Shrimpers v Rovers

[Boz]

Missed the home game, but Southend were apparently amongst the best sides to visit PP. They're in a play-off spot, likely to stay there, but probably too far away from an automatic place. However, they're not invincible at Roots Hall, lost to Chester in the Cup and more recently Accrington, so from that perspective there is hope.

Rovers are almost at full strength. Holness is still out while both Max Power and George Green have a virus and are doubtful. Koumas and Matt Hill are available, presumably Thompson too, though he didn't feature in the midweek reserve game. Strong argument to use one of Hill/Thompson, instead of Dugdale. However, Adams will do it his own way, so doubtless some of our poorer performers will find a place in his starting xi.

With the £10 travel for Merseyside-based supporters, there should be a decent away turnout. I can't see us getting the win now required at this one.

 

[Sparky]

Southend were indeed very impressive at PP and unsurprising are promotion candidates.

I'd love to say Holmes, fonners and Thompson will be back in but I can't see it.

I'm more concerned about their front 2 of Piggot and Corr although one Jake Cassidy stood in for the latter last week. They have goals in midfield too from the likes of Payne & Atkinson. Given our lack of clean sheets I cannot see the Shrimpers not scoring and I'll be amazed if we get anything from this game.

A point although far from ideal would be good assuming Hartlepool and Cheltenham lose.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Yes, Southend were one of the best two or three sides we have played this season, although we were awful in the reverse fixture.

I am going on Saturday but finding it difficult to muster much enthusiasm for this game. As has been posted above, it is difficult to see us taking anything from the match, particularly if the usual suspects turn out in the back four. I quite liked Cassidy, but it did amuse me to read on one of Southend's websites that he 'is surely due a goal sometime soon', a sentiment we know all too well.

A point would be a decent result in normal circumstances, but Hartlepool are quite likely to get a result at York and we may be cut adrift by 5pm on Saturday.

 

[Ian]

Lose 2-0. Just can't see anything but a loss even though we seem to play better away.

 

[Brightonian]

The last time I visited Roots Hall we were in the Championship losing 2-0 with Aldridge, Nevin, O Brian, Teale etc playing so I suspect about 97/98. The ground is very traditional, not one of the best and always has been a difficult place to come away with anything.

However whilst I will go more in hope than expectation lets remain positive as you just never know in football as we might just get the rub of the green on the day.

It is almost a waste of time even thinking about the most sensible team selection but like most regulars would have Fonners, Holmes and Thompson playing. Also Laird being ex Southend may have a point to prove and often former players do well on early return visits, so I would have him feature at some stage.

If we can keep it tight early on, play with a high tempo and of course a great deal of desire we might just get something.

 

[Sparky]

Well what some of us wanted has taken place. Fonners back in but for micky to not know who his best keeper is after so long is ridiculous. The recent chopping and changing will not have done any good.

Holmes in but presumably only because Dugdale is ill along with Hume. Stockton starts alongside Kayodi.

Raises an eyebrow playing 2 up front away at Southend but only 1 at home to Luton...

Oh well - in micky we trust!

 

[Ian]

Well, OFW is back in goal. Holmes and Thompson back in defence. No sign of Dugdale whilst Stockton returns up front with Odejayi.

 

[Ian]

You beat me to it Sparky! Micky's right that we play better away from home so he's probably more confident of getting a result. Just go for it, we need 3 points!!

 

[Ian]

And once again we here about the effort and commitment on the pitch and yet again we come away with nothing. It's quite pathetic really. No spine in that team at all. We still have a chance to survive but I can't see us winning another game. 4 cup finals left..

 

[Sparky]

Yes Ian from mickys comments it sounds the same old story doesn't it.

We dominated possession apparently but had no cutting edge. I'll await any reports but perhaps playing Stockton who hasn't started a game for months, ahead of a natural goalscorer albeit low on confidence in Donnelly may have contributed.

Once again a routine set piece has been our downfall. Corr who will have had someone earmarked to pick him up obviously lost his man. They must work on defending set plays in training but clearly they are not up to it.

Once again hartlepool and cheltenham lost so we still have a chance but I think this time next week after the 2 more winnable games, we will know if its all over...

