Pre-Match Thread Gateshead v Southend United, Monday 5th May, 15:00 k.o., NL

[Shrimpergonzo]

So here we are, the last game of the regular season, and our place in the playoffs is in our own hands and not dependent on results elsewhere. As everyone knows now, avoid defeat at Gateshead and we’re confirmed in the playoffs, lose and we’re out.

Our final finishing position however will be dependent on other teams though. After their 1-0 win at Solihull Moors on Tuesday, Rochdale have confirmed a 4th place finish. We could however finish anywhere from 5th to 8th. 5th would mean we have to win and Oldham and Halifax both lose. This seems unlikely as Oldham are home to bottom placed Ebbsfleet, 6th place is a possibility though as out of form Halifax travel to Wealdstone who must win to have any chance of staying up. With Halifax confirmed in the playoffs already, maybe they’ve got less riding on this game.

Our opponents on Monday have been on a pretty wretched run of form for a couple of months now, and whereas a play off place seemed a certainty at the turn of 2025, Carl Magnay’s side now have it all to do on Monday if they are to salvage something from this season. With only 2 wins (and 8 defeats) from their last 10 games only AFC Fylde are in a worse run of form over the same period.



The Heed do have ex-Shrimper Frank Nouble in their squad after he joined them from Yeovil - he’s already wound us up once this season, let’s hope he doesn’t do it again. There is another Shrimpers connection in the squad with Regan Booty, son of Martyn, a regular in their starting line up.

Kev kept an unchanged starting line up against Wealdstone last Saturday, and after a second resounding win and clean sheet, this would seem the most likely outcome on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon too. But (hopefully not for the last time this season), who would you choose to start and what do you predict the result will be?

 

[Callum]

Well here we go shrimpers fans this is it going 2-0 blues gets us ready for the plays off sage trip to all blues fans travelling

 

[Jack_23]

0-0

 

[CrippsCorner]

1-0 down then an equaliser at 90+5

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

They've conceded 24 in 10 games, wow!!!

I'd been following their games and watching highlights for a few weeks now and it was quite apparent that they still insist on playing it out from the back. However, they have been caught on numerous occasions, with plenty of howlers and conceded plenty of goals as a result of that. The keeper has had some shockers of late.

Kev will be on the team to exploit that weakness. That is one element we are really good at, the press. Especially with the midfield that is currently playing. Morton is fantastic when we are dictating the tempo and the passing, but Husin comes into his own when we are all about energy and pressing. KAF and Coker are the same. Kendall does this from the front as well.

The conundrum comes up front. A lot of people don't see what Hopper does because they just look at goals. But he wears defenders down with his unselfish work and he frees up space for Kendall, KAF and Coker to run into. I see the appeal of Bonne from the start, but he may be the ace up our sleeve off of the bench, when the opposition have been worn down. The rest of the team picks itself.

Let's also be mindful that they certainly have good players that can hurt us, Booty, Malcolm and even Nouble to name a few, but I think we have enough. If we get an early goal, their confidence will drop massively.

Super nervous and super excited. What a time to be a shrimper. Utb!

 

[shrimperjon]

Maybe a game for Cav to start. assuming Morton wont be fit then id go as follows:

Hayes
Gus Taylor Goodliffe Ralph
Cav
Coker Husin keenan
Bonne Kendall

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

Maybe a game for Cav to start. assuming Morton wont be fit then id go as follows:

Hayes
Gus Taylor Goodliffe Ralph
Cav
Coker Husin keenan
Bonne Kendall

I get what you're saying about Cav but there is absolutely no way we are going to change the system when we've just found our rhythm again. That team has absolutely no width and the last thing we want to do is let their wingers get down the sides.

Let them worry about us and get in their faces early. We will do that by getting Bridge and Gus into their half and pushing them back. They have been abysmal at defending crosses. We will only get crosses in the box by playing our wingbacks.

Cav is the perfect player to come off of the bench if we are leading in the second half and we are trying to see the game out.

 

[Tommy2holes]

When pressed Gateshead go to peices.

It's why it's so important to work really hard close all the space from the first whistle.

Gateshead can score goals, so a no nonsense approach at the back needs to be the order of the day.

Keep the ball in the final third and goals will come.

 

[shrimperjon]

I get what you're saying about Cav but there is absolutely no way we are going to change the system when we've just found our rhythm again. That team has absolutely no width and the last thing we want to do is let their wingers get down the sides.

Let them worry about us and get in their faces early. We will do that by getting Bridge and Gus into their half and pushing them back. They have been abysmal at defending crosses. We will only get crosses in the box by playing our wingbacks.

Cav is the perfect player to come off of the bench if we are leading in the second half and we are trying to see the game out.

yep thats fair. My only point was that i think we will come under a lot of pressure and having Cav in the side might just give us a bit more protection. but your points are valid for sure

 

[RHB]

For anyone looking for a watering hole, this, from the Heed Board.

Hope yous go for a few pints in the pub down from the ground, the eye on the tyne, will be a big boost for them

 

[RHB]

This is a really weird occasion. Here's us shipping 4 figures to Gateshead, another 1000 at Roots Hall and many more watching elsewhere, but when you look at the Gateshead end there is hardly any advertising for the game from their Club, and their forum is very quiet. Maybe it's just us that gets too excited?

