Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 1-1 Hartlepool United

[Massimo Giovanni]

Phil, Phillips gave away a penalty that Bentley saved recently and actually should have been penalised for another last night! I don't hear calls for him being dropped yet he's been a real liability!

Is this the same player that made a great tackle after about 30 seconds when their speedy youngster got through on goal while everyone else was napping? Is this the same guy that bullied and intimidated Harewood out of the game? Over the last few years he has been our only centre back who has got the best off of lumps like Akinfenwa; he isn't as quick as he was but a liability!?! And last night he was helping Thommo with advice and placings etc like a stalwart. If you want to watch just for mistakes in any player that is what you will see and remember; why not watch for the positives too?

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

It can be quite difficult to judge an individual central defender when they work as part of a pair - either with the other central defender or the left/defender. I think back to Clarkey and Barrett and the questions as to whether they worked well together.

Phillips is a good defender (I think) but he does need another good defender alongside him - and I think with Prosser there, they work well as a pair.

 

[madaboutblues]

Is this the same player that made a great tackle after about 30 seconds when their speedy youngster got through on goal while everyone else was napping? Is this the same guy that bullied and intimidated Harewood out of the game? Over the last few years he has been our only centre back who has got the best off of lumps like Akinfenwa; he isn't as quick as he was but a liability!?! And last night he was helping Thommo with advice and placings etc like a stalwart. If you want to watch just for mistakes in any player that is what you will see and remember; why not watch for the positives too?

MG, you and I are on the same wavelength today. Everyone was going on about Marlon Harewood before the game - £4M from Aston Villa blah blah blah.... but to be honest I didn't even notice him until the second half and that was down to Phillips. He may not be the quickest but he certainly knows how to mark men out of the game.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Is this the same player that made a great tackle after about 30 seconds when their speedy youngster got through on goal while everyone else was napping? Is this the same guy that bullied and intimidated Harewood out of the game? Over the last few years he has been our only centre back who has got the best off of lumps like Akinfenwa; he isn't as quick as he was but a liability!?! And last night he was helping Thommo with advice and placings etc like a stalwart. If you want to watch just for mistakes in any player that is what you will see and remember; why not watch for the positives too?

I gave him credit last night, he did have a good game BUT I felt he should definitely have been penalised for pulling their player back in the box in the 1st half and he has been awful since Prosser has been out, and wobbly for a fair bit of the season to be honest, in my opinion.

 

[Eastwood23]

I hate to be so blunt but I am still so frustrated about last night's game. The lack of success with Southend ultimately comes down to having square pegs for round holes.

Last season, our problem was a lack of centre midfielders. This season, our problem is a lack of wingers. We suit the 4-5-1 formation but unfortunately, we dont have enough wingers to utilise this formation. Straker is too inconsistent, so when he does have a bad day (yesterday certainly wasnt one of them as he was definitely MOTM), we have noone to replace him. Our substitutions often lead to Straker being replaced by a striker or centre midfielder - thus disrupting the formation and changing it. We work best with a 4-5-1 but whenever we make subs, our shape changes, and it looks a little desperate and confusing. We need a winger to be brought in ASAP!

Alternatively, I would certainly give Jack Payne a game out on the wing and see how that goes. Also, what on earth has happened to Mitchell Pinnock?? Isnt he a natural winger?

 

[Zeuss]

I thought at the time(and still do)that Timlin's wild punt across the field was strongly influenced by anger and amazement that the latest fool refereeing had not only failed to spot the blatant foul on Leonard but also allowed play to continue with Leonard left on the ground in a crumpled heap.Most of our players were clearly livid-quite a few ran to the "referee" when the shot went in.Incidentally,the linesman was also very close to the foul,but in fairness to him he was experiencing severe optical deficiences as shown when he waved Timlin offside and the RB was behind him by 2 or 3 yards.
The referee underlined his mistake shortly afterwards when with us mounting a threatening attack he blew up immediately because one of theirs went to ground(for no obvious reason)nowhere near the ball.

By "unlucky", I meant it was the only mistake he made all night. Phillips has made mistake after mistake the last few games and got away with it often. I don't feel it's fair to blame Timlin for that last night, he should never have had to attempt that clearance because it was a clear foul on Lenny which should have been given before it!

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

Anyone seen the highlights. I am pretty sure that the header from Straker that hit the bar crossed the line. One of them games I think.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

We were so changed in attitude and application from Saturday that PB and team need to try and work out why. But it wasn't only the team out there who worked and rallied, the coaches got some life in themselves, the BV sung......so different from the Ex game that there must have been more to it than the Straker for Barney swap?
Any suggestions apart from starting and continuing with tempo?
And the pitch being a tad better and no gale of a wind.

