• Welcome to the ShrimperZone forums.
    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which only gives you limited access.

    Existing Users:.
    Please log-in using your existing username and password. If you have any problems, please see below.

    New Users:
    Join our free community now and gain access to post topics, communicate privately with other members, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and free. Click here to join.

    Fans from other clubs
    We welcome and appreciate supporters from other clubs who wish to engage in sensible discussion. Please feel free to join as above but understand that this is a moderated site and those who cannot play nicely will be quickly removed.

    Assistance Required
    For help with the registration process or accessing your account, please send a note using the Contact us link in the footer, please include your account name. We can then provide you with a new password and verification to get you on the site.

Our style of play

BaileytheQuitter

Spelling Guru
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
3,662
Location
Benfleet, Essex
In recent years Southend have been associated with playing good, passing football.

We've always had good playmakers such as Bailey, Gower, Maher etc, with strikers such as Eastwood who favoured having the ball on the ground.

With the season soon approaching, I look at our squad, and I see Moussa being the most creative midfielder we have. Now, as put forward by some- do we structure next seasons side around having Franck in CM, and looking to play through the middle in a similar fashion to that of previous years.

Or, as we did towards the end of last season (with good results) should we use longer balls with a pacey striker.

Finally, could we look to use Revell more- as so far I don't think he has been used to full potential. Looking at his goals from Brighton, nearly all of them were headers. Yet with us, he has scored 1? The rest being with his feet. Maybe suggesting how he is being formatted to fit into our 'on the ground' style. Could we look to use a target man more this season, or would this sacrafice the good football people are so kean of.

I think the conclusion of this thread is the question- who do you think will be our key players that we look to build the squad around?
 
In recent years Southend have been associated with playing good, passing football.

We've always had good playmakers such as Bailey, Gower, Maher etc, with strikers such as Eastwood who favoured having the ball on the ground.

With the season soon approaching, I look at our squad, and I see Moussa being the most creative midfielder we have. Now, as put forward by some- do we structure next seasons side around having Franck in CM, and looking to play through the middle in a similar fashion to that of previous years.

Or, as we did towards the end of last season (with good results) should we use longer balls with a pacey striker.

Finally, could we look to use Revell more- as so far I don't think he has been used to full potential. Looking at his goals from Brighton, nearly all of them were headers. Yet with us, he has scored 1? The rest being with his feet. Maybe suggesting how he is being formatted to fit into our 'on the ground' style. Could we look to use a target man more this season, or would this sacrafice the good football people are so kean of.

I think the conclusion of this thread is the question- who do you think will be our key players that we look to build the squad around?


Rather than change our style of play I would rather we sold Alex Revell??
 
In recent years Southend have been associated with playing good, passing football.

We've always had good playmakers such as Bailey, Gower, Maher etc, with strikers such as Eastwood who favoured having the ball on the ground.

With the season soon approaching, I look at our squad, and I see Moussa being the most creative midfielder we have. Now, as put forward by some- do we structure next seasons side around having Franck in CM, and looking to play through the middle in a similar fashion to that of previous years.

Or, as we did towards the end of last season (with good results) should we use longer balls with a pacey striker.

Finally, could we look to use Revell more- as so far I don't think he has been used to full potential. Looking at his goals from Brighton, nearly all of them were headers. Yet with us, he has scored 1? The rest being with his feet. Maybe suggesting how he is being formatted to fit into our 'on the ground' style. Could we look to use a target man more this season, or would this sacrafice the good football people are so kean of.

I think the conclusion of this thread is the question- who do you think will be our key players that we look to build the squad around?

if you want Revell to score with his head we better find a winger who can put a decent ball in the box - something we've lacked for a while!!!!
 
if you want Revell to score with his head we better find a winger who can put a decent ball in the box - something we've lacked for a while!!!!

Agreed, you could have Peter Crouch playing for us but if no ones putting the crosses in he's not going to be scoring many headers.
 
Rather than change our style of play I would rather we sold Alex Revell??

I think Mr Revell can contribute to our squad and offer an option but i just don't think hes dangerous enough in the air, on the groud or in any aspect of his game -

i think Moussa should keep out of the league one war zone - (centre mid) and stay out left -

and I am gutted we have not got Theo .....

I think there is somne temptation when coaching at this level to be try and be pragmatic with early balls (hoof really) cos it eases the pressure and keeps play upfield and produces good positions on the pitch from secondary paly - throw ins corners etc.

if you have a killer striker (Eastwood, Theo) you can sit deep and look for the break - I think Barney was well matched with Theo - remember the cross bar against Leicester - great link play - for me at age 20 Theo for 300k was a good investment - and I think he loved it here - two Southend namechecks in his welcome to Huddersfileld interview -

all these decision are dead easy when its not your money or job on the line -
 
It will be interesting to see who Tilly starts with up front. Laurent and Walker have pace, but I presume Barnard will be one of the choices, injuries permitting. He likes the ball played to feet, as does Dougie, but (Moussa aside) our midfield players have difficulty with accurate passing. It is a conundrum as I can see us not having the pace to get beyond defences generally and as has been said before, we also don't have wingers to get a good cross in. I share DtS' antipathy to Revell the player - not the bloke, he seems a good 'un - and when we were relying on him midway through the season, it coincided with a dearth of goals and points. I know he's a useful target man and tries hard etc., but he's a proven non-goalscorer and is at best a squad player, not someone to build the side around. Laurent's form seems to hold the key - I'd like to see him start with Barny as there will be some unpredictability and pace from him, whereas Barny and Dougie together could be too pedestrian despite their higher skill level. I also hope Walker can get a try out in pre-season too. If ... I know, it's tempting fate ... he can have a good run and get his confidence up, then he may well be like having a new player for us next season. Looking forward to hearing some news next week to see what options Tilly is going with...
 
