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

[Chris Powell's mate]

As said a few times: this league is wide open.
How many sides won yesterday that also won Tuesday?
Answer: 4.
Daggers, Barnet, York and Solihull - and Daggers won back-to-back for the first time in 10 months.
The mighty Gateshead took a pasting that not even D&R supporters felt was justified, and FGR for all their spending were stymied by the mighty Wealdstone, ahem, and so on...
There's no Chesterfield, Stockport, Notts Co or Wrexham this season - if it's any solace...

 

[Fairport]

Small side issue… can someone explain the tactic of leaving no one up when defending a corner/set piece ? Is it because Pep does it ? I feel, like smart motorways, the theory will be flawless and the reality not so good.

Most teams with modern day coaches seem to do this, same as playing out from the back and using the goalkeeper as a sweeper.

 

[Maroon Blue]

Urgh!! That was horrible and did not see it coming after Tuesday. Sutton were up for it and worked and harried us constantly far more than Eastleigh. We got the early goal and I was just thinking would be nice like Tuesday to get a second on half time. Well we got a second goal but not in our net totally by our own mix up and Sutton first attempt on goal. Second half we just wilted and let Sutton bully us out of it. We gave them the second from Collins poor kick, that was bound to happen and was waiting for his kicking to cost us a goal last few games.
When you rely on your RWB to get you a goal, it is not conducive to chasing a game either. Please KM play Bonne up top with Pepple on Tuesday, the poor young lad runs and works all day but is a no.10 not a goal scoring no. 9. As in recent seasons the oppo break and then get the third. We should not be losing home games this season with the quality of teams in this league. I know we will, but we really threw this one away.

Andeng-Ndi 5
Taylor 6
Crowther 5.5
Gubbins 5.5
GSM 6.5
Moncur 6
Morton 6
Husin 5.5
Ralph 6
Bridge 6
Pepple 7 MOTM

Bonne 5.5
Appiah-Forson 6
Wood 5

Bim gets my MOTM for his hard work, literally gave blood for the team and needs help up top. Sutton have replaced one of the 2 of 3 Killer B’s of anti football thuggery we lost of Boreham Wood & Bromley (Barnet still in our league). Their no.3 they got in from Millwall on loan the worst culprit. Pepple must have woke up and feel like he had a 60 minute iron man wrestling match yesterday, hope he is not too bruised today. Need to put this behind us and respond Tuesday. Funny old game football to go from our best display to our worst in four days. UTB

 

[Chrisb]

Listen to my post match report on BBC Essex Sport. Available on BBC Sounds App Post Match 14thSept.
We are missing Kensdale badly, we need a Dominant (Adam Barrett) Centre Back, also Cav Miley , big miss in that type of game. Sutton Big bullish side, took advantage of our mistakes. Hope we can learn quickly.

Agree that we are missing Kensdale, he was always quite vocal and organised the defence.

 

[Mr Browns Ghost]

I’ve mentioned nothing about Colin. COLLIN on the other hand deserves a bit more respect. Oh and if you think Donut wasn’t good ask Crowny what he thinks.

Ah my post isn’t credible because I missed an L out .. good response

 

[Mr Browns Ghost]

Think people need to remember how young Colin is , no doubt in my mind he will improve and get better , since being a starter he has saved us so many points , won countless MOM , just coz he is going through a sticky spell there’s no need to ****ing hammer the bloke

Hi mate there’s none in our side called Colin so I’m alittle lost what you mean, did you mean our keeper Collin?

 

[Strykr]

Clearly kev just needs to say **** more in his pre match motivational speech.

 

[rigsby]

What happened with that handball incident second half. I see hand but not sure who's. Some around me said a pen.

 

[Cricko]

Rather than scapegoats lets try and look at the bigger picture, like the whole game. They were not the 'dirty' or 'physical' team some are claiming. Its wasn't Collins kick, Kev's subs or even the officials even though they were p*** poor. No they beat us because they did something we can't....They scored 3 goals from just two touches in our penalty area.

After just 5 minutes Sutton looked exactly like team that had just last their last few games 3-0. Any ball forward without fuss should produce a chance. A couple of NL lumps at the back who, even with bit of time, could only slice it into touch for our throw.....This could be 2-0 again by H/T so relax everyone the 3 points are already in the bag.

Its gets better. New boy Pepple with the most basic of closing down causes panic. Super Steve shows his biggest weakness, dealing with stuff outside the box and it falls to the best man in blue shirt for that chance....Luckily not one of our forwards. Not Jack Bridge who would want an extra touch, or NH who would want to beat the last defender first....NO its that goal machine GSM......With the patience and awareness to allow the ball to drop and punch teasing half volley into the empty net.

