought people into the game with intelligent passes. Others like Akinola, RHF and ANG missed chances too, but they’re not labelled as donkeys or not good enough, but when Emile misses one, he is.

He is by no means the finished article but with more games will get better. I’m sure the coaches must be working on his finishing too.

He’s 18 months younger than Tom Clifford, but gets treated like he’s a 30 year old donkey. He’s a young kid who could turn into a very good player in a couple of years.

 

[Phippsy]

The issue yesterday and in our last few games hasn't been the number 9s inability to score its the players around him. Sim had a shocker yesterday, how he ducked under that beautiful cross I don't know. Hackett fairchild whips in some good crosses but is pretty 1 dimensional. Our other attacking options ANG ,Dieng et al never chip in with goals.
So although I still feel hand on heart that acquah isn't quite good enough for league football, how about some senior players around him start stepping up to the plate!

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

I’m fed up of all the Acquah bashing that goes on. I’ve just left the Southend United group on Facebook because of it.

We looked far better with him on the pitch than after he was subbed yesterday. Yes, he missed the one on one, but it was on his wrong foot and the strength and turn to create it were great. He had a header saved at point blank range too and held the ball up well and brought people into the game with intelligent passes. Others like Akinola, RHF and ANG missed chances too, but they’re not labelled as donkeys or not good enough, but when Emile misses one, he is.

He is by no means the finished article but with more games will get better. I’m sure the coaches must be working on his finishing too.

He’s 18 months younger than Tom Clifford, but gets treated like he’s a 30 year old donkey. He’s a young kid who could turn into a very good player in a couple of years.

There is so far no evidence to tell us he’s going to turn into a “very good player” but there’s evidence to say he’ll turn into an “ok player” with Harlow town. The mans had so many bloody chances to score the last few weeks but hasn’t, simple as that and we are quite right to pull him up over it, especially when points are so so valuable.

If you can’t handle people pointing out the obvious, and have to leave groups because of it I suggest you get a grip because it’s a forum to express just that, whether you like the other Persons point of view or not.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Some weird decisions from both the management and from the officials. I thought there were a number of decisions that went against us - or weren't given by the ref or the nearside assistant ref, and a number that were influenced by Harry Kewell's team screaming like a bunch of schoolgirls every time one of their players went down....which was often.

Worst instance was one of them telling the ref to "send him off" in the incident with John White in the first half, when John had clearly kicked the ball and their bloke went down as if he'd had his balls ripped off. Shocking stuff, I hate cheating and there were a lot of play acting incidents from Oldham out there.

A frustrating game - I thought Acquah was trying to well and truly prove me wrong by jumping and winning a header in the 1st few minutes, turning and having a shot! Squandered chances are going to cost us though, at the end of the season if we can't get some wins under our belt. We have to be putting at least one of those 6 or 7 good chances we had during the game in the back of the net.

Cordner and Clifford were our best two players, though I wince every time young Tom is tackled in fear of him having to withdraw with another bad injury. Defensively we were very solid, and it was good to see Elvis back as a sub at RB. Hobson didn't do too much wrong, he was better than last match, but Elvis is just a better choice. I still don't get why Molesley won't play Demetriou there.

Tim Dieng seems to have become a bit invisible during games, he was a giant in midfield earlier on in the season, but now he seems to disappear for long periods and just be a supporting player. Maybe time for a rest. Kyle Taylor is our most important CM, and we need to keep him fit, understood taking him off.

Like most of you, I failed to understand the point of the substitutions, and if I were Ricky Holmes or Brandon Goodship, I'd have been banging on the manager's door to ask why I'd not been introduced when we'd taken Acquah and then Akinola off. I got the idea of Greg Halford coming on, but as @Shrimpergarry said, he can hardly get on the end of one of his own long throws.

