Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 3-1 Halifax Town

[Supa Shrimpa]

The question was asked a while back, whether the supporters raise the players or whether the players raise the supporters (it's probably a bit of both). I was saying to my pal at the start last night, that the crowd were very subdued and it's going to need a good, positive performance from the players to pick the crowd up. Fortunately they did. Whether your Maher In or Maher Out, lets get behind him and the players until the end of the season. RH is such a great place to be when the atmosphere is positive

 

[kentblues]

NO MORE DEFENSIVE SETUPS!

I think every time we have played a more attacking direct formation we have won prolifically. Most times, bar the odd exception, when we play defensively we lose awfully.

If we go back to 3-5-2 Saturday instead of a 3 up top.. I give up.

Sittingbourne having been airbrushed from the memory…

 

[Dutch Branch]

Great result but will Kev stick to the winning formula? Halifax were no mugs and they almost made it 2 each but we actually pushed on for a Change and got a third.

Two goals from corners too, thought my Bovril had been laced . Hopper and Kendall both off the mark too Leon had some nice touches too

 

[SUFCGoals]

Much better pace to the game and an enjoyable night. Only criticism being that we dropped back into the 2 up top placing Walker behind the front 2 when Bonne came on. Without the 3 man press up top it allowed Halifax to move the ball better from back to front. I’m not sure if it was a tactical change to match something they did, but when we changed it represented their best period of the game from which they scored and our goalmouth lived a bit of a charmed life

I noticed Walker sit a bit deeper from the start of the second half to be honest

 

[damien]

Better atmosphere last night I felt in the west as well

 

[TrevorFitzpatrickHattrick]

Didn't expect that result, but that's just the boost i need, as start my Chemo tomorrow.
UTB

All the best mate.

 

[euroshrimper]

Didn't expect that result, but that's just the boost i need, as start my Chemo tomorrow.
UTB

Best wishes for today I am sure you will be in a lot of people's thoughts during the day........

 

[Seaside Shrimper]

TBV and the rest of the West responded magnificently to the effort being displayed on the pitch, it was really quite loud at points.

We are such a better club/team/fanbase when everyone is pulling in the same direction.

It goes both ways though, there will be times we have to lift the team rather than them lift the crowd, especially as we definitely know they have this sort of performance in them

 

[wiggy]

Careful Wiggy, your post is almost positive

Speak as i find.....the manager is a very slow/stubborn learner!
If he played like last night and against Daggers as suggesred by 90% fans then we'd probably have 10/12 more points but he's a negative dreamer. Still insists we played well last Saturday so who knows what he will come up with this week....last nights attacking show may force his hand but won't hold my breath.
Proved though that he HAS got the tools to work with in this terrible League so that excuse has gone out the window.
Keeper looks ok, defence solid enough, Morton running the midfield, three/four decent enough strikers .....time to go on an attacking run?

 

[SHRIMPERPETER]

Think we should keep the light blue at home especially evening games

 

[Morty01]

Can we play the rest of our games at night?

 

[CrippsCorner]

Boy did we need that, I am very happy for Hopper & Kendall. One a piece now between them and Bonne, who will come out overall winner for the season I wonder?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Great result but will Kev stick to the winning formula? Halifax were no mugs and they almost made it 2 each but we actually pushed on for a Change and got a third.

Two goals from corners too, thought my Bovril had been laced . Hopper and Kendall both off the mark too Leon had some nice touches too

The winning formula against Halifax isn’t necessarily the winning formula against Rochdale though.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Think we should keep the light blue at home especially evening games

It was very noticeable how much easier it was to see the light blue shirts, compared to the dark blue shirts, even if there wasn't a colour clash. It must have made it easier for our players to pass the ball, and was a much better watch, comparing it to previous home night games wearing dark blue.

 

[Clarky176]

It’s clear that’s much more how Maher wants us to play, I find it strange people can’t see that and think he wants us to play “boring” football. Confidence is a massive part of it, when players feel that lift they play the not-so-safe pass instead of the easy one, which puts us on the front foot a lot more.

The setup was largely the same as Saturday in terms of formation. We started with a 3-4-3 but due to their dominance in the early 10-15 Walker dropped in behind Kendall and Hopper soon after, just as Coker had on Saturday. A tactical tweak that paid off because we then got a stronger foothold in the game.

