Pre-Match Thread Southend Utd vs Fleetwood Town 14th September 2019 3pm

[Jai]

And no trains again on Greater Anglia GRRR!!

Every Saturday until April (December excepted).

 

[Dorsetshrimper]

When you come to pick a team you realise how unbalanced our squad is.

Formation 4-4-2
Goalkeeper - Oxley has slight edge over Bishop
Full backs - Elvis and Ralph
Centre backs ??
wide Midfield probably Demetriou and Mcluaghlin
Centre midfield ??
Strikers Humphrys and Goodship

I don't know the best two pairings for the central roles.
At the back probably Kiernan and Lennon
midfield Milligan and Hamilton

To try something different you could switch around Kiernan and Milligan

or

More of a diamond with Milligan/Kiernan in a defensive role with Cox or Kelman just behind the front two.

 

[Tombstone Blues]

All entitled to an opinion but can I ask two things.... ?

What have Demi and Macca done this season to warrant any form of inclusion let alone in wide midfield areas?

Why say how unbalanced the squad is then pick a formation that accentuates that?

 

[SHRIMPERPETER]

And no bloody diamonds, we don't know how to play it and we leave our full backs exposed when we did try it!

 

[amsemp]

Oxley
Bwomono, Kiernan, Lennon, Ralph
Demetriou, Hamilton, Milligan, Ndukwu
Humphrys, Goodship

 

[Harry Bullocks]

Gate creeping towards 5,000....to be expected on our current form

 

[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United’s caretaker manager Gary Waddock will be putting the team’s needs before his own when the Shrimpers host Fleetwood Town on Saturday.

More...

 

[Barling Magna]

Good Luck Gary. Three points please.

 

[Dorsetshrimper]

All entitled to an opinion but can I ask two things.... ?

What have Demi and Macca done this season to warrant any form of inclusion let alone in wide midfield areas?

Why say how unbalanced the squad is then pick a formation that accentuates that?

Exactly my point and I agree they have not done anything to warrant inclusion,

I believe you do need wide players, but who do we have who can play wide?

Ndukwu hasn't shown he can do it (maybe not given a decent chance to show what he can do) and it is a waste to play Goodship wide.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Bond didn't like wingers and it's a problem for Waddock and for whoever else comes in. We're stuck with (until January) an out of form McLaughlin, a youngster in Hutchinson who isn't really a winger, Ndukwu who's getting his first taste of first team football and Sam Barratt still coming back from injury.

It's a big problem if Waddock or the new boss, whoever he may be wants to use wingers.

On Saturday I think you just gotta go for it. Get what we've got out there and stick with it. Players like Macca aren't going to find their form again sitting on the bench

Oxley

Elvis Kiernan Lennon Ralph

McLaughlin Milligan* Hamilton Ndukwu

Goodship Humphrys
​

*Mantom for Milligan if this leg injury is legit

 

[Boreham Blue]

Whatever the side we need to start getting some points on the board. It’s important that the crowd get behind the side, if we concede a goal then lift the side. Any letting RM know what we think (if he didn’t already know) should be saved for afterwards. I’m convinced this squad can play and we need to do our bit when it comes to psychology.

 

[Tombstone Blues]

Bond didn't like wingers and it's a problem for Waddock and for whoever else comes in. We're stuck with (until January) an out of form McLaughlin, a youngster in Hutchinson who isn't really a winger, Ndukwu who's getting his first taste of first team football and Sam Barratt still coming back from injury.

It's a big problem if Waddock or the new boss, whoever he may be wants to use wingers.

On Saturday I think you just gotta go for it. Get what we've got out there and stick with it. Players like Macca aren't going to find their form again sitting on the bench

​

​

How long are we going to call it “form” for?

He’s offered nothing in over 18 months.....that’s not form that’s lost his way completely!!

As for Ndukwu.....I’d prefer he at least looked like he wanted to be here before I even consider him a player to be selected.

 

[Tombstone Blues]

Exactly my point and I agree they have not done anything to warrant inclusion,

I believe you do need wide players, but who do we have who can play wide?

Ndukwu hasn't shown he can do it (maybe not given a decent chance to show what he can do) and it is a waste to play Goodship wide.

So a) why select a side with wingers whenwe have none...and b) what have they done to warrant selection over anyone else who isn’t any good either?

 

[Andy_S]

Bond didn't like wingers and it's a problem for Waddock and for whoever else comes in. We're stuck with (until January) an out of form McLaughlin, a youngster in Hutchinson who isn't really a winger, Ndukwu who's getting his first taste of first team football and Sam Barratt still coming back from injury.

It's a big problem if Waddock or the new boss, whoever he may be wants to use wingers.

On Saturday I think you just gotta go for it. Get what we've got out there and stick with it. Players like Macca aren't going to find their form again sitting on the bench

Oxley

Elvis Kiernan Lennon Ralph

McLaughlin Milligan* Hamilton Ndukwu

Goodship Humphrys
​

*Mantom for Milligan if this leg injury is legit

I'd go with that. Square pegs in square holes, some attacking intent and like you say, how is Macca ever going to discover form when he's in and out? We don't have many other options if we're going to try and attack in our home games and Macca, even off colour, could still either ping one in the top corner or provide a match winning cross.

