The reason(s) we're rubbish

[Sean 2]

I blame the defenders.

We have half a team of kids playing now,and the defenders are the most experienced in terms of league football under their belts yet no-one from within that unit is taking control,handing out rollickings or organising those guys in front of them.

I could vision a Macca going bananas at them tonight,or a Prior leading by example by constant ball-winning,or a Bailey who goes straight into the tackle giving the other team absolutely zero time to make a pass.


We have half a team of might do-s and bright prospects who need to be told and helped along.Unfortunately i don't see the encouragement and leadership required yet to bring them on.

Hence we have chaos.

 

[sufcalways]

All of them are up there imo.

1. We always start slowly... we'll come good - Possibly a good shout, teams in our league are seen as a lot worst than us. Although it is an omen that when we win our first game of the season we do rubbish, and if we lose the first game we do well..
eg. Stoke in champinship we won and got relegated, Orient last year we lost but done well, this year we beat P'boro and arent on a good run of results atm.

2. Our players are still getting to know each other - we have a few players recently joined over the last 2-3 weeks. Not so good in terms of knowing every player very well, but a few jokes that may be cracked in the training ground may spring together a nice relationship within the squad.

3. A lack of transfer funds - We are relying on free transfers and loans to take us to better places, tbh i dont think that will go anywhere with us. Whats the harm on paying half a million on a good player if there were one that would want to come to the club?

4. A general lack of money at the club - New stadium may be making the staff want to cut back on certain wage bills and some transfer funds..

5. Poor management - Not so much poor management because we have seen Tilly work his heart out for the club. I believe it is just the lack of change within the squad. Should be more harsh on the players and say if you dont perform you dont play.

6. Poor relationship between T&B and RM - Would rather want to keep that within them if it were a rocky relationship between them, should not go public with that and it should be confidential to them and they would have to resolve it themselves rather than the fans talking about it.

7. Our players aren't good enough - Since our famous win over Man Utd, we have kept hold of two of the players who were in the squad that night, Clarke and Francis. I suppose we could count Barrett in with that because we have kept him as well. So thats three players, that bunch of players were definitely our best and the players we got are maybe equal to them but are certainly not better, and to succeed we will definitely need players who will make legends from themselves from good performances over 2 years (eg Eastwood) rather than make a legend out of himself for being there for many years (eg Maher - not saying maher was rubbish there.. )

Our squad isn't big enough - Our back to back two year promotions experienced the squad being small. Tilly even said the success was because of a small squad - so not going to question the ability of Tilson.

Injuries - If the squad is so called 'small' then one injury will make a huge impact.. Whether or not that player can be replaced or not. Majority of people will agree with me that Macca injury is hurting, and we are in need of him back in midfield.

UTB!

 

[Tilly N Brush]

the management play players out of position
barrett is not a left back
betsy is not a central midfielder
and walker is not a winger however he has done ok there
and out of the options i would say players arent good enough and a lack of money in the club due to the funding of FF

 

[wiggy]

Over the summer we lost two of the better players to have ever played for Southend in Nicky Bailey and Mark Gower, who both wanted to ply their trade at a level more suitable for their talents.

We've replaced Bailey with a decent enough player in Grant, but there was inevitably going to be a drop-off in quality when you lose someone of Bailey's calibre. Last season he held the defence together and his reading of the game was top-notch which masked the inadequacies of the defence, none of whom were natural defenders capable of reading the game and anticipating. For that reason alone, I expected us to concede more goals, even though we upgraded our keeper.

The more concerning thing is that we haven't adequately replaced Gower. Gower was the fulcrum to our passing game, always available, even when he was having one of his frequent bad games, he could pick a pass, change the direction of an attack, attributes that no-one in this current team have. Losing your attacking thrust has a knock-on effect on your defence - you are less adept at retaining possession, meaning you have to defend more and often have to start defending from more dangerous areas of the pitch. Gower's replacements have also been defensively worse than Gower. Someone like Robson-Kanu clearly isn't use to playing on the left-side when it comes to the defensive side of the game. Betsy should be use to playing wide-right, yet far too many crosses have come in from wide from players who have had time to tee up the cross.

We have been slow starters in recent seasons, so hopefully the team will make the adjustments needed, but to me we look short of a playmaker to get our passing game going and to feed the attacking players. I also think we look lightweight on the wings and I'd welcome a more defensive orientated player on one of the wings, someone in the Mark Bentley or Carl Pettefer mould to give us a bit more solidity.

Still as clueless Yorkshire, even you must admit that we have downgraded the keeper!

 

[M@CC@ 16]

Macca's injured, when he comes back we'll be fine

 

[OldBlueLady]

It's a mixture of 1 and 2, and the fact that we're missing Bailey, Gower and Macca as far as I see it.

