Post-Match Thread and Ratings Eastleigh 0-1 Southend United F.A. Cup

[Yorkshire Blue]

Collin 8 - man of the match. Turns out he didn’t need competition to play better. That save first half was top draw, his distribution was good and came for crosses. Then to underline his value our goal came from their keeper’s error
Gus 5 - I thought was poor. For all his goals he has barely delivered a decent cross all season.
Ralph 7 - solid
Taylor 7- booked for a challenge that if he won it wasn’t a foul and if he didn’t it wasn’t offside. Showed good recovery speed once again.
Crowther 5 - doesn’t convince me. Looks vulnerable to a ball over the top.
Gubbins 7- quietly efficient
Morton 7 - did enough to keep the shirt
Coker 7.5 - boy have we missed him. He tidies up so much turning pressured possession into comfortable possession with a simple pass whilst is mobile enough to press. Made a real difference.
Husin 5 - not one of Noor’s better performances I’m afraid. Will keep his spot because I’m not sure Coker or KAF are comfortable on the left
Walker 6.5 - lively but can we please give him some decent service
Bonne 5 - it’s not happening for him. Needs to be more mobile

Pepple 7 - the match winner. Direct and mobile. Whilst the keeper should have saved the shot, that a ball to chase down the flanks led to a shooting opportunity was entirely down to Bim. It wasn’t the only time he made something out of nothing either
Moncur 5 - showed why he’d been benched
Bridge 6 - didn’t have much time to impact proceedings. Did work room to shoot but the shot didn’t trouble the keeper.

 

[Blue Yonder]

You couldn’t have been watching when we pumped high balls to him on his own up front,surrounded by huge defenders.

Sorry Zeuss but what does he offer ? Pace ? Strength in the air ? An outlet for the pumped high ball ? Goal poaching ? Runs off the ball ? Close ball control ? Dribbling ? Passing ? There has barely been a glimpse of what he was capable of a few seasons ago. It’s painful to watch someone that right now is a shadow of the player he apparently once was. I have no idea what’s gone wrong or if it’s temporary or permanent. I hope he finds a way to get back on track. In the meantime he shouldn’t be starting.

 

[CaptainSmudger]

 

[CaptainSmudger]

 

[rayleigh dan]

Sorry Zeuss but what does he offer ? Pace ? Strength in the air ? An outlet for the pumped high ball ? Goal poaching ? Runs off the ball ? Close ball control ? Dribbling ? Passing ? There has barely been a glimpse of what he was capable of a few seasons ago. It’s painful to watch someone that right now is a shadow of the player he apparently once was. I have no idea what’s gone wrong or if it’s temporary or permanent. I hope he finds a way to get back on track. In the meantime he shouldn’t be starting.

Agreed. I still hope Bonne improves, but right now Pepple is a much better option. Much of my problem with Bonne has been his suspect work rate (IMO at least). It could be fitness related perhaps, but he always seems to react half a second too late, and he doesn’t press much at all. I noted Chris Phillips mentioned that Gus berated him for one such sloppy incident today.

For now at least, play the man with the better form, who is undoubtably Bim. Maybe given time Bonne will come good and prove me wrong (I hope so!). But the reality of a spell on the bench, and seeing he isn’t an automatic starter… surely that can’t hurt!

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Our defence has received some justified criticism in recent weeks, yet for the 2nd time this season ( albeit he came on as a sub ), they have managed to nullify the threat of their main striker McCallum. He's supposedly on a massive salary there (?), & someone many on here were keen to sign, before he got a new contract.
Over rated, just there for the cash, or did we do a disciplined job on him today?.

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

"Can you hear the drum Fernandez?"

Nothing like a bit of Abba on a Saturday night

 

[Ricey]

Our defence has received some justified criticism in recent weeks, yet for the 2nd time this season ( albeit he came on as a sub ), they have managed to nullify the threat of their main striker McCallum. He's supposedly on a massive salary there (?), & someone many on here were keen to sign, before he got a new contract.
Over rated, just there for the cash, or did we do a disciplined job on him today?.

Not sure if it’s anything to read into it but he didn’t start and came on after 40 minutes.

I think it would be harsh to judge a player on 50 minutes of football. Although he does have 2 goals less than Gus this season so far

 

[BoyWonder2]

I said, when we signed Pepple, that he would surprise people.

I’m glad he is doing that.

 

[Ricey]

I said, when we signed Pepple, that he would surprise people.

I’m glad he is doing that.

From what I’ve seen, I’d much rather he starts than Bonne.

 

[KiwiRob]

I said, when we signed Pepple, that he would surprise people.

I’m glad he is doing that.

I hope Pepple and Bonne start together upfront in the next game if Walker is injured. It was puzzling that their partnership was broken up after the great result at Solihull.

 

[Medway Blue]

I like Pepple but can’t help wishing it was a shot by Bonne that got fumbled over the line.
I still think Bonne could score a hatful of goals for us,if only Maher could work out a system to create chances.

We're playing the same system that bagged us 70 league goals last season, and the most completed crosses into the opposition box in the division.

The system isn't the problem.

The unsettled squad, reduction in quality and lack of confidence are the issues.

 

[bluethroughandthrough]

Maher ball ****ing racid but win is win. Maher seriously lacking the ability to altar his tactics! Needs to wise up in that department..... Constantly going for the 3 plus 2 wing backs will only gets you so far. I would like us to play with 4 at the back with gus being the main outlet of those defenders in the attacking phase. We are so negative at times.

To make a clear point we played 532 not 352. That's mahers answer. That's 1 more attacking midfielder (coker) and 2 forwards.

 

[fbm]

The keeper will be having nightmares about Bim’s goal!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1845150135770051020

I'd like to see the keeper start for every opponent we play!

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

We are consistent ..... 2 star entertainment ...... [pulls face] .....

 

[Hawkwell Blue]

We are consistent ..... 2 star entertainment ...... [pulls face] .....

View attachment 34289

The amount of “entertainment” is down to both teams. We won and in our current situation that’s surely the priority.

 

[Welly7]

After our recent poor results and poor performances a 0-1 away win is an excellent platform to, hopefully, reset and be that base we need to get going again.

 

[Strykr]

Entertainment 2/5

 

[Swiss Tony]

What a moaning Minnie.

 

[BEERMONSTER]

The amount of “entertainment” is down to both teams. We won and in our current situation that’s surely the priority.

Entertainment is subjective:-

A smash of glass and the rumble of boots
An electric train and a ripped up phone booth
Paint splattered walls and the cry of a tomcat
Lights going out and a kick in the balls
I tell ya that's entertainment, that's entertainment

I'll take a Jammy one!