Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 0-2 Fleetwood Town

[Lord Football]

I usually say "that's as bad as I've seen". Then I come home, look at my spreadsheet and think "oh yeah, that game v Oxford / Wimbledon / Stoke was much worse.


Tonight my FB is full of long standing, regular away travellers all saying its a bad as they've seen. Ive looked at my spreadsheet, and I agree. That was gutless. In isolation, its a bad day at the office. But last week was awful against awful opposition. This week was a shambles. Port Vale was dreadful. Both games v Gills saw us die on our arses after a bright start. Aside from those glorious 15 minutes up at Sheffield, there has been no positives.

I honestly thought that given time Phil Brown would be able to build a team good enough to challenge for promotion. I know I am rarely wrong, but on this I may quite possibly be.

Either the manager has pulled together a group of players who aren't very good. Or he is overseeing a group of players who are unwilling or unable to play for him. I did note Cian Bolger having a wee titter at the end.

Where is the Ben Coker and Ryan Leonard from seasons past? Where is the service to the forwards (who already look broken)? Where is the defensive organisation? Where is the will to move the ball forward at pace? Why do none of our triallists sign for us? Doesn't bringing on Jason Williams as our potential match saver just say it all?

I am not going to rate the players today, because I have nothing positive to say about them and I do not necessarily think it is there fault.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I think I may have picked the right match to swerve with a family event. From those that went, would a new decent forward next to Cox have made any difference?

Yes. He is one of those strikers that comes alive with a good partner. Mooney, Williams and sometimes Bridge today, do not fit the bill. In training he is a fantastic striker smashing them in for fun. So first he needs a good partner, and second he needs service. He's getting the wrong type of service at the moment, mainly a hoof from Thompson or Oxley.

 

[Depor_Shrimper]

Our best defender today and last week by a mile. Our centre midfield though is frightenly worse, they may as well not even be there.

Sorry but I disagree, he was as accountable as all the other defenders, his positional sense is highly questionable and even when he has time on the ball he'll always opt to clear out of play. Not sure he is L1 quality, thankfully Ferdinand is a massive upgrade and might just help Thommo develop into a more composed player.

 

[mattitouk]

I've heard on BBC Essex radio that our own fans were boooing Cox also?? anyone on here that was at the game today to either confirm or deny that?

If so, I'm a bit disappointed by that considering his new and was playing up front on his own and getting no service.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

I've heard on BBC Essex radio that our own fans were boooing Cox also?? anyone on here that was at the game today to either confirm or deny that?

If so, I'm a bit disappointed by that considering his new and was playing up front on his own and getting no service.

I thought there was booing for the decision to take Cox off?

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

I've heard on BBC Essex radio that our own fans were boooing Cox also?? anyone on here that was at the game today to either confirm or deny that?

If so, I'm a bit disappointed by that considering his new and was playing up front on his own and getting no service.

I think whatever booing happened was at the paucity of PB's decisions and selections rather than individual players. Clueless sums it up in the main.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

I thought there was booing for the decision to take Cox off?

Exactly. Biggest cheer and excitement of the day was clapping the announcement of 86 Fleetwood fans.

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Looked like the team have stopped playing for Brown,no effort or urgency in play. Tactically lost....high balls into the box which their tall players won all the time...Cox on his own...no width first 40 minutes..Leonard playing deep...could go on!.The danger sign s were there at the end of last season and Brown was on the verge of leaving which has resulted in an unsettled side and late desperate signings.Oxley should be dropped as his confidence is shot,and I would bring back White as we need more height and experience at the back.A number of Brown's decisions like Bolgers sale are now coming back to bite him,and as for midfield and strikers going forward Brown is lacking with any ideas.In fact apart from one game I don't think any of Brown's substitutions or tactical changes have ever changed a game since he has been here.

 

[geoffmundo]

Its all very well Brown going on the radio and telling us what we know. What I want him to do is tell us what we dont know!

Why were we lacklustre, why was there no urgency, why did he pick this side/tactics etc and what is he going to do to put it right next time......?

Unless he decides to do the right thing and resign I cannot see him leaving..........

 

[5scoops]

Not one player out there earned more than a 4 today.

**** poor tactics and zero effort. Players walking around and arguing amongst themselves.

Dreadful game. Possibly the worst I've seen for about 10 years.

Brown. Get out of our club.

