Post-Match Thread and Ratings Port Vale FC 2 - 0 Southend United

[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United’s woes continued with a 2-0 defeat at Port Vale this afternoon.

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[RHB]

Our first away game of the season and our first away defeat! I listened to it on the radio but would certainly like to hear what the travelling fans thought.

Somewhere along the way today SUFC supporters made the journey to Port Vale and this thread is so they can tell the rest of us what they saw. As this is for post match reports and ratings try not to kick off the 'Brown out' stuff, there are more than enough threads on that already.

 

[SUFCStu]

From Chris Phillips

Brown: "Teams aren’t beating us, we’re beating ourselves."

Brown: "This form this season is bringing together a new group of players but they’re suffering. There’s no belief or confidence."

PB: "3 players came on. 1 is an under 21 for Swansea & the other 2 played for Chelmsford last year. That highlights the problems we’ve got."

Brown: "We’re missing some big players who are injured and we’re missing a big squad."

Brown: "We’re here to win games of football & when that doesn’t the pressure gets cranked up. If anyone puts pressure on me I’ll accept it.

Brown: "We've been trying all summer to bring players in and we really couldn't have tried any harder."

Brown: "If people want to blame anyone blame me."

Brown: "We're only two games into the season and one win would change everything. We can still have a good year."

 

[Thundersley Blue]

Has a text at the end of the game from a friend. Think she summed up the situation perfectly. Brown needs to get the best out of what he has got, rather than continually moan about what he hasn't got.

 

[ace]

On my way home. For me Barratt was the only one at 100% effort. Leonard and Coker are shadows of their former selves. Problems all over the park. Short on tactics skill and self belief. Things have got to change, and change quickly.

 

[eastling]

Leonard and Coker are shadows of their former selves.

Oh dear was the same with them on Tuesday too

 

[Shrimpersfan]

Really need at least a point in our next away game. That league table hurts big time

 

[tangerine dream]

On my way home. For me Barratt was the only one at 100% effort. Leonard and Coker are shadows of their former selves. Problems all over the park. Short on tactics skill and self belief. Things have got to change, and change quickly.

You're having a larf. AB had a nightmare. Went walkabout for the first and out jumped and then caught daydreaming for the second. He's a problem.

 

[Tommy2holes]

You're having a larf. AB had a nightmare. Went walkabout for the first and out jumped and then caught daydreaming for the second. He's a problem.

Surely not. Hes our captain and now must play every single league match

 

[jtsouthend]

The football is pretty hard to watch at the moment (and that includes the end of last season)

We don't really seem to have any tactics or style of play (both home and away) and without Payne there is no one who will take the game to the opposition

First league game it was slow labour build up play and today no more than 4 passes and then try to hit the miracle ball or just lump it foward...we don't seem to have a core game plan and we haven't had one for a while

in the past we had a direct game based on hitting BBBC and bring other players into play or playing the channels when we had Britt and Gavin. I'm not sure that our plan is based on the players we have and does it lend itself to getting the best out of them...would love to know what they do in training

Thought we were the better team before they scored in a game that was not a classic first half. Poor defending again for both their goals and I can't see us scoring at least two goals or more to win many games that often this season

Next few signings even if they are on loan are going to be crucial otherwise it is going to be a long season to endure. The team at present don't look like they have the fight in them or any tactics when they enter the pitch

Next 3 games we have to pick up some points to start building some momentum

 

[OldBlueLady]

You're having a larf. AB had a nightmare. Went walkabout for the first and out jumped and then caught daydreaming for the second. He's a problem.

But you're not allowed to criticise him because he bleeds blue and kisses the badge and stuff!

Seriously, Sokolik and White did ok last Tuesday. JET had to adapt HIS game because they were doing well. Barrett is a legend, we all know that, but I question if he is the answer to any of the questions we need to be asking at the moment.

 

[rayleigh dan]

But you're not allowed to criticise him because he bleeds blue and kisses the badge and stuff!

Seriously, Sokolik and White did ok last Tuesday. JET had to adapt HIS game because they were doing well. Barrett is a legend, we all know that, but I question if he is the answer to any of the questions we need to be asking at the moment.

Have to agree with that, Barrett is not the answer now (sadly). I'd give a Thompson/Sokolik duo a go next game, can't be any worse surely :unsure:.

 

[bazzashrimper]

What would that say about brown, if 2 games into the season he drops his newly elected captain as he's past it?

 

[rayleigh dan]

What would that say about brown, if 2 games into the season he drops his newly elected captain as he's past it?

That he's made a mistake? I'd actually give him a lot of credit for admitting it.

 

[Blues Heaven]

We all know AB has been a great servant to the club, however I questioned giving him a purely playing contract this season and I was heavily criticised by my friends. He without doubt will be losing pace due to age and I will be surprised if he will be able to fulfill a full season of games without being rested occasionally.

He obviously is desperate to continue playing as long as possible but I fear this will be a season too far.

I am sure to get heavily criticised but it has to be looked at objectively without sentiment which we clearly cannot afford.

 

[Shrimper]

I can't help but feel worried about that quote about trying as hard as possible signings players and that he couldn't do more. Is he signalling that he is not going to be able to bring anyone else in that he wants?

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Liistening to commentary whilst doing a fair in the claustrophoblc heat of Saint Girons yesterday afternoon. One of the commentators was amused and surprised about how AB keeps getting away with his embraces. According to him, at one time, AB had both arms around a Vale player who was too quick for him and hauled him to the ground!
Could someone explain to me what happened with commentary on BP yesterday? I asked my wife to put it on as usual at 3pm (gmt) and the game didn't start until 3.45.............was there a different KO time for some reason or did the commentary have a three quarters of an hour delay???

 

[Harry Bullocks]

Anyone who went willing / able to scribble a few lines.....share the love / despair ...please:thumbsup:

 

[Shrimperforlife]

We all know AB has been a great servant to the club, however I questioned giving him a purely playing contract this season and I was heavily criticised by my friends. He without doubt will be losing pace due to age and I will be surprised if he will be able to fulfill a full season of games without being rested occasionally.

He obviously is desperate to continue playing as long as possible but I fear this will be a season too far.

I am sure to get heavily criticised but it has to be looked at objectively without sentiment which we clearly cannot afford.

Blues heaven, you are right, and many times on here you will be criticised for being so but carry on....Adam has been a fine servant but the time has come to realise that the end is here .. And it's here now ... He's not the only issue ,but we are leaking goals , and look at yesterday .. He's losing more headers than he's winning currently....now queue the abuse!!

 

[Angell Delight]

Love Barrett and will always be grateful for what he has done for this club. A legend in my book but sentiment can't come into this now. Gillingham realised a long time ago that Barrett wasn't good enough for this level anymore, that's why he was shipped out to Wimbledon and then us. Here we are two years down the line and he's our skipper in L1. That worries me greatly and the worst part is that in my opinion he's STILL better than Thompson who I don't personally rate at all! Unless Brown (or preferably someone else as I believe PB has lost the dressing room) doesn't sort out our defensive issues quicksmart - issues that have been glaringly obvious since at least the end of 2015 - then this is going to be one long, hard season and the prospect of relegation should things not change is a very real one if we carry on like this. We have a defence like a sieve, a goalkeeper who seems incapable of making a save, we don't score enough goals and possess a team that don't appear to have faith in their manager. That's a recipe for disaster.... :unsure: