Thanks Kev - but is a new manager needed?

[Liam AAS]

The current squad is all Maher's signings except probably Ralph and Bridge. Some of the recruitment this season has been unforgiveable and just a total waste of money.

Totally agree. Why is that?

 

[Cricko]

As many of the experts sharing their forensic knowledge of football (far advanced of that provided by the management team) will already know Southend are sixth in the league for progressive passes, third in the league for progressive passing accuracy, fourth for passes into the final third and fifth for passes into the final third accuracy.

As with the balls into the box thing (we get lots of balls into the box) whilst we fetish about formations we hardly understand, the answer probably lies less in how we play and the intent but the final execution. Which to me comes down to individual skills, confidence or both.

The individual skills thing is the toughest to address quickly unless you bring in ready made quality that delivers what you require. And that tends to cost.

Anyway if we were to have hundreds of posts fighting over the things that don’t matter, and ignoring the things that do, I expect it would be a surprise to absolutely no-one. Indeed, the surprise would be if anyone was surprised.

This is the point these days where alternative facts become popular…

Aaron Mitchell​

eonpStdors056201t1g1f78tgfg5a1ia565827h1770ufa32h3c0lchf34ta ·

A more daunting stat. We having gained one point from being behind all season. The worst in the league.

 

[mattytheshrimper]

Totally agree. Why is that?

I don't really understand the reply. Your saying you agree but asking me why. If you're alluding to the embargo in the summer that is a semi excuse however it doesn't mean you sign some of the worst players we've had in years.

 

[Blue Yonder]

That’s what happens when you are last to the shop, all the good stuff’s been snapped up, and you seek “value”…

I think in the summer we need to pop into Waitrose first and Aldi last, and readjust our concept of “value”. Value does not equal cheap…

It is a valid argument, and one we've heard a lot, but it's starting to wear a bit thin. We had the back end of the summer window, there is no window in the NL and below anyway, and we were told things would improve in January which has now come and gone. It maybe that this summer recruitment will pick up but in the meantime why have we continued to sign people who add nothing new to what we already have ? We seem to have accepted that Aldi is the place to go and that is where we will shop in the summer too. If that's the case come out and say it, not constantly make excuses for the past and promise jam tomorrow. As for a bloke from Seattle getting involved in recruitment with a data based system it smacks of a side hobby R and D project for a rich tech bro.

 

[mattytheshrimper]

Aaron Mitchell​

eonpStdors056201t1g1f78tgfg5a1ia565827h1770ufa32h3c0lchf34ta ·

A more daunting stat. We having gained one point from being behind all season. The worst in the league.

View attachment 35647

Now that is a damning stat, I knew it wouldn't be pretty but didn't realise it was that bad. Especially considering the opposition usually only need a chance or two to score and we need way too many.

 

[blues exile]

Now that is a damning stat, I knew it wouldn't be pretty but didn't realise it was that bad. Especially considering the opposition usually only need a chance or two to score and we need way too many.

It is a very revealing stat in that it suggests that there is a group acceptance of once we go a goal down we've lost.

 

[Cricko]

It is a very revealing stat in that it suggests that there is a group acceptance of once we go a goal down we've lost.

I would add, that perhaps the subs we make and non change of tactics shows it effects nothing.

 

[Smiffy]

Aaron Mitchell​

eonpStdors056201t1g1f78tgfg5a1ia565827h1770ufa32h3c0lchf34ta ·

A more daunting stat. We having gained one point from being behind all season. The worst in the league.

View attachment 35647

Sad thing is last season we'd probably be somewhere near the top of that particular table. You always fancied us to get back into a game, with the players never say die attitude. Which is the point I made in another thread, the attitude and work rate as a collective, is massively off compared to last season. That coupled with some god awful recruitment (for reasons well documented) isn't a recipe for a successful team.

 

[hlane17]

Aaron Mitchell​

eonpStdors056201t1g1f78tgfg5a1ia565827h1770ufa32h3c0lchf34ta ·

A more daunting stat. We having gained one point from being behind all season. The worst in the league.

View attachment 35647

So unless a team lies down and lets us beat them, or we have a bright start to a game, we basically give up.

 

[onceknownasrab]

As many of the experts sharing their forensic knowledge of football (far advanced of that provided by the management team) will already know Southend are sixth in the league for progressive passes, third in the league for progressive passing accuracy, fourth for passes into the final third and fifth for passes into the final third accuracy.

As with the balls into the box thing (we get lots of balls into the box) whilst we fetish about formations we hardly understand, the answer probably lies less in how we play and the intent but the final execution. Which to me comes down to individual skills, confidence or both.

The individual skills thing is the toughest to address quickly unless you bring in ready made quality that delivers what you require. And that tends to cost.

