Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 0-3 Barnet

[bazzashrimper]

A couple of moments today (whilst probably small in the grand scheme of things) given the comments which could, and have already been made on this thread about performance, player quality, connection between fans and players/management etc.

- On multiple occasions when defending corners in the first half, we were incredibly slow organising who should be marking who. Ahead of the first goal, there was a Barnet player with no marker (unrecognised by our players) up to just before the ball was swung in. Painful viewing from the South Upper. Even more so when the ball hit the back of the net.

- Gussy nudged one of their players off the field in the corner of the South, and most Barnet players were across in seconds to remonstrate with Gus and the ref. The majority of our players stood and watched from afar. Don't get me wrong, I get as bored of these antics as much as the next fan. However, I worry when it's my team who aren't the ones doing it.

I started to worry today, with next season in mind, that the rebuild may be bigger than I originally anticipated. In my opinion, we appear to need, among other things, a serious injection of on-field leadership, footballing nous, and an ability to dabble in the dark arts if we hope to mix it with the best of them.

I agree. I even started to wonder if we are doing too much DD and including players who can be horrible ON the pitch.

 

[Magnum PI]

I honestly can't sit through much more of this football. Two season ticket holders who would rather be doing something else. So much hope this season and it's just been awful.

I never liked Maher as a player but think he did a brilliant job under Ron as a manager. I sit close to him on match days and he spends the whole time wound up and arguing decisions rather than working out how to change things. The other two seem to have no input whatsoever. The style of play has got worse and worse and worse and I honestly think at this moment he is genuinely ruining his players careers with the tactics and management. To see Morton be our best midfielder this season and then barely get a sniff ahead of Miley and Husin who have been woeful. If I was a player I wouldn't come here. Players are getting worse. Bim didn't improve because of Maher but despite him as he had to come and get the ball due to the absolute zero service.

I'm not one to turn on managers but this is a results and entertainment business and we aren't getting either. The only games we look remotely comfortable in are against teams who are part time. Enough is enough.

 

[AlfaShrimper]

Full disclosure. I'm a season ticket holder and have been watching Southend for about 35 years.

Today is the first time ever I have chosen not to go to a game.

When Bim was recalled, I scoured the zone waiting.for some news on re-enforcements. I couldn't quite believe that we still haven't signed anyone as recently as last night.

When I awoke this morning, my wife was very excited. We've reached the age where we enjoy a nice coffee and she'd picked up some nice beans and suggested we take a flask to the game.


I surprised myself by saying I didn't want to go.


I've mentioned on here a lot lately about not expecting results. Of course we probably wouldn't beat high flying Barnet even with an addition or 2.

I just couldn't face watching us today. I listened on the radio and it sounded as dire as I feared.

I don't enjoy watching this style of football. I don't enjoy Maher on the touchline. I don't enjoy some decent players (Coker, Bridge, Cav) actually getting worse week on week. I don't enjoy seeing decline at a time we should be hopeful.

I don't enjoy our directors being out and and about, having pints with the fans while a professional football club with such a loyal fan base are declining week on week.

There's a lot of intelligent, wealthy people attached to our club now. A prospect unimaginable a couple of years back.

We've got the north bank back. Something about 30 lads wanted.

We got a striking off notice because someone didn't think it would be a problem not to submit some paperwork.

We've got a manager on a 3 year contract and no budget to improve the playing squad and presumably, no budget to sack him.

A fan engagement board and a qr code. A chief exec who had to be told toilets were broken and assumed they were fixed without checking.

The new chair of the trust won't have a bad word said against the management or COSU. The trust. The voice of the fans. Unless you disagree with them.

Since we were saved, this actually feels less and less like "my" team. My club.

I feel like I'm being patted on the head. Here Matt, we have 7 quid burgers. Oh but the seats are filthy. Here Matt, we've spent thousands on structural work in the north bank. Oh but we can't afford a midfielder. Oh Matt. We've spoken to Macron and we've got some really nice shirts now. Oh but you can't buy one as the stock isn't available.

The defence of poor management and mistakes by COSU are cult like.

Sorry for the rant. But today's result was completely predictable.

I'll score all the players a ten today. They were heroic.


Matt
Southend United "Customer"

Well this hits the nail on the head perfectly

 

[* ORM *]

He’s doing the crowds head in with his inability to change anything….them players are good enough but not with his mindset, just ain’t got it

No he is doing your head in and a minority of vocal posters.

The simple fact is that this is a mid table squad. No amount of tinkering with the line up (or manager) will change that fact. If the squad isn’t strengthened then that, to me, signals COSU’s intentions for this season.

