Post-Match Thread and Ratings Oldham Athletic 1-1 Southend Utd

[Jai]

Pepple will have easier games. For all Oldham disappointed their fans last season, they have a solid enough back line and have recruited well during the summer. They'll be up there for sure and he had to feed off scraps to an extent today.

I did think we defended particularly well especially at times during the second half, which reminded me of the York game a little in that we never got carved open against a good side, but we did concede from a set piece which was a little disappointing. Have to admit I could only see it going one way after that but we frustrated them and managed the game well. Given the challenges we face through lack of numbers, I thought we played some good stuff at times, and we could easily have won it in stoppage time.

Our first three aways have all been very tough, it won't get much tougher than Barnet, Hartlepool and Oldham as your first three on the road.

I've had a break from social media this week, the constant doom was getting me down (not just SUFC related) and it really is a cauldron of idiocy at times. It's done me the world of good, and I feel a lot more positive.

The issues we have at the moment are short term and will be fixed. What we should all be grateful for is the effort that those boys put in for the shirt. Over the past three years we have been incredibly lucky to see that. Personally I'm relatively accepting of the fact I'm a Southend fan and we're always going to lose lots of games of football. We're not going to have lots of amazing seasons where we blitz leagues. I'm a fan who lives for moments and takes success as a bonus if it comes but never expects it.

I take a lot of enjoyment at the moment in watching a group of players and a management team that realise the privilege of representing this great club. And I trust all of them to do the best they possibly can with the circumstances they can control. John Still will find more gems. Maher, Currie and Bentley will continue to improve the players we have, and the players will continue to give their all for the club. Now, we have an ownership group that cares about the club and has been willing to take on extraordinary amounts of expenditure to cover quarter of a century's worth of profligacy. Personally, I'm not going to start asking them to splash more cash. Everyone is clearly aware that we need bodies in through the door, but we need to trust the process. It hasn't let us down yet.

 

[Gt Yarmouth Shrimper]

Pepple will have easier games. For all Oldham disappointed their fans last season, they have a solid enough back line and have recruited well during the summer. They'll be up there for sure and he had to feed off scraps to an extent today.

I did think we defended particularly well especially at times during the second half, which reminded me of the York game a little in that we never got carved open against a good side, but we did concede from a set piece which was a little disappointing. Have to admit I could only see it going one way after that but we frustrated them and managed the game well. Given the challenges we face through lack of numbers, I thought we played some good stuff at times, and we could easily have won it in stoppage time.

Our first three aways have all been very tough, it won't get much tougher than Barnet, Hartlepool and Oldham as your first three on the road.

I've had a break from social media this week, the constant doom was getting me down (not just SUFC related) and it really is a cauldron of idiocy at times. It's done me the world of good, and I feel a lot more positive.

The issues we have at the moment are short term and will be fixed. What we should all be grateful for is the effort that those boys put in for the shirt. Over the past three years we have been incredibly lucky to see that. Personally I'm relatively accepting of the fact I'm a Southend fan and we're always going to lose lots of games of football. We're not going to have lots of amazing seasons where we blitz leagues. I'm a fan who lives for moments and takes success as a bonus if it comes but never expects it.

I take a lot of enjoyment at the moment in watching a group of players and a management team that realise the privilege of representing this great club. And I trust all of them to do the best they possibly can with the circumstances they can control. John Still will find more gems. Maher, Currie and Bentley will continue to improve the players we have, and the players will continue to give their all for the club. Now, we have an ownership group that cares about the club and has been willing to take on extraordinary amounts of expenditure to cover quarter of a century's worth of profligacy. Personally, I'm not going to start asking them to splash more cash. Everyone is clearly aware that we need bodies in through the door, but we need to trust the process. It hasn't let us down yet.

Amen to that.

 

[KiwiRob]

Was really struggling for short centre halves!

Maybe he only appeared small as he played next to 6’4” Spinner but wiki has him as a 5’10” which is really small for a centre half. What a player though.

I know let of us of mentioned this before. But Paul Clark's performance against Wolves in 1987 after David Webb resigned was one of the most inspirational I can ever remember from player wearing the Southend shirt. Wolves had Southend under the cosh that night but somehow we won the game 1-0 at Roots Hall. Clark played the game with a huge heart, never-say-die-spirit, and was a really intelligent player.

