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

[henry18]

I think today showed why we need another goalkeeper capable of taking the shirt off Collin, his whole body language and everything feels as though he is bigger than the club … a ball playing goalkeeper is massively important to the way we play and his not very good at it … 3/4 times today he took a poor first touch then another touch then a 3rd touch then his clearance was nearly blocked

 

[MisterStubbs]

Not for the first time a team that’s bigger, stronger, rougher than ourselves have come here and left with all 3 points. It’s almost worth trying to do that ourselves at times rather than relying on the pretty on the eye football KM likes to get and get us to play.

 

[Shrimper]

What I'd give to have a striker who can score week in week out.

 

[WillMay333]

Also, people wouldve absolutely slated Kev if hed have waited an extra 10 minutes before the subs.

 

[Strykr]

Right, where’s that bloody feedback form

 

[AlfaShrimper]

From where I was sitting, It looked like it was straight down the pipe from a tight angle. Routine save.

But he got down for it

 

[AlfaShrimper]

I think today showed why we need another goalkeeper capable of taking the shirt off Collin, his whole body language and everything feels as though he is bigger than the club … a ball playing goalkeeper is massively important to the way we play and his not very good at it … 3/4 times today he took a poor first touch then another touch then a 3rd touch then his clearance was nearly blocked

Id chuck hilson in on Tuesday personally. Bring his concentration back if he wants the shirt

 

[SHRIMPERPETER]

I think today showed why we need another goalkeeper capable of taking the shirt off Collin, his whole body language and everything feels as though he is bigger than the club … a ball playing goalkeeper is massively important to the way we play and his not very good at it … 3/4 times today he took a poor first touch then another touch then a 3rd touch then his clearance was nearly blocked

Agreed, his kicking is shocking and they scored from one of them

 

[Rock Lobster]

Both teams famously currently 17th in the national league.

blimey, that goes some way to explaining why this league is so tough

 

[Harry Bullocks]

On this occasion, I’m setting no time challenge for D1 to publish by

 

[SHRIMPERPETER]

Really disappointing after the win on Tuesday. The defence was shocking today, I’m unconvinced that Crowther’s anywhere near as good as Kensdale, Gubbins has been poor more often than not, and even the usually reliable Taylor had a mare. When did we last concede 3 at home? Defence has been our strength, if we lose that then I’m worried as we don’t score anywhere near enough to compensate.

As others have said, Collin’s kicking and distribution is becoming a real problem. He’d improved this area hugely last season but seems to have regressed. Maybe he’s missing Dave Martin’s influence, but it needs to improve quickly or we should be looking at alternatives IMO.

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I thought Moncur should have been subbed for KAF rather than Morton. We lost our shape after the sub with all 3 midfielders pushing up at once, one needed to sit. Moncur had little influence in the second half and I thought we should have focused on getting more energy on to the pitch.

Hopefully we can bounce back on Tuesday, I don’t want to be overly negative as we did play some good football at times and created chances. We do however need to stamp out those defensive errors quickly, and get back to being hard to beat. It felt like we beat ourselves today.

Agree about Collin

 

[wiggy]

Does he? Made a brilliant save from pepple down low first half

I'd have him back in an instant over calamity Collin

 

[Strykr]

I was there - he was shocking!!!
If we get rid of Kev who you gonna bring in.....I have some names, Kevin Bond, Phil Brown, Sol Campbell all far superior Managers to Kev!!!

 

[The old green git]

Well that was awful. Our defence was all over the place today and Collin had a mare. Sutton are the new Boreham Wood, horrible, dirty side and they were joined by the ref who was clueless.

Talk about Chalk and Cheese from Tuesday night's performance. Absolutely shocking today.

Absolutely agree

 

[Smiffy]

I’ll keep it short as I’m ****ed off.

First half we were ok, had enough chances to be 2 or 3-0 to the good. In total control. Same old story though as a team, couldn’t finish in a brothel. Gus aside of course.

The defensive mix up was a shambles and ultimately changed the game. We never recovered from that right on half time.

Didn’t really turn up second half. Not good enough.

