A genuine relegation battle

[dusterman]

Why is when the players weren't being payed they fought like tigers Once the consortium started paying the wages and dished out new contracts .The wheels fell off and we started dropping like a stone

I fart like a caged tiger, if it helps?

 

[The Original Tribal Chief]

Why is when the players weren't being payed they fought like tigers Once the consortium started paying the wages and dished out new contracts .The wheels fell off and we started dropping like a stone

So go back to not paying them? Are you drunk?

 

[wiggy]

These players are better than most in this division....unfortunately the manager does not know how to get the best out of them ,,,,,,prefers a negative approach unfortunately.

 

[LBBlue]

Somehow we have managed to get ourselves into a relegation scrap.

It’s not just the last three games, it’s the last 10 from which we have gained just 10 points. In the first 20 games ending with the Chesterfield home game we gained 34 points. That of course leaves us on 34 points in the table.

We have scored just 8 goals in the last 10 conceding 12. In 5 of the last 7 we have failed to score. Last season we lost all 7 games in March scoring just 2 goals.

Our 8 goals - Cardwell, Kabongolo, Coker, Ralph, Sandat, Scott-Morris 2 and Bridge penalty makes sorry reading.

So with 16 games to go I think, given how the clubs around us have been getting results, we probably need another 22 points - we have been relegated before with 55 points.

We also can’t afford to lose to Dorking, Woking, Ebbsfleet, and Fylde, and ideally need to beat them all and Oxford City.

We’re not going to win any games if we don’t score. Yes we made loads of half chances on Saturday but most of them fell to Ralph and Crowther. Was Harry’s early season form a flash in the pan - if it was we’re struggling. Jack Bridge has scored just once from open play, Cav none Noor just 3.

Just a thought Henry Sandat, was denied a dead cert penalty at Kidderminster, scored a perfectly good goal against Barnet that was unfairly disallowed, slipped that ball through to Kabongolo at Barnet, scored against Halifax, and put a great ball through to Crowther on Saturday, yet doesn’t start. Oli Coker has 4 goals - but I doubt he would start now we have Morton, Miley and Husin.

We’re in for a struggle.

Edit: Another plus for Sandat - he was the one fouled for the penalty at Eastleigh I think.

 

[NZamba Legend]

Why is when the players weren't being payed they fought like tigers Once the consortium started paying the wages and dished out new contracts .The wheels fell off and we started dropping like a stone

Maybe it’s something to do with not getting paid?

 

[Maldon Shrimper]

Remember guys all teams in any season in any league go through a poor spell and Southend is no different.Its how we respond in the next game against Oxford City will be important but not a disaster if we dont come away with 3 points.Yes some will say they are bottom of the league and just got stuffed 7 by Dagenham last time out they will respond and make it difficult on Saturday but we should have enough to get a result we all wont.You don't become a bad team overnight.

 

[Piledriver]

Somehow we have managed to get ourselves into a relegation scrap.

It’s not just the last three games, it’s the last 10 from which we have gained just 10 points. In the first 20 games ending with the Chesterfield home game we gained 34 points. That of course leaves us on 34 points in the table.

We have scored just 8 goals in the last 10 conceding 12. In 5 of the last 7 we have failed to score. Last season we lost all 7 games in March scoring just 2 goals.

Our 8 goals - Cardwell, Kabongolo, Coker, Ralph, Sandat, Scott-Morris 2 and Bridge penalty makes sorry reading.

So with 16 games to go I think, given how the clubs around us have been getting results, we probably need another 22 points - we have been relegated before with 55 points.

We also can’t afford to lose to Dorking, Woking, Ebbsfleet, and Fylde, and ideally need to beat them all and Oxford City.

We’re not going to win any games if we don’t score. Yes we made loads of half chances on Saturday but most of them fell to Ralph and Crowther. Was Harry’s early season form a flash in the pan - if it was we’re struggling. Jack Bridge has scored just once from open play, Cav none Noor just 3.

Just a thought Henry Sandat, was denied a dead cert penalty at Kidderminster, scored a perfectly good goal against Barnet that was unfairly disallowed, slipped that ball through to Kabongolo at Barnet, scored against Halifax, and put a great ball through to Crowther on Saturday, yet doesn’t start. Oli Coker has 4 goals - but I doubt he would start now we have Morton, Miley and Husin.

We’re in for a struggle.

A very concise assessment of our situation with facts rather than emotions. I really hope the team reacts positively at Oxford !

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

We battered their woodwork. We hit the post once and so did they.

Colin made a good save and we made a last ditch clearance.

They scored a goal. We didn't create chances against a bang average York side at home, when we had a decent crowd in.

