Post-Match Thread and Ratings Walsall 1-0 Southend United

[Southend Pier]

Your thoughts n summaries

 

[bess30]

Need a good 5 or 6 first team players can't fault effort but quality is not there

 

[RHB]

A 1-0 defeat is not exactly a surprise given our current form. I didn't listen to it on the radio today so it will be interesting to see what those that were there thought. By all accounts Bentley had his best game of the season. I hate this stage of the season when we have nothing to play for but pride.

 

[AndyT]

I'll stick my neck out here and say that Dan was our MOTM!

There, I've said it.

 

[Evening Echo]

Match report: Walsall 1, Southend United 0

JORDY Hiwula’s late header condemned Southend United to a 1-0 defeat at promotion pushing Walsall this afternoon.

More...

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

A 1-0 defeat is not exactly a surprise given our current form. I didn't listen to it on the radio today so it will be interesting to see what those that were there thought. By all accounts Bentley had his best game of the season. I hate this stage of the season when we have nothing to play for but pride.

I hate this stage of the season. As proved by that graph the other week on here, our worst part of the season over the years, is always the end of the season.
Even in our 'good' seasons we always seem to stutter at the end.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I hate this stage of the season. As proved by that graph the other week on here, our worst part of the season over the years, is always the end of the season.
Even in our 'good' seasons we always seem to stutter at the end.

Um..didn't we get promoted via the play offs last season?

 

[SHRIMPERPETER]

We can't defend or score from set plays as we've got no height, Barrett or Thompson hardly win enough headers where our two taller players are out on their ears!:thumbdown:

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Um..didn't we get promoted via the play offs last season?

We stuttered right at the end

 

[Jam_Man]

Am I the only one who looks at the table, sees that Walsall are now 3 points behind Burton with a game in hand and actually not be displeased to have given them 3 points?

We stuttered right at the end

Bit harsh, we won 7 of our last 8 leagues games, and including the play offs we still finished W8 D2 L1. Admittedly we only won 1 of the last 4 so "right at the end" is right, but the end of the season overall we finished pretty strongly.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

We can't defend or score from set plays as we've got no height, Barrett or Thompson hardly win enough headers where our two taller players are out on their ears!:thumbdown:

I think it's been now proven that Thompson and Barrett doesn't work. Time for Barrett and whatshisname from Ipswich in the next few matches. But today it wasn't just the defending, we hardly had a shot and it was backs to the wall for most of the game.

 

[Jam_Man]

Is there any point playing a loanee who wont be here next season?

With nothing to play for we should be playing our own players unless there is a chance of a permanent move.

 

[mattitouk]

Pretty much agreed with RHB's words, The loss didnt come as a surprise (as I was expecting it to be honest) they have pretty much been in contention all season. I remember them visiting us for our 1st home league game of the season when they beat us way back in August last year, and they looked a class act back then and have been pretty consistent since then.

Our Man of the Match was Bentley by a country mile, he produced a fantastic performance, and if it were not for him, they could have scored another 4 or 5 goals.

The team on the whole didnt play badly in my opinion, Walsall were just another class. I thought our midfield stood up well (especially in the 1st half) hence really no team was really threatening each other, and just when it seemed that walsall were building some momentum, Phil changed to a 4-4-2, which I think was quite a good tactic as it threw them abit and carried us through quite safely to a goalless draw at Half Time.

They had the clear edge throughout the game & we really never looked like scoring, so I was hoping we would ride our luck & come away with a point. It's just a shame that we conceeded yet again in the final minutes from a set piece, which seems to be the reaccuring story of our season.

Oooh well onwards and upwards, im hoping for a good result against Oldham on Tuesday night to bring us back some of the feel good factor, but slighlty fearful as I think it will be tough as they are not out of the woods yet and only 3 points outside of the relegation zone, so they have everything to fight for.

UTB

:happy:

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Is there any point playing a loanee who wont be here next season?

With nothing to play for we should be playing our own players unless there is a chance of a permanent move.

Yes there is when the loan signing has fallen out with the manager at Ipswich, and could be looking for a new club at the end of the season. Let's have a look at him.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Also, don't forget that our top scorer hasn't reached double figures yet. So the striker problem has never been solved by Phil Brown.

 

[rigsby]

Am I the only one who looks at the table, sees that Walsall are now 3 points behind Burton with a game in hand and actually not be displeased to have given them 3 points?



Bit harsh, we won 7 of our last 8 leagues games, and including the play offs we still finished W8 D2 L1. Admittedly we only won 1 of the last 4 so "right at the end" is right, but the end of the season overall we finished pretty strongly.

A win in extra time or penalties is still a win, so you could say we only lost 1 in the last 4. But who cares that was a year ago.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Really not too fussed about the result today, from listening to BP it was an outstanding performance from Bentley. Whilst I would heap praise on him as a shot stopper, I am rather concerned we had to rely on our last line of defence to prevent us from being on the wrong side of a hiding. Next season most of us believe he will no longer be with us, yet how many of his defensive colleagues should remain in the frame? Difficult for me, who hasn't seen a live game this season but from the sound of it, most of them (apart from Coker?) fall into the bracket of 'adequate' or 'not adequate.' Surely an area which needs to be carefully looked at for next season?

 

[mattitouk]

Some bullet Points from Phil's post match bbc Essex interview just now:

1. Hugely praised Adam Barrett for his performance today
2. The ball didnt cross the line for Walsall's goal, it was cleared off the line
3. Bentley was beaten by the linesmans decsion, not a Walsall goal (lino was pressurised by a small pitch invasion from the home fans)
4. Dissapointed that we have conceeded 22 goals this season from set pieces (12 from corners)
5. He will continue to field the strongest team possible until the end of the season & will not allow any of the players to think that they are already lying on the beach somewhere.

 

[tommy tucker]

Why is every one knocking Phil Brown .Have I got something wrong .Did I not read at the start of the season that we would be happy with a mid table finish .Well folks with a very short memory we will finish about mid table what most wanted has been done .We also did the double over the scum from the dark side of Essex .And hey ho they are all but gone to the league we wont be in next season . So come on give the manager and the players some credit .

 

[Tommy2holes]

The simple truth is that half of our squad are not good enough to mount a challenge at the top.

That doesn't make them bad player or un committed it just means that most are decent league two players who are playing above themselves and getting found out.

We are also short in certain areas and over populated in others.

The amount for loanees we have had at times also doesn't help.

I still have enjoyed this season and by the sounds of it today was a game we could have nicked a point or three which has been the story in almost every match.

We need to start planning for next season now