The relegation mini-league

[graingerroad54]

I don't agree. Our next three games are against three of the best sides in the division, FGR, Cheltenham and Salford. If we get any points against them I will be pleased. However we then have a run of six games against sides that we can and should beat so I will be looking for 12 to 15 points out of those fixtures. By the end of March there will only be eight games left.....

Our main problem is lack of goals so i dont understand why MM persists with only one up front. I would like to see us go to 442 as it relieves some of the pressure defensively and gives opposition defences more to do. I would suggest a Halford/Holmes front pairing with Sim in midfield so as he could be more effective for us.

 

[Shrimper57]

We will 100% be relegated this season.

But that doesn't mean I'm going to stop cheering on the lads for every minute of every game.

If we are in the stadiums for the last games of the season I'm having a party in the stands ? even if we are relegated, ill be singing my heart out for the team ❤

And I know, the majority of you would be doing the same.

Southend till I die, I'm Southend till I die, I know I am I'm sure I am, I'm Southend Till I die!

Totally agree with you

 

[Barling Magna]

R they all related ?

Well spotted Sherlock.

.

 

[Danshrimper]

Our main problem is lack of goals so i dont understand why MM persists with only one up front. I would like to see us go to 442 as it relieves some of the pressure defensively and gives opposition defences more to do. I would suggest a Halford/Holmes front pairing with Sim in midfield so as he could be more effective for us.

I’m not sure 4-4-2 will solve our problems at all. All i can imagine is that it would isolate the 2 up front and we’d create just as little or even less.

In a 4-2-3-1 we have 4 attacking players that should be looking for goals. The problem isn’t the formation it’s that the players are either unwilling to shoot, or when they do it’s not good enough. I’m not sure a change in formation will fix that, although it will leave us more vulnerable defensively. ANG gets himself into good positions, he just doesn’t pull trigger. We need to encourage him to shoot more not push him further back in a 4-4-2.

4-4-2 doesn’t autoamtically = goals just because there’s 2 strikers. Also I don’t think there would be any place for Ricky Holmes in a 4-4-2, he probably doesn’t have the legs to keep tracking back on the wing. And I don’t think we’ve signed him to sit on the bench. He has the potential to be very effective in behind the striker, which he showed in his brief appearance on Saturday.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Whatever way you look at, all the permutations, fact is we need to win a lot of games between now and the end of the season, which means scoring more goals and keeping the silly mistakes at the back to a minimum. I dont think personally MM knows how to utilise the attacking players he has. The front three look short of cutting edge- ANG has done nothing since he signed, Reeco had a great debut but not much since and Akinola badly needs another striker alongside him. The change to a back 5 was disastrous and has probably cost us relegation. It all boils down to whether he can get Ranger and maybe Simpson fit and firing because they could make a difference.

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

We certainly have some very good players, they just don't gel as a team and the style of play often leaves a lot to be desired!

Sounds familiar. Form guide is looking glorious for fans of our little Essex love triangle...

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

If he starts aquah tomora I'll be fuming !!!

If you keep spelling tomorrow, 'tomora', you won't be the only one, says Mr Pedantic.
No doubt, you'll do it all the more. I warn you, there's no jelly and ice cream if you do.

 

[Shrimpet steve]

If you keep spelling tomorrow, 'tomora', you won't be the only one, says Mr Pedantic.
No doubt, you'll do it all the more. I warn you, there's no jelly and ice cream if you do.

What's the problem lol its slang and quicker to write lol

 

[dannypav]

If he starts aquah tomora I'll be fuming !!!

To be fair Steve , you 'fume' at every announced line up

 

[Shrimpet steve]

To be fair Steve , you 'fume' at every announced line up

No I dont! Mm has a large squad and the whole point of signing new players is to play them!! Ricky holmes,ranger and mellis need to start tonight! I dont want to see demitriou,aquah,hart get any playing time at all especially tonight! We have better players now and they have not been doing it!!

 

[Clarky176]

No I dont! Mm has a large squad and the whole point of signing new players is to play them!! Ricky holmes,ranger and mellis need to start tonight! I dont want to see demitriou,aquah,hart get any playing time at all especially tonight! We have better players now and they have not been doing it!!

Ranger and Mellis probably won't be in the squad, because they're not fit.

If they started tonight they'd come off after 20 mins, maybe through injury, if not just lack of energy.

Holmes I agree should start.

 

[dannypav]

No I dont! Mm has a large squad and the whole point of signing new players is to play them!! Ricky holmes,ranger and mellis need to start tonight! I dont want to see demitriou,aquah,hart get any playing time at all especially tonight! We have better players now and they have not been doing it!!

Ok , I'll play.
What if , just what if , those 'new' players weren't match fit.
Would you still want to pick them ?

 

[Grayson]

I’m not sure 4-4-2 will solve our problems at all. All i can imagine is that it would isolate the 2 up front and we’d create just as little or even less.

In a 4-2-3-1 we have 4 attacking players that should be looking for goals. The problem isn’t the formation it’s that the players are either unwilling to shoot, or when they do it’s not good enough. I’m not sure a change in formation will fix that, although it will leave us more vulnerable defensively. ANG gets himself into good positions, he just doesn’t pull trigger. We need to encourage him to shoot more not push him further back in a 4-4-2.

4-4-2 doesn’t autoamtically = goals just because there’s 2 strikers. Also I don’t think there would be any place for Ricky Holmes in a 4-4-2, he probably doesn’t have the legs to keep tracking back on the wing. And I don’t think we’ve signed him to sit on the bench. He has the potential to be very effective in behind the striker, which he showed in his brief appearance on Saturday.

Shrimperzone needs a feature that automatically reposts this post every time someone calls our 4-2-3-1 negative or cries out for 4-4-2. Completely spot on.

 

[Shrimpet steve]

Ok , I'll play.
What if , just what if , those 'new' players weren't match fit.
Would you still want to pick them ?

Yes still be better then the 3 I mentioned lol

 

[Shrimpet steve]

Ranger and Mellis probably won't be in the squad, because they're not fit.

If they started tonight they'd come off after 20 mins, maybe through injury, if not just lack of energy.

Holmes I agree should start.

How can ranger still not be fit? Hes been training now for over 2 months!

 

[Clarky176]

How can ranger still not be fit? Hes been training now for over 2 months!

He picked up an injury a week or two ago, meaning he’s only just come back to training. The first month would like be to get him up to everyone else’s level, being out of pro football for so long. Here’s probably still quite a way off, it takes time.

 

[Shrimper]

How can ranger still not be fit? Hes been training now for over 2 months!

He's got a calf injury. Been well reported

 

[MisterStubbs]

How can ranger still not be fit? Hes been training now for over 2 months!

If you actually bothered reading when MM has pre match conferences etc you'd know that he picked up an injury.

 

[HUMBLEPIE]

And this is the player we are pinning our hopes on keeping us in the league and he is already injured and he hasn’t even kicked a ball in anger for us unbelievable but this is Southend so we shouldn’t be surprised.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

If we lose our next 3 then we will probably have to win 7 out of our last 14 games to even have a chance of staying up.
We need to go from relegation form to play off form, pretty much from now onwards.

To be fair we have been mid table form since December, despite the dodgy run of 4 defeats in the middle. 19 points from 15 games, which is 58 points in a season form.