Our Problem

[Southend Elvis]

I wonder what our major problem is this season,
Playing better teams...
Bad team spirit....
Poor management....
Bad signings....
No team work....
A mixture of all the above, maybe some others.
We have played well in spell's this season ( against top teams ) so I personally don't think we can't do it, we just don't do it often enough...

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

a) Not surprisingly really; we WERE promoted last season.
b) Possibly - but why do you think has that changed in less than six months?
c) Possibly - but why do you think has that changed in less than six months?
d) Who? How about an appraisal of this season's signings rather than a swift dismissal?
e) Possibly - but why do you think has that changed in less than six months?

 

[Southend Elvis]

You are getting touching in your old age, have you just learned that father christmas doesn't exsist... all I'm doing is asking a question, if you look at my post again I think it's down to lack of consistancy, but I don't know why we can't do it on a regular basis,

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

I'm not grouchy at all. I'm wondering what are your reasons behind your suggestions. Read my comments again; in some instances I come close to agreeing with you but, as you said recently, my position in Spain means that (quite rightly) I can't make a proper evaluation of our performances because I have not seen any games. However, as I asked above, all of these factors you talk about above helped Southend United to win League One; I'm simply wondering why you think things have changed. That's all.

 

[steveo1]

Playing better teams... Definitely
Bad team spirit.... no
Poor management....no
Bad signings.... possibly The big signing for us was a Goat replacement which didnt work out. Tilly really needed Payntr to make an instant impact
No team work.... no

I would point to a smallish squad due to lack of money. Not anyones fault, Ron is doing more than anyone else, but unfortunately doesnt have a massive budget.

 

[shrimper4life]

We're lacking pace and need more physical players

 

[Jam_Man]

Quote[/b] (Southend Elvis @ Dec. 26 2006,09:43)]Playing better teams...

Hitting. Nail. Head.

The fact is we are where we are is the division is a lot harder than before.

We could have been doing better with this exact same squad (ala Col U) but unfortunately we never managed to put a couple of wins together so our confidence and self belief soon evaporated.

 

[Southend Elvis]

Team spirit has been affected by the new additions and the exclusions at the end of last season. Management hasn't been as good as last season, brought on partly I think by Tilly trying to accomadate his new signings into the squad (still playing them while playing so poorly). Better teams yes on one hand but I've seen teams this season that didn't impress me, the teamwork has suffered but the big thing is the Carling Cup, why did we play so well in that and not in the league, is it because there was no pressure on us, are our players trying to impress our prem cousins, every game now is like a cup final but we just fail to click. Mind you I don't think Tilly knows the problem either...

 

[Southend Elvis]

Quote[/b] (Jam_Man @ Dec. 26 2006,11:24)]

Quote[/b] (Southend Elvis @ Dec. 26 2006,09:43)]Playing better teams...

Hitting. Nail. Head.

The fact is we are where we are is the division is a lot harder than before.

We could have been doing better with this exact same squad (ala Col U) but unfortunately we never managed to put a couple of wins together so our confidence and self belief soon evaporated.

Jam man how do you explain Man U and Spurs

 

[Jam_Man]

Biggest games of their careers = that extra bit of effort.

Cup games are a whole different kettle of fish and you cant place any value on those games. After all if we can beat Man Utd we should be top of the premiership.

 

[andrew_sthnd]

i think one of our main problems is the fact that we dont have a big bustling no.9 to lead the line, put himself about and score a few goals! i think tilly had it spot on when choosing to buy ricketts - unfortunately (for whatever reasons) it didnt work out!

 

[Jam_Man]

We could indeed do with a decent striker to lead the line, Harrold isnt it, Bradbury does a good job but his lack of confidence in front of goal looks a problem.

I think Id like to see two strikers who actually get in the box, Freddy is superb but its getting predictable with him sitting outside the box whilst whoever is playing up front sits in the box completely marked out of the game.

 

[Beefy]

- Bradbury's injury was a major blow and Eastwood's reluctance to even get into the box unless we have a corner is getting almost ridiculous now.

- JCR's complete inability to score a single goal or get a single assist.

- Clarke and Barrett's inability to form a partnership which saw us conceed a huge number of goals at the start of our winnless run.

- Paynter failing to hit the ground running.

- Ricketts not working out.

- Failure to replace Bentley, which was compounded by Gutts falling out with Tilson and then taking his problems onto the pitch with him.

All the above have contributed to where we are right now. But ultimately I again go back to single underlying problem which is asking a team with the same spine as the one which almost dropped out of the Football League just three seasons ago to compete on a level playing field with teams packed full of current internationals and former/future Premiership players. Look at saturday - Eastwood and Bradbury were up against two International centre-backs (including one of the top six English central defenders who is strongly tipped to be bought for £5m+ within the next couple of weeks) and then if they do manage to create a chance they've got to put it past a keeper who recently kept a clean-sheet against Spain.

But its down the other end where the real problems have been. Much as people claim we were solid at the back last year we really weren't. Read back through any of the reviews of the matches and you'll find numberous mentions of defensive blunders which would have cost us goals had it not been for some woeful shooting from the cumbersome lower-league striker we were up against or for a brilliant save from Flavs. As we've stepped up a level we've been punished for every mistake we've made.

I don't buy the "lack of team spirit" arguement. Last year's squad a great spirit because we were winning matches. This year's spirit is seemingly not as good because we're getting hammered a couple of times a month.