Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 1, Ipswich Town 1

[Sandbach Shrimper]

As has been said, not very good 1st half but much better 2nd half playing 4-4-2. 1st half we were just hoofing long balls up to Harris who's 35 and short and was up against 2 big centre-halves. We didn't really fashion any good chances and Ipswich were the better side. 2nd half we were much better though, played the ball on the ground more and linked up better. Using Mohsni as a partner for Harris worked and we certainly deserved at least a draw. Got better as the half went on and looked more likely to get a winner. Plenty of positives to take against a strong Ipswich team. Thought Hall was our best player, put some great crosses and free-kicks into the box and seems to just be picking up from where he left off last season. Johnson has lots of pace and looked lively but lacked an end product. Grant played well and Kalala looks like a tidy player although I didn't notice much about him except that he looks like Michael Essien. Decent crowd and atmosphere for a friendly, helped by a fair following from Ipswich. Only negatives from my view were that N'Diaye looked poor and Gilbert was shaky. Mohsni did things tonight (on and off the ball) that he won't get away with in a competitive game, was it me or was there a little confrontation between him and Sturrock when he came off? Hope Grant wasn't badly injured and the sooner Corr comes back the better. Finally, Lee Bowyer lived up to his reputation as a nasty pathetic little scumbag. Goodnight. :hello:

 

[ozzy-shrimper]

From peoples views on Grant tonight, makes you think if we could afford to lose him? Maybe we should be fighting tooth and nail to keep him... irreplacable?

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

From peoples views on Grant tonight, makes you think if we could afford to lose him? Maybe we should be fighting tooth and nail to keep him... irreplacable?

I'd certainly much rather we sold Ferdinand than Grant. Grant's also the only senior player left who's been here for more than a season. A big part of our team.

 

[Nigel Blue]

I'd certainly much rather we sold Ferdinand than Grant. Grant's also the only senior player left who's been here for more than a season. A big part of our team.

Agree, and he would be a tremendous lose, but on tonight's display, this is now out of our hands (you know what I mean), and in the lap of the Chairman (men). Watch this space :sad:

 

[jimmyshrimp]

Ok geting boring now Nigel. We all know you got a tip off.

 

[Evening Echo]

Sturrock encouraged by display

BLUES boss Paul Sturrock was encouraged by his side’s display against Ipswich Town.

More...

 

[SantaShrimp]

Mohsni did things tonight (on and off the ball) that he won't get away with in a competitive game, was it me or was there a little confrontation between him and Sturrock when he came off? Hope Grant wasn't badly injured and the sooner Corr comes back the better.

Not sure about confrontation but he certainly didn't look at all happy when he left the pitch... Didn't look to the crowd as he usually does when getting cheered either... I got the impression he was just unhappy at being subbed. As he was still rowing with their number 11 as he left though it was probably for the best. Love him to bits but he's got to control that temper or we'll be playing with ten men for half the season. Bloody entertaining character though :smile:

 

[Strike Force]

What people forget about Grant (even though he was excellent second half) is that we already have a ready made replacement for him, in Sawyer.

 

[bigmolt]

