2020/21 General Match Thread

[SuffolkBlue]

Comfortable win for us. First since the start of November and first at home since September. Woeful opposition mind you

 

[Pablosammy]

Well..our first clean sheet at home in a long long time definitely over a year. Tranmere the only side to not beat us this season. Awful game mind both bad sides.
Give it to Sol he certainly has stopped us losing but we certainly don’t look like winning

One of the worst games I've seen in a long time, it was like being back in the National League! Southend probably edged it, but crediting either team with a goal would've disguised the complete lack of quality on the pitch.

See you next season.

 

[Reginald Fodstain]

I think that was the trouble 2nd half last week!

Our tactics appear to be lulling you into a false sense of security, hence our first half performance last week and today's attempt at synchronised apathy!

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Totally outplayed the Gas from start to finish but no end product until the last 10 mins should have beaten them by at least 5 but it’s 3 more points and another clean sheet.

 

[Marked Ox]

Lost 3-1 at home to Rotherham.

Rotherham won that in the 1st half with good tactics using the wind and being clinical. We were brainless on occasion though, especially the 3rd goal.

We were better in the 2nd half, had chances but the right team won on balance.

 

[Super_horns]

Our tactics appear to be lulling you into a false sense of security, hence our first half performance last week and today's attempt at synchronised apathy!

TBH I am sure complaceny on our part did happen.

Probably be pretty much the same sort of team in the reply so be interesting to see what happens.

 

[Bucket_]

Classic Pompey today - largely brilliant in the first half, but should have scored at least one more. Second half, complacent, not at the races, slow and needed a much improved Wimbledon scoring to wake them up and get back in front.

Getting envy seeing the likes of Rotherham/Sunderland/Ipswich putting teams to bed.. wish we'd do the same, rather than sitting back as soon as we go in front.

But when we look good we look really good. Get us a left sided centre back to cut out the defensive sloppiness and I'll be feeling optimistic.

 

[Robie]

Beaten by the better side today. A very strong Rotherham, more direct than us but certainly playing football.

 

[Millerbri]

It reminded me of playing parks football when a gale was blowing down the pitch.
That open end cant help Oxford.
They tried to play fast passing football but we just kept winning it back on the edge of our area and attacking down the flanks.
Still the best team I've seen this season but we were decent today.

 

[Luke Imp]

A tale of two penalties at Shrewsbury. Didn't sound one for the purest, mainly down to the wind but one we shaded with their 'keeper pulling off two or three good saves.

 

[Kim Mitten]

If the game was still going on now nobody would have scored.

Highlights for me: the Tranmere keeper whose decision making and kicking looked decidedly dodgy all game.
2nd half he turned to the south stand and said 'how shit is this ref!' he was right, a nightmare for both sides with his pickiness. He made his comment after his own team were awarded another soft free kick.

And a move that summed up Southend United. A free kick a few yards outside Tranmere box. Ball played low, John White slips over and in two touches the result is a corner to Tranmere.

Couldn't fault the effort today though from our players and Peter Clarke is still a magnificent defender, 38 years old now I'd have him back at southend in a heartbeat. Said to my son 2nd half when he was defending our end, just watch how good he is positionally, he can't really run anymore but he's by far the most intelligent player on the pitch.

 

[GFCSludge]

We were the better side for long spells vs Peterborough today but either lacked a quality finish or a final ball, we worked bloody hard though, the players gave their all. Posh were marginally better in the second half but are kidding themselves if they think they deserved to win even factoring in Toney's sitter missed in the 95th minute.

Yet again we've more than matched an expensively assembled squad with our bunch of freebies and loanees, Evans must be doing something right. Have to harp back to us lacking a quality striker from the squad that would undoubtedly see us troubling the play-offs.

A bit disappointed with Peterborough tbh, all that cash yet a proper throw-back of an away end, god knows how they have the gall to charge 24 quid to sit in that. Apart from some vague murmuring from the home end in the second half their fans were entirely silent too.

 

[RLC]

A very poor game at Roots Hall today, but I thought we had the better chances and probably should have nicked it. Campbell has got Southend working incredibly hard without the ball and you can see why their results have picked up recently.

Clarke and Woodyard played well and will make us more solid defensively. However, Chapman's decision making in goal was appalling and I can't wait for Scott Davies to be back.

 

[codaplenty]

It reminded me of playing parks football when a gale was blowing down the pitch.
That open end cant help Oxford.
They tried to play fast passing football but we just kept winning it back on the edge of our area and attacking down the flanks.
Still the best team I've seen this season but we were decent today.

You've come along way since that 2-2 draw back in December 4 wins on the bounce is it and now top of the league - good on yer !
Like to think Fleetwood are trying to time a good run when we enter the March/April period, ( we play you lads at home on 21 March ) at the moment we need to find 3 points from somewhere, after a dodgy run that 'win' wherever it comes from will be sweeter than ever

 

[Millerbri]

You've come along way since that 2-2 draw back in December 4 wins on the bounce is it and now top of the league - good on yer !
Like to think Fleetwood are trying to time a good run when we enter the March/April period, ( we play you lads at home on 21 March ) at the moment we need to find 3 points from somewhere, after a dodgy run that 'win' wherever it comes from will be sweeter than ever

The league is very close this season, usually you get a team running away from the others but every team seems capable of beating each other.
I wouldn't have expected to be top of the league at this stage and its definitely our away form that has got us there.

We are a big strong fast team which causes home teams all kinds of problems.
At home when teams come and sit deep it negates our style and that's what we have to sort out if we are serious about promotion.
Its too early to be celebrating yet but we should definitely make the play offs, which with a largely rebuilt team would be progress.

