Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 2-1 Chesterfield

[Ramsdenblue]

Far far too much drumming again today. The drum takes up too much of the soundscape and needs reeling in.
Our singing is a thing of exquisite beauty. The drumming a thing of over bearing vulgarity.
Let the singing alone be heard, with all its intonations and emotions, it’s pitches and rolls - something a thrashed out, soulless drum can never bring to the party.
So much great voice is lost, drowned out by an emotionless jungle beat, that in no way compliments the fine terrace chanting that draws down from the dna of the ancestors.
Have a word someone.

The drum is the pulse that connects us all,
It provides the rhythm for a majorority of us fans, and the club.
The drum is the instrument of rhythm, that connects us to our Roots Hall.

 

[SS9_Shrimper]

This, it continues to amaze me. Even Mooney who some say isn’t settled and wants away, not sure if that’s true but he certainly doesn’t act that way. On one occasion he sprinted at great speed from the right to close down a defender, then their keeper. It sums up the attitude of all of this squad. They leave everything out there. When it clicks like it did 2nd half we’re a joy to watch.

To be fair I did see him and Cav in Starbucks around 11:30 a.m. yesterday, so he was probably still on a caffeine rush.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Lots about us, most agreeable.
Chesterfield?
For many seasons Grimes has been a beast against us, but yesterday he did well and is an exemplary captain BUT it looked as if this is his last season as an every game player, Cards and Woody were both too fast for him and either Mooney has gained a turbo to his sprinting or Grimes was knackered. Grimes is likely, rightly a Chesterfield legend but in the return away game he ought to be targeted for running at and past.
Griggs showed he is a poacher and good at it.
Colclough was ineffective and uninvolved for long periods.
Chesterfield are good but not at the level of Notts C or Stockport.
Well done to their 500 but again not the numbers from a side of such history and recent form should have. And they were quiet.
Officials, not the best.
Our lads, fecking marvels.

 

[ms brush]

Well, that was an awesome and sublime performance against a very good side! 10's all round for sheer bloody mindedness, and sticking up the two fingers at the Vanarama National League! Particularly as they continued their trend of making our lives even more difficult by sending us anther set of incredibly poor officials. As well as yet another ref with poor eyesight and questionable decision making skills, my 81 year old Dad looks quicker and more mobile than the linesman on the west side who was miles behind the action for the entire game.

An on the pitch, I thought we didnt look quite so comfortable as we did a few weeks ago, particularly in the firsy half and I think we are carrying a couple of injuries. Then Wood and Coker were probably nervous as it is likely to have been their biggest crowds and the pressure of the game being televised. We settled in fairly well despite this, and we were very good at making sure that Chesterfield could not get into their stride. Our off the ball work, the runs, the communication and our positioning is vastly improved this season, and this is paying off as we are now very difficult to play against as well as offering some very nice, and technically excellent, attractive football. I havent seen the full highlights, but I thought their goal stemmed from an offside pass. One of my buddies said that Ralph had played him onside, so jury is out. Nonetheless, you cant allow players like Grigg the space like that, because he doesnt miss the oportunity to stick the ball in the back of the net that often! When it went in, I was hoping that our steely spine would hold up because I went to the game hoping for a point but expecting us to be turned over.

There were obviously a couple of tweaks in the second half, and we really looked up for the battle. Of the penalty shouts, I though that this was the softest. Who cares - Bridgey steps up and we are back in the game. I was not expecting Wes's shot to skitter around the way it did and end up going in. From that moment onwards the 3 points were ours to lose, and we managed the game really well from that position of strength right to the end. I had to smile at one of Noor's "shots" - totally clearing the South stand and I think it was heading for one of the open windows in the flats, if not Southend High Street! We looked more comfortable and more settled in the second half, and I am not sure that Chesterfield knew what had hit them. I like Chesterfield, they are a good club, and have had their own struggles and fell out of the EFL a couple of years before we did. They also had terrible owners and a big fight to get their club back, so the parallels are there and although we came out on top yesterday they are a bit of a blueprint to finding their way back to prosperity and back into the football league - where they will undoubtably be next season. Paul Cook is also a classy character - hilarious watching him on the touchline, and then magmanimous in defeat - not criticising his own side and praising us. I like him a lot!

For the record I was hard pressed to decide who our man of the match was as this was a very good, very solid all round quality team performance. Taylor just about edged it for me at the back and probably Fongook in midfield. When you only have 13 players available, under embargo still and you are playing the in-form league leaders it was always going to be a huge ask. These lads can move mountains!!

