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Blue tinted optimist⭐🦐
CANVEY HIT FOR SIX IN PARK LANE TURKEY SHOOT
Southend continued their impressive scoring run in one of the most one sided games I have ever seen... and to be honest the disappointment is that Southend could have easily been well into double figures.
Tilson played moreorless two different sides in each half. The opening line up was Collis, Francis, Hammell, Barrett, Oji, Gower, Maher, McCormack, JCR, Harrold and Hooper.
At a blowy Park Lane, Southend settled immediately and in the opening minute Gower made space in the box before firing wide of the post.
However, as both teams tried to get the measure of the pitch and conditions, the first 15 minutes was otherwise uneventful.
The Southend clicked into gear and created chance after chance after chance. JCR was having fun and games with the full back and crossed for any one of 3 players to nod home from 3 yards out. Gower was the one who took the opportunity but somehow headed wide. Hooper was shot shy and wanted to walk the ball in, Harrold missed when clean through and then headed wide. JCR had a couple of shots he should have done better with and Maher shot weakly from distance. Then Blues won a free kick 25 yards out on the right hand angle. Gower chipped the ball goalwards, hit the post and Hooper prodded home the loose ball to open the scoring.
Southend continued to press and another Hooper shot hit the woodwork before being cleared and Hooper and Harrold were taking the defence to pieces. Slightly worryingly, despite the possession and exquisite movement and link up play, goals were at a premium. Shortly before half time Harrold went through into the box and was brought down for a slightly soft penalty which he stepped up to fire home.
At the other end Canvey had rarely threatened but Barrett and Oji had dealt with everything admirably. Collis had been commanding but also not much more than a spectator. McCormack and Maher had run the show in the middle completely.
At half time, it remained 2-0 to Blues and Canvey were reeling. If we had scored 7 or 8 in this first half it wouldn't have flattered us.
In the second half Tilson rang the changes. The line up was
Flahavan, Francis, Wilson, Oji, Clarke, Foran, Moussa, McCormack, Black, Paynter, Bradbury.
The second half had a different tempo and Canvey were much more in it. A great cross tested Flahavan who could only palm the ball to the edge of the box where a Canvey forward blasted over. Canvey then won a free kick on the edge of the box but that also ended up too high. Blues were not playing with the same fluidity that they had done and were allowing Canvey back in it.
However, when Southend went forward the Islanders had no answer. Paynter, Bradbury and Foran all linked up well and Paynter fired over from 4 yards out before heading well wide when he should have done better. From another attack, Moussa struck home from outside the box past Canveys replacement keeper and player coach, Mel Capleton, to make it 3-0.
A deep cross was then headed down nicely by Paynter to Bradbury to tap in from close range to make it 4-0, but within a minute the home side had pulled one back after a routine long back had evaded Oji and Clarke and the forward tapped past an advancing Flahavan to reduce the arrears.
We didn't have to wait long for Southend to score again though, this time Bradbury turning provider and Paynter sliding in at the back post.
Francis went off with what looked like an ankle injury and was replaced by Ademeno, who actually slotted in at left back with Wilson switching to the right.
Blues had 2 stonewall penalty appeals turned down for handball and both Paynter, Bradbury and McCormack were guilty of missing when they should have at least hit the target. The scoring rout was completed when Bradbury again scored having been set up by what looked like Paynter.
This was of course a meaningless result but it must be satisfying to actually play to your level. Looking at their various league positions, Southend should beat Canvey and beat them well. If we had lost 1-0 (as we did last season) then it would be easy to write it off as a meaningless friendly but in truth no friendly is meaningless; the manager will always learn something from a game about his players or his formation. Tilly must be pleased with the way that the goals are flying in but also must be concerned that we are missing so many easy chances.
Ratings
Without rating every player, here are comments on the various positions and personnel who played there;
Keepers - Collis, Flahavan. Collis had less to do but looked much more assured. We looked more dodgy defensively with Darryl
Right backs - Francis, Wilson. Francis was playing very well until his injury. Wilson had the first opportunity to play in what he has said was his favourite position and did ok.
Left backs - Hammell, Wilson, Ademeno - This is Hammells position by a country mile. Ademeno played there as a makeshift and didn't so much wrong. Wilson was ok - but it was only Canvey.
Centre backs - Barrett, Clarke, Oji - I like Oji actually. I wondered how much English he understood as he seemed to ignore every instruction Darryl yelled at him in the second half but he did have some class. He isn't that tall, which is my only concern. He looked better with Barrett than Clarke.
Wide midfield - JCR, Gower, Foran, Black - Foran ran Gower and JCR close for a performance and did enough to suggest he could press for a place. On this showing Black is a definite 4th choice and I couldn't see what he brought to the party.
Centre midfield - Maher, McCormack, Moussa - McCormack was the best player on the park by some distance. He and Maher completely ran the show in the first half although Moussa was tidy in the second. He has promise.
Strikers - Harrold, Hooper, Bradbury and Paynter - All of them benefitted with having a partner of sorts rather than Freddy, who was difficult to partner. Harrold showed some nice touches and Hooper wasn't too bad apart from being shot-shy. But it is only Canvey. Paynter could have had 4 or 5 but his finishing was poor. Bradbury notched a couple and could have had more. Showed signs of a decent understanding with Foran and Paynter.
Overall verdict - shooting practice required - but it could be an awful lot worse. 16 goals in 3 games isn't too bad, is it?
