Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend 3 - 0 Mansfield

[Liam AAS]

Bentley:5 - Had nothing to do and nearly messed up in the first 5mins. Some poor distribution througout

Leonard:7 - Helped stretch the game and carried his midfield form into defence
White:6 - Untested but untroubled.
Prosser:6 - Brave play getting involved when he can get hurt, played a bit of hoofball but otherwise capable. With only 1 striker on the pitch after 30 mins Prosser and White had a night off essentially
Coker:9 - MotM constant threat going outside and cutting in. Great use of both feet and didn't affect his defensive duties either.

Hurst:6 - A couple of good crosses and a lucky deflection for the goal meant Kevan had a good night
Timlin:8 - Ran the game in midfiled, reminded me of the 4-0 win against Cheltenham a few years back (weeks later Butland won an England u21 cap). Understands space and exploited the gap between their midfield and attack brilliantly.
Atkinson:7 - Hasn't been below a 6 all season for me. Works harder than anyone else on the pitch, constantly closing players down and looks comfortable on the ball
Clifford:5 - Dangerous when on the pitch both with and without the ball. That red card has been coming all season and we've just been lucky enough that Laird has come back to cover. With Timlin, Leonard, Atkinson and Laird all capable of playing in the middle, I hope we won't feel his absence.
Straker:7 - Dangerous when running at their defence, won a couple of free kicks in dangerous positions and earned a couple of yellow cards for Mansfield along the way. Still lacking consistency and still prone to picking the wrong pass or dwelling on the ball but all in all a good night

Corr:6 - Worked very hard and was probably our best defender at set pieces. Not a lot going for him tonight but it's about time that the rest of the team started pitching in with a few goals

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Best passing 1 touch football seen for a long long time in the 1st half,2nd half just managed to keep on top as we tired.Coker and Timlin both outstanding with all the others putting in a good shift.If only we can be more consistant!!

 

[sufclee]

Sick to death of her hole picking it's every week

Made me chuckle!

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Whilst I enjoyed last night for it's comedy value, I'm still finding it hard to get too excited about this team. Maybe it was the horror show at Newport still weighing on my mind. Mansfield were very poor. Down to 9 men there was a lot more space (even if we were a man light) for us to exploit than we would usually get and whilst 3-0 sounds convincing, two of those goals came from deflections including one which was just about the worst goalkeeping error I've ever seen (pipping Sammy against Oxford). If that 3rd was not deflected in I don't think everyone would be leaving in quite such an euphoric mood about the lack of cutting edge despite all that possession.

The first goal was excellent though: Corr did superbly, good ball in from Hurst and Straker got himself in an excellent position but that was the exception rather than the rule. Other than Corr it seems to be a rarity to see our players in what I'd consider to be scoring positions. Atkinson popped up once and of all people Leonard from right-back, but I see a side who is going to struggle for goals over the long haul. We don't get behind defences and we don't get that many forward.

However we are defensively fairly solid. Whilst Prosser seemed to get the flack from the last match, we seemed defensively much more sound without Kiernan, who I reckon was at least partially at fault for three of the last four we've conceded.

Corr was magnificent whilst we had 11 on the pitch but became, not for the first time this season, an isolated and therefore peripheral figure once we were down to 10 men. That's the 10th sending-off we've seen this season and it's only just the start of November. That's ridiculous. Something needs to be done. At least half of those were first half red cards and it's ruining football. Football is a contact sport and that wasn't a dirty game. I know we are partially to blame by rolling around and staying down until the ref had produced a card, but there wouldn't have been too many complaints had both sides finished with 11 men.

Bentley 6 - didn't have anything to do
Leonard 8 - excellent and highly influential as ever, even from right-back
Coker 8 - recovered well from his mauling at Newport. He may play on the opposite flank, but he's managed to adequately replace Clohessy, which is no mean feat
White 7 - a calm influence
Prosser 8 - in the wars, but what was telling was despite being clattered he was winning those headers
Timlin 8 - added a much needed bit of impetus to our midfield in terms of his speed over short distances and his intelligent passes - yes his passes may be cut off, but he's the one player who seems to attempt the balls that if they come off will get us behind a defence/midfield
Clifford 5 - that red card's been only a matter of time
Atkinson 7 - worked hard
Hurst 7 - a somewhat eclectic choice as man of the match - and this was before his goal
Straker 8 - his best performance in a Southend shirt
Corr 7 - would have been more if we'd had 11 men all game but was left isolated when we went down to 10. Still played a key part in all three goals.

