Was the writing on the wall?

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Being at this distance and not seeing the side regularly (last match home to Leeds), I am probably not best equipped to analyse the end of our season. However, I just have this sneaky feeling that the writing was on the wall in the matches against Tranmere and Port Vale and no one saw it (or wanted to see it).
Yes, there was lot's of talk about resting players and getting prepared for the play-offs but in reality perhaps our season effectively ended with that brilliant victory at Carlisle. At that moment, we had achieved, through an Heraclean effort in 2008, our place-off place.
In spite of much battling talk from the players, when we put our foot on the pedal Friday night, there was nothing left in the tank. What we saw on Friday was not, as some would suggest here.....'a team not fit to wear a Southend shirt'.....but a side that were mentally and physically exhausted and for whom the play-offs were just a step too far.
If we lacked anything, it was that vital quality in depth that, if I am not mistaken, both the automatically promoted sides and the two play-off finalists possess. The ability to bring off the bench the quality of player who is capable of either steadying or changing the course of a match.

 

[leeblue]

pretty spot on there mate a game too far indeed...............and playing Moooooooooooooos on the right wing was IMO the single worst decision Tilly has made since he been manager(he saw the error of his ways with harrold)

 

[les@donr]

Rovers had played similar number of games through the season, so tiredness can't be used as an excuse. On the night SOD's tactics worked and Tilly's didn't, I didn't think that the Southend players looked shattered, rather seemed to have run out of ideas.

 

[ShrimplyTheBest]

playing Moooooooooooooos on the right wing was IMO the single worst decision Tilly has made since he been manager(he saw the error of his ways with harrold)

Thats rubbish... the majority of people have come on here saying how well Moussa played! Most people agreed Tommy Black has been completely out of form so he makes the brave decision to leave him out and people still complain!!! Nothing against Tommy Black but imo with him out there we we would have given the ball away more easily and the score could have even been more than 5!!!

 

[ShrimplyTheBest]

In answer to the first comment I fear you are right... it felt like we had already achieved after beating Carlisle! We lost all momentum in our last 2 games and as a result never looked like the same side in the playoffs. The lesson I would take from it is never rest your best players!!! Its all ifs and buts but had we put our best side out and beaten Port Vale that may have helped us go on to beat Carlisle again and we would all be planning for Wembley.

 

[leeblue]

you honestly think mooooooooos had a good game? he was 5hite and played out of position that doesnt need an expert opinion its just the facts, black may not have been playing too well but he can produce the goods at times and my problem is not so much black playing but who to replace him....certainly not a young centre mid with limited experience, you say we would have given the ball away more well Thats bollox compared to the outlet black can be on the wing where as time and time again moooooooooos was caught out drifting into the middle (wonder why........oh yeah he a central midfielder)

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

In saying what I did above, I certainly wouldn't take anything away from Doncaster. I've already stated on here, that the way they played on Friday, not many teams outide the premiership (and some in it) could have lived with them.
Nevertheless, during this year we have lacked the ability to change our line up whilst maintaining the same quality on the pitch, which I don't think was the problem with at least four of the sides above us....you included. It's not a moan .....just a fact of life!
The post was also a suggestion to possibly explain one reason why there was such an enormous gulf between the two sides in Friday's match, whereas in reality the final table shows us much closer.

 

[Southend_Lady]

I dont think it was fair to say that Moussa was shi*e. He was just out of his depth for a match with such pressure. This is why I wanted Black in. Despite some dire performances lately that drove me to the desperate lengths of thinking that we needed Foran back, I would still rather have had his experience. Moussa didnt have a great game but for such a young lad I thought he was a small positive to take from the game.

 

[Kris]

I thought Moussa played reasonably well, personally. He was far less wasteful in possession than our other midfielders. McCormack, in particular, gave the ball away needlessly on several occasions.

As for the Port Vale scenario, I've had a long think about this and believe people are generally clutching at straws. We should still have beaten them even with the team we put out. And had we played our strongest team, there's still no guarantees we would have won that match as I feel some of our key players may have played within themselves to avoid injury or suspension.

 

[ShrimplyTheBest]

you honestly think mooooooooos had a good game? he was 5hite and played out of position that doesnt need an expert opinion its just the facts, black may not have been playing too well but he can produce the goods at times and my problem is not so much black playing but who to replace him....certainly not a young centre mid with limited experience, you say we would have given the ball away more well Thats bollox compared to the outlet black can be on the wing where as time and time again moooooooooos was caught out drifting into the middle (wonder why........oh yeah he a central midfielder)

Calm down... Just defending the Moose! lol. I think if you read this you will see the majority agree he played well:

http://www.shrimperzone.com/vb/showthread.php?t=38977

In no way was he the reason we lost and that decision could never be described as Tilsons worst ever decision?!? A tad over the top.

 

[leeblue]

firstly our full backs were nowhere to be seen, dont really remember them stopping anything on either flank
secondly Donnys midfield were just too good and our boys couldnt even compete

Midfield dominance meant no service to the forwards, need I go on

 

[leeblue]

btw not blaming the moooooooos for defeat but he is not a winger never in a million years

 

[ozzy-shrimper]

btw not blaming the moooooooos for defeat but he is not a winger never in a million years

Alot better and useful than Black

 

[EnglandShrimper]

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