Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 1-3 Gateshead

[ShrimperStats]

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We've had the least turnover in the league this season (+1 for Forson).

Of the top 5 in turnover, 3 are in the top 7. One is 8th, only Braintree are lower than us. Every club has had turnover, if it's not working then we've either signed the wrong players or are not playing them the right way to get the best out of them and that falls on Maher.

We also signed a lot of those players later than we would’ve liked because of ‘you know what’, meaning they didn’t have the same settling in period during pre-season that players at other clubs may have had, and missed out on higher targets. We also have a lot of unavailable players currently, and still have an incomplete squad.

I’m not saying the management team have got everything right this season, but everything has to be considered when analysing our poor start.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Probably because it's part of the gospel according to St Pep. Haaland was very good at heading away corners in the Newcastle v Man City game today.

But when he did, was there a City player outside the area hoping for a breakaway?.

 

[LeedsSUFC]

I haven't given up hope on the amigos and cosu etc, maybe it will all come good, but could well be another few years of this, which to put it mildly is a drag... and could well just be us die hards that turn up next year, as the floaters, kids, and glory hunters won't turn up to watch boring football where we lose.

Asking for £20-24 plus food, drink and travel. For the same poor tactics and team selection, and poor performances and results. Even 'die hards' will struggle to put up with this crap.

Looking at the fixture list... Rochdale, Altrincham, Halifax, York all before Christmas is a huge ask on travelling fans (when Maher struggles up north). 2025 should see better followings, as most of the matches are southern, apart from the final game (Gateshead away).

 

[kentblues]

Lots of differing views on the thread but this was closest to my view so far.

How much is being spent on Collin’s distribution each day?

Actually thought Foran did ok - made a couple of excellent covering tackles in the first half.

Thought Gubbins possibly had his best game and some really nice weighted passes.

Can only assume Pepple is carrying a knock as why not use him.

Can’t see why people think Bonnie didn’t try as I thought his work rate was high.

At the time everyone near me in the West was convinced first goal was well offside. Be interesting to see what replay shows.

Ran his nuts off- pit himself about - no idea how anyone can think otherwise. Opinions I guess.

 

[Fitz]

I think we really need support for Bridge rather than competition. He was doubled up whenever he got forward.

He’s not going to win a two on one. Give him a two on two and he’ll use his team-mate to either beat his man or he’ll draw in two men and release his teammate. He’s so much better in a two on two situation than a one on one situation.

If you don’t give him a man supporting him you are making him play with one hand tied behind his back. Put him in a position to succeed.

I agree…Wes did that for the last couple of seasons very effectively….allowing Bridge to play when teams double up. On occasions today he had 4 players on him.

 

[Grayson]

All this talk about crowds dropping off. Let them. Like we should be held to ransom by people who stop going at the first sign of it not being as good as they like.

The atmosphere was far better in the siege days when these people didn't bother coming.

We had fewer people making panicky noises every time Collin does anything, or every time we recycle the ball to restart an attack, or every time a player slides for the ball. The nervous atmosphere now does this team no favours. This is the East Stand so I can't speak for South and West but it is noticeably different in the East now.

Collin didn't come for long balls that entered his penalty box twice in 3 minutes today. The second time was the first goal. He used to go for it even if high risk before. Now he has stopped. His confidence seems shot. We are a worse team for it.

 

[dusterman]

All this talk about crowds dropping off. Let them. Like we should be held to ransom by people who stop going at the first sign of it not being as good as they like.

The atmosphere was far better in the siege days when these people didn't bother coming.

We had fewer people making panicky noises every time Collin does anything, or every time we recycle the ball to restart an attack, or every time a player slides for the ball. The nervous atmosphere now does this team no favours. This is the East Stand so I can't speak for South and West but it is noticeably different in the East now.

Collin didn't come for long balls that entered his penalty box twice in 3 minutes today. The second time was the first goal. He used to go for it even if high risk before. Now he has stopped. His confidence seems shot. We are a worse team for it.

Agreed. Remember it was the few at Lincoln playoff final and much better atmosphere.

 

[pottster]

My first game of the season! We seem to lack any sort of tactic, or not one i could see. I couldn't see any patterns of play. The formation just doesn't suit the players, it's like a square peg in a round hole. The players we have are good and are capable of getting us to the play offs. But kev needs to create a formation that tge players can play. Maybe 442?

