Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 1, Torquay United 1

[Shrimper 62]

In the context of a single game there were a number of positives. Bentley looked assured in goal. Tam looked different class while reeves was neat and tidy. He can spot a pass and could fill some of the gap left by Timlin. Laird made a big difference in centre mid. It was his tackle in the build up that led to Fred's goal. Less positive - Britt was again off his game, either running offside, or simply giving the ball away. He probably needs a rest, while conversley Fred needs games as he looked dead on his feet after 60 minutes. Switching Hurst to the left wing midway through the second half meant he was starved of the ball, with no one able to find him with a pass. Not convinced by Lund although I note others rate him.

 

[fbm]

After 8 minutes we had a bit of a flashback... Freddy received the ball, cut inside and fired home into to the corner with his left foot. Freddy is back.

But Freddy left again pretty soon afterwards. That was pretty much it apart from a couple of nice touches. Dougie Freedman made loads of nice touches after his injury but rarely scored and he was pulled to pieces on here. It was good to see him start but I think next season he has to really have a good pre-season and work hard on his fitness.

As for the rest of the game, the first 25 minutes or so had more entertainment than the previous home games this year, but then Torquay started to come into it and their goal had been coming for a while.

Our second half performance was as bad as Tuesdays, the only difference was that Torquay weren't as good as Wimbledon and didn't punish us.

Negative points -

Clohessy isn't a captain and the team seems to be lacking in leadership. The sooner Phillips or Barker can return the better.

Bentley had a sound game and did many things right. But his quick distribution nearly cost us when he threw the ball straight to a Torquay forward late on and his kicking is poor. His kicks from the ground are far too flat and his drop kicks are far too high, compromising on distance and allowing the defence to get back and underneath them if it is a quick kick. If Smith had made those errors he would be ripped to pieces.

Hursts delivery was dreadful today. He was clearly aiming for Corr who wasn't playing.

The lack of chances created. Earlier in the season, keepers were playing out of their skins to keep their teams in the game. I can't remember the last time we actually made a keeper make saves. We either seem to score or miss the target (or don't shoot in the first place). Incidentally, the BBC stats show us having 11 shots on target. I don't remember their keeper making one, let alone 11 saves.

The pitch is absolutely dreadful. I know it's the same for both teams but it certainly is a leveller. Next season I don't think there will be any home friendlies on it as it will need to be relaid and bedded in. Whether the club can afford to go without the gate receipts from a high profile friendly such as the West Ham one last year I don't know.

Any slim possibility of automatic promotion disappeared.

Bright spots -

Despite the above comments re Bentley, the rest of his game was sound and he made 3 or 4 decent saves. The central defence clearly felt confident with him behind them, although in fairness Mohsni and Mkandawire have never played together before and so we can't compare what they would have been like in front of Smith.

The return of Tomlin. We have missed his movement and for me he needs to start with Britt.

The return of Laird. he showed in the first half what the midfield has been missing by closing down and pressing. He looked leggy late on which isn't surprising given that he's been out for a while.

The return of Mkandawire who was the best player on the pitch by a distance.

The return of Mohsni to centre back, which is where I feel he plays best. He was calm, composed and showed zero frustration.

We didn't lose. We need to get on a run pdq but with lots of teams playing each other we could still sneak into the play offs.


Ratings

Bentley - 7 - Good to see some decent stuff from him.

Clohessy - 6 - He is nowhere near as great a player as everyone thinks, not a leader and is dreadful at shepherding the ball out of play. Maybe the captains armband is affecting his game because recently he hasn't been very good at all.
Straker - 6 - Nowhere near as bad as people are saying... he had quite a decent game yesterday and made no worse mistakes than anyone else. The trouble is that every time he doesn't do something amazing he has sections of the crowd yelling at him. He is just the current scapegoat.
Mohsni - 7 - Looked at his most comfortable although some of his passes were a bit loose, to say the least.
Mkandawire - 9 - MOM - From a different league and it showed.

