Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 0-1 York City

[WestyReturns]

That was abysmal. Every single one of them was poor including the management choices.

How the hell was Cardwell left on for the last 20 mins? Clearly injured, could barely run. Was like playing with 10 men.

 

[Sufc.2008]

There is little wrong with our style, and it definitely isn't negative. Maher always wants us playing on the front foot, but our tempo was pedestrian today.

I’d argue playing three very similar defensive players in the centre of the pitch is quite negative.

 

[danbowen]

So I think we need a long hard look at ourselves. Since the players have been rewarded with new deals their performances have dropped. Our frontline isn’t even top 7 in this league. We need a top quality striker and a hard man in this team who has been there and done it. I think we need to play one up top and overload the midfield and utilise the wingers. I know many won’t agree with this but Bridge goes missing in more games than he does well in especially recently and just because he is a SUFC product that shouldn’t mean he is immune to criticism. I can’t see our strikers scoring another 15 goals combined this season. We need to hope we stay up and we need to get some quality in the door and not always youngsters from lower leagues. If we want to move forward experience is key to guide the younger and less experienced players too

 

[duncan bulgaria]

Maher has been given lots of plaudits in the past 2 seasons and rightly so but this latest set of results means he shouldn’t be exempt from criticism.
Simply not good enough and I can’t believe the position we find ourselves in despite the 10 points deduction .

 

[Jay_SUFC]

2 home defeats on a row, no goals is not good enough - though maybe it is, as we shouldn't be expecting to win games!!

What I don't understand is why Scott-Morris put that ball out for a corner; pathetic defending

 

[Shrimper]

Can we please stop trying to beat the next man and just cross the ****ing ball. So frustrating, needs to tell Bridge to stop doing that. Need to shoot more, number of time we've tried to find that extra pass when it just isn't needed

 

[Pak Power]

We could do with one of Stan's premier league youngster loanees with a bit of pace,
to stretch defences get in behind and get us a goal or two.

Can't see any of our current crop scoring enough to keep us up

 

[HertfordshireBlue]

I’m going to get smoked for this opinion but I’m going to explain through the post, it’s quite simply down to the management these past few games. We cannot begin to argue that the players aren’t good enough because we know that’s not remotely close to being true because we’ve seen it throughout this season.

Unfortunately our tactics are far too passive since the takeover, there is no intensity or tempo and it’s far too safe at the minute. I don’t recall seeing the slightest glimpse of quality or creativity on that pitch today but saw more sideways passes and bounced passes than I did last season combined and despite having two known prolific strikers we are unable to give them appropriate service by creating chances and a first time ball into the box forgoodness sake..

The only time I saw us remotely looking dangerous was when we decided to make York uncomfortable by running at them (mainly Crowther). The safe defensive setup does not get promotion, especially at home with a bunch of new players who’s biggest excitement is hearing roots hall rocking - but the football isn’t encouraging or anything to build excitement in the crowd. The management have to wear these last few results and change the setup.

We’re missing Kensdale’s driving runs through the middle, we’re missing an attacking midfielder wiling to take a dare in the middle of the park, turn on a six-pence and SPRINT at the opposition like Gateshead done continuously, collecting it and passing it back will not score us goals. Simply not good enough and as much as I rate our management being one of the best, they’re getting it wrong at the minute. We want attacking football because our defence is the most solid in the league but we’re not reaching our very very very high attacking potential.

 

[Medway Blue]

I'll be really worried if Kev says he was pleased with that performance.

We got no ball into the box that challenged their defence, let alone the keeper.

We didn't stretch their defence at all and at no time did we get behind their defence.

There is absolutely nothing to be gained by playing the ball up to the half way line and then backwards and repeat, which is what we did too much of the times. That shows me a lack of movement in front of the midfield by the forwards and if that's the case, that has to be worked on quickly.

