Official Match Thread Southend United v Oxford United

[The Big Dady]

The Official Match Thread brought to you by ShrimperZone.com

So here we are the sixth League One home game of the 2018/19 season and Chris Powell’s first full season since his return and time in charge at the Mighty Shrimpers.

Our sixth match at home is against Oxford United.





It is now time for ALL of us to get behind him and the team whether you are at Roots Hall, listening on the radio, or watching on ifollow, and make that famous "Roots Hall Roar".

Chris Powell's 6th Southend United League One Home Team of the 2018/19 season



The Roots Hall pitch looks fantastic and is ready for action at 3.00pm Saturday 6th October against Oxford United, It looks like it is going to be a very wet and blustery afternoon for the game, but we now have WHITE GOAL NETS.





The weather forecast for today at Roots Hall



Chris Powell’s current League home record
Won 8
Drawn 1
Lost 4
Goals scored 27
Goals conceded 15

League Positions Last Season
10th (2017/18 Season) Southend United
16th (2017/18 Season) Oxford United

League Positions Current Season
11th (2018/19 Season) Southend United
23rd (2018/19 Season) Oxford United

Recent League Position Change



Previous Five Meetings
Southend United 1-1 Oxford United (L1 25/11/17 Att. 6,797)
Oxford United 0-2 Southend United (L1 14/02/17 Att. 7,277)
Southend United 1-1 Oxford United (LT2 06/12/16 Att. 2,004)
Southend United 2-1 Oxford United (L1 27/09/16 Att. 5,593)
Oxford United 2-3 Southend United (L2 17/01/15 Att. 7,207)

Head to Head record
Southend United Wins: 22
Draws: 10
Oxford United Wins: 19
We have not lost to Oxford United since 2012


Wiggle it, Just a Little Bit!​

 

[The Big Dady]

Managers Pre-match Views
​

Oxford United

Karl Robinson Oxford United’s manager talks to Oxford United OS

Oxford United look to bounce back when they take on Southend United at Roots Hall on Saturday.
A last minute winner cost ten man United a point against Luton on Tuesday and left Manager Karl Robinson looking for his team to show a reaction at the very first opportunity.
“I think a let of people felt that pain on Tuesday and we apologise for that and will just work hard to put it right” he said earlier today. “I appreciate what the players have said since that game, and the way they have rallied round, and I care for them. I care for this club; it’s Tiger’s club and the fans’ club but we do care and I am very clear-minded in what we have to do.
“We have fantastic people here who will dig deeper than they have ever done before to achieve what we set out to achieve together. It was always going to be bumpy, I just don’t think we expected quite so many potholes! Things have happened beyond our control but you get that and we have to make sure we wear that shirt with pride on Saturday and in every game and enjoy what we do.”
“The Southend fans are good at Roots Hall and Chris Powell is a top man so it will be difficult. But they are all difficult aren’t they? So why not roll our sleeves up, roll with the punches and give it everything we have got…”

Ricky Holmes talks before the game as he faces the team he supports

Oxford United need to get back to basics as they head for Roots Hall. That’s the message from winger Ricky Holmes who believes now is the time for the team to show what they can really do after a string of poor results have left them in the relegation places.
“I give it my all whether it’s in games or in training, we all do and we all demand it of each other” he said as the U’s prepare for the trip to Roots Hall. “I think that’s the only way you can be and I said that to everyone after Tuesday’s game. I’ve come from non-league and the only way I got to be a professional was through grafting. Fans don’t come to see you floating about the pitch or getting on the ball when you feel like it; we’re not good enough to do that, clearly not at the minute because the table doesn’t lie. I don’t believe with the ability we have in the changing room that we should be where we are; we get punished for every mistake we make so let’s not take so many risks.
“I can’t say anyone is hiding or not putting the work in. I wouldn’t have that and the gaffer wouldn’t have that. We are 100% together. I said a couple of weeks ago that I have been in a relegation fight with Barnet before and sometimes it felt there was no way out, but I don’t feel that here.
“The winner on Tuesday- nobody would have set us up any differently for that free kick, but we have to go and win the header, not get outfought. The gaffer and the coaches can’t make us go and win that header or make a tackle. That is down to us as men and we have to start solving that on the pitch. It can only come from within. I can tell someone to do something, the gaffer can tell them but we can’t make them then go and do it. So it is up to everyone individually to do exactly what we are told to do, and what we are paid to do. That is our job.
"The penny has to drop, and the mistakes have got to stop. Teams don’t seem to make those mistakes against us, but is that us not putting them under enough pressure? We won’t hide; back to back wins and we are looking up. But that has to start now.”
Ricky returns to Southend on Saturday where he once sold programmes as a kid and where his heart was broken as a 16-year-old.
“Southend released me as a kid- rightly so because I probably wasn’t good enough at the time” he said. “But they are an experienced side on a good run of form and we go there knowing we need to put on a performance full of grit and determination. We need a platform to build from because at the moment we are in survival mode and have to do what we need to do to get out of it.
“But I have full belief in the Manager and the staff, we all do. I signed because of the Manager - I had other options but wanted to come here- and we are letting him down at the moment. I know the Manager always gets the flak but he is setting us up right on the pitch and it’s down to us to earn our money and start getting results now.”

