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cluniemore

The Wee Birdie
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Messages
72
I have pestered the wee birdie to allow me to answer the minority who still insist on tarring our manager as a hoofball purist.After watching Northampton who are undefeated having adopted a more direct approach and knowing Fleetwood, Oxford, Bradford, Torquay Rotherham and many more have acquired a big target man and have acquired a more direct style I wonder why we have to be a purist team when many Southend teams of the past successfully played with a target man . I am sure there is no need for me to name the players or managers who gleefully gained success with a direct style. I also pleaded with the wee birdie to clear up some of the other criticisms being levelled at him which are out of character and his management style, he is a very professional man and at this time feels it inappropriate to give comment on certain issues, he pleads for everybody to stick together in these difficult times and keep the faith.
 
We ought to mix it up has been debated.Not all our teams heve been good with a 6ft plus forward in it.. Under Whelan Boere and Rammell were part of relegation. Under Martin Conlon was hopeless and under Little, although we made strides and was maybe unlucky to face axed, we had Campbell who was dreadful.If it wasn't for fitness issues Tolson may have done better. In Webb's third spell Tony Richerds was non-existent. I wasn't a fan of Broughton. Regarding 6ft plus forwards the better exeptions might include Collymore, Corr and although before my time Garner.
 
Imo there is room for direct, or indirect football, whenever the need arises. When either is done well, then ok. What i believe gets up the purists noses, is when defenders have time on the ball, only to kick it as hard and as far as they can in the general direction of a forward who stands no chance of getting anywhere near it. In the meantime midfield players are standing in space not 5 to 10 yards away totally redundent. As PS has said you have to earn the the right to play pretty football, but lets not forget it completely.
 
If the manager wanted to play that type of football then maybe he needed to sign more forwards that fit that style. If your going to sign Eastwood, Benyon, Harris and Tomlin all of which want the all to feet then he can't be surprised that fans want to see the ball on the deck.

As our only target man type player seems permanently injured maybe it's time to admit defeat on the long ball, start looking to give us two proper wingers (no surprise at all that Dave Martin made the difference on Saturday) and actually look to play the best way to suit the players he has at his disposal (all oh which he has picked).
 
Yep, we have always adopted a similar style of play!

Always had quite strong wingers and midfielders that the front man can feed!

This hoof ball thing that some of our fans say we play is nonsense! We've never played beautiful football really! At times in our history we may have on odd occasions!

Now we have a team and manager who is capable of "mixing it up". Longer balls, wing play, short passes, crosses, defensive play, attacking play!

Can't remember the last time we had such solid defence and such strong midfield options.

With good additions to the team that Paul Sturrock has made, just shows that it's not all about smashing the ball aimlessly!

Direct style is about playing to the man up top, along the ground or to chest height to hold up, to play in their third, it's about percentages and goals come from playing in the oppos half! Sometimes a ball may look aimless because there may not be any more options on and maybe because we have league 2 standard players.

We also now have the ability with a bit of pace upfront to look for the channels for Tomlin and Assamballonga.

I'm not saying that I know all there is to know about football, but I like to think I have a good understanding of tactics in the game!

What I find most strange is that some of you act like we used to play incredible free flowing attacking football with loads of goals and clean sheets and ball possession, and that Southend United Football Club and its footballing style has been changed for the worst. Are you actually being genuinely serious?

Interesting thing is that we score **** loads of goals, have generally more possession than our opposition and we are more than capable of keeping loads of clean sheets!

And most of the people that post inane, disrespectful, ill thought out opinions of the man who saved us and the man who will get us back to where we want to be and about his tactics seem to know nothing about football!

There were moments in the game on Saturday where the ball skidded away from Spicer and Martin I heard loads of moans of how "useless" they are! These moments are just unlucky, but some people do not see this!

Everyone should remember where we are and who we are!

Hoofball seems to be a myth adopted by people who have forgot who we are and by people who watch some of the amazing football in the premier league. Our championship season has blinded a lot of people and so has the disgraceful amount of money thrown at clubs in the top flight!

Support the manager, support the squad and let's get promoted!
 
Vital for me we have plan B and a plan C. A few options. Playing just the one and only way will lead to us into being predictable which as a result we'll the team being sussed out. Which happened in the second part of last season in the most part. In the last 8 games or so in the League we altered slightly and suddenly we were winning consistently so evidence is there that mixing up things a little freshens things up for the better.
 
To be honest, rather than starting hoofball debate no.842 I was hoping that the wee birdie might have been able to shed some light on a few of the other issues which seem to be around at Roots Hall at the moment (Mohsni, Corr, Hall, Eastwood, the reasons for the slow start, the new targetman).
 
