Post-Match Thread and Ratings Port Vale 5-1 Southend United

[yogi bear up the cagire]

We all seek points of reference. One day, when we're viewing the 'sunny uplands,' we'll look back and consider the moment when Southend United reached rock bottom..............I think I saw it yesterday. Their fourth goal was, collectively, probably the worst, gutless, couldn't care less, pathetic, incompetent, gob-smackingly inept, eye popping piece of defending I have ever seen. If it was a comedy sketch it would have surely needed rehearsing many times to extract the degree of hilarity that achieved. The team would have to plummet to new unbelievable depths of poorness to beat that.

 

[Barling Magna]

You have hit the mail on the head OBL. Things must change. Fortunately for MM he has a winnable game coming up while Barrow and Grimsby face tougher tasks. The manager and the team have to get it right next Saturday because a series of much tougher games follow. A victory against Walsall will do wonders for our confidence, provided we return to the successful system used in December.

 

[Jcd]

Do we think maybe the players & staff thought based on our December form we were much better than we actually are? The last months performances scream of naivety as many others have said already. I turned off after half time so I can’t really comment on how we played after that but i just don’t understand how we can go from such great form back to square one so quickly?

Part of me thinks had we scored 1 or 2 more in that first half against Cambridge how different things would be, the team could have had all the confidence in the world and we would be praising MM’s tactical nuance to the hills. It just really makes no sense to me.

It was a real low point yesterday and I think for me personally it was the final realisation that the conference next season is actually likely to happen. At least we still have our club.

 

[Cricko]

You have hit the mail on the head OBL. Things must change. Fortunately for MM he has a winnable game coming up while Barrow and Grimsby face tougher tasks. The manager and the team have to get it right next Saturday because a series of much tougher games follow. A victory against Walsall will do wonders for our confidence, provided we return to the successful system used in December.

We seem to be saying that every week as does MM.

 

[KiwiRob]

You have hit the mail on the head OBL. Things must change. Fortunately for MM he has a winnable game coming up while Barrow and Grimsby face tougher tasks. The manager and the team have to get it right next Saturday because a series of much tougher games follow. A victory against Walsall will do wonders for our confidence, provided we return to the successful system used in December.

I wish the Chairman could find some way of utilising Paul Clark's grit, organisational skills, knowledge of the game, and never - say - die spirit to assist MM's preparations for matches. My concern is that MM is not thinking as clearly as he should about how Southend needs to dig itself out of the hole it finds itself in. In my view, MM clearly needs to pick a backfour that includes Elvis, Hobson, Lynch/White and Clifford and build the team from there.

I want MM to succeed and I think he can. But I am beginning to wonder whether his backroom staff are able to give the sort of support and advice he needs at this critical stage of the season.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Embarrassingly inept display both by the players and the management. I can't believe we wouldn't have set up with Hart and Clifford on the left to try and combat David Worrall, who John White must surely have warned Molsely about.

It really looked like none of them wanted to be out there, enforced substitutions, and then finishing with 10 men as we'd used all our sub opportunities.

It's a stubbornness in picking three central defenders and two supposed wing backs that gets me, it's like the "playing the ball out from the back" thing all over again. Results have gone backwards since using this formation.

I don't think it's just Egbri we're missing (though I have said this for the last two or three games) but Olayinka as well - his movement gave Akinola link up play and space, and both Egbri and Olayinka have the ability and some creativity that seems is missing in our midfield at present. Results definitely seem to have gone against us since these two have been missing.

Amazing to think how joyous it was being back in the ground not that many weeks ago and seeing two home wins on the bounce and a real upturn in form, players feeling the fan love and playing accordingly. It's all been forgotten.

I feared that the Molesley team was too inexperienced, and so it seems to be.

Things have to change this week if we are to stand even the slightest chance of not slipping out of the league altogether.

OBL, apart from the formation, what are the changes you feel necessary this week, in order to give us some chance of survival? Bearing in mind that we no longer have Olayinka, have quite possibly lost Akinola for a while and are unsure when Egbri will make his return.

 

[OldBlueLady]

You have hit the mail on the head OBL. Things must change. Fortunately for MM he has a winnable game coming up while Barrow and Grimsby face tougher tasks. The manager and the team have to get it right next Saturday because a series of much tougher games follow. A victory against Walsall will do wonders for our confidence, provided we return to the successful system used in December.

We've thought that ourselves for much of January though.

OBL, apart from the formation, what are the changes you feel necessary this week, in order to give us some chance of survival? Bearing in mind that we no longer have Olayinka, have quite possibly lost Akinola for a while and are unsure when Egbri will make his return.

I thought Egbri was quite close to being back? I'd play Reeco on the left, as he's not getting any success on the right and doesn't gel with Elvis. He's left footed. Harry Phillips into midfield, Michael Klass being in the matchday squad - these are two proper (if young) midfielders. Stick Halford up top, if we're getting bullied, for part of the match. I haven't seen much in Richard Taylor I'm afraid, so not sure why he persists in keep trying him. Or Acquah for that matter.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

We all seek points of reference. One day, when we're viewing the 'sunny uplands,' we'll look back and consider the moment when Southend United reached rock bottom..............I think I saw it yesterday. Their fourth goal was, collectively, probably the worst, gutless, couldn't care less, pathetic, incompetent, gob-smackingly inept, eye popping piece of defending I have ever seen. If it was a comedy sketch it would have surely needed rehearsing many times to extract the degree of hilarity that achieved. The team would have to plummet to new unbelievable depths of poorness to beat that.

