Post-Match Thread and Ratings York City 3-0 Southend United

[IloveShrimp]

And I wondered how long it would be before Neil Harris was mentioned..... can we afford him? Championship to National League?

I don't want Neil Harris, but surely you mean unemployed to NL?

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Football skills are what we need not bar room brawlers a la Boreham Wood. I know Dieng is one in a long line of succession from Ron Atkinson's infamous racist remark about the black French footballer Desailly all those years ago, stereotypes tend to stick.

Pardon? I’m not advocating we resort to ‘brawling’. Dieng was a good footballer on his day but went missing/was injured too often when we were struggling. He performed much better at Exeter in a good footballing side. Not entirely sure why Ron Atkinson has been brought into things. None of that team exactly covered themselves in glory….

 

[onceknownasrab]

I disagree with you that the players are good enough. How many of them are being watched by scouts from EFL. Probably zero. Kevins chosen style of play is open to criticism but teams win games playing that way. The problem is that we chronically lack goals from all areas of the team, we have far too many players who don't have goals in them.

Yes a number of teams play a similar game to us with varying success. The difference comes in the final third where mostly they are more incisive, have less touches of the ball and basically go for the throat. We can create what looks to be a fair opening in the middle and push it out wide again. We don't bamboozle defences with our vision of pass around them, we aid them by giving them too much time to organise and block.

We have no height up front but still look to put the ball in from wide at head height. Defenders lap it up. Often the lack of pace is the excuse for not getting in behind defences and cutting back, but in reality it's because our sides start from too deep and are rarely on the shoulder of the last defender to have a foot race.

We have, seemingly, a defensive frailty this season and knowing we are likely to concede, why do we play shut them out football when we should just be trying to outscore the opposition?

Why is it when things work they are discontinued? Against FGR we had Bonne rampaging down the right looking sharp and we got ourselves a draw. Next game he was in the TM role again and it wasn't nearly as effective.

There is so much debate about Collin, who I think is excellent, and the defenders but, our real problem lies in attack and how poorly set up it is. You take the game to the opposition and there is far less time for them to hurt your defence. It's not a gung-ho mentality, just consistent, incisive pressure applied, with less needless touches and passing.

 

[Lincoln Shrimp]

Watching D1versity's video highlights it was Crowther who Callum Howe bullied and won headers against for the first two goals.
Kev spoke yesterday post match about players not doing their jobs properly (marking) and not doing what they're paid to do. Let's see whether Kev's words carry any weight and if Crowther pays the ultimate penalty on Boxing day by being omitted from the starting line up.
It's time for some ruthlessness from our gaffer. He says the players now know that they all need to perform consistently to stay in the side. Let's see whether he really means what he says.

 

[Barry.C]

400 odd career appearances and 40 odd goals. The majority of appearances at EFL L1 level but somehow Dieng is not good enough for us.

Even better in the last 121 games, a goal from midfield every 5 games

 

[Holy Joe]

Watching D1versity's video highlights it was Crowther who Callum Howe bullied and won headers against for the first two goals.
Kev spoke yesterday post match about players not doing their jobs properly (marking) and not doing what they're paid to do. Let's see whether Kev's words carry any weight and if Crowther pays the ultimate penalty on Boxing day by being omitted from the starting line up.
It's time for some ruthlessness from our gaffer. He says the players now know that they all need to perform consistently to stay in the side. Let's see whether he really means what he says.

Looked like Taylor as well for one of them I think. Haven't looked at them again, but is one of the issues the modern day defending of watching and playing (holding/pushing etc) the opposition player rather than watching and playing the ball?

 

[Wickford Blue]

I don't want Neil Harris, but surely you mean unemployed to NL?

He resigned as opposed to sacked but technically correct!

 

[Blue Yonder]

The question wasn’t Dieng’s ability but his **** poor attitude. **** me things must be bad if we’re pining for the likes of Dieng!!

Things are bad. I am pining for the likes of Dieng. Some people want Phil Brown back ! But I don't think things are that bad !

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Things are bad. I am pining for the likes of Dieng. Some people want Phil Brown back ! But I don't think things are that bad !

I totally understand people wanting better than what we’ve got, 100%.

 

[Sherif H]

Things are bad. I am pining for the likes of Dieng. Some people want Phil Brown back ! But I don't think things are that bad !

Don't get the Phil Brown hate - ridiculing a manager who got us promoted and made us ultra competitive at League One level, especially when compared against a pound shop Postecoglu (without any of the entertainment value).

 

[Blue Yonder]

Don't get the Phil Brown hate - ridiculing a manager who got us promoted and made us ultra competitive at League One level, especially when compared against a pound shop Postecoglu (without any of the entertainment value).

I don’t hate anyone. Phil did get us promoted (nearly a decade ago) but at the end of his second spell (3 years ago) we were even worse than we are now and he gave every indication of being rather disconnected and uncommitted and at the fag end of a career which (go back far enough) undoubtedly includes a number of highlights.

 

[blues exile]

I don’t hate anyone. Phil did get us promoted (nearly a decade ago) but at the end of his second spell (3 years ago) we were even worse than we are now and he gave every indication of being rather disconnected and uncommitted and at the fag end of a career which (go back far enough) undoubtedly includes a number of highlights.

He seems to be doing ok at Kidderminster who could well be back in the NL next season.

 

[Evening Echo]

YORK City boss Adam Hinshelwood expects Southend United to push for the play-offs during the second half of the season.

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[Sherif H]

I don’t hate anyone. Phil did get us promoted (nearly a decade ago) but at the end of his second spell (3 years ago) we were even worse than we are now and he gave every indication of being rather disconnected and uncommitted and at the fag end of a career which (go back far enough) undoubtedly includes a number of highlights.

