Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 0-1 AFC Wimbledon

[fbm]

I think we'll beat Shrewsbury as we always win when we go in the Centre Circle Lounge!

Then book it for the rest of the season man, what are you waiting for!

 

[AndyT]

.... I'm on the case.

Maybe The Blues Lounge will earn us a draw. I'll look into that, as well.

 

[USAShrimper]

I'm probably going to get shot down in flames here, as it's all still a bit raw. But here goes anyway.

Personally, I think we will avoid the drop and finish mid table. I accept that many will think that I really am in cloud cuckoo land. But as a Southend fan of 49 years, I have learnt to keep the faith and the days of knee-jerk reactions are long gone.

There is no current transfer window. Many of Powell's signings have been injured and are here for two years. We still even have some of Brown's! Any new manager is going to have his hands tied with the same players we have now.

This would be an acceptable idea if Powell had taken the team as far as he could. But he hasn't. He hasn't had a chance to even field a complete team of his. Ron has a history of patience with his managers and I can't see him getting trigger happy now.

Further... many outsiders will be sympathetic to the cause due to the extensive injury list. The club could get quite a bad press for getting rid of Powell after he has tried to do a job with his hands tied behind his back. People on here will say "Stop going on about the injuries!" but it's not an excuse; it's the reason. There is a difference and at our level, we cannot afford to have a squad so deep that we can just put in a third replacement when the two first choices are unavailable. This is what has happened to us in a variety of positions this year, mainly in the defence.

Goalkeeper - Oxley and Smith injured - young Nathan has come in and done a job better than most of us would have thought. However, despite some great saves, the fact remains that we only won 3 of the games he started. Oxley looked nervy on his first game back, was lucky when he made a poor save in the first half and was equally responsible with Turner for the **** up that led to their goal. However - remember Graham Stockdale when he came in on loan. His first game was dreadful, second was ok and he played really well in the third and last appearance, showing what a good keeper he was. The Ox will be ok next week.

Right back - Demi and White have both been injured - Elvis has come in and done ok but over the last few games he played he was obviously devoid of confidence and was targeted by the opposition as a weak link.

Left back - Coker and Hendrie both out. There have been a few games where I think we haven't had a regular left back at all. Hart has come in and done well, was MOM for me yesterday. But he's young and took time to settle.

Centre back - where to start... for a huge chunk of the season we have had 35 year old Turner as the only specialist centre back who is fit. Moore has come in and done brilliantly but is only young himself and has not always been at the races. But now we have Lennon and Kiernan coming back and they are looking better every game. Lennon going off yesterday was a concern - I hope it was precautionary or due to the fatigue of 3 games in a week.

I stand by my opening comments in this post - I think we will be ok.

But I really do think getting rid of Powell now would be a mistake. The senior players have to take the rap here; they are the ones who are currently letting us down (Cox aside).

Totally agree with all of this, I've been a fan for the last 50 years and so it does give you a different perspective. Just prepared to always support the team and weather the storm.

 

[OldBlueLady]

This just been tweeted to Woody on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1107246483794022400

And his response, as I've said before, his problems were not with Brown:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1107248844599971840

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Both.

However, Turner really had lots of time to play the ball back to Oxley to clear. Unless he had a call of course... we'll never know. But Oxley started to come and stopped.

It was just a complete hash.

Have seen the incident now 3 times (first time live).While you're quite right that "Oxley started to come and stopped" it's also quite clear that Turner thought he'd done enough (he hadn't) and never made any attempt whatsoever to run back with Pigott.He just stopped dead (for whatever reason) and assumed that Oxley was coming to collect the ball.

 

[fbm]

Have seen the incident now 3 times (first time live).While you're quite right that "Oxley started to come and stopped" it's also quite clear that Turner thought he'd done enough (he hadn't) and never made any attempt whatsoever to run back with Pigott. He just stopped dead (for whatever reason) and assumed that Oxley was coming to collect the ball.

Unless Oxley called for it. As I said, we'll never know if that was the case.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Unless Oxley called for it. As I said, we'll never know if that was the case.

Quite.I'm assuming he didn't,otherwise it was clearly his responsibility to come and get the ball.His reaction afterwards might be deemed to show remorse.Unfortunately, the camera didn't pick up Turner's reaction.

 

[LBBlue]

Watching it again I think Oxley thought the ball would comfortably bounce through to him where he would be able to catch it which is why he stayed just inside the box... I guess Turner thought the same … but the ball bounced and stopped - a delicate bit of back spin or caught in the wind... and that was it.

We still had 25 minutes to get back in it but we aint going to score much from open play. The subs were made 9 minutes later. They should have happened before the restart as our game plan was to not concede and score from a set play.