Southend United

Chis Powell talks to Chris Phillips of the Echo about the forth coming game with Oxford United

Southend United manager Chris Powell has warned his side not to take victory for granted against struggling Oxford United tomorrow.
The 11th placed Shrimpers head into the clash at Roots Hall on the back of three successive wins, while second from bottom Oxford have triumphed just once in 11 outings this term.
But Powell believes the form guide counts for very little in League One.
“Every Tuesday and Saturday you see the results and there’s a surprise and we don’t want that to be us tomorrow,” said the Blues chief.
“Oxford are in a difficult place but they’re playing some decent football.
“The second we relax we will have a problem and, in my mind, maybe we were a bit too relaxed in the first half on Tuesday but credit has to go to Burton for that as well.
“But we’ve won two away games in a row and we want to make it a top week now by getting another win in front of our own fans.
“However, we will have to dig deep to do that and the players know that.”
Powell will again be faced with a number of selection dilemmas with Dru Yearwood and Sam Mantom battling for a place in the centre of the park along with Timothee Dieng.

Wiggle it, Just a Little Bit!​

 

[Ricey]

Nice line up that, once Lennon is fit, swap him with White and that’s our league winning side

 

[The Big Dady]

Oxford's Team

 

[SHRIMPERPETER]

Cox further forward in Theo's place with Dru pushing forward from the midfield three

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Hmmm.

Not a fan of 3-5-2 and was hoping we’d switch back to a back 4.

A lot resting on Dru in this formation to unlock the opposition. What are his odds as first goalscorer?

 

[Chapperz]

Looks like 5-3-2 with Yearwood behind the front 2

 

[NZamba Legend]

Decent side that, and I'm a 442 purist

 

[gibbinson]

Is McLaughlin injured? Or been dropped?

 

[Ricey]

Bet one of Holmes or Obika scores today, they always do against us.

 

[Maidstone Shrimper]

It a good lineup but I hope Mantom and Yearwood are both up to playing 90 minutes. No doubt CP is confident that they won't both run out of steam after 70 mins or so.

 

[Shrimpers are Magic]

Cox has three in three playing behind the front two. He doesn’t seem as effective leading the line.

 

[jarvisyeh]

Cox has three in three playing behind the front two. He doesn’t seem as effective leading the line.

His goal vs Burton was once he was moved up in to the front two.

 

[Shrimpers are Magic]

His goal vs Burton was once he was moved up in to the front two.

Good point well made

 

[SUFCStu]

Come on Southend!

 

[Hampshire Shrimp]

Come on you Shrimpers

 

[Barling Magna]

Perhaps we're missing Robinson's runs at the defence, we seem to be passing horizontally all the time...................

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

Perhaps we're missing Robinson's runs at the defence, we seem to be passing horizontally all the time...................

What! We're already taking it lying down?

 

[Dubai]

Perhaps we're missing Robinson's runs at the defence, we seem to be passing horizontally all the time...................

Think we playing alright, tidy...keeping the ball with all 3 CM’s looking like they might create soemthjng in the next 70 mins. Just need Cox/Hopper to take the chance when they come

 

[Barling Magna]

Cox hits the underside of the crossbar with a screaming shot.