 

[Swiss Tony]

This is a really weird occasion. Here's us shipping 4 figures to Gateshead, another 1000 at Roots Hall and many more watching elsewhere, but when you look at the Gateshead end there is hardly any advertising for the game from their Club, and their forum is very quiet. Maybe it's just us that gets too excited?

No I don’t think that’s the case mate .

 

[* ORM *]

Hopper should and probably will be one of the starting forwards. Sure he doesn’t get a lot of goals but it’s no coincidence that we are finishing the season strongly with him in the side. More of a McDonough than a Corr but, to me, a vital cog at both ends of the pitch. To be honest o don’t see much tinkering from the last XI we put out just Kendall or Bonne. I think I’d prefer the former as I rate Bonne more as an impact sub if we need it.

 

[Gateshead Guy]

Gateshead fan here in peace, just thought I have a quick look and see confidence levels from you guys and it looks pretty high. Us Gateshead fans know it’s gunna be an uphill struggle and realistically probably won’t win. We should have been out of sight and comfortable in the playoffs if not pushing higher. The season started well enough then we got absolutely ravaged by injuries, the manager left, we had our yearly sale in janurary losing our two top scorers at the time and have a takeover looming for months now and I think the manager knows once it eventually goes through he’ll be out the door. We’re a small club with the budget of a NLN club, there’s only so long we can overachieve.
Confidence isn’t high, but football is a funny old game as they say. There’s no doubt we can score goals it’s just if we can cut out the defensive mistakes at the back. I’d like us to score first just as it would make the game much more entertaining.

Good luck and fingers crossed it doesn’t rain for you in the away stand

 

[* ORM *]

Gateshead fan here in peace, just thought I have a quick look and see confidence levels from you guys and it looks pretty high. Us Gateshead fans know it’s gunna be an uphill struggle and realistically probably won’t win. We should have been out of sight and comfortable in the playoffs if not pushing higher. The season started well enough then we got absolutely ravaged by injuries, the manager left, we had our yearly sale in janurary losing our two top scorers at the time and have a takeover looming for months now and I think the manager knows once it eventually goes through he’ll be out the door. We’re a small club with the budget of a NLN club, there’s only so long we can overachieve.
Confidence isn’t high, but football is a funny old game as they say. There’s no doubt we can score goals it’s just if we can cut out the defensive mistakes at the back. I’d like us to score first just as it would make the game much more entertaining.

Good luck and fingers crossed it doesn’t rain for you in the away stand

Thanks for coming on - tips for pre match beers? Also what’s the street parking like? (Safe?) I don’t mind a 20 minute stroll to the car.

As to your takeover any sensible fan on this board will only wish you well after the hell we’ve been through over the past few years. Ditto losing key players in season.

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

We will draw 1-1 with Nouble scoring a deliberate own goal in the 95th minute of injury time to give us the point needed. He rushes into the away fans to receive his adulation and refuses to go back on the pitch so gets sent off.

 

[overseas shrimper]

We'll be 2-0 up with 25 mins left, then our press will drop off, Gateshead will come into it more. A couple of good chanes for them, before they equalised on 83 mins and 29 seconds. Suddenly, we're hanging on.

They have a corner on 91 mins. Frank Nouble has a great chance, heads it onto the crossbar, ball comes back out, we break and an excellent chance for Walker goes begging.

We win 1-2. Delerium ensues.

Thank you.

 

[Harry Bullocks]

Gateshead fan here in peace, just thought I have a quick look and see confidence levels from you guys and it looks pretty high. Us Gateshead fans know it’s gunna be an uphill struggle and realistically probably won’t win. We should have been out of sight and comfortable in the playoffs if not pushing higher. The season started well enough then we got absolutely ravaged by injuries, the manager left, we had our yearly sale in janurary losing our two top scorers at the time and have a takeover looming for months now and I think the manager knows once it eventually goes through he’ll be out the door. We’re a small club with the budget of a NLN club, there’s only so long we can overachieve.
Confidence isn’t high, but football is a funny old game as they say. There’s no doubt we can score goals it’s just if we can cut out the defensive mistakes at the back. I’d like us to score first just as it would make the game much more entertaining.

Good luck and fingers crossed it doesn’t rain for you in the away stand

Are you expecting a good turn out on the day?

 

[Bromley Blue]

I’ve got a really bad feeling Nouble’s gonna **** us over again. On paper we should get the result we need but we’ve bottled so many of these last day games over the years that I’m nervous. We’ve been superb the last 2 games to get to this point though so we just need more of the same.

 

[Ally les Bleus !]

We'll be 2-0 up with 25 mins left, then our press will drop off, Gateshead will come into it more. A couple of good chanes for them, before they equalised on 83 mins and 29 seconds. Suddenly, we're hanging on.

They have a corner on 91 mins. Frank Nouble has a great chance, heads it onto the crossbar, ball comes back out, we break and an excellent chance for Walker goes begging.

We win 1-2. Delerium ensues.

Thank you.

Would be nice to think we'll get off to a great early start and dominate the game - but we all know that just isn't the way things go for us - we are Southend United and we don't do easy.

I could see a situation where we're a goal down with ten minutes to play. All fingernails and some part of the adjoining flesh will have been consumed and then out of the blue we equalise and close on 2,000 shrimpas go wild.

But do we hang on ?