 

[LeedsSUFC]

All this talk about crowds dropping off. Let them. Like we should be held to ransom by people who stop going at the first sign of it not being as good as they like.

The atmosphere was far better in the siege days when these people didn't bother coming.

That's the spirit!

If it's not the **** managers losing the dressing room, it's the **** players.

If it's not the **** players, it's the turf.

If it's not the turf, it's Ron.

If it's not Ron, it's the league.

If it's not the league, it's financial stability.

If it's not financial stability, it's the ****ing crowd.

Stop the scapegoating for **** sake. If it was the crowd reacting, what's the explanation for away games? These are full time footballers we're talking about.

 

[Grayson]

Stop the scapegoating for **** sake. If it was the crowd reacting, what's the explanation for away games? These are full time footballers we're talking ababout.

Thanks for the reminder. It was Barnet away where the pants-****ting every time Collin did anything started this season.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

Crowther for me was horrific today. Watch the goals again and watch the few seconds before each and see what he does.

I will defend one aspect of this. Crowther had been playing central, and today he was moved out to the right - How much time did have to prepare for that, so I don't think that helped!

 

[onceknownasrab]

There are so many issues to take into account. Previous off-field matters, embargoes, players departing and injuries to name the most obvious. These all have an impact and it would be naive to think otherwise.

Last season we were hampered by a points deduction but, regardless we could still have made the play-offs if we did not staff so many points against lesser teams due to stupid mistakes, often made poncing about too deep in our own half and with a huge lack of tactical nous. We were out thought more than we were out fought.

Today we came up against a neat footballing unit that knew their stuff. Many of us expected to lose and were proven right. No shame, you can't win every game, well we can't. The nature of the defeat is the problem.

I highly rate Collin. He is a super keeper in most departments except for distribution. What is he being told? Is he not listening? This area of his game should have improved yonks ago and that is down to the coaching and his game instructions. Simply sort it.

Apparently we can't bring the right bodies in, Those words are banned blah blah, unavailable blah blah but, at the drop of a hat we can get a young, inexperienced lad just so Maher can keep his formation going. The same formation that is failing big time and had been found out long ago. Totally ridiculous.

The rest of the team, with one or two exceptions today, were so disjointed and lacked clue or impact. One up top again? We allowed Gateshead to look like the home team and they taught us a lesson.

We know we are prone to let in a goal and we need to set up to score more than the opposition. Taking the game to the opposition relieves pressure at the back. Today I am still clueless what the tactic was meant to be. We were woeful and embarrassing. Even with a full compliment of players and good tactics we could have lost today. It happens. What should not happen is having players of the calibre we have and not making a good fist of things.

It is time to wake up and acknowledge that choices being made are not up to scratch, swallow some pride and apply changes. Getting a winning result is less mandatory than getting the best performance out of the players. Graft can get you a long way but, grafting to the wrong instructions is a waste of effort. On the field we do not look like, or play like a team.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

We had fewer people making panicky noises every time Collin does anything, or every time we recycle the ball to restart an attack, or every time a player slides for the ball. The nervous atmosphere now does this team no favours. This is the East Stand so I can't speak for South and West but it is noticeably different in the East now.
Collin didn't come for long balls that entered his penalty box twice in 3 minutes today. The second time was the first goal. He used to go for it even if high risk before. Now he has stopped. His confidence seems shot. We are a worse team for it.

I sit in the West Stand & this season i'm one of those ( along with many others near me ) who hold their breath when he attempts a short pass when he has the ball. At least 3 times in the 1st half he could have cost us a goal with poor distribution putting a player under pressure, or just miskicking. And this has been apparent in home games this season?.
I guess he obviously misses Dave Martin's coaching, but if his confidence is shot, then that's down to the Management to sort it out?. And as we now have a new goalkeeper coach, hopefully he will enable Colin to regain the confidence he appears to have lost?.

 

[bazzashrimper]

Very poor today. I thought Noor and KAF played well, Gus ok and the new lad can be forgiven and perhaps Bonne who was better after Walker came on but doesn’t suit playing up on his own. Everyone else was poor by their own standards - particularly Morton.

 

[Flinty]

For me a strange team selection today with shoring up the midfield not to concede rather than win the game. Personally thought Bonne was ok today, he won more than his fair share of flick ons, but guess what, if you play 1 up front the flicks just fall to the opposition. If we wanted to go 1 up front it had to be Pepple who’s game is more work rate, holding the ball up and recycling.

