Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 0-1 Swindon Town

[Rattus Norvegicus]

What's worrying is that we are playing so well but still losing , I can't wait for us to play badly and nick a lucky win , then I think our fortunes might change

The more I think about Wednesday night, the more I think we should/could have won the game and then we have a similar situation today ......... so for me, we are "turning the corner".

Difficult to judge our position after 4 games but overall I would say that we (the team) are improving and are "at the races".

I said after Fleetwood that a key factor will be Brown sorting out who is our best starting XI and again I think we are making some progress there - albeit hampered by injuries and illness. I still think it will take a couple more games before we will start to see the right XI and the right 14 (with subs you see) delivering "the bacon".

 

[shrimperjon]

Think their keeper is the reason they won, I have no idea how he saved Weston's header.

It was straight at him, head it down or to the side it's a goal.

 

[Shrimper]

Can someone tell White to stop crossing the ball, he's terrible at it. If he we're going to ping it into the box from the wings so much we need to use our strengths and players that can do it consistently. Worrall had a good day doing them.

 

[shrimperjon]

Quite simple, goals win u games. Could have beaten Fleetwood, Doncaster and Swindon...even Walsall, but the lack of goals is killing us here. Not through want of trying, but 1 goal in five games is a dreadful return. Agree that we need another striker, but PB has brought in all 3 we currently have. I feel the goals will come and when they do hopefully the confidence will follow as well. However, PB should have brought Piggitt or Mooney on after their goal went in rather than leave it until it's too late. Didn't score many last season and if things don't change we won't be scoring many this season either which will see us relegated.

 

[rayleigh dan]

It was straight at him, head it down or to the side it's a goal.

Second that, it was an relatively easy save, he only had to stick a hand up to tip it over, it was hardly Gordon Banks.

 

[Magnum PI]

My nuts are only just cooling down... Last time I wear jeans in the East stand on an August afternoon.

 

[rayleigh dan]

Swindon won because they took their one and only real chance and nailed it. The number 10 was dangerous but we coped with him most of the time.

Absolutely gutted to have lost today as I felt we dominated much of the game, I question the subs as Worrall was more effective on the left with Coker. Bringing Weston on forced Worrall to the right so we lost his impetus. Felt Pigott should have come on earlier too. Wordsworth continues not to live up to his pre-season form.

Bentley - 6.5, didn't have to do much at all so hard to mark higher. If he's going to go up for corners near the end, then the least we can do is aim for him. Was a totally pointless move
White - 7, solid, battling performance, got forward lots and crossed several times
Prosser - 7.5, thought he did really well, confident and played the ball around a bit too
Barrett - 7, determined performance and coped well with the forward threat
Coker - 7.5, great play in the 1st half with Worrall
Atkinson - 6.5, lots of energy as usual but doesn't really get the forward movement going
Leonard - 7, some nice play, the throws are getting nearer the danger area
Timlin - 8, silly booking, typical Tims' performance
Worrall - 9, star man, again. This guy is just amazing, should be first name on the team sheet. Delivered consistently, looked our most dangerous player
Payne - 6.5, worth a go with Hunt but I didn't feel they had any understanding, should definitely have scored
Hunt - 8, full of energy, lots of determination. Gets up really well for headers against taller opponents

Subs:
Weston for Atkinson - wasn't the answer for me today, weakened our best provider
Worsdworth for Timlin - presumably to protect Tims after his yellow card. Didn't bring much to the table
Pigott for Barrett - brave move but felt it was too late

Officials:
The ref is one who always irritates me, when are we going to get some consistency and someone to clamp down on time wasting?

Massive improvement over the Walsall game defensively but we still rarely looked like scoring. Whilst I agree with the majority of your scores OBL I personally feel you have over scored Timlin (ok at best, worst of the midfield today for me) and Worrall, a 6 and 7 respectively for me. Despite Worrall's undeniably great work rate, his final ball was variable at best, the cross for the Weston header was about the only quality ball we delivered all day.

The worrying thing is the lack of cutting edge, last season we got away with it but I feel we need to be bolder at home and start taking some risks at times, for me the Pigott sub was 10 minutes too late for example. Also our set pieces are so bad, the corner in injury time when Bentley came up summed it up, just whip a ball in please, but no we had the usual crap floated effort towards the edge of the box. And can we please give up with the Leonard long throws, have we ever scored a goal from one?

