Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 0-2 Crewe

[Blue_Wes]

If we were going to make these kind of statements after one particularly bad performance, then Tilson would've been gone long before RM eventually cast the axe. I value your opinion on these boards as they're largely more rounded than 95% of regular posters, but I do think that kind of judgement is rash.



I thought he was absolutely abysmal.


It's hard to see where we've come from and where we go from here, to be quite honest. To start with, I could see why we went with a solid three at the back and two wing-backs, as Crewe pressed with a front three onto our back line in the first half and looked to mount pressure, which is something I understand they've done continually this season (which would explain their freakish results). However, we were all over the place today. Either we weren't familiar with the formation at all, in which case we shouldn't have played it, or the players went completely to pot when it actually mattered, in which case individuals have to be held accountable.

I felt for Barker today. He's generally a consistent performer, but he had Herd gifting possession to the opposition to his left, and Coughlan doing the same to his right, leaving him conducting the job of three people himself. Clohessy was great, as always, and probably the best of an awful, awful bunch defensively. Coughlan didn't do an awful lot wrong in this field, but his distribution was abysmal. Prosser, again, I felt for. He struggled positionally, which was largely down to Johnny, Johnny Herd. Herd, IMO, was all over the place. His positioning was terrible, his distribution even worse and I genuinely can't think of a performance that played into the opposition's hand as much as Herd's today. I know I haven't been his biggest fan in the past and I know how this might come across, but I genuinely cannot see where Herd goes from here. I'm led to believe he spent a week with Crewe earlier this month, and they must've known exactly how to get to him.

In midfield, Grant and Timlin toiled but were let down massively by those around them. Soares was massively hit and miss and needed to get involved more, but Herd was miles off where he should've been and there was absolutely no balance in the team whatsoever.

Up top, the less said the better. Fairhurst, I just can't see what he offers the team at all. He's not quick, he's not good in the air and he certainly doesn't look predatory... Him and Paterson both shyed away from sticking their foot in when the ball was whipped in, and it cost us a goal in the second half... Both PS and TW went bat**** mental when Pato/Fairhurst failed to get anything on Soares' deep cross, and it led directly to Crawford being brought on who definitely looked to be more effective.

It's been said that we're a Jekyll and Hyde side at the moment, and that was more than evident today. I'm trying not to put today's blame at anybody's door, but Herd's performance enrages me every time I think about it. For the second goal, Barker had to drag himself out wide as Herd was woefully out of position and, when the cross came in, Herd was nowhere to be seen. Yes, Morris should've done better, but nobody even attempted to get anything on the delivery.

Tactically, it's hard to tell. We went in with a system that directly led to our downfall, which leads me to think that either we weren't prepared for it at all, or it just didn't translate to the playing field. Either way, it was to blame for todays abysmal showing and PS needs to learn that this crop of players don't look like functioning in a system other than 4-4-2 or, at a push, 4-3-3/4-5-1.


Ratings, for Pringello's benefit.

Morris - 6 - Distribution was good as ever and was tragically let down for the goals.
Clohessy - 6 - Easily our best signing this Summer, with Corr a close runner up.
Barker - 6 - Let down by those around him
Coughlan - 5 - Defensively sound, anything else was terrible
Prosser - 5 - If he was meant to play CB, then he was good enough aside from one slip. If he was meant to play LB, he was out of position most of today.
Herd - 4 - Less said the better
Grant - 7 - Never say die attitude, yet again.
Timlin - 7 - Class act when things were going his way, showed some spirit when it wasn't.
Soares - 6 - Difficult to judge as we were so imbalanced.
Fairhurst - 4 - Bye.
Paterson - 5 - Ineffectual, needs to develop a pair of testicles and put his body on the line for the cause.

Subs - Hall - 7 - We looked a far better outfit when he was introduced with, funnily enough, more balance.
Jarvis - 5 - Pretty ineffecutal, but the game was long gone by the time he came on.
Crawford -6 - Impressive work rate.

