Southend Utd match thread.

[Lord Stiffupperlip]

There was a grim inevitability that Southend, rock bottom of the League 2 form table, would somehow turn the tables on Stanley.
After last week's nightmare at Ipswich, we all assumed Coley's reading of the riot act would result in a determined effort on our part to achieve an easy 3 points. Oh cruel optimism!
Stanley started like a team of nervous strangers devoid of any confidence.
All that was required to win the game was for Southend to make fewer mistakes than Stanley - and so it proved.
Yesterday's game was lost due to a catalogue of individual errors. From Finlay's early gifted back pass resulting in their first goal, to Pritchard's clumsy tackle in the penalty box, to Bursik's unfortunate dive right instead of left, all 3 sealed our fate.
I lost count of the number of times the defence played out, only for the ball to return to Bursik's feet within seconds, as players panicked at the first sign of pressure & took the easy option - sideways, backwards, just get rid of it!
With the exception of Clicker, who at least knew where the opponents goal was, our forwards were woeful.
At the moment, Stanley have the aura of a team in free fall.
Credit to Southend for a battling performance & their spirited if undeserved victory.
They showed us how to to do it.

[accybeme]

Originally Posted by Lord Stiffupperlip

There was a grim inevitability that Southend, rock bottom of the League 2 form table, would somehow turn the tables on Stanley.
After last week's nightmare at Ipswich, we all assumed Coley's reading of the riot act would result in a determined effort on our part to achieve an easy 3 points. Oh cruel optimism!
Stanley started like a team of nervous strangers devoid of any confidence.
All that was required to win the game was for Southend to make fewer mistakes than Stanley - and so it proved.
Yesterday's game was lost due to a catalogue of individual errors. From Finlay's early gifted back pass resulting in their first goal, to Pritchard's clumsy tackle in the penalty box, to Bursik's unfortunate dive right instead of left, all 3 sealed our fate.
I lost count of the number of times the defence played out, only for the ball to return to Bursik's feet within seconds, as players panicked at the first sign of pressure & took the easy option - sideways, backwards, just get rid of it!
With the exception of Clicker, who at least knew where the opponents goal was, our forwards were woeful.
At the moment, Stanley have the aura of a team in free fall.
Credit to Southend for a battling performance & their spirited if undeserved victory.
They showed us how to to do it.

could not have put it any better, Jordan was the heart & soul of every promising attack, dread to think of him being unavailable at the same time as Opoku & McConville , who were greatly missed

[andyd]

Alese looks a good player but is never a left back Maguire on the bench plus Rodgers both full backs Phil Edwards sat behind me in the stand surely Alese would be better at centre half giving either Sykes or Hughes a break they haven't looked the best last few games and play a recognised full back strange also then taking off the other full back who was our best player. Then as time was running out Sykes was playing up front leaving 2at the back totally losing shape and a better side would have killed the game of not very good tactical nonce to me.

[Exile on Spencer St]

I have wondered (maybe dreamed might more accurate) whether Okopu could be the attacking, strong mid-fielder that Stanley seem to lack.
Crooks fulfilled that role well, once everyone realised he wasn’t a forward (oh, Yeovil )
Opoku seems to like to push forward and can get past men with a mix of pace, physical presence, and sheer determination.
Finlay was poor yesterday and is too small to stamp himself on a game (as opposed to an opponent ).
Conneely (who I thought wasn’t the worst player yesterday) isn’t attack minded.

Something needs to change because most clubs seem to have twigged that pressing Stanley in their own penalty area is the way to nullify them being able to build attacks.

[StanleyJosh]

Originally Posted by andyd

Yes but Zanzala gets picked Simpson doesn't he surely can't be worse Coleman said we should have been 7-1 up at half time but we weren't since winning league 2 we have constantly game after game missed chances that's not down to bad luck its down to **** poor finishing yet constantly same front lineup?

Simpson is worse. Every time I’ve seen him play he has been dreadful. Even when he scored vs Liverpool U23s it was a fluke as he fluffed it.

[cashman]

i have also wondered that about opoku, surely its worth trying in training? he does go forward, also tends not to come back quickly. so worth a try i think. have to agree oer simpson i also think hes not up to the mark, by a fair way.