 

[PAK]

My opinion we are not much better/worse than last year despite losing Gower and Baily .Leaking goals was a problem all last year ( and the year before ). All that kept us respectable was Leon's goals in the first half season, and Barney's 2nd half season . We will get better as players settle in but we were'nt that good last year ( or year before )

 

[boris29]

3. Tilson's complete refusal to drop either Barrett or Clarke... even for a game in a meaningless cup to see what the result is with Sankofa

didn't Sankofa play, I thought Barrett went to left back as Harding was out?

 

[Ulysses]

Comments on games and my conclusion

Peterboro Won (team gelling, no problems)
Milwall - Draw (unlucky last minute equaliser - bad luck)
Brighton - (down to 10 men, brighton were as good as us. Maybe should of stuck on another defender and played for 0-0 but performance was good)
Chelthenham (119 minute goal with team gelling)
Walsall - (Defensive nightmare, ok going forward, midfield endurance issue)
Orient - (Defensive Shambles, 2 goals scored, midfield endurance issue)

Conclusion.

Rearrange Defence - Harding best option at LB, i'd personally try Grant at RB, Move Francis to CB and see who he Gels best with Clarke or Barrett (this is 3 seasons and Clarke and Barrett haven't gelled defo time to change). Central Midfield well Macca is due back soon so hopefully block up issue, but Grant/Moussa/Sawyer too light weight. Try Christophe and Sawyer next game and see how they Gel.

 

[Rob1920]

Its obvious whats wrong. We commited the cardinal sin of winning our first game of the season. At home as well! We all know what happened last time we did that, Relegation!! Can't believe T&B played a full strength team against Posh, it was asking for trouble.

Tilson out for being so stupid!

Apart from that, might have something to do with too many changes from last year & a midfield full of kids.

Think we'll be a lot more solid when Macca's back. Its too early to panic, and I think given time we'll be ok. Still worried we havent properly replaced Bailey and that alone imo will prevent us from being near the top 6, but I think we'll be comfortable

 

[steveo]

I think the new stadium should be 15000 and get told that doesnt show ambition.

Well, selling your best players shows even less ambition, especially when you replace them with player sthat are not good enough. Why do people go on and on about Moussa? He isnt good enough, never has been never will be.

Grant was here on load last season. Did nothing so we sign him. Why?

Tilly is looking desperate with his formations and his signings. He cant live on the glory years forever which were totally inspired by one Freddy Eastwood, so maybe it is time for a change at the top.

 

[Rayleigh Blue]

we have lost two many good players from midfield

 

[Streaky]

Peter Clarke , at fault for 2 of the goals last night - just not good enough, how many more season do we have to put up with him.

I'd rather have Steven Clarke playing CB rather than Peter.

Tilly please find an experienced, vocal, no nonsence CB that can take control of the back 4 (in the Spinner / Sodje mold)

 

[bazza192]

Paul Furlong

 

[BlueLuke]

The stupid diamond formation!

 

[BlueLuke]

I must add,
Did any of you notice peter clarke's attitude last night?
He so obviously doesn't want to be here...

He's even put his house up for sale :/

 

[Tampa Blue]

If anyone selected the option that are players are not good enough, then surely this is wrong as I believe that real reason for this must be down to poor management. After all, it is the management who signed them - unless anyone believes that good players deliberately play badly when picked for us - which I for one don't. Harrold could not help being a poor player, but Tilly must take responsibility for signing him as he was poor at Yeovil looking at his record.

 

[Pubey]

I must add,
Did any of you notice peter clarke's attitude last night?
He so obviously doesn't want to be here...

He's even put his house up for sale :/

well at least the government's removal of stamp duty is working

 

[Pubey]

If anyone selected the option that are players are not good enough, then surely this is wrong as I believe that real reason for this must be down to poor management. After all, it is the management who signed them - unless anyone believes that good players deliberately play badly when picked for us - which I for one don't. Harrold could not help being a poor player, but Tilly must take responsibility for signing him as he was poor at Yeovil looking at his record.

but tilly can't afford to buy good players with good records at the peak of their powers. they either won't be in league 1 or will be snapped up by bigger clubs with more money. Tilly signed/signs players like harrold, paynter, walker etc etc because they have a good attitude, are good technically and tilly believes that with good coaching and chances then they can develop into better players and improve their records.

being a fairly small club, we have to take gambles on players... and sometimes is works (freddy, bailey, macca, francis, barnard etc etc etc) and sometimes it won't ({add berated strikers here**).

i think tilly has a really good record in the transfer market, and is a good man manager (with brush doing a lot of the tactical work)... i think we have a squad with ability but we're going to have to sieve through some sh*te to unearth some more gems.

 

[Streaky]

I must add,
Did any of you notice peter clarke's attitude last night?
He so obviously doesn't want to be here...

He's even put his house up for sale :/

If i had a spare few thousand.....