Hurst - 5 - His worst game of the season.
Lund - 5 - Gives the opposition too much space and is slow to react.
Laird - 7 - Good to see him back.
Reeves - 6 - Hmmm. Has class clearly, but poor awareness and the pitch didn't suit his game at all. I think sometimes he actually beat himself.

Eastwood - 6 - Good start then did little.
Assombalonga - 5 - Just did little.

Sub -

Tomlin - 8 - Showed the other strikers up when he came on.

Ref - 6 - Didn't add anywhere near enough time on for the blatant time wasting.

 

[OldBlueLady]

As was said to me before the game, when I was chatting with with Ayrshire and Badgershrimp, our squad is suffering from the lack of reserve team football. So many of our players would have benefited massively from a couple of games in the reserves before being thrust into the 1st team, or in Smith's case, to get a few games in without people cussing him from the word go. That's something that really needs to be addressed. I wonder how many of those teams in the top and play off places are able to participate in regular reserve team matches?

 

[Norwichshrimper]

Here we go; Smith didn't play so who can we pick on now!!!

If you want to blame someone for their goal, how about Clohessy, who was beaten far too easily and caused us to be a man down in defence.

Absolutely - quite agree. Clohessey made a complete tit of himself getting too close to their winger (Chappell?) got completely skinned and taken out of the game leaving us exposed at the back but because Sean is one of the favourites all I've read on here is people wondering whether to pin it on Straker or Mohsni!!

I blame Smith myself

 

[David Icke]

Bentley 7.5 mom
Clohessy 7
Mohsni 6.5
Mkandawire 7.5
Straker 4.5
Hurst 6
Lund 6
Laird 7
Reeves 7
Fred 7
Assombalonga 5.5

Tomlin 6

 

[united we stand]

He needs forgetting permanently...at fault for the goal, stood and watched, didn't close the man down giving him a free shot

I can only guess that you haven't had the opportunity to watch the goal again on the football league show ?
I assume that once you have you will be back on here apologising to Straker? Perhaps if you feel the need to make someone a scapegoat question why Clohessy was beaten so easily and why Straker had two to mark ?

 

[OldBlueLady]

I can only guess that you haven't had the opportunity to watch the goal again on the football league show ?
I assume that once you have you will be back on here apologising to Straker? Perhaps if you feel the need to make someone a scapegoat question why Clohessy was beaten so easily and why Straker had two to mark ?

Not often I agree with DWB, but looking at the goal conceded on highlights, it's Straker's man that gets the cross over. Not sure quite who Tam, Mohsni and Clohessy are marking though to be fair....

 

[leeblue]

Straker could have done much better for the toquay goal, nowhere near his man that recieved the ball on the right wing then made no effort to close him down once he controlled it. We were at home and the grand sum of our chances were the high and wide thing from Britt (who by the way needs dropping pronto, he can not even control a football at the mo) and reeves tame shot at the keeper when he nicked it off Tomlin......there you go thats it. How can that be it when we are the home team and chasing a play off slot? Torquay were complete garbage yet we surrendered with a whimper. Some positives??? freddys goal was a good flashback to 2005 classic eastwood

 

[IloveShrimp]

Ok this is how I saw it.

I know many on here are having a go about Straker re the goal, but also where was Reeves who arguably could / should of tracked their guy back and covered for him, If you look at the reply he was standing watching on the edge of the box whilst Straker was in the middle challenging one of their blokes for a header as the ball came across?

Bentley 7 : Did well, better quicker distribution and gave the back four confidence and direction
Clohessey 6 : Arguably at fault in the build up for their goal, a bit Tired in my opinion as been a bit shakey lately
Straker 6 : Much improved from earlier in season but should have been protected more by the left midfield
Mkandawire 8 : Class at the back, but we needed him in midfield
Mohsni 7.5 : Defended well, nothing silly. Much better at CB than anywhere else, although I think he would have been sent forward for the last 10 mins had we had another CB
Reeves 6 : Should be on the left
Lund 5.5 : Sorry I don't rate him, made a few challenges, but creates nothing, and we need someone to drive the CM forwards with confidence which he doesnt do
Laird 7 : Impressive considering first game back - does an important job in the middle and we've missed him but ditto Lund comments
Hurst 6 : Did ok but below par for me probably because he was playing on the left, cant make out why? He had an excellent relationship with Clohessey so why change it? Didn't really get enough of the ball.
Eastwood 6.5 : Great goal, but apart from his experience and some great touches was not provided one other clear cut chance by midfield.
Assombalonga 5.0 : Below what is expected, not provided one clear cut chance by midfield though, imo he is too lightweight, cant make the ball stick to him and just will not work with a fellow striking partner no matter who he is.