Poor first half but GREAT second, and with Moshni up front in the 2nd half, we were well worth the draw. The tenner entry fee was money very well spent. IMO Bilel would have been booked earlier in a league game, but with a little tuition from Harris, Coughlen and Barker to take the sillyness out of him, I feel we have STAR in the making !!! N'daiye looked very slow, and was without any vision in his passing. I counted 6 passes on trot without him finding a blue shirt. I know its early days but I would rather see Sawyer playing in the middle with Granty. ( really hope that he stays ) Infact with THE YOUNG James Merick-Lewis comming on in leaps and bounds now he is getting over his bad injury, did we really need N'diaye ? I thought Kalala looked very promising but if we play 442 where does he fit into team? Would be great in a 433 line up but that leaves us without 2 up front, and IMO, we wont let in many but it also means we will score a lot less. JJ looked ok but needed to look for an earlier pass. Someone metioned earlier he was like JCR. GOD I WISH he was half as good as Jamal, wot a signing he was by Tilly. As for Erik well THAT is where we need to be looking for a replacement IMO.The Ipshite winger he was marking looked good but for me he just doesn't have it. Not a good defender and cant go past anyone in attack. Never looks for early ball from the goalie, and most of the time just hoofs the ball away. Oh and is very injury prone!! Clohessy did his job ok without looking out classed by the Championship team.Great cross for the equlizer. The 3 center half's looked comftable in possesion and looked to pass the ball about. Morris is a great shot stopper, the save at the feet of Scotland I think it was, in 2nd half was first class. But his distribution with both feet and hands is woefull at times. there is just no accuracy in his kicks. He also is so slow at getting ball away, never a quick throw out. I thought Hall played well,good passing quick feet and great delivery on his free kicks. In the first half Harris just had no support. Granty tried bless him and hall but they were just to far away to make any difference. He was running about shouting instuctions and encouragement to the midfield but N'diaye had no pace to get up with him, and the delivery to him was mostley wayward from our goalie so no joy. But wot a difference half time made. Moshni went up top with him, N'daiye off, and Phillips on at center half. It made us very potent. Bilel was worrying the life out of there defence so much so they pratically had his shirt off his back at one stage. Thats when the red mist came down a bit for him. IMO Sturrock should have had him off before he was booked or pulled him over to have a word. It was all going down just in front of the home dug out. Nothing bad just a bit of posturing and words. Then when he was subbed, the Ipshite player that waved to him as he was walking off the pitch was either very brave, or stupid, wotever way you like to look at it. If it had been me in Bilel position I would have clumpped him. Anyway I have had a great nights entertainment. Few beer's in The Spread, fish special at The Fish Bar and a good game of football. Oh and change out of £25.oo. Think I will have the change on the Blues to win League 2 @ 18/1 and a little double with Lincoln to win conference @ 20/1 thats a 400/1 double. Well 398/1 to be exact. UTB.

 

[Welly7]

When will he learn though? So easily wound up, and would undoubtedly have had more than the one yellow card if that had been a league game.

Moshni is a class act, but I find his temperament so frustrating. Squaring up to players gets the crowd going and that's all well and good, but he can't do that in a league game.
Last night he showed that he hasn't learnt anything in terms of controlling himself in the last 12 months and that has to change. He can't react to every little situation because he'll find himself sent off and then out of the team because he'll become a liability.
The handballs from crosses annoyed me too. Again, has he learnt anything? If he has then and last night was a case of 'only a friendly' then why wasn't his mind on the game to play it in a professional manner?
I really think he has undoubted ability and has shown his progress in his play during last season, but his seemingly inability to control himself has to change. He has the talent to play at a higher level, but must keep control of his temper. This is professional football now and Moshni really has to remember that.

 

[jimmyshrimp]

What people forget about Grant (even though he was excellent second half) is that we already have a ready made replacement for him, in Sawyer.

Different players Grant wins lots of free kicks with clever play and positioning very clever defensively. Sawyer more creative forward thinking.

 

[kentblues]

Got back late after some food on the way home so thought I would write up after a nights reflection


First half Ipswich had the better chances. 4-3-3 didn't work going forward because Harris was isolated and JJ and Hally 'old fashioned' wingers. Also left us exposed at the back due to lack of numbers in midfield meaning too much space/not enough closing down on the edge of the box. (Note: if you are going to get find out playing this formation it will be against higher opposition- may still work against some L2 opposition)

Second half 4-4-2 and much better. Started to get a grip in midfield (offensively & defensively), Harris started to look less isolated and we could have gone on to win. There has been much talk of a pacey striker required- in fact not I would suggest. We need a target man for when Corr is injured (at the moment Mohsni is the alternative). Asante/Crawford/Sturrock are more like a Harris (minus the class and goals).

