Post-Match Thread and Ratings Hartlepool United 0-0 Southend United

[Shepshead]

I understand frustrations but we’re literally only 2 games in. Bromley were 19th after 5 games last season

That’s true Bromley lost their first two games and took 3 points from their first five games and ended up with the least defeats in the league. It’s not the time to panic.

 

[Holy Joe]

Manager of the Season last year (quickly forgotten by some), also linked with FL clubs. A lot of "neutrals" must have also been kissing it.

And there were some very entertaining games, with some good football played. Even some of the games we lost I was entertained and enjoyed.

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

And there were some very entertaining games, with some good football played. Even some of the games we lost I was entertained and enjoyed.

I remember going away to York, and we absolutely tore them to shreds. They couldn't get the ball off of us.

 

[bluesfansince1952]

It does not matter what type of players we bring in, they will still be restricted on their attacking attributes, by a manager who plays defensive football no different to how Maher played football!! We could sign Messi & Ronaldo in their prime but still they would not score from open play!! LOL.

Actually you might be on to something as Ronaldo did play once at Roots Hall and did not score at all; open play or otherwise. It seems up to now no one has noticed that on that fateful evening one Kevin Maher was among the opposition and it can only be that during the game Ronaldo was overcome by KM's aura with the result his spirit was inexorably possessed causing the superstar to only move slowly across the pitch in a crab like motion never making a forward run towards the Southend goal.

Who knew?

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

2 star entertainment? Hmmmm.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

 

[GBJ]

With all the things he's had to put up with, I don't think you can really judge Kev's managerial ability, yet.

Respectfully disagree. I think we can absolutely judge his achievements to date.

In his first season, Kev took over a team who were relegation candidates & steered them to mid-table.

In his second season in charge, a long term embargo hampered us with recruitment & the non-payment of wages to staff/players continued to affect morale and feeling around the club. Yet Kev managed to get a tune out of them which saw us finish one place outside of the playoffs. The continued development of key players was obvious for all to see as well.

His third season was by far the most challenging. An ongoing embargo, points deduction, numerous court cases, bailiffs at the door, a training ground not fit for purpose, players on strike. But, We went a third of the season unbeaten, we humbled the eventual Champions at RH, absolutely hammered big spenders Oldham & obliterated playoff rivals Solihull, whilst on our way to eventually earning 75 points - a figure normally representative of a formidable playoff team.

The beginning of his fourth season hasn’t exactly started with a bang, granted, but it’s not as disastrous as people have made out. We’re two unbeaten against decent (on paper) teams, and only conceded once. Similar to last season, I think we’ll be tough to beat, but we’ll need to score more goals to ensure we win more than we draw. You sense that we’re always capable of going on a long unbeaten run (and you can bet your life savings the people complaining now, won’t be piping up if we go on a 10/12/14 game unbeaten streak… just as they didn’t last season).

All In all, I don’t think there’s many managers who’d have done what Kev has done so far. Who was the last Southend manager to win Manager of the Season? Imagine we’d turned against him just two games into the following season

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

Respectfully disagree. I think we can absolutely judge his achievements to date.

In his first season, Kev took over a team who were relegation candidates & steered them to mid-table.

In his second season in charge, a long term embargo hampered us with recruitment & the non-payment of wages to staff/players continued to affect morale and feeling around the club. Yet Kev managed to get a tune out of them which saw us finish one place outside of the playoffs. The continued development of key players was obvious for all to see as well.

His third season was by far the most challenging. An ongoing embargo, points deduction, numerous court cases, bailiffs at the door, a training ground not fit for purpose, players on strike. But, We went a third of the season unbeaten, we humbled the eventual Champions at RH, absolutely hammered big spenders Oldham & obliterated playoff rivals Solihull, whilst on our way to eventually earning 75 points - a figure normally representative of a formidable playoff team.

The beginning of his fourth season hasn’t exactly started with a bang, granted, but it’s not as disastrous as people have made out. We’re two unbeaten against decent (on paper) teams, and only conceded once. Similar to last season, I think we’ll be tough to beat, but we’ll need to score more goals to ensure we win more than we draw. You sense that we’re always capable of going on a long unbeaten run (and you can bet your life savings the people complaining now, won’t be piping up if we go on a 10/12/14 game unbeaten streak… just as they didn’t last season).

All In all, I don’t think there’s many managers who’d have done what Kev has done so far. Who was the last Southend manager to win Manager of the Season? Imagine we’d turned against him just two games into the following season

I totally agree. But I don't think we'll ever really know how far he can take this team / club until he gets the backing that he needs

 

[bluesfansince1952]

Is not effective management making the best and fullest uses of resources available to you?