Subs Laird 6 - rusty
Kiernan 6 - whilst he looks an accomplished footballer he doesn't look a central defender to me. Lost his first two headers when on, which should have been a centre-half's bread and butter.

 

[billy best was god]

Just seen the highlights, 21 pass's for the third goal -pure class -pure football = time to start believing what a good team we may have for the future

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Whilst I enjoyed last night for it's comedy value, I'm still finding it hard to get too excited about this team. Maybe it was the horror show at Newport still weighing on my mind. Mansfield were very poor. Down to 9 men there was a lot more space (even if we were a man light) for us to exploit than we would usually get and whilst 3-0 sounds convincing, two of those goals came from deflections including one which was just about the worst goalkeeping error I've ever seen (pipping Sammy against Oxford). If that 3rd was not deflected in I don't think everyone would be leaving in quite such an euphoric mood about the lack of cutting edge despite all that possession.

The first goal was excellent though: Corr did superbly, good ball in from Hurst and Straker got himself in an excellent position but that was the exception rather than the rule. Other than Corr it seems to be a rarity to see our players in what I'd consider to be scoring positions. Atkinson popped up once and of all people Leonard from right-back, but I see a side who is going to struggle for goals over the long haul. We don't get behind defences and we don't get that many forward.

However we are defensively fairly solid. Whilst Prosser seemed to get the flack from the last match, we seemed defensively much more sound without Kiernan, who I reckon was at least partially at fault for three of the last four we've conceded.

Corr was magnificent whilst we had 11 on the pitch but became, not for the first time this season, an isolated and therefore peripheral figure once we were down to 10 men. That's the 10th sending-off we've seen this season and it's only just the start of November. That's ridiculous. Something needs to be done. At least half of those were first half red cards and it's ruining football. Football is a contact sport and that wasn't a dirty game. I know we are partially to blame by rolling around and staying down until the ref had produced a card, but there wouldn't have been too many complaints had both sides finished with 11 men.

Bentley 6 - didn't have anything to do
Leonard 8 - excellent and highly influential as ever, even from right-back
Coker 8 - recovered well from his mauling at Newport. He may play on the opposite flank, but he's managed to adequately replace Clohessy, which is no mean feat
White 7 - a calm influence
Prosser 8 - in the wars, but what was telling was despite being clattered he was winning those headers
Timlin 8 - added a much needed bit of impetus to our midfield in terms of his speed over short distances and his intelligent passes - yes his passes may be cut off, but he's the one player who seems to attempt the balls that if they come off will get us behind a defence/midfield
Clifford 5 - that red card's been only a matter of time
Atkinson 7 - worked hard
Hurst 7 - a somewhat eclectic choice as man of the match - and this was before his goal
Straker 8 - his best performance in a Southend shirt
Corr 7 - would have been more if we'd had 11 men all game but was left isolated when we went down to 10. Still played a key part in all three goals.

Subs Laird 6 - rusty
Kiernan 6 - whilst he looks an accomplished footballer he doesn't look a central defender to me. Lost his first two headers when on, which should have been a centre-half's bread and butter.

Down to 9 men for about 5 mins at the end. Apart from 10 mins or so, we were 10 against 10 and we controlled the game throughout. Stop being so negative

 

[OldBlueLady]

The first goal was excellent though: Corr did superbly, good ball in from Hurst and Straker got himself in an excellent position but that was the exception rather than the rule. Other than Corr it seems to be a rarity to see our players in what I'd consider to be scoring positions. Atkinson popped up once and of all people Leonard from right-back, but I see a side who is going to struggle for goals over the long haul. We don't get behind defences and we don't get that many forward.

Corr was magnificent whilst we had 11 on the pitch but became, not for the first time this season, an isolated and therefore peripheral figure once we were down to 10 men.

Tongue firmly implanted again YB? :winking: He did well in the lead up to Straker's goal, but other than that his best contribution was defensive. He should have been doing far better against a defence like Mansfield's, or maybe he just isn't up to playing the lone striker role - whatever Brown says, that wasn't 4-4-2, but 4-5-1.