It seems a bit much to pin the blame of a 5 man defence on one player. Barker played ok, but Coughlan was just as bad as Herd today if not worse, everytime he had the ball, he just hoofed it into the air, for the Crewe midfielders to collect and attack again, everytime Coughlan got the ball, it basically meant we were on the back foot again. Herd was caught out positionally but the goals were down to shoddy closing down and poor marking in the centre of the field. The first goal was down to attrocious midfield play, the Crewe midfielders had so much freedom in front of our box it was ridiculous, no wonder they had time to pick out the easy pass into the box which Prosser and Coughlan just seemed to watch. The second goal, f*** me, I can't even put into words, so poor.

All in all a shoddy performance and as bad a decision as it was by Sturrock to suddenly change the formation and personnel, he can't be blamed for the shocking TEAM performance today.

For what it's worth...

Morris 5 - Shocking for goal two, and looked shaky
Clohessy 6 - Best of a bad bunch...didn't look comfortable as a wing back.
Herd 5 - Again didn't look comfortable as wing back, caught in possesion too often
Coughlan 4 - abysmal distribution constantly added to the pressure
Prosser 5 - anonymous except for the mistakes - lacks confidence and it seems ability
Barker 6 - Performed ok, but failed to impose himself as he usually would
Soares 4 - Was he even playing??
Timlin 6 - One of the few players that can play, moves the ball intelligently, shocking that some fans don't like him, but each to their own
Grant 6.5 - Worked very hard, struggled by his own standards, I think this caused a lot of the criticism on here, but best of a bad bunch
Pato 5 - Poor performance, worked hard but no service caused him to struggle, looks like he isn't working hard when he his
Fairhurst 4.5 - Poor, didn't bring anything to the side that Spencer or Crawford couldn't of bettered. Sturrock let go of your grudges and play the players with ability.

Crawford 5 - decent effort but no time to impact
Hall 6 - Why the hell is our most potent attacking player on the bench????
Jarvis 5 - No time.

Interesting that a lot on here thought it was 3-5-2, I thought it was 5-3-2 with wing backs, yet SKY had it as 4-3-3 (Soares the third striker). It doesn't matter really having made an average team look good.

Bury should be fun - at least the beers cheap!

 

[Andy_S]

I haven't really posted too much on here recently, and for the last couple of games I haven't posted my usual dribblings. It's a shame that the first time back is after that, but ho hum.

The formation change was completely and utterly bizarre. Quite why we felt the need to do that I don't know. It affected practically all of the players it seemed. Although it was no excuse for the constant hoofing forwards that we persisted with. With Corr out, the strikers barely weigh ten stone, let alone are able to win any headers against the stereotypical lump of a centre half you find at this level, step forward Artell. So why hoof it at every opportunity? Despite all of this, we still had two efforts off the line in the first half, whilst looking as if we had a goal in us. The defending for the two goals was nothing short of a shambles though. We don't make teams work hard enough for their goals.

Whilst I'm sure Fairhurst has something about him, why oh why have we signed him and not another big striker to replace Corr? He's a total clone of Crawford, whilst what we need is at least one lump in this league otherwise we'll struggle to retain the ball. I'm assuming this is why we went for Zola, but once he turned us down, we should've gone for someone in a similar mould.

My last point is regarding the Martin chants. It's unfortunate that the people doing them didn't make the same amount of noise to get behind the team.... They need to be left with last season, because they sure as hell won't help this season. It wasn't his fault that the players, who might I add are ability wise good enough to get out of this Division, didn't put the required effort or thought into today.

Ratings:

Morris 6: He was generally sound until the absolute howler for the second. What was he doing? A dreadful error and one that will no doubt have Evans breathing down his neck.

Clohessy 7: In the total minority that came out of the game with some credit. He was generally steady throughout and he put a couple of a decent deliveries into the box.

Coughlan 5: Horrific distribution. I'd expect so much more from someone with his experience.

Barker 6: Even our best defender had more than one shaky moment with what was going on around him. Still went all out until the end though.

Prosser 5: Matched Coughlan hoof for hoof with his distribution and was caught horribly out of position for their first goal. There is a player in there, but he's struggling to get out, which might signal a short league career for him.