Tomlin: Could see the change when he came on, unlucky when reeves nicked the ball off his foot and would surely have scored otherwise.

Manager: Brave to make the changes although some were forced onto him. Can make out why Reeves and Hurst seem to be playing on their weaker sides though.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

not brilliant but massively better than Tuesday and we were the better team and deserved the win IMO. Looking forward to have Mkandawire in midfield . People are being overly harsh on Straker IMO. Another game with massive changes at the back , that back 5 has never played together, and much better atmosphere as well


I made a point of watching Bentley in the second half from the North, He is constantly talking to the players and encouraging them,AND pushing them out. Distribution is excellent, he doesn't need to look up as he knows where everyone is. Looked a good save in the first half, but I am in the North so will bow down to those closer with a better view, Mistake at he end could have cost us, But overall I would be surprised if he does not start Saturday.

Except when he threw the ball straight to a Torquay player on the edge of the area.

Fortunately the Torquay player was **** so we got away with it, but given that he had time and was under no pressure at all that was possibly the worse goalkeeping error I've seen at Roots Hall since Sammy throw the ball into his own net against Oxford. Had that been Smith there would have been at least a 20 page thread on it castigating him for it.

Blimey did you have note pad, clearly to analyse Bentley so precisely you must have just been watching him and not the game. For what it's worth he remained rooted to his line twice from corners, which according to many on here a keeper shouldn't do, there was two crosses second half that curled into the six yard box, again he dudnt claim them, his distribution at times was poor, particularly his kicking from the ground. I'm not saying that Smith is a wonder keeper, we know he isn't, it's just that Bentley made errors today that Smith has been slated for all season.

This. I'd have liked my keeper to have pretended to try and come for these in order to claim obstruction (there was a lot of holding going on and the ref would have been under pressure to give the free kick) but they weren't balls the keeper would realistically be claiming.

Torquay didn't actually cross the ball much with the likes of Straker cutting them out at source. They played a couple of woeful floated long balls with no angle that Bentley claimed with ease but that are bread and butter even for Smith.

Bentley did make a smart stop when he narrowed the angle sufficiently and stood up instead of going to ground too soon but a few dodgy kicks aside that was a fairly easy afternoon for a goalkeeper, particularly when the crowd give you the benefit of the doubt on everything.

The goal was down to Clohessy getting done. Not sure why (other than the usual scapegoating) Straker is getting the blame as the full-back needs to take that position, it's the wide midfielder (Hurst or Reeves? Will need to take a look at the video as can't remember if they'd switched or not then) who needs to be getting back and picking up the guy who drove the ball across.

 

[GBJ]

Few points;

Lund is awful. Totally awful. Can't see what he brings to the table at all, zero creativity & too weak.

Bentley > Smith all day long

Mohsni was too casual on countless occasions. Lazy passing could have cost us time & time again

Hurst is a decent player but frustratingly inconsistent.

Had £10 on Freddy to score first @ 11/2 which won me £65, which makes him my MOTM.

 

[united we stand]

Not often I agree with DWB, but looking at the goal conceded on highlights, it's Straker's man that gets the cross over. Not sure quite who Tam, Mohsni and Clohessy are marking though to be fair....

Well you are both wrong again then . Straker has got two to mark , he marks the one in the most dangerous position , if he had left him he would have been chastised for it . Watch is again, its pretty clear. And everyone makes it sound as though the guy spent ages getting ready to shoot, Straker positioned himself to cover the near post , the shot went across the face of the goal , as you said what where the others doing at that point ?

 

[united we stand]

Ok this is how I saw it.