 

[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United manager Chris Powell threw his support behind recalled goalkeeper Mark Oxley following Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to AFC Wimbledon.

More...

 

[Evening Echo]

AFC Wimbledon manager Wally Downes hailed match-winner Joe Pigott as ‘magnificent’ after seeing his side continue their recent revival with a 1-0 win at fellow strugglers Southend United.

More...

 

[Grapevine]

Like I have said before I can see why Oxley was brought back in but it was extremely harsh and the writing was on the wall last week when CP publicly let everyone, inc Bishop, know that Ox was back training the following week....surprise surprise Bishop, under pressure, cost us one maybe two goals midweek.....for me he didn’t need to do that and it let everyone know that Ox would replace Bishop as soon as fit.....highly demotivating.

To be fair, there is also another reason - Bishop may well be missing next week anyway as he might be on England duty.

No he’s not. The England squads at all youth ages were announced last week. No Southend players featured at all.

Klass is a better player than Mantom and Dieng....and possibly Hyam.....although I concede there needs to be a mix and all of those offer more ball winning ability (however absent of late). With more faith Klass is only getting better and better....

Not sure about that. He is pedestrian and was appalling against Barnsley.

That’s my point. He was poor v barnsley but so were Mantom and Dieng as they have been over a consistent period of time. Why was Klass axed from the squad completely whereas they were allowed to continue game after game with sub standard performances? You want competitiveness within your sides? then pick teams judged solely on performance...

Hutchinson in all his game time and with whatever inconsistency we’ve seen, has offered more in terms of ability and enthusiasm and work rate than Macca and Kightly combined....

Agree re Kightly. Macca can do so much better but aside from his cameo v Cambridge in the Checkatrade I haven't seen Hutchinson as a player that can dominate a full back at L1 level, which is what he needs to do to be better than the other two.

Forget the checkatrade. His performances since whether it be as a sub or starting have shown more promise than either Macca or kightly. He doesn’t have to dominate a full back in order to be better than them....firstly he’s not actually a winger he was adapting his game to suit a requirement, but secondly neither of them have dominated a full back all season and between them have offered nothing in an attacking sense. He has got in good shooting positions and played passes that have created clear cut goalscoring opportunities in several games. That alone is more than either....and he’s only getting better!

I said it at the time and I’ll say it again now.....8 games to go may not be the time to play them (Hutch and Klass) but 10-12 games ago was, and by now we’d be seeing the fruits of that trust....Gillingham, Charlton, Portsmouth, Accrington they both or either played a good part...however Plymouth (Hutchinson) and Barnsley (Klass) they were the sacrificial lambs for poor team results while the same culprits performed as poorly or worse for the umpteenth time in a row.....

But we didn't and we are where we are

Maybe the manner in which less experienced players have been scapegoats while the more experienced players have got away with mediocre or worse on a regular basis is part of the reason why we are where we are?

Elvis needed a break I agree but easing JD back in while having Elvis starting or coming on was much more deserving of his performances as opposed to complete abstination.

Elvis's confidence was visibly shot to pieces. Demitriou has been an immense upgrade. But he'll presumably be missing next week with Cyprus so maybe he'll have another chance, although I suspect he'll go with John White.

Possibly yes. JD is a very good player, but I dont agree it was down to Elvis lacking confidence...but he did need a break as 20 odd games back to back is a big ask for anyone....

Wabo has three years on him and has more goals at a better level yet you can’t even conform to me whether he’s good enough or not due to his lack of involvement....

I don't think Wabo has made any impact in the pro game, either with his tiny cameos with us or when he has been out on loan. If you can't make an impact 2 or 3 divisions down, then you ain't gonna cut it in league 1

Harry Kane made no impact at several lower league pins prior to making it at Tottenham....it was the difficulty of the pains that contributed to him being the player he is....

Wabo showed enough in enthusiasm and effort alone to suggest he is at the moment ahead of Kelman as an impact sub.

Ultimately do what's needed to be done but to exclude these players (not even mentioned Dru!!!) on the basis of age or experience is t right unless they are way off the levels of the current players starting.....

I think at this stage of the season it's perfectly ok to exclude on both age AND experience unless the youngster - like Dru was last season - is performing brilliantly on the pitch. None of them have done that. They've come in and done a job, but not excelled and we are in the state we are now.

I disagree. At this stage age and experience means nothing. Form, effort, enthusiasm, fitness and desire counts for more.

I’ve seen Toby Sibbick, the Wimbledon player who denied Macca what was a certain goal, twice now this season when he has played against our 23s....he isn’t blessed with any quality at all, he isn’t technically very good and he has at 19 virtually no experience....he made up 30/40 yards of ground and threw himself in to block what was a certain goal through heart desire enthusiasm and will......a more experienced player a) wouldn’t have had the legs to get there and b) would’ve probably accepted the fate that was about to be served....

