Post-Match Thread and Ratings Braintree Town 0-1 Southend United

[lreed567]

We've just beat the 2 worst teams in the league probably, yes we did what we needed, yes we kept a clean sheet, but the 2 performances before against York and Hartlepool was poor, we've got some tougher games coming up so let's see how we are doing then

 

[blues exile]

Don't think anyone disputes what I've highlighted Liam -let's just say IMO it's highly unlikely we'll do it this season under KM, even if a newer ,younger striker is sigend later this month.

Playing attractive fooball would help in answer to your final point.

Over the season we are averaging one point per game. Two wins against two of the weakest teams in the league changes nothing.

 

[GBJ]

We’ve played better and lost in the past, so I’m just glad we got away with the 3 points.

As others have said, I understand why Bim was hooked but personally would have kept Kendall on.

Bridge occupied the Braintree defenders, but didn’t do much else. Noor needs 4/5/6 touches with everything, which inevitably slows us down.

Defensively, I thought we still looked ropey when dealing with crosses. Better teams will punish us for these mistakes.

Collin, another clean sheet, but still doesn’t fill me with confidence. A couple of hair-raising moments once again.

Still, a win is a win. We need 38-39 points from our remaining 21 games to creep into the playoffs.

 

[tallboyblue]

...and herein lies the problem.
Fails to acknowledge that the undroppable Bridge and Husin have been dog ****e all season, yet is quick to dig at our only two proper strikers for not doing the work of four men.

Fonguck is the missing link between Bridge and Husin.

 

[Liam AAS]

Don't think anyone disputes what I've highlighted Liam -let's just say IMO it's highly unlikely we'll do it this season under KM, even if a newer ,younger striker is sigend later this month.

Playing attractive fooball would help in answer to your final point.

I agree about this season, though I do think we have a chance of top 7 if we recruit well and continue to stop the opposition from scoring.

Unfortunately, playing attractive football and success are not correlated. I would love both, but will always settle for the latter.

 

[rigsby]

6 points over Christmas make it nice start to the year and keeps most of happy.

I don't care about how you win in place and time like last night. Plenty of other teams have been to Braintree and not won this season. Forget that nonsense term 'a must win game' and they were coming off of a real good result on Boxing Day.

I thought the usual suspects might have a day off but instead they try a and fit their pre composed message into this thread. We even have some claiming never a red and Braintree should have had penalty. Imagine calling yourself fan but you have gone to work today gutted we won. What sad life they must have.

Taking Pepple off was absolutely the correct decision. Our players aren't good at protecting him and as we witnessed against York and Hartlepool, neither are NL level refs. So if the bench don't do their job Luton would be calling him back today.

Watch the lack of our team reaction when Walker was taken out over theirs when Pepple was booked. Doesn't sound good for Walker but it could have been a lot worse.....It could have been Pepple or Kendall

Another clean sheet for Collin and Miley ends the debate over Morton. Worth remembering next time there is a Zone witch hunt to find the next scapegoat. Top players coming back from injury or young players having a bad patch should never be targeted......Unless of course you know nothing about life let alone football.

 

[Che's Left Foot]

I dread to think what some of you would have said had we lost. As a few have already said, we won and 3 points are added to our total. What do points make?......(Play-offs). I realise that it's not PC to challenge others moaning so I won't. I would like us to play exceptional football every game but that just ain't going to happen, What may happen is that a run of reasonable results with points included could yet take us up the table and the play-offs.

Two things can be true at the same time.
I'm sure we're all delighted with the win but many have concerns about Maher's tactics, with his post-match reinforcing those concerns.

 

[Hampshire Shrimp]

I am loathe to go too far off topic but I have no idea what would make you happy. We are averaging 2 points per game (promotion form) with half the season to go and won our last home game 4-0.

I have no idea why anyone would be feeling negative now. We won ugly yesterday but we won. We are not in a position to demand entertaining football, we need to get out of this division by any means necessary and solid defensive displays where opposition chances are limited are key to that, regardless of attacking subs.

Plenty of people were demanding 2 wins from our last 2 matches. We got them and didn't concede. Why moan? Have we not had enough negativity over the last few years? This could be a turning point in our season and you are whinging again. If Southend United winning doesn't make you happy, what would?

We played Ebbsfleet and Braintree? When we start to beat teams in the top 10 consistently, then we may have a chance to get out of this league? Will Maher be the manager to achieve this, IMHO, I don`t think so.
Let`s see how he gets on against Halifax and Barnet who are upcoming? A better test to see how he sets up against them. Will we have new additions by then, let`s hope so. Bridge and Husin have been far too inconsistent and need upgrading. I like Kendall, and they certainly scouted well with this player and will be one to certainly help us get out of this league. Bim will probably move on, he`s far too good for his own progression to stay in the NL. We need additions, and play players that are in form? Far too much loyalty to the likes of Bridge and Husin from Maher, that keep under preforming week in, week out? I want Southend to progress, and be a top 7 side in this league, at the moment, we are a mid table team. I will be the first to hold my hands up if Maher gets us promoted, however, IMHO, I don`t think he will.