Montgomery - 6, can't really score higher as had so little to do
Hobson - 6, struggled a bit against a tricky player
White - 7, usual game from JW, solid, hoofed the ball often
Cordner - 7.5, got over his lost confidence after the OG and now looks composed and solid
Clifford - 8, MOTM, an absolute diamond
Ferguson - 6, didn't really understand his role in that game
Dieng - 6, gone a bit AWOL
Taylor - 7, full of energy to start but seemed to run out of it, took another knock
Hackett-Fairchild - 7, looked a threat in much of the first half
Akinola - 6, playing too deep for me
Acquah - 7, probably his best game, but very wasteful in front of goal

Subs:
ANG for Acquah - 6.5, thought he did ok when he came on, had a lot of energy and made himself a nuisance running at their defence
Elvis for Hobson - 6.5, good to see him back
Halford for Taylor - 6.5, an odd substitution, we need those long throws earlier in the game, I'd almost rather see him start
Demetriou for Akinola - 6, this was the one that was most annoying to us all. Game was clearly crying out for Holmes.

 

[dannypav]

It’s all bout opinions and we are all entitled to them.
I think we are a much better side with Acquah in it , but I also understand that people are frustrated by him as an individual finisher etc.
What annoys me most though is the constant “we should have signed a goal scorer” !
You don’t say.
But (a) where are these mythical beasts hiding and (b) why would any of them join us in Jan this year when we were likely to be relegated.

MM has made mistakes for sure , but he had to start the season with ‘tied hands’ and was going into games knowing we had little chance of getting anything.
This was all due to the embargo and this is the reason we may go down.

 

[NZamba Legend]

This was all due to the embargo and this is the reason we may go down.

Absolutely this. We gave every other team a 15 game start.

 

[sufc4life21]

It looks like akinola out for tranmere. Ricky holmes deserves a run in the side now........ He might provide that spark we are lacking in the final third! Ang for me has been poor for number of games when started or come on as sub. Provided nothing in the final third.

 

[NZamba Legend]

It looks like akinola out for tranmere. Ricky holmes deserves a run in the side now........ He might provide that spark we are lacking in the final third! Ang for me has been poor for number of games when started or come on as sub. Provided nothing in the final third.

Yeah, big chance for Holmes this. Really hope he gives us a cutting edge.

 

[united we stand]

I noticed that too at the time but of course the Oldham commentators didn't. Emile berated the ref but he seemed to be the only one. Clearing for a corner by barging Emile to the floor was clearly acceptable

In. Fairness BBC Essex didn’t mention it.

In one of the things I don’t get. Why didn’t we go potty at the ref ? It happens all the time , the forest green goal was a foul on John white- he was the only one complaining.

It really doesn’t matter if you think it was afoul or not, both have/ would have been given in other matches by other refs.
As rugs by says why are t we in the refs ear, I really don’t get it, and it’s hardly a new thing.
We have only recently started to “her in the refs ear ” for one of our players if he is badly fouled.

It’s quite possible we will stay up/ get relegated by 1 or 2 points. That could easily have been a not given penalty

 

[sufc4life21]

Yeah, big chance for Holmes this. Really hope he gives us a cutting edge.

Let him now have run of games, otherwise what was the point in signing him.

 

[united we stand]

The thing that annoyed me the most was bringing on Halford. I simply don’t “get” what he gives us. Yea he is tall , yes he has a long throw but that’s it. What about for the other 95% of the time when the ball is in play.
I would literally play any of our other players ahead of him.
I know he has played at a higher level but to me the games just pass him by.

ANG - I’m really not sure that I would preserve with him any longer. We all see it match after match, beats man , doesn’t deliver final ball—- repeat. He “could” be so much better, but I don’t think we have the luxury of waiting for him to improve.

 

[NZamba Legend]

ANG - I’m really not sure that I would preserve with him any longer. We all see it match after match, beats man , doesn’t deliver final ball—- repeat. He “could” be so much better, but I don’t think we have the luxury of waiting for him to improve.

ANG makes JCR look like an 'end product' wizard.

