Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 1-1 Oxford

[tottenham541]

Am I missing something or was I at the wrong game I thought wright was quality box to box constantly??

blimey I'm in the wrong game, thought it was his worst performance for us yet:sad:

 

[RobM]

Two of our senior players were ghastly and that's worrying.

 

[southendkid]

Am I missing something or was I at the wrong game I thought wright was quality box to box constantly??

He had a good game in general but aside from the shot that hit the bar his shooting was atrocious, I think he managed to put the ball wide from about 2 yards out at one point.

 

[RHB]

No football at Roots Hall since the Col Utd game so I was in desperate need of a SUFC fix. iFollow is good to have but it is no substitute for the real thing.

Anyway, the game. We started in lively fashion with some crisp passing movements and a real turn of speed from McLaughlin down the left ended with a hard low cross rammed home by Simon Cox in the 19[SUP]th[/SUP] minute. That boded well I thought, loads of goals to be had here. Sadly, I was sort of right because Oxford stuck it to us in the 22[SUP]nd[/SUP] minute to equalise. As others have said Anton should have done better but he slipped and his attempt to foul their guy as a result was off the mark and so 1-1 it was , and it remained that way up to the half time whistle. Both sides had further chances but they all came to nothing. We didn’t play badly during that half but we were guilty of wasting the final ball on more than one occasion.

Second half and more of the same, nip and tuck at both ends until the last 15/20 minutes when we upped the ante and laid siege to theOxford goal. Two disallowed goals from Turner and Nile for offside were very politely queried by the West Stand. I will admit that I didn’t read Mick’s pre match Ref review for this game so I didn’t know the West Stand assistant referee’s name. I can now confidently report that his name is ‘YouF***ingW**kerlino’ because my West stand colleagues referred to him by that double/treble barrelled name on numerous ocassions. So 1-1 it was after 95 minutes, and our unbeaten home record is still intact and little Jackie had a quite game and didn’t score. Yeah, we should have won, but if you don’t take your chances then..................naff linos will punish you.

On the way home in the car we listened to Phil’s post match interview with BBC Essex. He was far more controlled this time and although he was disappointed with the result (rightly so) he didn’t slag anyone off. The highlight of that interview for me was the discussion on Lenny and a potential injury. Phil was talking about the pitch and moving from Summer to.......what’s that season between Summer and Winter? said PB. Luckily the BBC man told him it was Autumn. Absolutely priceless Phil.

Ooops, nearly forgot, Turner has been well worth the long wait, he looks total class.

 

[Nicky Hayes]

Tottenham how old are you ?

 

[Voice of Reason]

Not rangers biggest fan but thought the booing and s lagging him off from idiots in the East stand was bang out of order.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Not rangers biggest fan but thought the booing and s lagging him off from idiots in the East stand was bang out of order.

He’s had enough chances here. It really is time to pull his finger out. I made fans right to have a pop, it’s time to grow up

 

[AndyT]

Turner's goal was disallowed because the only player between him and the goal was the Oxford fella he hooked the ball around.

Ranger's was less clear. Might just have been off. Tough call. Fantastic header.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Quite honestly thought it was a game with numerous miss-passes from both sides, and 2 teams who wont be challenging for promotion this season.
If either team finishes above 10th, i'd be surprised.

 

[AndyT]

REPORT :

Just a brief report. Thought it was a very open game and far from the "negative tactics" some feel we adopt. I thought the first half was pretty even. They hit the bar twice and we did once. A goal apiece and probably even on possession. We had a good spell leading up to our goal.

Second half I thought we dominated, without ever being totally assured at the back. We pretty much laid siege to the Oxford goal and had several chances. The best being Wright's screwed shot after Cox's superb chest pass.

Still amazed that there were no more goals after the 20th minute.

RATINGS :

Oxley 7.5 - Still as steady as ever. Can't really fault him for anything and pulled off a couple of brave saves.

