Post-Match Thread and Ratings Crewe Alexandra 2, Southend United 0

[Evening Echo]

CREWE Alexandra shattered Southend United’s hopes of success for the second time in the space of just 10 months this afternoon, winning the final of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy 2-0 at Wembley Stadium.

More...

 

[Southend Pier]

Crewe Alexandra 2-0 Southend United at Wembley

Beforehand I thought a 3 man midfield with us playing a long ball game and with Bilel playing as a middle midfielder when he is not a natural in that position I felt was handing an advantage to Crewe. Wembley is a wide,lengthy pitch and for me it suits team that plays more of a passing style and Crewe proved that along with the bonus for them of seeing us slightly outnumbered in midfield. Yes the match could have seen a better referee but fair play to Crewe with a good or bad ref they were the better side overall. Smith, Tomlin and Prosser did well for me and thought Cresswell led the team well vocally. One wonders if this will be Barker's last season and also Hurst is not on a long term sticky patch. Rochdale wednesday and hope we're not to jaded for that and that confidence hasn't taken a further blow.

 

[bazzashrimper]

Smith 7

Clohessy 6
Cresswell 6
Prosser 7
Barker 4

Straker 4
Moshni 1. Gave the ball away before both goals.
Hurst 3
Mak 6

Tomlin 8
Britt 6

Subs

All 6

Phil brown 1. Team selection cost us. I am very worried about next season. It took him an hour on Monday to realise that only having one centre mid wasn't working, but yet he started with pretty much the same again and didn't even include Lund on the bench.

My main gripe today is that it was a big day for a proud club. Moshni didn't deserve to represent us. My main disappointment today was before kick off

 

[GodblessArthurRowley]

Best team won on the day end of.
Please none of this if only the ref had given us this or the ref had given us that rubbish its an excuse pure and simple.
Moshni lovers please just go away and follow your messiah to whichever club he happens to pitch up at next.
But its still a day that will live long in memory, its the sort of day that supporters of a club like ours live for.
UP THE BLUES!!

 

[jamesmut2000]

Agree the better team won on the day. But if Brown can't tell that Mohsni isn't a CM after the 2 games he's played there then he's not the football man he makes himself out to be. And I think Lunds tweet after the game sums it up.

 

[farawayshrimper]

Best team won but when we settled we did okay, passing was naff at time, thought Mohsni, Straker and Hurst all struggled Fans were silent for the most part and easily out sung by the 10,000 Crewe fans, not good. Well done for al joining in on the 6th minute applause.

 

[Jam_Man]

great day out. poor performance. whether right team or not they should still have veen able to pass to each other.

still loved going there.

 

[MilkeySUFC]

Smith 6. Still stuck to his line. Made some saves.
Clohessey 6. Not the best game from him.
Cresswell 7. Good partnership with Prosser.
Prosser 7. Good partnership with Cresswell.
Barker 6. Reasonable game, considering the dross in front of him
Hurst 6. Worked hard going forward. Nothing too threatening though.
Mohsni 3. Not a CM, found out big time today.
Mkandawire 5. Poor positioning, never imposed himself on the midfield.
Straker 3. Poor for the whole 90 mins. Hardly found a blue shirt with a pass all game
Assombalonga 6. Precious little service. Never going to win an aerial ball. Unlucky to be just offside.
Tomlin 5. Ran around. A few neat tricks. Not a single pass found a blue shirt (except the offside goal).
Subs:
Reeves 7. Good work rate, might have been better if Straker had come off.
Corr 7. My MotM, won almost everything put up to him. Could have been different if he'd been on from the start.
Eastwood 6. Looked more interested today, not much came off for him though. Never got in a decent striking position.

Most annoying aspect of today was the almost total lack of movement off the ball. Either when we had the ball or they had the ball. Their movement cut us to shreds on numerous occasions and when we had the ball no one showed or found space to receive the ball.