Morris - Handling, shot stopping, commanding all good, distribution the weak point last night.
Clohessy - defended well but didn't get forward first half. Second he did and a big difference.
Gilbert - this years whipping boy? Give him a break me thinks. Carried injuries a lot last year. Solid defensively- my biggest gripe is that he is a good crosser of the ball. Can't do that if he doesn't get forward.
Barker - normal performance, liked the way he was getting stuck in verbally. Will be a good captain.
Mohsni - first half commanding defensively. Wins everything in the air yet very good on the ground and quick. Second half if you forget you knew him and that he was a centre half you would have said good target man, a right handful, good in the air yet good touch, quick and good on the ground....if we dont get another forward in a quandry for PS
Temperament needs work (hopefully will put people of signing him....)
Phillips - very impressed. Looks fit and a yard quicker. Can see why Brentford did not want him to go. Allow PS the option with how he uses Mohsni.
Prosser - no time really (initially up top with Harris but he is NOT a Mohsni..one classic was an attempted back flick that hit him square in the forehead and went back in the wrong direction).
Grant - Very good. Put himself about some nice touches and vision.
Kalala - Now I made the point of watching him very carefully. A very good player. Breaks up a lot of play, does the simple thing well, solid in the air. A very good defensive midfielder.
N'Diaye - I dont think he can play in a 4-3-3. He hasn't got the legs. In a 4-4-2 it would probably be a different story. Did enough to suggest he will be an asset but currently the midfield wont be the easiest for him to get an automatic place
in
Sawyer - not on long but put himself about and some nice vision
MJL - not long on enough
JJ - will have more joy aginst L2 opposition but did ok. Particularly his all round game- took player on going forward and chased down. Also worked his socks off chasing back. Was concerned re playing two wingers defensive- now not so at all worked the line very well as did Hall.
Hall - As for JJ really plus his delivery from set pieces is excellent for the most part.
Harris - play him in a 4-4-2 and he will score a hatful. If he can play 40 league games he will get 25 goals. He might be just turned 34 for he kept going the 90 mins, looked fit and has looked after himself. Excellent finish but for him routine. Surprised that he is such a threat in the air- bonus.

There is a lot of opinion that Kalala is a ready made repllacement for someone. I don't necesarrily agree. For example if we play 4-4-2 mostly then I think it will be with 2 wide players (Hally and JJ, with cover from Sawyer or Grant). Two CM one more offensive, on more holding (Offensive Grant, Sawyer or N'Daiye, Holding Ferdinand or Kalala). In a 4-3-3 of course you need the extra midfielder. If Kalala is a ready made replacement it would be for Ferdinand but we need two players of this type. If Grant went I would put Sawyer straight in but starts to look thin again given need to cover for the wide men too. Still think no-one is going anywhere unless we get a big offer.

 

[Murkey_Mouse]

I can see Moshni get in Tunisia World Cup squad for Brazil 2014, if he keep playing well & cut off his sillyness etc if we make two promotion before 2014, that could help his chance to play for Tunisia as they picked players outside the top division in Europe like Scotland & Northern Ireland does!

 

[leeblue]

I can see Moshni get in Tunisia World Cup squad for Brazil 2014, if he keep playing well & cut off his sillyness etc if we make two promotion before 2014, that could help his chance to play for Tunisia as they picked players outside the top division in Europe like Scotland & Northern Ireland does!

no no no, keep him off the radar then when he is eligible for british citizenship he can play for england

 

[palexander]

Mohsni has a LOT to improve on before making even as a very good league 2 player. Let's curb that enthusiasm a little!

 

[kentblues]

I think Bilel is already a good L2 player even allowing for the temperament.

CJPhillips1982 Chris Phillips



Harris - we set our standard in the second half and I enjoyed playing alongside bilel.



Mr. Harris suggesting he likes playing up top with Mr. Mohsni

 

[kentblues]

CJPhillips1982 Chris Phillips



Sturrock - pleased with second half and impressed by kalala. Will be having a chat with ndiaye and stressed he must change the way he plays.



Suggest N'Diaye has put himself down the pecking order...

 

[Smiffy]

CJPhillips1982 Chris Phillips Sturrock - pleased with second half and impressed by kalala. Will be having a chat with ndiaye and stressed he must change the way he plays.Suggest N'Diaye has put himself down the pecking order...

Or he may not even be part of the pecking order for much longer...

 

[Andy_S]

Or he may not even be part of the pecking order for much longer...

Is this because you know something, or is it just opinion.....

 

[Medway Blue]

Or he may not even be part of the pecking order for much longer...

Dream scenario - keep both Grant and Ferdinand and replace N'Diaye with Kalala ;)