Angell Delight
Life President
Tilly will always have my utmost respect for the fantastic job he has done at Southend United, I love the guy - he's a legend. I'd also love to see him stay here for many, many years to come, it would take an awful lot for my feelings to change on that score.
However I'm frustrated at the moment as it's blatantly obvious that this is the least creative side I've seen in 22 years as a Shrimper. In the last 2 games the only time we've looked threatening is after Laurent and Freedman's introduction, yet they still remain on the bench. Tilly obviously has no problem with adopting a negative team selection this season, the fact is we have 4 central midfielders playing in midfield and only one of them can (a) pass it and (b) keep it - (both Moussa). Some people may believe that playing Granty down the right and Moussa left-side makes us very hard to break down. I'd like to put another suggestion to those people, if you don't have players in your line-up who can pass or keep the ball you are going to give it straight back to the opposition most of the time which is arguably actually putting more pressure on our back-line than it would if we had players who were better technically. Yes when we have to defend we are reasonably well equipped but sooner or later that pressure is going to tell.
Both Laurent and Freedman not only have the ability to keep the ball they are also the only other creative sparks in the squad bar Moussa/Franno (I'm discounting Sawyer for the moment as Tilly clearly doesn't fancy him at all despite the fans calls) and when you have a poacher like Barney the service they can provide for him is absolutely invaluable. It bothers me that we are adopting such a negative approach to games and I can't believe Tilly and Brush can't see how much more dangerous we look with Laurent and Freedman in the side, it was clearly apparent both on Saturday and again last night.
After two quite shocking performances I think changes are definitely needed and it is time to "rest" those players that aren't performing and inject some badly-needed creativity into this side. Personally I'd move Granty into the centre with Jeff. I'd like to eventually see Grant and Sawyer in there as a pair given that Jeff hasn't been great recently either but maybe too many changes at once would be naive. Sawyer would add much needed spark from central midfield though and also a goalscoring threat in comparison to the others, I really can't understand why Tilly doesn't give him an opportunity in his favoured position. Macca seems undroppable though despite his consistently poor form and it's hurting us. I also really think we'd benefit from giving Laurent the chance to stake a claim down the right side. He said that's where he wants to play, I'd give him a chance there - I really think he could be one of the best wingers in this league; outrageous skill, pace and to be honest a terrific delivery too and that's exactly what we need. He could also provide a goalscoring threat from midfield which is sorely lacking at the moment and would be a welcome boost (Sawyer too if he is ever picked). If I were Tilly I'd tell Laurent that's he's got to track back when we don't have the ball though and provide Franno with a bit of support back there. If Laurent blows it then that's his responsibility and I doubt he'll get another chance out wide but I really don't see we've got much to lose as the system we have simply doesn't work IMHO. If Laurent wants to play there he'll know he'll be expected to help out defensivley.
I'd also bring Freedman in up top, he showed last season before his long-term injury what a great player he could be at this level. He scored 4 in his first 4, he made chances (he also looked dangerous and created opportunities both on Saturday and last night) and now he's fully fit I'd love to see him back in the side. I really think Barnard would benefit hugely from both Laurent and Freedman's introduction. O'Donovan is just so ineffective; he has a dreadful first touch, I haven't seen him challenge for the ball either aerially or on the floor once yet and he plays so far away from his strike-partner. Yes the service is poor but Barney is still managing to look sharp and reasonably threatening. I don't wanna slate the guy but compared to Laurent/Freedman he looks totally out of his depth IMHO. I'm so glad we didn't splash £400k on him a couple of years back. I just think he's keeping better players out of the side and it's doing us no favours, no doubt Tilly feels he has to play him though. I'd be a bit miffed if I was Laurent, 2 very good performances back in the side against Orient and Leeds and he's dropped. Next game he comes on at Brighton and scores a fantastic solo goal and still hasn't troubled the starting line up since. I wouldn't mind if O'Donovan was playing well but he's been totally anonmous in all 3 games so far, one thing you can say about Laurent is that he's never anonymous.
It goes without saying we need M'voto back fit asap but I believe our problems run much deeper than that, I don't like the way we approach games and I really do hope that changes over the course of the season.
P.S. Having read the Mildy pen thread I can't believe some are critcising a keeper for not saving penalties. Some keepers are better penalty savers than others, obviously more agile keepers have a better chance of stopping them and I wouldn't class Mildenhall as a particular agile goalkeeper when compared to Flahavan who saved a few for us. The vast majority of penalties are scored anyway, the taker is expected to score. I think it's far more important to have a half decent shot-stopper who can command his area which he did last night (and did so very well again). I'd class him as a good keeper for this level, we could certainly do a lot worse - and my heart isn't in my mouth each time a cross/set-piece comes in as it always was with the (otherwise very competent) Flahavan.