 

[Strykr]

The thing that annoyed me the most was bringing on Halford. I simply don’t “get” what he gives us. Yea he is tall , yes he has a long throw but that’s it. What about for the other 95% of the time when the ball is in play.
I would literally play any of our other players ahead of him.
I know he has played at a higher level but to me the games just pass him by.

ANG - I’m really not sure that I would preserve with him any longer. We all see it match after match, beats man , doesn’t deliver final ball—- repeat. He “could” be so much better, but I don’t think we have the luxury of waiting for him to improve.

I have no idea why halford gets any time on the pitch. Actually makes me angry now.

And Demi would be the last midfielder on my teamsheet.

Do we have an attacking coach at the club? And is shooting a part of the weeks training? Not being facetious genuinely asking. My 18 month old son can kick the ball harder then ANG and arguably more accurately.

If your shot has the power of a weak pass back. At least try and aim for one of the corners of the goal rather then straight at the keeper.

 

[RHB]

If you can’t handle people pointing out the obvious, and have to leave groups because of it I suggest you get a grip because it’s a forum to express just that, whether you like the other Persons point of view or not.

Social platforms are there to share opinions but there is absolutely nothing wrong with walking away if you have had enough of the conversations. So I don't understand the 'get a grip bit'.

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

Social platforms are there to share opinions but there is absolutely nothing wrong with walking away if you have had enough of the conversations. So I don't understand the 'get a grip bit'.

Why go on social media forums if you can’t comply move on/ignore posts you don’t agree with?. Utterly childish.

 

[RHB]

Why go on social media forums if you can’t comply move on/ignore posts you don’t agree with?. Utterly childish.

I think we will have to agree to disagree on that point. But as you have said in the past, all opinions are valid.

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

Why go on social media forums if you can’t comply move on/ignore posts you don’t agree with?. Utterly childish.

It’s the comments on the Facebook group that, in my opinion, are childish - I’m happy to have an adult debate on the merits (or not) of players, performances and selections, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion on all of these.

For the most part that’s what happens on Shrimperzone - however the most vocal members of that Facebook group are not able to get involved in adult debate - they’ve made their mind up about a player and that’s that and they just shout it out and will use isolated examples out of context to justify why they’re right and everyone else is wrong. There’s no chance of reasonable debate (as usually happens on here, well most of the time anyway!) and I don’t want to read most of the nonsense that they post as it winds me up. Therefore I’m exercising my right to walk away by leaving that particular group.

If @Paulie Walnuts thinks that makes me childish, then he’s perfectly entitled to that opinion!

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

Some weird decisions from both the management and from the officials. I thought there were a number of decisions that went against us - or weren't given by the ref or the nearside assistant ref, and a number that were influenced by Harry Kewell's team screaming like a bunch of schoolgirls every time one of their players went down....which was often.

Worst instance was one of them telling the ref to "send him off" in the incident with John White in the first half, when John had clearly kicked the ball and their bloke went down as if he'd had his balls ripped off. Shocking stuff, I hate cheating and there were a lot of play acting incidents from Oldham out there.

A frustrating game - I thought Acquah was trying to well and truly prove me wrong by jumping and winning a header in the 1st few minutes, turning and having a shot! Squandered chances are going to cost us though, at the end of the season if we can't get some wins under our belt. We have to be putting at least one of those 6 or 7 good chances we had during the game in the back of the net.

Cordner and Clifford were our best two players, though I wince every time young Tom is tackled in fear of him having to withdraw with another bad injury. Defensively we were very solid, and it was good to see Elvis back as a sub at RB. Hobson didn't do too much wrong, he was better than last match, but Elvis is just a better choice. I still don't get why Molesley won't play Demetriou there.

Tim Dieng seems to have become a bit invisible during games, he was a giant in midfield earlier on in the season, but now he seems to disappear for long periods and just be a supporting player. Maybe time for a rest. Kyle Taylor is our most important CM, and we need to keep him fit, understood taking him off.

