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

[ColinMorrisWalksOnWater]

Doesn't matter who we select up front today, with the total lack of service from Fonguck and Husin, it's going to be Southend 0.

Bridge on the right to fit Ralph in the team proved a consensus decision that cost us imo. Kev has to make a decision on whether to start Ralph or Bridge, but both don't fit.

If we are in the same position again, then Demi as a natural right sided player has to be the option. square pegs in round holes just bring detriment to the team.

Blondy, I'm sorry, I know he is young, here to gain experience and helping us out in a GK injury crisis, but he really does not inspire confidence. Obviously a shot stopper, but his decision making is naive at best and nearly cost us another goal today. So much to work on the training ground.

Back three were OK, but Blondy's decision making when to come and when not to is so poor.

Disappointing result, but not surprising with the performance and lack of chances.

Blondy: 3

Lapata: 6
Kensdale: 6
Hobson: 6

Ralph:6
Miley:6
Fonguck: 4
Husin: 4
Bridge: 6

Wreh: 6
Cardwell: 7


Subs: Powell: 5
Murphy: not on long enough to mark.

After today's match, imo, we need a creative midfielder, who demands the ball further up the park, doesn't take a touch too many, can play an early ball and brings others into the game around him. That would also make it more difficult for opponents to just put two on Bridge and hold a defensive line as Bromley did for most of the game at the back. Bridge still ripped them apart at times, but there were not really in attacking out options for us, Cardwell apart.

Set play deliveries were poor, which when we are looking toothless from open play, hurts even more. This embargo is really going to hurt us, as we have to work with what we have until it is lifted. On the evidence of today, we will lose too much ground on our opponents to make the play offs in the higher positions. Will we squeeze in at the lower places, for me possibly not, not without strengthening, or a vast improvement in the middle of the park. And that is hoping we don't get any more injury absentees.

Final word on today: POOR!

 

[Tinks]

Disappointing and flat today
Why do we always disappoint when we play in front of a larger crowd?

I normally love the Boxing Day fixture but just didn’t feel like a Boxing Day game today

 

[WickfordShrimper]

6 days to get our revenge :-)

 

[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United failed to pack a punch in a Boxing Day defeat to Bromley at Roots Hall this afternoon.

Read more on this story


Help with Echo links

 

[Taters123]

Total Rubbish. Lack quality. Need 4 quality players and a new GK.

 

[bluethroughandthrough]

Dire.

Made us look like a pub team as we lumped the ball forward - unsurprisingly the midfield was anonymous. Absolutely nothing in the first half. Negative dire football.

Don't get the payment problems as the issue for the players to not perform.

In my opinion it's the formation again and the players showhorned into it. We were just appalling, flat, negative, uninspiring. Only when we had more up front in the last 15 did we actually have more bodies and a couple of opportunities.

2 more moments of communication issues that hurt us v Altrincham. Really can't think of a stand out player it was that dull. Kensdale at a push. I love a good player score but I really don't think it's worth it.

Wish we just tried to entertain a bit more with a more entertaining attacking style. Mahers teams play like he did and I never rated him as a player.

Questionable on who the home side was! Didn't think Bromley were that big or nasty. I thought they were nippy and perhaps used a bit of time wasting.

Incredible fan turn out with 6660 people. Deserve way better entertainment than that rubbish.

Oh and the hot chocolates were hot water with some murky powder. Also dire.

No way we're going up. Just don't have the right approach - contrary to some people's thoughts I think we have the players.

Dire.

 

[HertfordshireBlue]

Too hungover to give a proper explanation for that performance today, the players looked hungover too.

Noor ghosted the pitch today, Bridge was moved over to the left far too late but looked good when he was over there, Blondie is pony, roots hall is falling down with a whole list of problems, the west stand toilets being the very top of the list, followed by broken speakers, broken turnstiles, broken scoreboard and half a broken away stand

Sorry for the negativity but that was boring haha, I believe it will take a few games to get going again but I believe we can start a good run of form.

 

[This Shrimpers' a keeper]

A frustrating event which is virtually guaranteed when the teams spine is performing so inconsistently: GK is questionable, midfield went missing, strike force of debatable quality. I want better, obviously, even given our circumstances. I say this as we could do much better, and specifically using this game as an example, are we not?

Mayer had his key chance at HT to make a difference, and in making substitutions to reinforce a draw, at least. He failed again, unfortunately, even as a fan this is not in question.

The biggest concern is, as you can't really massively complain if you lose to a better performaning team on the day is the closing of the gap (as in points) by the pack of teams directly below us.

Excuses typos, Maher, performing dohh.

 

[Tommy2holes]

A poor performance.

As good as Ralph is. Him at left back kills the creativity that Bridge offers.

Cardwell is not yet match fit but should have done better with the chances he has had today. Great pass first half and hashes it. Heads against the bar second half when the whole goal is to aim at. Roll his man and blazes high and wide. Seems very much to lack composure.

Wreh's movement off the ball is poor. He waits for the ball and then tries to take on 2 or 3 players to little effect.

Husin was anonymous today. Complete passenger.

Bromley weren't all that and from the moment they scored past a hapless Blondie, they were always going to lay on the floor at every given opportunity.

