Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 1 - 2 Bradford City

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I thought their number 35 Tyrell Robinson was excellent attacking with great pace from the back. He went past a few of our players with ease.

 

[IloveShrimp]

The curse of Nile Ranger looms larger and larger over the club. Vile Nile was brought in by Phil 'no morals' Brown and we have to get rid of them both to right a very large wrong done to us, the soul of the club.

Give it a rest for christ sake, it bad enough losing without have to put up with your twaddle

Well said, was thinking the same!

 

[Firestorm]

Why was a two handed push on a player not punished with a red ? They should not have had 11 on the pitch for the last 15 or so.

 

[Stuart W]

As Lord Football says, the first half was dire. We (me and those around me) thought the line up was a bit strange, especially as Ranger's performance last Saturday was pretty grim. Anyway, conceding on 9 minutes was always going to make the first half difficult for us as you couldn't see where the goals were coming from. I might have imagined it, but I thought Lenny missed a gilt edged header in the first half. Had we scored from that, who knows? Anyway come half time Bradford deserved their lead.

The second half was completely different because we introduced that missing ingredient called total effort. We played some slick one touch football and Coker showed us just what we have been missing this season. Also the goal that we scored was a real team effort and a pleasure to watch. As the minutes ticked away I though we had done enough for a share of the points, but not to be I'm afraid. I don't know if it was a penalty as the West stand post in front of me obscured my view. Anyway the ref said it was and Lenny was off. Losing Lenny is going to be a big loss over the Christmas period and I did wonder whether we had just watched his last game for us. Time will tell.

I felt a little bit sorry for Phil today. He tried to shake things up and that didn't quite come off, he made some really attacking substitutions and they didn't really come off, because we lost, and then he got sent to the stands. No doubt the 'kill Phil' posts will abound for the remainder of the weekend, but it won't change anything as he will still be our manager into the New Year and beyond. I just hope we can spend a little bit of time discussing the football some of us have just watched as well as persistently telling me what a bad chap Phil is. For what it's worth I already know what your views are so there will be nothing new there.

Next home game - Charlton and an opportunity to put this disappointment behind us. The reasons for the absence of Coxy and Anton may be interesting to hear about.

Leonard won't miss the Christmas games (unless you count next Saturday as one). He will miss one game for two bookings.

Whilst I am on, one point that I am sure most people on here would support; given that the play-offs are now becoming a fantasy and assuming Brown stays until the end of the season - it is vital in January to bring in new blood, and I would say specifically hungry and most probably NON-LEAGUE blood.
I don't want to see any more players coming in for their final pay cheque before retiring. We have currently got a shed-load of these. Let us see what our wonderful scouting network can come up with.

They don't necessarily need to be wet behind the ears, but they do need to be hungry and ambitious to play in League 1. Here are two names to put into the pot: Sam Higgins (East Thurrock United) and Jake Robinson (Billericay Town).

What have we possibly got to lose?

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Why was a two handed push on a player not punished with a red ? They should not have had 11 on the pitch for the last 15 or so.

I agree. No matter what Lenny did or didn't do before, retaliation and a 2 handed push on him should be a red card if the laws of the game are to be followed

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Other rumours are circulating which suggest major problems.....Manager or team is soon going to be the issue for Ron

I gather, and this comes from a couple of sources, that Anton, on hearing he wasn't selected, went home.

 

[fbm]

Yes, both were there until the end. The White Turner partnership looked ok but did get stretched a bit.
And Cox must be injured not to start;- shame Marco wasn't in the starting line up too.

Apparently not. According to BBC Essex before the game, Cox, Ferdinand and Hendrie were "rested".

 

[IloveShrimp]

Another dismal performance with only two shots on target.

I liked the set plays that Bradford made when tearing us open.. they obviously work on them in training. It is something we sadly lack and perhaps do not do in training!

Ba preferred to Cox??? And where has our super 4 year deal signing (Robinson) disappeared to (thankfully).

 

[Wickford Blue]

Responding t Post re Ferdinand going home when told he wasn't picked - not true - was in the tunnel at full time and watched the game from the directors box with Cox

 

[Crowstone Crevette]

I gather, and this comes from a couple of sources, that Anton, on hearing he wasn't selected, went home.

According to the BBC Essex commentators, Aliker and/or Clarke, he was sitting near them at the back of the directors box only minutes before kick off.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

I think a lot of sensible posters on here are getting their views a bit squewed by the 2nd half. Last Saturday we played ok-ish and could have possibly gone in 1-1 at half time. Then 2nd half we were totally dire and the whole game is poor.