Demetriou 8 - Had a really good match. Tremendous crossfield pass that lead to our goal and a good all-round defensive display.

Timlin 7 - Had a decent game. The odd error of judgment, but some great tackles, as well.

Ferdinand 6 - Had a shocking first half. Put a very timid tackle in the first minute and seemed to be on one of those days where his head isn't right. Wondering if the criticism on Tuesday night might not have gone down well with the skipper. Seemed half a yard off the pace. Improved a bit more second half.

Turner 7.5 - Won pretty much all the aerial battles and looked steady and in control at the back. Proving, already, to be a great asset.

Kightly 6.5 - I don't know why he keeps wanting to take an extra touch all the time, especially in and around the edge of the penalty area. Worked hard, but subbing him was the right call.

Leonard 8 - Really top display, as ever. Think everyone held their breath when he went down injured, but thankfully seemed to be OK.

Wright 7.5 - Another very good performance. Neat and tidy and also prepared to shoot. Lost half a mark for that poor miss, though. Needs to bury those.

McLaughlin 8 - Thought he was superb, again. Starting to really get his old form back. He must have had a good game, as he wasn't substituted after 70 minutes!

Cox 8 MOM - Just shaded MOM. He was tireless, creative, scored our goal and was always fully committed to the cause from start to finish. Class act.

Fortune 7 - Not as good a performance as Tuesday, but showed touches of quality and awareness.

SUBS :

Ranger 6.5 - Shouldn't really have been booed onto the pitch. Maybe it affected him, but looked a bit lethargic when he first came on, which was the last thing we needed at that point. Quality header that was disallowed. Seemed to up his game after that.

McGlashan 7 - Yep, he did OK and was more of a threat than Kightly out wide.

Ba 7 - Not really on long enough to make a significant impact.

REFEREE :

He let some 50/50 calls go and kept the game flowing. Think the lino on the West didn't help him too much. Made a couple of errors. Overall, though, he was fine.

PITCH :

That's really cutting up badly, again. Needs relaying, but we haven't got the cash or time now, I guess. Someone is going to pick up a serious injury soon.

OVERALL :

Entertaining game. Certainly can't fault our commitment or quality at the moment. Just need a break here and there to get us over the line.

 

[SeaSideDoughnut]

It was a decent game, I'm disappointed we didn't take all three points but not disheartened by the performance. Let's start with the bad...

I've defended Ranger because he is just used as a target but today he irritated me. If you're brought on it's to make an impact and if you're not going to win the headers you've got to challenge and chase that second ball where possible and show your intent to win the game and he didn't really.

Ferdinand... He may have a lot of experience but how can players look up to someone making so many mistakes? Timlin had a better game today but I'll use him as an example if anyone thinks Ferdinand will be dropped for White remember Timlin still hasn't been dropped yet.

One thing I do find refreshing, when we have a corner or a set piece and Turner has pushed up, we have an actually chance of scoring. Himself, Leonard, Wright, Cox and Fortune all had good games. I would've given MoTM to Cox.

 

[AndyT]

Not true.

The direction in which the ball travels is irrelevant.

What matters is the player's position relative to the ball at the time the ball is played.

I've been thinking about this 'Mick'.

Surely, you can't be offside if the ball is pulled back to you because, by definition, you are behind the player playing the ball?

The only way you can be offside, therefore, is if you are ahead of the last outfield opposition player from a ball played forwards.

 

[rigsby]

First of all what a good game. Plenty of end to end stuff from two teams who both wanted to win even in the 93rrd minute. It was certainly no dragged out bore draw.

Yes very frustrating for us as it capped a week of effort and commitment with little to show for it. We all know you don't always get what you deserve in football but missing two penalties, hitting the wood work 3 times, having 2 goals ruled off-side, handball of the line with no red, goal bound shots hitting your own players (Kightly first half) and Wright dragging that excellent chest down from Cox wide from 6 yds when the goal was gaping........We end up with just 2 points from 9 which seems to me at least not a true reflection of the lads performance in the last 8 days.