Like most of you, I failed to understand the point of the substitutions, and if I were Ricky Holmes or Brandon Goodship, I'd have been banging on the manager's door to ask why I'd not been introduced when we'd taken Acquah and then Akinola off. I got the idea of Greg Halford coming on, but as @Shrimpergarry said, he can hardly get on the end of one of his own long throws.

Montgomery - 6, can't really score higher as had so little to do
Hobson - 6, struggled a bit against a tricky player
White - 7, usual game from JW, solid, hoofed the ball often
Cordner - 7.5, got over his lost confidence after the OG and now looks composed and solid
Clifford - 8, MOTM, an absolute diamond
Ferguson - 6, didn't really understand his role in that game
Dieng - 6, gone a bit AWOL
Taylor - 7, full of energy to start but seemed to run out of it, took another knock
Hackett-Fairchild - 7, looked a threat in much of the first half
Akinola - 6, playing too deep for me
Acquah - 7, probably his best game, but very wasteful in front of goal

Subs:
ANG for Acquah - 6.5, thought he did ok when he came on, had a lot of energy and made himself a nuisance running at their defence
Elvis for Hobson - 6.5, good to see him back
Halford for Taylor - 6.5, an odd substitution, we need those long throws earlier in the game, I'd almost rather see him start
Demetriou for Akinola - 6, this was the one that was most annoying to us all. Game was clearly crying out for Holmes.

Can’t argue with any of that. I’ve been trying to think what substitutions MM should have made:

Elvis for Hobson was OK - good to give him some game time and he overlaps more than Hobson.

I would have left Acquah on.

If Taylor was flagging, then maybe Demi for him makes sense.

When Akinola went off injured I would rather Holmes or Goodship come on - probably Holmes as there’s the chance he’ll score a worldy.

if he wanted Halford on for the long throws then I think Dieng maybe should have been the change.

With those made, we would have finished:

Monty

Elvis White Cordner Clifford

Demi Halford Ferguson

RHF Acquah Holmes​

I’d have been happy with that and they may have just nicked something. Oh well, we’ll never know now!

 

[Strykr]

Can’t argue with any of that. I’ve been trying to think what substitutions MM should have made:

Elvis for Hobson was OK - good to give him some game time and he overlaps more than Hobson.

I would have left Acquah on.

If Taylor was flagging, then maybe Demi for him makes sense.

When Akinola went off injured I would rather Holmes or Goodship come on - probably Holmes as there’s the chance he’ll score a worldy.

if he wanted Halford on for the long throws then I think Dieng maybe should have been the change.

With those made, we would have finished:

Monty

Elvis White Cordner Clifford

Demi Halford Ferguson

RHF Acquah Holmes​

I’d have been happy with that and they may have just nicked something. Oh well, we’ll never know now!

Halford in centre mid. Gawd help us.

 

[Medway Blue]

Can’t argue with any of that. I’ve been trying to think what substitutions MM should have made:

Elvis for Hobson was OK - good to give him some game time and he overlaps more than Hobson.

I would have left Acquah on.

If Taylor was flagging, then maybe Demi for him makes sense.

When Akinola went off injured I would rather Holmes or Goodship come on - probably Holmes as there’s the chance he’ll score a worldy.

if he wanted Halford on for the long throws then I think Dieng maybe should have been the change.

With those made, we would have finished:

Monty

Elvis White Cordner Clifford

Demi Halford Ferguson

RHF Acquah Holmes​

I’d have been happy with that and they may have just nicked something. Oh well, we’ll never know now!

I think I would probably have brought Holmes on for Taylor, dropped Dieng back alongside Fergie and used Holmes in the hole behind Acquah. I would probably have then brought on Goodship in a direct swap for Akinola. So finished:

Monty
Elvis White Cordner Clifford
Dieng Fergie
RHF Holmes ANG
Goodship