MATCH: vs Southend (A) 05/08/23

[JoeP]

It's beyond "needing that midfielder" or "needing a right-back".  

 

It just isn't working.

 

However shit it's been under Unsworth, at least they seemed to be playing for him from January onwards last season.  Doesn't sound like they even did that today.

[BP1960]

6 minutes ago, Monty Burns said:

Shelton RB Garder CM with Sheron. if Lundstrum or Ward available play a 433 if not 44fuckin2 l can't believe l'm saying it.

this day, man

 

We need players who can pass a ball. Very few in this side, a lot in Southend's.

I see Nick Haughton soon adjusted to a league higher.

 

 

[nzlatic]

Can’t comment on the tactics as I didn’t watch it. But in terms of formation and starting line up, despite consensus being they got it wrong, there’s very little consensus on what would have been the right way to go. 
 

Which is understandable- injuries have clearly affected selections today with Lundstram and Green out, also with Gardner only just being back and then Ward going off early. But the main issue being that the squad is still short of an attacking right full/wing back and also we’re still one short in centre mid. Those bodies need bringing in urgently. 
 

More of a concern for me today was conceding 3 late goals. I’m not shocked by them flying out the blocks, it’s obvious they would do that. But I’d have expected us to be much more competitive at the end of the game given the comparative pre seasons. Even with the sending off. 

[Monty Burns]

10 minutes ago, ceskylatic said:

I’d imagine Gardner will be eased in. Lundstram or Dickenson in for Ward if he’s injured.

Dickenson sounded like he made an impact, did he play centrally?

[Monty Burns]

6 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

We need players who can pass a ball. Very few in this side, a lot in Southend's.

I see Nick Haughton soon adjusted to a league higher.

 

 

we seem like we want to play this mad brand of Football where we don't pass or tackle

[sjk2008]

If your central midfield partnership can’t pass, what’s the point?

 

And I’ll tell you what, I’ve lost count of how many times Sheron commits and by the time he realises, everyone else is 30 yards down the pitch. 
 

Donkey.

[daniel]

Just back. Long arse day, and for fuck all. Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. Early season hope somewhat gone, and in need of a bounce-back quickly. After seeing the lineup I was worried, and after 10 mins it seemed inevitable, they looked better in every department which is a huge worry after the issues and lack of pre-season they’ve had. We’ve been heavily backed again, and still having no specialist RB or RWB is unacceptable and we shouldn’t at this stage be having to put square pegs in round holes. 
Only we can sign midfielders who played all last season and impressed and then get injured as soon as we’re ready to go. Ward will be about a month or so looking at the way he walked off with his hamstring. Hopefully Lundstram and Green back next week.

Reid travelled with the squad, and was there today, and so his absence is not Covid related. Very bizarre. 
Not seen back of course, but we seen to concede a lot from outside the box, and Norman looked suspect from my point of view, especially the second. It might be harsh, but that was my initial thought.

Sheron and Shelton put in the worst central midfield performance I think i’ve ever seen today, I just do not rate Shelton at all. He offers nothing. 
Raglan was equally as bad.

Ref couldn’t wait to send a player off for us, he was a disgrace today. Not the reason we lost at all, but the standards of refereeing in this country is a disgrace. 

[TheBigDog]

Unbelievably disappointing performance today. The team announcement at 2pm did not bode well - unbalanced and far too defensively minded. And that’s the way the game panned out:

All over the place at the back - giving the ball away in the middle - toothless up front

 

From the very first minute, they were faster than us, stronger than us and showed more desire. We got caught in possession, gave the ball away constantly and simply were not up to it today.

All depressingly familiar …

[Flemboy]

4 minutes ago, daniel said:

Just back. Long arse day, and for fuck all. Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. Early season hope somewhat gone, and in need of a bounce-back quickly. After seeing the lineup I was worried, and after 10 mins it seemed inevitable, they looked better in every department which is a huge worry after the issues and lack of pre-season they’ve had. We’ve been heavily backed again, and still having no specialist RB or RWB is unacceptable and we shouldn’t at this stage be having to put square pegs in round holes. 
Only we can sign midfielders who played all last season and impressed and then get injured as soon as we’re ready to go. Ward will be about a month or so looking at the way he walked off with his hamstring. Hopefully Lundstram and Green back next week.

Reid travelled with the squad, and was there today, and so his absence is not Covid related. Very bizarre. 
Not seen back of course, but we seen to concede a lot from outside the box, and Norman looked suspect from my point of view, especially the second. It might be harsh, but that was my initial thought.

Sheron and Shelton put in the worst central midfield performance I think i’ve ever seen today, I just do not rate Shelton at all. He offers nothing. 
Raglan was equally as bad.

Ref couldn’t wait to send a player off for us, he was a disgrace today. Not the reason we lost at all, but the standards of refereeing in this country is a disgrace. 

Bang on Daniel.Poor team selection.Massive wake up call .

[diggleblue]

31 minutes ago, mcfluff1985 said:

We've played one game. Not like we are ten matches in and he's not had any minutes. Grow up

I am grown up and what about all our preseason games.You grow up.

[nzlatic]

Lundstram out for at least 4 more weeks according to commentary. Green has been for a scan on hamstring so would imagine he’ll be out for a little while too. 

