Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 0-0 Aldershot

[canveyshrimper]

And the club expects people to pay more to watch this tripe next season??

Indeed, which is the point I was making about the price increases, they don't or won't represent value for money.

 

[Shy_Ted]

You presumably mark the referees on some alternative scale? You rightly identified that he was "pretty ok" and then gave him a lower mark than every single one of our players. Crawford's "ok" for just 40 minutes warranted 6.5 (I thought he was making no impression anyway)!
Sturrock's dismal performance as a substitute worth 6 (Blair, why don't you try leaving the ground when you "jump" for high balls or don't "intelligent" players do that?). The outclassed Woodyard and the tired, hesitant Clohessey both outscored a reasonably competent official. Very perverse.

Hello there Mr Picky

 

[EastStandBlue]

Fairly typical performance from two sides with little left to play for.

Morris looked assured and we look a far more resolute unit at the back with him in goal. I get the impression Evans doesn't inspire much confidence in the defenders, and it tells with some rather panic stricken defending. Clohessy was pretty poor in the first 20, but did get better as the game went on. Similar story with Mohsni, who was all over the place in the first half but did improve. Can't say I was impressed with the nut he laid on their right-back late on in the game and, if it had been seen by the officials, he would surely have seen red. Barker got skinned by their winger a few times but, overall, felt he handled the threat fairly well.

A very young midfield simply struggled to impact on the game. The organisation in the first half just wasn't there and we failed to identify Guttridge as a threat. I thought Gutts was brilliant in the first 45 and ran the show from midfield, his passing was forward-thinking and accurate while he also showed the vision and drive to get forward with the ball at his feet. Sturrock obviously changed things around at HT as Grant stepped back into the hole alongside Woodyard to stop Guttridge, with Ferdinand pushed higher. Difficult game for Woodyard, I thought he was better in the second but he still looked a passenger and he must be braver if he's going to get along at this level of football.

I get the impression with Grant that he's simply going through the motions. On his day, he's one of the best available in this division but these days are now increasingly sparse. If Sawyer can sort himself out, what with Easton and Ferdinand behind him, then Grant certainly isn't as irreplaceable as he once was with us.

Corr had no service, but put himself about a bit and won a few flick-ons. He was unlucky with the effort he skied over the bar in the first half as, from where I was sat, it looked like he'd had his shirt tugged and it left him unbalanced enough to sky the shot. Sturrock was subdued and Hall tried, but to little effect.

 

[OldBlueLady]

You presumably mark the referees on some alternative scale? You rightly identified that he was "pretty ok" and then gave him a lower mark than every single one of our players. Crawford's "ok" for just 40 minutes warranted 6.5 (I thought he was making no impression anyway)!
Sturrock's dismal performance as a substitute worth 6 (Blair, why don't you try leaving the ground when you "jump" for high balls or don't "intelligent" players do that?). The outclassed Woodyard and the tired, hesitant Clohessey both outscored a reasonably competent official. Very perverse.

I shall stop rating the officials because you pick on my comments at every opportunity. Suffice to say that the vast majority of officials we have are pants, in my book that means they start at 0 and go up from there. The one we had yesterday got several things wrong, and the west lino missed some blatant shirt tugging on Kane when he was the last player and going through, plus some wrong decisions on throws. I also have no idea where the 4th official got only 3 minutes from at the end of the first half! Harry was down for about 5!!! I thought my mark was quite reasonable under the circumstances though why I should be justifying it to you I have no idea.

 

[fbm]

I shall stop rating the officials because you pick on my comments at every opportunity. Suffice to say that the vast majority of officials we have are pants, in my book that means they start at 0 and go up from there. The one we had yesterday got several things wrong, and the west lino missed some blatant shirt tugging on Kane when he was the last player and going through, plus some wrong decisions on throws. I also have no idea where the 4th official got only 3 minutes from at the end of the first half! Harry was down for about 5!!! I thought my mark was quite reasonable under the circumstances though why I should be justifying it to you I have no idea.

Don't take it personally OBL, Mick picks on everything at every available opportunity.

 

[Smiffy]

Complete toilet. Especially first half. If that is what we are expected to endure for the remainder, then I think quite a few would rather be dragged around the shops. Some are obviously not looking for a new contract and can leave as far as i'm concerned. Very disappointing.

 

[The Late One]

Sturrock on the radio said that the ball was bouncing much higher than normal and that made it very difficult to control,

So it is the ball's thought that Sturrock's players are playing crap. :smiles:

So far this season he has blamed other teams pitches, the weather (same if not worse for other teams), lack of players due to them not wanting to come here (if he didn't know what reputation we had then he must have been on a different planet), lack of a proper pre-season (something he knew about when he took the job), players being tired because they have played so many games (even though we have generally played less than most of the other teams as we have had games in hand most of the season and didn't stay in the cups very long) and now it is the fact that the ball bounces higher :hilarious:

 

[BrettieAngell]

Guys the second half wasn't that bad was it ?

as an aside, Sturrock on the radio said that the ball was bouncing much higher than normal and that made it very difficult to control, Is it true that their was an annoucement to say that who ever could kick the ball the highest in the air was guaranteed to be paid on time . I can't see any other reason for what we had to watch

Best excuse ever!

