Pre-Match Thread Southend United v AFC Wimbledon

[southendkid]

Good God, not 5 at the back against Wimbledon!!

Are you CP in disguise

A back 5 if you play 2 strikers doesn't need to be defensive, it all hinges on how often you let the wing backs join in attacks, if they attack regularly then it's more of a 3-5-2 than a 5-3-2.

 

[Jai]

A back 5 if you play 2 strikers doesn't need to be defensive, it all hinges on how often you let the wing backs join in attacks, if they attack regularly then it's more of a 3-5-2 than a 5-3-2.

True but last night it was clearly 5-3-2. We attack at a snail's pace. We struggle to get men up in support of the front players. The amount of times we win the ball in a good position and end up going back to the keeper or centre halves is remarkable.

 

[onceknownasrab]

Bishop in goal. Is the prospect of the season, deserves keeping his place and, of course, there is no guarantee of how fit or rusty Oxley is.

Bwomono at right back. I feel sure he will come good and a rest may have served him well.

Lennon at CB. If he can do a third consecutive game then I would persist with him and build his match fitness.

Dieng alongside Lennon. He has skills but is a total waste in the midfield at the moment. Has the height and fitness to be useful at the back.

Hart at LB. I believe he is improving and seems to be putting in 100% effort. Can't ask for any more.

Kiernan to play anchorman in front of the back line. If not fit then, reluctantly, give it to Moore.

Mantom in the middle. He has ability. Take the armband away from him. Not sure the responsibility is helping his game. Let him concentrate on what he has to do.

Hyam if fit enough. Give him the enforcer role.

Dru. It's time for him to show his true abilities and he can be used to surge forward helping the attack and to keep the opposition defenders from committing too high up the pitch.

Cox. Give him the armband but tell him to wear it as a gag so he doesn't keep rubbing the ref up the wrong way. Fully deserves his place and the captaincy.

Kelman/Wabo/Hutchinson. Any one of the three. Just give them license to get into the box at every opportunity. That will make space for Cox, push back the defenders and keep things ticking in the final third.

So its a bit 4-1-3-2 but the presence of Kiernan, in the anchor role, should allow Hart and Bwomono to get up and give us width going forward.

The bench will have whatever best is left but certainly not contain Turner or Kightly. We are in a relegation dogfight today and have no need of yesteryear players.

 

[Zeuss]

There's still lots and lots of football left to play and this is a bonkers league; only 5 points separate 12th and 21st. Indeed, until Scunny equalised we were actually 12th. Bearing in mind our superior goal difference to all but Bristol Rovers, we could shoot back up the league on Saturday with a win should those immediately above us fail to win.

It's a very tough decision for SCP regarding the starting line-up on Saturday. I would go for a back four of Demi, Lennon, Kiernan and Hart.

Midfield is much more tough: lots of ifs and maybes. For example, I would probably have Macca on the left but it depends on how fit he is given the arrival of a new child. If not, I'd have Bunn there. In the middle I'd have Hyam and Mantom with Dru on the right (he can play there). So essentially that would be a tilted/lopsided four that both PB (with Atkinson) and Tilly (with Pettefer).

Obviously Cox up front but with whom? The mercurial Dieng has done OK there, Kightly can play there and by all accounts Bunn played well in patches yesterday. I'd probably go for the latter unless he has to play on the left, in which case I'd go for Dieng. Kites these days is more suited to an impact sub role anyway. Kelman is not ready to start yet, IMO.

Subs:

Smith, Moore, Kites, Kelman, Klass, Dieng, Wabo

No Turner, if you are wondering. His creaky legs need oiling and as well as Moore, Dieng can slot into defence if there's another injury crisis.

Yes,I can’t find fault with your ideas.,there.Good stuff.
Obviously it could make a huge difference if Oxley were fit enough to resume in goal.
Information for some(see above) ,Bunn has been playing for the U-23s.

 

[Grapevine]

Yes,I can’t find fault with your ideas.,there.Good stuff.
Obviously it could make a huge difference if Oxley were fit enough to resume in goal.
Information for some(see above) ,Bunn has been playing for the U-23s.

Bunn had an hour in one game at the training ground....not sure who against but it was the one where the dog was our best player!!

 

[Cricko]

Bunn had an hour in one game at the training ground....not sure who against but it was the one where the dog was our best player!!

What position was he playing, could he make a start on Saturday?

I bet he would be a Terrier on the wing.

 

[mattitouk]

Bunn had an hour in one game at the training ground....not sure who against but it was the one where the dog was our best player!!

That would have been Luton on Feb 26th.

By the look of things, the only one really with a desire to chase the ball!!

 

[dannypav]

That would have been Luton on Feb 26th.

Looks like Kiernan has raked his studs right down the back of that dogs leg - definite red !

 

[LBBlue]

I’m really not sure why we let Mantom take so many corners either. He rarely delivers a decent corner. We must surely have better.

Last season McLaughlin took most of them. But then he’s hardly played this season.

 

[rayleigh dan]

For me, it's time to go 4-4-2 at home and pick the best, inform players we have for each position. I would go for:

Oxley

Demetriou Kiernan Lennon Hart

McLaughlin Yearwood Hyam Bunn

Wabo Cox


Subs: Bishop, Moore, Turner, Mantom, Dieng, Kightly, Kelman​

If Oxley's fit, then he needs to come back in. Bishop's been great but reckon his confidence may have taken a knock last night. If both fit, Kiernan and Lennon should be our number 1 centre back partnership. Mantom and Dieng need dropping - time to give Dru another shot. The two best wingers are Bunn and Macca at the moment, and I think although Kelman has done nothing wrong, I think Norman deserves a go as our no.2 striker and he looked lively last night when he came on.