Today was the polar opposite, and everyone appears to be forgetting the awful first half. We created one headed chance and a shot from 25 yards in the first 45 minutes. Bradford cut us apart time and time again, and we could of been 3-0 down after 15 mins.

2nd half was a huge improvement and a draw would of been a fair result over the 90 minutes as Bradford offerered nothing in the 2nd period.

Worse case scenario today, the players looked like they wanted Phil out in the opening 30 mins, but then looked like they didn’t in the 2nd half, and we lost in heartbreaking style and will lose Lenny for next week.

Great to see Coker back. Wright is not a winger and is a poor mans Will Atkinson, Wordsworth is not a forward, nor the player to play just off 1 up front.

Brown got it horribly wrong again today and I have now flipped camps and want him gone ASAP

 

[mattitouk]

Another dismal performance with only two shots on target.

I don't know where you got that stat from, the match reports i'm reading says we had 9 shots on goal, with 5 shots on target. We also had more of the possesion (55%) as a pose to Bradford's (45%).

Also I see on CP's twitter, that McLaughlin confirms that the goal had come off Nile last, and Ranger has been awarded the goal.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

I think a lot of sensible posters on here are getting their views a bit squewed by the 2nd half. Last Saturday we played ok-ish and could have possibly gone in 1-1 at half time. Then 2nd half we were totally dire and the whole game is poor.

Today was the polar opposite, and everyone appears to be forgetting the awful first half. We created one headed chance and a shot from 25 yards in the first 45 minutes. Bradford cut us apart time and time again, and we could of been 3-0 down after 15 mins.

2nd half was a huge improvement and a draw would of been a fair result over the 90 minutes as Bradford offerered nothing in the 2nd period.

Worse case scenario today, the players looked like they wanted Phil out in the opening 30 mins, but then looked like they didn’t in the 2nd half, and we lost in heartbreaking style and will lose Lenny for next week.

Great to see Coker back. Wright is not a winger and is a poor mans Will Atkinson, Wordsworth is not a forward, nor the player to play just off 1 up front.

Brown got it horribly wrong again today and I have now flipped camps and want him gone ASAP

I didn't forget the first half - see my comments on the match thread - I've supported PB but after picking a 4-5-1 at home when it's never worked before is the final straw for me now, had enough

 

[leroyjean]

Also I see on CP's twitter, that McLaughlin confirms that the goal had come off Nile last, and Ranger has been awarded the goal.

Does this mean that our friendly ref missed an opportunity to rule out our goal for offside?

 

[Maidstone Shrimper]

Does this mean that our friendly ref missed an opportunity to rule out our goal for offside?

Well it would have been down to him. The West Stand lino seemed to look at the ref before deciding which way to point his flag for most of the game.

 

[Freedom for Tooting]

Other rumours are circulating which suggest major problems.....Manager or team is soon going to be the issue for Ron

Are they as accurate as the original rumours you quote?

 

[Freedom for Tooting]

Definitely issues between Cox and Brown. I think we will either see Brown or Cox gone by the end of the transfer window

"DEFINITELY". So the proof is...?

 

[AndyT]

I think a lot of sensible posters on here are getting their views a bit squewed by the 2nd half. Last Saturday we played ok-ish and could have possibly gone in 1-1 at half time. Then 2nd half we were totally dire and the whole game is poor.

Today was the polar opposite, and everyone appears to be forgetting the awful first half. We created one headed chance and a shot from 25 yards in the first 45 minutes. Bradford cut us apart time and time again, and we could of been 3-0 down after 15 mins.

2nd half was a huge improvement and a draw would of been a fair result over the 90 minutes as Bradford offerered nothing in the 2nd period.

Worse case scenario today, the players looked like they wanted Phil out in the opening 30 mins, but then looked like they didn’t in the 2nd half, and we lost in heartbreaking style and will lose Lenny for next week.

Great to see Coker back. Wright is not a winger and is a poor mans Will Atkinson, Wordsworth is not a forward, nor the player to play just off 1 up front.

Brown got it horribly wrong again today and I have now flipped camps and want him gone ASAP

D'you what, that's exactly how I feel.

I pulled up in the car and flipped twitter on the phone and saw the side and thought, he's had a falling out, AGAIN! .. It felt like someone had let the air out of the balloon, as I walked across the car park. Surely this one upfront system can't work. It never has before.

First 15 minutes and, well, what can you say. Their goal was laughable. They also had two other chances and their short corners they could literally pass it to each other without a Southend player even bothering to jog over to stop it.

After that, we did OK, but at half-time the place was as flat as anything.

Second half there was an improvement, granted. Mainly because PB suddenly realized that sticking someone else upfront might be a good idea.