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A decent display and a game we deserved to take a point from. With the return of Thompson, Holmes and Laird we showed plenty of spirit and were on top for long periods of the game. However, familiar failings led to our downfall: a failure to defend a routine set play and a lack of quality in the final ball when we were really on top in the second half.

In the first half Southend had a lot of the ball, but we defended well from open play and they did not have a shot, on or off target, other than the goal. We did not play that much football ourselves, but created the better chances of the half, the best of which was a header glanced wide by Stockton after a decent move. All of which made the goal incredibly frustrating. A crap ball from a corner to the near post which should have been cleared comfortably, but somehow eluded our defender on the post and was tapped in by Corr. In addition to the poor marking, I thought Fonners could have done better with the tame shot, although I was pleased he was back in goal and he did ok overall.

To concede so close to half time after being very comfortable was a real blow, but to give credit to the players, we took the game to Southend from the off in the second period. Southend sat deep and seemed happy to settle for one-nil from about the sixtieth minute onward, and we had a lot of pressure in the final third. However, despite getting into some great positions and causing panic in their back four at times, the final ball was lacking again. Added to which, when we did put the ball into decent areas, crosses were not attacked and our front players were flat footed. We did create one really good opportunity to equalise about ten minutes from time, a free header from two yards out which Laird and Odejayi both went for due to a lack of communication, and the opportunity was spurned.

Individually, Jennings and Holmes had particularly good games, but my man of the match would be Marc Laird who was excellent on his return to his old stamping ground. Both Donnelly and Kirby looked sharp when they came on, and it probably would have been a better idea to start with Rory rather than Cole, who looked off the pace. For once, however, I was happy with the tactics and team selection.

The return of the absentees and the commitment shown by the majority of players today does give me some confidence for the two games coming up, but as Sparky suggests above, if we don't take four, or possibly even six points from the next two games I think our fate will be sealed.

 

[Boz]

Team selection was affected by the virus which had been doing the rounds. Original plan was to start Hume with Odejayi, but Iain was so unwell he had to be packed off home on a train. Green was also missing and missed, but at least the virus evened things up by taking out Dugdale. Thompson was a significant improvement.

This wasn't the awesome Southend who'd apparently turned up at Prenton Park. There was little to choose between the sides in the opening 35 minutes or so and Rovers were on top in terms of possession. However Taylor, who had a mare throughout, here firstly by fannying about conceded a needless corner and then failed to mark up Corr, whose stab squirmed under Fonners, who perhaps might have done better. Heads dropped and the Shrimpers finished the half on top.

Second half Southend looked more likely to score again than Rovers did to level. Midway through Thompson and Max were replaced by Donnelly and JMW. Max had been touch and go after his illness, so understandable. Unless it was a fitness issue, I'd have taken another defender off instead of Josh. The substitutions made little difference. Rory did run at their defence once or twice, but too much show-boating and came close to talking himself into a red card after being booked for dissent. I'd have agreed with Sparky pre-match that Donnelly should have started, but on today's performance not so sure. Stockton replaced by Kirby for the last 15 minutes and he was almost in the right place to sneak an equaliser, the only other real chance saw Laird and Odejayi get in each other's way.

MoM Laird for me, who worked hard all game and played some intelligent balls.

Believe 336 away fans, it looked more. Made a decent amount of noise and chants of "are you Barnes in disguise" and Chris Shuker's barmy army were directed at the manager. In Green's absence, there didn't seem to be anyone demanding the ball. Even the normal onfield leaders seemed subdued.

I don't think there are any signs that we will stay up. Haven't strung 2 league wins together all season, only won 3 games this year. I've let it go and resigned myself to conference football next season.

 

[Ian]

The return of the absentees and the commitment shown by the majority of players today does give me some confidence for the two games coming up

The commitment has been there and the effort (as MA keeps reminding us) but we cannot defend and we cannot score. This has been a consistent pattern throughout the season so why would it be any different for the last four games? We'll be lucky to win one. I have zero confidence in this squad, they are hopeless. I agree with Boz, it's conference football next season. Brilliant.

