The continuing hoofball debate

[Jam_Man]

I sometimes wonder if some of you actually read anything before firing off a knee jerk reply.

I have given PS credit in other threads as have others who are still not impressed with the style of our play this season.

Debate is healthy as long as we all agree with you and beefy huh ?

You clearly dont read other peoples replies either or you would have seen that I have on numerous occassions (including this thread) said I dont like the style of football we are playing and that I hope we change next season. Ive said since Sturrock joined I dont like the formations or style has adopted.

Unlike you though Im able to appreciate that whilst not attractive it has seen us turn from a club likely to be relegated from the league to top of the division and highest scorers.

Whilst we are successful I therefore find it absurd to be giving the manager too much grief when he has achieved what he has.

 

[number11]

At the risk of incurring the wrath of Southchurch and oh-Andy-Ansah - I just don't get the complaints about our style. I can understand complaints when we are not playing well, but there will be complaints if we are not playing well even if we were trying to play football. So far the style (which I would describe as direct and not aimless hoofball) has been proven to get results.

I just don't see why a 10 yard pass from a full back to the centre back is seen as in some way more beautiful, or aesthetically pleasing than a 40 yard pass down the line to Dickinson to then look to get others into play. We have scored a decent amount of goals from midfield this season......is it more beautiful or fun to watch having a centre midfielder come to within 5 yards of the defender to recieve the ball or have him higher up the pitch linking with the forwards knock downs or getting into the box? I'd rather see action around the opposition area rather than back 4's keeping the ball ad infinitum.

It's not even like we are playing negative football - direct football doesn't have to equate to negative football. It is not like we are playing a back 5, 4 holding midfielders and a lone striker and looking to eek out 1 nil wins....or nil nils away from home.....our goal record demonstrates that, as does our away win column.

Dagenham at home was crap, but for me it was crap because our back 4 (particularly the centre backs) were incapable of clearing the ball and so we were inviting pressure (which may have been relieved with some better long passes and terrotory at their end....) and ultimately we almost conceded when Philips tried to pass to Barker and he had the ball nicked off him, and we did concede when Timlin tried to lay it off to the full back. Does them attempting to play football that way make the resulting loss of points any more palatable?


Im sure we would all love to create a team to rival Barcelona in effective and results, but if players were capable of that they wouldnt be playing for Southend. Sturrock's brief surely has to be to put together a succesful side, get the most out of players and perhaps create a few assets. That he has done that (to date) in abundance, and we are scoring goals from all over the pitch means he is doing pretty well so far (in my opinion).

I only hope Sturrock continues to do what he believes in and doesn't try to appease a minority of doom mongers. I'm sure he wont.

PS what happens if we go up is another matter entirely given the step up in level and perhaps more range of tactics needed (or a Freddie Eastwood / Brett Angell), but Im happy to cross that bridge when we come to it!

 

[cluniemore]

A wee birdie told me that the gaffer believes in every fan having an opinion and enjoys the debate but thinks the chat should be factual

 

[ooh-andy-ansah]

ooh-andy-ansah - 90% of us enjoying our league position and goalscoring form is not all of us being rose-tinted. That you are not enjoying it is you being miserable.

I would think 100% are happy with our league position and goalscoring form.

I also think around 50% are thoroughly unimpressed with the manner in which that has been achieved.

Attendances aren't great for a club sitting top of the league. I know many die hard fans who have missed games this season because they can't stand watching the current style.

A bit of honesty wouldn't go amiss, we're winning but it's awful to watch 80% of the time.

 

[Jam_Man]

I would think 100% are happy with our league position and goalscoring form.

I also think around 50% are thoroughly unimpressed with the manner in which that has been achieved.

Attendances aren't great for a club sitting top of the league. I know many die hard fans who have missed games this season because they can't stand watching the current style.

A bit of honesty wouldn't go amiss, we're winning but it's awful to watch 80% of the time.

Our attendances are on par with the last time we were chasing promotion in this division when a playing better style of football....

 

[ooh-andy-ansah]

Im sure we would all love to create a team to rival Barcelona in effective and results, but if players were capable of that they wouldnt be playing for Southend.

Boring boring cliches

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

A wee birdie told me that the gaffer believes in every fan having an opinion and enjoys the debate but thinks the chat should be factual

Facts ?? from us ?? :hilarious:

A nice thought clunie, but please don't hold your breath

 

[ooh-andy-ansah]

A wee birdie told me that the gaffer believes in every fan having an opinion and enjoys the debate but thinks the chat should be factual

Thank you Paul.

