Post-Match Thread and Ratings Altrincham 2-0 Southend United

[Chris Powell's mate]

Have been disappointed many times over the last six decades, but this was close to mind numbing.
And yet, why should we be surprised?
The squad doesn't control a football very well: Alty were miles better than us. Note the two goals; swift and incisive, despite the keeper's blunder.
The squad isn't very quick either with foot or thought.
The thing is the majority of the squad are not fit for purpose, but how in all that's holy did many of them do so well last season? That's the mystery...

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

Good points about that game......

Pepple tried hard.
Wood looked good when he came on.
The ref was good, let play flow.
Altrincham were excellent on the break.
Altrincham's defence was dominant.
Very few fouls.
The Altrincham commentators were the best I've heard on any away game.

And that's it. Lots of effort from us but hardly any result. Why are we so shy of shooting?

Bang on! Can't remember Wood, but yeah, Alty on the break? We have neither speed nor control to do that.

 

[MisterStubbs]

That’s the kind of performance/result that needs questioning. Anyone who makes excuses for the fact we are 3 points above the relegation zone in November are deluding themselves. This garbage is simply unacceptable.

 

[Maldon Shrimper]

Better second half which wasn't difficult as the first was abysmal.But yet again no shots at goal overall zero threat in the box.We need to strengthen asap before this season is a dead rubber

 

[Cricko]

This season is starting to feel awful..

I'm pretty sure we have less points now than this time last season.

A season where players weren't being paid, didn't have running water, started with - 10 start and just 13 or so players.

How is this even possible?

Kev Maher is a southend legend but this can't be allowed to continue.

We barely look like scoring, always look like conceding, and only have plan A followed by more of plan A.

At what point does Kev come under fire?

We are just 3 points above the drop with FGR and two tricky away games to come.

@Smiffy verified we did, even with the 10 point deduction.

 

[SeldomSeenShrimper]

Fundamental issues across the whole team, wing backs just don't work

We have no wingers that can cross the ball ... Fact

Bridge isn't good enough and I fear we are putting all our eggs in one basket with GSM.

We need a leader at the back and in the middle and we don't currently have one

And we need to change our shape

 

[rayleighblue22]

Well the Charlton game flattered to decieve didnt it?, the team played well then !!, That shows what they are capable of, so why in the games since he we been so lacklustre? Theres gotta be a reason, is it the Manager?, team spirit? or what? Players dont just turn bad overnight!!!!
In my oppinion the whole damn side needs to take a long hard look at themselves cause at present we are clearly not gonna be making moves upwards any time soon if the last couple of performanaces are anything to go by, Time for a rapid re-evaluation!!!!!!

 

[nick12]

@Smiffy verified we did,even with the 10 point deduction.

We are definitely going backwards (in every respect). Not good enough.

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

If you look at both goals, both of our wingbacks are up the field attacking. They picked us off perfectly. It was at that point it should have been addressed.

I said it at halftime, but that selection in midfield does require an explanation. Coker is the only one who scores and Morton has been in top form. I wouldn't mind if the personnel picked today actually came in and had a shot, but Moncur refuses to shoot (that has shocked me the most since his arrival) and Husin as an absolute shadow of his former self. Plus, Miley isn't fit yet. Really strange.

My biggest worry is losing Pepple in Jan. Felt he was our best player again today. So strong, holds it up so well, turns his man and actually had two efforts.

Big time ahead for Maher. He is clearly rattled at the moment. Whilst I acknowledge we need reinforcements in key areas, we also have enough to be doing better. He doesn't deserve personal insults or to be told to go to the job centre, that's ridiculous. But, something does have to change for him to get more out of this squad.

 

[RHB]

This won't be difficult to offload.

DAZN was a total pain in the arse at the beginning, lots of buffering, shuddering and then a blank screen. Finally got a picture 5 minutes into game and then wished it was still a blank screen. We had a fair bit of possession but when you concede at the start of the half, and then again at the end of the half, possession only counts for sod all. Second half and DAZN contributed a stuttering screen to the point of stopping the stream and restarting, followed by more possession football and nothing else. Glanced at the SZ comments and wished I hadn't as there was some stunning analysis of our performance from the usual suspects.

I'm off to cook dinner now, **** this lot for a game of soldiers.

 

[Shrimper]

This season is starting to feel awful..

I'm pretty sure we have less points now than this time last season.

A season where players weren't being paid, didn't have running water, started with - 10 start and just 13 or so players.

How is this even possible?

Kev Maher is a southend legend but this can't be allowed to continue.

We barely look like scoring, always look like conceding, and only have plan A followed by more of plan A.

At what point does Kev come under fire?

We are just 3 points above the drop with FGR and two tricky away games to come.

9 wins, 4 draws and 5 losses last year after 18 games. 31 points from 54 available, 21 with the -10

This year 5 wins, 6 draws and 7 losses after 18 games. 21 points from 54 available

 

[gatecrasher]

No excuses, he picks the team, he chooses the formation, his instructions to hope an own goal.wins it each game as we don't shoot.

I could handle this when the off the field stuff was bad, but not now, my patience for this **** has gone.

I'd hoped that with an experienced number 2 like Currie, someone would reign Kev in from his mindless non working formations...but no.

