Thanks Kev - but is a new manager needed?

[cerbera45]

As you say our high spots under Maher seemed to be when we used the high press & the interchanging on the LH side between Bridge/Ralph/Wes. Now Wes has gone, Bridge looks lost .. Kev has tried to address it with a few tweaks (Bridge CM, Ralph LWB, Husin LM - none have really worked).. we've got nobody else to step into that 'Wes' role.

it used to be exciting watching Ralph, Bridge, Husin, Fonguck linking up

 

[Strykr]

it used to be exciting watching Ralph, Bridge, Husin, Fonguck linking up

Good point, and although pretty much all of us thought we could and should improve on wes, sadly we havent.

We all bemoan the loss of kensdale and cardwell but lets face facts bridge has been a massive loss too. A shadow of his former self, and was the pivot of our forward play.

We shouldnt have relied entirely on bridge for our attacks, and oppo teams used to commit 3 players to nullify it, but we did, and now thats gone we are toothless up front.

Id keep morton coker and kaf and still be looking for improvements on the latter two if we have any chance of going up.

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

Good point, and although pretty much all of us thought we could and should improve on wes, sadly we havent.

We all bemoan the loss of kensdale and cardwell but lets face facts bridge has been a massive loss too. A shadow of his former self, and was the pivot of our forward play.

Totally agree with you. Kensdale was also part of that too because he got us up the pitch.

The four players mentioned got the better of most teams though and would have done this season too.

It goes back to old the cliches, pick a team and not individuals. Looking for a better individual than Wes is understandable, but if that then affects 3 other players, maybe it isn't.

 

[PIERS]

This is all far too complicated. Play 4 at the back, then do what ever you want in front of that.
I prefer 3-3. You can do 4-2. Or 5-1. Get a set back four and keeper that know each other .
A holding midfielder away from home. ..
You can bang on about how we don’t have those players, but our current set up is pony ..
Either get those players or , just maybe, get the talented footballers we have to play in this positions.
It’s not like putting centre half at right midfield. We have defenders , midfielders and strikers. If that can’t adapt to that change then we are truly in a spot of bother

 

[WestyReturns]

Are we getting the best out of any of our squad at the moment. I don't think I've ever watched a Southend side in years gone by where every single player is 'off form'. Even when we've had poor seasons there's always been the odd player who looks bright/promising. GSM was carrying us early in the season but his form seems to have dropped right off too now.

Who's responsible for that?

 

[mattytheshrimper]

As others have mentioned, the formation has to change. It just doesn't work for us with our current players, it does more harm than good IMO. The whole squads not looking great. Collin is no where near good enough, I thought he might be at the end of last season but this season has proved he's way off it. Our defence has been devastated when Kensdale left and we're worse off without him. Our midfield is often bypassed in nearly every game, no matter the opponent we lose the midfield battle most weeks. The strikers are mostly very poor and barely scored a goal, Bim looks a prospect but he's not winning you a league. Embargo's, recruitment, it's all been very poor and its showing.

Will 4-4-2 fix our problems, no. I do however think it will help until hopefully we manage to get better players in, the need for solid squad players is also essential.

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

With the sad news of Tony Bentley passing, a legend to many before my time, I started to think of others that the epithet legend has been applied. I ended up with more concerns about the current set up than ever. I wonder how many goals SVC or Freddy would get in this line up? The fans would stop shouting 'feed the goat' and change it to ' for Christs sake feed the goat!' Colin Morris would be passing and crossing into the box with no one to meet them. I could name many but I'm sure you get the gist.

So we persist with this abject failure of a set up and let KM bring in more players he is sure will make it work. I could clearly see our past heroes struggling with this nonsense so, what amazing players, within our budget, are going to make it work? I think if some of our current 'better' players do not leave then their careers will be scrapyard bound. Our current crop are better than they are allowed to show. New players must buy into Maherball when they sign and then the reality illustrates their mistake. Enough people bought into Hitlers tripe but that didn't make it right.

KingKev needs to park the crown, step of the pedestal and take some smelling salts. Wake up now or sleepwalk to the jobcentre. We are not premier league, we are non-league and our budget cannot stretch to the quality of players, across the park, that is needed to play Maher's outdated, predictable tip-tap football.
I want Kev to be a winner. I want Kev to change.

This is undoubtedly a forum for all opinions but using references to Hitler and the death of a former player to prove your point really isn't necessary.

 

[The Original Tribal Chief]

With the sad news of Tony Bentley passing, a legend to many before my time, I started to think of others that the epithet legend has been applied. I ended up with more concerns about the current set up than ever. I wonder how many goals SVC or Freddy would get in this line up? The fans would stop shouting 'feed the goat' and change it to ' for Christs sake feed the goat!' Colin Morris would be passing and crossing into the box with no one to meet them. I could name many but I'm sure you get the gist.