Anyway credit to Oxford, like us they want to get on with the game and play with that L1 honesty that many of us enjoy. Not to much shirt pulling, manhandling or rolling around and timewasting.

You can see why they are capable of winning 4-0 away but equally why we could have scored a lot more than one. To be fair the woodwork owed us a few from Tuesday so lets be thank full it went in our favour today.

Pleased for Turner he was my man of the week, proving good things come to those who wait. Nice to see some of you judging Timlin in a more positive light. He was very disciplined after his harsh yellow.

Nice early cross fro McL for the goal. Shame Fortune, McG and Ba all had to have that extra touch in the second half rather than fire it in early and low.

For those of you who claim PB is obsessed with the opposition, yet at the same time demanded Lenny sit on JP.....Well we just got on with our game. Yes he had some nice moves in the first 45, fizzled out second half but still had a chance to win it late on....Typical JP performance at RH.

Many of you will look at the table and groan. We are creating plenty of chances and its not to far fetched to say had that lovable little rogue (joke) Nile Ranger put away that pen v Pompey then we might well be sitting in their place 7th in L1, rather than 14th.

 

[Mick]

I've been thinking about this 'Mick'.

Surely, you can't be offside if the ball is pulled back to you because, by definition, you are behind the player playing the ball?

The only way you can be offside is if you are ahead of the last outfield player from a ball played forwards.

An example. A forward is on or near the goal-line in the penalty area, the winger pulls the ball back to, say, the penalty spot from a position further back than the forward. The forward runs back to the penalty spot to play the ball. He can be offside, despite the ball being played backwards.

 

[AndyT]

An example. A forward is on or near the goal-line in the penalty area, the winger pulls the ball back to, say, the penalty spot from a position further back than the forward. The forward runs back to the penalty spot to play the ball. He can be offside, despite the ball being played backwards.

Good point 'Mick' I hadn't thought of it like that. I was thinking of the ball passed to a player rather than behind him.

Not a common scenario, that, but correct nonetheless.

I guess the same applies when a shot hits the post and comes back to someone who was in an offside position when the shot was hit, despite the ball coming back to him.

 

[Fitz]

One of the better and more entertaining games this season.

Pleased Ranger was not treated as some kind of legend returning hero today, I think he is vastly overrated even if he could behave....one too many chances for me.

Timlin, Cox and Demetriou all very good today. Best player on the pitch, as he has been in every game I have seen was Leonard, too good for league 1 and really would not envy him going in Jan to top Championship side, although would be disastrous to us. In the summer I was all about retaining him, but his professionalism and dedication has put him in my all time SUFC team and just wish him all the best plying his trade at a higher level!

For me we need a central defender to replace Ferdy who needs to retire and a centre forward who can finish to go alongside Cox. I really think is Ferdinand wasn't the band he is he would have been dropped long ago, Barrett was performing far better when he was exiled!

Our game in hand is must win next weekend if we have any ambition of the play offs.

 

[Shrimper93]

With out looking what has been posted:

It was a very even game, we shaded the last 10 minutes.
My mom is Timlin. Yes some will disagree, but apart from 1 miss pass and a tendency to drift into m idfield He did a good job.

 

[Shrimper93]

Ferdinand ��, looks slow, is slow, good at blocking, once someone goes past him, good luck Ox��

 

[Tampa Blue]

Ferdinand ��, looks slow, is slow, good at blocking, once someone goes past him, good luck Ox��

Sadly, unlike Barrett who went downhill pretty gradually, Ferdinand has gone over a cliff from last season when he was a great player. It really is sad and painful to watch.

ps Timlin had a really good game despite not being a LB

 

[McNasty]

Tottenham how old are you ?

We do not allow grooming in any way, shape or form on the Zone. :smile: