Post-Match Thread and Ratings Northampton Town 2-1 Southend United

[Tommy2holes]

Tommy, did you miss Clohessy ?

Edited for accuracy .

 

[rlb999]

Gilbert is a ****. Steady at the back and will offer nothing going forward. You can pass it around nicely and retain possession but offered nothing up front all game.
The lad Grant stood out but without someone to smash the onion bag regularly I think that your season may fail to live up to expectations. Northampton only started playing after conceding which is a worrying tactic but this only happened as Southend allowed it to.

Kind regards.

Fans never boo a **** player as much as you lot booed Gilbert. He must have something, or you wouldn't be cheesed off he left.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Gilbert is a ****. Steady at the back and will offer nothing going forward. You can pass it around nicely and retain possession but offered nothing up front all game.
The lad Grant stood out but without someone to smash the onion bag regularly I think that your season may fail to live up to expectations. Northampton only started playing after conceding which is a worrying tactic but this only happened as Southend allowed it to.

Kind regards.

Oh dear, my expectations were that we would be good enough to stay up. Are you a real Grim Reaper!

 

[BaileytheQuitter]

Morris- 5, this is the third goal this season I can think of that I've felt a 'keeper should be saving. His height isn't the main problem, he dives too early and his wrists are not strong enough.
Clohessy- 6, looked quite good again.
Moshni- 5, won headers but shakey defending. Poor for both goals.
Barker- 7, class and cool headed.
Gilbert- 6, dealt with the pressure well but not a great performance.
Soares- 4, does he do anything?
Grant- 8, very good once again, and another goal. Hero.
Easton- 7, good simple play.
Hall- 6, better than Soares, tricky but doesn't look like he'll cause many problems.
Simpson- 6, not as good as last week, didn't get into it.
Sturrock- 5, we didn't have one striker out of eleven players, needs someone up front with him.

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

Spencer needs a run in the team! He can't be wasted any longer! He needs to be put upfront! He would've caused a lot of problems with their **** poor centre backs especially their hero, number 6!

PS got the tactics wrong !

Morris - 6.5
Clohessy - 6.5
Barker - 7
Mohsni - 5
Gilbert - 6

Soares - 6
Easton - 7.5 MOTM
Grant - 7.5
Hall - 7
Simpson - 6.5

Blair - 6

Had to be two upfront. Frustrating it really was.

They where **** and the game was so scrappy. We managed to come away with the ball most of the time. We where worth a win, they definitely weren't. If Northampton play like that, I'd be surprised if they are in the league next season.

I suppose it's just one of those things. Better luck next time.

Head up!

COME ON YOU BLUES!

 

[GBJ]

Spencer needs a run in the team! He can't be wasted any longer! He needs to be put upfront! He would've caused a lot of problems with their **** poor centre backs especially their hero, number 6!

I generally like Spencer, but he was shockingly poor against luton in midweek, and showed why he hasn't been in the team lately.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Yes. I will be seeing you soon.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Oh dear, my expectations were that we would be good enough to stay up. Are you a real Grim Reaper!

Yes. See you soon!

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

I generally like Spencer, but he was shockingly poor against luton in midweek, and showed why he hasn't been in the team lately.

Fair enough! Did he score?
If he isn't playing that well then fair enough. But Blair hasn't played that well for the last few games, that isn't necessarily his fault, because the team didn't play to his strengths and he got battered about by the Torquay defenders.
I think it's time for Spencer to be given a chance because I truly believe he will score a fair few.
I wouldn't even replace Blair, I'd play a straight 442 with Blair and Spencer upfront.

We need someone to get behind the oppo's defence, Spencer can do this.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Fans never boo a **** player as much as you lot booed Gilbert. He must have something, or you wouldn't be cheesed off he left.[/QUOTN

No issue with his ability as a defender. Steady and unspectacular. Doesn't venture forward but then when you are there to stop the otherteam scoring that is fine. The cheesed off part is in that a player who we effectively rescued from the scrapheap of non conctracted players acted terribly and without any degree of honesty or integrity. Quickly accepted the contract offered him in May and then made excuses, lost his pen, forgot to bring back the papers etc etc etc, started preseason and even gave interview about the forthcoming season. All this when he knew his true intentions.

 

[Tinks]

On another note, if Granty continues to put in these good performances and is scoring regularly I fear his time with us may be short, as, someone will pick up on him and whisk him away and if a good enough offer is placed on the table cannot see SUFC holding onto him.

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

Blair Sturrock is s**t

Don't know why but this image immediately came in to my head

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke5Mr5eCF2U

 

[Angell Delight]

We are very close to having a decent team, most would agree that Soares has to be dumped. Bilel will learn and get better, but to get promotion, we need a striker or strikers that can finish off a game when well on top, or get us back in the game when a goal behind. At the moment, we have neither.

Agree and agree, I'm sure PS can see it but we need a striker and quickly or our failure to kill off games will see us lose touch with the teams at the top.