A massive problem with Bond in charge has been the chopping and changing of responsibilities and positional instructions given to the players. At least if we stick them in a 4-4-2 in their natural positions then we should at least remove some of the complications that have been placed on them.

 

[Tombstone Blues]

Here’s a sweeping statement....

If you can define form as a reasonable run of consistency to a good level then you will not see Cox or Macca in form again. You may see glimpses of the ‘old’ player (more likely from Cox) but if a player like Macca is out of form for 18 months you are more than likely seeing all he has to offer right now.

Has anyone even considered that Macca hasn’t even played a minute of football since Lincoln away......when he was struggling with a ‘knock’ and was very poor again.......

Forget formations and squares pegs and all that bull****....try try this.....

No 1 rule - Play players that are fit.
No 2 rule - Play players that will do the job they are asked.
No 3 rule - Play players that care.

If they are not fit then forget rule 2 and 3 and leave them out.

 

[SheldonW65]

Here’s a sweeping statement....

If you can define form as a reasonable run of consistency to a good level then you will not see Cox or Macca in form again. You may see glimpses of the ‘old’ player (more likely from Cox) but if a player like Macca is out of form for 18 months you are more than likely seeing all he has to offer right now.

Has anyone even considered that Macca hasn’t even played a minute of football since Lincoln away......when he was struggling with a ‘knock’ and was very poor again.......

Forget formations and squares pegs and all that bull****....try try this.....

No 1 rule - Play players that are fit.
No 2 rule - Play players that will do the job they are asked.
No 3 rule - Play players that care.

If they are not fit then forget rule 2 and 3 and leave them out.

No 2 is bull**** because asking a player to do a job they aren't capable or confident of doing is what's got us into this mess.

Never before in 45 years of watching a Southend team have I seen so much confidence drain from decent players.

Even during the dark days with Tilly when the players weren't being paid for a long spell they had more confidence than some of these guys.

WTF must Nduwu be thinking ? The way he has been misused is shambolic.

Hamilton just ball watches all the time but it's easy to see why, him and Milligan haven't got a clue where they should be or who to mark as they are literally over run in midfield. Now if a player as experienced as Milligan looks lost what chance do the youngsters have ?

 

[Tombstone Blues]

No 2 is bull**** because asking a player to do a job they aren't capable or confident of doing is what's got us into this mess.

Never before in 45 years of watching a Southend team have I seen so much confidence drain from decent players.

Even during the dark days with Tilly when the players weren't being paid for a long spell they had more confidence than some of these guys.

WTF must Nduwu be thinking ? The way he has been misused is shambolic.

Hamilton just ball watches all the time but it's easy to see why, him and Milligan haven't got a clue where they should be or who to mark as they are literally over run in midfield. Now if a player as experienced as Milligan looks lost what chance do the youngsters have ?

Players get asked to play in different roles all the time. It’s not a problem to most of them. The problem only arises when the player thinks he’s too good for that and sulks.

No one would suggest playing a player in a role he simply couldn’t do but to do it with energy and desire is more than enough.

How is Ndukwus treatment been shambolic? Did he have a right to come to the club and be selected immediately? Or was it required of him to show some desire and some talent and force his way into the side?

He’s come on and started in his natural position several times and has failed to even compete or work hard.

I’d argue his showing so far has been shambolic....on his part!

 

[SheldonW65]

Players get asked to play in different roles all the time. It’s not a problem to most of them. The problem only arises when the player thinks he’s too good for that and sulks.

No one would suggest playing a player in a role he simply couldn’t do but to do it with energy and desire is more than enough.

How is Ndukwus treatment been shambolic? Did he have a right to come to the club and be selected immediately? Or was it required of him to show some desire and some talent and force his way into the side?

He’s come on and started in his natural position several times and has failed to even compete or work hard.

I’d argue his showing so far has been shambolic....on his part!

Who's sulked ? I actually have a great deal of admiration for Goodship who has been played out wide instead of down the middle, he's knuckled down and tried his best. Cox has been dropping deep and trying to make things happen because our midfield is non existent. Hutchinson is not a wide man but has tried his best. I could go on.....

We aren't going to agree on this one.

 

[Tombstone Blues]

Who's sulked ? I actually have a great deal of admiration for Goodship who has been played out wide instead of down the middle, he's knuckled down and tried his best. Cox has been dropping deep and trying to make things happen because our midfield is non existent. Hutchinson is not a wide man but has tried his best. I could go on.....

We aren't going to agree on this one.

No that’s exactly what I’m saying!!! You are agreeing with me....you’ve just used examples of players that haven’t sulked and have done their best playing out of position.....if all players did that as in my rule 2 we’d be alright...providing they abided by rule 1!!!

 

[SheldonW65]

O that’s exactly what I’m saying!!! You are agreeing with me....you’ve just used examples of players that haven’t sulked and have done their best playing out of position.....if all players did that as on my rule 2 we’d be alright...priding they abided by rule 1!!!

Who's sulked ?