 

[Eddy Melito]

the most 'criminal' thing about timlin (and not including his time 'away') is that he had ample opportunity to get it away if only he'd have used his right foot! the number of players making it as professionals who have literally only one foot is astonishing. what do they do all day? if keepers can practice kicking off both feet, i dont see why certain players get away with not being able to.

 

[chapperzUK]

the most 'criminal' thing about timlin (and not including his time 'away') is that he had ample opportunity to get it away if only he'd have used his right foot! the number of players making it as professionals who have literally only one foot is astonishing. what do they do all day? if keepers can practice kicking off both feet, i dont see why certain players get away with not being able to.

How many times do you see keepers try and shift the ball onto their stronger foot to clear the ball? The vast majority of the time. There aren't many players that are as strong on their weaker foot as on their stronger foot. Some of the best players in the world have been "literally" only one footed.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

How many times do you see keepers try and shift the ball onto their stronger foot to clear the ball? The vast majority of the time. There aren't many players that are as strong on their weaker foot as on their stronger foot. Some of the best players in the world have been "literally" only one footed.

They would have trouble standing then surely

 

[Eddy Melito]

keepers will always have times where they only get one touch, and on their weak side. its not often you see a keeper unable to clear 40 yards or more with their weak side. all timlin had to do was hook it down the line into space. worst that happens is he shanks it off for a throw in. incidentally his clearance was one of the best crosses of the night.

 

[Jcd]

the most 'criminal' thing about timlin (and not including his time 'away') is that he had ample opportunity to get it away if only he'd have used his right foot! the number of players making it as professionals who have literally only one foot is astonishing. what do they do all day? if keepers can practice kicking off both feet, i dont see why certain players get away with not being able to.

This is my biggest gripe with professional footballers. When I was a kid my old man had me outside everyday and wouldn't let me in if i used my right foot.

Safe to say I'm still outside but that's beyond the point.

 

[chapperzUK]

For goalkeepers, all you have to do is get a clean contact to clear the danger. Being able to whack a ball 40 yards doesn't make you two footed.

Of course in hindsight it would have been better to just knock it out for a throw-in, but if you are in that position then you would want to get the ball as far away from goal as possible. If he had spun around and conceded a throw in instead of whacking it clear, I'm sure there would have been a fair amount of confused people.

 

[Jcd]

Feel like I've debated this into the ground already and it's only wednesday. As much as it was a shi*te clearance the boy has picked the top bin.

On to Saturday @ York.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

Uhhhh... that and five near things that on another night would have been goals. Oh yeah, and fantastic Pool defending, and another pudding of a pitch that sapped energy, and the lack of Luke Prosser. Shall I go on?
Timlin cost us two points? Pay attention at the back.

I think you're the one that needs to pay attention, the score was 1-1, Timlins mistake lead to their equaliser, ergo that mistake cost us 2 points.

 

[OldBlueLady]

I think you're the one that needs to pay attention, the score was 1-1, Timlins mistake lead to their equaliser, ergo that mistake cost us 2 points.

No, it didn't. Our inability to convert successfully one of about 5 or 6 goalmouth scrambles did! Yes, his mistake led to their goal but you can't say that is what cost the game.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

No, it didn't. Our inability to convert successfully one of about 5 or 6 goalmouth scrambles did! Yes, his mistake led to their goal but you can't say that is what cost the game.

Yes it did, all the other examples were possibilities, which happens in football all the time, they had chances they didn't covert, they also weren't awarded a penalty they should have been given.

However that mistake cost a goal which was a clear factor in the game finishing 1-1!!!

Anyway that is my opinion, if yours differs so be it and they only reason why I raised it again is because of Chris Powell's mate final comment, which wasn't really necessary.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

No, it didn't. Our inability to convert successfully one of about 5 or 6 goalmouth scrambles did! Yes, his mistake led to their goal but you can't say that is what cost the game.

At last! Some common sense on the subject. :thumbsup:

 

[Bobby dazzler]

No, it didn't. Our inability to convert successfully one of about 5 or 6 goalmouth scrambles did! Yes, his mistake led to their goal but you can't say that is what cost the game.

Sat unaccustomed as I am in the south upper, we dropped the points due to poor finishing, good defending/keeping and sheer bad luck. On another day it could have been a cricket score.
our defence was breached too easily I am afraid