Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 2-3 Exeter City

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Agree with the Hartlepool game being huge... Win and we are nailed on for play off, lose they are right behind us...

Judging from our last four league performances, I wouldn't consider ourselves nailed on for anything, even with a win against Hartlepool and that's a pretty BIG even. Predicting a win on Tuesday?............well I'd rather bet with someone else's money, than my own! They haven't lost in three, with wins against Daggers and Newport (somthing we couldn't manage) and a very credible draw at Scunny.............if you thought Exeter was gonna be easy................ Await with interest to see team selection. I have my doubts as to whether BBBC will feature and if Prosser is still absent, I won't exactly be over confident.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Weird how differing opinions are on here. Thought Timlin did well today, chased and harried and made some fantastic runs into the channels, one really good run in the first half and was rewarded with a delectable pass to him

Sometimes think that depends on where you're sitting in the ground but I know you and I sit in different parts. I really like Timlin, I just think he and Lenny are too similar.

 

[wiggy]

Never understood why he signed Thompson, a young version of Phillips, unbalanced and paceless.

 

[mgh]

Judging from our last four league performances, I wouldn't consider ourselves nailed on for anything, even with a win against Hartlepool and that's a pretty BIG even. Predicting a win on Tuesday?............well I'd rather bet with someone else's money, than my own! They haven't lost in three, with wins against Daggers and Newport (somthing we couldn't manage) and a very credible draw at Scunny.............if you thought Exeter was gonna be easy................ Await with interest to see team selection. I have my doubts as to whether BBBC will feature and if Prosser is still absent, I won't exactly be over confident.

well, win and we are 9 points ahead with around +12 goal difference and a game in hand...ok, maybe not nailed on but as much as anything in this league.
conversely lose, and it's 3 points...

 

[lombard]

What has happened to Kevan Hurst ? Our best performance this season was against Millwall.without Hurst !! For the last four games he has added zilch minus.Today, I would mark him a one,for putting on the correct kit.

 

[mgh]

Sometimes think that depends on where you're sitting in the ground but I know you and I sit in different parts. I really like Timlin, I just think he and Lenny are too similar.

OBL - with you...i thought Leonard was good today, and grew into the game. Timmy did nothing really. The next game has to have changes, i'd go:
Bentley
White, Prosser, Phillips, Coker (assuming Prosser is fit - if not play White at CB and Thompson RB)
Laird
Atkinson Leonard
Hurst Corr Straker

so 4-1-2-3 when attacking
and 4-5-1 when defending.
assuming Corr is fit. Hurst only gets in because there's not a lot else to choose from.

if need a goal take Atkinson off, go 4-4-2...

 

[Stephen L]

Still in :nope: mood.

Back to the match on Tuesday… i hope he puts the side back to pre barnard, and put barnard on the bench until he earns his place.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Sometimes think that depends on where you're sitting in the ground but I know you and I sit in different parts. I really like Timlin, I just think he and Lenny are too similar.

They do similar things but each does his own thing well. Lenny doesn't chase and close down but he does hold the ball well and picks a good pass. Lenny, Timlin and Atko work well in that midfield 3 but that seems to go off the boil when we go to 442

 

[Southend Pier]

Its not scoring that is the problem when you are conceding 3 at home.

mostly agree. but then you have to score more than the opposition in order to win. more invention needed so forwards can finally score.

 

[Southend Pier]

I'm more concerned that our fluid passing game has gone to ****.

Laird should be getting a game and I liked the look of Williams. Has scored a lot for the youth/reserves?

to be fair the pitches nearly everywhere in the country are making it hard to play a passing game.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Never understood why he signed Thompson, a young version of Phillips, unbalanced and paceless.

Never understood why you post on here. Not a good word to say about anyone or anything

 

[OldBlueLady]

OBL - with you...i thought Leonard was good today, and grew into the game. Timmy did nothing really. The next game has to have changes, i'd go:
Bentley
White, Prosser, Phillips, Coker (assuming Prosser is fit - if not play White at CB and Thompson RB)
Laird
Atkinson Leonard
Hurst Corr Straker

so 4-1-2-3 when attacking
and 4-5-1 when defending.
assuming Corr is fit. Hurst only gets in because there's not a lot else to choose from.

if need a goal take Atkinson off, go 4-4-2...

