Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 1-1 York City

[geoffmundo]

Early days, but still don't think we'll go down.............................

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

At our best, no but York will be a good side this season and I’ll take a point.

Much more important was the symbolic nature of today’s game, a new beginning for all. We’ll improve, not worried.

22 days rat free.

UTB

 

[crypto]

I’m not going to be to hyper critical of today’s performance due to it being the opening game of the season and a tough opposition who I fully expect to be in the play-off mix this season. But today highlighted to me how much we we’re missing Noor Husin. The lack of keeping possession in the second half was our big down full. IMO.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

I agree, but I don’t think that would have stopped York knocking it around very nicely in the 2nd half.

Maybe if we had a creative midfielder who had put his foot on the ball and created a couple of chances we may have got a second that would have knocked the wind out of York or at least broken down their momentum at 1-0

 

[billy best was god]

Reminded me of watching England with a team manager whose aim is to defend and hope to score a goal, with no creative play, no wingers, no crosses, no pace, only one team played and wanted to win.

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Maybe if we had a creative midfielder who had put his foot on the ball and created a couple of chances we may have got a second that would have knocked the wind out of York or at least broken down their momentum at 1-0

Yeah would’ve made a huge difference. Our midfield was non existent today and York were going through it at will.

 

[Danshrimper]

Today was how I was expecting us to look on the opening day last season, after that awful pre-season and having 12 players.

I get this pre-season also hasn’t been perfect, but I still thought we’d be better prepared than last year. So I was disappointed that after a fairly strong opening 20 minutes, we looked tired and off the pace.

It all seemed a bit disjointed in the second half and the substitutions only made it worse. Unless Gubbins was injured, I don’t think there was any need to make that change. All 3 centre backs were playing well and we looked fairly solid at the back.

We won’t play many more teams with the same energy levels of York, so maybe that made it look worse than it actually was. But it still wasn’t particularly encouraging.

We are in desperate need of a creative midfielder. Cardwell and Walker both have the potential to score 15+ goals this season, but they won’t get anywhere near that with the service they received today.

 

[CaptainSmudger]

Very much first game of the new season syndrome ,fitness and cohesion will improve.
York ran the second half. 501 of their fans in attendance,well done York.
Happy with 1-1 fair result
. We did not deserve more, if we are honest.
COYB UTB.🛩

 

[SUFCJK]

Reminded me of watching England with a team manager whose aim is to defend and hope to score a goal, with no creative play, no wingers, no crosses, no pace, only one team played and wanted to win.

We tried something different with bridge and it didn’t work… I don’t think we will see him in a central role again… that plus Husin being back will be key for us. Jack bridge was spectator especially in the first half

 

[wakes123]

Maybe if we had a creative midfielder who had put his foot on the ball and created a couple of chances we may have got a second that would have knocked the wind out of York or at least broken down their momentum at 1-0

Yes good point

 

[ms brush]

Overall, that was a super afternoon.

COSU have injected much more than money into the club. There was an underlying air of positivity across the ground today, which was good to see and feel. The small stuff made a difference. Anyone notice? Things like the club shop being constantly packed, no 20 mile long queue for ticket collections at 2.30, the clock working, the food outlets had a different offering (hubby said both burger and hot dogs were good!), score board working (mostly), and the well place TIFO. The thank you banner to York City fans was a nice touch as well. Huge progress in 22 days!

First games of the season are always a bit of anticlimax, as some fair weather supporters turn up, regulars are on hols, and this year particularly, a lot of people have come because it is the first game where COSU are in charge. I always think that boxing day games also have an underwhelming atmosphere.

So, to the game. York are very good, and were clearly well prepared and ready to go. They looked impressive, especially in the second half. They were all.over us, mainly because we are not 100% there yet. York have had a full pre-season, a decent training ground to prepare in, and no last minute drama about the club maybe not surviving. We are, as Kevin said, 2-3 weeks behind schedule, so we were never going to be playing at the blistering pace we built up to at the end of last season. We are, as many have said, short of attack minded midfielders, and we lost control of the midfield when we sat too far back, especially in the second half. Their goal had been coming for a while, and I thought we did well to contain their multiple threats and secure the point.

