Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 2, Plymouth Argyle 0

[tottenham541]

3 **** performances, but 6 points from 9.
got to be happy with that.
let's not kid ourselves we're the Barcelona of this league.

no shoot sherlock:blush:

 

[turkishm]

I try not to make a comment on games i dont see, but the first half preformance by Southend was against a side that will surley get relagated was total dross. How long we can keep getting away with performances like this i dont know.Ino this sounds bad after a win, but this side have surley got to get there act together, otherwise imo we will become also runs in this league,

 

[ms brush]

Well, first half was shocking!! We managed to make the worst side in the whole of the football league look halfway ordinary... I think that was quite a feat! :omg:

Second half was marginally better, but it still wasnt pretty. I dread to think what happens when we play a decent side, think we will get slaughtered! What makes it worse is that when we can be bothered, and we keep the ball on the deck, we look pretty impressive. I have no idea why we cant play like that consistently??


Morris - 6 - Totally untroubled today, more to do with Plymouth being completely cack than us keeping them at bay to be honest!

Clohessy - 7 - Consistent as usual, thought he did well.

Phillips - 7 - Solid performance, didnt have too much trouble dealing with anything.

Barker - 7.5 - Decent performance, and not really tested. MOM (just).

Gilbert - 7 - Solid and good to see a rare goal.

Timlin - 7 - Pick of the midfield, showing some flashes of the good stuff he was doing when he was here last year.

Grant - 4 - a waste of space today, shame, because I like Granty and he's been playing better lately. I would have pulled him off and put JJ on to be honest!!

Ferdinand - 4 - As per Grant, didnt seem to have made it out of bed this morning! Maybe him and Grant were crowded out by such a busy midfield?

Hall - 6 - Looked much better once Harris came on, and played well on occassion. Drifted in and out of the game a bit too much and made a few mistakes but way better than Grant and Kane.

Sturrock - 6 - Was a bit puzzled why he was substituted, because although he wasnt really involved in the game, through no real fault of his own, he didnt really do anything wrong. He was certainly way better than others... and I would like to see him partner Harris, because I think he could create tons of space for Neil to do his stuff!

Dickinson - 5.5 - Still not convinced he is our saviour! I groaned when he stood up for the penalty, but to his credit, he took it well and made a nice job of it. He has some donkey-esque tendencies, such as making such a dogs breakfast of the one on one situation, but then wins a few headers and looks impressive. The jury is still out and I would have taken him off instead of Blair today...

Subs

Leonard - 6 - A revalation after the dross served up by Mr's Grant and Ferdinand!!
Harris - 7 - A class act - turned the game in our favour. The elusive goal will arrive soon, and when it does there will be no stopping him!

 

[ozzy-shrimper]

Just lacking that bit of desire in my eyes. Timlin was the only one that was putting one hundred percent in today and his desire and persistence ultimately won us the penalty which swung the game in our favour. I feel when their is a sense we are real promotion contenders the players will up their game and give that bit more.

Good result in the end, UTB.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

The first half actually made me feel ill, our midfield (again) was awful, timlin was a disgrace to the word football as was grant. Kane was almost as bad, lee sawyer must be pleased as punch with what they are dishing up. The introduction of harris and his excellent movement seemed to improve things a bit, Timlin pulled his finger out in the 2nd half and to be fair played well. Chuffed with the three points though.

Timlin played totally out of position, he isn't a winger in a million years. When Leonard came on and Timlin moved inside, he was a different player and bossed well.

 

[tottenham541]

Timlin played totally out of position, he isn't a winger in a million years. When Leonard came on and Timlin moved inside, he was a different player and bossed well.

100% spot on their.