So what is contributing to these "difficult times" ???

Well, to start off with, we've played 4 games of the "season", only one of which has been at home so therefore income isn't being helped. There's obvious pressure associated with that.
 
Firstly I feel the debate about hoofball or not hoofball is irrelevant. The real question is,do we prefer success over entertainment? or more to the point, is it not possible at lg2 level to be entertained and gain success? Personally I feel it is possible and last season several clubs showed it. There are those who will say our club cant afford the technically better footballers and so we have to play within the teams capabilities. We do not have Messi on the books but we dont play at the highest level either. We can play football if we choose because we are playing week in and week out against teams who are no more gifted than we are. At this level a bit of tactical nous can be the edge. I am sorry but I do not see tactical nous in the decision to lump the ball toward lg 2 central defenders that are generally big units and more often than not win out. A player who can turn a little faster than Heather Trott can have a field day with the ball at his feet. Width is wonderful and has its moments but on the deck, through the middle hurts at this level. Think back over the last five seasons or so and remember how many times we have been hurt by the ball through the middle. Then at times played long and high, to mix it up, can keep the defenders guessing, 'will be it be low, will it be high, from wide, through the middle?' When you play one tall unit up front alone it takes out much of the guessing! Oh and I know so many of you will point out how successful it was away from home last year but sadly we rode our luck far too many times and if you did the same again all season you would not win half as many. We did well away points wise and on that basis many see it as a vindication of the tactics. Maybe, maybe not. I know we need to win more at home and when possible a bit prettier.
 
It was interesting to see that Northampton's 1st and 3rd goals were from ball's just pumped into our box (one on the diagonal).
With Clive Platt to aim at and Akinfenwe, are they just launching it and hoping for knock downs?
Interesting that Phillips, Cresswell and Prosser (our three tallest didn't really deal with it very well). I didn't go to the game, and am only watching the goals on highlights.

In times gone by many were calling for the signing of Paul Benson, and at one time were linked with him -is that not resorting to long/hoof ball. Even though FWIW I think Benson is a better more mobile/willing player than Akinfenwe
 
I think we can accept the ball being hoofed up to a target man. What we can't accept is it being hoofed up to smaller strikers when no target man is in the team. It then just wastes possession and is horrible football, and very infuriating when you've paid yer money.

I've still yet to see Benyon receive any service from the midfield. That is what he thrives off, that's how he scored all those goals for Torquay. Perhaps he should be introduced to them before the game.
And before anyone says, but we haven't got a creative midfielder, then that for me has been Paul Sturrock's biggest failing. All those players he's signed or had on loan, and he hasn't found One. You probably can't win the league without One.
 
I just what Southend to win and get promotion... if we play a little long ball getting my dream I dont really care TBH
 
Martin and Benyon should be given games by that i mean game after game it seems to me unless your Timlin who gets played week in week out whether he is in form or not or Barker who continues to be given chance after chance even tho he cant rewind the clock ......Martin ,Benyon an even Harris are never afforded runs in the team like some others have so how the hell will they bed in and find the form PS signed them for .
And as for Coughlan he is just an old C/H with no idea of coaching at this level so offers nothing to PS in the way of tactics or even tactical changes in mid game .
Please don't tell me its what PS see's on the training pitch all the best players need games to find there best form so as long as they are fit and ready blinking well play them
 
I think PS would be far better off just avoiding shriperzone for a while, yes its all great stuff and highly addictive reading but probably even some of us find it a bit depressing.

Sturrock is an experienced and proven manager and should just concentrate on getting us promoted. After all if we dont get promoted this season i'm not sure he would be here next season anyway, so best he doesthings his way.Short ball, long ball as long as we get results thats good enough for me.
 
We live in a world, Clunie, where a manager can knock up 83 points and still get stick for it! That's modern day football unfortunately - fans always think the grass is greener.
The interesting point, which has been made earlier on this thread, is the forward players we've signed. They don't seem to fit with the style of play you prefer. That's where the inconsistency is for me. I loved the 83 points last season and thought away from home we generally looked like a pretty robust (if not very pretty) unit. I just don't see where Eastwood / Benyon / Assombalonga / Harris fit into that.
Alternatively, you could get the ball down a bit and move it around. We seem to have the forward players and wide players to do this, but not the central midfield players I suspect.
Usually when you turn up to watch your team, you sort of know what the game plan is going to be. At the moment I don't, and I suspect others don't either. Maybe this is just a masterplan to outwit the opposition and we should all stop worrying!
UTB.
 
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