Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 2-1 Blackpool

[blues exile]

Nearly a quarter of the season gone and the table does not lie. Unlucky to only draw some games, lucky to win others, it pretty much evens out after 11 games. We are a mid table side that might have a shot at the play offs if we click on a winning run at the right time but with a suspect defence and lack of goal scoring strikers that seems unlikely.

 

[FarmdogSUFC]

Not in a negative way, but I thought we got a decent bit of luck again and on another day could have easily lost that. Most have given similar views to me but I'll quickly add.

• Timlin, whilst clearly not a LB, was much improved but I'd still rather one of our actual defenders play there
• Thought 1st half Wordsworth was defensively impressive, really stood out to me as he tracked his man really well
• Leonard, Kyp and Oxley were quality
• Ferdinand needs a rest, a real weak link in the team and will be targeted as a result

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Three wins in three and top half of the table. But as I am sure most observers would agree, there was some luck in there. On another day that's a Blackpool win and they'll be rightly disappointed to have got nothing. They got nothing, ultimately, due to one of our unsung and rapidly improving players - Mark Oxley.

Positives were again Harry Kyp, who gets better every game and is clearly learning from Anton. It would be a tough, tough decision to drop him when (if) Turner or Kiernan get fit.

Oxley, seems to be relishing being undisputed first choice keeper, and no longer has the "not as good as Bentley" monkey on his back. Confidence breeds decent performances.

Lenny and Woody in the middle are as good as anything in this division and it shows how much better we are when both are playing together. Woody, not quite fit so he will only get better.

And then....

Ranger. Poor performance today. Didn't much in the air, didn't get many passes to their targets, looked like he was trying too hard. Maybe saying "things didn't work out at my previous club, I hope to play well" is a better line than "I hate Blackpool, hope we stuff them and I will get a hat-trick". Mind it wasn't helped by the constant whinging of certain sections of the East Stand.

Anton. I do not understand how he is keeping John White out of the team. We can all see it. Opponents can see it. Surely PB can see it. Yes, he can read a game as well as anyone we've seen in many years, but unfortunately it looks like time has caught up with him.

Ref was frankly shocking. For both teams.

Agreed.Except about Ranger.As Tilly would have said "he worked his socks off". :winking: Without much end result tbf but he never stopped trying.Never responded once to constant intimidation,shirtpulling etc .When he's 100 % fit we'll have some player for L1 Thought he and Cox were excellent throughout.FWIW,Cox would have been my MOTM.

 

[FarmdogSUFC]

Totally agree that Ranger wasn't up to his usual standards. Looked to be trying too hard at times and really started to get frustrated when their CBs started doing a job on him. The thing is though, he doesn't have to be having a good game to have a real impact on it. He's such a nuisance to the other team that he creates space for others even when he's not playing well. A great tactic that we use well IMO.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Totally agree that Ranger wasn't up to his usual standards. Looked to be trying too hard at times and really started to get frustrated when their CBs started doing a job on him. The thing is though, he doesn't have to be having a good game to have a real impact on it. He's such a nuisance to the other team that he creates space for others even when he's not playing well. A great tactic that we use well IMO.

I agree he didn't have a great game Saturday but it's difficult when he's constantly feeding off a long ball pumped to his head. Not once did we give the ball to his feet

 

[MK Shrimper]

Hands up if you left early and missed Oxley's penalty save. Have you learnt nothing from Wembley? :hilarious:

 

[FarmdogSUFC]

I agree he didn't have a great game Saturday but it's difficult when he's constantly feeding off a long ball pumped to his head. Not once did we give the ball to his feet

Yep totally. He's actually really good with the ball at his feet as well so it's annoying we don't use this more. Players need to work out within the first 15 whether Nile has the beating of their CBs in the air or not. If not, switch it up and see if we can get some success with balls into feet/chest. As I say he's genuinely such a nuisance that it will take some CB to keep him quiet for the whole game.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Surely the players should know Nile's strengths from training?? This suggests that the problem is a tactical one from the management otherwise it defies all logic

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Just a reality check - when you travel for over 2 hours queueing for 45 mins to get through the Dartford Tunnel to get to a game you do hope for something that will make you say - really glad I didn't miss that - the first 5 and the last 2 minutes were good. As you say good job we didn't lose.