 

[leeblue]

Timlin played totally out of position, he isn't a winger in a million years. When Leonard came on and Timlin moved inside, he was a different player and bossed well.

agree he played much better in 2nd half as i stated in original post, wide is not his bag

 

[Ulysses]

Worst first half ever for blues couldn't string 2 passes together. Plymouth panicked when Harris came on, iffy penalty must say. 3 points though so it's irrelevant.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Continuation of the theme from Tuesday, whatever is going on with midfield needs to be sorted out so it'll be interesting to see how they cope without the two established "stars" next weekend. Timlin, Grant and Ferdinand were all shocking in the first half, Hall pretty quiet by the standards we're used to, no-one seemed able to find an accurate pass, however, it was the changes in the second half that seemed to finally bring a bit of cohesion. I think Leonard makes a huge difference on the right as it allows Clohessy the chance to overlap and this was used beautifully to effect in the latter stages of the game. Time and time again Clohessy was getting crosses into the box which I think most strikers would have been delighted to get on the end of.

Dickinson looked lazy and as if he was wearing lead boots, but once things improved in the second half he showed that, yes, he can actually jump, and head a decent ball back across the penalty area. Harris looked pretty disappointed not to take the penalty, and I would have thought he could have claimed it as the Vice Captain and senior forward, fair play to him though allowing Dickinson to do so without any fuss. I'm sure that goal isn't too far away, on his performance today he's a shoe-in to start the next match I'd have thought, poor Blair still looked a bit knackered from all his hard work on Tuesday. He and Dickinson seemed not to have any understanding, and as Dickinson wasn't winning any headers, Blair had nothing to play off.

Word for the defence today who I thought looked very impressive, Barker won just about everything in the air that was possible, and Phillips looked pretty imperious alongside him. Poor Clohessy got a ball in the face but soldiered on and I was really impressed with Gilbert's energy and the way he gets forward now. Morris looked very comfortable in goal even to the extent of playing a ball off of a Plymouth player's legs to win a goal kick! I don't see Mohsni coming back into this side just yet, as a forward or defender!

All in all, it may not have been the prettiest game of football, but I think there were some positives, and 3 points is 3 points after all, and what's more, we're in the play offs atm!!!

 

[fredheim_holm]

For me Timlin was man of the match simply because he was willing to put his body on the line, case in point when he won the penalty by going for a challenge when he could have hurt himself doing so.

Grant on the other hand was woeful, not because he doesn't have the ability, but because he doesn't care enough. All he really does is fall over and win a freekick every now and then, he doesn't put his foot in when it's required and seems to be a passenger 80% of the time. Wouldn't be sad at all to see him sold in January.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Fred, Timlin was very poor 1st half as he was on Tuesday, failed to complete a pass far more than he managed to. You can be the bravest player in the land but if you can't lay the ball off you're always going to struggle. Once the 1st half was over in both games, Timlin improved, and it's when he's been allowed back into the middle of the field rather than wide. Reminds me so much of Easton.

 

[palexander]

For me Timlin was man of the match simply because he was willing to put his body on the line, case in point when he won the penalty by going for a challenge when he could have hurt himself doing so.Grant on the other hand was woeful, not because he doesn't have the ability, but because he doesn't care enough. All he really does is fall over and win a freekick every now and then, he doesn't put his foot in when it's required and seems to be a passenger 80% of the time. Wouldn't be sad at all to see him sold in January.

Totally agree. Grant falling over at the slightest touch is getting slightly tiresome now, can't believe more opponents don't make more of it, or the ref cotton on as the game goes on.

Timlin was much improved second half, really like him. Got all round ability for a midfielder. Him and jpk would be my starting two when possible.

Harris looked nice and sharp when he came on. Really had a feeling he'd score though, but fair play to Harris for passing on the pen and to dicko for being brave to step up given the dross that proceeded it and the crowd turning - showed lot of character.

 

[EastStandBlue]

I seem to remember saying this an awful lot last season, but that was as much a tale of two halves as you’re ever likely to see.

