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Although I live in Southend I haven’t seen them this season. The people I have spoken to tell me that they are really inconsistent, and lack height. The forward that went to FGR and the centre half they had to sack have really exacerbated the situation. However their weakness is also one of ours. In that we do not score many from corners. Ferguson and Beckwith are both big lads and I would be tempted to play both on Saturday, fitness allowing. We can beat them but will need to be on our metal as they can turn in a very good performance, like scoring 4 at Solihull. Travelling up for the game so I hope Dale turn up and graft, if they do I think they will win.
[Post edited 17 Oct 12:11]
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Southend Match Thread on 20:50 - Oct 19 with 4313 views
Southend Match Thread on 20:37 - Oct 19 by Rodingdale
On your firs para, I specifically said The Board. Not individually. The continued existence of 7,000 empty seats is not going to be fixed by playing boring losing football. Our home form is at best unreliable. The board wants to grow crowds, so it is their concern what the manager serves up.
My view is we have players cabable of better, but they seem shackled by Jim’s stubbornness. The opposition don’t need to time waste, we waste our own time perfectly well. Your opinion is that most fans enjoy the football, really, can you evidence that, where I sit there is huge frustration at the style of play.
Play offs are a nightmare, not an achievement. What is the point? Progress? I’d buy top 3 as a target, but playoffs? Not for me.
Contract length means everything - Jim is an unproven young manager, he’s done nothing, I’m rather nervous that he’s BBM reincarnated, working for his CV - and getting paid for three years even if he achieves nothing apart from plaudits fro sycophants.
Yes, the whole board and it’s irrelevant what one board member might think if they all back McNulty to get results which, in terms of league position alone, he is.
As far as what is success, we will all indeed have different ideas on that, but a play-off spot after the years of failure would be seen, on a purely results measurement, as an achievement. Even if we all think the team could go one step further. For what it’s worth, I thought we could have been nearer to the top seven last season. But can also see the argument that it was a steady season after so much turmoil.
On the last point, that’s football now. Almost all newer managers are working like that. Look at Martin at Southampton. Kompany at Burnley. We can rightly point out how it annoys us at Dale, but that is the game as it stands. Maintain contract length is irrelevant because if we start falling down the table the manager’s position will be in doubt, no matter if he has one year or three.
Edit: sorry missed your point about fans enjoying the football. I said most do when we play it effectively. There are plenty of match threads on here to illustrate that. And the responses at home games like Carlisle, Woking and Maidenhead. It’s just happening nowhere near enough at Spotland.
We were very poor tonight, I accept we have something like seven first team players missing, but we failed to open them up to a great extent, we seemed more interested in either playing sideways across the defence or playing triangles, without going forward at any great pace, which allowed Southend to get organised in defence.
I believe we have a side capable of promotion, but at times we are hamstrung by McNulty's tactics, it was at times like watching England, a good squad, but awful to watch at times. Hopefully McNulty will take the boos on board at the end of the game and change how he approaches the game on Tuesday.
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Southend Match Thread on 21:15 - Oct 19 with 4061 views
Poor evening at the office for Dale and an easy one for Southend.. we have no response to teams that set up defensively with height and power, yes we play neat and tidy football but there is no plan to defeat such sides, we simply do not play from back to front quickly enough and do not hold the ball up to allow others into the attack. Just 1 notable shot on goal easily saved, and a couple of situations from several corners but a generally poor night for attacking intent. I said we needed another big forward weeks ago and we still do. Mitchell is OK if he gets some space but I doubt many central defenders spend sleepless nights worrying about him. There were a couple of opportunities early on when a braver player or a more experienced one would have got on the end of the cross, but in the event the ball just skidded across the goalmouth without anyone laying a boot on it. Sometimes you just have to shoot at goal, we dont shoot often enough, they always want to make another pass, if you shoot at the tsrget anything can happen but if you don't shoot, you dont score.
Another worry is the number of hamstring injuries we keep getting is the Physio working to prevent them or causing them ?
As we slip into the miserable wet days and colder nights maintaining the challenge will become increasingly difficult for a lightweight, passing team, Halifax will be licking their lips.