 

[Mick]

I shall stop rating the officials because you pick on my comments at every opportunity. Suffice to say that the vast majority of officials we have are pants, in my book that means they start at 0 and go up from there. The one we had yesterday got several things wrong, and the west lino missed some blatant shirt tugging on Kane when he was the last player and going through, plus some wrong decisions on throws. I also have no idea where the 4th official got only 3 minutes from at the end of the first half! Harry was down for about 5!!! I thought my mark was quite reasonable under the circumstances though why I should be justifying it to you I have no idea.

You don't know where the fourth official (John Hopkins - who I know from Sunday morning refereeing) got three minutes from? I can help you there; he got it from the referee. Fourth officials are not timekeepers and are advised by the referee of the minimum amount of additiional time. To be fair I was expecting a little longer too !

 

[Mick]

Hello there Mr Picky

Don't be shy, explain why that was picky.

 

[Mick]

I shall stop rating the officials because you pick on my comments at every opportunity. Suffice to say that the vast majority of officials we have are pants, in my book that means they start at 0 and go up from there. The one we had yesterday got several things wrong, and the west lino missed some blatant shirt tugging on Kane when he was the last player and going through, plus some wrong decisions on throws. I also have no idea where the 4th official got only 3 minutes from at the end of the first half! Harry was down for about 5!!! I thought my mark was quite reasonable under the circumstances though why I should be justifying it to you I have no idea.

Your choice, but if you put things up on a discussion board I assume it's on the basis of people discussing them. Some may agree, some may not. I've haven't picked up on your comments much at all lately, but if you think that every Southend player performed their job better than the referee did yesterday, I've got to take issue with that. (Mind you he didn't have to contend with a bouncing ball!)

 

[The Late One]

Your choice, but if you put things up on a discussion board I assume it's on the basis of people discussing them. Some may agree, some may not. I've haven't picked up on your comments much at all lately, but if you think that every Southend player performed their job better than the referee did yesterday, I've got to take issue with that. (Mind you he didn't have to contend with a bouncing ball!)

I wasn't at the game yesterday but can someone tell me when the ball started bouncing ???
Was kick-off delayed ??
Did they have to hold it on the centre spot at the start ??
Or was it when it after being launched skywards ??

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Don't take it personally OBL, Mick picks on everything at every available opportunity.

He used to be a referee you know.:winking:

 

[Mick]

I wasn't at the game yesterday but can someone tell me when the ball started bouncing ???
Was kick-off delayed ??
Did they have to hold it on the centre spot at the start ??
Or was it when it after being launched skywards ??

There was an interesting clip from the Man City cup-tie at home from way back on FL Show last night. Ball wasn't bouncing much there!

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Did this bouncing ball only affect our players? Aldershot seemed to cope with it, as our goalie was Man of the match.
Why not just come out and say that we were garbage. We have suffered injuries, and those players haven't been replaced due to no signings and tiny squad, and we have to use youth players that aren't quite up to it. Also, we only have One proper striker at the club and sometimes we have to throw our most promising defender up front to do the job others can't. We also seem to be playing players that can't wait for the season to end, so they can bugger off. Yes I know, probably due to the not being paid on time, and broken promises continuous joke.
Bouncing ball?, I don't think so.

 

[Cricko]

I noticed at times the grass was leaping up and slowing the ball down.

There was also an army of Ants by the goal mouth in the second half that seemed intent on tripping Sturrock up every time he got within shooting distance.

We was robbed!

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

We can only hope that the person who over inflated the balls has been dealt with in the appropriate manner by the club so that this shocking turn of events can not be repeated. Either that or we have to provide some stilts for our players to wear next time to deal with the high bouncing ball.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I noticed at times the grass was leaping up and slowing the ball down.

There was also an army of Ants by the goal mouth in the second half that seemed intent on tripping Sturrock up every time he got within shooting distance.

We was robbed!

Can't believe somebody's starting on poor ol Blair again. The last couple of games he's realized that he's meant to venture into the penalty area every now and again, and your having a go at him. Panic set in I know, but at least he knows where it is now.
Didn't see the ant incident, is he O.K.?

 

[Cricko]

Can't believe somebody's starting on poor ol Blair again. The last couple of games he's realized that he's meant to venture into the penalty area every now and again, and your having a go at him. Panic set in I know, but at least he knows where it is now.
Didn't see the ant incident, is he O.K.?

I know it was a shock to most of us that he found his way there, I think is was an accident as he was trying to avoid the new springs they have set into the pitch to give the game some added bounce...

Yeah I heard he is fine it was all an Anticlimax apparently.

 

[Tommy2holes]

The first home game i have missed this season as i decided to take the mrs away for the weekend.

Couldnt even give my season card away!

Was shopping in Norwich on the saturday and apart from the sea of yellow around the town prior to kick off what struck me most was the sheer support in all the shops pubs and eateries for the home town club.

Made me sad that not only was i not that bothered to be away and missing a game , but that other clubs have such a superb team to support and make the town proud and we just have a shell run by some muggy property developer who hasnt got a pot to **** in.