However I'm frustrated at the moment as it's blatantly obvious that this is the least creative side I've seen in 22 years as a Shrimper. In the last 2 games the only time we've looked threatening is after Laurent and Freedman's introduction, yet they still remain on the bench. Tilly obviously has no problem with adopting a negative team selection this season, the fact is we have 4 central midfielders playing in midfield and only one of them can (a) pass it and (b) keep it - (both Moussa). Some people may believe that playing Granty down the right and Moussa left-side makes us very hard to break down. I'd like to put another suggestion to those people, if you don't have players in your line-up who can pass or keep the ball you are going to give it straight back to the opposition most of the time which is arguably actually putting more pressure on our back-line than it would if we had players who were better technically. Yes when we have to defend we are reasonably well equipped but sooner or later that pressure is going to tell.
Both Laurent and Freedman not only have the ability to keep the ball they are also the only other creative sparks in the squad bar Moussa/Franno (I'm discounting Sawyer for the moment as Tilly clearly doesn't fancy him at all despite the fans calls) and when you have a poacher like Barney the service they can provide for him is absolutely invaluable. It bothers me that we are adopting such a negative approach to games and I can't believe Tilly and Brush can't see how much more dangerous we look with Laurent and Freedman in the side, it was clearly apparent both on Saturday and again last night.
After two quite shocking performances I think changes are definitely needed and it is time to "rest" those players that aren't performing and inject some badly-needed creativity into this side. Personally I'd move Granty into the centre with Jeff. I'd like to eventually see Grant and Sawyer in there as a pair given that Jeff hasn't been great recently either but maybe too many changes at once would be naive. Sawyer would add much needed spark from central midfield though and also a goalscoring threat in comparison to the others, I really can't understand why Tilly doesn't give him an opportunity in his favoured position. Macca seems undroppable though despite his consistently poor form and it's hurting us. I also really think we'd benefit from giving Laurent the chance to stake a claim down the right side. He said that's where he wants to play, I'd give him a chance there - I really think he could be one of the best wingers in this league; outrageous skill, pace and to be honest a terrific delivery too and that's exactly what we need. He could also provide a goalscoring threat from midfield which is sorely lacking at the moment and would be a welcome boost (Sawyer too if he is ever picked). If I were Tilly I'd tell Laurent that's he's got to track back when we don't have the ball though and provide Franno with a bit of support back there. If Laurent blows it then that's his responsibility and I doubt he'll get another chance out wide but I really don't see we've got much to lose as the system we have simply doesn't work IMHO. If Laurent wants to play there he'll know he'll be expected to help out defensivley.
I'd also bring Freedman in up top, he showed last season before his long-term injury what a great player he could be at this level. He scored 4 in his first 4, he made chances (he also looked dangerous and created opportunities both on Saturday and last night) and now he's fully fit I'd love to see him back in the side. I really think Barnard would benefit hugely from both Laurent and Freedman's introduction. O'Donovan is just so ineffective; he has a dreadful first touch, I haven't seen him challenge for the ball either aerially or on the floor once yet and he plays so far away from his strike-partner. Yes the service is poor but Barney is still managing to look sharp and reasonably threatening. I don't wanna slate the guy but compared to Laurent/Freedman he looks totally out of his depth IMHO. I'm so glad we didn't splash £400k on him a couple of years back. I just think he's keeping better players out of the side and it's doing us no favours, no doubt Tilly feels he has to play him though. I'd be a bit miffed if I was Laurent, 2 very good performances back in the side against Orient and Leeds and he's dropped. Next game he comes on at Brighton and scores a fantastic solo goal and still hasn't troubled the starting line up since. I wouldn't mind if O'Donovan was playing well but he's been totally anonmous in all 3 games so far, one thing you can say about Laurent is that he's never anonymous.
It goes without saying we need M'voto back fit asap but I believe our problems run much deeper than that, I don't like the way we approach games and I really do hope that changes over the course of the season.
P.S. Having read the Mildy pen thread I can't believe some are critcising a keeper for not saving penalties. Some keepers are better penalty savers than others, obviously more agile keepers have a better chance of stopping them and I wouldn't class Mildenhall as a particular agile goalkeeper when compared to Flahavan who saved a few for us. The vast majority of penalties are scored anyway, the taker is expected to score. I think it's far more important to have a half decent shot-stopper who can command his area which he did last night (and did so very well again). I'd class him as a good keeper for this level, we could certainly do a lot worse - and my heart isn't in my mouth each time a cross/set-piece comes in as it always was with the (otherwise very competent) Flahavan.
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