All we had to do was more of the same against a team who looked far worse than Eastleigh or Boston.....Then Sutton show as an area where they were better than both of those and better than us. They pressed with numbers and worked really hard in our half. From then on nearly every single passage of play than ended up with an attack was due to bad mistakes. Ours self inflicted from over and backwards passing. Theirs from bad control by very average defenders.

We could have easily put that game to bed before the break. Norr did well to steal the ball down our right but instead of pulling simple ball back to Moncur? he tried to do to much. Norr did exactly the same in the same position against Eastleigh. Over the two games he has spoiled good moves rather than create them.

Meanwhile we excelled in the put Collin under pressure back pass tactic. Why go back 45yds when there was guaranteed reward from the most average ball forward. Collin had no option with the the one that upset everyone in the first half. One blue shirt left and one right both tightly pressed with no one else doing the job of availability. Vital if you insist on having at least 100 passes more than the oppo each game.

Meanwhile Sutton defenders looked like a boxer with his gloves down by his waist. A straight right or left, let alone a hook would be enough. We chose to retreat to our corner. Even wasted throws and free kicks all in the name of get 5 passes in before even thinking about a delivery.

Then the game changing moment 5 minutes into first half injury time. We had then under pressure down the right with players committed in their area. The ball ends up out left at Jack Bridge's feet. All has to do is drive it in low and hard but he has another touch, poor choice of pass and they clear......Going back 800 years to days of Village football before even the Black Death. The last man in defence (Crowther) has to deal with that ball. Now in 2024 pass completion stats are king....Not Edward the Confessor. Crowther thanks Taylor will pass it back because that's what we do. Taylor thinks well maybe not this time......Credit to their lad he kept his head and made sure he punished us.

Someone said to me during half time. "Good that will wake us up" I'm thinking its more likely to wake them up. 10 minutes later we have a throw in front of the Yellows. Long and down the line is the only option because they clumsily put the last two out of play for us anyway. We chose short and and square to player under pressure from two yellow shirts. He could have read the situation and hit it deep into their half but its far better to do them the favour by putting Collin under more pressure. Its not as if they are reading our back pass game and the home crowd are growing nervous......Never mind Its not one of Collins best but it hits the halfway line. GSM is overcommitted but that's what we want and he will get back. Except their lad crosses first time, and early. Then Sutton do something we certainly don't, Use two hands on Crowther to stop him winning the header.....In the NL two handed pushes are no longer a foul and because the ball was early Gubbins is facing the wrong way and a bad 10 minutes of play becomes disaster.

Good for Kev, for once he makes double sub before the 60minute mark. We all know why he didn't start with two forwards and Pepple is doing OK so a defender for an attacker with Bridge going out left in 4-4-2 should keep everyone happy. After all who hasn't said "may as well lose 3-1 but have at least have a go"
They only debate here is who instead of Morton. My personal choice would have been Norr.

Plan B works because we created some good chances even for the subs Bonne heads over. KAF hits it straight at Arnold. Which was the theme all day, over the bar or straight at.....In fact that's what it has been so far all season. That bizarre tackle in the first half from Pepple ended up with this seasons only decent low shot from outside the box.

With frustration mounting over the ref assisted time wasting, they break again and do another thing we can't. A blind first time cross to dangerous area.......Somone should be there and they were. Its 1-3 and they have made sure to punish us.

Deep down we all know any chance of even a point has gone because we are a poor team if we concede. To come from behind in the new time wasting is rewarded world you need have the power game. Teams don't get out of the NL without it. Make every set piece count, throw it long and deliver from anywhere. Even from 10 yds inside your own half. 10 half chances are better than 100 passes when time is running out.

Good luck to anyone heading up to Fylde. I will see you all at Solihull

Damn I was waiting for the longer version.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Football. It entertains, it makes you smile. And then it kicks you in the teeth.

 

[Cricko]

Very disappointing performance today but as they say don’t get too up when you win or too down when you lose. We were out muscled by a thuggish team, helped by a poor ref. We need to learn how to play against teams of cloggers. Maybe their way of playing is how you get out of this league but I wouldn’t want to watch that every week.
On a personal note, I would like to say how pleased I was to finally meet Cricko and have a chat with him along with Tinks and Smiffy. All great Shrimpers!