Today was everything that's poor about the national league. A team with a 100 away fans who made no noise against a team that's in complete disarray off the pitch and a fan base that's just going through the motions. The atmosphere was so flat today. The players did nothing to help with that.

I see that Ron attended today. No abuse or protest aimed at him. Gets away Scott free yet again with ruining the club we love and treating his staff like complete ****.

Walked into the west today. The turnstiles weren't working. Walked into to the loos and the ceiling was leaking. Walking to my seat and part of the roof had been removed. The score board is half working and the North Bank is down to 50% capacity as part of it is now condemned. Poor old roots hall is has been left to wrack and ruin. Shameful.

I can see us dropping down to mid table soon and the fan base dropping off soon. 6600 there today. We deserve so much better.

 

[GNH]

Not good enough.

Bromley had us sussed from the first whistle and deserved the win. We played with no tempo or desire for large parts of the game and it took them scoring for us to look remotely interested.

Just had the look of a team that doesn't want to be at work because of the toxic atmosphere. You can say as many times as you like that it doesn't affect them and they just get on with it but in reality that's just bollocks

 

[Shrimper Brownie]

I’m a huge Husin fan, but the drop in performance from the Boreham Wood Fa Trophy game compared to today is unacceptable. Perhaps too much turkey for Christmas Noor?

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Worst performance of the season by some distance. The cancerous rot is now surging through the entire club. The fact that scumbag has the audacity to show his face when the staff sat around him are going unpaid just sums him up. Everything about today was absolutely rancid.

 

[tallboyblue]

Too hungover to give a proper explanation for that performance today, the players looked hungover too.

Noor ghosted the pitch today, Bridge was moved over to the left far too late but looked good when he was over there, Blondie is pony, roots hall is falling down with a whole list of problems, the west stand toilets being the very top of the list, followed by broken speakers, broken turnstiles, broken scoreboard and half a broken away stand

Sorry for the negativity but that was boring haha, I believe it will take a few games to get going again but I believe we can start a good run of form.

Everything else is all right though surely.

 

[Tommy2holes]

Worst performance of the season by some distance. The cancerous rot is now surging through the entire club. The fact that scumbag has the audacity to show his face when the staff sat around him are going unpaid just sums him up. Everything about today was absolutely rancid.

Exactly this, it really ****ed me off.

How he has the cheek to show his face when there are people working today in the ticket office and other roles and not being paid is beyond me.

And he doesn't get any abuse at all. That would never happen at other clubs. He would get dog abuse. The man is a parasite.

 

[MisterStubbs]

Not good enough.

Bromley had us sussed from the first whistle and deserved the win. We played with no tempo or desire for large parts of the game and it took them scoring for us to look remotely interested.

Just had the look of a team that doesn't want to be at work because of the toxic atmosphere. You can say as many times as you like that it doesn't affect them and they just get on with it but in reality that's just bollocks

Would any of us continue to go to work and put in the same level of work despite not being paid? I know I wouldn’t.

 

[LBBlue]

What I put at the end of the match thread:

“Dreadful but not unexpected - totally wrong team selection and substitutions. He wants to play Ralph, Cardwell and Husin but we have gone backwards since then.

We go a goal down but we still persist with Hobson, Lopata and Kensdale. Waste of time having Bridge on the right. Wreh taken off when he is the the only one who can shoot given a chance.”


Whilst Blondy wasnt great he didn’t lose us the game. Accommodating Ralph has upset the balance and Cardwell is not a goal scorer.

Would have been much better getting JD on for Kensdale, Hobson or Ralph to give some balance. Do we need Husin with Miley?

Management a bit too blinkered today …

 

[edwardss2]

It was the lack of any sense of urgency at the end that irritated me, passing backwards and forwards in the middle of the field. For a minute I thought we were 1-0 up with 10 minutes to go. Overall I thought we made them look pretty good.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Exactly this, it really ****ed me off.

How he has the cheek to show his face when there are people working today in the ticket office and other roles and not being paid is beyond me.

And he doesn't get any abuse at all. That would never happen at other clubs. He would get dog abuse. The man is a parasite.

Yep. Never been any real strength in numbers to make his life hell. Come the end of next month it might all be too late anyway

 

[Jay_SUFC]

A truly god awful performance. It’s not coincidence that the poor run of form and results coincide with the stories of wages being paid late. We somehow still find ourselves in a playoff position but performances need to improve. We were so lacklustre today, I don’t think Bromley were anything special but we never laid a glove on them. This squad desperately needs reinforcements but as per usual the club, Kev and co are being hung out to dry by our sorry excuse of an owner. It’s going to be a long second half to the season if things on (and off, I know, don’t laugh) the pitch improve.

Enjoy the rest of your festive evening lads and lasses.

Why is it every time we play awful and lose, it's because of late wages etc!! It only took 3 posts on the post match thread to mention this.

We were rubbish and deserved to lose. We didn't start playing until we conceded. IMO changes should have been made at half time, we were lucky to go in at 0-0!!

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Not much to add to the above really. No Bovril .. I knew it wasn’t gonna be our day from that point onwards.

Bridge playing where he did totally didn’t work. I thought Cardwell tried hard and got into good positions but other than that no real positives from today. Powell tore about as usual when he came on and the team seemed to up the urgency but by then, way too late.

A strange atmosphere, a disappointing result. Not undeserved.