As for supporters leaving early, abusing players etc, you should be ashamed of yourselves. I’ve seen football much more dire at RH, admittedly in front of 2-3,000 crowds. Thick and thin springs to mind.

 

[Gt Yarmouth Shrimper]

The other two seem to have no input whatsoever.

That, for me, is the million dollar question?

 

[Jay_SUFC]

Or questioning their own ability to implement an effective transfer policy that results in the manager getting the tools to do the job? They may also have thought he’s right we need to bring new bodies in?

They may be also questioning the wisdom of buying a football club

Stop going on about the transfer policy. Maher has brought players in, but still plays his favourites.

Gus had been poor since coming back from suspension, yet keeps Wind out of the side, even though he played well.

Morton and KAF can't get in the side, even though both Miley and Husin have been awful this season.

You really think of we sign these attacking midfielders etc everyone wants, will actually start!!!

 

[Jay_SUFC]

We

Imho it's a low priority as
(A) We have higher priority positions to fill, e.g. attack midfielder, striker, CB, lwb etc etc
(B) 2nd choice keeper is a strange position - normally a youngster that plays in reserve games to improve and is on bench to come on as sub if needed. If 1st choice out injured for a lengthy period of time, often another keeper is brought in on loan to take the 1st choice place. Now given we haven't got reserve games nor in say the u21 premier competition thing, there is very limited scope for a 2nd choice to develop.
(C) As we've seen it's relatively easy to bring in cover as needed
(D) I'd question the ambition of any keeper coming here as 2nd choice.


I don't know how many other teams are running with 1 permanent keeper, haven't checked. Some have got a loan as their No1. We've had a loan as our no2

We have 5 CBs (albeit 1 is injured, but I don't believe we've been told how long, so may need cover there). We have 6 CMs (including Wood) so plenty of cover there. We have 4 forwards, so plenty of cover there as well and 2 RWBs.

Fair enough, we do need a LWB, but we do have cover there (though I think Ralph is miles better at CB).

Then we have 1 GK. So no cover there at all, therefore I would say that is a priority!!

 

[GIBBO]

****e all over the pitch
Why, wasn't Colin playing?
Same old formation
Same old manager favs playing
Same old side ways passing

First time this season, I admit giving maher some stern words from the East

 

[E for B and Billy Best]

Before passing judgement on, yesterdays match, I decided to, count to ten, sleep on it, so as to give a balanced opinion, so her goes:
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH! WHAT THE **** IS GOING ON!

 

[Holy Joe]

We

We have 5 CBs (albeit 1 is injured, but I don't believe we've been told how long, so may need cover there). We have 6 CMs (including Wood) so plenty of cover there. We have 4 forwards, so plenty of cover there as well and 2 RWBs.

Fair enough, we do need a LWB, but we do have cover there (though I think Ralph is miles better at CB).

Then we have 1 GK. So no cover there at all, therefore I would say that is a priority!!

We have 2 keepers and have had for much of the season - granted they're short term loans or the lad that was non contract. But as I stated I don't think a perm no2 will be any good - so assuming these loans are free (or very cheap) then I think that is the best use of the budget.

The priorities of cb, lwb etc are widely posted on here.

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

No he is doing your head in and a minority of vocal posters.

With respect, you weren’t at RH yesterday and it’s becoming much more than a minority, especially in the West Stand.

 

[JD]

I said to my mate before kick off, at least they shouldn’t cause us problems from set pieces, there’s no one in their team much over 6 foot!

it’s all your fault!!

 

[Holy Joe]

Did he lose him for the first two? The free kick in the last minute, Golding was marking him in the middle of goal by the 6 yard line. Just before the delivery the player ran 4 or 5 yards forward to another player and gave him a little nudge (not sure who). Golding stood still. Then the lad dropped back between Golding and the other player. The ball went about a foot above his head, but he was now unmarked, 6 yards out and near the middle of our goal.

Im not an expert on defending set pieces so am not sure whether Golding was zonal in the middle of goal. I can’t imagine what happened was what should have happened though.

Yeah, deffo looked to me like Golding was marking him both goals. First one he ended up on his arse in a possible foul, although imho it didn't look enough contact for me.

 

[Southend Elvis]

Anyone who finds excuses for yesterday's performance, and the way we have played this season, need to take a look at themselves. They fiddle while Rome burns, or emulate Comical Ali as he stood in Baghdad saying no tanks here, as they pulled into picture behind him.
I cannot see COSU allowing any new players to sign under Kev, while we play such poor football under his stewardship, best we can hope for is more loans.
We have to call it out, and say it's not good enough before it's too late, it's already too late as we are where we are, but you need to turn this tanker round before it slams into the dock...