The main differences for me were Kendall’s pace and work rate meant he took up better positions than Coker did on Saturday, which helped our press immensely. Taking our chances was massive too, had we not have done that like Saturday the atmosphere would’ve been far worse. And most importantly in my view, Jack Bridge. While his end product hasn’t been comparable to previous years, he’s still so important for driving us up the pitch and occupying 2 of their players. A really key part to our play and you can tell we miss him when he’s not there. Ralph is a great LCB but can’t do the LWB role, that’s Bridge’s every single time. No coincidence when he’s fit, he’s straight back in.

All the forwards did well, as did the back line, and Morton is just a lovely player to watch. Great result.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

Sittingbourne having been airbrushed from the memory…

The biggest issue with Sittingbourne, was Ralph playing LWB (and not getting forward) and our defence just standing there, when they got the ball.

I also felt Hopper, Walker and Kendall didn't work up-front together - probably because Hopper had only just come in, so Bonne should have started, or at least come on for Hopper.

Instead Mayer took a forward off, and brought a midfielder on, and at that point nothing stuck up-front and Sittingbourne then started having their best spell.

However, of course 3 up front won't work every game, but I would rather us show more attacking intent, than be defensive.

 

[Hooly]

Not much to add to what has been said for a way better display all round but I'll respectfully diasgree with some on here saying that we played 3 up front as Walker was, for most of the game & certainly all of the 2nd half, playing directly behind Hopper & Kendall. I really didn't think that suited his play & even in his short cameo Parillon looks much more fitted to a role like that. I think playing there needs the ability to control the ball quickly, then vary the play to somtimes turn & pick a pass to the 2 ahead, which to be fair to Walker isn't his game, or next time drive forward which he can do. I thought he looked a bit lost.

Still can't see the love in for Husin who I thought wasn't all that through most of the game. I'm reasonably sure that Noor gave the ball away before their goal over by the tunnel trying a fancy flicky thing, then chased across the pitch as they broke & in his attempt to stop the shot got a toe on the ball which took it through Hayes who was already set. Might be wrong but that's what it looked like to me.

Absolutely delighted for Kendall as not only did he score with what was a really composed finish, we've not seen many of those, but also wasn't scared to have a shot & that led to one of the corners we scored from at least. There has been some critcism of him that I really have never understood as I think he has always looked promising but needed time to settle in given our problems getting service to him.

However as for the general team play .
Hayes is very solid, although his kicking needs work but it looked like a really good save late on.
Taylor was back to his better days with those well timed tackles he's known for.
Goodliffe had an iffy start & won't bring the ball out like Golding but he'll be sound when he settles plus a threat from set pices so long as we let Morton swing them in with pace.
Morton was classly on the ball & definitely needs to be the go to 1st choice above Miley at the moment.
Hopper did the hard yards so with work I think he & Kendall could flourish as a partnership.
I'd still prefer 3 up front rather than the "man in the hole" I believe we played but it worked so what do I know.

As I said on the referee thread I had no issue at all with the kit clash in the 1st half but then I am colour blind & therefore see things differently to others.

Much more pleasant evening at the Hall.

 

[Finney on the wing]

Having caught up with all of the activity on this thread, i think it's also worth noting that Hopper, Goodliffe, Hayes and even Kendall are new to the team. Maybe they are starting to 'click'. It ALWAYS takes time for new players to settle in. I think the performance is less to do with formation but more about the players themselves. Hopefully we will improve even more

 

[Colchester and proud!]

Boy did we need that, I am very happy for Hopper & Kendall. One a piece now between them and Bonne, who will come out overall winner for the season I wonder?

Goodliffe if he gets the games, he is very powerful in the oppositions penalty area from set pieces, he needs a few games to find his form, that’s why he was loaned to you guys, but he will improve if he plays regularly! Pleased for Tom Hopper he works so hard for the team and that goal will boost his confidence no end.

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

Goodliffe if he gets the games, he is very powerful in the oppositions penalty area from set pieces, he needs a few games to find his form, that’s why he was loaned to you guys, but he will improve if he plays regularly! Pleased for Tom Hopper he works so hard for the team and that goal will boost his confidence no end.

I think you're right. He was shocking in the first 15 mins, but as the game went on he got stronger and stronger. A real presence in the air. Obviously Hopper we know well. Always puts in a shift