Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 2-1 Aldershot Town

[Jai]

I can't stand them but you have to give Aldershot a bit of credit for the way they rallied. We've not had a great season at home but the games we have won we have managed out extremely well and you rarely feel once we take the lead at home that we're going to drop points. Tonight was nervy, and that's mainly because Aldershot came back very strongly after going 2-0 down.

Bridge did well for his assist and could have had another with a fantastic cross which was spoiled by absolutely nobody being in the right area. He's not had his best season and has had a fair bit of criticism, but as we saw through his absence against Sittingbourne and Maidenhead, he makes a difference just by being on the pitch because of his threat. Husin with a goal and assist, another player who has had his critics this year. Delighted for them both, heroes of Roots Hall as part of that squad that kept us going when we could have died.

Liked the new fella and amused to see people on social media criticising the substitution to bring him off... if anything it was ten minutes too late - he had totally faded by 55 minutes but he was a breath of fresh air before that. Get him up to speed with full-time training and he will be a real weapon. First half I did think he was too far forward, almost playing as a third forward which meant we had less options in midfield and was part of the reason we couldn't keep possession, but he always looked positive. If there wasn't a pass on, he would take his man on.

 

[Jai]

Was a good 3 points against a decent aldershot side.I wish we attacked and had pace up top like they do.Overall it wasn't the best performance but we are now winning and closing in on those teams above us.

They're 20th in the National League. I'm not wishing for that. They only started playing when 2-0 down.

 

[bluethroughandthrough]

Debbie downer realist alert..

3 points yay... against Aldershot.

Expectations... Id expect us to beat them. Id expect us to be upper mid table as a default.

The problem was and still is playing well enough consistently to hit the upper reaches of the table.
Whilst I love the optimism, it also smacks of desperation

that we were so ugly again.. "Great to win when playing badly"... that's a phrase that normally applies to teams doing really well and having an off day. Not sure it really applies here.

 

[barton west]

Slept through the match, I’m afraid. Kick off at 3.45 am here in Saigon. 32 deg yesterday and literally one million motorbikes. Play offs? No one has spotted Rochdale two points behind and FIVE games in hand.

 

[Medway Blue]

Debbie downer realist alert..

3 points yay... against Aldershot.

Expectations... Id expect us to beat them. Id expect us to be upper mid table as a default.

The problem was and still is playing well enough consistently to hit the upper reaches of the table.
Whilst I love the optimism, it also smacks of desperation

that we were so ugly again.. "Great to win when playing badly"... that's a phrase that normally applies to teams doing really well and having an off day. Not sure it really applies here.

We have just moved up to 8th. 5 points off the playoffs with 41 points left to play for.

Just enjoy it!

 

[* ORM *]

Just hope something clicks and we hit the form that these players should be capable of . Is it the tactics and set up that is holding us back as we seem unable to dominate games .Kev again dodged a bullet as the crowd would have turned if we had thrown away a two goal lead from a very average performance

Form? Form? I’d say 7 points from 9 is form. I’d say our points from the last 10-12 games is form. Talk to Oldham about form and league positions.

8th spot while playing ‘crap, crab like negative football and formations’ with a clueless manager that keeps tinkering with winning sides and can’t make decent substitutions.

What I suspect you mean is performance/quality? If so we might be nearer agreement.Yes I’m VERY pro Maher. The shackles are off, the new signings are still bedding in and coming up to speed.

Imagine the possibilities if the 3 amigos had been permitted to build a squad pre season? Almost certainly a solid play off berth. Instead we have had weeks (if not months) of ill informed trollop (not from this post I quoted or poster I hasten to add).

The play offs are still a possibility. I also think it unlikely that we will be able to sustain current form but winning breeds confidence (as does not losing). It is inevitable that one or two of the top 8, so including us, will have a bad patch. It is also not a given that Rochdale will win their games in hand.

The season is not over yet as some people have been stating. Enjoy the run in come what may.

If we miss out on play offs or promo through the play offs there will still be those Maher outs on here and at Roots Hall. They’re entitled to their opinions. My opinion is that with dross coming down and a full preseason we will be solid promotions candidates next season.

I can’t guarantee that. One thing I can guarantee is the Zone will be on meltdown after our next loss.

 

[* ORM *]

Slept through the match, I’m afraid. Kick off at 3.45 am here in Saigon. 32 deg yesterday and literally one million motorbikes. Play offs? No one has spotted Rochdale two points behind and FIVE games in hand.

Have you mastered the art of crossing the road yet?

 

[Hadleigh-shrimper]

7 from 9 on the way up. Scrappy second half subs bang on . In Maher we trust

 

[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United boss Kevin Maher was delighted with the spirit of his side after they dug deep to beat Aldershot Town 2-1 at Roots Hall.

Read more on this story


Help with Echo links

 

[Evening Echo]

ALDERSHOT Town boss Tommy Widdrington thought his side gave Southend United their toughest game in four weeks at Roots Hall tonight.

Read more on this story


Help with Echo links

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Debbie downer realist alert..

3 points yay... against Aldershot.

Expectations... Id expect us to beat them. Id expect us to be upper mid table as a default.

The problem was and still is playing well enough consistently to hit the upper reaches of the table.
Whilst I love the optimism, it also smacks of desperation

that we were so ugly again.. "Great to win when playing badly"... that's a phrase that normally applies to teams doing really well and having an off day. Not sure it really applies here.

Surely, winning .. however we win .. is key. Getting into the habit of it is the only way we make the play offs. Climbing the table is little to do with how well we play, it’s about accruing points. Of course I’d love to also see us win in style but this was a game we might’ve lost a few months ago so I’ll take the 3 points.

