Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 1-0 Plymouth Argyle

[Rob1920]

Funniest moment for me was when the argyle fans started chanting 'you dirty northern b******s' at which someone near us cried out 'NORTHERN??????' As if it was a far bigger insult than the actual expletive!

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

Yesterday was so refreshing to see. Ball on the floor, great attacking play. One of the fittest Southend sides I've seen.

Spot on with this. Need a bit of work in the final third but that should come with more games.

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

Good solid start to the season, no one had a bad game. First half we played really well, got the ball down and played it. Second half we took our foot off the gas slightly but Plymouth never looked like scoring, Bentley barely had a save to make. I thought they were dire especially at the back. Phillips and Prosser dealt well with their 2 forwards who looked quite dangerous early on. We dominated the midfield, Laird and Leonard worked their socks off and really got stuck in, I was especially impressed with Leonard who edged it for MoTM in my opinion. Loved it when he gave their left-back a shove on the ground after he'd dived trying to get a penalty, too. Straker and Coker linked up nicely down the left. Eastwood was class but always had defenders surrounding him pulling and pushing him, he'll get that a lot just because of his name. Corr held the ball up well and showed composure for the goal. And to think we still have Hurst, Timlin and Clifford to come in. Great atmosphere in block W, a few people have mentioned it and I think there's definitely an argument for TBV moving back there, I like the North Bank but it does make us cut off from the rest of the stadium and the support more spread out. I did feel the abuse of McCormick went a bit too far, though, and the 'murderer' chants got a bit boring and predictable after a while. Credit to him he didn't react at all and actually made a couple of very good saves in the 2nd half. Let's just focus on Southend songs, hey (and abusing fat kids).

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Pleased with the performance yesterday nice to see them keep going to the end, agree with everyone fitness levels were good. Straker, what a difference to last season, Coker impressed me most as did White. Well done lads. Good luck Tues in the Cup. Atmosphere good. best chant of the day was when the Easy Jet plane took off in the 2nd half and a small chant of Easy Jet Easy Jet Easy Jet was started. East Stand Blacks great comedians. Woooo Woooo

There must have been a friend turned up yesterday with a Blues fan who knows nothing about the geography of the area. When the plane took off, he said 'are we near an airport'....erm, either we are or that plane has just come out of the ground.

 

[OldBlueLady]

We dominated the midfield, Laird and Leonard worked their socks off and really got stuck in, I was especially impressed with Leonard who edged it for MoTM in my opinion. Loved it when he gave their left-back a shove on the ground after he'd dived trying to get a penalty, too.

Hmmm....not so sure the ref would have loved it if he'd seen it! One other thing which we noticed that Leonard did really well yesterday was during the 1st half when they were given that dodgy freekick after Marc Laird seemed to have made a perfectly good challenge. Leonard stood in front of the ball while Plymouth and the ref were sorting things out and made a point of asking the ref if the ball was to be played on his whistle, when he was told that was so, he then signalled to those defending. Never noticed that being done before, and meant Plymouth were aware they couldn't take it quickly.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

I did feel the abuse of McCormick went a bit too far, though, and the 'murderer' chants got a bit boring and predictable after a while. Credit to him he didn't react at all and actually made a couple of very good saves in the 2nd half. Let's just focus on Southend songs, hey (and abusing fat kids).

Yes, such abuse shows up the abuser rather than the intended "victim". :sad:

I wonder how many are "****ter trills".

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Hmmm....not so sure the ref would have loved it if he'd seen it! One other thing which we noticed that Leonard did really well yesterday was during the 1st half when they were given that dodgy freekick after Marc Laird seemed to have made a perfectly good challenge. Leonard stood in front of the ball while Plymouth and the ref were sorting things out and made a point of asking the ref if the ball was to be played on his whistle, when he was told that was so, he then signalled to those defending. Never noticed that being done before, and meant Plymouth were aware they couldn't take it quickly.

Never liked that "rule". Another change that is, for me, unnecessary.

 

[TrueBlue]

Good solid start to the season, no one had a bad game. First half we played really well, got the ball down and played it. Second half we took our foot off the gas slightly but Plymouth never looked like scoring, Bentley barely had a save to make. I thought they were dire especially at the back. Phillips and Prosser dealt well with their 2 forwards who looked quite dangerous early on. We dominated the midfield, Laird and Leonard worked their socks off and really got stuck in, I was especially impressed with Leonard who edged it for MoTM in my opinion. Loved it when he gave their left-back a shove on the ground after he'd dived trying to get a penalty, too. Straker and Coker linked up nicely down the left. Eastwood was class but always had defenders surrounding him pulling and pushing him, he'll get that a lot just because of his name. Corr held the ball up well and showed composure for the goal. And to think we still have Hurst, Timlin and Clifford to come in. Great atmosphere in block W, a few people have mentioned it and I think there's definitely an argument for TBV moving back there, I like the North Bank but it does make us cut off from the rest of the stadium and the support more spread out. I did feel the abuse of McCormick went a bit too far, though, and the 'murderer' chants got a bit boring and predictable after a while. Credit to him he didn't react at all and actually made a couple of very good saves in the 2nd half. Let's just focus on Southend songs, hey (and abusing fat kids).