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Southend Match Thread on 21:29 - Oct 19 with 3975 views
Well we were wrong, seems he saw much the same game as we did and maybe all interviews aren’t always the same! Credit to him for that.
Nonsense about their goal though, it doesn’t matter what the 4th official thinks because we all know it’s “a minimum of X minutes time added”. Didn’t hear any complaints when Rodney equalised against Hartlepool last season.
Southend Match Thread on 20:37 - Oct 19 by Rodingdale
On your firs para, I specifically said The Board. Not individually. The continued existence of 7,000 empty seats is not going to be fixed by playing boring losing football. Our home form is at best unreliable. The board wants to grow crowds, so it is their concern what the manager serves up.
My view is we have players cabable of better, but they seem shackled by Jim’s stubbornness. The opposition don’t need to time waste, we waste our own time perfectly well. Your opinion is that most fans enjoy the football, really, can you evidence that, where I sit there is huge frustration at the style of play.
Play offs are a nightmare, not an achievement. What is the point? Progress? I’d buy top 3 as a target, but playoffs? Not for me.
Contract length means everything - Jim is an unproven young manager, he’s done nothing, I’m rather nervous that he’s BBM reincarnated, working for his CV - and getting paid for three years even if he achieves nothing apart from plaudits fro sycophants.
Well said, regarding 7000 empty seats....what's the use of Commercial Planning Focus Meetings to boost income/attendances when the modus operandi of the Club is to turn out a good football team, playing attractive exciting football.....and at the moment we are not doing this consistently? That's the reason the team/staff get up out of the fart sack every morning and train to offer entertainment.
Who does McNulty answer too? Who is his Line Manager and holds him to account. Someone mentioned that the Board as"non-football people" do not interfere, how bizzare is that?
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Southend Match Thread on 23:53 - Oct 19 with 3499 views
Southend Match Thread on 23:34 - Oct 19 by Yorkshire_Dale
Well said, regarding 7000 empty seats....what's the use of Commercial Planning Focus Meetings to boost income/attendances when the modus operandi of the Club is to turn out a good football team, playing attractive exciting football.....and at the moment we are not doing this consistently? That's the reason the team/staff get up out of the fart sack every morning and train to offer entertainment.
Who does McNulty answer too? Who is his Line Manager and holds him to account. Someone mentioned that the Board as"non-football people" do not interfere, how bizzare is that?
Who mentioned what the board do or don’t do with regards to the football side?
We've heard "the scoreboard will take care of itself" recently and "the result will take care of itself" last night from Jim. It won't. The scoreboard MUST be the prime focus above any academic / coaching manual requirements. Southend won us at that aspect of the game, the most important aspect.
Wanting to show off our best under the cameras? The last 5:30 televised Saturday kick off from the COA was v Ebbsfleet last season. We were awful and lost 0-1. What happened yesterday? Go figure, Jim.
Jim is blaming individual player decisions, but they were playing to his script, a script we've seen so many times before, to our disappointment.
The point about injuries is valid, but it's for Jim to sort it out. Other managers have the same issues to deal with.
To be where we are in the table at this stage is great, but to see the most simple faults in our game repeated is not. Valuable points lost at Ebbsfleet and yesterday. We can take the odd glitch. A lot of people where I was stood were less than happy, and rightly so. Apart from 10 minutes in the second half, Dale were uninteresting and ineffectual.
We have been and can be SO much better. That's why we're in the play-off spots. I watched the clock for a period early in the second half. Dale wasted two minutes moving the ball sideways and backward in our defensive third whilst the rest of the team looked on with precious little movement or desire to progress. Not for the first time. We were losing. If your team can't be bothered to try and make a game of it, Jim, we ain't getting the aspired 5,000 regular attendees. How do we encourage friends and acquaintances to watch tippy tappy tripe like that?
