Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 0-0 Tranmere Rovers

[rlb999]

Players suddenly playing well with January on the horizon. Most will jump ship at the first opportunity.

good

 

[thenobster]

so, we,ve played the teams directly around recently us and drawn three and lost one, three out of fifteen points available....... nope, still cant see any green shoots, just the charred embers of a season of hope. Fourteen points off of safety.... can still be done, but we know it wont.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I don't think anyone could question the effort and commitment today. On a different planet to the games they downed tools. We battled for every ball all over the pitch. We chased lost causes putting their goalie under pressure a few times. So much better. Sadly, the quality was missing. Special mention for Dieng and Oxley. Dieng stopped everything, and he read the game so well by anticipating the pass and nipping the ball off the attacker. He was good in the air as well. His best ever game for Southend, I would say. Oxley was back to his best. The speed that he came out to save from the one on one, excellent. Made some good saves and handling was good. Let down by not releasing the ball quick. Stone wall penalty not given and ref bottled it for the cert second yellow and sending off. Elvis again had a nightmare defending, seem to be saying that a lot, and his decision making when to pass or not pass is appalling. If a club has made an offer, then I would take the money.

 

[wiggy]

The Ox 8 Has come back much stronger and more vocal. Diving save that Bishop would have not got near and a very brave stop. In this form i think there are far weaker positions to address

Elvis 5 over rated , not a winger or a defender

White 7 legend and so reliable

Kiernan 8 much improved and helped keep a clean sheet

Dieng 8 getting better by the week

Mantom 5 Sorry, League 2 player

Milligan 5 who was the imposter playing as him in the pre season friendlies?

Demi 6 part of a rubbish midfield but he's got plenty of enthusiasm.

Macca 5 join Mantom down at Orient

Hump 6 think there is a decent player in there but what chance with this midfield

Hopps 8 Class act if only the rest were

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Ok so my observations below

- We were still in the game up till the last whistle
- We no longer roll over for teams and we give them a game now.
- Hopper and Humphrys just doesn’t work
- Good games for Macca, Mantom, Kiernan and Oxley.
- Kelman was like a man possessed after he came on. I’d have subbed Humphrys at HT.
- Ref was s**t and that was a pen (Hopper).
- Two free kicks on the edge of the box, first Macca takes a shot wide, second Milligan blazes over. Why didn’t we go direct for the top corner?
- Humphrys was too slow to everything. I like him, but his head seems elsewhere.
- Clean sheet - much needed
- Now in double figures
- Excellently observed and emotional minutes silence plus applause for Barks.

Both were indirect free kicks I'd presume

 

[Chairman Trigg]

All those looking forward to League 2 next season got a game to match those aspirations. Two poor teams without any quality .The fact that people are trying to make a positive out of a clean sheet and a point against such a poor side sums up where we are at the moment.Apart from more effort we are still a long long way from any recovery.Sol can't possibly have thought it would have been this hard to turn this round which shows how poor this squad are or.... does he lack the motivational and tactical level for the lower leagues.Either way I think the last nail was hammered in today as draws are just not good enough.
Mom Mantom
Ref ...shocking

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Both were indirect free kicks I'd presume

I’d presume they were but still the wrong choice of shot each time. McLaughlin was never going to score and Milligan just hit it straight, again never going in at that angle.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

So great to see Barratt out there today, welcome back - our first ‘new’ player in January!

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Behind the South goal today

 

[BrettieAngell]

So its got so bad we are supposed to take positives from that eh!

 

[RHB]

So its got so bad we are supposed to take positives from that eh!

Some do, some don't. I've watched enough total capitulation this season to view today as an improvement.

 

[Rayleigh boy]

it certqainly was a moment to remember - in some ways Roots Hall at its best

 

[Pak Power]

I suppose you could say we have turned the defeats into draws, now we have just got to find a way to turn the draws into victories.

 

[BrettieAngell]

I suppose you could say we have turned the defeats into draws, now we have just got to find a way to turn the draws into victories.

True but those draws were against teams in or just outside the relegation zone, if we can't beat any of them I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Oakley1]

we haver gained some points against the teams around us...…..I would be happy if we do this against the teams that are in the top 8, remember we are still 12 points behind this poor team...…...there is more chance of green shoots on Kangeroo island before you see them at roots hall

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Only one loss in 5 people too, don’t forget

 

[Oakley1]

Only one loss in 5 people too, don’t forget

against the teams in the same pool of poo as us...……..1 loss in 5 against the top 8 teams would be nice

 

[Fairport]

Oxley seems to have come in for criticism on here for not releasing the ball early. This is because every corner we defend with 11 men back, as soon as Oxley has the ball in his hands it is pointless to punt it up field until we get bodies there. The criticism should be directed at Campbell for not leaving two or at least one player near the halfway line when we defend corners.

 

[1966 and all that]

Good point Fairport. The reason Oxley didn't release the ball early was because there was no one to release it to. It would have come straight back!

 

[Floval Flyer]

Tranmere resembled a rugby league side and played like one. Continued where they left off at Prenton Park... their centre back Monthe has the footballing skills of a nightclub bouncer and regularly assaulted Hopper (and Humps) as he did at their place, yet stayed on the pitch. Similarly Danns constantly fouled our players, and should have been given a 2nd yellow for his petulant behaviour if the ref hadn’t bottled it.

So, yet another sh!tbag of a ref, who appears to see a two handed push on our CF in the area to be within fifa rules!?! Absolute numpty!

Tranmere are a team of hoofers, who we would have had 6 pts, but for unbelievable referee decisions. (I witnessed their pathetic dive which gave them a soft penalty in the reverse game)

Thought our boys played well, we seem to be a lot more organised defensively and midfield are working harder, problem is that despite having two decent forwards starting; the pace of Humps and hold up play of Hoops they still don’t get the service and are both relatively light weight in L1, especially up against lumps like the thuggery of Monthe. We need a nasty hard CF in the mold of Ollie Palmer if we are to survive against these teams. They’ll be a lot more on L2 next season... That said I thought we played well as a team, and grew stronger as the game wore on, Humphrys ran non stop, amongst others I was impressed by Oxley, Mantom and my MotM Kiernan.

Improvement, but still a way to go.

Oh one more thing, the minute silence and applause for Chris Barker left me with a tear my eye. Great show of respect for a great captain and man.