Herd 6: I thought he did ok to be fair. It was refreshing to see him given a go, because Gilbert has been more underwhelming by the game. In the first half in particular he put two delightful balls into the box. Yes he shouldve dealt with the guy better for the second, but on the whole he did alright.

Timlin 6: His pirouette in the first half was probably the best bit of individual skill I've seen from a Southend player since Freddy. His passing let him down more often than usual, but at least he bombed round the pitch trying to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

Grant 6.5: He must have had seven or eight attempts on goal today and he could've quite easily had a hat trick with more luck.

Soares 5: Totally wasted in this formation. He's a wide player, end of.

Paterson 4: Had no service, but when he did have a chance to get on the end of something he didn't appear to have the drive or determination to do it.

Fairhurst 4: Like Paterson he didn't receive any service, but he struggled to do anything himself throughout.

Subs:

Hall 6: When he's fit he should start IMHO, as he's our most creative outlet by a mile. I'm finding his current exclusion from the team totally bizarre. Must start at Bury.

Crawford 6: Added a little bit of endeavour and looked more competent than the very similar Fairhurst.

Jarvis 5: I've seen very little from him to make me think he's worth keeping for longer.

 

[TBV_Dan]

I'm going to keep this post short, because I am just too ****** off with what I have just watched.

• We were FAR too negative today with our tactics, and it backfired on us big time.
• Only a couple of players really showed that they cared out there today, the rest weren't interested at all imo.
• We are throwing away chances big time, there was times where we should have done much better in front of goal.
• Our midfield was all over the place - mainly to do with the tactics being completely different to the ones they are used to.
• We defended diabolically for both their goals, really, really poor work there.
• Referee was awful. But we were worse.

If we continue to lose games like this at home, we are going to get NOWHERE this season. The 5,500 fans in attendance today don't deserve to see that shower of **** served up to them week in and week out. Things better improve before next weekend, big time.

Grant is probably the only player to come out of this game with any credit at all.

We deserved to lose today, an awful performance.

 

[Angell Delight]

According to Timlin pre-match Sturrock hadn't been in all week and Widdrington had been taking training alone. Not great preparation when you're switching formation for Saturday's game eh?

PS refused to be interviewed by BBC Essex after the game and sent Johnny Herd out instead. Sturrock said he refused to take responsibility for that passionless display......well he should take some responsibility, he's the MANAGER!! :thumbdown:

 

[Boreham Shrimper]

PS refused to be interviewed by BBC Essex after the game and sent Johnny Herd out instead. Sturrock said he refused to take responsibility for that passionless display......well he should take some responsibility, he's the MANAGER!! :thumbdown:

That is **** poor if that's the case. He's the manager, he picks the team, he sets out the formation. We were ****, never looked anywhere near comfortable today and he has to take some of the blame for that.

 

[Angell Delight]

Grant - 7 had a few good shots but looked lackluster and didn't want to chase the ball MOTM

Lol, you know you've watched a horrendous performance when even your MOTM is getting negative comments!! :hilarious:

 

[Medway Blue]

According to Timlin pre-match Sturrock hadn't been in all week and Widdrington had been taking training alone. Not great preparation when you're switching formation for Saturday's game eh?

PS refused to be interviewed by BBC Essex after the game and sent Johnny Herd out instead. Sturrock said he refused to take responsibility for that passionless display......well he should take some responsibility, he's the MANAGER!! :thumbdown:

As I said. I don't think it was a lack of passion. I think it was a case of players being confused by stupid, pointless and over-elaborate tactics, not knowing what position they were playing in, where they were, what they wre doing. He is confusing passionlessness with cluelessness. The cluelessness is down to his dumbarse tactics. Therefore he SHOULD take the blame.

 

[ibwiajwa]

What a load of ****ing ****.

I'm not going to bother with individual player ratings because it not the individual performances that I'm concerened about. It's the team set-up and the managerial performance which frightens the crap out of me.

