Memory Lane Southend United All-Time Draft QF1 (poll now added)

[Yorkshire Blue]

And it's up!

Need to consider this a bit more...

Why you had the right answer earlier!

I think Yorkies problem here may be that he has only selected 4 players from the modern era. I've been supporting Blues 50 years next year and I have only ever seen 5 of them play. I think only Cricko would have seen Harold Halse!

Seriously though, this has the promise of an epic encounter. with managerial styles the key.

Webb's style at it's most successful was simply to play to everyone's strengths. Sturrock as we know liked to get the ball down and across, with plenty of balls into the box. I feel this would be food and drink to Spinner. Further, the mistake by Sturrock is playing Francis and Morris together. this would leave gaps at the back because Francis is the overlapping type and neither had defending as the best part of their game.

The one thing Webb does have in the team is goals and tons of them.

I'd go for a narrow victory for team B.

 

[Lord Football]

(Ooooh... it's just like Brexit!)

It's NOTHING like Brexit :)

 

[Napster]

when's the next QFs happening?

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

when's the next QFs happening?

@Yorkshire Blue ?

 

[Firestorm]

http://www.irishnews.com/sport/foot...true-giant-and-gentleman-of-the-game-1064086/

This superb article does indicate that Jimmy Mcaliden was and inside forward amd may not suit the deeper lying midfield three role

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

@Yorkshire Blue ?

Next QF probably tomorrow or Friday.

http://www.irishnews.com/sport/foot...true-giant-and-gentleman-of-the-game-1064086/

This superb article does indicate that Jimmy Mcaliden was and inside forward amd may not suit the deeper lying midfield three role

Yes, that is a superb article about a superb player.

On the inside forward point, the position evolved. Harold Halse was also described as an inside forward but 1906-08 when Halse played an inside forward played alongside the centre forward in a 2-3-5 formation



By the time McAlinden was gracing the Southend United shirt in the post WWII era formations had involved and the inside forwards had dropped into midfield in the WM formation.




I linked to this in the draft thread but here's some newsreel clips of him playing (he's the no.8) as he guides Southend to the 5th round of the FA Cup (still a club record).

The first sighting of him is switching play at around the 0:24 mark in what seems to be a midfield spot. When we are defending at 1:34 he's on the edge of our penalty area; when he's "directing some grand passing" around the 2:00 mark he's in the middle of the park; and look at how deep he is when we plays the ball in that Jackie French scores the winner from - there are 6 players ahead of him. That equates to a midfielder in modern money. He wasn't a goalscorer (just 13 in 231 games) but this team doesn't need another goalscorer when I've England's Harold Halse, club record goalscorer Roy Hollis and the prolific Jimmy Shankly who averaged 2 goals every 3 games. What this team needs is someone pulling the strings from deep and he did that with distinction.