UP THE DALE
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Southend Match Thread on 00:59 - Oct 20 with 3397 views
Southend Match Thread on 23:34 - Oct 19 by Yorkshire_Dale
Well said, regarding 7000 empty seats....what's the use of Commercial Planning Focus Meetings to boost income/attendances when the modus operandi of the Club is to turn out a good football team, playing attractive exciting football.....and at the moment we are not doing this consistently? That's the reason the team/staff get up out of the fart sack every morning and train to offer entertainment.
Who does McNulty answer too? Who is his Line Manager and holds him to account. Someone mentioned that the Board as"non-football people" do not interfere, how bizzare is that?
The home games have followed a similar pattern for a long time now, certainly the last three games, devoid of anything much to get excited about. We've constantly mentioned the slow tempo and reluctance to take the obvious pass out wide from defence. The defenders get it in the neck from the fans for turning inside instead and playing keep ball with their nearest player but they have to be playing under instruction from the manager to do that. Todays performance was very similar to what we have seen plenty of times. Hogan was at it today and I'm sure he hasn't played that way at Oldham. Southend, just like Solihull, pressed us and picked up all the second balls, Mitchell needed help up front, it was too easy for the Southend defenders.
Mc Nultys interview in respect of the goal conceded was very poor, we glanced at the scoreboard and it was commented that if we saw off the attack it would be half time. I'm pretty sure there was about five seconds left as the cross was swung over that led to their goal. The defending was poor but he didn't touch on that, Gordon in particular was all over the place in that first half but he wasn't the only one. McNultys tactical nouse at home is being exposed, without a high tempo to our game we offer very little threat, everybody in the stadium can see it. Injuries are part and parcel of the game, we're suffering but these home performances were happening even when we had a fully fit squad. In a recent game we had our first shot on target when Mitchell scored in the 87th minute, you won't put bums on seats playing like that and you won't win many games. He also mentions the injuries and speaks of other parts of the club needing to be improved alongside the team. It might have been me interpreting his comments wrong but i wondered if that was aimed at the physio/ medical arrangements. We are only ten weeks into the season and the players are breaking down in training and games at an alarming rate, it's concerning and the injuries aren't just minor ones neither.
It's a conundrum for McNulty because away from home we play some very good stuff and look threatening, he doesn't seem to be able to set us up right though at home. We play with a hesitancy and are too structured, i call it dot to dot football, it's all very slow, methodical, predictable and boring to watch...frustration football as a paying spectator and you can't build crowds on that. BBM tried it and we ended up with our worst run of home results in the clubs history, weve seen all of this before and it doesnt work at home.The good teams and managers will pick us off , we're too easy to play against and don't cause enough problems to our opponents. Unfortunately McNulty can't change how we play, Southend managed the game from start to finish and had they needed to look for more goals during the second half, I'm sure they could have got them.
Wasn't there yesterday, was at a family birthday, but fully intended being there Tuesday night against Halifax. Looked for it when the fixtures came out, like any Dale fan would. Not so sure now, and i really don't want to feel like this
Unless something changes, i can't bear watching it. That three year contract, with no clear line of accountability, looks like a "sentence" at the moment. Of course it bloody well matters...
Being thankful for the odd win at home, such as when SPO came, just puts all the rest of the time into context. It should be the other way round. Most of us are well-used to the usual vagaries of football fortunes, but not even trying to take the game to the opposition is as i said: it's anti-sport and those not already signed up with a season ticket just will not pay to watch it. I don't want to hear "that's football these days" because no, it's not football at all
I feel sorry for the players, having to go out of their way to disappoint the fans, by design. Of course they'll make the right noises when interviewed, they've got a living to make. Our entire midfield and forwards spending the best part of a game waiting for the defenders - the least technically skilful - to stop pissing about at the back must be soul destroying. It destroys my football soul when watching it
Southend Match Thread on 06:51 - Oct 20 by D_Alien
Anti-entertainment, anti-sporting
Wasn't there yesterday, was at a family birthday, but fully intended being there Tuesday night against Halifax. Looked for it when the fixtures came out, like any Dale fan would. Not so sure now, and i really don't want to feel like this
Unless something changes, i can't bear watching it. That three year contract, with no clear line of accountability, looks like a "sentence" at the moment. Of course it bloody well matters...