 

[Shrimper Brownie]

In response to being asked essentially why they lost yesterday, both Paul Cook and defender Michael Jacob’s mentioned “atmosphere”.

May Roots Hall Rock on.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

Far far too much drumming again today. The drum takes up too much of the soundscape and needs reeling in.
Our singing is a thing of exquisite beauty. The drumming a thing of over bearing vulgarity.
Let the singing alone be heard, with all its intonations and emotions, it’s pitches and rolls - something a thrashed out, soulless drum can never bring to the party.
So much great voice is lost, drowned out by an emotionless jungle beat, that in no way compliments the fine terrace chanting that draws down from the dna of the ancestors.
Have a word someone.

Blimey! Unlucky, Ringo - you may be No 1 again, but...

 

[Leeboy]

In response to being asked essentially why they lost yesterday, both Paul Cook and defender Michael Jacob’s mentioned “atmosphere”.

May Roots Hall Rock on.

which version - Russ Abbott or Joy Division?

 

[Hooly]

I've re-watched the game this morning as my 1st half concentration was ruined by the most annoying thing I've ever seen in a football ground which is a high bar as the (long) list includes both Barry Harris & Gordon Connelly, I could go on........ I'm all for kids being the future of the club but FFS my cat pays more attention to me than that irritating little runt did to it's parents. Don't start me on it's father either who sat on his fat *rse munching his f'ing burger & chips through the Remembrance tribute. Anyway rant over, until I see them again.

My view of the performance hasn't changed much though as I thought we were a bit sloppy 1st half & bossed the 2nd half. Having seen it again I don't think we were at our best but probably played better than I thought 1st half but in the 2nd half not back in the game until the hour when we scored & then took defensive control which snuffed Chesterfield's threat almost totally.

We gave the ball away quite a lot in that 1st hour & just sometimes having done the hard bit failed with the really easy thing. I don't think our passing stats would be that good yesterday particularly with the 1/2 dozen crossfield attempts.

Having said that I think our defensive harrying & closing were different class given how many injury niggles these guys must be carrying & nobody ever, ever stops running. Taylor & Kendsale, apart from a horrible bit of ball watching for their goal, were immense at the back but for me MoM was Cards through sheer effort level but also winning way more than his quota in the air.

At the end of the day I think we wanted to win more than they did. Paul Cook is a real class act as he was very realistic after that they would have expected to push on after the 1st goal but didn't really do much then, created very little & we deserved what we got.

 

[Voice of Reason]

Nice to see you've calmed down in your old age pete

 

[Maroon Blue]

A thrilling breathless game, even watching a second time on the TV. We had no right to win that game, but with an incredible work rate and spirit rightly gained the 3 points. I had us down for a defeat and it was looking like how I expected at half time. How wrong was I and will teach me to never doubt this amazing team. We kept pressing and pushing and forced the mistakes to get the upper hand. I do not think Chesterfield knew what to do, so used to winning every week they just seemed to accept it, I expected a late surge last 20 minutes but bar a late Will Grigg effort over the bar which was offside, we did not allow them to get into any stride. Chesterfield will win the league, so mediocre is the league this year and their nearest contenders, Barnet and Solihull Moors lost again. We showed how to get at them and we all know this should have been our year and would have been without RM neglect.

Martin 7
Taylor 8.5
Kensdale 8
Ralph 7.5
Scott-Morriss 8.5
Coker 8
Husin 8
Fonguck 9 MOTM
Bridge 7
Wood 7
Cardwell 7.5

Mooney 6.5
Kabongolo 6

Wes was excellent for the 92 minutes he was on the pitch, normally blowing after 60, but did not run out of gas yesterday. Do not want to sound negative but we need to show the same intensity away from home. Fortress Roots Hall now produced 8 wins out of 10 games, an early season defeat to Hartlepool, who were flying at the time and deservedly beat us. Also a now baffling off day home defeat to lowly Fylde in September. No team will want to come to Roots Hall now and looking forward to December home games against high fliers Bromley and Barnet (now 2nd & 3rd) to keep up our push for an unlikely play-off place. Roll on embargo being cleared and letting the hand brake off the footballing department of our magnificent club. UTB

 

[Hooly]

Nice to see you've calmed down in your old age pete

As I said to Mrs GNH at HT if the runt didn't behave 2nd half I was going to launch it onto the pitch. Given I was in my wife's old seat @Voice of Reason you'll know the trajectory involved.

 

[GNH]

As I said to Mrs GNH at HT if the runt didn't behave 2nd half I was going to launch it onto the pitch. Given I was in my wife's old seat @Voice of Reason you'll know the trajectory involved.

