Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 0-1 Sittingbourne Town

[Lincoln Shrimp]

Not very impressed when I've seen him. Barnet manager doesn't appear to rate him either.

Interestingly, a number of Barnet fans cite Hayes' inability to play the sweeper keeper role adequately as his biggest weakness.
Personally, I noticed a weakness on crosses on the few occasions I watched him last season whilst on loan at Solihull.
No denying he's an excellent shot stopper though.

 

[RobB11]

The only thing I enjoyed was watching Ben Goodliffes reaction straight after the goal. He certainly was not afraid to let Bonne know what he thought. The fact one of the more senior pros in the team is spoken to like that by a new loanee suggests to me he isn’t well thought of/respected by his peers.

Probably because he thinks he’s **** as well

 

[tottenham541]

The guy that got the winner is Anthony church who has dual signed from bishop stortford, he couldn't even make stortfords squad of 16 then plays his first game for Sittingbourne and scores.

 

[Dazzaref]

Zero for everyone involved on our side. A day that will live in infamy.

I can hear Kev’s voice when he gets home and says to his missus,”infamy, infamy, they’ve all got it infamy.”

 

[Chairman Trigg]

We've had the same problem all season ....we just struggle to score goals and barely look like scoring . Is it tactics which creates individuals who just don't click as a strike force. Quite frankly today we did have a number of chances,but our finishing was dreadful and their defending dealt with the better ones.
The very minimum now is a play off place which given the choice I would take every day over this cup.
Kev's future is on a knife edge as he shows little idea how to change a system which hasn't resolved this problem .

 

[WillMay333]

Not with KAF in midfield though. There’s no way he’s strong enough to play in a 2 man midfield IMO, and with Morton deciding to go missing too, we had no presence in midfield.

We also need to adapt tactics when needed for different opposition, 3-4-3 wasn’t working. What does Maher do? Revert to the more negative 3-5-2. We’re playing a team 3 divisions lower FFS, go 4-3-3 surely? If it worked v Forest Green, why not today?

When I mention negative tactics I was referring more to the changes with the subs than the initial starting formation.

KAF isnt strong enough to play full stop, there wasnt much Kevin could do about players refusing to push forward, i could literally hear him scream at them to drive and they wouldnt. Im honestly one of many that moans about crab football, but today was 1000% not Kevins fault.

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

KAF isnt strong enough to play full stop, there wasnt much Kevin could do about players refusing to push forward, i could literally hear him scream at them to drive and they wouldnt. Im honestly one of many that moans about crab football, but today was 1000% not Kevins fault.

You say not Kev’s fault and ok .. but WHY weren’t they listening? Didn’t he sign KAF?

 

[Shrimperjohn]

Just watched their goal again. Our only player who comes out of it with any credit is Goodliffe who gives Bonne the mother of all dressing down’s. That’s the type of player we need long term…

 

[WillMay333]

You say not Kev’s fault and ok .. but WHY weren’t they listening?

Because football is played in your head, if theyre low on confidence, anxious, any of those things, they will play safe. Ultimately its down to the gaffer to work on those issues yes, but only the players can really dictate what happens in phases during the game.

Keenan and Taylor played a 1-2 ONCE, in the 85th minute. These players are responsible for making decisions in game and they all bottled it today, they all decided to play safe and pass the buck onto someone else and no one was willing to take a risk. If Gubbins is urged forward but scared of losing the ball, he will play it back, only elite/top level performers will be able to consistently risk losing the ball.

We have no players currently willing to take men on, Bridge is able to but often is marked out of games. Keenan was supposed to be a positive player but looks so so incredibly lost.

There is only so much a manager can do as the players are there to play the game, he set up a strong side who should be able to manage amongst themselves in game, theyre full time pro footballers and its what theyre paid to do, none of them have the capacity to talk to eachother and adapt. Goodliffe was the only player organising and communicating today.

To answer your point, again, theres only so much intruction you can give, and if players dont follow, it isnt really Kev's fault. This is the exact reason Gubbins and KAF havent played much for us.

 

[rayleigh dan]

KAF isnt strong enough to play full stop, there wasnt much Kevin could do about players refusing to push forward, i could literally hear him scream at them to drive and they wouldnt. Im honestly one of many that moans about crab football, but today was 1000% not Kevins fault.

He played KAF though?! You’re contradicting yourself. He could have played Coker!

 

[Fairport]

KAF isnt strong enough to play full stop, there wasnt much Kevin could do about players refusing to push forward, i could literally hear him scream at them to drive and they wouldnt. Im honestly one of many that moans about crab football, but today was 1000% not Kevins fault.