 

[Luke Imp]

Bolton for us tonight, in what is due to be played in gale force winds.

We're lacking numbers in wide positions with Anderson missing the weekends game and Hesketh having to go off injured. We went 4-4-2 on Saturday, which is something we haven't seen much of under MA (admittedly the squad is more suited to 4-2-3-1).

 

[GeneralLee]

It reminded me of playing parks football when a gale was blowing down the pitch.
That open end cant help Oxford.
They tried to play fast passing football but we just kept winning it back on the edge of our area and attacking down the flanks.
Still the best team I've seen this season but we were decent today.

I'm genuinely surprised to hear that. We were pants, which doesn't say much for the rest of the sides you've played! That being said I thought Rotherham were excellent. They hassled, harried and dominated us physically like no side this season. We had no answer, though the goals were ones that really we should have dealt with.

I thought we were pretty dreadful, particularly in the first half. The returning Eastwood looked shaky (he has for a while even pre-injury) and generally first half we looked physically incapable of dealing their their midfield in particular. We were, with the help of the wind tunnel blown away.

Second half I still thought we were pants, but the game was gone by then.

By the way, I thought Matt Crooks was fantastic. He made that game look ever so simple.

 

[GeneralLee]

Ipswich this evening... I really don't know what to expect. We have threatened for a while to go a bit off the boil. We have lost the last two in the league and this evening we really need three points. Anything but, will really throw a spanner in the works. A result however will really galvanise this side.

I expect a changed line up. We played ever so poorly against Rotherham and this was exploited. Foremost Matty Taylor will be back, Jamie Mackie was selected essentially for his shithousery and physicality for the Rotherham fixture, it didn't work in the slightest. I also expect one of, if not both of Marcus Browne and Nathan Holland to start. There is also an outside bet of our third new signing Liam Kelly to replace Cameron Brannagan. It sounded as if from Karl Robinson's press conference on Saturday that Brannagan declared himself fit for the Rotherham fixture despite being far from ready, hence his early substitution.

This is probably one of the first games whereby it would be difficult to predict a lineup!

 

[Millerbri]

I'm genuinely surprised to hear that. We were pants, which doesn't say much for the rest of the sides you've played! That being said I thought Rotherham were excellent. They hassled, harried and dominated us physically like no side this season. We had no answer, though the goals were ones that really we should have dealt with.

I thought we were pretty dreadful, particularly in the first half. The returning Eastwoo.d looked shaky (he has for a while even pre-injury) and generally first half we looked physically incapable of dealing their their midfield in particular. We were, with the help of the wind tunnel blown away.

Second half I still thought we were pants, but the game was gone by then.

By the way, I thought Matt Crooks was fantastic. He made that game look ever so simple.

I was relating the best team I've seen comment to the NYS game, you were excellent that day.
The new players you have signed looked a big improvement on the players that were subbed and should ensure you are still in with a good shot at promotion.

Crookes is playing with what our manager says is a "manageable" long term injury so his performances are a real bonus.

 

[White Army]

I wouldn’t be setting off early on Saturday Ipswich fans.

 

[Tom_ITFC]

View attachment 12415
I wouldn’t be setting off early on Saturday Ipswich fans.

They almost made the mistake going tonight! 15 minute break in the first half to allow the forkers do their work and to be fair the water has mostly gone!

 

[Luke Imp]

View attachment 12415
I wouldn’t be setting off early on Saturday Ipswich fans.

It's good, but it's not quite Braintree.

 

[Tom_ITFC]

It's good, but it's not quite Braintree.

There’s nowt wrong with The Iron!

 

[Imp in Branston]

View attachment 12415
I wouldn’t be setting off early on Saturday Ipswich fans.

That just off the prom at Cleethorpes!?

 

[Luke Imp]

A fairly straight forward win bar set piece threats for us. Felt like we got lulled into just coasting at times and it took their change of system at HT and the early goal in the second half to wake us up a bit.

Some of the Bolton defending wouldn't grace non-league never mind L1.

 

[GeneralLee]

The worst game of football I have seen for a long time. Neither side was to blame, conditions were absolutely appalling.

The game was halted twice during the first half due to adverse weather.

Had the fixture continued I’m not entirely sure anyone would have scored!

 

[Marked Ox]

The worst game of football I have seen for a long time. Neither side was to blame, conditions were absolutely appalling.

The game was halted twice during the first half due to adverse weather.

Had the fixture continued I’m not entirely sure anyone would have scored!

The forkers deserved the man of the match awarded for enabling the match to be finished.

Interesting that the players (both teams) wanted to carry on according to Karl Robinson so fair play to them.

Pity that Marcus Browne's effort in the 1st half didn't go in.

 

[Tom_ITFC]

The forkers deserved the man of the match awarded for enabling the match to be finished.

Interesting that the players (both teams) wanted to carry on according to Karl Robinson so fair play to them.

Pity that Marcus Browne's effort in the 1st half didn't go in.

The forkers did a grand job!

It looked like your players didn’t want to play on when the went down the tunnel!

 

[Marked Ox]

The forkers did a grand job!

It looked like your players didn’t want to play on when the went down the tunnel!

There is an area they can warm up inside iirc.

 

[Bartonyellow]

Into the play offs we go.
However on Tuesday we were well below par and if I was an mk dons fan I would be very disappointed not to be taking back at least a point as we was hanging on and looked devoid of ideas. We were on the ropes for long periods.
That said I will take it, as these things can even themselves out over a season and a few games this season we have lost when we should have won.
No game the weekend as we would have had Bury, so a chance to rest and try to keep our best players in the window.