Anyway if we were to have hundreds of posts fighting over the things that don’t matter, and ignoring the things that do, I expect it would be a surprise to absolutely no-one. Indeed, the surprise would be if anyone was surprised.

This is the point these days where alternative facts become popular…

I don't really care if we play ten across the middle and a rush goalie. The slow build up inevitably leads to the opposition defence being set ready for whatever, eventually, comes. Our passes into the final third may be high but the receiver is faced with a wall instead of gaps. Our strikers may not have covered themselves in glory but, they need something to work with. Two important stats are how many goals we have scored and how many times we have forced a keeper into a save. Low numbers on both counts. I would love to see how many shots and crosses connect with a defender not two feet in front of our striker/crosser? It's incessant and I would put Ralph high on the list of those who are guilty of finding the defender of theirs and not an attacker of ours.

 

[mattytheshrimper]

Sad thing is last season we'd probably be somewhere near the top of that particular table. You always fancied us to get back into a game, with the players never say die attitude. Which is the point I made in another thread, the attitude and work rate as a collective, is massively off compared to last season. That coupled with some god awful recruitment (for reasons well documented) isn't a recipe for a successful team.

100%, that's why this season compared to last is just chalk and cheese whilst leaving a lot of us baffled. We let go the players I felt we should have let go but lost a very underrated player in Fonguck, a huge miss in my eyes. I was thinking all we need to do is improve on the players that left which I didn't think would be that difficult but turns out we got worse players in, hence the crap season.

 

[Liam AAS]

I don't really understand the reply. Your saying you agree but asking me why. If you're alluding to the embargo in the summer that is a semi excuse however it doesn't mean you sign some of the worst players we've had in years.

That embargo, and the one before that that lastest 15 months...

 

[mattytheshrimper]

That embargo, and the one before that that lastest 15 months...

So how long exactly do we hold onto that?

 

[Suffering shrimper]

Obviously we missed out on first choice targets in the summer and I get that but why did we then put the majority of the new players on two year deals

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

So unless a team lies down and lets us beat them, or we have a bright start to a game, we basically give up.

Or unless we're playing Charlton in the FA Cup. The way the players raised their game there suggests to me that motivation is lacking, I know others disagree and think the players are putting in the effort. Something's lacking in most games, it is like we go a goal down and heads go down and there's no fight left in us at times. Look at the body language during/after say Barnet or Sittingbourne. Plus the fact only 1 or 2 players consoled Bonne after his mistake in the latter. Look also at the reaction when one of our players is fouled. Barely a whimper of protest.

 

[Seaside Shrimper]

It is a valid argument, and one we've heard a lot, but it's starting to wear a bit thin.

Perhaps it is wearing thin because the issues being complained about remain the same and therfore the same answer is given

 

[mattytheshrimper]

Perhaps it is wearing thin because the issues being complained about remain the same and therfore the same answer is given

Or perhaps our original targets weren't interested or perhaps it actually is our recruitment team who have had a stinker?

 

[Ramsdenblue]

I don't really care if we play ten across the middle and a rush goalie. The slow build up inevitably leads to the opposition defence being set ready for whatever, eventually, comes. Our passes into the final third may be high but the receiver is faced with a wall instead of gaps. Our strikers may not have covered themselves in glory but, they need something to work with. Two important stats are how many goals we have scored and how many times we have forced a keeper into a save. Low numbers on both counts. I would love to see how many shots and crosses connect with a defender not two feet in front of our striker/crosser? It's incessant and I would put Ralph high on the list of those who are guilty of finding the defender of theirs and not an attacker of ours.

100% agree with this statement.

Our slow build up, crabbing our self into the opposition area,
only leads to 8 of the opposition players already back in their own box, waiting for us to turn up,
even possibly making a cup of tea, and discussing tactics of how to deal with our attack.

As for their keeper, he is probably bored waiting for us to have a go and to test him.

Yes, we give the opposition far to much time in their own box.

Shorely, it would be better for our strikers to deal with 3 defenders and a goalie, as opposed to 8 defenders and a goalie.

Lets drive at them before they know what has hit them.

 

[GBJ]

Aaron Mitchell​

eonpStdors056201t1g1f78tgfg5a1ia565827h1770ufa32h3c0lchf34ta ·

A more daunting stat. We having gained one point from being behind all season. The worst in the league.

View attachment 35647

I’m not sure that’s accurate. We definitely clawed back points against FGR and Wealdstone from losing positions.

I know it’s not league, but we also came from behind to earn ourselves what should have been a deserved replay against Charlton, and similarly fought back against the mighty Brentwood Town.

 

[Cricko]

I’m not sure that’s accurate. We definitely clawed back points against FGR and Wealdstone from losing positions.

I know it’s not league, but we also came from behind to earn ourselves what should have been a deserved replay against Charlton, and similarly fought back against the mighty Brentwood Town.

That would give us 2/3 points, still level bottom of that table.