Collin’s distribution is a real problem and it needs addressing.

We miss a nasty enforcer who can grab the game by the scruff and bring everyone else with him.

We are several players and a proper pre-season short of contending for promotion. We will win some and lose some until then, with no real consistency.

I am concerned what happens when GSM inevitably gets picked up in January. Without his goals we’d probably be in the bottom four.

That is what I feel to be an honest assessment.

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

First half was press against press. Bim is a workhorse, all pace, strength, clever movement, willingness for the team. Made the first goal. But his wife doesn't need to worry if he goes to a whorehouse, he wouldn't score there either.

Each team pressed each other and created chances from it. But we play around from the back like a **** Barcelona and Sutton don't.

Their first goal actually came from two **** ups. Bridge and Moncur got in each other's way again. Wanted to take another touch, another pass. Sutton clear. Then our defenders both leave it for each other, then realise and both try to deal with it. But didnt.

Thats been coming. And that's on Maher. Management is about making decisions and accepting risks. He wants us to play that way and thats the price. Fair enough, that's on him more than the players.

Second half another **** up. 2-1. We aren't set up to chase a game so struggled. But still had chances. I'd have backed my nan to score, and she's long dead. Bonne didn't.

Our issues are simple to see, but not to sort. Only Gus has more than one goal this season. No striker on our books has scored this season. All our strikers combined have about 2 goals for us. We don't have a big lump to change a game and go long to. We have three (3!) Senior players on the bench if you include Wood, the other two have been here a week.

Finally, thought Moncur played far too safe today. I think our lack of depth didn't help as we can't rotate. Maybe we'll never rotate him, but we can't even if we want to.

We should never have lost that, really frustrating.

 

[AlfaShrimper]

I'd have him back in an instant over calamity Collin

Did say this actually mid game

 

[GBJ]

What I'd give to have a striker who can score week in week out.

We’ve got a RWB who does that. Don’t be greedy

 

[ColinMorrisWalksOnWater]

Another thing that makes me a little nervous was Paul Clark commented after about 15-20 minutes in that Crowther and Taylor were playing too close to each other and challenging for the same ball at times, that was some 15-20 mins before we shipped an equaliser down to exactly that scenario, so why can't our coaching team spot that? Is it because neither of them have played in defence? Would Demi have picked that up?

That first goal was so avoidable it was unreal, then to ship the second from another of Collins poor kicks out of our box, to their left sided attacker, who was in a vacant 5 yard circle of space, just compounded it.

After that we were playing catch up, but with no real teeth up front. I know I'm going to be unpopular here and I'd love to see Bim score, but having seem comments from Grimsby fans on him in his spell there, I'm beginning to get where they are coming from and his performances are liking them to what he played like there in their opinions.

He hasn't got the strength to hold off the more physical of defenders, doesn't show the nouse to find space and create chances for himself and his shooting power is poor and is very rarely testing the opposition keeper meaningfully. Great at running, pressuring and his work rate, but he is not going to get 5 goals in this league let alone 10, I'd love him too, but he just isn't and whilst we bear with him up front, we are never going to get the goals we are craving for. whilst we try and find a solution to this, the top teams are going to slip further away from us.

That is the truth of the consequences of what KM meant, by saying pre season and squad building we are so far behind the other teams in this league.

I hope Walker isn't rushed back, as when he does come back, we are going to need him to show all his ability at this level, because the one thing we haven't got in this team, GUS apart, is goals at the moment. The sooner we rectify that the better. There may not even be just one definite solution, it could be a little tweek here and there that flicks the switch and we start to average between 1.8 to 2.8 goals a game, which would be great, but it seems a long way away at the moment.

I am so sorry if I have upset anyone by me saying this, it's just my own viewpoint and where I am at the moment, but there comes a time when you have to stand up and say "Hey, the emperors not wearing any clothes!"

 

[Ailsa Road Shrimper]

Criticism of Collin is a bit harsh, the biggest goalkeeping gaffe today was Steve Arnold’s gift for our opener. He conceded fewer goals than any other NL goalkeeper last season, I doubt we would be able to find someone better who would want to play at this level.