Remind me what state our squad was in three years ago.
He seems to be doing pretty well at Kiddie right now.

 

[Evening Echo]

IT’s been tough following Southend United in recent seasons.

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[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Tough to take - Southend United were beaten at York City (Image: David Greaves)


By Chris Phillips@cjphillips1982Chief sports reporter.

IT’s been tough following Southend United in recent seasons.

Severe problems off the pitch have been followed by a lack of progress on it.

And Saturday’s trip to York City was ultimately an unwanted reminder of both for a combination of reasons.

Blues plunged to their lowest ever depths when fighting for the future amid immense financial uncertainty last season and the trip to York was as low as it got.

Harry Taylor and Gus Scott-Morriss were both sent off during a 3-0 defeat and their subsequent suspensions raised genuine fears as to whether or not the Shrimpers would be able to fulfil their next fixture and continue.

Amid those concerns came a lengthy and mutual show of support, at the final whistle between fans and players alike, which would have brought a lump to the throat of even the most stern faced Blues supporters.

That moment was a culmination of the Shrimpers’ struggles and those memories came flooding back at the weekend when arriving at the LNER Community Stadium for the first time since that emotional afternoon.

Of course, the fairytale story would have been for Blues to return to the scene of toughest time and triumph.

But what transpired was again quite tough to take.

In the interest of fairness, it should be pointed out that off the pitch the Shrimpers are now in a far more stable position.

Players and staff are regularly paid on time, there are no winding up petitions, transfer embargoes or fears as to whether or not the club will survive.

However, on the pitch, the season is certainly not going the way it was expected.

The reasons as to why have long been covered on these pages.

To quickly recap, a transfer embargo proved problematic in the summer and meant that transfer targets were missed out on while the departures of Ollie Kensdale and Harry Cardwell also hit hard.

But, even taken all that into account, the Shrimpers should not be as low as 16th in the table.

The fact they are is down to lack of consistency and every time you sense the season could be starting to kick-on something goes wrong to stop it happening.

Depending on how you look at things, Blues headed to York unbeaten in five games or having triumphed just twice in their last nine outings.

But, whatever the form, Saturday’s clash was always going to be tricky.

York have certainly improved since last facing the Shrimpers and, as such, will head into the Christmas, at the top of the table.

The game was again about making your moments count and could have gone differently had Gus Scott-Morriss or Jack Bridge made more of opportunities when the game was still goalless.

However, York stood firm and ultimately triumphed after scoring three goals in quick succession – all from right wing corners.

The similarities of the goals were simply unforgivable from the Shrimpers’ perspective and it was just nowhere near good enough.

York made the made of the opportunities but did not have to do anything elaborate or intelligent to create them.

It was simply a case of delivering the dead ball to the back post where Blues were continually found wanting.

Adam Crowther was beaten in the air by Callum Howe for the first two goals, the second of which should have been kept out by Collin Andeng Ndi.

And, even though Crowther was soon substituted for his errors, lessons were not learnt.

As such, York quickly made it 3-0 from another right wing corner as Malachi Fagan-Walcott got in ahead of the usually reliable Harry Taylor who was not looking at the ball at any point.

That enabled David Ajiboye to convert from close range before Charley Kendall compounded the Shrimpers’ misery late on when somehow failing to score from inside the six yard box.

But what happens from here is what matters most.

I hate to criticise this group of players who stayed loyal to the club last season but I have to honest and admit I was concerned on Saturday.

It was not necessarily the result against strong opposition, it was more about the reaction or perhaps the lack of one.

This used to be a team battling against the odds to succeed but the underbelly looked unusually soft against York and I really did not enjoy seeing players waving their arms in the air in a petulant manner after conceding either.

No-one connected with Southend should need telling what can happen on the pitch when you stick together and that is definitely what’s needed right now.

Personally, I also believe it is time to make changes too.

Kevin Maher has been heavily criticised online in the aftermath of Saturday’s clash but in my opinion he should stay in charge.

He has overcome extreme difficulties as both a player and manager and will do so again I am sure.

However, alterations are needed with the spine of the side looking particularly weak.

Goalkeeper Collin Andeng Ndi has been largely disappointing this season while Crowther has not been commanding enough at the heart of the back three either.

Further forward others have also fallen way below the levels they have set themselves in previous campaigns and cannot argue if they find themselves on the bench.

Those underperforming players have been given plenty of opportunities to impress during the first half of the season.

But it is now time others step in from elsewhere in the squad or even another club if the Shrimpers are to become more consistent.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Things must be bad when Chris names and shames players. It's not usually his style. Like almost everyone, he's obviously had enough.

 

[Stuart W]

Things must be bad when Chris names and shames players. It's not usually his style. Like almost everyone, he's obviously had enough.

Yes, but I find it quite refreshing. Players are put on a pedestal by the press if they perform exceptionally well, so why not criticise them when it is fully justified?
Long may it continue.

 

[KiwiRob]

Don't get the Phil Brown hate - ridiculing a manager who got us promoted and made us ultra competitive at League One level, especially when compared against a pound shop Postecoglu (without any of the entertainment value).

But Phil Brown was really struggling at Southend as a manager in the National League. Another manager that had his favourites and quickly lost the dressing room.

 

[OldBlueLady]

All the comments about our midfield players, we don't have the luxury of a reserve team league to play them in to regain fitness, so the only way the likes of Miley are going to get fully fit is to play them. On paper, that starting midfield on Saturday, should have been strong...I don't know why we seemed to bypass them so much from defence.