 

[leeblue]

We have just moved up to 8th. 5 points off the playoffs with 41 points left to play for.

Just enjoy it!

Nah haters gonna hate.
Win football matches!
No not like that! Whaaa whaaa!
Still an element of those who would rather they were right on kev than see us win. He didn't get to sing the sideways and backwards chant.

 

[londonblue]

Every team needs to find that elusive 20 goal a season right back.

 

[SeldomSeenShrimper]

A disjointed, ragged performance, but a crucial 3 points in the bag is all that matters at least stage of the season.

First half we struggled to string 3 passes together with Gus giving the ball away on numerous occasions. We were slow to react and were not picking up any of the second balls. Only young Leon came out of that half with any credit.

Josh Walker again failed to convince me that he will ever be the answer to our goal scoring problems. His miss from 4 yards out after 20 mins when unmarked was criminal. He also snatched at a second opportunity towards the end of the first half. For someone whose played in league one, he's been a big disappointment this season.

Both goals came at good times, with Noor finally finding some space in the penalty area after Bridge had pulled back a low cross into his path. Ice cool finish from Husin. Second goalf was classic Gus. On the move in the box after Bonne couldn't connect properly to slide the ball home.

Hayes 6 - a couple of poor kicks in first half, and couple of fairly comfortable saves in second half.
Gus 6 - awful first half, improved in second, plus the all important second goal.
Taylor 6 - a couple of vital interceptions, but overall not at the levels of earlier this season. I'm convinced he's carrying some kind of injury as he looks sluggish and seems to have lost half a yard.
Golding 7.5 - physically dominant and brought the ball out from defence impressively.
Ralph 7 - won countless headers and stuck to his task all night.
Morton 5 - poorest game for quite some time. He failed to get on the ball often enough and when he did, his passing was sloppy. Struggled with Aldershot's superior pace as they broke forward.
Husin 7 - worked incredibly hard. Great finish to give us the lead and then his cross led to our second goal which was ultimately vital.
Leon 7.5 - lots to like about his performance. Some great footwork and love his ability to burst forward with the ball putting the Shots on the back foot. Kev was right to withdraw him though as there were too many gaps opening up in midfield which Aldershot were beginning to exploit.
Bonne 5.5 - cut a frustrated figure in the first half as he failed to hold the ball up and was outdone physically. He improved marginally in the second half but appears better suited in wider areas.
Walker 5 - missed two guilt-edged chances in first half and didn't pose the kind of threat expected to the Shots back line overall.
Bridge 6 - set up Husin's goal and put over a couple of other decent crosses, but overall he was well marshalled.

Subs - Coker 5 - still looks horribly out of sorts and barely made a tackle after replacing Leon
Hopper 6 - decent defensive headers to help ease the pressure but won little up against their back line.
Kendall 6 - chased and harried, and produced on good left foot shot which went wide having robbed the Shots left back.
Goodliffe - not on long enough

We really seemed to struggle with the heavy, bobbly pitch tonight and were left hanging at the end as Aldershot piled forwards. They may not have the greatest team, but I thought they kept going right to the end and broke forwards well at pace.

Two away games now follow, starting at Tamworth on Saturday. 3 points are a must if we are to continue to bridge the gap and threatened a late play off push.

How have you rated Kendall and Hopper above Bonne?

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

Form? Form? I’d say 7 points from 9 is form. I’d say our points from the last 10-12 games is form. Talk to Oldham about form and league positions.

8th spot while playing ‘crap, crab like negative football and formations’ with a clueless manager that keeps tinkering with winning sides and can’t make decent substitutions.

What I suspect you mean is performance/quality? If so we might be nearer agreement.Yes I’m VERY pro Maher. The shackles are off, the new signings are still bedding in and coming up to speed.

Imagine the possibilities if the 3 amigos had been permitted to build a squad pre season? Almost certainly a solid play off berth. Instead we have had weeks (if not months) of ill informed trollop (not from this post I quoted or poster I hasten to add).

The play offs are still a possibility. I also think it unlikely that we will be able to sustain current form but winning breeds confidence (as does not losing). It is inevitable that one or two of the top 8, so including us, will have a bad patch. It is also not a given that Rochdale will win their games in hand.

The season is not over yet as some people have been stating. Enjoy the run in come what may.

If we miss out on play offs or promo through the play offs there will still be those Maher outs on here and at Roots Hall. They’re entitled to their opinions. My opinion is that with dross coming down and a full preseason we will be solid promotions candidates next season.

I can’t guarantee that. One thing I can guarantee is the Zone will be on meltdown after our next loss.

Yep, agreed. Our form is pretty good - shame about that Maidenhead result otherwise we would be joint top of the form table over the last 6 games.

 

[united we stand]

Just to say, the Walker miss was awful, but the linesman had his flag up for offside

 

[Shrimp and two veg]

Just to say, the Walker miss was awful, but the linesman had his flag up for offside

Ah thanks, my boy said to me he looked well offside, i hadnt noticed

 

[Lincoln Shrimp]

How have you rated Kendall and Hopper above Bonne?

A game of opinions. Plenty of effort from Bonne, but he failed to hold the ball up which was one of the reasons why we were so ragged tonight and didn't control possession.

 

[KiwiRob]

A game of opinions. Plenty of effort from Bonne, but he failed to hold the ball up which was one of the reasons why we were so ragged tonight and didn't control possession.

It would be interesting to see the pairing of Hooper and Boone up front from the start of a game. It might just work...

 

[GBJ]

It would be interesting to see the pairing of Hooper and Boone up front from the start of a game. It might just work...

If it’s anything like the partnership of Mills and Boon, we’re bound to fall in love with it