Lose 4 or 5.... come under pressure....win 1 or 2... relieve ....then lose 4 or 5 again. Directors need to put sentiment to one side, or National South is a getting a bigger shout as the season goes on

 

[GBJ]

it is one of two reasons IMO , either the players are not good enough or the management are lacking in motivating these players and their ways of setting us up and playing are just wrong and the end product of this is we are heading down the league again.

Didn’t see the game so can’t comment on it specifically, and I don’t want to take this thread off topic (too much) but I think it’s a mixture of both these points.

I think the style we’re asking these players to play, just isn’t suited to their talents… or what little they have. We’d probably do better employing a kick and run tactic.

As it stands right now, there are about 4/5 players (at most) I’d want to keep moving forward, the rest I’d jettison.

 

[Sherif H]

Maher has the next 5 games to save his job

I genuinely don't think the owners will sack him even if we spend the next four months or so in the relegation zone.

 

[Desperado]

The system has to change. It worked when we rarely conceded and could nick a goal and win but now we’re leaky at the back and don’t create any meaningful chances

 

[Shrimper]

I genuinely don't think the owners will sack him even if we spend the next four months or so in the relegation zone.

Well then they have alot to answer for. They won't get this club sustainable if we go backwards

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Well, we can't blame the referee for that one. I thought he had a very good game........far better than most of our players. Tactically, completely outthought in the first-half, when the damage was done. Miley looked as if he desperately need game time (unfortunately no second-string to give him that game time) and Morton gave us a brief cameo of what could (should?) have been. Doesn't Pepple work better off Bonne? Husin disappointing and for those who believed the defence lacked confidence with Collin behind them...........?????Jeacock made a good save in the second-half but huge question marks over the two goals, especially the second. All the cats of Southend supporters.................go off and hide somewhere is my advice!

 

[manor15]

Don’t agree that this one is all on Kev, but it’s a squad with no pace and we left ourselves far too exposed to the counter and it killed us twice, not helped by terrible goalkeeping. Too many players weren’t on it today, and it’s hard to blame the coach entirely when you have players who are capable of so much better producing such dross.

Jeacock 3 At fault for both goals. A couple of decent saves otherwise, but not good enough to displace Collin.
GSM 4 At some point we’ll talk about what’s happened for his form to drop off a cliff.
Taylor 6 Exposed but did a reasonable job to tidy up when needed.
Crowther 3 No pace, no strength, no dominance, it’s really hard to see what he offers.
Ralph 5 Like Taylor on the other flank.
Bridge 4 Every ball in is poor, and he left the left flank way too exposed for the first goal. At least he dropped deeper after that.
Miley 4 Not fit.
Moncur 4 Not fit.
Husin 4 I’m a Husin fan but he needs people around him who make things happen, and he doesn’t have that.
Pepple 6 Did what he could with little service.
Walker 5 Lacked the strength to do what Bim did.

Subs
KAF 6 Brought energy and bite which had been missing.
Bonne 3 Did he touch the ball?
Wood - Ran around but didn’t make much happen.
Morton - Would’ve loved him on earlier.

Where do we go from here? Hard to say. Collin, KAF and Morton would be right back in for me and I’d be trying to bring in a defender desperately. If we can get rid of Bonnie that’d be even better. Our fixture list isn’t easy so we’d better buckle in.

 

[Maidstone Shrimper]

The only positive about today is that the bottom four all lost. Says it all about where we are now. Sadly all the other teams below us picked up points.

 

[kentblues]

The stats will probably say Ed had plenty of the ball. The problem is we lack creativity out wide and in CM. Meanwhile we are defensively suspect. Our WBs do not defend well. Wind and Ralph would fix that- but creates an issue losing what Gus brings going forward. Gus in not a CM or winger.

Jeacock- makes the same errors as Collin but more often. Although I haven’t seen the ball roll under Collin into the net- 5

Gus- need a rest I think. Doesn’t seem quite the same threat getting into the opposition box. Defendingbok but not his strong point. His crossing really went to pot- 5

Crowther- as accident prone as Kensdale was initially. Will he turn it around like Kensdale did over time?- 5

Taylor- did ok but really got little support and was fire fighting much of the time- 6.5

Ralph- Did nothing wrong that could see- 6

Bridge- Defensively we know he isn’t great and wasn’t his day going forward- 5

The midfield I don’t know where to start. Moncur has the quality- it’s how to use it. The rest tbh in their different ways are as bad as each other with the exception Coker (who I assume was carrying a knock)- 4s all round

People and Walker- well ideally it needs to be Pepple or Walker. Having said that with the threat we produce from wide and CM we would cause Harry Kane to have a goal drought. They both tried but their forte is not getting their heads on the end of crosses but that’s pretty much what fare was provided - 6 each

Subs
Morton see CM comments above
Wood- looked lively, and puts a decent ball in which most don’t- 6.5
Bonne- for the most part was able to stand on the edge of the 6 yard box and what the ball Somali 30 feet over his head or fail to beat the first man. Won the only headers we one up top all game (should start with Pepple)- 6
KAF- at least provides energy and a bit of quality ( need to work out how to get the best out of him)- 6

The only thing I would say is the are enough OK players that if we introduced some real quality it would make a lot of impact. We need a really good CB and a couple of player that can make things happen at pace