She'd probably have given you a helping hand.

 

[Hooly]

Oh, another thought......

I've always detested the idea of "seeing the game out" by the team actually just stopping playing at all & taking the ball to the corner flag attempting to keep it there for 10 mins.

This irritation is probably exacerbated due to watching Testify Bramble attempt this in the early 2000's. Plan A involved wandering aimlessly towards the corner flag with the ball then treading on it, accidentally kicking out or backing into the defender so fast he either fell over or gave away a free kick. Invariably Plan A lasted about 10 milliseconds of the 10 minutes.

But now, having some proper footballers who are really well coached, this has become a almost thing of beauty as we basically repeat our pre-match triangle passing drills much to the confusion of the defenders as it did yesterday.

I'm still not that sold on it really but it is quite fun to watch sometimes.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Wes was ecellent for the whole 90 minutes

He was subbed towards the end!

Glad to see him get his plaudits. He gets through a hell of a lot of work - and it tends to be the unglamorous kind as it doesn’t result in a tackle but is integral to the way we press. I think because of his languid style people sometimes don’t notice the amount of ground he covers.

Oli Coker also was basically doing shuttle runs second half when Chesterfield tried to stretch us and then switch it.

 

[Grayson]

One observation from me. There were starting to be some groans and moans in the East just before the penalty. With us likely to have thousands coming to games that haven't gone through the past few years with us, and so not quite getting it, it's going to become extra important for the core 5k to keep up the audible support even further in the coming months.

 

[shrimperjon]

One observation from me. There were starting to be some groans and moans in the East just before the penalty. With us likely to have thousands coming to games that haven't gone through the past few years with us, and so not quite getting it, it's going to become extra important for the core 5k to keep up the audible support even further in the coming months.

i sit in the East yellows, mostly ST, didn't hear any moan and groans personally and the yellows normally are right behind the team. Being opposite W block helps though

 

[Grayson]

i sit in the East yellows, mostly ST, didn't hear any moan and groans personally and the yellows normally are right behind the team. Being opposite W block helps though

East Greens here. There weren't many, but they were the first I've heard all season. Just something we need to keep in mind for the next few.

 

[hlane17]

I'm all for kids being the future of the club but FFS my cat pays more attention to me than that irritating little runt did to it's parents. Don't start me on it's father either who sat on his fat *rse munching his f'ing burger & chips through the Remembrance tribute.

Had some very inconsiderate people near me trying to take pictures and videos during the minutes silence, presumably because their boy was one of the mascots/ballboys yesterday.

Not a brain cell or ounce of respect between them. I'm pleased we saw a bigger crowd yesterday, but it's clear some people have absolutely no clue of how to behave in a football ground.

Plenty of people heading out to the bar at the 35th minute as well, blocking off people's view for the rest of the half.

 

[RHB]

A reasonable amount of decent feedback from the majority on the Spirerite fans board. There will always be some that drink their bath water and spout bollocks, but thankfully they were few and challenged by the more sensible. One that took my eye was the bloke that said it reminded him of an FA Cup game when the other team (us) came from a lower league and raised their game. I must admit to having a little smirk at that one bearing in mind these invincibles had just been dicked by a fitter, better team, the final score doesn't lie, eh?

 

[CaptainSmudger]

I struggle to find words in my comprehension to sum up how bloomin' good this team is week after week after week.

Every player put a shift in. If you look at the last ten, Mooney summed it up. allegedly can't settle and wants away, but did everything and more that you would want a player to do with fresh legs in that game to see it out.

My MoM? hard to pick an individual, but I will.

Stand up Harry Taylor! What a performance. Solid under pressure, some blocks and tackles, one great one in the last 5 on the edge of the area. Oh and who was it pops up in the opposing box and wins a Penalty. Unbelievable and when the embargo is lifted Kev, please keep Harry at the back, 'cos he is just superb there!

Everyone else tried their hardest. If you can find it, our performance today was summed up by Paul Cook's post match interview. You just can't take it away from this squad. When they get the backing they deserve, there is the possibility of being on the verge of something very big here, you can sense it.

When the players go out they know exactly what job they have to do, because of the scouts, coaches and three amigo's.

Today was the first game this season we have come back from behind in, what a day to do it. TNT presenters were raving about us and quite rightly so.

We've just beaten the League leaders and best team in the division, in front of our biggest crowd of the season and on TV! Just how good does it get?

And back to my opening sentence, what new words can you find to sum this club up now?

Over to you peeps!

que magnífica actuación valiente!