 

[Shrimpers are Magic]

Despite you not being a big fan of JD do youn honestly think that Elvis deserves to be out of the starting XI. Yesterday JD was a wing back. But you would have hardly thought. Hart showed him how to play that role. Another example of an attacking role being played by a player in a defensive manner.

not hundred percent but I'm pretty sure he has played on the wing before and TBH I think he's a terrible defender so maybe wing back is the way forward.

 

[AndyT]

Good post, above, Grapevine.

Anyway, on another note, it looked like a steward was helping a lady out of the away end after Wimbledon scored. Here's hoping all was OK.

One moment of enjoyment, though, were Wordy's comedy corners, infuriating the away fans!

However, overall I think we'd have been hurling the cushions from the East Blacks back in the day!

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I expect to see Oxley play against Posh.I'd be suprised if Turner's anywhere but on the bench.

 

[Grapevine]

I expect to see Oxley play against Posh.I'd be suprised if Turner's anywhere but on the bench.

Unless he plays three CBs again surely he can’t have Taylor, Turner and John white on the bench.....

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Unless he plays three CBs again surely he can’t have Taylor, Turner and John white on the bench.....

Personally I'd expect Taylor to get a recall.Maybe even JW as well.Fortunately,I'm not the gaffer.

 

[Grapevine]

Personally I'd expect Taylor to get a recall.Maybe even JW as well.Fortunately,I'm not the gaffer.

In which case Kiernan Lennon and Turner would be on the bench.....my point being unless he plays 3 centre backs their would be 3 from 5 left out the side and surely he can’t select 3 centre backs on the bench.....

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

In which case Kiernan Lennon and Turner would be on the bench.....my point being unless he plays 3 centre backs their would be 3 from 5 left out the side and surely he can’t select 3 centre backs on the bench.....

I'd be suprised if we didn't play with 3 centre-backs.

 

[Grapevine]

I'd be suprised if we didn't play with 3 centre-backs.

In which case does he need two more on the bench...someone HAS to leave the squad. The bench needs more flexibility to it

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Seriously? Pigott is a very mobile centre-forward who wins the ball in the air. I agree Hopper is as good, maybe marginally better, but Humphrys has a lot to do to get to Pigott's level. Notwithstanding his four away goals, I feel that he is a lot more limited in that he doesn't win balls in the air and gives off an air of sheer indifference on the pitch.
He may well score 10-15 goals for us in League 2 next season though.

Are you referring to his indifference when he failed to celebrate after scoring at Accrington?

And the number of people on here going on about 442 and bloody passion make Mike Bassett seem subtle and nuanced. Believe it or not there is more to football and 442 and ****ing passion

I was totally against bringing Oxley back in....I also could totally see why it happened.....

In my opinion....90% of blame must lay with Turner.....

At the very least, if he’s leaving that to the GK he must block off the run of the forward physically until the situation is dealt with. You learn that as a kid in any academy.

Yeah, Turner's biggest mistake was in not blocking the run.

Like Bishop against Scunthorpe, I don't think Oxley judged the wind well.

Can anyone who believes Powell should stay in the job please answer the following questions :-

1. Why has the players that have had to step in whilst the injured players were out been dumped from the squad.?
2. Why does Powell persist in playing with 1 striker at home?
3. What does Turner bring to the team that Moore doesn't?
4. Why does Powel feel the need to make at least 2 changes each match even if players are not injured?

I could go on but can someone who still supports the management style of our manager please answer the above?

1. Because we lost a load of games with those replacements in
2. Because Hopper and Humprhys are injured and Robinson was hounded out
3. Experience, a bit extra height and set piece threat. Wouldn't have picked him myself
4. I thought the criticism was that he made his subs too late, not that he made too few of them?

I was under the impression that we played 532/352 yesterday making it a fluid system. Bunn looked like he was playing up with or just behind Cox leaving Hyam Dieng and Macca in the middle with Demi and Hart supporting when we attacked.

I guess Bunn was the option nearest to a striker as he had played there before

I have never blamed anything on the younger players but there comes a point when you have to remove them from the cauldron. That time has come

I would say your view is the one that suits your agenda to get rid of Powell

It was a 3-4-3 in possession.

This just been tweeted to Woody on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1107246483794022400

And his response, as I've said before, his problems were not with Brown:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1107248844599971840

I think Wordsworth's performance was a timely reminder that our corners could be much worse. He's someone who only performed every fourth game for us (if that). Given that this was a game he was up for, it goes to show that Powell didn't get every decision wrong this summer.