Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 0-1 Bromley

[IloveShrimp]

Believe the GSM appendics problem was obviously out of the blue and required urgent hospital attention. Unfortunately JD had his quarterly knee injection in the lead up to xmas and isnt supposed to train on it for around 5 days after, but agreed at very late notice to be on the bench when GSMs problem arose. Think half expected he may have to go on, but knowing it would be a risk. Just unfortunate timing that couldnt be foreseen. Will be good to go and fully fit if needed for the next one, only lacking 90 minsmatch time fitness.
Think Steeeeve is likely to still be around 2 mths off playing at a minimum, maybe a month plus before resuming any proper activity as long as things improve.
Wasnt there yesterday so cant comment on the game, but sounds chalk and cheese from what i saw last Tuesday in the cup game.
As good as Ralph is and Bridge is, it may come down to which results in the more positive team performance. Like others, Im in favour of trying to keep the structure and shape we had rather than shuffling people around to shoehorn players in. Hopefully without last minute distruptions for Kev the next game can be better planned.

Is it worth commenting on individuals? With the fantastic effort of non-playing staff to turn up, many unpaid on time, it was insulting to see a team not bother to turn up. Disgrace.
Maher needs to stop wedging in players when things were fine and he needs to select better and put them in their best position. Don't fix what ain't broke.

As for the 'gamesmanship' I hope those embarrassing players look round one day and see they have killed our game. Fans in their numbers turned out, in the cold, at an expensive time of year and all we saw was disgusting cheats. All teams do it. Including us, but yesterday was a new level. They do not deserve to be supported

The only way cheating will be stopped in my opinion is by points deducted. E.g. make it 10 points for a win, 5 for a draw but 1 point deducted per yellow card and say 3 per red.

 

[Shrimpet steve]

They’re both in the gym today, which is encouraging

Blimey, Arnold there in there to.Any idea how long steves out for? he would be like a new signing and he's the best keeper in this league by far

 

[loz]

The irony here is that you will be talking about the wing-back position and if you go back a year or so you’ll find the exact same complaints about Bridge playing out of position at wing-back and how it doesn’t make sense when there’s a natural wing-back in Ralph who should be playing there instead.

FWIW I think an underestimated reason Bridge is less effective on the right is that he doesn’t have Wes on that side. Having him as a runner makes Bridge so much more effective as he can either run at the defender or draw in the defence and release Wes into space.

I’d expect Bridge to revert to the left on NYD and Harry Taylor to come in as RWB. Powell should come in for Wreh as we lack pace. It’s then a choice of Ralph or Kensdale for the LCB spot.

I would however consider Harry Taylor for Noor in midfield to give us more control there but I don’t know what’s happened to Jaden Crowhurst who’d be my choice at RWB.

This is spot on. So much of our good play in the unbeaten run came through the Bridge/Fonguck/Powell triangle on the left, they can all interchange and take a player on and made it a nightmare for defenders

 

[Shrimpet steve]

This is spot on. So much of our good play in the unbeaten run came through the Bridge/Fonguck/Powell triangle on the left, they can all interchange and take a player on and made it a nightmare for defenders

So why has maher changed it?

 

[davewebbsbrain]

No offence to him but looks like Steeeeeeve is carrying a few extra pounds… guessing that back injury stopped him from doing any fitness work

At least we know he's been paid then

 

[Maroon Blue]

So why has maher changed it?

Because Powell got injured at Gateshead, do you not go or follow the matches?

 

[Exiled Shrimper]

His last game there was on 22 October. He played against Brentwood in the ESC in November. Doubt he has played a game since then.

Jaden Crowhurst has played one match since then, against Woking in the National League Youth Alliance Academy Cup in the last week of November. Before yesterday’s game he was part of a training session with the other young players not currently out on loan on the pitch (Davis, Clifford, Coker). Certainly lacking in match fitness, but that can equally be said of Demetriou.

 

[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United defender Ollie Kensdale has already switched his sights onto helping Blues get their own back on Bromley.

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[GBJ]

Lopata didn’t seem himself today, he was playing like when he first came back to the club and was lacking match fitness. He wasn’t commanding the defence, he seemed reluctant to run with the ball.

Defensively, they all seemed off the game,

Personally, I thought the defence looked very nervous and in my admittedly uneducated opinion, I can only put that down to Blondy making them nervous. I wouldn’t imagine the Altrincham debacle has been forgotten so quickly & two more inexplicable incidents from Monday’s game won’t have calmed the nerves either:

The first - when the ball is clipped into the box, he goes to ground and gets two solid hands on the ball, (I know this because it was right in front of me) but it still somehow manages to squirm away from him. Luckily this didn’t cost us.

Secondly, the big hoofball over the top during the second half, and a shuddering moment of De ja vu with himself and Lopata wondering who’s doing what, only for him to dither and perform a spectacular air kick. The only reason we weren’t punished was because of Cheek’s slow reaction to the loose ball.

I wasn’t sure about the goal in real time, but after watching the highlights again, I can’t help but think he’s got to do better there too. He gets a hand to the (not particularly powerful) shot, but it’s not enough.