The first half was, well, dire. We seemed to be completely and utterly surprised by the fight Plymouth were willing to show, whether that’s arrogance on our part or sheer commendable effort on Plymouth’s I couldn’t say, but it really did put us out of our stride. Once again, our midfield was overrun and it put paid to any kind of football we wanted to play. Kane once again struggled in the face of pressure, but I can accept that from a young player still learning his trade in a position fairly unfamiliar to him. What I struggle to accept is Grant dialling in a performance devoid of any heart or passion, particularly when all the game needed was for someone to take it by the scruff of the neck.

It’s a shame, too, because I’ve certainly noticed that as of late Sturrock has entrusted Grant with a more commanding role within the squad. Today in particular, Grant was the one that Sturrock debated with as to how the game was going and it was Grant who was to relay messages to the other midfielders and you’d have thought that a player would relish being given so much faith. It’s not as if Grant was ineffectual per se, he broke down spells of Plymouth possession with a smartly won free-kick when needed, but he relied upon that far too often and towards the end of the game it was a bit of a joke.

Timlin’s patently not a winger of any substance. He’s a combatant midfielder who’s comfortable with the ball on the deck and as soon as he was brought inside, we played considerably smarter football. Prior to that, he was wasted on the left and really struggled to have any impact on the game. On the opposite flank, I think it might be about time to break up the Clohessy/Hall tag-team, purely because Clohessy looks to be getting a little stale. Leonard, for me, offers far more assurance defensively and is superior technically to Sean. It was quite astounding how much better Clohessy looked when Leonard came onto the right-hand side in the second half, purely because he offers a lot more protection than Hall or Kane or any other midfielder we’ve played on that flank. I completely understand Sturrock’s preference of having Hall cut inside, it’s proven to be a quite reliable weapon in our armoury, but if moving him onto the left allows for a better, more balance side then it may prove to be a necessary sacrifice.

I felt for Dickinson today. For the first half, he was the designated battering ram and was dealt some absolutely miserable service. Balls that he had no real chance of winning and directing accurately, and he was then bemoaned by the support for an ineffectual half. This changed in the second half, and Blair pulled the short straw and, obviously, didn’t last. If we’re to get Dickinson firing and playing well, then we need to start giving him some half decent service. He’s not well suited to the battering ram role, when he scored his goals at Stockport he had Anthony Elding alongside him for that, so it’s high time we forgot about using him in that way. Him alongside someone like Corr could prove to be incredibly fruitful, and it’s not at all surprising that in his absence Big Bad Bazza’s importance to this team is hugely evident.

Unfortunately, Dickinson’s card has already been marked by the token mouth-breathers we attract. He’s berated for large swathes of the game, and one particular knuckle-dragger sat near me was begging for him to miss the penalty to such an extent that he couldn’t even bring himself to celebrate when he scored. It must be a sad state of affairs when you’re wishing ill upon your own team, just to validate some ill-conceived opinion.

Anyway, we really were much improved after the penalty and I’d suggest that was hugely attributable to the fact that we calmed down considerably. With Leonard and Harris on the pitch, Plymouth had far more to think about than merely defending some aimless passes and the pressure of searching for the game told. Definite dismissal, although Timlin did, perhaps, goad him into it.

Harris’ class shone through today I thought. His movement both with and without the ball stretched the Plymouth line into allowing others to get in behind them and it caused a lot of gaps to occur and mistakes to be made. After we scored the first I didn’t think Plymouth would have enough to get back in it, but Harris made sure of the victory by ending any thought of them being able to abandon their defensive duties to swarm forward. I was a bit worried before today that his injury, like Freedman’s before him, could be the start of a steady decline but he looked very sharp. With Hall suspended for Rotherham, we will need his guile if we’re to stand any chance of unlocking them.

At the back, we weren’t really tested but Barker looked back to his impervious best today. He looks to have finally shaken the knock he received early on in the season and the timing of his headers looked much improved. It could also have a lot to do with the developing understanding between him and Phillips, who I again thought was very good.

