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

[Shrimp Curry]

G

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 today not Martin.

Would people have been singing Martin Out if we were winning? Of course not, its just childish and embarrassing.

 

[ms brush]

Dear oh dear... I really hope its going to improve. We were shockingly bad. Today reminded me of a particularly depressing game several years ago when we were almost falling out of the bottom of the league, when Rob Newman was in charge. We were almost that awful today!

Didnt help that the ref was dire, and I couldnt work out what rule book he was using, cos I didnt recognise any of the decisions. As its star trek weekend, do you think he had been transported from a parallel universe?? Also, cant work out why we are playing 3-5-2 and launching balls skyward when Crewe's players seemed a least a foot taller than ours... What is that all about?? All in all, wrong tactics, wrong formation and too negative. Improvement needed, and quick!

Anyway, for the record:
Morris: 5 Didnt think he could do a lot about either goal, the defence completely let him down. And managed to make sure the penalty stayed out, so at least ot wasnt 3-0!!
Clohessy: 6 Thought he emerged with some credit today, but let down by the rest of the defence, as per Morris.
Coughlan: 5 Looked like a League 2 defender to me today - a bit slow with limited effectiveness.
Grant: 6 Gave 100%, one of a small number who looked bothered. I have worked out the problem, Grant and Timlin are trying to play the same sort of game on the same bit of the pitch at the same time. And it isnt working - they are cancelling each other out!
Paterson: 4 Got abolutely no service, and was a sitting duck up front, not able to win the ball in the air with Crewe's 20 feet tall defenders, and with 2 against 4, he had no chance on the floor either. Felt quite sorry for him when he got subbed, would have liked Harry to come on alongside him for a while to see how they got on together.
Hall: 6 Would have in the team over Soares any day of the week. Just ineffective today.
Prosser: 5 No convinced, but same situation as Paterson.
Soares: 3 Really not understanding what value he is adding to the side??
Herd: 4 Pretty poor. Definately a mistake playing him in midfield, when he has enough trouble when he plays his own position... terrible positioning, which played right into Crewe's hands, poor defending and didnt add anything to the attack, either from long throws or using the overlap on the wing. Either needs to go on loan to learn a bit more, or needs to be let go. He was a liability today. He is talented, no doubt about that, but it is not working when it counts.
Timlin: 6 Played pretty well, and I think would make a good replacement for Grant if / when he goes. Just a shame that the two of them spent the game falling over each other!
Crawford: 5 Couldnt create anything, but not sure it is his fault he couldnt get into the game. Wrong tactics + no service = ineffective substitute!
Fairhurst: 3 Forgot he was even there!
Barker: 6 Another who came out with some credit. Looked like he had lost the will to live by the end of the game!
Jarvis: 5 Again, no service and not about to do anything with the hoofball coming out of the defence.

 

[Tampa Blue]

People only carried on coming to home games last season because most already had a season ticket. Our home support is over 2,000 down on last season so people have voted with their feet this season.

Same thing could happen this season, we have 3,500 season ticket holders which will keep crowds up near the 5,000 mark. But if we continue to struggle how many of those will renew for next season which if we believe Ron Martin will be the last at Roots Hall.

Spot on - I sit with my best mates dad who has had a season ticket for at least 40 years - watching Southend is the highlight of his life so I was shocked when he said that he will not renew his season ticket next season as it currently stands

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I think today has highlighted the fact that this hastily put together squad is nowhere near good enough, and when they are bad, they are very bad. Some of them are so inconsistent, that you can see why they were released.

 

[tottenham541]

with some very tough games coming up think the next four games will have a big say as in what we can do this season, we need to pick up points now or we will be in a relegation scrap.

 

[Tampa Blue]

Ratings

Paul Sturrock minus 10. Appalling formation and yes you should take responsibility as you pick the Team and chosse tatctics - you need intelligent players to play 5-3-2 - you found out today that you havn't got any!!

Morris - 5 - time for Evans as looked really shaky today and should have done better with their second
Clohessy - 5 - not a wing back - like the player but worst I have seen him play
Herd - 4 - no worse than Gilbert but long throws do not make a decent player
Coughlan 4 - looked what he is - an aged player coming to the end of his career, slow in pace and at reading the game and distribution was terrible
Prosser - 3 - out of his depth - out on loan please so we can get a decent midfielder in
Barker - 6 - didn't do much wrong and pick of a bad bunch at the back
Timlin - 3 - understand that he is signing for another month but god knows why - one lovely drag back but totally immobile, lazy and never picks the forwards with any passes
Grant - 5 - if Grant is poor then so are we - seems to be trying too hard which given the dross around him can understand why
Soares - 1 - the man is an embarassment - no energy, no desire - he is the closest that I will ever come to booing a blue individually at the Hall
Patterson - 4 - you could play Drogba up front and he would look crap given the passes that he received (or rather didn't receive)
Fairhurst - 4 - better than Spencer? you're having a laugh - missed with his knob when teh ball was on the line at 0-0

Subs
Hall - 6 - so much better than Soares
Crawford 4 - see Patterson comments
Jarvis 4 - what a waste of a loan - can't even score for the reserves so what chance for the first 11?