He wasn’t the only reason we lost, not by a long stretch, but he’ll almost certainly cost us more points than he’ll earn us moving forward.

 

[rigsby]

Personally, I thought the defence looked very nervous and in my admittedly uneducated opinion, I can only put that down to Blondy making them nervous. I wouldn’t imagine the Altrincham debacle has been forgotten so quickly & two more inexplicable incidents from Monday’s game won’t have calmed the nerves either:

The first - when the ball is clipped into the box, he goes to ground and gets two solid hands on the ball, (I know this because it was right in front of me) but it still somehow manages to squirm away from him. Luckily this didn’t cost us.

Secondly, the big hoofball over the top during the second half, and a shuddering moment of De ja vu with himself and Lopata wondering who’s doing what, only for him to dither and perform a spectacular air kick. The only reason we weren’t punished was because of Cheek’s slow reaction to the loose ball.

I wasn’t sure about the goal in real time, but after watching the highlights again, I can’t help but think he’s got to do better there too. He gets a hand to the (not particularly powerful) shot, but it’s not enough.

He wasn’t the only reason we lost, not by a long stretch, but he’ll almost certainly cost us more points than he’ll earn us moving forward.

Plenty of other players in pink could have also done better for their goal. They even nudged one of our players so that his miss queued his header. Non of our team appealed. Watch when Cardwell hits the bar. At least two of their players throw themselves on the floor in the follow up, whilst others scream and con the ref. We made less contact than they did for their goal.

Not sure why Lopata follows the ball so deep it only adds confusion. Either deal with it early or get out the way so the keeper knows its definitely his ball....As it should be in nearly all those situations.

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

Plenty of other players in pink could have also done better for their goal. They even nudged one of our players so that his miss queued his header. Non of our team appealed. Watch when Cardwell hits the bar. At least two of their players throw themselves on the floor in the follow up, whilst others scream and con the ref. We made less contact than they did for their goal.

Not sure why Lopata follows the ball so deep it only adds confusion. Either deal with it early or get out the way so the keeper knows its definitely his ball....As it should be in nearly all those situations.

Agreed, it's a bit of a defensive horror show.

The guy with the first header from the free kick is standing in our right back spot on the edge of the 6 yard box completely unmarked, Bridge is on the edge of the penalty area marking nobody.

The scorer is also unmarked on the edge of the penalty area.

The whole team needs to be defending better for set pieces.

 

[GBJ]

Plenty of other players in pink could have also done better for their goal. They even nudged one of our players so that his miss queued his header. Non of our team appealed. Watch when Cardwell hits the bar. At least two of their players throw themselves on the floor in the follow up, whilst others scream and con the ref. We made less contact than they did for their goal.

Not sure why Lopata follows the ball so deep it only adds confusion. Either deal with it early or get out the way so the keeper knows its definitely his ball....As it should be in nearly all those situations.

Agreed, the fact that their number 11 roams freely around our box and gets an uncontested shot away, from 13/14 yards out is scandalous.

I’m not sure who was supposed to be picking him up in the second phase, but Noor seems the closest, yet he is totally oblivious to the danger & seems guilty of ball watching.

We can go back further than that and question why nobody attempts to challenge the flighted ball from the initial free kick. Deal with that and the goal never comes about.

You’re spot on about the foul too. The ref had a good sight of it, but he wasn’t doing anything considering there were no appeals whatsoever from our boys.

It shouldn’t have got to the stage that Blondy was required, but as the last man, that’s his job and he doesn’t get off Scot-free for me. It went right through his wrist. He must have got half decent connection on it, because the ball spins up on a completely different trajectory.

All-in-all a collection of errors, from everyone involved.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Jaden Crowhurst has played one match since then, against Woking in the National League Youth Alliance Academy Cup in the last week of November. Before yesterday’s game he was part of a training session with the other young players not currently out on loan on the pitch (Davis, Clifford, Coker). Certainly lacking in match fitness, but that can equally be said of Demetriou.

Good point on Demi’s lack of match fitness.

This is spot on. So much of our good play in the unbeaten run came through the Bridge/Fonguck/Powell triangle on the left, they can all interchange and take a player on and made it a nightmare for defenders

I’d also add Kensdale into this to an extent. When Ralph went LCB (and also when he replaced Bridge at LWB) there’s been a hesitancy from him to attack the space. I think Kensdale takes up better attacking positions, even if it’s not as far forward, by making sure he’s available. I’ve found Ralph a frustrating player to watch going forward, not least as he’s the ability to do it. Maybe it’s a confidence thing and he’s still feeling his way back.

By changing the personnel we’ve changed how these triangles work. Cardwell makes different runs to Powell, whilst Wreh will just back into his defender and want it played into his body. That’s not actually a great fit for us as we don’t tend to have midfield runners centrally. Instead we try and overload outside to draw defenders out. The chopping and changing isn’t helping us develop those triangles. Cardwell and Wreh had only played 65 minutes together (and without Bridge), Bridge hadn’t played in front of Hobson and to that side of Miley before etc it all contributes to the lack of cohesion.

 

[Evening Echo]

FIT-AGAIN Southend United forward Harry Cardwell is determined to fire the Shrimpers to success during the second half of the season.

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