Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 1-2 Bristol Rovers

[blue pilot]

1. change the captain, he doesn't motivate.
2. No leadership on the pitch, where are the 'talkers' (Barrett, Timlin, Lenny etc)?
3. (2) probably stems from no leadership/motivation from the Dugout.
4. Worst midfield we've had in probably 20 years.
5. Elvis looks lost in the wing-back role, 4-4-2 please. Demitrou needs to be back asap.
6. Turner's shot, White's on borrowed time.
7. Is Drew Fit? needs a rest that's for sure. Went down holding his knee again on Sat.
8. Kightly, while our best player for 20mins, is out of shape and carrying too much weight.
9. Fitness seems an issue. PB made a big thing about pre-season fitness etc, was this pre-season too light?
10. Our set pieces are awful.

 

[Napster]

1. change the captain, he doesn't motivate.
2. No leadership on the pitch, where are the 'talkers' (Barrett, Timlin, Lenny etc)?
3. (2) probably stems from no leadership/motivation from the Dugout.
4. Worst midfield we've had in probably 20 years.
5. Elvis looks lost in the wing-back role, 4-4-2 please. Demitrou needs to be back asap.
6. Turner's shot, White's on borrowed time.
7. Is Drew Fit? needs a rest that's for sure. Went down holding his knee again on Sat.
8. Kightly, while our best player for 20mins, is out of shape and carrying too much weight.
9. Fitness seems an issue. PB made a big thing about pre-season fitness etc, was this pre-season too light?
10. Our set pieces are awful.

I don't believe 3 or 4.

The midfield we had in 1999 was

Houghton - Tinkler - Maher (when he was rough round the edges) - Connolly

The midfield in 2001 was

Clark - Maher - Thurgood - Forbes

We've had plenty of crap midfielders over the years. We've been very lucky with Gower/Maher/Bentley/Hurst/Smith/Hall/Timlin/Leonard, even Guttridge and Pettefer.

But I don't believe this bunch is the worst for 20 years!

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

1. change the captain, he doesn't motivate.

Change it to whom?

Coker was his original choice as captain - now out for the season.

Oxley was his choice as captain at the start of the season - now out indefinitely with some back complaint.

Demetriou is an international captain but has been out injured the last two months

Turner has the experience but his legs are shot.

White is mute other than moaning at the ref

2. No leadership on the pitch, where are the 'talkers' (Barrett, Timlin, Lenny etc)?

See above, although I'd make it a point of emphasis in the summer.

I don't think Powell was oblivious to it - remember he tried to sign Sonny Bradley in the summer and look how he's doing as Luton skipper.

3. (2) probably stems from no leadership/motivation from the Dugout.

I think a crowd roaring its encouragement will have more effect than a manager clapping on the sidelines.

4. Worst midfield we've had in probably 20 years.

Naps has dealt with this

5. Elvis looks lost in the wing-back role, 4-4-2 please. Demitrou needs to be back asap.

I don't have a problem with the attacking positions Elvis was taking up whilst wing-back (remember we don't want to be negative at home so he needs to be bombing forward at every opportunity) but we had three centre-halves and despite having the numbers they failed to cover him whilst he was providing the width that we needed.

6. Turner's shot, White's on borrowed time.

Agreed.

Thank God they are only on one year deals and not the two year Anton got (or the 3 year deal Kightly got).

7. Is Drew Fit? needs a rest that's for sure. Went down holding his knee again on Sat.
8. Kightly, while our best player for 20mins, is out of shape and carrying too much weight.

See 6. He'll probably start Saturday but he only seems good for a 20-30 minute cameo these days and he's now so slow he can't beat a man. All those injuries seem to have taken their toll.

9. Fitness seems an issue. PB made a big thing about pre-season fitness etc, was this pre-season too light?

I think this was a Dave Penney thing. It was certainly noticeable in the early Brown years when we were fitter than all our opponents but not in the latter years (and certainly not for Nile Ranger who is probably the least match fit player I've seen on a pitch - he made Ricketts look prepared). Maybe Kevin Keen needs to step things up?

I also think the pre-season schedule was inadequate from a games played point of view.

Although our midfield missed all or at least part of pre-season so it would have just been more games for them to miss.

10. Our set pieces are awful.

We hardly had any and when we do who have we got to aim at?

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

Well it must be the players Chris, you need to give them some motivation mate !

Give them some 'motivation'? What exactly does that mean? Because if it was something you could pluck off a Tesco shelf, I'm sure CP would have filled his trolley by now.
I've already commented in match reaction about what CP has probably already said to motivate, so I'd like you to say without edge or sarcasm what you would say?
Remember, we're talking a manager who experienced a few bosses in his time from League One to England international.
And one who also has the benefit of two decent clubs as boss before Southend.
So this give-them-some-motivation shtick, please inform.
For the record, I agree about the formation or lack of it: players lacking bravery is probably a euphemism for couldn't care less - and CP's stuck with them.