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

[OldBlueLady]

Is the GSM injury a real injury or just keeping him fit until Jan 1st when he is most likely off?

We spoke to him while doing the flags with the JBs, who he willingly came and had a photo with. Said he'd twisted it in training and hoped to be back next week.

The last two home games I have been absolutely frozen to the core, I suspect because they have been so boring. I am not enjoying my football at the moment.

Hartlepool were a horrible side to play. Mostly giants of men who niggled, shoved, pulled shirts and generally got away with murder. I've not seen too much comment about the reckless way their goalkeeper ran out and straight into Bim, knocking him flying. How was that given as a foul against Bim?!

Thought the ref was dreadful. Some really bad challenges, that one on Bim, another on Wind and another on Bridge. And a shove in the back for Walker every time he jumped for the ball, and grappling Bim every time he did. I thought Walker was poor throughout though - how did that early shot not go in when it crossed the goal? We seem to miss someone who can toe poke one in in situations like that.

Strange set up, which I struggled to understand. I think most of us think Bonne works best with Bim, we missed Bonne out there as he coaches and encourages the forward line and has a good football brain - we saw that within 30 seconds of him coming on.

Midfield was odd too, I don't think that starting 3 had ever played together before, and it showed. I thought Moncur tried hard but Hartlepool closed down very quickly and got bodies behind the ball quicker than what we were moving it so there was no space to pass through. Same issue Bridge faced, time and time again. We just didn't move quick enough. Husin and Bridge interacted well at times, but at other times, Husin seemed to be a passenger. I didn't think Morton was as good as some, he made a couple of mistakes and gave the ball away a few times, but it was an unstable selection and it showed they didn't/couldn't trust each other.

Defensively ok, Wind looked a little as if he'd got Cucurella's boots on at times in the first half, and Hartlepool definitely seemed to target him. Crowther can, I believe, be that big, dominant CB, and shows improvement and confidence growing, I'd pick him as my MOTM on the day. Another clean sheet for Collin has to be a good thing, he looked assured.

Subs were ok, Bonne and Coker both showed how they'd been missed quite quickly, and even a slightly under par Coker was better than the other midfielders we'd had. Miley came on late, and played an inch perfect through ball to Bridge late on. I don't think we'd seen another one of those all match!

Good to see Jeff Stelling at the game, happy to have photos with our fans. He was a big supporter of ours through our troubles, vocal on the mess of bad ownership. I don't see how he can enjoy watching that kind of football often though!

Collin - 7
Wind - 6
Taylor - 6
Crowther - 7, MOTM
Ralph - 6
Bridge - 6
Morton - 6
Moncur - 6
Husin - 5
Walker - 5
Pepple - 6

 

[south247]

The Hartlepool goalie said repeatedly to South Stand fans, in second half, that he was having problems seeing properly, I think due to glare of floodlights. At least one of our players heard this too. So bit surprised not be see goalie tested more given this advantage.

 

[Jack_23]

I seem to have a bit of a different opinion about some players involved yesterday . I thought Ralph and morton had a very good game. Ralph as usual won so many headers and was partly the reason they mainly targeted winds flank. I felt Morton was the only one constantly looking to receive the ball and move it quickly. Then Coker too when he came on.
I thought wind, although quite quick, demonstrated a big lack of experience both in positional awareness and dealing with the physical side. I'm assuming it was his sponsors choosing MOM yesterday.
Walker is a sub or should play on left of a front 3 only. I hate it we worry more about reacting to how every team comes to play at home with our set up and tactics instead of giving them the problem of dealing with how we set up to go for a win. Everything is so defensive and reactive, from set up at the start to reacting to the other teams subs. Clearly bonne and bim as a 2 are our best bet to get dont , hold up any through balls and win headers . I just don't get walker starting.
Every week bridge gets in the position to cross, stops, and instead of holding the ball to lay off high up the pitch, he lets himself be edged backward backward until he does the fall over trick to try for a free kick back on the half way line. I'd rather he stay stronger, upright, and get the cross in or lay it off high up the pitch.
It seems to be getting rarer when our supposed 532 tactics let us go at teams.
Thoroughly boring game and as everyone says, a hopeless trotting around ref who at least provided a reason for the atmosphere to be raised when he did the slowest pony trot possible to get from one end to the other to see our injured player. Thank goodness is wasn't serious but did result in a booking for our coaching staff who made the red very aware of his slow trotting prowess.

