Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 0-4 Harrogate town

[euroshrimper]

The writing was on the wall for this one. Admittedly 4-0 is an embarrassment, but did anyone really expect anything else other than a defeat?

We returned to training late. We’re not fit enough, we’re not strong enough & we’re not experienced enough.

This game isn’t a one off either, I expect us to get coated a few more times over the coming weeks.

This is what happens when you fail to prepare adequately.

I totally agree with your assessment but I live in hope that we will improve as the games continue under MM. What is worrying me much more is that in my opinion there are no signs that Ron is about to clear our debts which would allow MM to strengthen our squad. Nothing positive coming out of Ron's corner, looks to me like he is hanging everything on the Council to bale him out, which is not good........

 

[kentblues]

At least we've got our worse performance of the season out of the way early.

I think things will improve - it'll be hard not to - but not until the transfer embargo is lifted and reinforcements can arrive.

We've lost Hopper, Humprhys, Cox, Kiernan, Ridgewell, McLaughlin, Hyam, Mantom, Barratt from a squad that struggled badly and replaced them with just Green and Hobson.

The challenge will be ensuring heads don't drop too low - and getting the embargo lifted.

Campbell had lost most of those either sold or injured over the last games of last season in L1 and we were more organised, more effective, more competitive. Look at the Bristol Rovers game. We need to adjust the formation to reflect the players we have, we need tactics that reflect the skills of the players we have (this passing in the box is a schoolboy error and an accident waiting to happen given the players we had on the pitch), and the players need to perform to their potential (notwithstanding their age, and understanding pressure is often counterproductive, so mustn't be too hard on some). None of this excuses the fact that we need to bring people in urgently and that is absolutely at Ron's door. The one good thing about today is that Ron will be doubting a few things but not that he needs to find a way to put money into the squad urgently.

Finding scapegoats is, I'm afraid, simply finding excuses for others as no-one comes out of today with any credit.

 

[londonblue]

Well, any optimism following the appointment of MM has now surely gone. He has a very, very difficult job. Three games, three defeats, no goals.

Untrue. We scored against Wet Spam. Mind you the goalscorer has now left.



All that said, did we expect anything different? We're still under an embargo, we have a lot of players still injured and Molesley has only had 4 weeks with the players.

And even though we can now sign a player, we have Ron moving at a snail's pace to do anything about it. However even Rochdale couldn't play Humphreys today so it would probably have been too late for any signing anyway.

 

[Strike Force]

Don't disagree with any of them except that one... he was absolutely dreadful and certainly not our MOM.

I can completely understand why some people wouldn't rate his game today - I'm just giving him the benefit of the doubt as he's definitely not a box to box midfielder and will always be forced to play that role in a 4-4-2. He's the only player today (apart from that one Hobson run and nice ball to Kelman) I thought was capable of doing something if he had the right players making runs around him.

 

[fbm]

Did the ball even go out of play?

I've watched it back and it didn't. Oxley just put the ball down as if it did to take it quickly, but why on earth would you take a goal kick and play the ball to a defender when there are 3 attackers still in the penalty area?

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

And experienced good players will be wanting to join us why?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Campbell had lost most of those either sold or injured over the last games of last season in L1 and we were more organised, more effective, more competitive. Look at the Bristol Rovers game. We need to adjust the formation to reflect the players we have, we need tactics that reflect the skills of the players we have (this passing in the box is a schoolboy error and an accident waiting to happen given the players we had on the pitch), and the players need to perform to their potential (notwithstanding their age, and understanding pressure is often counterproductive, so mustn't be too hard on some). None of this excuses the fact that we need to bring people in urgently and that is absolutely at Ron's door. The one good thing about today is that Ron will be doubting a few things but not that he needs to find a way to put money into the squad urgently.

Finding scapegoats is, I'm afraid, simply finding excuses for others as no-one comes out of today with any credit.

Against Bristol Rovers we had Shaughnessy and McLaughlin - who if they'd still been here would have undoubtedly started plus Demetriou who would have played if fit.

