Francis - what's up with him?

[Southend_Lady]

Not wanting to put a downer on last night at all but I cannot even bear to watch Francis anymore. Given that there doesn't seem to be any competition for the place of right back, its no wonder he gets the nod each game even though he has been absolutely dire for 80% of this season so far.

Last season I thought he was brilliant and I will still never forget his display at Ipswich away in our CCC season. Since that game he came on leaps and bounds and I thought at one point last year that he was going to be a very important player for us.

I don't think he has turned pony over night but how bad does he have to play before he is subbed?! Is it that there really isn't anyone else to come on for him in his place?

Last couple of games he has been nothing short of shocking and each time he comes with feet of the ball I pray he isn't the one to have to deal with it. Last night was one of his worst games for a long while. He tried to take on quite possibly the best player on the pitch (Beckford) a couple times and got done on both occasions. A lot of times he looked lazy when clearing the ball, there was no urgency and kept standing off players. As soon as a player came at his with the ball he backed off leaving a clear run from just outside the box which is so dangerous. He made an awful scuff towards the end aswell.

What's up with him?! Temporary ditch in form or is he just not the player we thought he was at some points. Or is it down to lack of competition for his place meaning he can play as great or as awful as he wants but will still gt into the starting 11.

Your thoughts.

 

[Crawliano]

Played ok last night until the moment when he lost interest in making a challenge and literally walked away with Beckford attacking and left it to Grant to tidy up leading on to the Grant / Robinson melee, after that seemed to be playing as if he was thinking "I really fancy watching that Dead Set programme on E4+1 when I get in"

 

[SUFC_Al]

He seems to have "2nd half-itis"

Seems to play well 1st half and then loses concentration 2nd half.

 

[Southend_Lady]

2nd half-itis is the most dangerous footballing condition there is. Especially when you are trying to hold on to a 1-0 lead. Its hardly a safe game at 1-0 and the last thing you need is him fannying around and leaving his job to others.

 

[graysblue]

this guy has pace and is a big lad YET 50/50 balls he always appears second fav.

 

[SUFC_Al]

2nd half-itis is the most dangerous footballing condition there is. Especially when you are trying to hold on to a 1-0 lead. Its hardly a safe game at 1-0 and the last thing you need is him fannying around and leaving his job to others.

absolutely agree

It's infruriating as I think he's a good full-back but he needs to be a good full-back for 90 and not 60 mins.

 

[GNH]

Last night was one of his worst games for a long while.

You obviously didn't see him at Bristol rovers on Saturday! He was much improved last night but as always seems to suffer from a lack of concentration at times which is letting him down. Tilly can't think much of Sankofa if he still doesn't get a game with the form Francis is in at the moment!

 

[leeblue]

he was much better than walsall away trust me, francis was ok last night compared to other displays

 

[scrounger]

He was probably slightly better last night because he was at right-back rather than make shift left-back. He still worries me at times. Maybe we should drop him at Telford! I am certain that if we still had Hunt, he would have been given a game by now and Franny dropped to the bench.

 

[Southend_Lady]

You obviously didn't see him at Bristol rovers on Saturday! He was much improved last night but as always seems to suffer from a lack of concentration at times which is letting him down. Tilly can't think much of Sankofa if he still doesn't get a game with the form Francis is in at the moment!

he was much better than walsall away trust me, francis was ok last night compared to other displays

Well if it's the case he has been worse away which I haven't seen (I have a ST but haven't been to any away games yet this season) then it's even worse than I thought! Sankofa should get given a go ahead of him. Lack of competition causes lazy players as far as I am concerned. Or he at least needs subbing off so that he realises.

 

[Andyhsufc]

I am just amazed, considering his height and size, how weak he is when he is trying to shield the ball or win the ball back. Sawyer is half the size of him but wins a lot more.

 

[Southend_Lady]

I am just amazed, considering his height and size, how weak he is when he is trying to shield the ball or win the ball back. Sawyer is half the size of him but wins a lot more.

It's just laziness. He has the ability as we have all seen it in the past. He used to produce darting runs down the wings, inch perfect tackles and never gave up. Seems like a thing of the past now. Hopefully he will get his mojo back.

 

[dashman]

Our defence has been 'leaking' some goals and we seem to want to pick on them a little. I agree Francis has not been up to the high standard we have seen in the past, but his mediocre performance is still better than Hunt's performances. Let's not forget Tilly may well be asking him to play this way and 90 minutes or full on attacking or defending at 100% cannot be done. I thought Barrett had a tough game with Becchio and did quite well, Clarke did well too, totally committed and Harding did good + a goal. Truth is we didn't conceed, Federici had a blinder as did the midfield and upfront. Leeds game plan was to stretch the flanks, straight from the start both their corner backs & 'wingers' were tight to the side lines, this would pull wide Southend players sideways and also increase the space in the centre of pitch for Leeds to attack. Given the tactic, I thought DH & SF did well as did the centre backs to watch the spaces made. That said, what a great game it was and I feel SF's has more to give and recovers better than Hunt ever did, he needs that full length game focus a little but he is still improving/learning.

All IMHO!

 

[sufcalways]

I think Franno played a lot better last night. Maybe he wasn't up to the standards of every other Southend player. But if all the players were rated 9, he would have been rated with a 7 or 7.5. Considering in other games he has been rated 4's and 5's, he definitely improved greatly. A 7 or 7.5 would be a man of the match contender in any other game. So enough of the critisicm and get behind the player for saturday!! He needs a good performance because we full well know they are going to come for 3 points and sore remarks he may get previously or on matchday, may knock his confidence even more!!

 

[Andy_S]

Tilly lost his cool with him several times last night. We were only 5 minutes in when Francis had to be reminded to keep track of Beckford, which was slightly worrying.

He does need a kick up the backside for whatever reason, there's no doubt about that.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

He was probably slightly better last night because he was at right-back rather than make shift left-back. He still worries me at times. Maybe we should drop him at Telford! I am certain that if we still had Hunt, he would have been given a game by now and Franny dropped to the bench.

I was starting to come to terms with the loss of the legend that is Lewis, and you've opened up all those old wounds. That said, excellent point.

 

[Ulysses]

I think its a confidence problem.

 

[BoyWonder2]

To be honest, bar one or two moments, I thought Francis played well last night. Much better than when I've seen him recently.

Just hope he knuckles down and plays his way through his run or poor form, but I think tonight could have been a turning point for him.

 

[Suffolk Blue]

I thought Francis did a lot better last night having returned to the RB position. As for comparisons with Lewis Hunt, I remember tearing my hair out at his refusal to move beyond the half-way line or to make any pass other than a square ball to Maher.

I was interested to see how much defensive work Betsy did last night; him and Francis worked as a unit much better than we've seen recently.

 

[ShrimplyTheBest]

He was terrible at Bristol Rovers but hes not a left back... he was much better last night and although I would love their to be more competition I've no worries about him... he will get back to his best!!!

My question is when will the idiots at the back of the West stop telling screaming at him to mark Beckford on the touchline when the balls over the other side of the pitch???

These people clearly know nothing about defending!!! When they play is spread to that side the defence moves with it - he should not be hugging the touchline with Beckford and leaving a hole in our defence...

You want someone marking him then its Grant you should have been screaming at!!!