Agree with the majority of that although personally thought Wind looked at bit better defensively that Gus has done

 

[Jay_SUFC]

I really wish we would be more attacking at home at least. Walker was excellent as part of a front 3 against Forest Green, so why not go with that again.

Show's Maher's mentality when he takes off Husin for Miley - why not bring on KAF!!

Those suggesting Ralph should move to LWB - no thank you. He was my MOM yesterday and pretty much won everything. We lost that when he's LWB.

 

[Holy Joe]

Your right about Moncur but there was also a lack of movement from Walker, Husin and Bridge.

Watch the highlights and that almost bizarre fluke goal for them in the first half. Keep your eye on Moncur for that whole passage of play.

I did - relatively stationary reacts when ball pings out to our left but doesn't prevent cross coming in?? Could equally highlight Husin, Bridge or a few others as well in that passage of play who look to be ball watching

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Collin - did all that was required, kicked well, occasionally slow to release ball forward
Wind - defensively sound, helped by having Taylor aware of the play and covering behind, not yet a wing back, still a full back but also still learning his trade.
Taylor - sound, steady, looked to take ball forward a few times but stalled by static midfield.
Crowther - as Taylor - and did well against the No20 on most occasions, improving.
Ralph - Mr Reliable, steady.
Morton - improving, more positive passing WHEN options available but those opportunities were restricted by lack of movements.
Moncur - frustrates the hell out of me, collects ball but then lays it off back or side, very Mantom- esque, and that is NOT a positive,I had hoped and expected much much more, which I suspect may be in him but is hidden behind lack of confidence in himself and his team mates.
Husin - poor/average until the subs and role change; (was he covering for Moncur's lower work rate/positioning?) On moving to left and working with Bridge he was good BUT ffs a shot when on CAN be tried occasionally.
Bridge - as with Husin he was poor before subs, and as with Husin take a shot sometime BUT get a cross in earlier, pretty please. He is doing better defensively but light weight in a challenge; is he still a bit unwell?
Bim - not much happened for him, not for want of effort but for want of protection from the officials, got kicked, elbowed, wrestled, forearm smashed, climbed over, shoved, pulled, bruised and bashed. Came off injured.
Walker - an individual, had one good chance which he largely made himself, other than that ? Repeatedly told by Kev to get forward as was dropping back further and further to get into play.

Subs, could and should have been made earlier imo.

Bonne, good runs, won some headers, never got a sniff of a goal chance himself but set up a few moments when we, maybe, could have got a goal IF Kendall AND a midfielder or two had followed the play forward. Needs to be starting games with Bim and/or Kendall and/or Walker; or as part of an offensive 3. Looks fit and much sharper.
Kendall - has a good work rate, obviously new to what was around him.
Coker - usual solid play, improved right side.
Cav, not long on pitch, can he play wing back role?

I have said it before but we need a leader on the pitch; the ref needed telling about the roughing up on Bim, we should have pressed their mouthy, carded No 16?, more. The instructions from the bench aren't being pushed and pushed. The midfield SO lacked drive going forward - again.

 

[JB Shrimper]

I was unable to attend as took the kids to the panto but when the panto villain asked "what do you call a group of donkeys?... Southend United" it was hard to make a case against him.

 

[rigsby]

I did - relatively stationary reacts when ball pings out to our left but doesn't prevent cross coming in?? Could equally highlight Husin, Bridge or a few others as well in that passage of play who look to be ball watching

I was more concerned when the incident unfolded. He was several yds behind an unmarked blue shirt loitering 14/15 yds out dead centre. But your right no one was convincing including walker when we half cleared it.

Likewise our lack of reaction when Bridge got put in the dug outs. Many also missed Bridge being bulldozed of the pitch in the first few minutes after H/T. Possibly the most obvious foul of the game and the ref played on.