 

[Angell Delight]

Fair enough! Did he score?
If he isn't playing that well then fair enough. But Blair hasn't played that well for the last few games, that isn't necessarily his fault, because the team didn't play to his strengths and he got battered about by the Torquay defenders.
I think it's time for Spencer to be given a chance because I truly believe he will score a fair few.
I wouldn't even replace Blair, I'd play a straight 442 with Blair and Spencer upfront.

We need someone to get behind the oppo's defence, Spencer can do this.

Have to agree, Spencer is the only striker we have capable of getting in behind. Last season when he came in he looked decent and got a few goals at a higher level than this, however he was playing with Vernon and needs to be played in a 4-4-2 with a striker good in the air that he can play off. For me the best candidate is Corr, although it could work with Paterson......

If we continue playing 4-5-1 I'd either leave Spencer out or stick him in for Soares. He can't play the lone striker role. It's a big problem though as if we went 4-4-2 then Simpson would have to play out of position, to be honest I'm not sure what our best formation is and I'm not sure PS even knows at this point either.

 

[MattLloyd]

Don't think we can put it down to Blair Sturrock starting on his own up front. Surely his Dad knows his limitations? Think that last week against Torquay Blair was superb, yesterday he got fouled a few times then started looking for fouls all through the match. He is not a goal scorer, therefore play one of Paterson or Spencer besides him to give him an out let for his neat little touches/passes.

Bilel was horrendous, should have been subbed after the first goal because his brain was fried! Coughlan should have taken his place to steady the ship.

Corr, don't know why he came on, obviously unfit. Paterson needs pitch time, I fear that he will just up sticks and leave to get first team football, and will fall into the category of another striker scoring goals for fun for some other team. Spencer too needs pitch time, a much better player than either Soares or Hall.

Scores on the doors:

Morris 5 - does not command his 6 yard box
Clohessy 4 - just didn't see any confidence there
Barker 8 - outstanding defender
Bilel 3 - sorry, terrible defending, cost us two goals and could have cost us a lot more
Gilbert 4 - no threat going forward whatsoever, happy to sit deep and defend, which cost us
Simpson 4 - poor incomparison to his recent performances
Grant 8 - another great game
Easton 7- keeps it simple
Soares 2 - sorry, just don't see it
Hall 5 - definitely has someting, but needs to really start showing it
Blair 6 - heart and endeavour but needs a partner

Subs

Corr 2 - why did he come on, not fit
Paterson 7 - got stuck in, but why on the left wing?
Spencer 4 - hardly got a touch

Widdrington/Sturrock 4 - tacitcally wrong today - NT were very poor we should have gone 4-4-2 after about 20 minutes

Ref/Lino's 4 - some pretty poor basic refereering

 

[GBJ]

Fair enough! Did he score?
If he isn't playing that well then fair enough. But Blair hasn't played that well for the last few games, that isn't necessarily his fault, because the team didn't play to his strengths and he got battered about by the Torquay defenders.
I think it's time for Spencer to be given a chance because I truly believe he will score a fair few.
I wouldn't even replace Blair, I'd play a straight 442 with Blair and Spencer upfront.

We need someone to get behind the oppo's defence, Spencer can do this.

He scored yes, but it was the simplist of tap-ins, which was basically gift-wrapped and handed to him on a silver platter by their keeper.

The truth is, Sturrock still doesn't know his best strike force, and has to keep trying new things. The problem is, none of our strikers have stepped up to the mantle. They might have ability, but that is irrelevent if they're not producing, on the pitch and in front of goal.

Then you have to question; are they actually good enough?

- Paterson - shows great vision and nice touches but is reletively slow and as weak as a kitten
- Spencer - The paciest of the lot, but again quite weak and looks very ineffective 90% of the time
- Corr - battering ram up top, but won't score shedloads. Not a problem, as long as your team mates are scoring goals.
- Sturrock - Tries and tries, but not a goalscorer. Same boat as Corr, not a problem if others in the team are scoring, but when our goalscoring hopes are rested on their shoulders, are you overly confident?

 

[GBJ]

Have to agree, Spencer is the only striker we have capable of getting in behind. Last season when he came in he looked decent and got a few goals at a higher level than this, however he was playing with Vernon and needs to be played in a 4-4-2 with a striker good in the air that he can play off. For me the best candidate is Corr, although it could work with Paterson......

Paterson hasn't got the strength or the mindset to be a target man

 

[GBJ]

Coughlan should have taken his place to steady the ship.

Coughlan is the slowest man in living history and is very much prone to a foul. I can see him costing us goals and subsequent points if he is a regular in the starting XI

 

[Andy_S]

I'd like us to go 4-4-2 for Morecambe and play Corr alongside Paterson. Corr will take the physical battering, hopefully allowing Paterson to find a little space for himself.

 

[MattLloyd]

Coughlan is the slowest man in living history and is very much prone to a foul. I can see him costing us goals and subsequent points if he is a regular in the starting XI

Up againts the speed of who? Northampton had absolutely nothing! Bilel had lost it, he should have been subbed.

I'd like us to go 4-4-2 for Morecambe and play Corr alongside Paterson. Corr will take the physical battering, hopefully allowing Paterson to find a little space for himself.

Agree totally. Providing Corr is fit, he looked in pain yesterday.