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

[wiffygriffy]

Pebble and GSM good, everyone else poor.

 

[bluesfansince1952]

1-0 up and seemingly in control when a mix up (these things can happen) led to them equalising out of the blue just before the break.

Need to see the replay to be sure but what was at best a lack of concentration, or, at worst, unforgivable casualness led to gifting them a second goal early in the second half.

After that we were always chasing the game and never looked likely,

KAP caught the eye with a wholehearted effort after he came on. I think we might have a player there.

After we conceded the second goal there seemed to me to be much more urgency about Collin's clearing kicks/distribution. Long may it continue.

We should not be losing at home. It is a long season and bad things can and will happen. Hopefully this was one of those games, and, in hindsight, today will be seen as a wake up call.

P***ed off in Perth but no doubt will get over it.

UTB

 

[GBJ]

Weird game. We bossed the first half without really getting out of second gear. Fantastic take by GSM, likely adding another £50k to his current value

Thought we moved the ball well, but should have taken one of those umpteen chances. Of course, when you don’t take your chances, we know what can happen. What we absolutely do not need was a horrendous mistake from ourselves to gift them a chance.

Second half, Sutton started brighter but we still looked comfortable. Need to see it back, but at the time I felt we were the masters of our own downfall once again. Colin - love the guy - but he’s ****ing me off. Every single game, it’s a miss-kick, a sideways pass, a sliced clearance.

We still had chances to get back into it & Bonne alone will look back on the chances he had and wonder what happened.

Third goal, on the counter attack, game over.

Oh, and not sure who Sutton’s first scorer was. Quite an odd character. The personification of a keyboard warrior. Don’t remember his name. I wonder if his parents know it? Anyway, we’ll probably never hear from him again, so It’s understandable why he got excited during his 12 seconds of fame.

Ref was a card nonce.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

What an amazing contrast from Tuesday to today, brilliant to absolutely shocking. As soon as we gifted them the first goal we completely fell apart and looked so poor.

When are we going to address Colin's appalling decision making? I like the guy and his shot stopping is excellent but doesn't anyone train him on distribution or is it down to this ridiculous style of playing out from the back which we are hopeless at?

Keep playing like that and we will all be discussing relegation. Hopefully just a very very poor day at the office and we move on.

Asked this last week...although have to say his kicks out in Tuesday's second half were more deft than previous bombs sailing into touch or down the oppo keeper's throat.
He does need to work on that aspect though.

 

[Rooster79]

Don’t think the subs were the problem went attacking at 2-1 thought the defenders and Colin looked like they’d been on the **** last night

Disagree, Morton was controlling the game, got hooked and we seemed to lose shape and direction.

 

[Rooster79]

Who else do you suggest he puts on?

Think he took the wrong players off personally.

 

[henry18]

Nope. Got his subs wrong?

I don’t think he did, as I said earlier he took Morton off when 2-1 down and left Bridge, Husin and Moncur on … the reason being is although I agree the 3 were awful today they are more likely to pop up with a bit of quality to get us back into the game

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Right, where’s that bloody feedback form

 

[bluethroughandthrough]

Pass around at the back, hoof, expect strikers to get ball , create their own opportunties and score. Appalling. Im really curious how many games / seasons we continue to play the same way before fans get upset. I just don't see any learning in 3 seasons. Respectfully even in the tough times, the team is still sent out with tactics.

 

[hlane17]

Sutton are happy to accept that they’re **** and play to it. As a result they enjoy a very easy win at our expense.

Unless we wise up we will get undone time and time again by thugs like today’s opponents.

We are severely lacking a mean streak in our team.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

I’m not sure why Morton was taken off thought he was one of the better ones of a bad bunch

Apart from his and Crowthers dithering that cost us the first goal?
Who would you have taken off?

 

[Rooster79]

I don’t think he did, as I said earlier he took Morton off when 2-1 down and left Bridge, Husin and Moncur on … the reason being is although I agree the 3 were awful today they are more likely to pop up with a bit of quality to get us back into the game

I get what you’re saying but Husin was particularly poor, I actually think he could have put KAF in that position keeping Morton to pull strings. End of the day we’ve caused our own downfall.

 

[JCB]

Apart from his and Crowthers dithering that cost us the first goal?
Who would you have taken off?

Fairly certain that was Taylor

 

[blues exile]

Reality check after the euphoria on Tuesday. We had no answer to Sutton's aggressive man for man marking whereas Eastleigh let us play our passing game. Some awful individual errors as well. Crowther and Gubbins seem to have communication problems and Collin's distribution is terrible.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Fairly certain that was Taylor

No it was def an OG from Gubbins.

 

[Uncle_Rons_Teapot]

Has something gone on between Bridge and Ralph? They are just not the same pairing from seasons gone

 

[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United slumped to a 3-1 defeat against Sutton United at Roots Hall this afternoon.

Read more on this story


Help with Echo links

 

[GBJ]

Wasn’t at the game today but if BBC sport was correct then 1 shot on target all game at home is very very poor and disappointing after such a strong display Tuesday night

T’was more than that. Bonne, Pepple & KAF all had shots saved.

 

[Wickford Blue]

Need more fit players - everyone looked really leggy after Tuesday. We play high press game on Tuesday like we did last season but today no gas in the tank so couldn't do it again. Fylde on Tuesday will be another test!

 

[superblue24]

Disastrous performance today at the back, whoever came up with the “play out from the back” strategy should be shot as national league teams don’t have the skill. Sutton beat us because they play football suited to national league standard, whereas we tried to pretend we’re something we’re not. Our players are better man for man, but if they can score 2 goals just by putting pressure on our donkeys at the back, then why do they need more skilled players?

Didn’t think the ref was all that bad, he let the play flow as much as he could and blew up for clear fouls. Lost control a little in the second half and allowed to be conned a bit, but on the whole, we can’t blame him for todays loss.

We lacked leadership a lot of the time on the pitch and there were moments, especially in the second half, where we stood around like statues in the attacking third not really knowing where to play the ball and who wanted it.

Pepple did ok, but should have scored his chances . GSM was class, but what influence can he have as a right back, we need more from the players in influential positions. Moncur seems like a bit of a luxury player and drifts in and out of the game, clearly possesses a lot of skill.

We lacked leadership all over the pitch in my opinion and while it’s not “Maher Out” time, I do worry that we may keep him way beyond his expiry on account of the loyalty he showed us, and maybe rightly so… I’m on the fence; as his win ratio is not setting the world alight at 40%, but it’s not terrible either compared to a number of his predecessors who have had more resources to work with. He does need to show more dimensions to his tactics though and learn how to win ugly and dirty.