 

[hlane17]

Likewise our lack of reaction when Bridge got put in the dug outs. Many also missed Bridge being bulldozed of the pitch in the first few minutes after H/T. Possibly the most obvious foul of the game and the ref played on.

Was going to say we're hardly a team that sticks up for ourselves.

Many teams will come to RH knowing they can bully and get next to no reaction, especially with a soft ref.

Case and point when Bim gets a flying kick off the goalkeeper and nobody appears to give a ****.

 

[Barling Magna]

Was going to say we're hardly a team that sticks up for ourselves.

Many teams will come to RH knowing they can bully and get next to no reaction, especially with a soft ref.

Case and point when Bim gets a flying kick off the goalkeeper and nobody appears to give a ****.

Missing Jason Demetriou's mouthiness.....

 

[Shrimp and two veg]

I was citing Josh Walker as part of three players that couldnt get a tune out of earlier in this thread, well i just watched the highlights and his incredible dribble with 5 Fartlepool around him and shot against the post. Fair play Josh, very unlucky. I couldn't see that very well from W block.

 

[Barling Magna]

Hartlepool were a horrible side to play. Mostly giants of men who niggled, shoved, pulled shirts and generally got away with murder. I've not seen too much comment about the reckless way their goalkeeper ran out and straight into Bim, knocking him flying. How was that given as a foul against Bim?!

The Radio Essex commentators agreed that their keeper had got to the ball first and therefore it wasn't a foul on Bim. Looking on the live stream and it's action replay at the time I wasn't so sure, but of course the ref only had one sight of it.

They did make the point that Bim would have got there quicker if his shirt hadn't been held by the defender as he broke away.

 

[Shrimp and two veg]

The Radio Essex commentators agreed that their keeper had got to the ball first and therefore it wasn't a foul on Bim. Looking on the live stream and it's action replay at the time I wasn't so sure, but of course the ref only had one sight of it.

Ref should have sat with us in direct line in W block, their goalkeeper should have pulled out (much like his father some years ago) and that was a def red card. It looked like the same keeper as up at Hartlepool earlier in season up to his antics again

 

[Shrimper]

Was going to say we're hardly a team that sticks up for ourselves.

Many teams will come to RH knowing they can bully and get next to no reaction, especially with a soft ref.

Case and point when Bim gets a flying kick off the goalkeeper and nobody appears to give a ****.

The referees in this league just don't know how to ref players like Bim. Any contact and they think it's a foul

 

[Westcliff Shrimper]

Senseless singing that chant when he was the worst player on the pitch (and often is).
Should have started with Bonne and Pepple...that is the best pairing we have currently.

Completely right at the moment…

 

[rayleigh dan]

I am sure you will want to read this ....

View attachment 34996

1 star for entertainment pretty much sums up the majority of this season, though personally I’d give 0 stars for that showing. Boring, ultra ‘safe’ football with no cutting edge is our brand.

We had 4 friends with us, taking advantage of the season ticket holders free concessions, I doubt any will be back soon
Somethings got to change, I don’t go to football to be bored stiff.

 

[Westcliff Shrimper]

We're still crying out for some pace and creativity in midfield, a proper target man up front as well as a defensive brute/ leader at the back.

100 percent.

 

[Supershrimper]

Just one question from me regarding yesterday.

Why was our Chief Scout (Jason Demetriou) watching us rather than potential targets,next opponent's etc

Surely matchday at 3pm he should be anywhere else but Roots Hall unless we was watching a Hartlepool player?

 

[cerbera45]

The only rare moment of quality (on either side) was the mazy run from Josh Walker and the shot bouncing agonisingly off the post.

 

[in the know]

Just one question from me regarding yesterday.

Why was our Chief Scout (Jason Demetriou) watching us rather than potential targets,next opponent's etc

Surely matchday at 3pm he should be anywhere else but Roots Hall unless we was watching a Hartlepool player?

Because the coaches and non playing staff were all going to Dublin for the weekend straight after the game together.