Mr Sturrock - I have it on first hand knowledge from a Director of the club that you read and post on the Zone so please PM me as would love to understand your tactics today as even though Simpson had flu straight swap of Hall/Zaboub/Crawford for Simpson seemed most logical choice

 

[sky240286]

That was quite possibly the worst game I've seen. Everyone could see from the start that the formation was wrong, except our manager.....funny that. 5 at the back for a home game, stupid! Cost us the match.
But one thing that I can't stand, is a lack of passion and effort. Thinking about the performance annoys the hell outta me, so won't bother marking the players. They were all ****! Morris was shaky-AGAIN! Sign a new keeper please. Grant tried hard as usual but was let down by his team mates. Fairhurst? What a waste of space, we have plenty of strikers Sturrock, needless loan signings.
Another thing, chanting 'we want martin out' at the end? Yeah, wtf has that got to do with poor tactics and dire team play? Idiots
Shocking referee!

 

[blue pilot]

Came away feeling like we are still going backwards. So many underperformers today and that includes the 'old guard' but have to agree Sturrock's post match interview where he said it was the players fault was a shameless abdication of his reponsibilities. You picked the team and formation today Mr Sturruck, you must accept your share of the blame.
however, its obvious that many of the players on display today just aren't good enough.
I would get rid of the following: Herd, Prtosser, Soares, Paterson. Fairhurst + Jarvis should be sent back and Coughlan should be restricted to the last 10 minutes of a game where need to cling on.

 

[Angell Delight]

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

Don't shoot the messenger, I was told by my old man that BBC Essex announced Sturrock had refused to do an interview. If you heard him give an opinion then please tell us what he said cos I heard all he said was he's not taking the blame for that display!

 

[Angell Delight]

Morris was shaky-AGAIN! Sign a new keeper please!

I agree, from the moment they both signed I've wanted Evans as number 1 - doubt it'll happen though.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Morris 5 - needs to improve his communication and his kicking
Clohessy 6.5 - pick of the defence
Herd 4 - can see why Crewe didn't want him. Gave the ball away with his first 3 touches and nearly made me nostalgic for Gilbert.
Coughlan 6 - ok
Barker 6 - ok
Prosser 5.5 - awful distribution and makes Sankofa look comfortable with the ball at his feet, but defensively he does his job. Doesn't really matter as what little confidence he has will be beaten out of him by the home crowd and he'll follow the path of Harrold, Paynter etc
Timlin 6.5 - pick of the midfield for the first 45
Grant 6 - didn't look interested until he got the ball. Where was the closing down? I know he's on 4 yellows, but did he make a tackle all 90 minutes? Still one of our better players even when he only bothers sporadically. Wonder where he's off to?
Soares 5 - another who is intimidated playing at home
Fairhurst 5 - generally anonymous. How did he not score?
Paterson 0 - don't think he did anything worthwhile all game, not so much as win a single header/free-kick/throw-in. Second half he did actually chase down a ball, but then immediately lost it. If someone can even remember him actually managing to find a team-mate with a simple 5 yard ball I'll bump his mark up, but I'm genuinely struggling to see the difference to playing with 10 men.


Crawford 6.5 - should have started as offered more than any of the other forwards but that highlights more how much we miss Blair Sturrock.
Hall 6 - talented but naive
Jarvis 4 - maybe in 2 years' time


Not a good performance but I'm not going to get too upset over it. We were missing half a team (the spine of it, at that) but still had the better of the chances before Crewe took the lead.

 

[* ORM *]

Though it pains me to have to agree with YB I'm beginning to come around to the Blair way of thinking especially when you consider one of my all time favourites to be Roy McDonut. Perhaps we will all just have to come to terms with the loss of outright scoring ability versus his all round contribution to the team. Would he have made much difference with hoof ball yesterday. Possibly not but he'd have made more of a nuisance of himself in 5 minutes than the combined efforts of the front pairing yesterday.

I'm prepared to eat my words and look at BS in a different light.