 

[bluethroughandthrough]

Watching the england game after highlighted the value of the managers mentality of playing football. The shift in mentality, playing players where they should be and letting players express themselves wonderful to see. Second half held on to the game.

Maher is in the glass half empty Southgate camp and his game mentality the same.

Too many comments about stopping the rot, a draw earned etc. A wing back as top scorer. Chances created and goals scored low. These are all outcomes of that mentality.

Regardless of the issues I wish we could see a bit more of Englands shift (and Wales for that matter).

If we finish mid table I'd prefer to see us attack and lose a few than defend and draw most.

Note Gateshead beat Barnet today. Hardly a plethora of world beaters playing part time and top of the table with 11 goals difference. Really need expensive players to get ahead? Perhaps if we lump it forward expecting strikers to do everything by themselves.

 

[Jai]

Watching the england game after highlighted the value of the managers mentality of playing football. The shift in mentality, playing players where they should be and letting players express themselves wonderful to see. Second half held on to the game.

Maher is in the glass half empty Southgate camp and his game mentality the same.

Too many comments about stopping the rot, a draw earned etc. A wing back as top scorer. Chances created and goals scored low. These are all outcomes of that mentality.

Regardless of the issues I wish we could see a bit more of Englands shift (and Wales for that matter).

If we finish mid table I'd prefer to see us attack and lose a few than defend and draw most.

Note Gateshead beat Barnet today. Hardly a plethora of world beaters playing part time and top of the table with 11 goals difference. Really need expensive players to get ahead? Perhaps if we lump it forward expecting strikers to do everything by themselves.

I don't think you can compare the riches Gareth Southgate had at his disposal with Kevin Maher's desperate situation.

Also, England were playing Ireland. Who quite frankly are terrible and I suspect if Southgate had still been in charge people would be moaning it was only 2-0.

 

[* ORM *]

Watching the england game after highlighted the value of the managers mentality of playing football. The shift in mentality, playing players where they should be and letting players express themselves wonderful to see. Second half held on to the game.

Maher is in the glass half empty Southgate camp and his game mentality the same.

Too many comments about stopping the rot, a draw earned etc. A wing back as top scorer. Chances created and goals scored low. These are all outcomes of that mentality.

Regardless of the issues I wish we could see a bit more of Englands shift (and Wales for that matter).

If we finish mid table I'd prefer to see us attack and lose a few than defend and draw most.

Note Gateshead beat Barnet today. Hardly a plethora of world beaters playing part time and top of the table with 11 goals difference. Really need expensive players to get ahead? Perhaps if we lump it forward expecting strikers to do everything by themselves.

Whereas I’m a half glass full man. The club is safe, we are ravaged by injuries and yet here we are having just lost one of three tough away games.

 

[Rock Lobster]

Maher is in the glass half empty Southgate camp and his game mentality the same.

I was never Gareth Southgate's biggest fan. All that talk about standing up for social justice whilst being paid several million pounds to play in Qatar, a country with an abysmal human rights record, struck me as a Gary Lineker level of self delusion.
However, I suspect that in years to come his tournament record will stand out like a sore thumb as a rare period when England were competitive at the top level.

 

[stewart]

Whereas I’m a half glass full man. The club is safe, we are ravaged by injuries and yet here we are having just drawn one of three tough away games.

corrected for you

 

[* ORM *]

corrected for you

I meant over the season but should have switched lost and just in the order

 

[RHB]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1832462234540229010

 

[bluesfansince1952]

Whereas I’m a half glass full man. The club is safe, we are ravaged by injuries and yet here we are having just lost one of three tough away games.

Although my glass is half full today I live in the hope it will be positively overflowing come Wednesday!

 

[Mr Browns Ghost]

Disagree. You’re another one who, since the takeover, thinks we should be winning every game.

Just see it for what it is - a decent point away at one of the bigger teams in the league.

Am I ? Is that what I am ? Football fan wants his club to win … ‘another one ‘ god forbid people like me aye?

For what it’s worth I’ve thought we should be winning every game for the last 10 years

 

[Booma]

Harsh on Pepple. He's come in from Luton reserves and been thrown up front on his own for his first game for us. And even Cardwell didn't run the channels like Cardwell did when he first joined.