No goals in the last 4 games is poor by anyone's standard, we know Brown is good at the defensive side but we need to start scoring soon, there's no point in playing well and losing every game 1-0. Worryingly once we're behind we rarely look like scoring.

The attendances for the 2 home games have been disappointing and I think our brand of defensive football is putting the floating fans off. 3 of my mates came to the Walsall game, none bothered today and I'm not expecting them to come back soon unless we start scoring some goals!

 

[colonelnutter]

You're not alone, I agree with all of this. He makes some amazing runs but gets pushed off the ball so easily. If he had Deegan's physique, he would be an excellent prospect.

I agree with this

 

[OldBlueLady]

Can someone tell White to stop crossing the ball, he's terrible at it. If he we're going to ping it into the box from the wings so much we need to use our strengths and players that can do it consistently. Worrall had a good day doing them.

Blimey, people were only moaning that he never gets a cross in recently! He's not terrible at it, Corr did ok off his crosses as I recall. We've got no-one as dominant in the box with their head (in normal play, set pieces are a little different), however good Hunt and Worrall are with their heads elsewhere, in the box is an area we're lacking. We need to be working on getting the ball in much further away from the keeper, that's the issue with a lot of our crosses.

 

[#bluetinedglasses]

I like Jack but I do think he needs to shift the ball quicker but to do that he needs movement from others time n time again Lenny was static and didn't offer an option something that he was told in no uncertain terms by PB in the 1st Half , If possible I'd like to see Wordsworth in the "10 position" doing what Robert did for Swindon finding pockets of space in between the lines he was key for them he drifted all over the pitch and we never got to grips with him..

No need to panic just yet but it would be nice to Score the 1st goal in the game..

 

[turkishm]

We have a proven goalscorer at the club, maybe two, PB has to decide between keeping it tight with one up top, or going for a win with two. Of course we could get overrun in midfield by playing two up top and lose games by more than 1 0, but somewhere down the line he has to give his strikers a chance by playing as a pair

 

[Nestudas]

Can someone tell White to stop crossing the ball, he's terrible at it.

Wasn't a terrible one against Stevenage in the play off home leg.

 

[1966 and all that]

Second that, it was an relatively easy save, he only had to stick a hand up to tip it over, it was hardly Gordon Banks.

Think you're being harsh on Weston. He did well to get his head on it.

 

[dannypav]

Think you're being harsh on Weston. He did well to get his head on it.

Dont agree.
Powerful header but really poor direction.
Not that we will know , but think Hunt , Mooney or Barratt would have buried it.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Dont agree.
Powerful header but really poor direction.
Not that we will know , but think Hunt , Mooney or Barratt would have buried it.

Interesting. I thought he was trying too hard at times yesterday, I guess the barren run in front of goal is starting to get to him.

 

[mrsblue]

3 games we have watched

0 1
0 2
0 1

Hmmmmm

 

[RobM]

3 games we have watched

0 1
0 2
0 1

Hmmmmm

It's the way you pick 'em!

 

[davew]

A bad result, but not a bad display, just need to take our chances, hopefully it will come, need some good luck (must have soon). Another v poor display from the REF.

Their keeper looked dodgy (+ a time waster) and then pulls off some v good saves.

 

[HudsonNo1]

If we could stick the ball in the net we would be a real threat this season. The performance yesterday was superb, it really was. Dominated pretty much the whole match and Swindon will know they are very lucky to come away with anything. It could've been 4/5-1 in the end. I still think we will do alright this season, mid table more then likely. Just need to start putting it away. Worrall was the best player on the pitch again, and I'm hoping now brown relises 4-2-3-1 is the way forward. Hunt didn't seem isolated up top and was good to see him go 3 at the back when bringing the pig on to try and get back in it. Think it's the first time ever I've agreed with all Browns selections and changes in a match.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

Haven't felt so angry and frustrated at losing a game for a long long time. Swindon deserved nothing from that game at all. They are probably in the top 3 or 4 teams in this division, and were so bad that they were time wasting for a point. They hardly ventured into our final third, didn't have one single corner, and we cut them apart at the back loads of times.

Payne had a great chance, Hunt had two, one from about 4 yards. Westons header, Piggotts volley. Swindon had the goal and a tame shot from 20 yards on target. That was it.

Even their manager has said they were lucky to get anything. We are just not getting the luck at the moment, but I hope it changes before we are in a losing rut that is difficult to get out of.