 

[Sherif H]

At last - one positive to extract from yesterday's debacle is the fact that hopefully, people will now have seen first hand just how much we miss Blair Sturrock and the presence of Barry Corr. At this level, a forward with the touch, vision and workrate of Sturrock is invaluable in bridging the gap between our midfield and goal threat (whoever that happens to be on the day).
That is not to say another strikeforce couldn't work adequately in replacement, but against a side with the physical attributes of Crewe, and the more direct dross we seemed to be intent on pursuing, Sturrock and Corr would have been ten times more effective.
I, for one, can't wait to see them back, fit and rating to go. Also, if I never see Herd and Prosser together on the left side of our defence again, it'll be too soon - if you are going to play Herd as a wing back on the left of a 5 man defence, I'd suggest he needs someone collected and experienced alongside him to clear up his inability to defend in any capacity.

 

[CM2 Blue]

Hmmm! Not a good day at the Hall. I can't disagree with the comments already posted about our performance against Crewe. We looked shambolic at times, notably in the second half when we gave Crewe far too much time and space. In fairness I thought they played good football. They are not world-beaters and their defence will see them found out by the better teams in this division (sadly not us at the moment) but they keep their shape well and are quick, inventive and confident going forward. Their players seemed no better than ours in terms of ability but the team has been set up to play to a system, they all know their jobs and the collective output probably, therefore, exceeds the sum of the individual parts. I thought they deserved the points.

As others have said, we do not appear to relish playing at home, Sturrock perhaps speaks too harshly of the team (quite the opposite of Tilson's tendency) and, although we were depleted yesterday, fans are starting to lose the joy of supporting their team whilst seeing such poor performances. However, I am convinced things will improve although low mid-table probably beckons this season and we might have some anxious moments before we claw our way to safety and respectability. But this is our club, our team and many of us will be there week in and week out, which is as it should be! UTB!!

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

PS gave the players a defensive mindset and made out like they where the most threatening team going forward in the world. That was not the case. They where fairly average, we had a few chances, and if we had a bit more luck with deflections etc we would have had atleast a draw.

It's just another over reaction from most people on here. We lost it wasn't good, but we still had chances, on another day we would've won.
We had 5 changes (I think) from the team that beat, Bradford, Torquay, Hereford, Lincoln, the board comes to life when we have a **** result.
I really don't see this 'lack of passion' first of all we where basically playing five at the back, with Johnny as a wing back, he was positionless in my opinion, he looked a bit out of his depth.

Look, when we beat Bury everyone will be saying how ****ing brilliant we are.

As for the Martin out chants, I don't actually understand why it takes a 2 nil defeat to start singing it? Why not when we are winning 2 nil aye ?
I'm not slating the guys who where singing it, It just irritates me that it is sung as a 'last resort' when we are losing. Sing it all the time if you are going to.

We are still only 4 points off the playoffs and on the same points as 6 teams. Cheer the **** up the lot of you.

 

[Badger74]

PS gave the players a defensive mindset and made out like they where the most threatening team going forward in the world. That was not the case. They where fairly average, we had a few chances, and if we had a bit more luck with deflections etc we would have had atleast a draw.

It's just another over reaction from most people on here. We lost it wasn't good, but we still had chances, on another day we would've won.
We had 5 changes (I think) from the team that beat, Bradford, Torquay, Hereford, Lincoln, the board comes to life when we have a **** result.
I really don't see this 'lack of passion' first of all we where basically playing five at the back, with Johnny as a wing back, he was positionless in my opinion, he looked a bit out of his depth.

Look, when we beat Bury everyone will be saying how ****ing brilliant we are.

As for the Martin out chants, I don't actually understand why it takes a 2 nil defeat to start singing it? Why not when we are winning 2 nil aye ?
I'm not slating the guys who where singing it, It just irritates me that it is sung as a 'last resort' when we are losing. Sing it all the time if you are going to.

We are still only 4 points off the playoffs and on the same points as 6 teams. Cheer the **** up the lot of you.

Are you for real!!!! 4 pts from play offs, do you really think we are going up. I would guess that you must be 16 or 17 years old and have not really seen the blues through the up and down days. This is the worst league we have ever played in my opion and we look pony. I love the fact that you see all the best in the club but please get real

 

[MattLloyd]

I'm not going to repeat what's already been said but for my tuppence worth:

Defensively woeful, why Sturrock started a 3-5-2 with two defenders who have hardly kicked a ball in a game recently is midnbendingly stupid. Midfield was the poorest I have seen it. Those of you sticking up for Anthony Grant, forget it, yesterday he showboated, he was at fault for both Crewe goals as he let the midfielders glide past him and did not track back. Up front, pointless commenting, apart from 491 high balls they got zero service.

Sturrock has come out saying I'm not taking the blame this week, they were passionless. I think you are to blame, and they weren't passionless, more clueless - no one knew what they should be doing or where they should be playing!