[Worcester Owl]

3 hours ago, deyres42 said:

Just walk away knowing that it is the first game of the season, disappointed of course but knowing there is 45 games to go.

there are 45 games to go. 
 

If we’re going to nitpick, let’s not let our grammar go. Now that we are bottom of the table, standards are more important than ever. I know you’ll understand.

[disjointed]

1 hour ago, Boyyou said:

Quirky, but true. As things stand,  we play the top four in our first four fixtures!

Let's hope we sign a genuine RB/RWB as a matter of urgency, get Lundstram fit and hope Ward injury is nothing serious.

Until we have two proper WBs we surely cannot play 3 5 2 again, particularly with centre mids who can't dictate play creatively.

And seeing as they are playing us, that's where they will stay. 

[mcfluff1985]

26 minutes ago, diggleblue said:

I am grown up and what about all our preseason games.You grow up.

He got some game time. Not sure what your point is

[yarddog73]

Fair play to the players for coming over at the end despite getting absolute pelters, Ebbrell was down the tunnel quicker than a ferret down a rabbit hole.

 

Wonder what cost that will be to the gate next week?, several who travelled back with us were suggesting that was it for them now and they were glad they hadn't bought season tickets.

[TheBigDog]

3 minutes ago, yarddog73 said:

Wonder what cost that will be to the gate next week?, several who travelled back with us were suggesting that was it for them now and they were glad they hadn't bought season tickets.

Give them a week with a new rb coming in and they’ll be there next Saturday

[Dave_Og]

7 hours ago, kowenicki said:

10 minutes in and we should be 3 down already.  Getting battered 

Although we should have been one up after three.

[diggleblue]

17 minutes ago, mcfluff1985 said:

He got some game time. Not sure what your point is

Yes 10 mins on before the end of Mansfield hardly the equivalent of what Nuttall got is it? my point is give the lad a chance.

[Theoutsider]

2 hours ago, PlayItLivo said:

The strategy for every team in the league who plays against us should just be to do what Southend did today, come out fast and close us down from the get go. Elementary, but it was massively effective today because we struggle to get the ball down, when we do the players panic and can’t string two passes together, so we have zero rhythm and constantly give the ball away, and we don’t adjust to that tactic until 3/4 of the game played. Easy stuff. 

We don’t even try and play and that must be how they are instructed. 
 

Watch what happens when Norman gets the ball.  Defenders make no attempt to come short, it’s is punted up the field,  Nuttall largely doesn’t win it (not sure that’s his game) we don’t win the second ball, opposition have possession, rinse and repeat. 
 

The whole team sits so much deeper than the opposition, invites pressure on instead of hunting the ball. 
 

Don’t buy the fact players aren’t capable, being instructed to play this way, it’s awful to watch and does them no favours as individuals either. 
 

Same all of last lesson, same against Mansfield and seemingly same today. 

[Guy Branston Pickle]

I'm so fucking angry about that today that I'll have to take a breather and respond properly tomorrow. Would happily see Unsworth walk for that today. Pathetic doesn't come close to summing it up, one of the all time worst performances. 

[LightDN123]

2 minutes ago, Theoutsider said:

We don’t even try and play and that must be how they are instructed. 
 

Watch what happens when Norman gets the ball.  Defenders make no attempt to come short, it’s is punted up the field,  Nuttall largely doesn’t win it (not sure that’s his game) we don’t win the second ball, opposition have possession, rinse and repeat. 
 

The whole team sits so much deeper than the opposition, invites pressure on instead of hunting the ball. 
 

Don’t buy the fact players aren’t capable, being instructed to play this way, it’s awful to watch and does them no favours as individuals either. 
 

Same all of last lesson, same against Mansfield and seemingly same today. 

To be fair to Nuttall the balls today were pumped up to Norwood’s head. If Norwood is the target man, as much as I think he is good, you may aswell play Reid rather than Nuttall. 

[BP1960]

1 hour ago, ceskylatic said:

I’d imagine Gardner will be eased in. Lundstram or Dickenson in for Ward if he’s injured.

 

He's not been given 1 minute yet, which is ridiculous if he's fit enough for the bench. 

[BP1960]

1 hour ago, Monty Burns said:

Dickenson sounded like he made an impact, did he play centrally?

 

Sort of, but one of his crosses was reminiscent of Stobbs, they are still looking for it on Southend beach, hasn't much pace, much like all of todays team.

[BP1960]

1 hour ago, nzlatic said:

Lundstram out for at least 4 more weeks according to commentary. Green has been for a scan on hamstring so would imagine he’ll be out for a little while too. 

 

I thought DU said his training programme would prevent injuries like that, looks like over trained to me.

[yarddog73]

12 minutes ago, LightDN123 said:

To be fair to Nuttall the balls today were pumped up to Norwood’s head. If Norwood is the target man, as much as I think he is good, you may aswell play Reid rather than Nuttall. 

I honestly thought Norwood had come in as a direct replacement for Nuttall so the fact they were named in the same team was a bit bewildering even more so given the form of Fondop pre season, Reid travelling and not even on the bench is equally confusing. I'm presuming Gardner was fit given the bench options, why didn't we see him on for Shelton or Sheron?.