Give it a couple of weeks, give them a bit of time to bed in to thie season and performances will improve.

1-1 against a team likely to be right in the mix on day 1 of the season is not a disaster! Onwards and upwards. We will come good doon.

 

[wiggy]

Omg, we are so nice and nervous on here about upsetting anyone, bit like the country tbf.
We are on a high, the rat has gone, we go 1-0 up and then play route one and sit back inviting the equaliser, management will win nothing with this attitude in a really shi t League!
Why will Maher not instruct his crab midfield to change a habit of a lifetime and supply people like Walker a chance to score with the odd through ball…..same old cr ap when it should be a 3-0 win having got the lead…..!

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Compared to many of the teams we faced last season, i thought York were quite a small side ( apart from the burly sub they brought on 2nd half ). Also we aren't a team of spoilers & clogger's like some others i could name.
When York play these sides, some of whom just go direct from the off, they could have problems dealing with lanky strikers, & the physical element of those teams games?.
I hope we can get a couple of new faces in very soon, as in 2 weeks time we've 2 games in 3 days, & will probably need to tweak the team?. Ok same goes for Dagenham on the BHM game, but i believe they have a bigger squad than we do?.

 

[Streaky]

Thought the pitch looked awful, strange patches, seemed dry and not conclusive to sharp passing.

Bridge unfortunately can’t play in the middle, he is arguably our most creative player and against a short CB who Cards could dominate it seemed odd to use him in his natural position and whip balls in.

Good luck to York thought they looked a decent outfit.

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

Omg, we are so nice and nervous on here about upsetting anyone, bit like the country tbf.
We are on a high, the rat has gone, we go 1-0 up and then play route one and sit back inviting the equaliser, management will win nothing with this attitude in a really shi t League!
Why will Maher not instruct his crab midfield to change a habit of a lifetime and supply people like Walker a chance to score with the odd through ball…..same old cr ap when it should be a 3-0 win having got the lead…..!

Don't think we should be getting a 3-0 win, just because we took the lead. York were the better and fitter side

 

[Shrimper]

We're desperately missing that creative player in midfield. Fix that, and I think it will fix our other midfield issues.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

They were all.over us, mainly because we are not 100% there yet. York have had a full pre-season, a decent training ground to prepare in, and no last minute drama about the club maybe not surviving. We are, as Kevin said, 2-3 weeks behind schedule,

Not disputing what Kevin has said, but pre season last year was more of a circus than this one?. Up to a couple of weeks before it started, we were told players were training in small groups, no-one knew what was happening, & we only had 14 players?.
Yet we started well, beating a disjointed Oldham & followed that with a win at Dagenham!.

 

[dusterman]

Thought Walker was very good. Great addition, if the 2/3 we get in are the same standard as him then we’ll look good. Linked up well with Cardwell too.

Cav looks off it, Coker faded badly,

Bridge looked lost.

We looked under cooked as some have said.

They looked tidy even in first half.

Take a point move on.

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

Looked like a 3-5-2 today

Collin - 7 One dodgy throw out, but made two great saves at the end

Taylor - 7 Solid
Kensdale 6 OK. Put in some good tackles
Gubbins 5 Got ripped to shreds by Chadwick. Seemed to be hobbling. Was he fit ? (taken off 10 mins into 2nd half)

Gus - 6 Ok. Up and down, Took his goal well
Miley 6 - Ok
Coker 6 - looked a bit lost as a CAM
Bridge 6 - as above
Ralph 6 Ok at LWB, but better as a LB IMO. Dropped back to cover for Gubbins at the end of the 1st half as he was getting roasted

Walker 7 Quite lively
Cardwell 7 Usual battling self

Subs
Morton 6 Ok
Waldron 6 Didn't have much to do
Wood 6 Hardly touched the ball

 

[wiggy]

Don't think we should be getting a 3-0 win, just because we took the lead. York were the better and fitter side

But these are his best players apparently…..not terrible but why are they better and fitter and this is the mainstay of our squad. Main problem is that they are good enough in this League but the football is oh so negative. Keep saying it but Southgate had the players and failed to use them properly and Maher is so like him.