Todays Summary

[EastStandBlue]

I read in the echo earlier this week, Gower was pleading "Give me time to come good". Now i know i'm just waiting for the other 9 or 10 players on the pitch to join him.

Gower gave it his all for the 70 minutes he played today and showed some promise as a more than capable winger and replacement for either side if things go awry, However it was a different story for other players. Goater has magnificently turned into Tes Shamble, either too lazy or too tired to work for the ball and genuinely looking off the boil all together, with Maher being awful and his set pieces laughable.

As a positive, the back four look more settled after the return of Flahavan and slightly more solid as a unit with few mistakes being made. Gowers return to form, masked only by his mistake that caused Mk Franchise's second goal was pleasing and once again JCR ran his little cotton socks off to no prevail... or end product so it seems.

Eastwood looked sharp(ish) although was his typical league 1 self as of late and isn't bringing the ball from deep, like he did all season which worked wonders for him... whether Tilson has told him to do otherwise i don't know. Mentioning Tilson i'd have to criticise him today. Not replacing Goater until late on cost us big, as there tall Centre Back was gobbling everything up in the air and as Goater's legs appear to be turning to stone nothing else is going his way. Gray could've fixed this and his pace could have been vital to us making the third round.


All is not lost, as this was only a cup game, but we now go four games without a win or draw and nobody can tell me now confidence is still there. The current team look a shadow of their former selves that i enjoyed watching tear Col******r and Tranmere to bits as little as 2 months ago... Bring back Supah Supah Lukey Guttridge

 

[Andy_S]

Quote[/b] (EastStandBlue @ Dec. 03 2005,19:14)]Goater has magnificently turned into Tes Shamble

Oit.

Have to say I think we are seeing why Reading fans weren't too complementary when we signed Goater. Perhaps in little spells some of his class will show but we've had far too many games now where he has contributed too little. I still stick by my point that when he's in the team we play far too much of this long ball crap. As Goater doesn't have that much mobility, he can't even correct his team mates crappy long balls. Agogo is needed more than ever in January.

No doubt this will anger wiggy but I though Smith was pretty atrocious today. It seems when he comes off the bench he can show his true worth, but when he starts a game it's all too much for him. I still have his stunning cameo against Yeovil in my mind but at the same time his cringeworthy performance against Southampton and today he looked well short of match practice. We are missing Gutts big time as you say and methinks I'll be telling him that next week.

My big rile of the day though has to be down to Tilly. When things aren't going to well he does appear slightly afraid to try and do something about it. I remember saying the same thing in the earlier days of him being in charge where he seemed to refuse to make a change. MK Dons made a change to try and win the game and with his first touch he scored. Did we even look to make the obvious change as soon as they scored? No, we left it when it clearly wasn't working. They even brought on a fresh striker before us and they were winning! Why wait until the 81st minute to do something about the performane in front of us? Why wait until the 89th minute for Lawson? We should've changed it about at the 65th minute at the latest. Cole touched it once during his time on, Gray maybe twice and Lawson not at all. Pointless. It was eerily reminiscent of times gone by when the majority of the crowd are crying out for the bench to make a change. We don't need those times again.

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

Quote[/b] (EastStandBlue @ Dec. 03 2005,19:14)]As a positive, the back four look more settled after the return of Flahavan and slightly more solid as a unit with few mistakes being made.

If the back 4 looked more settled, I would imagine this would be down to the belated return of Spinner.

He may make the occasional mistake, but what he offers us in terms of experience and aerial dominance was critical in our promotion last season.

 

[The Fitter]

Have to agree on the subs. Why wait soooooo looooong to make them? That is not being wise after the event everyone around me was pleading for a change.
Also the Goat should be put out to graze. He showed NO effort or interest. I will be amazed if he stays the season. He will retire in the new year. Whilst we were playing well the Goat looked to be enjoying his football. Now we are struggling he has no fight in him, he simply looked as though he could not care less.
Maher I have always liked. Today I thought he played OK. Not great but OK. He should never be let near a freekick again though. 1 decent delivery all game.

Anyway we can all say we are still 3rd blah blah and call anyone who is not happy at the moment a moaning to$$er.

 

[KrustyTheKray]

Thought Gower was harshly subbed off, he ran his heart out!
I do question Tilly's tactics at substitutions?? Yes he is a good manager but how woeful is the timing of the subs and the eventual decision?

Maher should have been subbed (but is he ever???). He was simply so shocking today and has been for a while!
How many set pieces did he waste as well, and how many passes went to MK Dons players!

Tilson always does dither with subs, he should have changed it at half time. Gray should have come on for Maher, Lawson on for Goater (who was well off the pace today), then gone 3 up front, we had nothing to lose did we?

I still firmly believe Maher has a clause in his contract that states "i shall never be subbed off no matter how bad i play", someone please tell me the last time he was subbed off for a shocking game. I think it's time for a fresh change and for Tilly to have the balls to drop him. No player is bigger than SUFC.

All in all very dissapointing, MOM for me was their centre half (Number 5) Craig Morgan, never put a foot wrong and marshalled the defence well.