MOM - Alan McCormack.
Southend continued their impressive scoring run in one of the most one sided games I have ever seen... and to be honest the disappointment is that Southend could have easily been well into double figures.
Tilson played moreorless two different sides in each half. The opening line up was Collis, Francis, Hammell, Barrett, Oji, Gower, Maher, McCormack, JCR, Harrold and Hooper.
At a blowy Park Lane, Southend settled immediately and in the opening minute Gower made space in the box before firing wide of the post.
However, as both teams tried to get the measure of the pitch and conditions, the first 15 minutes was otherwise uneventful.
The Southend clicked into gear and created chance after chance after chance. JCR was having fun and games with the full back and crossed for any one of 3 players to nod home from 3 yards out. Gower was the one who took the opportunity but somehow headed wide. Hooper was shot shy and wanted to walk the ball in, Harrold missed when clean through and then headed wide. JCR had a couple of shots he should have done better with and Maher shot weakly from distance. Then Blues won a free kick 25 yards out on the right hand angle. Gower chipped the ball goalwards, hit the post and Hooper prodded home the loose ball to open the scoring.
Southend continued to press and another Hooper shot hit the woodwork before being cleared and Hooper and Harrold were taking the defence to pieces. Slightly worryingly, despite the possession and exquisite movement and link up play, goals were at a premium. Shortly before half time Harrold went through into the box and was brought down for a slightly soft penalty which he stepped up to fire home.
At the other end Canvey had rarely threatened but Barrett and Oji had dealt with everything admirably. Collis had been commanding but also not much more than a spectator. McCormack and Maher had run the show in the middle completely.
At half time, it remained 2-0 to Blues and Canvey were reeling. If we had scored 7 or 8 in this first half it wouldn't have flattered us.
In the second half Tilson rang the changes. The line up was
Flahavan, Francis, Wilson, Oji, Clarke, Foran, Moussa, McCormack, Black, Paynter, Bradbury.
The second half had a different tempo and Canvey were much more in it. A great cross tested Flahavan who could only palm the ball to the edge of the box where a Canvey forward blasted over. Canvey then won a free kick on the edge of the box but that also ended up too high. Blues were not playing with the same fluidity that they had done and were allowing Canvey back in it.
However, when Southend went forward the Islanders had no answer. Paynter, Bradbury and Foran all linked up well and Paynter fired over from 4 yards out before heading well wide when he should have done better. From another attack, Moussa struck home from outside the box past Canveys replacement keeper and player coach, Mel Capleton, to make it 3-0.
A deep cross was then headed down nicely by Paynter to Bradbury to tap in from close range to make it 4-0, but within a minute the home side had pulled one back after a routine long back had evaded Oji and Clarke and the forward tapped past an advancing Flahavan to reduce the arrears.
We didn't have to wait long for Southend to score again though, this time Bradbury turning provider and Paynter sliding in at the back post.
Francis went off with what looked like an ankle injury and was replaced by Ademeno, who actually slotted in at left back with Wilson switching to the right.
Blues had 2 stonewall penalty appeals turned down for handball and both Paynter, Bradbury and McCormack were guilty of missing when they should have at least hit the target. The scoring rout was completed when Bradbury again scored having been set up by what looked like Paynter.
This was of course a meaningless result but it must be satisfying to actually play to your level. Looking at their various league positions, Southend should beat Canvey and beat them well. If we had lost 1-0 (as we did last season) then it would be easy to write it off as a meaningless friendly but in truth no friendly is meaningless; the manager will always learn something from a game about his players or his formation. Tilly must be pleased with the way that the goals are flying in but also must be concerned that we are missing so many easy chances.
Ratings
Without rating every player, here are comments on the various positions and personnel who played there;
Keepers - Collis, Flahavan. Collis had less to do but looked much more assured. We looked more dodgy defensively with Darryl
Right backs - Francis, Wilson. Francis was playing very well until his injury. Wilson had the first opportunity to play in what he has said was his favourite position and did ok.
Left backs - Hammell, Wilson, Ademeno - This is Hammells position by a country mile. Ademeno played there as a makeshift and didn't so much wrong. Wilson was ok - but it was only Canvey.
Centre backs - Barrett, Clarke, Oji - I like Oji actually. I wondered how much English he understood as he seemed to ignore every instruction Darryl yelled at him in the second half but he did have some class. He isn't that tall, which is my only concern. He looked better with Barrett than Clarke.
Wide midfield - JCR, Gower, Foran, Black - Foran ran Gower and JCR close for a performance and did enough to suggest he could press for a place. On this showing Black is a definite 4th choice and I couldn't see what he brought to the party.
Centre midfield - Maher, McCormack, Moussa - McCormack was the best player on the park by some distance. He and Maher completely ran the show in the first half although Moussa was tidy in the second. He has promise.
Strikers - Harrold, Hooper, Bradbury and Paynter - All of them benefitted with having a partner of sorts rather than Freddy, who was difficult to partner. Harrold showed some nice touches and Hooper wasn't too bad apart from being shot-shy. But it is only Canvey. Paynter could have had 4 or 5 but his finishing was poor. Bradbury notched a couple and could have had more. Showed signs of a decent understanding with Foran and Paynter.
Overall verdict - shooting practice required - but it could be an awful lot worse. 16 goals in 3 games isn't too bad, is it?
MOM - Alan McCormack.
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