I know many on here are having a go about Straker re the goal, but also where was Reeves who arguably could / should of tracked their guy back and covered for him, If you look at the reply he was standing watching on the edge of the box whilst Straker was in the middle challenging one of their blokes for a header as the ball came across?


.

exactly -- but Straker gets blamed because his name is not 'Sean'.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Well you are both wrong again then . Straker has got two to mark , he marks the one in the most dangerous position , if he had left him he would have been chastised for it . Watch is again, its pretty clear. And everyone makes it sound as though the guy spent ages getting ready to shoot, Straker positioned himself to cover the near post , the shot went across the face of the goal , as you said what where the others doing at that point ?

Sean was turned and the ball got put into the box. Tam or Mohsni got a head to the ball only to go to their man. On the highlights there is a second or two delay where you can't see Straker. When he appears, rather than go to the player to try and block the ball or narrow the angle, he stands in front of Bentley, who had the near post covered. We can apportion blame form the point of Clohessy being turned to Mohsni/Tam not getting a stronger header in, but for Straker to not even close the guy down and to just stand in front of Bentley is poor.

 

[united we stand]

Sean was turned and the ball got put into the box. Tam or Mohsni got a head to the ball only to go to their man. On the highlights there is a second or two delay where you can't see Straker. When he appears, rather than go to the player to try and block the ball or narrow the angle, he stands in front of Bentley, who had the near post covered. We can apportion blame form the point of Clohessy being turned to Mohsni/Tam not getting a stronger header in, but for Straker to not even close the guy down and to just stand in front of Bentley is poor.

we all see things differently , he had TWO to mark - so someone is at fault here, and it isn't him ! He stopped their player having a direct shot, -- isn't that a good thing? , If he had ran to the player he would have have given the guy a window of opportunity with a clear shot on goal . Instead he forces a cross shot with THREE of our players marking one guy- who still scores-------------yet its still all Strakers fault, Not Seans fault for being beat, not the THREE players marking the goal scorer, not Tam's for the header - its all Strakers fault - Yes I can see how that makes complete sense:stunned: . If his and Sean's positions were reversed Straker would still be getting the grief and people would NOT be blaming Sean because it was Sean . I would not normally apportion blame, I believe in the concept of 'team' but I get annoyed that some on here have to have a scapegoat

 

[davewebbsbrain]

we all see things differently , he had TWO to mark - so someone is at fault here, and it isn't him ! He stopped their player having a direct shot, -- isn't that a good thing? , If he had ran to the player he would have have given the guy a window of opportunity with a clear shot on goal . Instead he forces a cross shot with THREE of our players marking one guy- who still scores-------------yet its still all Strakers fault, Not Seans fault for being beat, not the THREE players marking the goal scorer, not Tam's for the header - its all Strakers fault - Yes I can see how that makes complete sense:stunned: . If his and Sean's positions were reversed Straker would still be getting the grief and people would NOT be blaming Sean because it was Sean . I would not normally apportion blame, I believe in the concept of 'team' but I get annoyed that some on here have to have a scapegoat

Bentley did that

 

[OldBlueLady]

Did no-one else appreciate the good job Lund was doing marking the very dangerous Rene Howe in the box? All I see it criticism of him, I honestly thought he had an alright game!

 

[united we stand]

Bentley did that

And I bet , had their player shot and Bently didn't save it you would be moaning 'why didn't he postiion himself to block the shot'

i will remember that comment everytime one of our players blocks a shot--'why bother , the keeper will save it'

 

[davewebbsbrain]

And I bet , had their player shot and Bently didn't save it you would be moaning 'why didn't he postiion himself to block the shot'

i will remember that comment everytime one of our players blocks a shot--'why bother , the keeper will save it'

I understand what you are saying but he was stood directly in front of Bentley and static...didn't charge or try and block.

 

[dannypav]

I thought Straker did ok on Saturday , but both he and Clohessy were left exposed at times by Hurst and Reeves.
They have both been excellent this season , but in the second half Hurst did not seem to have the energy to get back and help Straker as much as he should.