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

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

SOUTHEND United boss Kevin Maher slammed the Shrimpers’ ‘scandalous’ defending following a 3-1 defeat to Gateshead at Roots Hall.

A first half strike from Blues wing-back Gus Scott-Morriss cancelled out Jacob Butterfield’s opener for the visitors.

But a second half penalty from Luke Hannant and a header from Ben Radcliffe saw Gateshead pick up all three points.

And Maher was clearly frustrated with the goals conceded.

"It's really disappointing and really poor,” said Maher.

“It looked like a team who had been thrown together against a team who had been together a while which is what it was.

“The first goal is really poor.

“It's one ball in behind and we should be in that channel defending.

“The recovery runs are poor and there's hesitancy about the place which you can feel.

“That's only caused by us and nothing else.

“But we got ourselves back in the game and then at half-time we spoke about a plan of how to build pressure but we do the complete opposite.

“The goals we give away are scandalous."

However, Maher’s criticism of the defending did not stop there.

“We gave pathetic goals away,” said Maher.

“We had the best defence in the league last year and it's a completely new defence now.

“That's nothing on them but too many of the goals are becoming similar.

“We've giving four penalties away now I think, we've conceded four set pieces and that's nowhere near good enough.

“It's too easy and too soft for that to happen.

“You can't give yourself any momentum in the game when you're gifting teams goals.

“We're really disappointed.

“We had some chances but they looked like a team who had played together quite a while which is what we looked like last year too.

“We're not that now and we're a team in transition.

“It looked like that but we've got to do the basics right which is not conceding set pieces and penalties.

“We want to build pressure and momentum and grow confidence that way."

And Maher is keen to see a strong reaction.

“Players in the building have got to stand up and be counted,” said Maher.

“Some of the goals are way too soft.

“You look at Barnet when it's 1-1 and we get done on one breakaway, we lose at Fylde late in the game through the same thing too.

“Sutton we're on top but one mistake and we go under.

“It's all too easy and that's the biggest worry rather than tactics or anything like that."

“But we've got to stick together, be strong and brave at the right time and show some character because it becomes tougher when you lose games.

“We've got to stick together and make the right changes we feel we need to move forward"

 

[The Original Tribal Chief]

Love you Kev, but the buck stops with you my son. If it's scandalous, do something about it.

 

[cerbera45]

Gus Scott-Morriss looked to be the only one yesterday that could give a toss

 

[Scamps]

Was a pen all day long, was in the east bang in line with it. Colin thought he would get there but the striker just toes it away from him. You see the reaction they all knew it.

 

[rigsby]

When I said I'm expecting a good game in the pre match. I really meant I'm expecting lesson in how to play the sort of football that will get you out of the NL......Passing with purpose rather than for the sake of possession stats.

One up front and everyone trying to work out what Pepple had done wrong only increased the fear factor all around RH. It showed on the pitch. Not helped by the over reaction every time Collin gets the ball. Groans if he doesn't release it early, tuts if he does. Howls of disgust if goes anywhere near the oppo. Never mind if he was put under pressure from a needless tight back pass on his wrong foot. Never mind if no one shows out wide for the easy option. Never mind if he kicks out under orders to hit the touch line. Then when he makes a good brave save at their strikers feet, the ref joins in gives a pen.

Anyway back to the 'Heed'. They had a lad who scored 3 on the opening day. I think it was Woking that took him out the following week with shocking tackle that might well end his career. They also lost the very impressive 20 last season Dinaga to Bromley in the summer. Still never mind if you find suitable replacement like Oseni you can can still play decent football with one up top as they do.

Their secret is having players like Whelan, Booty and Butterfield. All of them want to win the game and know how too. Better still they have game plan that brings out the best in them. Take that first goal. Most of us Shrimpers are looking for a scapegoat, including its seems Kev. It was off-side, Collin hesitated.....No it was Crowther who hesitated. Foran should have done better on the block etc. We are all missing the point...Watch it again on the TV. The key moment is when their lad is closed down sharply out by the yellows. We would go back to Collin, their lad clips a blind ball into the channel. They are expecting it, are on the move and create a 3 v 3 opportunity. Quality finish without fuss.They used that press beating long ball a few times. Even before the goal we had our warnings. its the exact tactic we need at times.