Unlimited 'backing' will not necessarily make one a better manager.

 

[Strykr]

From what I can tell Kevs enduring game plan is an aggressive first half press, swamp em, grab a couple of goals then sit back, we havent got the personel to do this at the moment so as boring as it is he is setting them up to ensure we dont get walloped every week. We just have to suck it up until some more dynamic players come in. I think this season for better or worse will be determined by 2 or 3 long term loan signings.

The whole accomodate gubbins thing and shelve our only flair player is utterly baffling, and if he intended to play this way they should have played it every game pre season.

 

[bluethroughandthrough]

That's a complete juxtaposition there.

Perhaps but that's our situation - a fan juxtaposition... and why there are divisive views.

It's a view of the style, direction and future of the team as a fan that pays and shows up to be entertained, witnessed the hardest of times having lived through arguably some of our best and most successful times, consistently living in hope for better times to return.... and reading shrimperzone every day!

This is mixed w[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)]ith the respect for someone that has worked tirelessly to save the club and continues to do so.

The true nature of the juxtaposition is because of this incredible effort, passion and resilience how long do we support the footballing approach and in my opinion what will be the continuing challenge with success.[/COLOR]

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

Is not effective management making the best and fullest uses of resources available to you?

Unlimited 'backing' will not necessarily make one a better manager.

Who mentioned "unlimited" backing ? I'm talking about, just being able to sign players (ie no embargo) and having the correct facilities, good staff morale (being paid) etc

 

[bluesfansince1952]

Who mentioned "unlimited" backing ? I'm talking about, just being able to sign players (ie no embargo) and having the correct facilities, good staff morale (being paid) etc

No argument from me on that.

 

[Fairport]

Hopefully Adam Crowther will soon be given a start. He is a capable centre back and crucially scores goals from set peices, his record at King's Lynn was good and is way better than Taylor and Kensdale who scored just one between them last season. These possible extra goals can be crucial in the long term. Obviously as most agree we also desperately need midfielders who can contribute to the goals tally.

 

[LBBlue]

2 star entertainment? Hmmmm.

View attachment 33476

Two games running…..

 

[Snowy]

2 games played, unbeaten but no real cutting edge. The green shoots are there as seen when Noor came on.
Remember we are behind all the teams in the league due to the takeover going on for as long as it did.
Trust in Kev and Co to bring the right people in. They see the team much more than we do and will know what we need.

 

[kentblues]

2 games played, unbeaten but no real cutting edge. The green shoots are there as seen when Noor came on.
Remember we are behind all the teams in the league due to the takeover going on for as long as it did.
Trust in Kev and Co to bring the right people in. They see the team much more than we do and will know what we need.

Things will look bright on the playing side come next weekend I’m sure. We are very close to being a top 3 team- on one hand heightened expectations can lead to frustration initially (which is what we are seeing to some extent) but it will pass quite quickly I think

 

[sufc4life21]

I think there's mentality issue with our squad/management team...... the acceptance of playing for draw and not going for the win is concerning. We are in a league where its only 1 automatic place so if we want to go up then we have to win at places like Hartlepool even more so when the opposition are down to 10 men. But it's still early in the season so no real need to panic to much. I would like to see some signings come in now, our squad is undercooked. Hopefully come the end of August we signed 3/4 players and we can start winning some games.

 

[Pak Power]

Only three teams with 100% record after two games……just saying

 

[Shrimp and two veg]

A great honest post , prepare to be put on ignore by the same old few that worship Maher.
This set of players may not be world beaters but he has really moulded them into his normal dowdy style of play and I should think most managers could get a better tune out of them.
Jack Bridge on the bench yesterday summed it all up, all because he didn’t perform when played in a bizarre midfield position the week before.

I'll be honest with you too Wiggy, ive got no qualms about calling for Maher's head to roll if i think his decisions cost us weekly, i want nothing more than for this club to be back in the league.
I didnt particularly appreciate the starting lineup we had against the "mighty" Hartlepool, after spending 10hrs of yesterday in my car. If this is the football served up, thats not good enough to get out of this div.
After all the fight to save this club and yes its a massive relief to be writing about the actual football for once, are we really THAT poor that we need 9 or 10 men behind the ball at Hartlepoool !!! Hoping it comes good soon, always been a massive pro-Maher fan and love that possession style football of his, but as you can see Wiggy you are not a lone voice fighting the hoardes here.
I trust Kev will turn it round, thats a decent team that cant shoot straight, shoulda had two goals yesterday.