Right or wrong - terrifically well written, and laying bare the anguish we all feel.

 

[Danshrimper]

No he didn’t - I wasn’t suggesting it either. Try reading all the posts before getting on your high horse. I don’t think anyone here wants to see MM abused on any platform, he’s a decent man trying his best but unfortunately it’s not working out and a change is needed if we are to have any hope of staying in the football league. It’s really that simple....

I’ve read the posts. Someone called them weapons for abusing him on social media. You said ‘it’s hard to call them weapons’. What else is that doing apart from justifying it?

I’m not saying a change isn’t imminent. But you’re in dreamland if you think Craig Fagan (the likely replacement) is going to keep this set of players in the EFL unless we make a number of signings, which isn’t going to happen.

 

[thenobster]

Having just watched on quest.. too many sauntering around and not busting a gut to get back. Elvis for one of them wandered into the centre instead of chasing the man... basics surely?

 

[Fairport]

Having just watched on quest.. too many sauntering around and not busting a gut to get back. Elvis for one of them wandered into the centre instead of chasing the man... basics surely?

This is the most worrying aspect of yesterday's performance. If people are not giving 100 per cent then you will fail at any level of football. This is where a manager's motivational skills or maybe lack of them come into play.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

We've thought that ourselves for much of January though.


I thought Egbri was quite close to being back? I'd play Reeco on the left, as he's not getting any success on the right and doesn't gel with Elvis. He's left footed. Harry Phillips into midfield, Michael Klass being in the matchday squad - these are two proper (if young) midfielders. Stick Halford up top, if we're getting bullied, for part of the match. I haven't seen much in Richard Taylor I'm afraid, so not sure why he persists in keep trying him. Or Acquah for that matter.

Yes, I can go along with most of what you say although the thought of a strike force of Halford, Goodship and Acquah doesn't fill me with confidence. (good to hear Egbri is near a return) Are you in favour of Ranger coming back? Don't ask me! I haven't the faintest idea, i don't know what to think, apart from, surely this is not the future? Interested to see from CP that the Olayinka saga is not yet settled and that we have until tomorrow to decide on whether he has a future with us. He was an enormous influence but probably wouldn't be fit until March; do we take that chance??? Who'd be a manager!?

 

[Barling Magna]

We seem to be saying that every week as does MM.

True enough but Barrow and Grimsby's results continue to be so poor that we still remain only four points from safety. However going by the fixtures in February I reckon this really is MM's last chance to save us. Surely we can't still be in range of safety by the beginning of March if we don't beat Walsall?

 

[Barling Magna]

Yes, I can go along with most of what you say although the thought of a strike force of Halford, Goodship and Acquah doesn't fill me with confidence. (good to hear Egbri is near a return) Are you in favour of Ranger coming back? Don't ask me! I haven't the faintest idea, i don't know what to think, apart from, surely this is not the future? Interested to see from CP that the Olayinka saga is not yet settled and that we have until tomorrow to decide on whether he has a future with us. He was an enormous influence but probably wouldn't be fit until March; do we take that chance??? Who'd be a manager!?

I would definitely keep Olayinka. He has been our best player. By March we may be too far adrift to have realistic hopes of safety but even so it ain't over until it's over.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Yes, I can go along with most of what you say although the thought of a strike force of Halford, Goodship and Acquah doesn't fill me with confidence. (good to hear Egbri is near a return) Are you in favour of Ranger coming back? Don't ask me! I haven't the faintest idea, i don't know what to think, apart from, surely this is not the future? Interested to see from CP that the Olayinka saga is not yet settled and that we have until tomorrow to decide on whether he has a future with us. He was an enormous influence but probably wouldn't be fit until March; do we take that chance??? Who'd be a manager!?

I deliberately didn't mention Goodship. I've seen nothing to suggest he is the answer to any of our problems and, yes, I'd take Ranger. There's an almost completely different personnel, and those that were here before are under no illusions, I still say Macca is the biggest influence in the dressing room - he won't take any of Ranger's shenanigans, and he'll make sure everyone knows that.

 

[Smudger]

I’ve read the posts. Someone called them weapons for abusing him on social media. You said ‘it’s hard to call them weapons’. What else is that doing apart from justifying it?

I’m not saying a change isn’t imminent. But you’re in dreamland if you think Craig Fagan (the likely replacement) is going to keep this set of players in the EFL unless we make a number of signings, which isn’t going to happen.

I’m really not interested in seeing anyone abuse MM - as I clarified a few posts down. The point I was trying to make is that you can’t write off everyone expressing their frustration at this manager - this is his team and he is responsible.

A change is immediately required - if that’s Fagan then for my money he cannot do any worse.

 

[Freedom for Tooting]

At least if Ranger comes back the lads will likely be able get some high quality charlie which will make them livelier on the pitch. Plus the youth team and younger fans will have a role model to cheer on.

 

[thenobster]

At least if Ranger comes back the lads will likely be able get some high quality charlie which will make them livelier on the pitch. Plus the youth team and younger fans will have a role model to cheer on.

Really not funny

 

[Joolz]

Why didnt mm start Ferguson? He should be sacked for that piece of bad management alone! That goal was amazing !! How could he not start him makes no sense at all

I would agree with you if one of MM’s January signings was a crystal ****ing ball.
Dig him out by all means but at least focus on something sensible - it isn’t as if there isn’t much to choose from.

 

[Strykr]

I must admit I found Molesley not bringing anyone with any Football League experience baffling. In fact it would appear there’s extremely little senior football experience in there, which makes it even more strange.

Baffling or arrogant?