Bradford, well. Seriously, I thought they were bang average. In fact, in the second half, they were pretty awful in truth. The two centre-halves did OK, in fairness. Going forward they were non existent. McCall had swapped over the reasonably impressive Taylor for the defensive minded Reeves at half-time and they gave up trying to be creative.

Good work for our goal. Ranger trying to claim it, even though it sailed over his head and went in off Macca's shoulder!

They didn't deserve their winner and a draw would have been a fair result. I should have been pleased if it was, but frankly, I couldn't give a damn at the end. I hate feeling like that.

Reason being is that, having supported PB over the last few years, I've reached the point where I think it's time to leave :-

1) Banging on about wanting another job and then calling out players for commitment.
2) Suggesting players need to be up for the fight and then picking late for training Ranger and coast through the game and I want a new contract Wordsworth.
3) Talking utter drivel after the MK Dons match.
4) Leaving key players out of today's line-up. Regardless of what he thinks, he owes it to the supporters to stay focused and pick the best team for the match. Today he got it horribly wrong. Everyone knows that. It's just an ego thing. I'm sorry, but it is!
5) Putting his narcissistic behavior in front of what's best for the club.

I could go on, but suffice to say that he isn't getting a new contract anytime soon. We all know that .. and now he is breaking up the spirit and desire of the side. That was a professional performance today. Nothing more than that, though. I'd expect more, in truth.

I'll do some ratings :-

Oxley 7, Demetriou 6, Turner 8 MOM, White 6.5, Coker 7, Wright 6, Timlin 6, Lenny 6.5, Worsdworth 5, McLaughlin 6, Ranger 7

The game, in isolation, was OK. It's all the peripheral stuff that is weighing down on everything now.

PB doesn't want to be here and, unfortunately for me, it's time to move him on. Ron, do the honourable thing and let Coghs take over until we find a replacement.

 

[Taters123]

D'you what, that's exactly how I feel.

I pulled up in the car and flipped twitter on the phone and saw the side and thought, he's had a falling out, AGAIN! .. It felt like someone had let the air out of the balloon, as I walked across the car park. Surely this one upfront system can't work. It never has before.

First 15 minutes and, well, what can you say. Their goal was laughable. They also had two other chances and their short corners they could literally pass it to each other without a Southend player even bothering to jog over to stop it.

After that, we did OK, but at half-time the place was as flat as anything.

Second half there was an improvement, granted. Mainly because PB suddenly realized that sticking someone else upfront might be a good idea.

Bradford, well. Seriously, I thought they were bang average. In fact, in the second half, they were pretty awful in truth. The two centre-halves did OK, in fairness. Going forward they were non existent. McCall had swapped over the reasonably impressive Taylor for the defensive minded Reeves at half-time and they gave up trying to be creative.

Good work for our goal. Ranger trying to claim it, even though it sailed over his head and went in off Macca's shoulder!

They didn't deserve their winner and a draw would have been a fair result. I should have been pleased if it was, but frankly, I couldn't give a damn at the end. I hate feeling like that.

Reason being is that, having supported PB over the last few years, I've reached the point where I think it's time to leave :-

1) Banging on about wanting another job and then calling out players for commitment.
2) Suggesting players need to be up for the fight and then picking late for training Ranger and coast through the game and I want a new contract Wordsworth.
3) Talking utter drivel after the MK Dons match.
4) Leaving key players out of the today's line-up. Regardless of what he thinks, he owes it to the supporters to stay focused and pick the best team for the match. Today he got it horribly wrong. Everyone knows that. It's just an ego thing. I'm sorry, but it is!
5) Putting his narcisstic behavior in front of what's best for the club.

I could go on, but suffice to say that he isn't getting a new contract anytime soon. We all know that .. and now he is breaking up the spirit and desire of the side. That was a professional performance today. Nothing more than that, though. I'd expect more, in truth.

I'll do some ratings :-

Oxley 7, Demetriou 6, Turner 8 MOM, White 6.5, Coker 7, Wright 6, Timlin 6, Lenny 6.5, Worsdworth 5, McLaughlin 6, Ranger 7

The game, in isolation, was OK. It's all the peripheral stuff that is weighing down on everything now.

PB doesn't want to be here and, unfortunately for me, it's time to move him on. Ron. Do the honourable thing and let Coghs take over until we find a replacement.

Totally agree with all of this!

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Why was a two handed push on a player not punished with a red ? They should not have had 11 on the pitch for the last 15 or so.

Two handed push is now only a yellow card and has been for a few seasons now. I remember Eastwood getting a red card for pushing I think a Huddersfield player but that was before the rule change.