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

[Maroon Blue]

Oxley 6
Bwomono 6
White 6
Hobson 7 MOTM
Hart 5
McCormack 6
Taylor 7
Dieng 5
RHF 6
Halford 4
Akinola 7

Clifford 5
ANG 5
Acquah 5

Pretty grim watching, never looked like scoring, hoped to hang on for a point. The one time we looked threatening and threw men forward ANG threw us under the bus and dribbled the ball into a mass of Mansfield defenders when had so many other options. Mansfield break and score and deservedly went home with 3 points. Dieng then frustrated lost his head and stupidly leaves even more threadbare in midfield for Tuesday. Time for RM to pull a rabbit out of the hat before transfer window deadline, otherwise all the good work done to catch the pack will be flushed down the toilet.

 

[Joolz]

Agree with most of what has been written already.

One other thing to chuck into the mix (and this is in no way meant as an excuse), the state of pitches at the moment does not suit a lot of our players playing style.

Here’s hoping for some drier weather over the coming weeks.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Reading the team sheet I felt that was as near to perfect we could get for a 3-5-2. Halford upfront was baffling and it almost seemed a bit last minute after we'd named the starting 11. We've changed shape more times than a Rubik's cube today constantly trying to chase our tail. The preparation just didn't seem to be there.

The most worrying part was that wasn't a weak starting line up and we were absolutely nowhere near it. Reinforcements desperately needed.

Suddenly the 0-0 at Grimsby last week has quickly turned into a very poor result too, as they were dreadful.

 

[MisterStubbs]

I am furious. Absolutely furious. Not so much with the defeat, I don't think it's beyond doubt that both Cambridge and Mansfield are better outfits than ourselves but, it's the manor of the two defeats that leaves me questioning both management and players. In fact, you can throw the draw with Grimsby in to the conversation as well as to why I'm going to be very critical with everyone involved today.

Let's start off with that draw, it's as rare as rocking horse **** that we actually come up against a side worse than us but that's what we did against Grimsby last weekend. We looked toothless going forward and if I remember correctly, we failed to hit the target until the ANG chance in the last 10 minutes of the game. This was a real chance for us to move out of the bottom two but instead to me it seemed like we lined up not to lose the game and barely threatened, A truly unforgiveable performance.

On to Tuesday and I remember saying at half time how delighted I was with the performance up until that point. Despite playing 3-5-2, a formation in which for some reason MM has adopted despite not suiting us at all, we found ourselves leading a team who at the start of the game were 3rd. We looked threatening going forward, we actually played football and yes, we had the weather on our backs but we created chances a plenty but could only take the one. Second half, completely different story, We sat back, we started to hoof the ball back to Cambridge (who no doubt, found another gear or two) and payed the price. A home defeat against a side who finished the evening top of the league, in a game that for us was a free hit no big deal BUT another chance to climb out of the bottom two missed.

On to today and well, ****. Our two closest rivals both played before us and both lost. Yet another chance for us to finally climb out of the dreaded drop zone. I expected to see a performance today from a side who would have known the days earlier results and one that would have wanted to make up for losing Tuesday's game after leading at half time. Instead, what we got was totally the opposite. We were all hoping before the game that we wasn't lining up with 3 at the back again and well in truth, we might as have. Halford might as well have not been on the pitch today. The fact that Sim who is 5ft 8 won more in the air than he did is shameful. Second half he was moved in to the back four and eventually out to right back and he, for me is at fault for the goal with the laziest attempt of winning the ball I can remember. A really poor performance capped off with being taken off with a "knock to the shoulder". The rest of the team weren't much better. For me, only Sim and perhaps Oxley can come away from this with any credit. The sending off I think is a little harsh, the referee certainly didn't see it and was only made aware of it because every single Mansfield player surrounded him. Who said players don't influence the officials aye? We were so poor, so so poor. We had a couple of half chances but other than that it was a comfortable afternoon for the Mansfield keeper/defenders of which included a a left winger who we failed to trouble once.

I can absolutely forgive the players when we are beaten by the better team but what I won't forgive is players putting in half hearted performances like today when once again, the chance was there for us to climb the table.

We now move on to Tuesday and guess what, yet another chance to move up. The "strong enough squad" is suddenly looking very bare isn't it what with some more injuries and the sending off today. It's vital we make a couple more signings otherwise all that good work in December will have counted for nothing. Alarm bells though for me are well and truly ringing.

 

[spoons]

Campbell wasn’t much worse than Moseley on results to date from similar match total.
Campbell win rate 17% and Moseley 20%.

 

[Lincoln Shrimp]

Mansfield were a decent side. Defensively strong, some good ball players in midfield and willing runners with pace up front. Anyone suggesting that they are a poor side is kidding themselves.

That said, that was a woeful performance from us. No plan, no purpose, players running down blind alleys. There were far too many long, aimless balls forward today as well.
We never got a grip of the midfield like we did in the first half on Tuesday night and that was half the problem. Halford at centre forward just didn't work. He looked like a pub player in all honesty and fared little better in defensive positions in the second half. You have to question the wisdom of handing him a contract extension. He looks nowhere near fit or sharp enough for League two football.
Akinola looked totally fed up having to try and win 50 yard hopeful punts upfield with next to no support.
With Macca now out for a period of time and no Dieng on Tuesday night we suddenly look woefully short of options in midfield.