What the hell is Sturrock playing at? We're at home to a side that we could and should be taking 3 points from.......and the idiot goes with a 3-5-2. What the hell is a 3-5-2? When the feck have we played that this season? Why is that being played at home? There was no width there and there was no attacking play - in fact, he's left the player with the most flair and attacking intent, Ryan Hall, on the bench! Does he not want to win these games?

These players, individually, are good at this level and the team man-for-man is good enough to be challenging for the play-offs. But they ARE League 2 players. Yet Sturrock is expecting too much of them. If they were good enough to be played out of position and to be playing in a different formation every bloody week, they'd be playing higher up the league. They've only just started getting to know each other for Christ's sake.....why doesn't the man get the bleeding basics right before he starts ****ing about with the tactics? The amount of people on here who said "Sturrock is so tactically astute, Sturrock will know how to set the tactics up, waaa waaaa waaaaaaaaaa". My arse. He's about as tactically astute as a ****.

3-5-2.....they haven't played it before this season, it offers no width, and it's too negative when we should be playing 4-4-2 and going hell for leather at home. He's left one of the best flair players in the side on the bench when he should be on the pitch from the start running at them. Ugh, I could go on. This side is going nowhere this season with him in charge. The players are good, but the tactics and style of play stifle them.

Fairhurst, for God's sake. Looks like an aimless **** on the pitch. He's not. He is a great finisher, he's good with the ball at his feet, and he's got pace to burn. He needs to be running on to the ball or running with the ball at his feet at defenders. So why, when you have a player like that, does Sturrock persist in having the side play the long ball? Fairhurst could score goals for fun at this level, so what's the point of bringing him in on loan if you're not going to have the team play to his strengths? You don't bring in a player like that and try to fit him into tactics like that.

Support your club whoever is in charge, blah blah, yeah I get it. But it is becoming more of a chore to watch this dross with each passing week. Bad, bad, bad management. I want him gone, and I want him to take his **** tactics and his nasty style of football with him.

You've surprised me with this post. 3 5 2 is not a negative formation at all. In theory the wing backs push on, providing MORE players in an advanced position which, to be fair, Herd and Clohessy did. However, it relies on them getting back to help the back three when necessary which only Clohessy managed. We missed Corr and Sturrock very badly as we had no out ball with the anaemic Paterson and Fairhurst. We missed Easton even more as the midfield went missing for both goals and Timlin seemed determined to pass to a red shirt at every opportunity in the second half. I do agree with you about Hall - I was surprised to see him dropped and he made a difference when he came on.

Morris: 5 I was at the other end of the ground for both goals but his handling seemed less assured today.
Clohessy: 7 One of the only Blues players to emerge with any credit
Coughlan: 4 Slow and not very good on the ball
Grant: 6 Played well on the whole but dropped deeper and deeper - partly due to the ineffectiveness of Timlin
Paterson: 3 Gave nothing and rightly subbed. Why are we persevering with him? He has played well in cup games where the opposition don't really care whether they win or lose but can't seem to hack it in the rough and tumble of the league.
Hall: 6 He's a real trier and provided more attacking intent. He should probably have started but he gave the ball away quite a few times
Prosser: 5 Provided one of the few decent headers on goal that we managed - once he went off we had no real aerial threat in their box at all. However, his distribution was not good.
Soares: 3 Not worth his place
Herd: 4 Put in one peach of a ball in the first half but his long throw in was ineffective without Corr/Mohsni and isn't that brilliantly directed anyway. He is OK on the floor, works hard and gets involved but is naive.

A word on Timlin. He can clearly play, but needs to dumb his game down. Too many clever balls to people who don't read the game as well as he does, so they don't move for it. And Prosser... oh dear.

Timlin: 4 His turn in the first half was sublime but he deteriorated badly. I think you're being generous - I would put his profligacy on the ball down to lack of awareness and poor execution in the main.
Crawford: 5 Better than you would expect in the air and offered much more than Paterson but didn't really threaten.
Fairhurst: 3 Wasn't really in the game.
Barker: 6 Played well and covered for others but even he started giving the ball away near the end.
Jarvis: 6 Looked a much better bet than Fairhurst but needs the ball on the floor.