[StanleyJosh]

Let’s not beat around the bush either.
Pritchard had one cleared off the line.
Conneelys shot was goal bound before Charles decided to head it.
Finley couldn’t get ball out of his feet quick enough when 1 on 1
Charles skying one over the stand
Pritchard must have been inches wide when he cut inside.

Anyone else want to say we didn’t dominate first half? And that’s whilst we couldn’t string a pass together.

Johnson seems to be the fall guy when we go 3 at the back.... personally I’d have played him as a winger with Clicker just behind the strikers instead of Charles when Zanzala came on.

Strikers ‘eyyy. How things might have been different if Billy & Courtney were available, with Bishop & Charles too.

Andy Scott scored with his first touch for Curzon Ashton yesterday as a sub.

Edwards,Sousa,Carvalho,Francis-Angol,Simpson not in squad.
Courtney & Sean out injured for a while. Dimi and Jerome hopefully short term.
Billy unavailable.

Lot of wages tied up there.

[football19]

Originally Posted by Exile on Spencer St

I have wondered (maybe dreamed might more accurate) whether Okopu could be the attacking, strong mid-fielder that Stanley seem to lack.
Crooks fulfilled that role well, once everyone realised he wasn’t a forward (oh, Yeovil )
Opoku seems to like to push forward and can get past men with a mix of pace, physical presence, and sheer determination.
Finlay was poor yesterday and is too small to stamp himself on a game (as opposed to an opponent ).
Conneely (who I thought wasn’t the worst player yesterday) isn’t attack minded.

Something needs to change because most clubs seem to have twigged that pressing Stanley in their own penalty area is the way to nullify them being able to build attacks.

Exile
Think we missed a trick with Crooks.
Could have had him back in summer but I don’t think Coley fancied it.
Watched him a couple of times last season and he was great.
Seven goals this season suggests he’s carried on his good form.

[andyd]

Originally Posted by StanleyJosh

Simpson is worse. Every time I’ve seen him play he has been dreadful. Even when he scored vs Liverpool U23s it was a fluke as he fluffed it.

It was on target though and when on target anything can happen like a goal those yesterday couldn't hit a barn door so that argument doesn't wash with me good strikers hit the target more than miss it.

[Exile on Spencer St]

Originally Posted by football19

Exile
Think we missed a trick with Crooks.
Could have had him back in summer but I don’t think Coley fancied it.
Watched him a couple of times last season and he was great.
Seven goals this season suggests he’s carried on his good form.

Jings, F19, that’s depressed me almost as much as the last two matches.

[cashman]

same here,for my money Crooks was the best midfielder we had since being back in the league.

[Inspector Morse]

Surprising to hear this. He was talked of highly at the John and Jimmy event just before Christmas.

[yonmon]

Originally Posted by cashman

same here,for my money Crooks was the best midfielder we had since being back in the league.

' Midfielders ? '.. hadnt noticed any of note at The Wham for sometime now !!.
although it seems that opposing teams always have a ' powerhouse ' of sorts !.
This, and it is purely my opinion, is where games are being lost... as was patently obvious in the Southend game . Where apart from missed chances and, whether we like it or not, although being part of a so-called inferior side, Southend's midfield were infinitely better than ours !.

Some 'fettling ' urgently required before tomorrow night ??.

[andyd]

Originally Posted by yonmon

' Midfielders ? '.. hadnt noticed any of note at The Wham for sometime now !!.
although it seems that opposing teams always have a ' powerhouse ' of sorts !.
This, and it is purely my opinion, is where games are being lost... as was patently obvious in the Southend game . Where apart from missed chances and, whether we like it or not, although being part of a so-called inferior side, Southend's midfield were infinitely better than ours !.

Some 'fettling ' urgently required before tomorrow night ??.

My opinion also I think our midfield is the worst since coming back into the league Barlaser was good last year would I.m led to believe had signed again but didn't want training on plastic again and personally can't blame him, back to our present midfield I think we need to maybe forsake a wide player especially now Sean is out and put a extra body in their I know this limits attacking threat but we aren't converting chances anyhow perhaps containing games might work.

[football19]

Originally Posted by cashman

same here,for my money Crooks was the best midfielder we had since being back in the league.

Got to agree there Cashy,for a big lad he has great balance and composure.
His parents and sister are deaf,so hes had a few hurdles to get over and its his birthday today i think !!!!
Attacking midfielder is his best position IMO