 

[Cricko]

That was by far the worst performance of the season to me. You can forgive the earlier results when we were playing with kids. We put out what was a reasonable team on paper today. They did nothing at all. It was abysmal to watch the lack of effort, the passing to their players at every opportunity, and the general malaise between the players. Where we go from here I have no idea. Much of the same I guess unless we can bring some other players in to cover the once again long list of injuries and get back to basics.

 

[MisterStubbs]

Mansfield were a decent side. Defensively strong, some good ball players in midfield and willing runners with pace up front. Anyone suggesting that they are a poor side is kidding themselves.

That said, that was a woeful performance from us. No plan, no purpose, players running down blind alleys. There were far too many long, aimless balls forward today as well.
We never got a grip of the midfield like we did in the first half on Tuesday night and that was half the problem. Halford at centre forward just didn't work. He looked like a pub player in all honesty and fared little better in defensive positions in the second half. You have to question the wisdom of handing him a contract extension. He looks nowhere near fit or sharp enough for League two football.
Akinola looked totally fed up having to try and win 50 yard hopeful punts upfield with next to no support.
With Macca now out for a period of time and no Dieng on Tuesday night we suddenly look woefully short of options in midfield.

This.

I'm struggling to understand as to why we have adopted a "kick the ball up to the 5ft 8 striker with absolutely no ******* within 10 yards of him" style of play. Credit to Sim, he actually won his fair share today but every single time those Mansfield defenders won the second ball and come at us again.

 

[Bluegoose]

Dross, gone backwards again.

 

[Fairport]

We were clearly second best today beaten by probably the best side we have come across this season. Some of our shortcomings were shown up this afternoon, Halford looks way past it and Hart is full of mistakes and yellow cards. Hopefully we can bounce back on Tuesday although the injuries are worrying especially missing Oliyenka.

 

[undercovershrimper]

I keep saying it, MM isn't the man for the job and everyweek I'm proven correct.

I said it after the Harrogate match and got a load of abuse for it, we desperately needed someone with experience this season. We rode our luck to win a few games in December against poor opposition, and have now reverted to type. It's now almost pointless sacking him as any replacement won't have time to assess the squad and bring in new players. All we can hope is that Ron can bring in another 3 or 4 players to add to the 12 MM has signed this season and try to survive right till the end.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

I keep saying it, MM isn't the man for the job and everyweek I'm proven correct.

Even the weeks we win?

 

[Danshrimper]

I keep saying it, MM isn't the man for the job and everyweek I'm proven correct.

Every week apart from the 4 weeks where we have won games in the past month..

 

[40yearsafan]

I've been assessing the scale of challenge for the rest of the season. On current form and projecting the same points per game for the remainder:
We end with a likely 38 points, Grimsby with 39 and Stevenage with 44. That means a minimum of a 30% improvement in points per game for the rest of the season to achieve 22nd or 2 more wins than Stevenage.
Assuming of course neither Grimsby or Stevenage hit a run of form over the remainder of the season.

 

[Danshrimper]

I said it after the Harrogate match and got a load of abuse for it, we desperately needed someone with experience this season. We rode our luck to win a few games in December against poor opposition, and have now reverted to type. It's now almost pointless sacking him as any replacement won't have time to assess the squad and bring in new players. All we can hope is that Ron can bring in another 3 or 4 players to add to the 12 MM has signed this season and try to survive right till the end.

Because experienced managers Ian Holloway and Paul Hurst have worked wonders for Grimsby haven’t they. Experience doesn’t automatically equal results. MM should be judged on results post-embargo which have been fairly good, certainly not relegation form.

 

[blues exile]

It soon proved a false dawn, with lamentable performances in the last three games, with the exception of the first half against Cambridge. Is the problem that Molesley is too much a 'Moneyball' type manager wedded to scientific theories and computer analysis rather than someone who knows his way round the lower leagues and doesn't overburden less than gifted players with too much theory and intellectualisation. Maybe keeping it simple works best, not constantly tinkering with formations and changing a player's prefered position?

 

[undercovershrimper]

Because experienced managers Ian Holloway and Paul Hurst have worked wonders for Grimsby haven’t they. Experience doesn’t automatically equal results. MM should be judged on results post-embargo which have been fairly good, certainly not relegation form.

Hurst isn't that experienced and sighting him as an example when he has only been in charge of Grimsby for 2-3 games is pretty harsh on him

 

[Danshrimper]

Hurst isn't that experienced and sighting him as an example when he has inly been in charge of Grimsby for 2-3 games is pretty harsh on him

Hurst has been managing since 2009,how is that not experienced? What about Holloway?

 

[GBJ]

I keep saying it, MM isn't the man for the job and everyweek I'm proven correct.

Out of curiosity, why didn’t you say this when Molesley was nominated for the Manger of the Month Award?

 

[tallboyblue]

We are not playing as a team. We have a collection of players Some too old some to young and not much in between and I can’t see how MM can turn this squad into a unit capable of avoiding relegation.