So we persist with this abject failure of a set up and let KM bring in more players he is sure will make it work. I could clearly see our past heroes struggling with this nonsense so, what amazing players, within our budget, are going to make it work? I think if some of our current 'better' players do not leave then their careers will be scrapyard bound. Our current crop are better than they are allowed to show. New players must buy into Maherball when they sign and then the reality illustrates their mistake. Enough people bought into Hitlers tripe but that didn't make it right.

KingKev needs to park the crown, step of the pedestal and take some smelling salts. Wake up now or sleepwalk to the jobcentre. We are not premier league, we are non-league and our budget cannot stretch to the quality of players, across the park, that is needed to play Maher's outdated, predictable tip-tap football.
I want Kev to be a winner. I want Kev to change.

You are one Donald Trump reference from reddit gold.

 

[KAB]

And of course anything that detracts from Maher will be pounced on by you. SVC and Freddy would, as you say, get goals in this side but probably not as many as they could or should. No striker will. That is as plain as a pikestaff. I am bemused and baffled by your staunch pro-Maher position and I can only conclude you are too close to the situation. I thought I saw some shoots of change recently but that appears to have died a death. One thing I am certain of now is Maher, without change, is not the man we need. Defend him all you like, you will, he is wrong.

And when Maher gets it right what will you do then?

 

[onceknownasrab]

And when Maher gets it right what will you do then?

If he were to get it right I would be very pleased. I always wanted him to succeed with us. Lets reframe the question, what are all those clamouring for his support going to do if he continues to get it wrong?

 

[bazzashrimper]

Maher has said all season that he knows which types of players are needed to get us firing (and I’d expect more entertaining). Seems that they waited for the last couple through the door, so that’s a start to getting them in. When there are 3 or 4 more and they’ve had the time to settle then I think that’s when we judge him. This is in effect giving Maher a chance. I can’t see why we wouldn’t, given how brilliantly he did under Martins troubles. Why would we hand that chance to another manager who may or may not work out?

 

[blues exile]

Yes, I support Maher, because ultimately I want Southend United to be successful.

I want SUFC to be successful which is why I want to see a change of management.

 

[Hampshire Shrimp]

One thing that will remain a constant is Southend United FC.
Managers will come and go.
Every fan wants Southend to do well, we all know what we have been through and that is gladly in the past.
I`m not a fan of Maherball and signings in 2025 have to be spot on? Their won`t be any excuses if he gets who he wants in and we don`t see any improvement? I think that Kendall was a long term target so that`s one in, let`s see who these EFL targets are that have been eluded to and ready to come in January once the FL window opens? Creativity and pace are much needed in midfield to play the press that we all love to see. I`m hoping that we have a clear out at some stage, some players are not good enough for this league and for us to have any chance of getting out of this league we need consistency and a major upturn in our home form. We need to get back to making Roots Hall a fortress again, and other teams fearing coming here. So let`s see how the recruitment goes and next year we should be shaping our team for the 25/6 season with hopefully a push at promotion.

 

[Ricey]

Let's try and play nicely and leave references out to certain people as we know it often deviates into political discussion. A reminder that politics is banned for the very reason that people can't play nicely.

 

[JB Shrimper]

The line up and tactics today was always going to lose. I'm afraid I am at a point where Maher sympathisers arguements are null and void, every game is trash!

 

[leeblue]

The Maher is not a 'peacetime' manager theory keeps growing momentum.
I'm still in the give him an unhindered transfer window/pre season but it's harder to say with every inept performance that we put in.

 

[palexander]

The line up and tactics today was always going to lose. I'm afraid I am at a point where Maher sympathisers arguements are null and void, every game is trash!

It’s hard to argue with this.

Also incredibly unfair to get rid of Maher when he’s not had a chance to get his first choice players in. Who knows where we’d be if he’d been allowed that.

As painful as it is now, it’s why I wouldn’t advocate any change of manager yet. He deserves the chance to manage us with his best chance of building a squad.

 

[MisterStubbs]

Losing to the team second in the league is no disgrace but the manner of the defeat, the questionable decisions made by Kev leave a lot to be desired. I think I've finally had my mind made up, a change of management is needed now.

 

[SeldomSeenShrimper]

Genuine question, where do you actually see our side finishing with the squad we have?

We are very much a mid table side. End of, none of our players bar 1 or 2 would get in that York team yet we expect Maher to have us in the top 10?

No other manager is going to get us higher up the table with this squad

We need a complete overhaul in the midfield and upfront next season, we also need a number 1 who can push Colin and commanding CB to run that defence.

Changing the caption of the Titanic is pointless.

 

[Scamps]

Kev and his team should do the decent thing and resign.!! We are going backwards.!