Being thankful for the odd win at home, such as when SPO came, just puts all the rest of the time into context. It should be the other way round. Most of us are well-used to the usual vagaries of football fortunes, but not even trying to take the game to the opposition is as i said: it's anti-sport and those not already signed up with a season ticket just will not pay to watch it. I don't want to hear "that's football these days" because no, it's not football at all
I feel sorry for the players, having to go out of their way to disappoint the fans, by design. Of course they'll make the right noises when interviewed, they've got a living to make. Our entire midfield and forwards spending the best part of a game waiting for the defenders - the least technically skilful - to stop pissing about at the back must be soul destroying. It destroys my football soul when watching it
[Post edited 20 Oct 6:54]
Yes you're right, the frustration around the stadium is palpable and it's becoming a staple diet of watching football at the COA. McNulty likes his facts and figures, yesterday was another home game where we hardly registered a shot on target. Southend's keeper didn't have a shot to save until well into the second half, we played some lovely little triangles around our own penalty area though, that would have pleased the manager. The longer the first half progressed the more Southend grew in confidence and the goal was definitely coming. These are lower league footballers, they are being asked to play a style of football that they can't produce on a consistent basis, it's too intricate and i don't think their levels of fitness are at a high enough level to play a high tempo, two touch style of football, theres no fluidity in our play because everything is too slow. I sometimes also wonder if the pissing about with the ball at the back is designed to give them all a breather. Whatever the reasons, it's not happening at home and i think it's the management duo who need to shoulder the criticism for that probably more than the players. We've got some big home games coming up now, games that will involve winning the battles and realising the importance of the fixture, let's see how we approach those games.
[Post edited 20 Oct 13:31]
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Southend Match Thread on 08:10 - Oct 20 with 2892 views
Southend Match Thread on 07:17 - Oct 20 by TalkingSutty
Yes you're right, the frustration around the stadium is palpable and it's becoming a staple diet of watching football at the COA. McNulty likes his facts and figures, yesterday was another home game where we hardly registered a shot on target. Southend's keeper didn't have a shot to save until well into the second half, we played some lovely little triangles around our own penalty area though, that would have pleased the manager. The longer the first half progressed the more Southend grew in confidence and the goal was definitely coming. These are lower league footballers, they are being asked to play a style of football that they can't produce on a consistent basis, it's too intricate and i don't think their levels of fitness are at a high enough level to play a high tempo, two touch style of football, theres no fluidity in our play because everything is too slow. I sometimes also wonder if the pissing about with the ball at the back is designed to give them all a breather. Whatever the reasons, it's not happening at home and i think it's the management duo who need to shoulder the criticism for that probably more than the players. We've got some big home games coming up now, games that will involve winning the battles and realising the importance of the fixture, let's see how we approach those games.
[Post edited 20 Oct 13:31]
Interesting point about fitness and injuries
I wonder whether the lack of movement for long periods has the players 'cooling down' rather than maintaining a high body temperature, hence muscle tears when suddenly required to accelerate
I'm unable to attend the games at the moment, but do watch on national league tv. As an entertainment spectacle, last night was awful. The commentary team must have said a dozen times what almost all of us can see...we are pedestrian, and don't attack or shoot often enough. It has to be Jim's lack of tactical flexibility that is the issue. It's frustrating in the extreme to observe and doesn't reflect on the players abilities. Well done to Southend for doing the basics correctly and nullifying us almost completely.
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Southend Match Thread on 08:27 - Oct 20 with 2811 views
The general consensus, even looking back a week to the reaction after Fylde, is that we play an effective,reasonably entertaining style away yet it’s almost the opposite at home. That’s something I’d agree with as well.
The manager’s inflexibility around tactics and particularly formation at Spotland being my main concern. It rightly brings criticism.
Despite all that, McNulty himself was critical of the way we played yesterday and that we didn’t play how we’d practiced. Unfortunately he fell short on how he can influence that, with a commendably flexible in-game formation not being changed to create something different.