See, now, that forward line up would have me suicidal. Hurst and Straker have rarely performed together. I'd definitely start Barney and Fred and rest Corr from the starting line up. If you think back to when Barney was here before, he didn't really have anyone tall to play off, and like Fred, learned to win balls out of defence without having to flick them on. Both he and Fred are perfectly able to trap a ball and lay it off and I think this would be a good way to start, both SHOULD benefit.

I'm glad you picked up on my point about White and Thompson swapping, I think it has to be tried if Prosser isn't fit and we can't get anyone in.....Dervite....Leon Cort?

 

[wiggy]

Never understood why you post on here. Not a good word to say about anyone or anything

Including you, the biggest fence sitter on here!

 

[chapperzUK]

Including you, the biggest fence sitter on here!

Don't mention Paul Smith or he will be right back on that fence ...

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Would try Fred and Barney together.Two players who have played at a much higher level should be able to do the business at this level

See, now, that forward line up would have me suicidal. Hurst and Straker have rarely performed together. I'd definitely start Barney and Fred and rest Corr from the starting line up. If you think back to when Barney was here before, he didn't really have anyone tall to play off, and like Fred, learned to win balls out of defence without having to flick them on. Both he and Fred are perfectly able to trap a ball and lay it off and I think this would be a good way to start, both SHOULD benefit.

I'm glad you picked up on my point about White and Thompson swapping, I think it has to be tried if Prosser isn't fit and we can't get anyone in.....Dervite....Leon Cort?

 

[mgh]

See, now, that forward line up would have me suicidal. Hurst and Straker have rarely performed together. I'd definitely start Barney and Fred and rest Corr from the starting line up. If you think back to when Barney was here before, he didn't really have anyone tall to play off, and like Fred, learned to win balls out of defence without having to flick them on. Both he and Fred are perfectly able to trap a ball and lay it off and I think this would be a good way to start, both SHOULD benefit.

I'm glad you picked up on my point about White and Thompson swapping, I think it has to be tried if Prosser isn't fit and we can't get anyone in.....Dervite....Leon Cort?

yes, swapping the defence if O'Neill isn't fit may work, but

our success this season has come from Hurst and Straker playing wide off Corr...


what team have you been watching?

 

[meerkat54]

Same old, same old ! Its that time of year again.
In a great position and the bottle is going yet again, I really don't think the current squad has enough players that want to be winners.
I think we need to start praying for a miracle, as our current form is going to take us the wrong way in the table.
There is still time but PB and the players need to action this urgently !!

 

[Brian Meyers]

Useless. Play-offs are our best case scenario now really.

Absolute crap team selection should be playing a styled side by now no chance of promotion

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

God help Phillips and Thompson if they ever face speedy strikers. A bus turns around faster.

 

[Shrimperforlife]

As most people have said, Prosser needed back urgently. Not just for his defensive qualities, but for his organisation. Thompson can be blamed but its Phillips and White who were most at fault today. All it took was a simple ball over the top and they were through on goal. Basic defending, one goes to the attacker the other stays. Both Phillips and Thompson simultaneously went to the ball leaving their forward players through on goal. When that does happen though the full backs have to watch the line, White was slow getting up on each occasion leaving their attacking players onside. The reason I'm blaming Phillips rather than Thompson is he is the senior defender with experience, he should know how to organise the defence.When Prosser has played with Thompson he has perfomed well .Phillips is not vocal enough and is own positioning is shocking. He scored two goals, but is overall perfomance today was woeful. White has looked a yard off the pace since he came back from injury, not the same player at all. Coker I thought was the pick of the back four again. Bentley made some good saves, but the panicky defending unsettled him and he made a few handling errors, luckily not costing a goal like last week.
The signing of Barnard has completely unsettled the side. He is not fit, yet has started the last 4 games (2 draws 2 defeats). We have changed a winning formula just to accommodate him. The side was more balanced and compact playing 451/433, and the players seemed happier and comfortable playing it. Everyone knew their role. Hurst and Leonard especially, two matchwinners on their day have seen their performances drop markedly. If we are to play 442 Laird has to start. He gives the defenders support and allows Timlin or Leonard to get forward. I hope Brown realises that he has made errors with his selection in the past 4 games and returns us quickly to our winning formula. Also, that Gomis does not look like a footballer, but the youth player looked promising

Agree with the Coker comment... For me he's been solid most games