Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 3-3 Portsmouth FC

[GBJ]

Not sure suggesting I’d be happy about a lose is a quite way to “converse” pal. Watch that first 30 minutes again and 90 minutes in the week, the players certainly weren’t playing for Powell.

As I said, the first 30 minutes next week will be telling. Fingers crossed we can string a couple of results together and get us ourselves safe as I can’t be ****ed to watch L2 again even if it is usually on a iFollow

We’ll have to agree to disagree that the players weren’t playing for him then. I didn’t see Tuesday’s game, so can’t comment, but today’s game, I saw a team playing for each other, aswell as the manager. The only negative is the fact that they aren’t great players.

Pompey exploited that in a 25-minute period, and really punished us. Basic errors lead to all three goals. Bishop could have done better with the first, Mantom should have cleared the second & a mixture of Hart & Moore cost us the third.

I really fail to see how that’s Powell’s fault.

 

[bazzashrimper]

Both full backs struggled defensively today. That was the problem for the first 30 mins. Add in that neither Mantom or Dieng like a tackle and who’d be a Southend centre back?

Kites and macca added little. But cox was immense. Not just his goals, but all round game both on and off the ball. Well played Simon.

We desperately need some of the injured players back soon.

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Turning point or a sticking plaster which will come off within the next couple of games.
I would personally make Cox the captain ...somebody who leads by example and a class above in effort and footballing brain....if only the other senior players would step up to his level.
Klass really showed his potential and was one of the positives of the afternoon...kept things simple passing wise and looks strong.
As for the poor defending with Kiernan and Lennon both on the bench... if near fitness could they be the turning point we need .Still think the unbalanced midfield is the key to this season,and where all effort should be made to make a quality signing.

 

[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United manager Chris Powell felt it was ‘huge’ for his side to rescue a share of the spoils against Portsmouth this afternoon.

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[RobM]

As said before, Cox was terrific. He never gives up! Even at 0-3 he was running his nuts off, so to speak. Top man.

 

[Fitz]

FWIW,

Hart is a massive weak link in this team. It must be tough for him, as Kighlty offers no protection down that wing, but either way, he’s well out of his depth at League One. He’s only 22, so has time on his side, but he’s failing at the basics. Constantly out of position, poor tackling, air shots. It’s no wonder teams are targeting that side. Just a shame that injuries have rendered him a guaranteed starter.

Dieng is a passenger at best. He looks very weak for a big lad & certainly doesn’t fancy a 50:50. Not sure if it’s laziness of what, but he’s just not that good. Him and Mantom doesn’t work.

Mantom’s dead ball’s were woeful today. He looks panicked & frightened when he gets the ball. Having a weak defence behind you doesn’t help, but he’s got to show more composure.

Kightly & Macca are luxury players. Casual as you like. Neither would be starting if we had a full strength squad. Would be Happy to see Kightly leave in the summer.

Anyone know anything about this lad Kiernan who was on the bench today? New signing?

Dieng produced the pass of the match to put Cox clean through, which got us a point. He not the greatest player we have ever had but not the worst either and we have what we have until the end of the season. I think Mantom and Dieng get too much stick. Dru is very overrated and has a very poor season and Macca and Kightly have been very poor as well.

 

[IloveShrimp]

No real passion by many until the young hungry players came on.

Because of the lack of pace in the side our build up play can be very slow.

Hart so far looks to be a non league player at best although he has time to improve.

Cox's vision is a league above and he needs someone along side him who can think the way he does as support. Anyone else notice him pinch the Portsmouth CB just above his bum after treading on his toe beforehand too?

Thought Elvis had an excellent game and showed Hart up. Moore was good too.

Mantom awful and seems to be the weak link in midfield atm, Dieng a little better, Kightly and Macca don't take players on anymore and are not league one standard now. Klass looks a real prospect.

I wonder how well Klass and Dru would perform if paired together in midfield?

Cox excellent and easy MOM. Humphreys was 'done' by one of their players I think. Wabo didn't really get an opportunity to show what he could do. Hutchinson looks to be a creative player but a little bit immature in the air when he seems to pull out, no doubt his bottle will improve as he gets more experienced..

At last the crowd got behind the team.. and what a difference it made!!

I am still not convinced with CP as manager, although I really wish him well.

 

[Taters123]

Great point in the end from a point of despair early on.

My worry is that we are having to play 3 centre mids because Dieng and mantom cannot compete against many other teams CM’s on their own. Klass did well when he came on, brought a bit more energy to compete.

Cox for captain.

 

[IloveShrimp]

These players are playing for Powell. He’s not a miracle worker, and passion alone is not enough to win games. We have a distinct lack of quality atm. That’s not Powell’s fault.

Oh, and If you can’t converse without resorting to abuse, I won’t even bother trying. Ya fool

But many of the players especially in midfield are CP signings and so he must take responsibility for their lack of quality!

 

[GBJ]

But many of the players especially in midfield are CP signings and so he must take responsibility for their lack of quality!

Absolutely, he has to carry the can on that front.