Southend Match Thread on 07:17 - Oct 20 by TalkingSutty
Yes you're right, the frustration around the stadium is palpable and it's becoming a staple diet of watching football at the COA. McNulty likes his facts and figures, yesterday was another home game where we hardly registered a shot on target. Southend's keeper didn't have a shot to save until well into the second half, we played some lovely little triangles around our own penalty area though, that would have pleased the manager. The longer the first half progressed the more Southend grew in confidence and the goal was definitely coming. These are lower league footballers, they are being asked to play a style of football that they can't produce on a consistent basis, it's too intricate and i don't think their levels of fitness are at a high enough level to play a high tempo, two touch style of football, theres no fluidity in our play because everything is too slow. I sometimes also wonder if the pissing about with the ball at the back is designed to give them all a breather. Whatever the reasons, it's not happening at home and i think it's the management duo who need to shoulder the criticism for that probably more than the players. We've got some big home games coming up now, games that will involve winning the battles and realising the importance of the fixture, let's see how we approach those games.
[Post edited 20 Oct 13:31]
It's not just the fans, Buyabu and Allarakhia in particular were getting visibly frustrated yesterday as they consistently presented for the pass but the centre halves opted to play keep ball amongst themselves instead. How long before they just stop bothering as they know there's no chance of receiving it? Even with all the injuries we still have the depth to field a very competitive looking team so I don't really buy it as an excuse. I do think we're missing Gilmour however, as East/Henry/Barlow are all just too similar.
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Southend Match Thread on 08:31 - Oct 20 with 2769 views
Southend Match Thread on 08:27 - Oct 20 by richfoad32
It's not just the fans, Buyabu and Allarakhia in particular were getting visibly frustrated yesterday as they consistently presented for the pass but the centre halves opted to play keep ball amongst themselves instead. How long before they just stop bothering as they know there's no chance of receiving it? Even with all the injuries we still have the depth to field a very competitive looking team so I don't really buy it as an excuse. I do think we're missing Gilmour however, as East/Henry/Barlow are all just too similar.
East has seemingly forgotten to turn and drive forward with the ball. For all the blame attached to how we pass it tediously at the back, the lack of responsibility of the midfielders to create better options and then turn when they do get it was infuriating.
Southend Match Thread on 08:27 - Oct 20 by richfoad32
It's not just the fans, Buyabu and Allarakhia in particular were getting visibly frustrated yesterday as they consistently presented for the pass but the centre halves opted to play keep ball amongst themselves instead. How long before they just stop bothering as they know there's no chance of receiving it? Even with all the injuries we still have the depth to field a very competitive looking team so I don't really buy it as an excuse. I do think we're missing Gilmour however, as East/Henry/Barlow are all just too similar.
I would have to agree with you on the frustration on the players, who wanted the ball, whilst the defence was playing the ball between themselves, but are they just following the coaching and tactics of the manager? The TV commentators are just saying what the fans having been saying for a number of seasons going back to BBM, the co-chairman may like it, but it as cost us two relegations in recent seasons.
Did anyone know if Henry was injured and was taken off as a result. Also it may be me, but I thought we improved when Hendo and McBride came on and I would be tempted to start with those two in the starting eleven on Tuesday.
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Southend Match Thread on 09:19 - Oct 20 with 2529 views
Southend Match Thread on 09:13 - Oct 20 by NorthernDale
I would have to agree with you on the frustration on the players, who wanted the ball, whilst the defence was playing the ball between themselves, but are they just following the coaching and tactics of the manager? The TV commentators are just saying what the fans having been saying for a number of seasons going back to BBM, the co-chairman may like it, but it as cost us two relegations in recent seasons.
Did anyone know if Henry was injured and was taken off as a result. Also it may be me, but I thought we improved when Hendo and McBride came on and I would be tempted to start with those two in the starting eleven on Tuesday.
We were relegated after a season when Jim Bentley managed the team for the majority of games. He plays an entirely different way.
We were relegated under Barry-Murphy because we couldn’t defend properly.