 

[Brightonian]

The team we started with did look a lot more competitive yesterday. There was no shortage of effort and this is just one more game in a long line of being decent for the most part and should have got something out of the game but yet again come away empty handed.

We just don't create enough clear cut openings to score and there is both a lack of confidence and understanding in the final third. I took a young relative yesterday to the game who has never seen us before who thought it looked a lot of the time that the team has never played much together and didn't know what others we're trying to do although we have some quite good players: more or less sums it up really. As any example after Kayode and Marc Laird got in each other's way and spurned perhaps the only real chance in the second half they carried on having words after the incident and at the final whistle which isn't a positive signs.

The SWA were very upset when Max Wa taken off chanting " you don't know what you are doing" etc but presumably this was on medical rather than tactical grounds. Agree Marc Laird MOM closely followed by Jenno. Hard to see us getting the minimum two or three wins, so becoming resigned to inevitable.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

The commitment has been there and the effort (as MA keeps reminding us) but we cannot defend and we cannot score. This has been a consistent pattern throughout the season so why would it be any different for the last four games? We'll be lucky to win one. I have zero confidence in this squad, they are hopeless. I agree with Boz, it's conference football next season. Brilliant.

I don't really disagree with you, I am just saying I would rather have Laird, Holmes, Fon etc. in the side for the remaining games as they do care about the club, whereas the majority of the others clearly don't. The attitude and commitment certainly was not there in a number of crucial games this season (York, Cheltenham and so on).

 

[Boz]

The team we started with did look a lot more competitive yesterday. There was no shortage of effort and this is just one more game in a long line of being decent for the most part and should have got something out of the game but yet again come away empty handed.

We just don't create enough clear cut openings to score and there is both a lack of confidence and understanding in the final third. I took a young relative yesterday to the game who has never seen us before who thought it looked a lot of the time that the team has never played much together and didn't know what others we're trying to do although we have some quite good players: more or less sums it up really. As any example after Kayode and Marc Laird got in each other's way and spurned perhaps the only real chance in the second half they carried on having words after the incident and at the final whistle which isn't a positive signs.

The SWA were very upset when Max Wa taken off chanting " you don't know what you are doing" etc but presumably this was on medical rather than tactical grounds. Agree Marc Laird MOM closely followed by Jenno. Hard to see us getting the minimum two or three wins, so becoming resigned to inevitable.

I did notice them arguing after the incident, hadn't realised it carried on after the match had finished. At least it's a sign that those two care

Agree with you that in part the wrath of the SWA related to the Max substitution, which wasn't a surprise given his recent medical issues. Given Koumas is fit, was a surprise he wasn't on the bench, as there might have been some more openings created if he was playing.

 

[Ian]

Considering Max was on a drip only a few days ago, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect him to be subbed.

Not much mention of Stockton. Did he look rusty as surprised he was given a start after quite a while out injured?

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Not much mention of Stockton. Did he look rusty as surprised he was given a start after quite a while out injured?

Other than one header in the first half, he looked off the pace and did not make much impression. Hopefully Hume will be available on Tuesday; if not, I would prefer Donnelly to start.

I understand the frustration of some supporters yesterday, and the criticism is justified, but it is totally counter productive in the position we are in at the moment.

 

[Sparky]

I agree with RLC on the chants. Understandable to a degree but they do no good whatsoever and if we were say already relegated then fine, but until it's mathematically impossible we should give the manager our support.

But As Boz says Jason is fit so why not give him the last 20mins? What have we got to lose.

Results under Micky have upset fans but also his odd decisions regarding fonners, Holmes, Hume, and now starting a rusty Stockton ahead of Donnelly.

If we stay up there is no way Swansea will let him come back and no doubt he'll go elsewhere and score goals. I understand he posted something on social media showing his annoyance at not playing. Another joke decision which as with others, will lead to our downfall I fear and Micky must take some blame. But let's leave the negative chants until later as they wont change anything and can only do harm.

 

[Ian]

I can only think MA is still tinkering with the side to try and at least get something from these games. I understand there's no consistency in this method but to be fair the players out there can hardly complain as there hardly producing the goods. How many goals has Donnelly scored recently?

Fair point about Koumas.