Powell needs to make the decision early, work the team hard, practice set piece routines and try to lift them after last night's shocker!

I'd go with this team too, for me CP must drop the most woefully out of form (IMO that's Turner, Moore, Dieng and Mantom judging on the past few games) and give others an opportunity. Dru and Macca especially are capable of much more than they've shown this season, I'd like to see both given a run of games now.

Dieng especially was just awful yesterday, it looked like he barely broke sweat. If he starts regardless yet again any respect I've got left for Powell as a manager will evaporate. I can't remember a game all season where either Dieng or Mantom have been benched or dropped (other than for injuries), this despite persistent poor form from both. The proverbial 'kick up the arse' and reality check that they're not automatic starters is long overdue.

Edit - Forgot to mention this - PLEASE CP utilise your substitutes earlier if needed. It was obvious fairly early in the second half yesterday that some were flagging (Bunn notably). Yet the subs were far too late yet again.

 

[Evening Echo]

CHRIS Powell feels Southend United are facing their biggest game of recent times when they host fellow strugglers AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.

More...

 

[Cricko]

No **** Sherlock.

 

[Chrisb]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks back to the comments on here by the Huddersfield fan when Chris was appointed - we all thought he was trying to spoil our excitement of welcoming back one of our greatest players but much of what he said has proved to be true.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

A back 5 if you play 2 strikers doesn't need to be defensive, it all hinges on how often you let the wing backs join in attacks, if they attack regularly then it's more of a 3-5-2 than a 5-3-2.

It's never 3-5-2; doesn't work at this level unless your team keeps position and has pace; of which we have neither

 

[geoffmundo]

There are several dilemmas at play here. We may have players back on paper but there is so much rustiness to a lot of people and some players are just not match fit. Firstly, we urgently need some semblance of consistency of line up and system. But how do you justify keeping some of those players who underperformed so woefully last night in the side?

Trying to be objective here, we were actually playing quite well last night until the wind blew a cross into our net. But we don't commit men forward nearly quickly enough in this system and I'm afraid our fans will not accept lining up with 5 defenders at home against the bottom side.

I do think Powell has to go back to a 4-4-2. I know this is a very clueless football fan thing to say, but on this occasion I believe it's true. Unfortunately, the wingers we have are out of form. However, the recovery of Demetriou adds another dimension to our right hand side, and Kightly has the intelligence if not the pace to link up well with him. It's also the side where Wimbledon are most threatening with Pinnock. Personally, I think that is where the game will be won or lost.

Rest Hyam, he's not ready for three games in a week. I can see Lennon coming out also, it's a big ask for him to do the same. Kiernan may come in and Moore may keep his place, as poor as he has been lately. I'd like to see Yearwood back in with Mantom. I know many would like to see Mantom dropped, but he's more dynamic than Dieng and certainly likely to cover more ground to track Wordsworth.

Up top, Bunn and Cox did seem to link up well for the start last night but Bunn's not fit and it showed after half an hour. I can see Kelman returning, but he'll probably only be able to do 60 or 70 minutes. Bunn off the bench to try later on to try and get us back in the game (we will of course be losing by that point).

Is this enough to beat a side second in the form table and with three ex players eager to prove a point? Probably not. I predict a woeful 11th home defeat of the season, and Powell to be gone by Monday.

Pinnock hasn't featured in the last two games for the Dons, and has only played 8 mins in the last 4 games so I can't see him starting.

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

It's another SUEPA Event Day! Not quite the biggie we've got set up for 30 March v Shrews, but instead we've got someone who showed a lot of spirit as a youngster in coming off the bench and scoring a memorable goal towards the end of our promotion winning 89/90 season at Layer Road (which all but relegated Col Ewe) .......... Peter Daley

Please give him a great reception

UTB

 

[geoffmundo]

its damned difficult to pick a team, so many players returning from injury and I've absolutely no idea which ones have the stamina and fitness to start and last 60 mins+. In my opinion teams work best with consistency not wholesale changes from game to game. Saturday should be all about using our most experienced 'star' players rather than throwing in the youngsters to what will be a highly charged game (interesting that the Dons opponents in their last two (victories) games have both finished with only 10 men. However some of the experienced guys just have not performed, all season....

For me the loss of Humphreys has been the real sickening blow given what he provides for us and not just the goals and we are a little lightweight up top without him. So who to partner Cox? For me if he can last 60-70 minutes I would go for Bunn on his first half performance yesterday. Then perhaps Wabo off the bench to replace him. If not then Dieng, i don't think Kelman is ready. I would like to see Dru back we need someone who will run with the ball, but i have concerns that they may target him to draw bookings. So at the moment I can't think what side I would go for, Demi or Elvis? The ever dependable White back? Kiernan? 5-3-2 or 4-4-2...? Stick with Bishop or bring back Oxley..? Its all too much!

 

[RobM]

"Oxley

Demetriou Kiernan Lennon Hart

McLaughlin Yearwood Hyam Bunn

Wabo Cox "

I like this - either Ox or Bishop, not worried either way.

 

[stewart]

Why all of a sudden is Moore our 2nd most consistant player all season become so out of favour.

 

[Shrimpers are Magic]

What position was he playing, could he make a start on Saturday?

I bet he would be a Terrier on the wing.

Dog rough