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

[Chris Powell's mate]

There’s no doubt in my mind that if the manager had no connection with Southend before being manager he would of been sacked weeks ago

....and yet those with no connection with the club made him manager of the season. Does impetus, one-touch and drive come from the manager, or does the manager realise his squad is short of these, forcing him to make the best of what he has?

 

[Sufc.2008]

Collin - 6 - played well, one excellent save during the goalmouth scramble that saved us from an even worse result.

Wind - 6 - Defensively think he's far better than GSM... attacking, he's half the player - which was noticed as every single attack predictably came down our left.
Ralph - 5 - actually thought he had one of his poorer games by his standards.
Crowther - 6 - played okay, a couple of headers directly up into the air but looked more assured than recently.
Taylor - 6 - reliable, a few of his trademark turns and tackles.

Bridge - 6 - came alive in the last 10 minutes... but ineffectual for the other 80. We need a Plan B - I'm very bored of watching the same predictable move rarely come off.
Morton - 6 - pick of the midfield, given he's playing in the most defensive position he STILL passes forwards more than the others, which shows how big the midfield problem is.
Moncur - 4 - anonymous for the majority of the match, great run at the start of the second half... but I think one burst of energy is all he has in the tank. Forgot he was playing for the first 25 minutes, whilst he was standing around uninterested.
Husin - 4 - how does he continue to start every day? Backwards, sideways, out of play... not a positive pass in his locker. Where's the old Husin gone? Maybe it's been coached out of him like the others.

Walker - 5 - should have had a goal. I want to like Walker, but I'm struggling to see much - think his partnership with Pepple is the worst combination.
Pepple - 6 - looked weaker today and was bullied by Gateshead, think he let that get to him and got more ineffective as the game went on. You can really see there's a player in there as there's the occasional spark of brilliance. Sadly don't think we will see that come to fruition at Roots Hall. Imagine Pepple with some service... would eat teams alive!

Subs:

Kendall - 6 - Looks lively, has pace and gets involved. He'll still need service though, something he will never get in this team.
Bonne - 6 - I think he has positives to offer, and we look stronger with him playing than without him.
Coker - 6 - has a bit of attacking flair that we're so obviously missing, again looked better with him on. Not sure he's the full answer, but certainly a better option than 5% energy Moncur.

I'd have struggled to pick a MOM... maybe Morton or Wind - but the bar was very low today... much like the effort levels on display.

Management - 3 - tactics and line up were off again. Not sure they'll get a tune out of this team, and Maher grows more and more irritated and angry with every game... every week is a carbon copy of the last, we seem incapable of serving up anything different.

 

[Maldon Shrimper]

Well that was disappointing neither side deserved to win.Moncur offers nothing and should go back to the Orient.Bridge needs to spend time on the bench along with Nusin both are struggling for form.In the positive vain Wind looked comfortable and Charley K looks promising.We have a massive game at York next week Kev needs to send out a side to be competitive with disire to do better than today

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

...but I agree with a unified Zone for once: this was funereal tedium. The last 15 minutes were played in near silence.

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

....and yet those with no connection with the club made him manager of the season. Does impetus, one-touch and drive come from the manager, or does the manager realise his squad is short of these, forcing him to make the best of what he has?

At what point does Maher become culpable out of interest? (I agree, not quite yet). A whole season without any embargoes, points deductions etc I know will be the answer …. but you can’t deflect all poor performances to the players. He’s got a decent squad now to allow for a bit of rotation. Home form has to improve.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

At what point does Maher become culpable out of interest? (I agree, not quite yet). A whole season without any embargoes, points deductions etc I know will be the answer …. but you can’t deflect all poor performances to the players. He’s got a decent squad now to allow for a bit of rotation. Home form has to improve.

I'm not sure the squad is that decent. Maher admitted he was playing catch-up after the summer embargo. Some of the signings have been bang average. Would have loved to see speed, drive and control - all of which were absent today.

 

[It'sGrimUpNorth]

Fans in W block boo Bonne yet same fans sing ‘ super noor Husin ‘ and ‘ bridge will tear you apart’ who both have been absolutely dreadful all season. Fan base as embarrassing as the performance

Only takes one to sing it and loads join in. Mob mentality.

 

[Shr1mperBlue]

Just a couple of things as everything covered off in the previous 7 pages.

Morton is head and shoulders above his teammates at the moment.