Thought Gower was our best player.

UP THE BLUES!

 

[Gremlin]

Quote[/b] (TonyTheKray @ Dec. 03 2005,20:32)]Thought Gower was harshly subbed off, he ran his heart out!

Sounds nasty. Perhaps it was a good time to replace him.

 

[TrueBlue]

Quote[/b] ]Goater has magnificently turned into Tes Shamble

Bit below the belt that one!

 

[bluebelle]

how can u call a goat a cat

 

[EastStandBlue]

Quote[/b] (bluebelle @ Dec. 03 2005,23:52)]how can u call a goat a cat

When he becomes as lazy as one

 

[Westcliff Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (TonyTheKray @ Dec. 03 2005,20:32)]All in all very dissapointing, MOM for me was their centre half (Number 5) Craig Morgan, never put a foot wrong and marshalled the defence well.

Totally agree with that.

 

[Angell Delight]

Quote[/b] (EastStandBlue @ Dec. 03 2005,19:14)]Goater has magnificently turned into Tes Shamble, either too lazy or too tired to work for the ball and genuinely looking off the boil all together

I find this statement beyond harsh, IMO the Goat at times suffers from having played most of his career with far superior players to what he is now. His hold-up (and most of the time link-up) play is on the whole very good and with his back to goal he's probably the best we have at the club but sometimes his little flicks don't get picked up on as he's not playing with the same quality players he did at Man City and the like which makes him look bad sometimes, it was the same at times with Jay yesterday. Goater's done well in the air for us but he does like it best in to feet I feel which has surprised me a bit, but one thing you can't accuse the Goat of is laziness - he's worked extremely hard in his time at this football club. IMHO he's suffered a bit from the lack of service recently and the sides lack of form as a whole, during our 8-game winning run he looked extremely good.

 

[The Fitter]

I disagree Angell Delight. Awoke this morning with a clear head and having had time to reflect I still think the Goat will retire in the new year. His heart has gone.

 

[fbm]

Quote[/b] (The Fitter @ Dec. 04 2005,12:58)]I disagree Angell Delight. Awoke this morning with a clear head and having had time to reflect I still think the Goat will retire in the new year. His heart has gone.

There was one part in the second half where he was closing down the MK Dons defenders on his own and they were passing it around him.

I don't think he's lazy - he's just at the tail end of his career and hasn't the stamina to run around like a 20 year old.

His positive attitude is an asset to the other players. freddy and Wayne can learn a lot from him.

If he retires it will be at the end of the season.

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

To summarise yesterday's performance, we didn't take our chances, we took too long on the ball when breaking forward and the subs were too late.

I'm not panicking yet though. We showed improvement from the previous 3 performances and at least we were creating chances. On another day we might have won 6-2 but it was just one of those frustrating games where the ball wouldn't go in. I thought Barrett was motm, as he say often is when the team doesn't play well. Goater, Hunt, JCR and Maher were poor though.

PS - was very impressed with the MK Dons fans and I saw Anton Ferdinand getting out his stretched limo and going into the executive bit.

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (EastStandBlue @ Dec. 03 2005,19:14)]I read in the echo earlier this week, Gower was pleading "Give me time to come good". Now i know i'm just waiting for the other 9 or 10 players on the pitch to join him.

Gower gave it his all for the 70 minutes he played today and showed some promise as a more than capable winger and replacement for either side if things go awry, However it was a different story for other players.

I thought Gower drifted in and out of the game and ultimately he cost us the game. He could've and should've scored a hat trick and he gave the ball away for the winner. He had 2 great chances from identical positions in the 2nd half but smashed them against the bar and over. He was our best midfielder though.

 

[Angell Delight]

Quote[/b] (shrimpboy @ Dec. 04 2005,13:09)]Goater, Hunt, JCR and Maher were poor though.

JCR poor? Were we watching the same game? MotM and easily his best performance in a Southend shirt IMHO

 

[bluebelle]

Quote[/b] (EastStandBlue @ Dec. 04 2005,09:17)]

Quote[/b] (bluebelle @ Dec. 03 2005,23:52)]how can u call a goat a cat

When he becomes as lazy as one

then it would be a lazy goat

 

[blueheaven]

Agree with you Shrimpboy - Gower should have scored twice from identical positions and was then guilty of losing possession to give the Dons their second goal. I would not mind so much if he tried to win the ball back after giving it away but it happens every time he plays.

 

[The General]

So do we want Tes back then?!

 

[Banksy]

our Best Team:

4:3:3

Flahavan

Jupp
Edwards
Barrett
Hunt

Maher
Bentley
Smith

Cole
Goater
FREDDY


Subs:

Gray
Lawson
Guteridge
Prior
JCR (when we are winning)

4:2:4

Flahavan

Jupp
Barrett
Edwards
Hunt

Maher
Bentley

Gray
FREDDY
Goater
Cole

Subs:

JCR
Gower
Lawson
Prior
SMIFFY

And Lawson will be the one to watch !