 

[* ORM *]

With respect, you weren’t at RH yesterday and it’s becoming much more than a minority, especially in the West Stand.

I understand the frustrations, I really do, but if anyone thinks any manager instructs a team not to shoot then they’re deluded. I stress my point that the squad, whether KM has favourites or not, is of mid-table quality. I truly believe COSU’s intentions are stability first and then promotion push second. Their only mistake pandering to the minority clamouring for the reopening of NB.

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

I understand the frustrations, I really do, but if anyone thinks any manager instructs a team not to shoot then they’re deluded. I stress my point that the squad, whether KM has favourites or not, is of mid-table quality. I truly believe COSU’s intentions are stability first and then promotion push second. Their only mistake pandering to the minority clamouring for the reopening of NB.

Agreed that right now the NB experiment isn’t working and needs a rethink but it was what a lot of fans wanted.

I don’t believe Maher is telling players not to shoot, of course he isn’t. But it’s looking flat and stale, there’s no spark. Something just doesn’t seem to be clicking. The general belief from the majority I chatted to yesterday was that Maher has been great the last couple of seasons but isn’t the man to take us forward.

Yes people have short memories but yesterday the tactics/selections were wrong (and Kev didn’t switch it up, IMO he should’ve made 3 HT subs), the football was dire and the body language of the players was terrible. It must be partly down to the coaching team.

Oh and 2 fellas in my row left .. one at HT one shortly afterwards. Not seen it that toxic in a long time.

 

[gatecrasher]

I understand the frustrations, I really do, but if anyone thinks any manager instructs a team not to shoot then they’re deluded. I stress my point that the squad, whether KM has favourites or not, is of mid-table quality. I truly believe COSU’s intentions are stability first and then promotion push second. Their only mistake pandering to the minority clamouring for the reopening of NB.

I agree, he probably doesn't tell them not to shoot. But what he does tell them is to play this languid premier league, passing along the back line, into midfield and up - which works in the prem, when you have a level of player who has the ability to create moments of genius and passing success rates of over 90%. These players for us are playing non league, because their ability is non league - keep it simple, play it direct, carry the ball, get it into the box - get players into the box. If this was the instructions to the players we would have 10 -20 more goals than we do and more points - look at the fact our strikers have 2/3 goals this season and yet elsewhere they have bagged much more. Maher, Maher ball and his sticking with out of form players IS the problem.

 

[Flinty]

I understand the frustrations, I really do, but if anyone thinks any manager instructs a team not to shoot then they’re deluded. I stress my point that the squad, whether KM has favourites or not, is of mid-table quality. I truly believe COSU’s intentions are stability first and then promotion push second. Their only mistake pandering to the minority clamouring for the reopening of NB.

I don’t think anyone is disagreeing that the players / squad are most probably mid table…for reason due to the previous regime. What is getting everyone’s back up is the constant failure to change things, like yesterday when the game plan clearly wasn’t working. That along with dropping / not picking players who have performed consistently better this season than others that start week after week

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Golding was only at fault for the third goal. He lost his man. The first he was pulled down by the goalscorer, and the ref didn't see it. The own goal was unfortunate. The cross was struck hard and fast and hit him. More worryingly was the acres of space on our right that the cross came from. The third was avoidable as we had two men against one smallish player at the near post, yet he was able to head the ball backwards across goal to the man Golding lost.

 

[blues exile]

I understand the frustrations, I really do, but if anyone thinks any manager instructs a team not to shoot then they’re deluded. I stress my point that the squad, whether KM has favourites or not, is of mid-table quality. I truly believe COSU’s intentions are stability first and then promotion push second. Their only mistake pandering to the minority clamouring for the reopening of NB.

It is quite obvious they are told not to shoot unless there is high percentage chance of scoring and keeping possession to try to work another opening is preferable to a speculative shot. That is clearly what has drilled into the players and partly explains why we have scored so few goals. A shot might be spilled by the keeper, could take a deflection and if someone gambles on this they might get a tap in. The way this aspect has been completely excluded is another example of Maher's inflexible and rigid mind set and why we are struggling. There has been only two sources of goals this season both of which are now history. Firstly, Scott-Morriss's early goal rush which could never realistically continue, and Pepple's individual ability to make his own chances. Take those contributions away and the stats are truly disgraceful. How long wil it take for COSU to take the inevitable decision?