The fact is the players are far better than what they are showing. They aren't showing a desire to close opposition, use the space all over the pitch and actual drive into space. It's almost like their is a fear to drive forward. It's all about a clean sheet rather than win.

The top teams ie Notts county, Wrexham and chesterfield do conceded goals but often out score teams.

Trying to snatch a 1-0 win isn't the way forward.

I agreed with the first bit but not with the second.

We definitely look scared to drive forward and we certainly aren't using the high press like we used to. I've always said that if we are not on top of our press, we rarely win games. It's a huge part of the way we play. We aren't the type of team that can play bad and win on a regular basis. Teams that can do that can nick it with a set piece or a bit of magic from an individual. We don't have that in the locker. We win games as a team.

I don't agree with the second part of what you said regarding it being about getting a clean sheet rather than winning. We were as defensively sound previously when we were scoring goals and winning. I don't think that part of our game has changed. It's just we had Cardwell free scoring before his injury and a few others chipping in too. Since his injury, we have struggled. Then the extended breaks in matches being played have massively affected our rhythm too. Those breaks have affected our rhythm and our press imo. As I said in a previous post, I'm hoping the Saturday/Tuesday combo will get us back to that rhythm and flow.

 

[Strykr]

Remember guys all teams in any season in any league go through a poor spell and Southend is no different.Its how we respond in the next game against Oxford City will be important but not a disaster if we dont come away with 3 points.Yes some will say they are bottom of the league and just got stuffed 7 by Dagenham last time out they will respond and make it difficult on Saturday but we should have enough to get a result we all wont.You don't become a bad team overnight.

Agree about the poor spell, but couldnt disagree more about the oxford game. We must get 3 points there imo.

If we cant take 3 points off bottom of the league opposition then sadly we deserve to be there with them.

 

[bluesince66]

Did someone mention that we were still fighting this the court of sporting arbitration of something? Seem to recall we hadn’t fully given up… Maybe that was Ron BS tho cannae remember.

I asked the consortium that question and got this reply:

We have sought legal advice and decided against lodging an appeal on the 10-point deduction. Although our view is that the 10 points should not have been deducted given we didn’t go into administration, we don’t believe there is a realistic chance of success on appeal.

A failed appeal would be expensive so on the balance we’ve decided to invest those funds into the Club and focus on looking forward.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

Somehow we have managed to get ourselves into a relegation scrap.

It’s not just the last three games, it’s the last 10 from which we have gained just 10 points. In the first 20 games ending with the Chesterfield home game we gained 34 points. That of course leaves us on 34 points in the table.

We have scored just 8 goals in the last 10 conceding 12. In 5 of the last 7 we have failed to score. Last season we lost all 7 games in March scoring just 2 goals.

Our 8 goals - Cardwell, Kabongolo, Coker, Ralph, Sandat, Scott-Morris 2 and Bridge penalty makes sorry reading.

So with 16 games to go I think, given how the clubs around us have been getting results, we probably need another 22 points - we have been relegated before with 55 points.

We also can’t afford to lose to Dorking, Woking, Ebbsfleet, and Fylde, and ideally need to beat them all and Oxford City.

We’re not going to win any games if we don’t score. Yes we made loads of half chances on Saturday but most of them fell to Ralph and Crowther. Was Harry’s early season form a flash in the pan - if it was we’re struggling. Jack Bridge has scored just once from open play, Cav none Noor just 3.

Just a thought Henry Sandat, was denied a dead cert penalty at Kidderminster, scored a perfectly good goal against Barnet that was unfairly disallowed, slipped that ball through to Kabongolo at Barnet, scored against Halifax, and put a great ball through to Crowther on Saturday, yet doesn’t start. Oli Coker has 4 goals - but I doubt he would start now we have Morton, Miley and Husin.

We’re in for a struggle.

Very true, Sandat was unfortunate to be dropped for Cards and we have looked awful since. Also Coker is now not getting a look in, and to be honest I can’t blame Maher for sticking with Cav/Noor/Wes after Coker got injured, but something needs changing in attacking midfield/up front.

Even Dackers started off well playing with Sandat, but has been awful the last couple of games. We absolutely battered Eastleigh, but since then have hardly created anything going forward.

We are too predictable, hardly ever any balls through the middle of the pitch, slide rule passes in the channels, shots from the edge of the box etc. All we do is fart about, get the ball wide and put it in the box. Sometimes it works, but more often it doesn’t.

If we lose to Oxford, I think we are in serious trouble, however we are only 2 or 3 of wins from being back safely in mid table, so I’m not worried (yet).