I agree with you, Barnard and Freedman together, does seem a little slow, which is why I also would like to see Laurent partner Barnard in attack.

Laurent showed glimpses of class, and if he can have a decent run, and get some confidence then he could be deadly.

I think Barnard has to be our top striker, his goals to games ratio is the best (I would imagine), and his form when fit is worthy of a starting place.
 
our best style of play in recent years has been the direct ball through the channel for Theo to latch onto... looks like we'll be reverting to trying to pass our way though teams, a pretty, but risky strategy.
 
how about...'adaptable' style?...it seems we have been too predictable in the past, and had trouble unlocking those well organised defences or bypassing tight midfields...we may not have the biggest squad, but we DO have some different styles of players, and although 'The Great Tillmiester' doesnt like the concept of 7 subs, it could help in these situations. (ok, he has to have a fit squad and pick the right players). I for one, think the game will become more tactical, and will show T&B's TRUE tactical awareness.......;)
 
Unless we sign a creative (wide) midfielder I reckon Tilly will do his best to get another pace man in the Robinson vein, but either on loan or on a free.
 
One thing I think Tilson has done wrong in his career as Southend manager, and there aren't many, is looking to use target men.

Historically target men haven't worked for us. In my years, I've seen Drewenaldo, Danny Webb, Matt Harrold and Alex Revell to name a few being brought in as a targetman. Not all by Tilson to be fair. Maybe its too early to include Revell in the list, especially because I like him, but none of the others done a brilliant job for us and aren't looked back with many positive thoughts by most on here.

I think having a target man in the team, always allows defenders to "hit" him early and this takes away a strong area for us, being the midfield. So if the defence is under pressure, and the midfield and back helping and we clear it up to Revell IF he wins it there is no-one for him to bring into play, therefore we lose the ball again and have to soak up more pressure.

Also, we haven't really had a winger to put over good quality balls for these types of players to attack and score headed goals. Bar Gower, who didn't really attack the by-line, I've seen the likes of JCR, Kightly, Mitchell Cole, Scannell, Betsy to name a few struggle really. None of them, for us anyway, provided good enough balls for the target man to attack.

I much prefer to have a out and out forward who will stick the ball away when given a chance, like Barnard does for us at present, and a pacy forward. Having a forward up there with pace allows us to use the channels, and the ball over the top for him to exploit with his pace. Just look at players like Theo Robinson, Wayne Gray and James Walker (In parts) they have all aloud us to do this because of their pace. With a target man you have to be able to "hit" them, and centre halves don't tend to have a fantastic range of passing.

This season, I'd rather we didn't really on a forward like of Revell (targetman) and Barnard. I don't mind a big guy coming on for the last 15 minutes when we are chasing as it allows us to go long, but I don't think they should be on the pitch for 90 minutes.
 
Not sure about that, wasn't Bradders also brought in as a target man, after the Goat? For whatever reason, target men don't seem to do well at Southend....individualists, yes absolutely but not out and out target men.
 
Not sure about that, wasn't Bradders also brought in as a target man, after the Goat? For whatever reason, target men don't seem to do well at Southend....individualists, yes absolutely but not out and out target men.

In recent times possibly. But what about Garner, Moore, Guthrie, Sylvester, Spence, Mercer, McDonough etc?
 
Peter Silvester.......now you're talking my language Harry....and Stuart Parker of course.
 
Not sure about that, wasn't Bradders also brought in as a target man, after the Goat? For whatever reason, target men don't seem to do well at Southend....individualists, yes absolutely but not out and out target men.

He spent a lot of time playing wide right though, doing the donkey work out there. Yes, he did play games through the middle, but I thought he was a reasonably successful signing.
 
I've only good memories of Bradders, all his woefully average moments have been replaced with a loop of his volley at Cardiff.

What a moment.
 
In recent times possibly. But what about Garner, Moore, Guthrie, Sylvester, Spence, Mercer, McDonough etc?

Garner and Guthrie had much more to their game than mere target men and Spence was more of a predatory striker than a target man.

The best example there is Big Roy, who despite being the least talented of all those on that list, was the most effective foil for the striker who played alongside him (while he was still on the pitch). A number of our prolific strikers all benefited from Big Roy's efforts.
 
Rather than change our style of play I would rather we sold Alex Revell??

Indeed, the idea of even considering tailoring or style of play for a player who has scored just 4 goals in 38 appearances, is frankly ridiculous (whatever part of his anatomy he scored them with).
 
Back
Top