In the first couple of mins Crowther looked up from the halfway line and could see Bonne making a run into space but chose a nice safe square pass. JB delivers a cross in the right area but no one within 20 ft. Then we are gifted chance but Moncur heads for the corner flag with his 4th touch......Gateshead score 3 goals from only 5 touches in our half.

Yes it was foul on Gus in the build up to the pen but it was the no nonsense ball over the top that created the chance. Bit of tight scrappy play in your own half then deal with it. In the same area Bridge, Moncur or Husin would try some crowd entertaining drag back, some 2 yd keep ball, try and shield it but get robbed. Thats the difference between a top 5 side and an inconsistent mid table team.

A near post corner is hard to defend. Cardwell done an excellent job last season. I have seen Bonne do it in the last week. He wasn't there for the 3rd goal. So Kev might have to look in the mirror.

The service for Bonne was shocking first half. On the plus side our goal also came from some direct play. The over slagged Bonne won good header and Moncur plays it first time. KAF done really well and Mr reliable has the same finish as he did v Solihull......The bit most will have missed is Bonne did the same run as he did at Solihull to create the space for Gus.

I have been watch Gateshead highlights most weeks. So should you and so should Kev and his boys.

Anyway im off up the smoke to do the Ten Bridges charity walk with some fellow East green lads. Im sure we will have plenty to discuss over each bridge and certainly one each pint. We have no intention of rushing anything.

 

[Gt Yarmouth Shrimper]

Disappointing game and result, but at least the Bovril is back in the West.

 

[LBBlue]

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

Because lots of people only notice what a player does when he has the ball. What they want to see is someone picking the ball up on the edge of their own box run 50 yards, do two cartwheels, flip the ball up head it over the defender and smash it in from 20 yards.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Not had the chance to read everything but a really poor day at the office. Tactics were off from the start and too many of them just didn't look up for it. Poor Macauley Bonne got no service whatsoever. Defence was always going to be a problem with not a single one of our three "you shall not pass" defence there from last season. Collin looks to have completely lost all form and confidence.

Can't rate it, it was all too disappointing.

 

[It'sGrimUpNorth]

Lots of players out of the moment. Not a settled side and we still don't know what our best team is, especially up front.

@glenmaster is obviously Kevin Maher

 

[graingerroad54]

Kev was given the freedom of the City, now due to his tactics he gives sides the freedom of RH.

 

[It'sGrimUpNorth]

Spot on. Without Fongucks overlapping run bridge struggles. We had partnerships all over the pitch last season, now we look like a team of individuals who don’t give a ****

I think it was KM thy didn’t like Wes. Not just some of the supporters.

 

[duncan bulgaria]

He was offered a deal but his agent was holding out for more, allegedly. He was seen as a good player for the current level but not someone that would hold down a starting XI position if we moved into League Two.

That aged well , recruitment has been poor IMO and only Moncur has improved the squad , we can try and paper over it as much as we like but we are a poorer side than we was last year regardless of our points tally
Had we seen a -10 point deduction this season we would 100% be in a relegation dogfight

 

[Southend Elvis]

As with everyone on here, a really disappointing performance from the blues. I do think we need a change of tactics, as we don't seem to be able to do the current ones. I watched the Premiersh@t goals from last night, and at least 4 goals were conceded by mistakes while playing out from the back.....it doesn't work there, so why try it here!

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

Exactly ! Just because Man City got really good at, it doesn't mean other teams can do it. Especially at the level we're at, at the moment.

 

[loyal blue]

Not good enough once again,how many games is maher going to get before we don't even have a playoff chance? Why on earth do u put Tuesdays goal scorer on the bench and the only other recognised striker to? We should not be loosing to little tin pot sides with no support like gateshead at home,we are the biggest club in the league and they should be fearing us not the other round.Tuesdays performance was bad enough and maher keeps going on about a depleted squad but it's not that depleted and the players we have got are more then capable of getting results.He maybe a club legend and we will always be grateful to kevin but we are southend united and we should be doing much much better.Cav miley,danny waldron,ralph and taylor are ok players but they are not world beaters and i'm really not sure having them available guarantees us wins,Bonne has been absolutely useless and don't look like scoring at anytime,Moncur is decent but couldn't finish a lunch.Colin should be dropped for the other keeper,maher seems clueless and full of excuses.If we don't pick up results soon then it's time for a change,he can't keep using the problems in the past as an excuse.I also think cosu must take some of the blame and they seem a little clueless when it comes to the recruitment side of the club.We all love them for saving the club but maybe they need some help and john still.