It's certainly something to think about, superb noise created yesterday

 

[Chairman Trigg]

I agree with what most people have been saying, but a few things I disagree with:

Bentley only had two dodgy kicks in the game, most of them went to Corrs head!

Noticed that too,Bentley found Corr with nearly every drop kick,which was a vast improvement on what we saw last year

 

[manor15]

Loved the desire shown by the side, it was a hard fought win and thoroughly deserved, we played some good football, every player worked hard and got stuck in, and it really did look like a completely different side from last season! Looked like the players were much fitter than this time last season too, overall it was a great performance!

Bentley 7 Did what he had to do, another clean sheet can only boost his confidence
White 7 Solid, if not spectacular, his reluctance to pass forward without going for a long ball may get frustrating but the best right back we've had in a while defensively
Phillips 7 Reliable and solid, would expect him to get better as he gets a run in the team as well
Prosser 6.5 Few shaky moments like giving away a corner 10 seconds in, but much improved, especially liked the lack of hoofs forward!
Coker 7 Started off nervously but grew into the game and got forward well
Atkinson 8 First half passed him by a bit, but drove forward well and got stuck in when needed, his forward runs made quite a few chances, if only he had a bit more pace!
Leonard 7.5 Shored things up in the middle and gave quite a mature performance in the middle of the park
Laird 7.5 Looked a bit rusty at first but grew into the game and was creative and got stuck in, one of our best players in my opinion
Straker 7.5 Still had moments where you questioned how he's a professional footballer, but from the wing he can do a lot less damage and his pace really caused them problems, if he works on his final ball then it could be a great move by Brown
Corr 8 Usual BBBC performance, won every header, chased every ball done, scored the vital goal, unlucky to be subbed off
Eastwood 7 Chased everything down and looked fitter and like he had more desire than at any point last season, but didn't really get a noticeable chance, though some of his build up play was great
Subs
Reid 7 Looked dynamic up front, constant movement was a change from Freddy but in this game he was there to hold it up rather than score, although he had a few half chances
Clifford - Didn't really have long enough to make an impact

 

[McNasty]

Just watched the goal and noticed the brilliant left -foot ball from John White diagonally upfield to Freddy to set up the move for the goal.

A right back with a good left foot --- what a bonus.

 

[manor15]

Hmmm....not so sure the ref would have loved it if he'd seen it! One other thing which we noticed that Leonard did really well yesterday was during the 1st half when they were given that dodgy freekick after Marc Laird seemed to have made a perfectly good challenge. Leonard stood in front of the ball while Plymouth and the ref were sorting things out and made a point of asking the ref if the ball was to be played on his whistle, when he was told that was so, he then signalled to those defending. Never noticed that being done before, and meant Plymouth were aware they couldn't take it quickly.

Have to say that from my seat in the South Upper, Laird's challenge did look like a foul, although I've got no idea why the ref waited so long to give it and what on earth Plymouth were trying to do with it

 

[ozzy-shrimper]

Just watched the goal and noticed the brilliant left -foot ball from John White diagonally upfield to Freddy to set up the move for the goal.

A right back with a good left foot --- what a bonus.

Not a bad touch by Freddy either!

 

[TrueBlue]

Not a bad touch by Freddy either!

Freddy seems to have fallen into the 'Rooney' role in the side playing deep

 

[Cricko]

It was like watching Brazil or should that be Spain these days. :tease:

 

[South Bank Hank]

[video=youtube;ckerlDxlrc8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckerlDxlrc8&list=UUtUEQDOQpXmZuAH9beGN4Aw# at=42[/video]

 

[davewebbsbrain]

[video=youtube;ckerlDxlrc8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckerlDxlrc8&list=UUtUEQDOQpXmZuAH9beGN4Aw# at=42[/video]

Knocked Straker for his final ball but that was a peach to Laird

 

[palexander]

It's a shame the final finish was a bit untidy as that's one of the best goals we've scored in years. Gets better the more you see it. Great credit to browns style of play.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Thought at the time it was a great team goal and that shows it.

Also must mention that hilarious attempt at a snazzy free kick by Plymouth at the end of the first half. Straight into Bentleys arms, think their players must have had a moment where they thought they were Barcelona.

 

[Romford Shrimper]

Looks like a real bond from the players in the goal celebrations as well. Very positive start to the season.