I’m not sure why the young lad-who I think looks like Iain Dowie !, is getting pelters either, considering he has barely played men’s football and has only just met his team mates I thought he did ok …it’s a strange transfer though if you ask me even if it is only for a month, we badly missed Ralph today that’s for sure.

I don’t understand our defending of corners …KAF has no use in the box, stick him on the halfway line to commit 2 players and at least challenge for the ball to save it coming straight back in when cleared.

Crosses, Gateshead were at 6’s and 7’s when we got an early ball in yet we continually failed to do so, Gubbins actually probably put some of the best crosses in all game, if we had concentrated more in this area I think we would have seen more joy in front of goal.

Substitutions- same players every week at around the same time. Husin has been very inconsistent but never gets taken off, always Morton and we always lose a bit of our shape when that happens …there seem to be a few pets out there for sure. Not sure what Pepple has done either, one of the few with credit after the Sutton game, scores 2 and then banished to the bench not to be seen again!

Playerwise, currently Collin, Bridge, Husin, Morton and Crowther are squad players if we want to be anywhere near the top of this league…oh to have their 9 who had pace and height and scared our back 3 to death ! That’s sadly lacking in the squad.

That said I think Bonne and Walker can work as a starting pair, Gus is Gus and KAF brings energy into the midfield….lose next Saturday and I think things will really start heating up

 

[Holy Joe]

I sit in the West Stand & this season i'm one of those ( along with many others near me ) who hold their breath when he attempts a short pass when he has the ball. At least 3 times in the 1st half he could have cost us a goal with poor distribution putting a player under pressure, or just miskicking. And this has been apparent in home games this season?.
I guess he obviously misses Dave Martin's coaching, but if his confidence is shot, then that's down to the Management to sort it out?. And as we now have a new goalkeeper coach, hopefully he will enable Colin to regain the confidence he appears to have lost?.

The new goalkeeper coach has been here all season - and some (all?) of pre-season

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

= One up top again? We allowed Gateshead to look like the home team and they taught us a lesson.
We know we are prone to let in a goal and we need to set up to score more than the opposition. Taking the game to the opposition relieves pressure at the back. Today I am still clueless what the tactic was meant to be.

A true reflection from a bad afternoon ( apart from Billy's appearance ).

 

[Colchester and proud!]

It wasn't good, that's for sure but Gateshead looked a far better side and their 19 and 10 were very useful down the left. Our left is Bridgey........and now, I'm afraid, that doesn't give us much. He's invariably facing two defenders and rarely tricks his way through any more. Crosses are rarely much better than mediocre, especially from corners. I prefer him roving in central midfield now. We gave them/they found too much space all over the pitch and once again we faced a team who had no concept of ****ing around at the back just going across the field before it goes back to the keeper. They played it around and then drove forward. KAF my MOTM but of course GSM remains G.O.D. I may be wrong but I think we had a shot.........so that is progress as we are NOT going to walk the ball into the back of the net whatever we think. Kev said we are team rebuilding and I think that's fair enough. But there are some who don't show the effort or courage to warrant being part of that rebuild. PS Unless Morton was injured, then I'm afraid it would have been Walker on for Bonne. Anyway...onwards. PPS I know there is a risk of knocking his confidence but I'm afraid Colin needs to be pulled aside and told to cut out the ****/indifferent balls out of the area or he will on the bench. Better one man demoralised than the other ten because of a careless error. COYB!

Number 19 was Luke Hannant ex Col U and also a league two title winner with Cambridge.

 

[40yearsafan]

- Agree we are mid table fodder at the moment, but we have a club and I took my boy to see us lose 3-1 and it feels ****ing brilliant. Won’t last forever but for this season that’s all that matters for me. Don’t care if the moany brigade have a pop but that’s the fact, we have a club.

Absolutely this. I really didn't think we would start this season. I took two of my grandsons today, the youngest for his first game. Seeing him, enjoying himself despite the result, 56 years after I saw Billy Best score 4 at my first game was enough for me.

 

[Tampa Blue]

Not from where I was sitting, Colin (who had a shocker again) clearly got the ball. Be interested to see the highlights to see if my opinion changes.

Watched it again at 0.25 speed on the 'highlights' and never a penalty - clearly plays the ball first. Idiot ref has a clear view as well and still gets it wrong.