Southend Match Thread on 06:51 - Oct 20 by D_Alien
Anti-entertainment, anti-sporting
Wasn't there yesterday, was at a family birthday, but fully intended being there Tuesday night against Halifax. Looked for it when the fixtures came out, like any Dale fan would. Not so sure now, and i really don't want to feel like this
Unless something changes, i can't bear watching it. That three year contract, with no clear line of accountability, looks like a "sentence" at the moment. Of course it bloody well matters...
Being thankful for the odd win at home, such as when SPO came, just puts all the rest of the time into context. It should be the other way round. Most of us are well-used to the usual vagaries of football fortunes, but not even trying to take the game to the opposition is as i said: it's anti-sport and those not already signed up with a season ticket just will not pay to watch it. I don't want to hear "that's football these days" because no, it's not football at all
I feel sorry for the players, having to go out of their way to disappoint the fans, by design. Of course they'll make the right noises when interviewed, they've got a living to make. Our entire midfield and forwards spending the best part of a game waiting for the defenders - the least technically skilful - to stop pissing about at the back must be soul destroying. It destroys my football soul when watching it
[Post edited 20 Oct 6:54]
Even worse like last night when the opposition are already 1-0 up and dont even need to press our defenders. Id love to know what the percentage of play in our own half is.
Its a BRILLIANT goal to cap a BRILLIANT start by Rochdale - Don Goodman 26/08/10
Southend Match Thread on 08:27 - Oct 20 by 442Dale
The general consensus, even looking back a week to the reaction after Fylde, is that we play an effective,reasonably entertaining style away yet it’s almost the opposite at home. That’s something I’d agree with as well.
The manager’s inflexibility around tactics and particularly formation at Spotland being my main concern. It rightly brings criticism.
Despite all that, McNulty himself was critical of the way we played yesterday and that we didn’t play how we’d practiced. Unfortunately he fell short on how he can influence that, with a commendably flexible in-game formation not being changed to create something different.
I don't honestly thing we played much worse than we had done in our previous two home games, the performances at home are very similar in pattern. It's like the players have swapped their football shirts for straight jackets and they are frightened to death of taking a risk in case they lose the ball. It will start to affect confidence and i saw some of that yesterday in our play. The tactic should be a simple one at home, play our football in our opponents half, get the ball into the box at every opportunity and shoot when you get the chance, keep their defenders and goalkeeper constantly busy. We do the opposite to all of that and give our opponents encouragement, take them on in a tactical battle and over complicate the game. It's a local derby on Tuesday, whoever wants the game the most and is up for the battle will probably win. McNulty suggested that Halifax are in good form, they got battered at Oldham last week.
[Post edited 20 Oct 9:42]
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Southend Match Thread on 09:51 - Oct 20 with 2368 views
Southend Match Thread on 09:40 - Oct 20 by TalkingSutty
I don't honestly thing we played much worse than we had done in our previous two home games, the performances at home are very similar in pattern. It's like the players have swapped their football shirts for straight jackets and they are frightened to death of taking a risk in case they lose the ball. It will start to affect confidence and i saw some of that yesterday in our play. The tactic should be a simple one at home, play our football in our opponents half, get the ball into the box at every opportunity and shoot when you get the chance, keep their defenders and goalkeeper constantly busy. We do the opposite to all of that and give our opponents encouragement, take them on in a tactical battle and over complicate the game. It's a local derby on Tuesday, whoever wants the game the most and is up for the battle will probably win. McNulty suggested that Halifax are in good form, they got battered at Oldham last week.
[Post edited 20 Oct 9:42]
Agree entirely. Football is a simple game.
Think McNulty was looking at their league form - 13 points in their last six games. That shouldn’t matter though, should be concentrating on how we play.
Southend Match Thread on 08:27 - Oct 20 by richfoad32
It's not just the fans, Buyabu and Allarakhia in particular were getting visibly frustrated yesterday as they consistently presented for the pass but the centre halves opted to play keep ball amongst themselves instead. How long before they just stop bothering as they know there's no chance of receiving it? Even with all the injuries we still have the depth to field a very competitive looking team so I don't really buy it as an excuse. I do think we're missing Gilmour however, as East/Henry/Barlow are all just too similar.