You make a fair point but a big issue is that we have signed too many players who don't seem comfortable making runs and passes forward. Also very few players who are good finishers. The goal scoring career records for this current squad is really woeful and pathetic. Kevin has presumably sanctioned these signings and must take a fair share of the blame.The big problem is that we are stuck with too many of them on longish contracts. It's going to be a he'll of a job to turn this club into one that can challenge for promotion even in this non league competition.

 

[WillMay333]

He played KAF though?! You’re contradicting yourself. He could have played Coker!

He gave KAF a chance against a low league side. He is using rotation, he should be able to trust those in his squad, again the level of oposition is poor and theres a lot of fixture congestion so use the squad.

He couldve, but when Coker came on, he did nothing?

 

[in the know]

We don't have a naturally verbal leader on the pitch to drive the team. Not many of them at all are that loudly verbal and even shxttingborne got in the refs ear in a way we never do any more.
Act like a victim and you get mugged! We clearly haven't learnt our lesson.
Maybe Goodliffe will become a leader. I hope someone does.

 

[EastGreenNutter]

To be fair the gap between all non league teams is not that much anymore, we are where we are for a reason, congratulations to Sittingbourne.
Worst ever result in Southends history I would say.
I still think it's going to take another 3 years until we get anywhere near football league status again, Maher is doing ok but long term he's not the manager to take us forward, I actually thought he would have been gone by Xmas.
It's a long road back, this is years in the making and it won't be fixed over night.
We need a change for me, sorry.

 

[WillMay333]

You make a fair point but a big issue is that we have signed too many players who don't seem comfortable making runs and passes forward. Also very few players who are good finishers. The goal scoring career records for this current squad is really woeful and pathetic. Kevin has presumably sanctioned these signings and must take a fair share of the blame.The big problem is that we are stuck with too many of them on longish contracts. It's going to be a he'll of a job to turn this club into one that can challenge for promotion even in this non league competition.

I am by all means NOT saying our tactics this season arent the issue, they definately are quesitonable, and i am also Kev Out.

BUT, today, unequivocally, was nothing to do with Kev or his tactics. Players bottling it are the reason we lost today.

 

[Yer Blues]

KAF isnt strong enough to play full stop, there wasnt much Kevin could do about players refusing to push forward, i could literally hear him scream at them to drive and they wouldnt. Im honestly one of many that moans about crab football, but today was 1000% not Kevins fault.

What you are describing is the players not following the managers instruction.

Once the players stop listening to the manager, it's lights out.

If losing the players isn't kevs fault, given he signed most of them, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[WillMay333]

To add, Kev rightly called the players out post match. He should take responsibility as any manager should, but those players need a f*cking call out and need to get with it because they are not playing to a half decent standard.

 

[rayleigh dan]

Because football is played in your head, if theyre low on confidence, anxious, any of those things, they will play safe. Ultimately its down to the gaffer to work on those issues yes, but only the players can really dictate what happens in phases during the game.

Keenan and Taylor played a 1-2 ONCE, in the 85th minute. These players are responsible for making decisions in game and they all bottled it today, they all decided to play safe and pass the buck onto someone else and no one was willing to take a risk. If Gubbins is urged forward but scared of losing the ball, he will play it back, only elite/top level performers will be able to consistently risk losing the ball.

We have no players currently willing to take men on, Bridge is able to but often is marked out of games. Keenan was supposed to be a positive player but looks so so incredibly lost.

There is only so much a manager can do as the players are there to play the game, he set up a strong side who should be able to manage amongst themselves in game, theyre full time pro footballers and its what theyre paid to do, none of them have the capacity to talk to eachother and adapt. Goodliffe was the only player organising and communicating today.

To answer your point, again, theres only so much intruction you can give, and if players dont follow, it isnt really Kev's fault. This is the exact reason Gubbins and KAF havent played much for us.

If they’re not good enough, and I 100% agree by the way, why is it not Maher’s fault for playing them when there were better options? Or at least hauling them off before it’s too late? Did you agree with bringing Coker on for a striker rather than one of the two poor performers you mention?

Maher isn’t totally to blame today, but his decision making was incredibly safety first and misguided IMO. Why he was so scared ****less about conceding against a team so three division below is beyond me. Have some bollox man and make attack minded changes occasionally.

 

[WillMay333]

What you are describing is the players not following the managers instruction.

Once the players stop listening to the manager, it's lights out.

If losing the player isn't kevs fault, given he signed most of them, I don't know what to tell you.

I somewhat agree he doesnt have the dressing room, but i still maintain no matter who is in charge of that team today, the way they played, we were never ever going to win. If my gaffer is encouraging me to get forward and im actively choosing not to, then that is down to me and no one else.

 

[Suffering shrimper]

Can’t believe today absolutely disgusting hope we never see bonne in a Southend shirt again I ain’t to bothered about going out it’s more than manner of it they wanted it more than us and fair play to them and then what does my head in Maher coming out with the same old tripe excuse after excuse