Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 0, Aldershot Town 1

[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United’s hopes of automatic promotion suffered a huge blow tonight as Aldershot Town recorded a 1-0 win at Roots Hall.

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[eastling]

Like everyone else I was sure we'd start with Benyon and Harris at front so was a little perturbed to see Junior on the pitch at the first whistle. Despite that team selection faux-pas (Junior was not really match fit and lacked any killer pass) I thought the 1st half was actually one of the better ones at home all season. Lots of movement, Dailly looked calm and collected and we were patient when playing the ball mostly on the floor. However, no cutting edge up front although credit to Benyon for trying his hardest.
2nd Half - oh dear, Aldershot upped the ante with some typical bullish play and we got suckered in on a free kick and gave away a soft goal. From then on Aldershot sat deep and we reverted to type - high balls down the channels and up in the air in midfield that in general fell on an opposition player's head. No cutting edge and we never looked remotely like scoring.



Ref was dreadful - quite amazed no-one was sent off.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

The lino running the west stand in the second half was a shower of *****...we were never gonna score because his remit was to flag offside every time we played the ball forward. He had no idea what offside was.

 

[united we stand]

If we had scorred the ref would have found a reason to not give it

 

[wiggy]

If we had scorred the ref would have found a reason to not give it

If we had a shot it would have been a miracle....cannot stand any more of this Sturrock *****!

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I defy anyone to come on and defend Blair Sturrock after that. We have a striker crisis, part of the answer seems to be Sampson and now Blair Sturrock.:omg:
Crawley have a striker crisis, and their answer is Gary Alexander and Leon Clarke. Now watch what Two goal scorers can do for a team, in relation to our holds the ball up well strikers.
I predict Crawley will now have a great run in and wave us goodbye as they pass us by. The secret is getting the striker situation right. That pr*tt at Crawley has just done it, whilst our manager plays his unfit son and extends the loan of a striker that might beat Torres's baron spell record as they are both absolutely no threat. Unbelievable, at this most crucial stage.

 

[wiggy]

I defy anyone to come on and defend Blair Sturrock after that. We have a striker crisis, part of the answer seems to be Sampson and now Blair Sturrock.:omg:
Crawley have a striker crisis, and their answer is Gary Alexander and Leon Clarke. Now watch what Two goal scorers can do for a team, in relation to our holds the ball up well strikers.
I predict Crawley will now have a great run in and wave us goodbye as they pass us by.

]
Young Sturrock is the least of our problems......now his dad is a different kettle of fish. Team selection is getting more and more baffling!

 

[bigmolt]

Originally Posted by united we stand
If we had scorred the ref would have found a reason to not give it

If we had a shot it would have been a miracle....cannot stand any more of this Sturrock *****!

Am I that depressed i agree with Wiggy ? :unsure:




UMM I AM !!!!! :blush:

 

[southendkid]

Before anyone says it, please don't say 'if Mohsni played we would have won,' there is no evidence for that whatsoever, we will never know what would have happened if he played. Also Crawley can sign strikers at will because they have money, we don't. We need to work with what we have and not descend into panic like we seem to do everytime we lose a game.

 

[bazzashrimper]

If we had scorred the ref would have found a reason to not give it

There was one incident where he gave a nothing foul against Harris, just as Benyon was going past his man inside the box and got sythed down - so nearly.

These close games can easily swing on the odd decision... and the ref kept giving odd decisions until Aldersh*t got their goal. Another set of officials and I think we would have won. Some refs would have given free kicks everytime Benyon and Sturrock were man handled on the edge of the box - and perhaps wouldn't have been so generous to the opposition on the numerous occasions when we won the ball cleanly, maybe with a momentum based follow through and they fell to the floor.

Is this sour grapes, well yes, but I do think the refs 'judgement' had a big impact

 

[eastling]

I predict Crawley will now have a great run in and wave us goodbye as they pass us by. The secret is getting the striker situation right.

Couldn't agree more! All season at home we've not seen any true striking threat and tonight's starting line-up demotion of Harris for Junior was just a joke especially as our best spell of the game was in the 1st half.

 

[Big-Steve]

Too be fair I think after the performance we put out today we now hold the tinpot team name..

 

[bigmolt]

There was one incident where he gave a nothing foul against Harris, just as Benyon was going past his man inside the box and got sythed down - so nearly.

These close games can easily swing on the odd decision... and the ref kept giving odd decisions until Aldersh*t got their goal. Another set of officials and I think we would have won. Some refs would have given free kicks everytime Benyon and Sturrock were man handled on the edge of the box - and perhaps wouldn't have been so generous to the opposition on the numerous occasions when we won the ball cleanly, maybe with a momentum based follow through and they fell to the floor.

Is this sour grapes, well yes, but I do think the refs 'judgement' had a big impact

Another one blaming the ref not Sturrock. I just cant believe this sorry !!!!!!

 

[bigmolt]

Too be fair I think after the performance we put out today we now hold the tinpot team name..

SORRY:unsure: ???

 

[marlow17101032]

Please sturrock go now

 

[Angell Delight]

Sturrock says we "are still trying to find a winning formula at home." It's now MARCH!!! Well I'll give you a system that would give us a fighting chance PS - try playing TWO wingers at home for once (am I right in saying Hall and Martin haven't started together once at home since DM arrived?) and actually try to get at teams from the off!

And while I'm at it why the hell was Hall playing central midfield with Timlin left wing??!!! Incredible.....

:angry:

 

[Fiftyone]

According to the stats on the official site we had 1 shot on goal and 3 corners the entire game - doesn't look like the form of a team challenging for promotion against a mid table team.

I've posted nothing derogatory about Paul Sturrock since his appointment but my patience is wearing thin - we've all heard the stories about what he has done at other clubs but I wonder if his methods are out of date and it is time that he considered retirement. What do others think?.

 

[wiggy]

Another one blaming the ref not Sturrock. I just cant believe this sorry !!!!!!

Exactly, when they blame the ref there is no hope for the poster. Sturrock has ruined our top of the table position even if it was by default. Nothing wrong with the ref tonight.

 

[eastling]

A winning formula at home would also include attempting to start with the strikers you started with in the last game away from home and won. I think this constant meddling in the team line up at home is not helping one bit. I understand the need to set up the team to get results away but this wretched home form and performances this season is really undermining the confidence.
At the moment 12 away wins will count for nowt if we don't achieve automatic promotion

 

[bazzashrimper]

Another one blaming the ref not Sturrock. I just cant believe this sorry !!!!!!

Don't get me wrong, I posted elsewhere that I would think Hall and Martin should play at home to try and open the game up a bit, so think Sturrock is to blame for creating a tight game with few chances.

When there is a tight game with few chances, referee decisions can become more crucial.