 

[Dick Bate's Protege]

It bothers me to keep reading that Sturrock is regularly throwing his dummy out of the pram. I'd imagine that a well timed rant every now and then can perk players up, but if you're doing it on a weekly basis it just becomes predictable and meaningless. My money is on him leaving before Easter.

 

[CocklesShrimps&Whiteweed]

glenjamin - 8
herd - -42, please go away
coughlan - 4
barker - 6
prosser - 2
clohessy - 6
grant - 5
soares - 4
timlin - 2 cheerio
paterson - 3 (only cos he got no service)
fairweather - 1

hall - 6
crawford - 5

Paterson got no service!!!!! Today was utter dross in all depts I admit but there was a lovely crossed played in during the second half. Paterson need only have stuck out a leg or made SOME sort of effort to get to it and we would have scored. He didn't move. We lost. Just as we're about to lose just about everything within the next year. I can't afford to spend £16 a pop watching that. I just can't, not anymore.

 

[CocklesShrimps&Whiteweed]

Thought Grant was terrific today. He was like a one man team........... he's reaction at the end spoke volumes to me. Reckon his days at the club are numbered.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Definitly the wrong formation, even when it was changed we still has players in their incorrect placings, Herd is a left back not a midffilelder still he will soon be at Lincoln!!
I give all of them 4 except Timlin who I will give 5 to.

Worst display so far we may only be 4 points off play offs but we are closer to the bottom!!
Patterson just looked lost and not interested, we need someone to take charge of the team on the pitch and marshall them. Forget this formation it does not work!!!!

herd won't go to Lincoln, Tilly never played him at Southend.

 

[Fiftyone]

I would suggest that Mr Sturrock takes account of the "Martin out" chants from the West Stand as too many more displays like that from HIS team will have all stands calling for his resignation.:thumbdown:

 

[Ailsa Road Shrimper]

I'm not sure why the 'Martin Out' chants were only coming from the West Stand, surely all the stands should've been singing this.

 

[5scoops]

what are you gunner do when martin takes us out the league,and we got no ground
and sturrock will walk soon when martin keeps lying to everyboby MARTIN OUT NOW:angry:

Sturrock got it wrong big time today.

Herd is lightweight and although he played ok going forward he can't defend and was at fault twice for the second goal.

Prosser is awful, seen him play twice and he is potentially the worse defender I've seen in 20 years of following Southend.

Those people singing Martin out at the end were a total embarrassment for singing Martin out.

 

[jamesmut2000]

According to Timlin pre-match Sturrock hadn't been in all week and Widdrington had been taking training alone. Not great preparation when you're switching formation for Saturday's game eh?

PS refused to be interviewed by BBC Essex after the game and sent Johnny Herd out instead. Sturrock said he refused to take responsibility for that passionless display......well he should take some responsibility, he's the MANAGER!! :thumbdown:

Would that be the PS that I heard on BBC Essex 20 mins before the Johnny Herd interview?

 

[canveyshrimper]

Dia ****ing bolical.

It's fair enough to slate Paterson & Fairhurst, but the service they received equated to the square root of **** all, neither they or any of our other strikers are capable of creating something from nothing, therefore the strikers are reliant on service.

Grant as ever worked hard but today with little effect, and I think we missed Simpson today. It's a bit rich when our best player was Ryan Hall who was a sub, he at least injected some urgency and provided some decent crosses.

I'm not defending Sturrock, but it didn't take him long in the second half to revert to 4-4-2.

 

[cockles is back]

Prosser was *****, ref was *****....that is all

and your twnety goal a season man, ho was he today??

 

[cockles is back]

when your having abit of role play with the old lady, do you get her to stick on a strap on and pretend she is Anthoney Grant??

actually I agree with you he was still looking the best southend player

 

[palexander]

Little bit of perspective... we were missing at least 5 first teamers today - Mohsni, Gilbert, Simpson, Corr and Sturrock. Thats a lot to take out of a settled side and I defy any team to perform at their best with those numbers being out - just doesnt happen.

That said, performances at home are becoming a BIG worry and for now, Sturrock needs to get these players back playing 442 to get some confidence back.