 

[Jmayhew32]

So my thoughts…

It was a poor performance, make no mistake, but also take nothing away from Gateshead, they were excellent.

Bonne, in my opinion, played well, just can’t be a sole striker. He won nearly all of the flick ons that a fit Walker or Pepple would have run on to. He also looks lively in the 6 yard box and I’m confident that it will click for him soon.

Gus is gus, we all love him and we are fortunate to have him, but in being so good going forward, he lacks defensive nous and that was evident in Gateshead’s first goal.

It WAS a penalty, absolutely no complaints, from those fans near it like me, nor the players. Their striker toed the ball away and Collin brings him down. I’m also convinced that when our back line can settle a tad more, so will Collin’s performances.

A random special mention for George Wind who I thought was excellent when he came on. He won most of his headers against some strong players, but also made a couple of good overlapping runs late in the game. Looks like a good talent.

Also thought Foran was okay - he looks quite pacey and good in the tackle, so not a bad replacement for now.

We badly need Miley & Coker back - our midfield was non existent from about 60 mins onwards, which aided the very disjointed performance.

Do I think the season will continue like this? No.
Will cohesion soon come and we’ll start playing well? I think so.

We’re the national league equivalent of Belgium. Good players for this level, just not playing as a team as yet.

 

[geoffmundo]

Good post, I agree with most of what you say, but this part particularly stands out. My biggest criticism of Maher is not using the bench effectively and leaving subs too late. This season with 5 subs allowed it’s become even more apparent.

Every other team uses subs earlier to get more energy on, we only ever use 2 or 3 of the 5 allowed despite having knackered looking players. Of course our relatively small squad isn’t helping, but for example we had Wood and Pepple kicking their heels today. One came on when the game was more or less over, the other not at all, despite others running through treacle.

Exactly my thoughts. Our substitutions are generally reactive (to going behind) rather than proactive. They are also usually later in the game and we rarely use our full quota. The latter point against a background of small squad, no full pre-season and Sat/Tues/Sat/Tues games. It makes no sense….

 

[Target man]

I get it when people say the other side was excellent today, making that the acceptable excuse. You then have to analyse what made them excellent. Better players? Better attitudes? Better tactics?
We have to be that better side. Hopefully a week on the training ground will provide these answers for both the players and management, because although we have injuries (and every club experiences this), we have to find a way to do better. If something isn't working you have to change it.

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"

Kev has a preffered system, which with the right players has proven to work. Unfortunately due to a number of unforseen circumstances, he no longer has those players (contract termination, clause in contract release, injuries, delayed takeover). The current hand he's been dealt with doesn't allow for that favoured system to work, certainly from a defensive point of view. So I believe he has to change it. That doesn't mean he or his system has failed, and when he has the right players, he can return to it. However, you have to work with what resources you have at that time.

Bonne is a great example of this. Brought in to score goals but being used as Cardwell was to play as a target man. That's not his game. He ran yesterday challenging for headers for others to run off of, which wasn't happening. Then he's criticised for not being a poacher. Is that his fault?

 

[Danshrimper]

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.

A perceived better atmosphere with lower crowds doesn’t pay the bills.

Somehow I don’t think the consortium will share your who cares if the crowds drop outlook.

 

[rlb999]

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.

This is interesting. 12 months ago Bridge and Husin were praised assets that we were scared of losing to league clubs. And remember of course that we did have that number nine, until a few hours before the season started when he jumped ship unexpectedly.
How would these players perform under a different coach? I’m not saying that because I want Maher gone, but because it’s an indication of whether there’s likely to be any improvement in any of them. I think Crowther has the potential to be a top player at this level if coached correctly, but would suit a back 4 more than a 5. Husin, in a good side, is again capable of raising his game. Morton I’m less sure about - I think this level currently is a stretch for him - but you have to take a gamble on a player like that so we were right to sign him. Bridge can be effective at this level, but he’s had a good couple of seasons which I suspect may represent his peak. Collin has some good attributes, but being a goalkeeper at any level is about confidence and consistency. I’ve never subscribed to the view that he is a top top keeper, but if he carries on improving he’ll be a decent lower league keeper. If he doesn’t, he could be at Enfield Town in 3 years.