Official Match Thread Crewe v Southend United

[Cricko]

Who's going to high five me then ? Step forward my good chum Cricko :hilarious:

Spartan my dear friend you have been so missed around these parts....:sick:

 

[Jam_Man]

Exactly. It's a fear of losing and thinking he can prevent it with certain tactics, rather than having confidence in his players to win the match. I think the players sense this, and the lack of trust and negativity wears off on them and manifests itself in the overall performance as a result. It's the sort of situation which will make heads drop for a few days which is why I fear for us on Wednesday.

Another example of the manager proving to be his own, his players' and this club's worst enemy.

But as Ive said, its what he did against Oxford to great affect.

It didnt work today but we played the team I expected today,and I fully expect Freddy to start on Wednesday in a 442 the same as we have done in the last few home games.

 

[Medway Blue]

But we played the same tactic against Torquay and Oxford and got results.

'Tactics' are not just confined to 'formation'. Yes we played one up top in those two games.....but they certainly didn't play the same style of football!

 

[tommy tucker]

Once again the team didnt start as they have done over the last few weeks .Didnt help with a team set up to defened rather than attack .But its stil up to us to go at them from the start .But unlike that To**er on sky who kept saying we have got to come out and leave gaps at the back .Did he not notice that it was only 1-0 not 2 or 3 -0 .They were not that good it was just we were that bad . Sky pundits should be changed the northern bunch have had there turn to be one sided .:thumbdown: To sky and there one sided pundits .

 

[Spartan]

Spartan my dear friend you have been so missed around these parts....:sick:

You will go through on Wednesday night. I'm convinced of it. Have a good evening.

 

[Kris]

Poor, poor, poor. Two things messed us up. Firstly, the ref. Shocker and a real homer. Secondly, Sturrock has once again shown his absolute worst with that set-up. Far too negative.

Played too deep from the off with one man up top, that man being one of the slowest in the squad, and playing balls over the top of his head all the time.....what is he playing at? The ball would not stick up top and just kept coming straight back, putting us under pressure. That plays into the hands of other sides, even poor sides like Crewe (and lets not beat around the bush, they are a poor team). We needed some positivity in such a huge game, go into the match confident and gunning for a win instead of being scared stiff of losing!

People will say coming to Roots Hall 0-1 means we're still very much in it. To an extent I agree. What I worry about is heads being down now. Negative tactics, a negative result and a lack of trust in his players to get the job done when playing to their STRENGTHS = negativity being bread amongst the squad.

That's really harsh, James. Crewe are a tidy outfit with some decent players, the front two especially.

Tactics-wise it was poor in hindsight, though it worked for us two weeks ago and has done several times this season away from home. He should definitely have switched things around sooner, though.

 

[philtalkin]

Why ?

We have been playing 1 up front away and getting results, then going 442 at home.

I expect the same and see no reason why we would suddenly got route one when we havent done that the last 4 home games and have won all of them.

Because it didn't work, and they are much better than us when the ball is on the deck.

Unfortunately, they looked quite useful in the air too.

Let's hope we can turn it round, but they were much better than us tonight and I am not convinced that's only because we were poor. I think they also made us look poor.

 

[Rayleigh Shrimper]

Such a long way to go , we werent great over the 90 mins but neither were Crewe just that they took the once chance out 3 and we unfortuantely couldnt beat Phiilips in goal. Last 20 minutes we started to play some much better football and looked to be casuing them problems with both Timlin and Grant pushing on and creating more space. All to play for Wednesday night !!

 

[Medway Blue]

That's really harsh, James. Crewe are a tidy outfit with some decent players, the front two especially.

Tactics-wise it was poor in hindsight, though it worked for us two weeks ago and has done several times this season away from home. He should definitely have switched things around sooner, though.

They have some good young players. But they looked a better when we came up here and won 3-1 earlier in the season than they did today. I personally thought they looked there for the taking and I'm sure that a positive set-up from us would have seen them off.

Got it all to do now.

 

[Jam_Man]

'Tactics' are not just confined to 'formation'. Yes we played one up top in those two games.....but they certainly didn't play the same style of football!

Which was down to how Crewe played . Sometimes the opposition have an effect on the game.

We went out to do to Crewe what we did to Torquay and Oxford, but Crewe are on a very good run and it didnt work. When that formation doesnt work it looks downright ugly, like today.

2nd half however Crewe were far less effective and we could have nicked a goal or two at the end.

It would be far better to be 0-0 right now, but as we have done recently we will be a different team in the 2nd leg and have to hope we reproduce a result like we have been producing.

Im not going to criticise tactics that have been getting us results just because we lost.

 

[tallboyblue]

An early goal that`s what we need. Big crowd (i hope) great atmosphere we will see a different side next week . We can do it anyway it`s now time for my medication.

 

[Jam_Man]

Because it didn't work, and they are much better than us when the ball is on the deck.

Unfortunately, they looked quite useful in the air too.

Let's hope we can turn it round, but they were much better than us tonight and I am not convinced that's only because we were poor. I think they also made us look poor.

Because what didnt work ? Because we were forced to play longer today are you saying we will therefore play hoof ball again.

We dont play the same at home, we will revert to 442 with Eastwood up front which has seen us play decent football recently.

They did play well, and thats no surprise, they havent lost in 16 games.

However we looked better with 442 at the end and will hopefully be better Wednesday.

 

[eastlondonblue]

as bad as we were today we still had chances to get the draw today which gives me confidence. we need to play a different team at home on wednesday and really get them on the back foot, they are a young side so hopefully they buckle. is hills still with us? would put him in for gilbert, moshni and freddy up top, hall and martin wide with grant and timlin middle! were still in this. Thought the lads looked a bit nervous today?

 

[philtalkin]

Because what didnt work ? Because we were forced to play longer today are you saying we will therefore play hoof ball again.

We dont play the same at home, we will revert to 442 with Eastwood up front which has seen us play decent football recently.

They did play well, and thats no surprise, they havent lost in 16 games.

However we looked better with 442 at the end and will hopefully be better Wednesday.

I hope you're right, but they put us under a lot of pressure and if that happens again on Wednesday, it is going to get cleared high and long.

The biggest problem..... The home crowd. If we do not go a goal up early, then I fear the worst.

 

[philtalkin]

Disagree, we need match fit players.

Happy for Leonard to come on late to chuck a few throw ons in the box, if we're chasing the game, but Let's play our fittest best 11.

 

[southendkid]

Not sure why people are saying the tactics were wrong, the tactics were clearly not to play like we did, we were forced to play it long because Crewe dominated the game at times, and our players quickly started to panic and resorted to aimless long balls because we needed time to reorganise our defence. I think we underestimated how effective they can play today, hopefully we have learnt our lesson well today and the players can prepare mentally for what they will be up against in the second leg.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Poor performance. The most disappointing thing is those morons on Sky who seem to have no interest in Southend but fawned over Crewe for the full 90 mins...makes me sick

 

[southend-mad.94]

We were crap today! but i can't take anything away from crewe because they were very good! we need at roots hall. what fills me with hope is how we still had chances (
That we should have taken) even though we were woefully bad!

massive game on Wednesday and us as supporters need to go all out to back our boys!

COYB!

 

[tallboyblue]

We wernt that bad. It didn`t look great but we dug in and only just lost .Many teams would have suffered a heavier defeat today. It will be different naxt week. Keep the faith.

 

[Smiffy]

Yes we were poor today.

But I fully fancy us to turn it around on Weds night. No problem.

A packed out Hall, buzzing atmosphere and more positive tactics will do the trick.

We're a goal down with at least 90 mins to play. Jeez.