 

[phsend]

I really enjoyed the game and atmosphere last night True Blue. Don't get to too many home games but it was fun last night. Love a bit of old school chanting me - PAT SCULLY IS AN IN-TER-NAT-IONAL!

 

[Romford Shrimper]

Special praise must go to Phil Brown who is slowly producing a very very good young footballing side who with our support will only get better

Agree with this. Just a shame that as soon as we lose 1 game everyone thinks it's the end of the world.

 

[leeblue]

Check out the youtube clip for hursts goal....21 passes leading to the goal

 

[Lady Shrimper]

excellent game ...well done guys ...
and the singing was brilliant....roll on Christmas :smile:

 

[Shrimpercloud]

Fridays game made me realise how much I am enjoying Brown as a manager. Mansfield could have had Sturrock in the dugout with their 'lump it to the big man' style of play. It was refreshing to see the change. That was us for the last 2 years. contrast that with the way we played for the first half hour.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Fridays game made me realise how much I am enjoying Brown as a manager. Mansfield could have had Sturrock in the dugout with their 'lump it to the big man' style of play. It was refreshing to see the change. That was us for the last 2 years. contrast that with the way we played for the first half hour.

You are a bit confused I think. Although Sturrock used a target man, the ball was held up and the likes of Hurst and Hall before him fed off the big striker. Nothing like Mansfield's style of play

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Corr 7 - would have been more if we'd had 11 men all game but was left isolated when we went down to 10. Still played a key part in all three goals.

I'll give you the third (possibly) but the other two? :unsure:

Or, are you perhaps extrapolating from PB's post match remarks, that he'd asked Corr to be a more meaningful physical presence in games?

 

[davewebbsbrain]

I'll give you the third (possibly) but the other two? :unsure:

Or, are you perhaps extrapolating from PB's post match remarks, that he'd asked Corr to be a more meaningful physical presence in games?

Played a key role in the first, held the ball up well, took on a player, passed the ball to Hurst who whipped in the cross that Straker scored from.

 

[McNasty]

Played a key role in the first, held the ball up well, took on a player, passed the ball to Hurst who whipped in the cross that Straker scored from.

I think you needed to be there to appreciate fully his contributions.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Played a key role in the first, held the ball up well, took on a player, passed the ball to Hurst who whipped in the cross that Straker scored from.

Thanks.The highlights on BP only picked up the move from Hurst's cross.

I think you needed to be there to appreciate fully his contributions.

That's fair enough but I don't have enough time to play back the full live coverage of games,just the highlights.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

I think you needed to be there to appreciate fully his contributions.

I was there Ken but you are correct

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I was there Ken but you are correct

Still don't get how Corr played "a key part " in the second goal.Care to elaborate?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Tongue firmly implanted again YB? :winking: He did well in the lead up to Straker's goal, but other than that his best contribution was defensive. He should have been doing far better against a defence like Mansfield's, or maybe he just isn't up to playing the lone striker role - whatever Brown says, that wasn't 4-4-2, but 4-5-1.

No, he was excellent in the first half hour. Won every ball that was played realistically towards him in the air, outpaced their defence for the all important first goal and was stout defensively. Given how little quality service he was given you couldn't have asked for more

Down to 9 men for about 5 mins at the end. Apart from 10 mins or so, we were 10 against 10 and we controlled the game throughout. Stop being so negative

WE scored the third against 9 men, but playing against 10 men gives you more space, even if you are down to 10 yourselves.

We controlled the game without really doing much with that control. There's a lack of incisiveness in our attacking.

I'll give you the third (possibly) but the other two? :unsure:

Or, are you perhaps extrapolating from PB's post match remarks, that he'd asked Corr to be a more meaningful physical presence in games?

Haven't seen PB's comments.

For the first Corr did fantastically well down the right hand channel to play the ball to Hurst for the cross. It's a shame BLuesWorld doesn't pick this up, although probably as relief for those who mistakenly think Corr is a cart-horse.

The second was more subtle but whose presence was it who distracted the keeper, who was he backing away from? If he doesn't get in that position the keeper deals with that ball.

The third, whose run drags defenders, causes the deflection and gets in the keeper's line of vision?

Corr is one of the few who offers this sort of movement. Leonard and, even though I don't particularly rate him as a midfielder, Straker do this well also. Decoys are just as important as the players who touch the ball. It's that much easier to beat a man when you can feint to pass then when your only option is to take him on. This is what good teams do.