Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 1-0 Bury

[Rayleigh boy]

a great day for the Roots Hall moaners ..

my favourite of this species are " GET IT IN THERE " shouters - followed by "WHY CAN'T WE KEEP THE BALL"
- without ever thinking the two thoughts might be connected....

of course if you have played football you know games played in a high wind are always crap - but hey ho I think a lot of people are really unhappy and need to express their unhappiness -

anyway i don't think boo-ing our own team work well

aand I think the fellas all did well and Ranger added a lot - he is better with the ball at his feet ... obviously Ryan Leonard a class apart and MOM and Kightly not match fit ... John White excellent

Probably a day when experience was required but a shame Yearwood did not get some minutes ...

Mooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan mooooooooooooooan - Get it in there - a horror story that will continue

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

I certainly think that we played better in the 2nd half and did create some good 1/2 chances without really looking too great.

Lenny as man of the match was an easy and sensible choice. Good play from MAF, Wright is improving (better fitness perhaps), Oxley looks reliable, Demmy came forward well and a mention for Whitey (even if he did fluff a free header).

Strange to see (and hear) 2 managers side by side micro-managing their respective teams.

Just a small complaint that we spent the last 5 minutes in the corner instead of going for a 2nd goal.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

I certainly think that we played better in the 2nd half and did create some good 1/2 chances without really looking too great.

Lenny as man of the match was an easy and sensible choice. Good play from MAF, Wright is improving (better fitness perhaps), Oxley looks reliable, Demmy came forward well and a mention for Whitey (even if he did fluff a free header).

Strange to see (and hear) 2 managers side by side micro-managing their respective teams.

Just a small complaint that we spent the last 5 minutes in the corner instead of going for a 2nd goal.

We have done that before and conceded. I think it was good game management by Wordy and Macca to waste as much time as possible and give Bury as little possession as possible.

 

[Bobby dazzler]

I don't often comment on performances but i will this time
Oxley put in another solid performance. What a change from last season.
For me White was man of the match and was a rock at the back and I thought Demi did OK.
Ferdinand was lucky as White always seemed to be getting the ball so had an easy game.
Oh my again : Timlin ! Played out of position and surely we must have better for left back.
I love him for his effort and his past seasons but his passing has got even worse which is saying something
Wordsworth Lazy in my eyes.
Leonard Absolute cracker of a goal and his tracking back is vital, If White wan't going to get MOM then Lenny is ok for it in my eyes.
Kightly had a poor game but is not fully fit
Our forward line look short of confidence so best leave it their

I sit in the East Stand in my not so comfy season card seat (with the two nutters on the bus not far away) and I find myself and those around me devoid of enthusiasm due to the ever so dull diet of football we are fed. Please let it improve

 

[Floval Flyer]

Today at Roots Hall I witnessed 2 teams lacking confidence, our first half performance was pretty dire; we did pick up a little 2nd half, but in a whole a disappointing display by the blues but we came away with 3 points, which is what sometimes separates the nearly teams from the successful ones come May time. Despite their multitude of summer signings Bury were a poorer side than the side who came here last game of the 16/17 season.

Far too many stray passes with several guilty players; Timlin the main culprit but also Wordsworth, JW and Demi too. Kightly looked lively but short of match fitness, thought Wright (workrate / covered a lot of the pitch) along with Lenny (as per Wright, plus great track back and tackle when Timlin gifted them the ball, oh and that goal!) were the standout outfield players and Oxley made some decent, although not spectacular saves. Not a lot of cohesion between Cox and MAF and midfield meant chances were hard to come by, and when they did we lacked the ability to shoot, again Cox was the main guilty party as he was against Pboro.

Apart from a great great strike by Lenny I came away disappointed - that said this 3 points could be massive for us, and could give us the confidence we clearly lack to kickstart our season at last ! Only 3 points off the playoffs! (Dejavu??)

Would give all a '6' except Lenny, Wright and Ox a 7 (extra .5 for Lenny's goal), Timlin and Wordy scoring 5.

BTW: Had a really nice pre match pint of IPA in the West Road Tap - thoroughly recommended

Apart from that, You up ain't seen me! Right!

UTBs !!

 

[Gt Yarmouth Shrimper]

I sit in the East Stand in my not so comfy season card seat (with the two nutters on the bus not far away)

:hijacked:Many apologies for doing this but I couldn't resist.

[video=youtube;TWEZaDr85tQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWEZaDr85tQ[/video]

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Kightly, yes, he was rusty, but it is one name off the injured list and we will be a better team with him in it.
.

Quote of the day on Radio Essex during 2nd half, after Kightly had lost the ball.
'Phil Brown said Kightly has been 'unlocking doors' all week in training. Well today, he must have left his key at home'!.

 

[tallboyblue]

How on earth do you expect to see good football played on that pitch?

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Some good comments on here; this game was no classic.

One point I definitely want to make is that I don’t think I’ve read enough fulsome credit for Oxley today - I thought he was immense - a couple of saves in particular got us out of jail.

Leonard a worthy MOM for a fine goal, an awesome bit of pacey tracking back to tackle and save what looked a certain goal - plus his usual high octane efforts throughout.

