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

[IloveShrimp]

Interesting that 3 of the 4 midfield players who started yesterday were the same as who went through the dip in form in February last year!

 

[chapperzUK]

stayed away from here until now in case of knee jerk reactions (about 6 pages of them). yesterday wasnt good, but a lot of people on here seem to change their opinions with the tides! talk about fickle. the team have gone on runs all season, both good and bad. this is a bad spell, but its about due to end now and normally that seems to start on another run. at the start of the season many were saying mid table was their expectation. 7th isnt mid table, and considering its in the midst of a bad run, im sure it will only improve.

Knee jerk? Maybe, but considering that after beating Chesterfield we went above them and 3 points off top. 5 games later and we are out of the cup and we've managed to collect 2 points. Chesterfield are now top and 11 points clear of us having played an extra game. So much emphasis was put on the Chesterfield win that it now just looks like a normal 3 points.

The performance wasn't the frustrating thing, but using 4-4-2 again and not using those players who have been "pulling up trees" in friendly matches.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Just a point that may have not come to light. In an article stating how much we are missing Prosser, PB mentions that Straker was on the bench due to the fact that his partner had given birth to their first child on Friday night. For those wondering why he may not have been used against Exeter for reasons other than form or choice. In addition, he didn't sound over confident that Prosser would be ready for Tuesday. :sad:

http://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/article/160214-brown-on-prosser-1363002.aspx

 

[Uncle Leo]

Why is it we seem to lose against teams that haven't won in a while? Mansfield hadn't won at home in ages I seem to recall and Exeter were yet to win this year I believe.

We've always been quite good at that. Going way back, I remember West Brom being on a club record winless run that only ended when we rocked in to town.

 

[jaffa1]

Interesting that 3 of the 4 midfield players who started yesterday were the same as who went through the dip in form in February last year!

Good point - well made - I imagine Laird will be kicking down Brown's door tomorrow. Interesting to note that we have not won any of the six games when Thomson and Phillips have been paired together this season. What disappointed me yesterday was our slow reaction times to nigh on every loose ball, one cannot blame the pitch or wind for that, it was purely down to not being switched on.

 

[Jcd]

We've always been quite good at that. Going way back, I remember West Brom being on a club record winless run that only ended when we rocked in to town.

Long to continue, I assume.

 

[chapperzUK]

Interesting that 3 of the 4 midfield players who started yesterday were the same as who went through the dip in form in February last year!

They may have been at the club, but they didn't go through the dip as you claim.

vs Accrington: Hurst, Leonard, Spillane, Laird
vs Cheltenham: Hurst, Reeves, Laird, Woodyard, Mayor
vs Northampton: Hurst, Lund, Mayor, Spillane
vs Barnet: Spillane, Hurst, Lund, Reeves

Those were the games we failed to win in February, with Hurst featuring in them all. Leonard featured in one and was subbed at half-time. Timlin and Atkinson didn't feature.

Looking back at our dip last season and again it is the defence that is weak. Having to play Spillane there and then bringing back Mohsni because we are that desperate.

Phil Brown said in his interview it was all about "learning" and I find it surprising that someone who has been in football so long has only just learnt that sitting on a 1 goal lead for 20 minutes is suicidal.

 

[blue4life]

Is it just me but what is the fascination with Barry corr. Only had a good 10 minute spell yesterday when he won headers missed an open goal and no shots on target and only got 1 more goal than Eastwood and playing a lot more minutes this season to me he has gave us a terrible return this season

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Is it just me but what is the fascination with Barry corr. Only had a good 10 minute spell yesterday when he won headers missed an open goal and no shots on target and only got 1 more goal than Eastwood and playing a lot more minutes this season to me he has gave us a terrible return this season

He won every header in the time he was on the pitch. He did miss a good chance but at least he got into that position

 

[Eddy Melito]

Is it just me but what is the fascination with Barry corr. Only had a good 10 minute spell yesterday when he won headers missed an open goal and no shots on target and only got 1 more goal than Eastwood and playing a lot more minutes this season to me he has gave us a terrible return this season

seriously? thats like comparing a carthorse and a thoroughbred. they both have their uses and are good at what they do. corr had a great time aerially yesterday.

 

[OldBlueLady]

He won every header in the time he was on the pitch. He did miss a good chance but at least he got into that position

Probably 90% of the headers he won were played backwards. We need a tall centre forward to be flicking on to an attacking team-mate. It's something that frustrates me hugely in Corr's game.

And as to the open goal? Barney was alongside him and Timlin was square in the middle. He had choices that he didn't take up.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

Probably 90% of the headers he won were played backwards. We need a tall centre forward to be flicking on to an attacking team-mate. It's something that frustrates me hugely in Corr's game.

And as to the open goal? Barney was alongside him and Timlin was square in the middle. He had choices that he didn't take up.

Flicking on to whom? 99 times out of 100 there is no one beyond Corr, so what is the point in flicking it on to the defense?

Any player in that position would of taken the shot at goal, a pass would of allowed the keeper to get back and he would of been slaughtered. Mind you, he still should of scored!

 

[united we stand]

Good point - well made - I imagine Laird will be kicking down Brown's door tomorrow. Interesting to note that we have not won any of the six games when Thomson and Phiilips have been paired together this season. What disappointed me yesterday was our slow reaction times to nigh on every loose ball, one cannot blame the pitch or wind for that, it was purely down to not being switched on.

That's an awful statistic, but frankly not surprising. I have said from day one that Thompson is not good enough, and we all know Phillips legs have gone. It really does highlight just how important prodder is as regardless if which if the other two he is parted with, he is carrying them.

 

[Eddy Melito]

thompson strikes me as a cheap, relatively versatile young squad player. unfortunately, those he deputises for are injury prone, and i reckon they thought kiernan would be available for the season too. with those 3 around, there isnt a problem. obviously bennett is still being paid too, so i doubt there was a huge surplus budget for defenders either.

 

[mrsblue]

Is it just me but what is the fascination with Barry corr. Only had a good 10 minute spell yesterday when he won headers missed an open goal and no shots on target and only got 1 more goal than Eastwood and playing a lot more minutes this season to me he has gave us a terrible return this season

You will have the Corr loving brigade throwing themselves against walls,The only great thing the bloke has done was achieving his 2 year contract.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Flicking on to whom? 99 times out of 100 there is no one beyond Corr, so what is the point in flicking it on to the defense?

Any player in that position would of taken the shot at goal, a pass would of allowed the keeper to get back and he would of been slaughtered. Mind you, he still should of scored!

Sorry, don't agree, he's coming so deep that there are usually players around or in line. If the forwards can't do it, then our midfield should be.

 

[Eddy Melito]

players up and down the country divide opinion like corr. the reality is usually somewhere in the middle. corr isnt as bad as some people think, and hes not as good as other people think. Hes a good league 2 target man and i think he could step up to league 1. hes not an out and out goalscorer unless he has very particular service, but his input is vital in other areas like defending set pieces, being a good outlet when under pressure and bringing others into play.

 

[Southend Pier]

Yes, on good pitches that DID work. But on what we've had in the last few months it really hasn't, Hurst and Straker have consistently both failed to perform.

they run with the ball. especially straker hard to perform consistently with pitches how they are the moment. precisely why they doing well before the lousy weather took hold.

 

[Depor_Shrimper]

I've said this before, but given our woeful defensive effort I would rather have seen Corr at CB winning all the headers.

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

Bring in Marc Laird!

I won't pretend to know much about Sarfend this season, but if Marc Laird is the answer, then it must have been a very, very stupid question.