Overall, I think we’re at a crossroads. We’re winning, but we haven’t been convincing at all and that is hugely down to the starting line-up. Sturrock is giving them every opportunity to correct the balance, but it’s now taking personnel changes to amend subtle problems that spiral out of control when we’re up against it. That told today with how much more cohesive we looked as a unit with a balanced midfield four and two up-top. Sturrock now has to make a decision as to who should make way for the likes of Leonard, who offers us much more balance.

One last word for the officials, who in total contrast to Tuesday night I thought were outstanding.

 

[wiggy]

Totally agree. Grant falling over at the slightest touch is getting slightly tiresome now, can't believe more opponents don't make more of it, or the ref cotton on as the game goes on.

Timlin was much improved second half, really like him. Got all round ability for a midfielder. Him and jpk would be my starting two when possible.

Harris looked nice and sharp when he came on. Really had a feeling he'd score though, but fair play to Harris for passing on the pen and to dicko for being brave to step up given the dross that proceeded it and the crowd turning - showed lot of character.

Yep, Grant is now more interested in falling over like a big girl. Grant and Ferdinand were both touted for a move earlier on and at the moment wish that they had both gone. One is unstable on his feet and the other gets a nose bleed when going forward!

 

[OldBlueLady]

Yep, Grant is now more interested in falling over like a big girl. Grant and Ferdinand were both touted for a move earlier on and at the moment wish that they had both gone. One is unstable on his feet and the other gets a nose bleed when going forward!

To be fair Wiggy, that's always been a part of Grant's game, always attributed to his Chelsea pedigree. I still have faith in Grant, look at the difference on Tuesday night but I fear that there is something wrong in the midfield department far more than just what is attributal to Grant.

 

[Benfleet Blue]

To be fair Wiggy, that's always been a part of Grant's game, always attributed to his Chelsea pedigree. I still have faith in Grant, look at the difference on Tuesday night but I fear that there is something wrong in the midfield department far more than just what is attributal to Grant.

I think the main problem is that Ferdinand did a job when we needed him to play as a holding midfielder. However, for some unknown reason he is now playing as the free role midfielder and, quite truthfully, he simply isn't capable of playing that role.
The whole midfield looks unbalanced and only when he was substituted and Ryan Leonard came on wide and Michael Timlin moved inside did we seem to have any width and balance.

I think Granty really struggles to play with Ferdinand in the middle and that's why Grant and Timlin of JPK has to be the central pairing until Lee Sawyer is available.

 

[Crawliano]

I'd sooner 45 minutes of dross and win 2-0 and grind out boring victories over playing really pretty football and hearing about just "needing the rub of the green"...

Boring football, but sod it, we're 6th.

 

[united we stand]

Unfortunately, Dickinson’s card has already been marked by the token mouth-breathers we attract. He’s berated for large swathes of the game, and one particular knuckle-dragger sat near me was begging for him to miss the penalty to such an extent that he couldn’t even bring himself to celebrate when he scored. It must be a sad state of affairs when you’re wishing ill upon your own team, just to validate some ill-conceived opinion.

.

what is wrong with some people-- actually I will answer that --- being proved 'right' is more important to some than getting behind the team--

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

Grant's had some very good games this season, he was poor today but I certainly wouldn't want him to leave. Bear in mind too that Plymouth played 4-5-1 and our midfielders were closed down quickly. He seems to have days when he's really up for it and others when he doesn't seem bothered. I don't think having Ferdinand alongside him brings out the best of him either. Ferdinand has been anonymous every time I've seen him this season. I'd have Timlin, Sawyer and Kalala all ahead of him in the pecking order at the moment and I think Grant would be better alongside them. I like Grant when he's playing a kind of box-to-box role rather than solely as a defensive midfielder.

 

[united we stand]

I'd sooner 45 minutes of dross and win 2-0 and grind out boring victories over playing really pretty football and hearing about just "needing the rub of the green"...

Boring football, but sod it, we're 6th.

if we played like we did in the first half for 90 mins and then did it again next week and again and again I don't care if we are winning- I can only take so much of that crap and lack of desire