I thought Kights did really well considering he’s been out a while and rushed back in. Plenty of endeavour and some quality too but understandably looked a little rusty and not at full pace.

I also thought Ferdy had a good game and looked much better than of late - more composed, more mobile and more confident.

Overall 3 points was all we needed. It may be a cliché but it strikes me this season could go either way. We have plenty of ability and of course we’ve had defensive injuries but what worries me most is that we have all our best strikers available and we should have, well, buried Bury given then chances we had but it looked like nobody knew how to shoot. Fat Barry Fry would have called it ‘powder puff’. We need some serious shooting practice and perhaps the club really should try to get in a specialist striking coach just for a bit to help our forwards get back in form. No slight against our current coaches but perhaps a different voice might do the trick. You can have all the experience and talent in the world but if you can’t score you won’t win enough games. Simples.

 

[onceknownasrab]

Strange game. Far from any of the worst games witnessed at the Hall but equally far from exciting. It was a dour, gritty, confidence lacking match, sprinkled with occasional pixie dust, where we got a glimpse of things the team can do.
Oxley had little to do but did what was required well and with confidence.
Demi was steady and there is a better player in there for sure.
White was Mr. reliable.
Ferdinand coped. So could many others with less pedigree against the powder puff Bury attack. But he did what was necessary.
Timlin, what can I say, tried hard but does not look the part at left back and little went well for him.
Kightly huffed and puffed but looked less than match sharp.
Wright is tenacious and put in a shift.
Wordsworth was not at his best for sure but performed ok.
Leonard is just so good compared to the rest of the players on the pitch. Vital to us.
Fortune continues to belie his age and never failed to try. He lacked the player near him to collect the scraps he makes.
Cox, as comment above, should be feeding off Fortune but was too often nowhere near him. Tries hard but positionally his radar seems off kilter. Still a quality player in there.

Ranger worked hard enough and I think there is a lot more to come from him.
SM lacks the sharpness he needs.
Robinson may as well have sat next to me in the South Upper.

There is more right with the team than wrong but I still do not believe the gaffer can/will get the best out of this collection of players. Returning defenders will be needed but it will still be some time before optimum match fitness is achieved and by then it will be too late. A White/Ferdinand combo is ok against poor performers like Bury but I fear a better side, particularly with pace, will rip them a new one.

Standout player: Leonard will always get the plaudits, rightly, but I think a great deal of respect goes to Oxley. The crowd were on his case when he first arrived and he had to play second fiddle to a teenager. He has pulled his game around and looks assured. Hats off to his strength of character. He will earn us points.

 

[Mick]

Overall 3 points was all we needed.

You don't think we needed to entertain the paying customers then ?

Perhaps it was the conditions but I found Tuesday's match the more entertaining of the two, despite dropping points.

 

[Taters123]

We are powder puff upfront, a quarter of the games gone and how many goals have our strikers got? Can’t be more than 4. No where good enough to be in the top 6 sides as it stands

 

[Taters123]

Top 4 players today - Leonard, Oxley, White and Demi. How poor would we be without Leonard

 

[mattitouk]

Taters123,

It's 5.

6 if you include Robinson.

Actually we have scored the same as Blackburn (6th) we would have bettered them, if they did'nt smack Pompey 3-0 today!

Also scored more than than Scunthorpe in (8th).

It's conceding goals, that's our problem.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

You don't think we needed to entertain the paying customers then ?

Perhaps it was the conditions but I found Tuesday's match the more entertaining of the two, despite dropping points.

Entertaining defeat or shabby win while we rebuild confidence and play our way back to form? Hmm, I’ll take the 3 points thanks. If you want perfection Barcelona are on telly now.

 

[Mick]

You don't think we needed to entertain the paying customers then ?

Perhaps it was the conditions but I found Tuesday's match the more entertaining of the two, despite dropping points.

Entertaining defeat or shabby win while we rebuild confidence and play our way back to form? Hmm, I’ll take the 3 points thanks. If you want perfection Barcelona are on telly now.

Of course I don't expect perfection, just a bit of entertainment. Tuesday's entertaining game was far from perfect.

Don't confuse entertainment with perfection.

 

[mattitouk]

Unless of course we are watching Richard Cadette, Stan Collymore or Freddy Eastwood.

 

[Willie Coulson's Red Cheeks]

Just confirms what I saw. 90 minutes of dire football from two sides that looked as though they were from the bottom half of the league. One moment of brillance from Léonard. Didn't know he could still hit them like that! :smile: Oh yes......and a good few saves from our keeper

Two moments of brilliance actually:

1. Leonard's 70 yard sprint to deny an almost certain Bury goal.
2. Leonard's second half winner.

Just how good is he and, without him, where would we be?

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Of course I don't expect perfection, just a bit of entertainment. Tuesday's entertaining game was far from perfect.

Don't confuse entertainment with perfection.

I’m not confused, but thanks for the concern.

 

[Mick]

Of course I don't expect perfection, just a bit of entertainment. Tuesday's entertaining game was far from perfect.

Don't confuse entertainment with perfection.

I’m not confused, but thanks for the concern.

You seemed to be. I was asking for entertainment; you replied if I want perfection watch Barcelona.