After two great games playing a simple 4-4-2, keeping the ball on the deck and playing decent football, the tactical decisions yesterday were pitiful.

 

[BrettieAngell]

The 4 strikers that played yesterday have played very little first team football between them, boys trying to a man's job. We missed Corr and Sturrock big time especially if we are just going to lump it forward all the time.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Just to clarify, was in and around the tunnel area before the match with the POTM and queried the team line up when I heard those named, I was told that it was a 5-3-2 starting with two wing backs, so not a 3-5-2 as some are saying. Saw Mohsni, Blair and Easton, the latter two of whom were moving about very comfortably, and all suited and booted (what a change from the trackie era under Tilly), Blair was most interested in who had won the POTM!

Anyway, tactics all wrong for me yesterday, you can't play hoofball when you have two (four including Jarvis and Crawford) ineffective headers of the ball up top. Soares obviously overdid it last match and was back to how he has been in almost every other game this season. Morris surely has committed enough errors at the back now to give Rhys Evans a chance in a league game. Herd is just not good enough, yes, he's a nice enough lad and has a decentish throw but he can't defend for toffee and puts constant pressure on those alongside him.

Morris - 5, didn't "save" the penalty, the guy missed and he got a lucky rebound to jump on, 2nd goal was undoubtedly a major error on his part
Clohessy - 7, didn't suit the system but adapted as best he could
Coughlan - 5, too many hoofs but fairly solid in the air
Prosser - 5, guy needs to get his confidence back
Barker - 6, and that's a reflection of Herd's influence. There were times he reminded me of Barrett
Herd - 4, couple of silky skills but unfortunately ball went straight to opposition, time to go
Soares - 4, why do all the decent chances fall to him?
Grant - 7, tried hard, ref was useless
Timlin - 5, thought he was well off his game for much of the match
Paterson - 5, Matty, get your head up and challenge, should have scored if he'd gone for one with his head instead of his foot
Fairhurst - 4, how can you miss an open goal from 2 foot out?

Crawford - 6, need to grow in the air Harry and win some headers
Hall - 7, needs to start, our most creative and dangerous player
Jarvis - 5, still not seeing it

Ref - 2, shockingly poor, what was with the drop balls, especially when play was stopped when we were in possession? Couldn't have favoured Crewe any more if he'd had a red shirt on

TBV - 7, bit quiet I thought and didn't agree with the "Martin out" chanting that seemed to be coming from up there, he had nothing to do with the tactics.

 

[Badger74]

Just to clarify, was in and around the tunnel area before the match with the POTM and queried the team line up when I heard those named, I was told that it was a 5-3-2 starting with two wing backs, so not a 3-5-2 as some are saying. Saw Mohsni, Blair and Easton, the latter two of whom were moving about very comfortably, and all suited and booted (what a change from the trackie era under Tilly), Blair was most interested in who had won the POTM!

Anyway, tactics all wrong for me yesterday, you can't play hoofball when you have two (four including Jarvis and Crawford) ineffective headers of the ball up top. Soares obviously overdid it last match and was back to how he has been in almost every other game this season. Morris surely has committed enough errors at the back now to give Rhys Evans a chance in a league game. Herd is just not good enough, yes, he's a nice enough lad and has a decentish throw but he can't defend for toffee and puts constant pressure on those alongside him.

Morris - 5, didn't "save" the penalty, the guy missed and he got a lucky rebound to jump on, 2nd goal was undoubtedly a major error on his part
Clohessy - 7, didn't suit the system but adapted as best he could
Coughlan - 5, too many hoofs but fairly solid in the air
Prosser - 5, guy needs to get his confidence back
Barker - 6, and that's a reflection of Herd's influence. There were times he reminded me of Barrett
Herd - 4, couple of silky skills but unfortunately ball went straight to opposition, time to go
Soares - 4, why do all the decent chances fall to him?
Grant - 7, tried hard, ref was useless
Timlin - 5, thought he was well off his game for much of the match
Paterson - 5, Matty, get your head up and challenge, should have scored if he'd gone for one with his head instead of his foot
Fairhurst - 4, how can you miss an open goal from 2 foot out?

Crawford - 6, need to grow in the air Harry and win some headers
Hall - 7, needs to start, our most creative and dangerous player
Jarvis - 5, still not seeing it

Ref - 2, shockingly poor, what was with the drop balls, especially when play was stopped when we were in possession? Couldn't have favoured Crewe any more if he'd had a red shirt on

TBV - 7, bit quiet I thought and didn't agree with the "Martin out" chanting that seemed to be coming from up there, he had nothing to do with the tactics.

What the hell is changing the keeper going to do??