The point is that we had an incredibly weak squad and we're actually weaker now than then.

 

[kentblues]

I can completely understand why some people wouldn't rate his game today - I'm just giving him the benefit of the doubt as he's definitely not a box to box midfielder and will always be forced to play that role in a 4-4-2. He's the only player today (apart from that one Hobson run and nice ball to Kelman) I thought was capable of doing something if he had the right players making runs around him.

He had a poor game but nobody had a good game and probably everyone was a 3 or 4 dependent on your bias.

 

[Strike Force]

And experienced good players will be wanting to join is why?

Because there's dozens and dozens of decent lower league players available without a club and it's already past the first game of the season.

 

[fbm]

I can completely understand why some people wouldn't rate his game today - I'm just giving him the benefit of the doubt as he's definitely not a box to box midfielder and will always be forced to play that role in a 4-4-2. He's the only player today (apart from that one Hobson run and nice ball to Kelman) I thought was capable of doing something if he had the right players making runs around him.

To be fair to all the kids, they should all be given the benefit of the doubt. They need guidance.

Less so for Oxley who should have known a lot better than he showed today. Ron needs to get this embargo lifted as soon as possible and we need some journeyman and experienced pros to steady this ship.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

8 of that starting 11 should be in an U23 side. One man to blame for all of this

 

[Spenser]

Ok not a match report as what more to say?

So the old crocks and dressing room lawyers have gone, the clueless / eccentric managers have gone, the unkind fans who know nothing about the game aren't there upsetting our poor boys with their comments ....but the result is the same.
Surely there must be a constant who is personally responsible for the sh*tstorm of the last couple of years?

Any ideas?

 

[Stourport Shrimper]

When Manchester United had to play those 'Busby Babes' all those years ago, anyone know how they got on in their first season and how the season panned out? I imagine that would have been a very inexperienced side and playing at the top level.

 

[leeblue]

Zero point in talking formations, tactics etc we do not have any players to carry out any instructions etc. The children we are sending out to play are being bosses by adults who are stronger, smarter, better players. There's no point saying MM should do this or that or even blaming the players, we have a couple of prospects who may have a career in football.
Ron Martin is squarely to blame here. Running the club into the ground while robbing Peter to pay Paul in the pursuit of a big property deal...and here we are. We need to sign six adults who can play league football to have any chance of not slipping into non league obscurity...because if we stick with these kids we are done.

 

[Ricey]

8 of that starting 11 should be in an U23 side. One man to blame for all of this

Not according to some.

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

Apparently it's too early to judge according to Ron!

 

[palexander]

Apparently it's too early to judge according to Ron!

He'd know!

 

[kentblues]

Against Bristol Rovers we had Shaughnessy and McLaughlin - who if they'd still been here would have undoubtedly started plus Demetriou who would have played if fit.

The point is that we had an incredibly weak squad and we're actually weaker now than then.

Putting aside that most on here thought Shaughnessy was dire, I don't think the limited changes in personnel explains the difference in today's team performance from a 0-4 home loss in league 2 to a 3-1 home win in L1.

First we did pass it around in our own box.
Second either though Bwomono isn't a CB he played there to provide experience and Mitchell-Nelson was pushed out wide.
Third the weakness in midfield was addressed by playing the 5 in midfield

Gunnarsson
Mitchell-Nelson Bwomono Shaughnessy Clifford
Egbri Kinali Demetriou Gard McLaughlin
Kelman

Given who we had available and in hindsight a similar set up would probably have worked better today..

 

[mark387]

A humiliating defeat against league new boys sure but the team had an average age of 20 and it was essentially just kids making silly inexperienced mistakes. Hopefully once the embargo is lifted and players come back from injury we'll have some experience in the side to make games like this count and a better season ahead....hopefully

 

[Austin the Shrimper]

We truly have become a complete embarrassment of a football club on and off the pitch. Sad times