You hit on the nail .the worst I have seen .thought O'Neil was shocking and brown to keep him on joke .has king was OK .last week king had a good first half then tired in 2nd

 

[dannypav]

So many things wrong today that I could pick on almost any area , but the biggest one for me was central midfield ( King , Leonard , Bridge and Oneill in second half ).
No fluency , no movement , no drive , no obvious ability on the ball.
Not sure if Fleetwood are decent ? ( I think they are - strong , fluid , hard working etc ) or we made them look good??
I think we miss Wordsworth big time , and hopefully Timlin and Ferdinand will liven things up , but unless we get the midfield all back and working , it doesn't matter who we play up front.
People moan constantly about Mooney and Williams and I agree to a certain extent that neither have shone yet , but the service to our strikers is shameful - too slow and too predictable and I really believe anyone would struggle with that regardless of age or experience.
Anyway , as I said , I just focused on one area that was wrong today , it could have been any of them.

I will save comments on our keeper for another day .......

 

[5scoops]

I thought there was booing for the decision to take Cox off?

It was the boos for O'Neil shocking game .not running back for there goal

 

[RHB]

Well, they would have had to have scored three and as Cox didn't sound to have got any service, I don't know what two lost souls up front would have achieved? Yes, evidently we need that striker but we also need someone who can make something happen in midfield ...........and a central defender who doesn't hug opposition strikers would be a help. Yet, from the impression of the AWFULNESS of that display I got from the commentary...........where on earth do you start???

Cheers chaps. I only asked because when Ranger partnered Cox at Sheffield we apparently tore them apart. Maybe I'm clutching at straws but as I didn't go today its hard to decide whether a forward would have helped. by the sounds of things, he wouldn't.

Probably not since our tactics seem to consist of lobbing it into the box as soon as we're 40 yards from goal, which is completely useless for a player like Cox.

 

[Ernie Brand]

Just clueless, playing hoof ball to a short forward. After 15 mins the looked disinterested, I think Brown is hoping the injured players will get him out of a hole on their return. 14 points from 21 games isn't good.

 

[manor15]

Has Brown Phil lost the dressing room ?

Not sure, but he seems to be losing the fans.

On the basis of today it seems the only thing he hasn't lost is the boardroom.

 

[Jam_Man]

Cheers chaps. I only asked because when Ranger partnered Cox at Sheffield we apparently tore them apart. Maybe I'm clutching at straws but as I didn't go today its hard to decide whether a forward would have helped. by the sounds of things, he wouldn't.

No, one player isnt going to sort this.

Sheff Utd were a shambles and Cox had just as much of an impact on that game.

Ranger did have a good 20 minutes but does anyone really think if he played instead of Bridge it would change our whole team performance today?

We arent performing as a team, I personally think our midfield is the key problem, its just not good enough hence we end up with sideways/backways passing because none of them are capable of taking control and doing anything with it.

 

[Swiss Tony]

On the basis of today it seems the only thing he hasn't lost is the boardroom.

But the Board doesn't play football or indeed pay to watch,crowds are starting to full.

 

[Depor_Shrimper]

No one player isnt going to sort this.

Sheff Utd were a shambles and Cox had just as much of an impact on that game.

Ranger did have a good 20 minutes but does anyone really think if he played instead of Bridge it would change our whole team performance today?

We arent performing as a team, I personally think our midfield is the key problem, its just not good enough hence we end up with sideways/backways passing because none of them are capable of taking control and doing anything with it.

Yes, quite possibly.

 

[OrangeyBrown]

Poor game. Biggest problem in my opinion was how isolated Cox was today. He's a little lad and needs support around him, a proper target man. Bridge didn't support him at all today and it caused us all sorts of problems creatively. We desperately need a proper strike partner for him, such a shame that Ranger got injured. :sad:

On another sour note, booing a player as they're being subbed on (Mooney) is pathetic and does nothing but demoralize them. Unfortunately a large section of East Yellows decided at 0-1 that they would spend the rest of the game booing every time one of our players made a mistake. I can fully understand their frustrations, but it does nothing to help the team to see/hear that. Save it for the final whistle.

Perhaps the only positives to take from that game is that we've signed what seems like a very talented and experienced CB which was sorely needed. And we seem to be looking to add at least 1/2 more before next week! Let's hope things improve.

 

[Fairport]

When I got home after the match I heard a very accurate analysis by Glenn Pennyfather. He was basically saying that there was little passion on show and no zip or pace in the team. As he says, it is difficult to know who to blame as we do not know what goes on within the four walls of the dressing room. It is either the manager and coaching staff or is it down to the players. Something is wrong somewhere.