Our midfield is too flat and rather than Husin playing in the hole behind the forwards, he was playing most of the time on the crowded left hand side along with Bridge and Ralph, meaning we were totally unbalanced, so on the occasions that the ball did come out to Gus, he had to go backwards, as he had no support or movement in front of him.

Because we are not getting behind the defence our crosses come in at an angle towards the keeper, not across the keeper and any defence is playing towards us and facing away from their goal, lovely for a defence and we are making it too easy.

Add to that if a ball comes out of the box from a cross won yet again by any defence, none of the midfield are forward enough to take a shot on, so yet again, by being too deep if the ball is picked up it goes sideways or backwards again.

We are in trouble and no amount of pretty passing can cover that up. We still have a lack of driving forward from midfield, lack of creativity and at the moment if we ship the first goal we have absolutely no way back into a game.

I haven't got a clue about how good Waldron could be, because we don't play to his strengths or any other striker playing like we did today.

I hope they play Ardley's after match interview, because he recognised all the above set up for it and funnily enough beat us.

This needs sorting out damn quickly.

Spot on with the analysis of our crossing and general final ball at the moment. It's **** poor.

Central midfield was indeed a bit flat, but we need someone in there who can link midfield to forwards better, and who can drive forward out of there. Toby Edser at Ebbsfleet would be ideal. Until then, our best bet is Fonguck and he should probably have replaced Husin at some point today.

Will disagree to an extent with the bit in bold. The thing to be gained from it is keeping hold of the ball and retaining control of the match. I'll take that over lumping it forward and having the opposition attack straight back. Passing around and through the lines like we do is supposed to pull the opposition about and open them up somewhat, but it needs to be done with way more tempo and urgency than we're doing it at the moment, and with players ahead of the ball who are willing to move about into space.

 

[Sufc.2008]

Maher on BBC Essex: “don’t forget the 10 points”.

Will we still be saying that if we go down by one point?

 

[sufc48]

No pace,
No plan B,
No intensity,
No ideas from the 3 Amigos,
No goals…………..again
No clean sheet………again

And no pa system in the West stand

 

[Banksy]

Stating the obvious but just not good enough. Too much tactical coaching. Keep it simple - Shoot on sight !

 

[Cricko]

It's no good Kev talking about the 10 point deduction now, we had all forgotten about that, it should not be used as an excuse for the way we are currently playing.

 

[Wickford Blue]

You say that like it has worked since November 2023

Did we win today?

 

[davewebbsbrain]

We need to find another avenue to goal than Bridge on the left. It goes out there and either gets held up halting the attack or smashed into the first man putting them on a counter. The only way to do that with these players that seem hellbent on finding him would be to move Bridge or move him to the bench for a few games.

Moving to a back 4 with Miley as a CDM and shifting Bridge in behind the front 2 might do that

View attachment 31071

We have tried Bridge in a central role and it doesn't suit him

 

[Petejames]

Gutless and quite frankly pathetic!! Waldron looks out of his depth and the keeper needs looking at!! Fair play to York they did a proper job on us!! I was slightly worried after last week I’m now extreamly worried !! Way off it

 

[MisterStubbs]

Maher on BBC Essex: “don’t forget the 10 points”.

Will we still be saying that if we go down by one point?

It’s a moot point though, we did get the 10 point deduction and we are only 1 point above the drop now.

 

[Medway Blue]

I’d argue playing three very similar defensive players in the centre of the pitch is quite negative.

None of them are defensive. Admittedly none of them have an attacking spark, but I don't think it's right to call any of them "defensive".

 

[mark387]

Stating the obvious but just not good enough. Too much tactical coaching. Keep it simple - Shoot on sight !

Too much? They seem to know only one tactic. Find bridge, hit first man, concede late

 

[Dutch Branch]

Bizarre, now that everyone has contracts they can’t string two passes together. I know it’s going to take time to gel and get it right but times isn’t on our side and losing homes games is disasters ville.

Had to endure the radio again today and if looked as bad as it’s sounded we’ve got a big job on our hands to stay up.