Bridge spends more time standing still or falling over than any winger/wing back I’ve seen. It’s probably meant to be the most mobile position which makes things doubly worse.

Toothless.

 

[Dutch Branch]

First half both teams cancelled each other out. Second half much better after the changes but it’s all very dull at the moment.

 

[Realist]

7 points away from playoffs, 7 points away from relegation. We are a mid table National League team. Deal with it. This is our level now and I think it will be for at least another 5 seasons unless we get relegated. Sad but I feel this is true.

 

[HertfordshireBlue]

I’d rather be sentenced with the death penalty than watch that 90 minutes again. The only positive being the triple change, I think it showed balls and was positive. Ultimately it’s a shame we can’t be more direct when attacking, their right winger looked quality and ran at us every time. We were too slow today, passed around the edge of their box infront of them and ultimately created nothing, crab football again.

Mahers post match interview, he said he wants goals at home and acknowledges we should have been braver and took more risks on the final stages of the attack, but I’m also confused why we continue the 5-3-2 and don’t carry on with the 4-3-3..

 

[Strykr]

Its **** poor.

At home, in front of 7000 fans, a nearly fully fit squad, against hartlepool in the national league he simply has to play 4-3-3 and go out to win. Take it to them, have confidence in your players, if we concede 2 but score 3 who gives a ****.

Play your ****ty crab 5-3-2 against the top 4 teams, away. And try and nick something or get a point.

For me he's basically saying each week that he doesnt have enough confidence in the squad to attack and win games, so he plays defensive football.

These are all players he has chosen, excuses dont really wash anymore.

Really reminds of that period in the 90s when we were totally blunt and devoid of running off the ball, spark, and creativity. You finish the game generally wondering why you just wasted your time and money....

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

I'm not sure the squad is that decent. Maher admitted he was playing catch-up after the summer embargo. Some of the signings have been bang average. Would have loved to see speed, drive and control - all of which were absent today.

The squad is definitely better than they’re showing right now. I believe that.

 

[HUMBLEPIE]

I was at Southend rugby club this afternoon. Those two white lights in the lower left of the photo are the floodlights at Roots Hall. When a goal goes in I can hear the roar from here. Nothing heard today but it finished Southend 45-34 Amersham & Chesham. I suspect I saw the better game.
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So you didn’t take the dog today.

 

[Sherif H]

7 points away from playoffs, 7 points away from relegation. We are a mid table National League team. Deal with it. This is our level now and I think it will be for at least another 5 seasons unless we get relegated. Sad but I feel this is true.

5 seasons....**** that for a laugh. If COSU are happy with that I'll eat my hat.
If we are still here in 2 seasons that'll be me done, and I suspect many others will choose to make better use of their weekends.

 

[40yearsafan]

Had a glass of wine and time to get over this afternoon. Very disappointed with little to add to the previous posts. I do think the criticism of Moncur has been a little harsh, I thought he did ok, it's very difficult to play a forward pass when there is nobody moving in front of you. I also thought Bonne looked good but his impact was limited through lack of support. Our match day squad might be selected on the week's training but today proved tactics don't often survive contact with the enemy.

 

[wiggy]

Well that was disappointing neither side deserved to win.Moncur offers nothing and should go back to the Orient.Bridge needs to spend time on the bench along with Nusin both are struggling for form.In the positive vain Wind looked comfortable and Charley K looks promising.We have a massive game at York next week Kev needs to send out a side to be competitive with disire to do better than today

Like most players under Maher’s management…..gone rapidly backwards, he’s a master at it, extracts any flair within weeks!

 

[rigsby]

Interesting stat someone came up with in the pub, perhaps some off you anoraks can confirm this....
Out of 21 games at home on a Saturday this calendar year. We have won 3

 

[Tinks]

Have to agree with most things written on here tonight and the game was boring.
I really can’t understand as on paper we have good players who are more than capable of getting us of this league yet……………… here we are not even challenging. I honestly do believe KM does not know his best team and I really do feel he tries to play his best players rather than play his best team.

 

[LBBlue]

Interesting stat someone came up with in the pub, perhaps some off you anoraks can confirm this....
Out of 21 games at home on a Saturday this calendar year. We have won 3

I reckon it’s 3 in 18 since we beat Chesterfield last November - Halifax 3-0, 10 man Aldershot 4-1 and the worst team this season Tamworth 2-0….