Is it reason enough for him being sacked though?

Every top manager signs some duds from time to time.

 

[GBJ]

Dieng produced the pass of the match to put Cox clean through, which got us a point. He not the greatest player we have ever had but not the worst either and we have what we have until the end of the season. I think Mantom and Dieng get too much stick. Dru is very overrated and has a very poor season and Macca and Kightly have been very poor as well.

Yeah great pass, can’t knock him there.

Unfortunately that was all he did. He looks toothless

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

We started very brightly and looked good. But we are so weak at the back that they score from their first chance. Heads don't go down though and we keep playing well, some nice tricks and flicks. But we can't defend a fish supper and they score again. And again.
We look lost. Long balls, missing 5 yard passes, Only positives at that point are it's not cold and Kightly was showing everyone how it's done, sprinting around, working and really giving his all.

Humphrys gets injured and we have to bring Klass on with stick Dieng up as a target man. Oh dear.

But then Hart, who had a decent game, does more good work down the left and Cox scores a towering header at the back post. Yes, you read that right. We have something to work with.

Second half and we think we need a really early goal to try to get back in the game. It doesn't come, but we played really well, passing and probing. Actually making passes where we hadn't in the first half.

We put them under increasing pressure, get a pen then get a well deserved equaliser.

Kightly has pulled his groin, no surprise given how much he worked and sprinted around.

Me and everyone around stood to applaud at the end and every Southend player deserved that. Great come back, really good performance in the end after that defensive horror show at the start. Well done everyone, especially given our subs were each about 20 years old, if that

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Not sure suggesting I’d be happy about a lose is a good way to “converse” pal. Watch that first 30 minutes again and 90 minutes in the week, the players certainly weren’t playing for Powell.

As I said, the first 30 minutes next week will be telling. Fingers crossed we can string a couple of results together and get us ourselves safe as I can’t be ****ed to watch L2 again even if it is usually on a iFollow

If you’d like to ‘converse’ then I suggest you moderate your tone, because it is at best condescending

 

[Tinks]

So pleased to see Cox score not once but three times today - will do his confidence a massive boost and perhaps some of the doom and gloom merchants will go to sleep.

I personally have a little bit of sympathy for SCP as I honestly believe that the 11 players that started today were the best that he had available to him. Something is obviously going wrong behind the sciences whether that be with the fitness coach or training or maybe he has just been “unlucky” with injuries. Let’s hope that Humphrey’s isn’t too bad. I often say from where I sit that SCP often is a quiet manager but looking at the game when I got home I could see he does shout and call out to the players.

I was glad to see Manton go off as I am not a big fan of him and don’t think he is a good captain.
Last week I pointed out that Hart was our weak link and I have to say the same again today.
I thought Turner did not show himself up today and the more I see of young Bishop the more I am liking him and Oxley will struggle to get back in the side.
The first ten minutes we were ok and we went down hill from there in the first half. The last 15 mins of the game left me feeling shattered just watching and strangely enough left the ground feeling as we had won.

Being a SUFC supporter is never easy!

 

[SUFCStu]

Thank christ for Simon Cox.

First halve before Cox's first goal was spineless and gutless. Getting that goal back thankfully got the confidence going.

The difference between the first halve and second was day and night.

Dieng's pass to Cox for the equalizer was great.

Exciting game none the less!

 

[Shrimper]

Hart is dire. Can we send him back?

And play who at LB?

Coker and Hendrie both out. Kyprianou too.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

****ing hell. An unexpected point.

Terrible terrible first half with zero passion.

What changed? Why start trying?

Cox - 10
Klass - 7
Everyone else - below 6
Hart - Below 2

Can powell FINALLY smile and get the team up for it? Or do we revert back to next week like the useless unergentic unbothered first half?

I actually think that's a bit harsh on Hart, as he had a hand in 2 of our goals - personally our worse player was Mantom - what the hell was the header he was attempting for thier second goal was just embarrassing

 

[Maidstone Shrimper]

I came out of Roots Hall on a high. Watching your team come back from 0-3 down to earn a point - fantastic. A trawl through the post match thread has brought me back down to earth of course. I thought we started brightly then we started our sequence of individual errors that Portsmouth clinically punished. What was good though was that I didn't see heads go down, players hiding or any lack of passion/interest. That would have been easy especially losing Humphrys so early. How important was that first Cox goal and it must have given young Hart a boost to have an important part in it. Despite some players still having difficulty in doing simple things right they kept plugging away and we completed that amazing comeback. Some good things came from the game, not just Cox's great performance. Klass looked excellent. Bishop kept us in the game with a second half save. I thought Turner had his best game for a while especially second half and Moore continues to impress. Wabo was energetic and strong in his short spell. Above all we know we can come back after falling behind. Still lots to worry about but I'll save that for the days leading up to Accrington and enjoy this evening.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

Yeah great pass, can’t knock him there.

Unfortunately that was all he did. He looks toothless

Still a million miles better than Mantom!!

 

[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United suffered two more injury setbacks during this afternoon’s 3-3 draw with Portsmouth.

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