Did I think Pepple had a great game? No, I didn't, but I would critisise him.

Funny how people say we were so poorly ineffective once he went off though.

Give the lad a chance.

I felt in the first half he didn’t get much service, looked a bit better in the second half. Forced the keeper into a decent save with his one shot on target. Looked a little sluggish and lacking a bit of match practice. Given more time and match practice he’ll do a good job.

 

[Booma]

Up until the first goal the first half was rather forgettable for both teams. Second half much better (until Pep went off) Colin’s distribution was poor yesterday, too many balls kicked straight out of play.

Never felt confident when we were defending, back three do not fill me with confidence. Ralf and GSM looked good going forward, and picked up another goal.

Midfield was solid if a little unremarkable, Moncur was the stand out performer for me, seemed to have more time on the ball than anyone else.

Pep was anonymous in the first half (mainly due to lack of service), better second half but needs match practice.

As we are all accurately aware, the lack of squad depth shone through when we took our only striker off. No options or shots in the final third once pep went off. We were limited to a couple of long range efforts.

Hard fought point, with plenty of effort from every player on the pitch. Noticed the Oldham players didn’t go to their fans. Great support as ever from all of those when made the long journey up north

 

[graingerroad54]

Oldham forum was saying our no2,7,23 were thugs trying to ruin the game lol

And we took gamesmanship to a new level. Was this right?

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

corrected for you

Two draws from 3 games.

 

[Roger The Alien]

You guys should have checked Barnet and Sutton forum, they going into a meltdown, Barnet with big squads, are losing games, it’s will leave most of players unhappy, especially they signed far too many players, lost comfortably by Gateshead. Sutton at full strengths, lost 3-0 at home to Boston, a side we beaten comfortably few weeks earlier.

If we had full strength side, with lots of new signing, fair enough, we can have an go at our manager, but not when he have a bad cards to play with. Judge him, when we get new faces in.

 

[geoffmundo]

You guys should have checked Barnet and Sutton forum, they going into a meltdown, Barnet with big squads, are losing games, it’s will leave most of players unhappy, especially they signed far too many players, lost comfortably by Gateshead. Sutton at full strengths, lost 3-0 at home to Boston, a side we beaten comfortably few weeks earlier.

If we had full strength side, with lots of new signing, fair enough, we can have an go at our manager, but not when he have a bad cards to play with. Judge him, when we get new faces in.

Indeed. Boston, who many were fearful of their chances of staying up this season, have won more games than us (albeit having played one game more) and are on the same number of points as us.

 

[LBBlue]

Was really struggling for short centre halves!

Maybe he only appeared small as he played next to 6’4” Spinner but wiki has him as a 5’10” which is really small for a centre half. What a player though.

There was a guy called Mike Harrison who played a few games for us in 72/73 at centre half who was probably about 5ft 8”/9”. Paul Clark is a giant of a player.

There was also a winger called David Keefe who was only 5ft 4” who played a couple of times in the early 70s.

I’m sure you will find a shorter keeper than Darryl as well if you go back far enough. They all look so short now against the 6ft 4/5” giants that are around now. They didn’t exist 50 years ago.

 

[jarvisyeh]

Watching the england game after highlighted the value of the managers mentality of playing football. The shift in mentality, playing players where they should be and letting players express themselves wonderful to see. Second half held on to the game.

Maher is in the glass half empty Southgate camp and his game mentality the same.

Too many comments about stopping the rot, a draw earned etc. A wing back as top scorer. Chances created and goals scored low. These are all outcomes of that mentality.

Regardless of the issues I wish we could see a bit more of Englands shift (and Wales for that matter).

If we finish mid table I'd prefer to see us attack and lose a few than defend and draw most.

Note Gateshead beat Barnet today. Hardly a plethora of world beaters playing part time and top of the table with 11 goals difference. Really need expensive players to get ahead? Perhaps if we lump it forward expecting strikers to do everything by themselves.

It's not Mahers mentality at all. He can only play a system that works for the players he has at his disposal and at the moment we only have 1 striker and 1 attacking midfielder. We don't have the players to play the free flowing attacking football I'm sure Maher wants to play.