It was great to me you to, dont be shy in future, @Tinks gob can be heard a mile away. Bless the old girl x

 

[WillMay333]

Taking off Morton instead of a clearly tiring George Moncur was integral to the total capitulation of our midfield yesterday.

George has shown how good he can be when on his game, but he was done by 60 yesterday and didn't have anything in the tank to track runners or defend at all.

The sub calls are on the management. Big question marks there for me there.

Think Morton was being bullied out of the game. Couldnt really take control of much the way he did Tuesday, and given we were chasing the game I dont think puttinh Husin at 6 and taking Morton off was a terrible decision. Moncur is one of the few that can make something happen from nothing so when chasing a game I feel you need to keep him on and trust that others will do the running. Stated yesterday I think the subs were a good choice at an important time, but again the players were far too rattled.

As for the ref, there were a few challenges I'd have like to see given, but I dont think he was terrible. 3rd officials as usual are always woeful, but the minute he saw Bim lash out at their no.3, the ref had very little interest in giving soft fouls. Think the likes of Bim and Bridge were going down far too easily in the second half and the ref didnt buy into it.

 

[WillMay333]

One thing that extremely angers me, to the point I dont even pay atttention when it happens is set pieces. We are absolutely DREADFUL from corners, delivery is almost always awful. I know we dont have a great deal of ariel threat but my goodness we look so poor from them.

 

[Smiffy]

One thing that extremely angers me, to the point I dont even pay atttention when it happens is set pieces. We are absolutely DREADFUL from corners, delivery is almost always awful. I know we dont have a great deal of ariel threat but my goodness we look so poor from them.

The last time we looked threatening from corners, was probably about 20 years ago when we had the likes of Sir Adam and Peter Clarke. I wonder if the awful slope up to the corners at RH doesn’t help with a good delivery.

 

[Paddypel]

Having had 24 hours to reflect, I still think that was a rancid performance from 40 mins onwards. This myth that we’re a good defensive side needs to go too. The reason we keep so many clean sheets is because we control the games against the inferior teams in this league and reduce them to nothing. As soon as Sutton smelt blood yesterday they started pushing bodies forwards and could’ve had 5/6 with better decision making. Our attacking play is also poor. As many have pointed out, we keep the ball well enough and spray it about but don’t create nowhere near enough clear cut chances.

 

[WillMay333]

Having had 24 hours to reflect, I still think that was a rancid performance from 40 mins onwards. This myth that we’re a good defensive side needs to go too. The reason we keep so many clean sheets is because we control the games against the inferior teams in this league and reduce them to nothing. As soon as Sutton smelt blood yesterday they started pushing bodies forwards and could’ve had 5/6 with better decision making. Our attacking play is also poor. As many have pointed out, we keep the ball well enough and spray it about but don’t create nowhere near enough clear cut chances.

Think defensively, 1v1 we were so strong last season. But Crowther and Gubbins don't look as comfortable in those 1v1 situations.

Problem is, other teams that come and set up knowing they wont see any of the ball for the first half, always take half chances. We are such a possesion based team that we often rely on passing our way into the net, or attacking the back post. No issue with that unless like yesterday we have no other game plan.

Need a Wordsworth in midfield who has the ability to smack one from 25 yards, but even then, I think Kev is very set on his ways of playing the extra pass, so much so that we lose out on chances.

 

[Thundersley Blue]

Haven't read all the posts and yes yesterday was disappointing. However, very few sides can lose the spine of their team and just carry on as though nothing had happened. Kensdale is the biggest miss, it has unsettled the defence and that includes Collin.
Nobody can argue that Moncur and Bonne are not good signings and for those who have argued for experience have their wish. The team is still very much a work in progress and the addition of another central defender is crucial as the only cover we have is to drop Bridge back to wing back.
I do like Pepple, probably not the answer at the moment, but given our Management Team's ability to improve players, he may well be in time.

 

[Nil Desperandum]

First half was "ok" until our nightmare gift of an equaliser. Second half was a disaster. We are so nervous at the back and can't play out with any confidence, inviting pressure and the inevitable goals. Any physical side will just bully us.

As said earlier by someone else we're missing Kensdale. Hopefully we can sign one or two experienced defenders. Pepple was the only promise. I think once he scores he'll find his scoring boots. The other 2 not bedding in yet. Full credit to Gus for his composure with our goal. Apart from that world's apart from Tuesday.

 

[E for B and Billy Best]

What happened with that handball incident second half. I see hand but not sure who's. Some around me said a pen.

My son reckons it was Gus' hand.

 

[WillMay333]

My son reckons it was Gus' hand.

Was 100% Gus' hand.