Could you give me some facts like what percentage of the 90 minutes has the ball been in the air vs on the deck this season ? LOL

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

Thanks cluniemore,its a fact that i am fat its a fact that i am ugly its also a fact that i am a :winking: and lastly its a fact that i dint care how high or low the team you manage play the hoofing ball just as long as they play their best and if possible get 3 points.
It is also a fact that i dont care if during the course of a game you as manager employ the use of a banjo a barn door or a cowsarse to get the said 3 lovely jubbly points.
Tonight im off to watch the mightyBerrichonne play Metz and i have no idea if will will win lose or even turn up,at least Southend fans know that they are most likely to win and that in most part is down to your tubby jockish self,i thank you.

 

[number11]

I would think 100% are happy with our league position and goalscoring form.

I also think around 50% are thoroughly unimpressed with the manner in which that has been achieved.

Attendances aren't great for a club sitting top of the league. I know many die hard fans who have missed games this season because they can't stand watching the current style.

A bit of honesty wouldn't go amiss, we're winning but it's awful to watch 80% of the time.

It's lower division football so the standard and quality of football is what it is.

I don't think the attendances are that bad actually....Id be interested to see how they compare to when we went up through the play-offs but of course times are harder as well. I would imagine some of those who say they don't go cos of the standard are really saying, given the current economic climate it is hard to justify £20 to watch Div 4 football....irrespective of how the team are doing or playing.....

 

[number11]

Boring boring cliches

Thank you for your well thought out post.

 

[Tampa Blue]

I also think around 50% are thoroughly unimpressed with the manner in which that has been achieved..

Crickey - you must know a lot of the supporters then.

But in all seriousness, upon what basis have you made this comment? I cannot even see that 50% of the regular Shrimperzone contributors would agree with that.

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

Thank you Paul.

Could you give me some facts like what percentage of the 90 minutes has the ball been in the air vs on the deck this season ? LOL

Fact,if you have to put LOL after a so called joke then the joke is in fact not funny and thats a fact.

 

[ooh-andy-ansah]

Fact,if you have to put LOL after a so called joke then the joke is in fact not funny and thats a fact.

Can you show me where this has been deemed a fact or is it in fact just in your opinion ?

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Thank you Paul.

Could you give me some facts like what percentage of the 90 minutes has the ball been in the air vs on the deck this season ? LOL

:hilarious: 15-love

 

[ooh-andy-ansah]

Crickey - you must know a lot of the supporters then.

But in all seriousness, upon what basis have you made this comment? I cannot even see that 50% of the regular Shrimperzone contributors would agree with that.

I hear the Discussing around me in the ground, I hear it on the way into and out of the ground, I hear it in the pub, I hear it at work, I even hear it from people who haven't been to a game all season because we have a reputation now for playing unattractive but effective football.

My hope is that PS has bought some of the recent signings in because he feels they can play a better standard of football next season in a higher division and has gambled on getting promotion.

 

[Jam_Man]

It's lower division football so the standard and quality of football is what it is.

I don't think the attendances are that bad actually....Id be interested to see how they compare to when we went up through the play-offs but of course times are harder as well. I would imagine some of those who say they don't go cos of the standard are really saying, given the current economic climate it is hard to justify £20 to watch Div 4 football....irrespective of how the team are doing or playing.....

I did comparison a week or two back, attendances are actually up slightly from then. We are in league two, less people turn up because of that, yet we so far have more people attending when there is a recession and tickets are more expensive.

 

[number11]

I did comparison a week or two back, attendances are actually up slightly from then. We are in league two, less people turn up because of that, yet we so far have more people attending when there is a recession and tickets are more expensive.

Cheers, that was my instinct. So given attendances are up in these hard times there must be some people relatively happy with how things are!

Ooh Andy Ansah, as for the Discussing around you.....don't know if you sit in the East, but there has been Discussing there ever since I've been going, some 25 years ago. I really wouldn't use that as a yardstick, we must have some of the most miserable fans going! Webb's teams got criticised and booed, Tilly was moaned at for his tactics even whilst winning .....plus ca change.....

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

Can you show me where this has been deemed a fact or is it in fact just in your opinion ?

A study was carried out of 1,000 deaf mute pygmies in the deep dark jungle of Bourneo and the conclusion found that they find by putting lol after a so called joke thus trying to state look at me i just cracked a funny was indeed not funny or needed.

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

Can you show me where this has been deemed a fact or is it in fact just in your opinion ?

And as a aside i really do not have any opinions apart from hoofball or dodgeball its 3 points that matter.