 

[Jam_Man]

Smith 6. Still stuck to his line. Made some saves.
Clohessey 6. Not the best game from him.
Cresswell 7. Good partnership with Prosser.
Prosser 7. Good partnership with Cresswell.
Barker 6. Reasonable game, considering the dross in front of him
Hurst 6. Worked hard going forward. Nothing too threatening though.
Mohsni 3. Not a CM, found out big time today.
Mkandawire 5. Poor positioning, never imposed himself on the midfield.
Straker 3. Poor for the whole 90 mins. Hardly found a blue shirt with a pass all game
Assombalonga 6. Precious little service. Never going to win an aerial ball. Unlucky to be just offside.
Tomlin 5. Ran around. A few neat tricks. Not a single pass found a blue shirt (except the offside goal).
Subs:
Reeves 7. Good work rate, might have been better if Straker had come off.
Corr 7. My MotM, won almost everything put up to him. Could have been different if he'd been on from the start.
Eastwood 6. Looked more interested today, not much came off for him though. Never got in a decent striking position.

Most annoying aspect of today was the almost total lack of movement off the ball. Either when we had the ball or they had the ball. Their movement cut us to shreds on numerous occasions and when we had the ball no one showed or found space to receive the ball.

tomlin 5 !?!?

he was our best player easily

 

[Smiffy]

Diabolical performance. Poor tactics. Well beaten.

 

[A Century United]

Diabolical performance. Poor tactics. Well beaten.

Diabolical? Oh come on. Bit of an over reaction. Not the greatest performance, but poor tactics more than poor performance. Caused Crewe more problems than I expected, especially when he finally got rid of Mohsni, but then he blew it by taking of Makandawire, and we lost any hold on midfield.

We are going to miss Luggy more than some expected.

 

[IloveShrimp]

The two players that went off should not have been selected in the first place. Me too worried about brown if he couldnt see at the easter game that two cb in midfield didnt work.

Smith 7.
straker 3.
cresswell 7.
barker 3.
clohessy 6.
prosser 6.
mohsni 2.
tam 6.
britt 5.
tomlin 6.
hurst 5

 

[geoffmundo]

It looked like a good league one side playing an average league two side. still we have got that never playing at a Wembley final off our back. would be good if we can at least manage a goal next time

 

[IloveShrimp]

tomlin 5 !?!?

he was our best player easily

Except he wouldnt pass!

 

[SU BLUE]

The first penalty shout was a definate pen.The 2nd one through my blue tinted glasses a pen (but was debatable).
Mohsni was fouled prior to their second goal with a push in the back. We started both halves slowly but finished the stronger. overall i felt crewe were the better side but we could of won that game.

Smith 6
Clohessey 6
Cresswell 5
Prosser 6
Barker 5
Hurst 5
Mkandawire 5
Mohsni 5
Straker 5
TOMLIN 7
Assombalonga 6

subs
Corr 6
Eastwood 6
Reeves 6

Lets hope we can pick it up with a win on weds against Rochdale.
UTB

 

[sealion]

Mohsni= loose cannon who could have been a hero but really poor, looked out of his depth and was a mistake picking him*
* benefit of hindsight

 

[Shrimperforlife]

Agree the better team won on the day. But if Brown can't tell that Mohsni isn't a CM after the 2 games he's played there then he's not the football man he makes himself out to be. And I think Lunds tweet after the game sums it up.

What did Lund tweet?

 

[A Century United]

Mohsni= loose cannon who could have been a hero but really poor, looked out of his depth and was a mistake picking him*
* benefit of hindsight

I don't think it is a hindsight thing, check out the poll and you will find only a tiny proportion of 'Zoners thought Bilel should start. By far the favourite choice was keeping him as an impact sub.

 

[Boreham Shrimper]

Crewe Alexandra 2-0 Southend United at Wembley

What did Lund tweet?

If it's the same as the one I saw, something along the lines of "thanks, now I know where I stand"

 

[Skyblue]

Really frustrating as the team really needed to raise the crowd and not the other way round. Conceding so early made our end sound more like a wake than a football final. Not sure if its the roomy armchair feel of the place or the fact that so many of our 30,000 have probably never been to a game in their lives that made it seem like we were in library not the national football stadium. Small pockets of supporters were trying to lift things but gave up after a short while at the complete apathy of the following. I know people go to watch games for different reasons and the two guys sitting behind me who never stopped talking probably had their own agenda but unless the side on the pitch gives the crowd something to shout about, people are going to get distracted on other things. Was the drum there?. Never heard it once.