 

[Sherif H]

Fonguck is the missing link between Bridge and Husin.

Or just play Walker on the wing and swap Morton for Husin...

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Can we also discuss Jack and his crossing ability?
Forwards thrive on service, which sadly he is not providing.

What crossing ability?

 

[AlfaShrimper]

Did there keeper have anything to fend off either, other than some stray chips that he reported to the ref?

You are so negative it's unreal. You actually enjoy moaning

 

[RHB]

You are so negative it's unreal. You actually enjoy moaning

Oh, I say, steady on.............. Wiggy enjoys moaning? surely not.

 

[AlfaShrimper]

Oh, I say, steady on..............

We've won a game... Do you see me moaning?

 

[Liam AAS]

Over the season we are averaging one point per game. Two wins against two of the weakest teams in the league changes nothing.

Fake news. We're at 1.32 ppg. You are wide of the mark by 32%.

 

[rigsby]

We've won a game... Do you see me moaning?

it was irony

 

[blues exile]

Fake news. We're at 1.32 ppg. You are wide of the mark by 32%.

Nearer one than your claimed two

 

[Shrimp and two veg]

We just turned over a big physical team at their place in conditions you think would suit them.
They hardly had a shot. New manager bounce saw them stick 3 past Daggers last week. In fact i cant recall a shot at our goal.
So boring to read on here people digging out Maher. We played incredibly well last night for those 3 points. And i include all the usual scapegoats like Bridge and Husin, those two had a blinder in ball retention and made Braintree work hard to get the ball off us, more so when they were a goal behind.
They cant hurt us if they havent got the ball.
It might not have shown up on the telly for our armchair fans, that pitch was filth.
Its a fantastic 3 points badly needed.
Get behind the TEAM, some are writing utter bollocks each week.

 

[wiggy]

You are so negative it's unreal. You actually enjoy moaning

How is this moaning….except that the chips were undercooked?

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

We played Ebbsfleet and Braintree? When we start to beat teams in the top 10 consistently, then we may have a chance to get out of this league? Will Maher be the manager to achieve this, IMHO, I don`t think so.
Let`s see how he gets on against Halifax and Barnet who are upcoming? A better test to see how he sets up against them. Will we have new additions by then, let`s hope so. Bridge and Husin have been far too inconsistent and need upgrading. I like Kendall, and they certainly scouted well with this player and will be one to certainly help us get out of this league. Bim will probably move on, he`s far too good for his own progression to stay in the NL. We need additions, and play players that are in form? Far too much loyalty to the likes of Bridge and Husin from Maher, that keep under preforming week in, week out? I want Southend to progress, and be a top 7 side in this league, at the moment, we are a mid table team. I will be the first to hold my hands up if Maher gets us promoted, however, IMHO, I don`t think he will.

We've already beaten Halifax and not that long ago.

Our inconsistencies stem from many factors but it fundamentally comes down to players having not been recruited in key areas of the pitch. The left sided number 8, the middle CB and a true replacement for Cardwell being the biggest gaps in the team.

However, in recent weeks, Golding and Pepple have really hit form which helps two of those positions. We still really need a left sided number 8 though. It gives us real balance on that side and gets the best out of Ralph and Bridge in an attacking sense. If we can recruit in that area and keep both Golding and Pepple, that consistency will come.

 

[Liam AAS]

We played Ebbsfleet and Braintree? When we start to beat teams in the top 10 consistently, then we may have a chance to get out of this league? Will Maher be the manager to achieve this, IMHO, I don`t think so.
Let`s see how he gets on against Halifax and Barnet who are upcoming? A better test to see how he sets up against them. Will we have new additions by then, let`s hope so. Bridge and Husin have been far too inconsistent and need upgrading. I like Kendall, and they certainly scouted well with this player and will be one to certainly help us get out of this league. Bim will probably move on, he`s far too good for his own progression to stay in the NL. We need additions, and play players that are in form? Far too much loyalty to the likes of Bridge and Husin from Maher, that keep under preforming week in, week out? I want Southend to progress, and be a top 7 side in this league, at the moment, we are a mid table team. I will be the first to hold my hands up if Maher gets us promoted, however, IMHO, I don`t think he will.

This is a post match thread looking at our performance yesterday. It was a good, if unglamorous performance and we got the 3 points, continuing a run of good form.

There are loads of other entirely fair talking points that you've highlighted but my point was in relation to asking @wiggy what would make them happy given our upturn in results (including this one).