On that point about our wide men not receiving the ball, it's my observation that the pass doesn't get made unless the defender with the ball is 100% sure it'll work
The opposition know this of course, and pretend to leave the.option open, whilst being ready to pounce the split second the ball leaves the boot. Defenders at a higher level have the confidence and ability to make that pass; ours don't, unless there's no risk whatsoever
As in life, there's no such thing as acheiving anything that's risk-free, i.e. the risk of failure. On that basis, they may as well give up than spend their careers following the rank instincts of that kind of anti-football creed. It's iniquitous of the manager to then blame the players
The slow play has slowed even further to a point of the game almost stopping.
Hogan on more than one occasion was stood over a stationary ball for several seconds to then play the safest of safe passes to either Beckwith or Gordon. They then gave the ball back to Hogan for this nonsense to continue.
Throw in the very occasional forward ball to either Henry or East who have dropped so deep its a 10 yard pass whilst they are facing their own goal. It really is a soul destroying spectacle.
Several times yesterday (quite a few occasions) we did not cross the half way line whilst in possession. Southend just pressed - waited for a heavy touch and got the ball back far to easily. Get the ball wide / forward / quicker FFS.
Play the goal back several passages of play and it resulted in us giving the ball away far too cheaply. It was coming.. again like Solihull we just giftwrapped and handed over any initiative not that we had any in that first half. Southend very quickly realised they were onto something and it was a cringe able embarrassing watch that first half.
If this continues for any length of time not only will we drop to mid-table obscurity but we have zero chance of getting any more fans through the gate.
If McNulty will not change then I think its up to the fans to start showing some vocal displeasure in this turgid style that the manager is persevering with.
I think enough really is enough. The deserved boos that could be heard at full time will only get louder unless some pace and some passion is shown when we cross the white line.
[Post edited 20 Oct 11:20]
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Southend Match Thread on 11:56 - Oct 20 with 1858 views
The biggest problem with last night is the frustration of knowing that we have players capable of playing sublime football who simply seem to have become robotic and predictable... maybe its time to give them a break from the Platt Lane routine and have a day or two doing something else to freshen them up a bit. They must be as fit now as they will ever be, so doing the same stuff in training, day in day out is hardly adding to their abilities. Change the record Jim, take them for a hike, or a paddle on Ainsdale beach, take the pressure off and get the laughter back into them. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, assuming you want to change the results, is the definition of insanity.. Things need to change when we are at home, that much is clear, so alter the routine, change the mindset, become unpredictable, it can hardly do any harm can it? Dont just be their manager, be their leader........What would Hilly and Flicker have done when they were in their pomp? A daft night out in Manchester, the army assault course, " look after your toy soldier" underpants on the bus??? These are young men and all work and no play makes them dull....Laughter is the best medicine.
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Southend Match Thread on 12:34 - Oct 20 with 1742 views
Southend Match Thread on 12:34 - Oct 20 by James1980
On the subject of injuries, it is possible to be genetically predisposed to have be at elevated risk of injury.
Yes, there are a number of studies on this subject and the genes that predispose some athletes to have greater jump abilities and explosive speed off the mark as well as things like predisposition to ACL injuries and a number of other sports related qualities. https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/15810/#:~:text=Three%20polymorphisms%20had%20t
There were 33 candidate gene studies and one genome-wide study, with 9642 participants across all studies (range = 43–1311; median = 227). Ninety-nine polymorphisms were assessed within 63 genes. Forty-one polymorphisms were associated with injury once. Three polymorphisms had their specific allelic associations with injury replicated twice in independent cohorts: ACTN3 (rs1815739) XX genotype was associated with an increased susceptibility to non-contact muscle injuries, ACAN (rs1516797) G allele was associated with increased susceptibility to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, and VEGFA (rs2010963) CC genotype was associated with an increased susceptibility to ACL and ligament or tendon injuries. However, several methodological issues (e.g., small sample sizes, cohort heterogeneity, and population stratification) are prevalent that limit the reliability and external validity of findings.