 

[damien]

about time we have ultimately had two seasons of mid table boringness.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

I imagine some of the players are shattered. Many have played almost every game this season and last, unable to rotate due to embargo. We dont seem to have the sharpness we had earlier on in the season.
One thing that stands out a mile and has for ages is our lack of set play threat, either creating or scoring. Been a problem for ages. If youre not playing well it just takes one good set play and a bullet header and you can get a goal out of nothing.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

I’m not sure how it can be irrelevant though, Tom. Outside of the top seven, we have won the most games in the division and we have the best defensive record, conceding less than runaway leaders, Chesterfield. That shouldn’t be a relegation-threatened side, in any league.

We haven’t looked like a relegation side up until now & frankly I don’t think we’ve become one overnight, yet I fully recognise that we could still get relegated. That’s why the points deduction is relevant.

The old saying goes, the table doesn’t lie. But in this rare case, it does. Performance & results wise, we are currently an upper mid table team.

That doesn’t mean we should take our form up until this point for granted. We simply can’t afford to. We absolutely need to recoup the form that had us all dreaming of a late playoff surge. Once it clicks up front, I think we’ll be fine. We just need a few wins on the board to bring that confidence back.

You’re right, we are in a relegation battle, but I take some solace knowing that we’re going into a relegation battle having been forced in to one, rather than being there because we deserve to be, though.

You can spin the stats anyway though. For example we've lost more games than any of the top 9 and other than Halifax, we've scored less than the top 12

 

[rshepp]

I agreed with the first bit but not with the second.

We definitely look scared to drive forward and we certainly aren't using the high press like we used to. I've always said that if we are not on top of our press, we rarely win games. It's a huge part of the way we play. We aren't the type of team that can play bad and win on a regular basis. Teams that can do that can nick it with a set piece or a bit of magic from an individual. We don't have that in the locker. We win games as a team.

I don't agree with the second part of what you said regarding it being about getting a clean sheet rather than winning. We were as defensively sound previously when we were scoring goals and winning. I don't think that part of our game has changed. It's just we had Cardwell free scoring before his injury and a few others chipping in too. Since his injury, we have struggled. Then the extended breaks in matches being played have massively affected our rhythm too. Those breaks have affected our rhythm and our press imo. As I said in a previous post, I'm hoping the Saturday/Tuesday combo will get us back to that rhythm and flow.

I was about to write a simular opening paragraph.
We fell apart when we stopped the high press in favour of defending at or near our 18yd line.
Difficult to work forward from 70yds when a stolen ball at 40yds creates a better goal scoring opportunity.
Also gets the crowd going.

 

[GBJ]

You can spin the stats anyway though. For example we've lost more games than any of the top 9 and other than Halifax, we've scored less than the top 12

It’s not spinning anything, it’s bringing context.

Yes, we’re in a relegation battle, but we wouldn’t be if it wasn’t for a points deduction. That was the original point I was replying to & explaining why it is relevant.

Even your own stats there prove that point. We’re a solid, upper mid table team. Not a relegation one.

 

[Stan33]

Agree about the poor spell, but couldnt disagree more about the oxford game. We must get 3 points there imo.

If we cant take 3 points off bottom of the league opposition then sadly we deserve to be there with them.

Football don’t work like that

 

[rlb999]

I'm not worried about relegation here. I'm reading on twitter that we need to make a change before it's too late - that's nonsense in my view.

But it's certainly the case that whilst we often dominate possession, we also struggle to create chances - that's always been the case under Maher who has understandably been immune from criticism for 18 months or so. I don't think it's a personnel issue - most other teams in this league would LOVE to have our players - I think it's to do with tactics and the way we set up.

Against a weak Oxford City side we could confidently name a 4-3-3 - go a little more direct, and expect to clear up. We could also rest a couple of players who have been struggling in recent weeks.

Collin
Demetriou, Crowther, Kensdale, Ralph
Coker, Morton, Miley
Wood, Cardwell, Sandat

 

[dusterman]

I'm not worried about relegation here. I'm reading on twitter that we need to make a change before it's too late - that's nonsense in my view.

But it's certainly the case that whilst we often dominate possession, we also struggle to create chances - that's always been the case under Maher who has understandably been immune from criticism for 18 months or so. I don't think it's a personnel issue - most other teams in this league would LOVE to have our players - I think it's to do with tactics and the way we set up.

Against a weak Oxford City side we could confidently name a 4-3-3 - go a little more direct, and expect to clear up. We could also rest a couple of players who have been struggling in recent weeks.

Collin
Demetriou, Crowther, Kensdale, Ralph
Coker, Morton, Miley
Wood, Cardwell, Sandat

I’d definitely like us to try 4 at the back.

 

[Holy Joe]

We can slip 2 league places if results go against us tonight