It was a much better game to watch live than the game against the Wombles looked (on ifollow) on Tuesday night.

 

[LennySUFC]

Oxley had a blinder and people still question "Could he have done better for their goal"? :hilarious: What more does the bloke need to do to be appreciated!? If that was a Dan Bentley or Ted Smith performance ie "one of our own" they'd have their own thread with appreciation going to the youth setup!

Gary Bowyer - [FONT=&quot]“However, the goalie has made a hell of a save from Jimmy Ryan. He’s made a hell of a save from Vass (Vassell) in the first half and a hell of a save from Clark (Robertson) in the second half.
[/FONT]

 

[united we stand]

Oxley had a blinder and people still question "Could he have done better for their goal"? :hilarious: What more does the bloke need to do to be appreciated!? If that was a Dan Bentley or Ted Smith performance ie "one of our own" they'd have their own thread with appreciation going to the youth setup!

Gary Bowyer - “However, the goalie has made a hell of a save from Jimmy Ryan. He’s made a hell of a save from Vass (Vassell) in the first half and a hell of a save from Clark (Robertson) in the second half.

personally I thought he saved the penalty with the wrong hand, Bentley wouldn't have done that :winking:

 

[Uncle Leo]

Hands up if you left early and missed Oxley's penalty save. Have you learnt nothing from Wembley? :hilarious:

Quite a few people near us in the South Upper. To be fair, they might have caught it down in the corner of the Lower as a lot of folk congregate there to get away quickly at the final whistle. Even so - leaving a game when it is on a knife-edge like that is something I just can't understand.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Oxley had a blinder and people still question "Could he have done better for their goal"? :hilarious: What more does the bloke need to do to be appreciated!? If that was a Dan Bentley or Ted Smith performance ie "one of our own" they'd have their own thread with appreciation going to the youth setup!

Gary Bowyer - “However, the goalie has made a hell of a save from Jimmy Ryan. He’s made a hell of a save from Vass (Vassell) in the first half and a hell of a save from Clark (Robertson) in the second half.

Oxley's been our most consistent performer this season. With an honourable mention to John White in that bracket too but he's been out the side lately

If Ox had come in last season and hit the ground running like he's doing now we'd all have been saying what a freebie that was!

 

[MK Shrimper]

Quite a few people near us in the South Upper. To be fair, they might have caught it down in the corner of the Lower as a lot of folk congregate there to get away quickly at the final whistle. Even so - leaving a game when it is on a knife-edge like that is something I just can't understand.

Yep, plenty passed us (I was in South lower). Mentioned exactly the same to my mate - very odd behaviour.

 

[jaffa1]

From the oppo ;

Colin Daniel says Blackpool were unlucky not take something from Saturday’s match against Southend United following their second-half performance.
The Seasiders threw everything at the opposition after finding themselves two goals down and were denied a point by a penalty save from Mark Oxley.
“The way we performed in the second-half, I think we matched them, put balls in the box and caused them a lot of problems. The keeper has pulled off some good saves from a couple of set-pieces and we were unlucky not to take something from the game,” he said.
The result meant that Blackpool ended the month of September with 11 points from seven games and though disappointed not to increase that tally, overall performances have been promising.
“It’s been a good September. We’ve been a bit unlucky in a couple of the games. If we keep performing and keep working hard, on and off the pitch, then we’ll be alright this season.”
Due to the home game against Blackburn Rovers now being rescheduled, the team must wait until 14 October for another league fixture. The break will be utilised well, though.
“It’s a long time to stew but it’s also a long time to get on the training field and work on the things that we need to improve on,” Daniel added.

May I suggest passing Mr Daniel, your distribution was (thankfully) woeful.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

Oxley's been our most consistent performer this season. With an honourable mention to John White in that bracket too but he's been out the side lately

If Ox had come in last season and hit the ground running like he's doing now we'd all have been saying what a freebie that was!

The main problem was the defence was a shambles at the start of last season and any keeper would have struggled playing behind that!!

 

[kentblues]

Hands up if you left early and missed Oxley's penalty save. Have you learnt nothing from Wembley? :hilarious:

I never ever leave early- out of habit I guess, it never crosses my mind. Her Ladyship reckons its because I'm tight and always want my money's worth