whittles left foot Posted September 8 Share Posted September 8 3 hours ago, oafcmetty said: What midfield would you have played? So what is the point of persevering with Lundstram? Tried to accommodate him last year and flirted Sheron, many on here thought he was the problem despite scoring 7 goals. Has Lundstram ever looked like scoring since he joined? Plenty telling us Conlon will be like a new signing after a pre season-that's working out well isn't it? Posted last week about Conlon and Lundstram being too lightweight but we just turn out the same team again with Gardner dropped for Dolan-the only one with any physical presence but would you try and build a team around a player made of glass? We signed Kay, Khan, Caprice. Kitching only sub again after a poor performance from Jez at Alty. TBH none of these look as though they will provide any presence in midfield but for gods sake try something different. 2 up front would have been a start at home on Sat at least, but no, we run Norwood into the ground instead especially after Charsley went off injured. Lets see who starts on Tuesday now the pressure is building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
League one forever Posted September 8 Share Posted September 8 8 minutes ago, whittles left foot said: Sheron, many on here thought he was the problem despite scoring 7 goals. Has Lundstram ever looked like scoring since he joined? Nope. Neither has Conlon. People can scream and shout as much as they like; as Oldham players- Sheron has affected far more games than both of them put together. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penrhyn Posted September 8 Share Posted September 8 5 hours ago, oafcmetty said: What midfield would you have played? Guess he didnt answer the question , avoided like a seasoned bullshitting MP. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBigDog Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 9 hours ago, League one forever said: What is your barometer for progression? You mention character. If it’s so improved- Why is it that after the first 3 games we can’t play for ninety minutes? Why do we start slow and improve, or start well and fade. Why do we play well in spells of half an hour or one half. Now, there were times last season we didn’t even do that. But what are we saying? It’s better now, because at least we don’t completely fold and we at least get a draw! It’s not enough. How about we start on the front foot and play at tempo EVERY. SINGLE. GAME. MM has a number of very experienced players on the pitch (Conlon, Raglan, Monthe, Norwood) - I think they should be ensuring that the team play with that urgency and further up the pitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
League one forever Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 19 minutes ago, TheBigDog said: MM has a number of very experienced players on the pitch (Conlon, Raglan, Monthe, Norwood) - I think they should be ensuring that the team play with that urgency and further up the pitch Agreed. We also have a manager who knows what good looks like. Lots of experienced players, very experienced manager. Yet we don’t consistently do the basics. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddog73 Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 There's a reason Sheron isn't here and it's not to do with the goals he scored, he can't pass a football and by pass I mean he can't find a blue shirt 10 yards away, he doesn't have the football brain that a Conlon, Gardner or Lundstrum have and that's why he was deemed surplus, he has some terrific attributes as a player particularly at our level but he doesn't look after the football. Going back to the current crop I thought they started off promising, Conlon and Gardner deep with Charsley and Hammond probing further forward and it worked, each were showing for each other and working hard off the ball but that seems to have stopped for one reason or another and we've resorted to diagonal hoofs and punts upfield more regularly, to be fair to the midfield you couldn't really blame them for many if any of the goals conceded, I'd put 90% of those down to either keeper or defensive errors or just good goals which you can't legislate for. Would Sheron be the answer? Of course he wouldn't he's a limited player, what we need though is these players with more ability ie Conlon, Dolan, Kay, Lundstrum to show a similar desire to play and influence a game, get on the ball, look for the pass, play with some flair but also play with the grit required to dominate a game, I've left Gardner out because he just can't get about the same anymore and I feel he's giving his best which is all you can ask, are the rest?, I'm not really sure. Same goes for Uchegbulam, he's so passive and nonchalant particularly out of possession it's almost like he doesn't care where he is positionally, I stand by my assessment that he's done little since the opening game and I can see why many fans from Dale suggested he's a 1 in 5 man as for me it's an accurate judgement, he doesn't deserve to be starting week after week as he's not doing enough, he's not a patch on a Kanu, Sinclair, Allarakhia and your lucky if he gives us a good 10 minutes. Only midfielder I think out performing expectation is Charsley and it looks like he'll be spending some time in the treatment room which is unfortunate. I think we do have the players to compete but they are just happy to let games pass by and are incapable of stepping up, biggest disappointment for me is Conlon as I expected so much more particularly as he was given the armband, in those tight games we should be finding a way but it's just not happening. On the plus side we still have time and I expect us to strengthen but we can't continue to haemorrhage points in games we should be winning, it's a bad habit we need to drop. We'll get battered every now and then like we did at Aldershot and I get those results as a bad day at the office but a draw Saturday at home to a let's face it a threadbare Southend team is piss poor particularly when we didn't have one player able to influence the game, honestly you couldn't have named a man of the match and we are in the first couple of weeks in September, it was played like an end of season dead rubber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB2 Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 10 minutes ago, yarddog73 said: There's a reason Sheron isn't here and it's not to do with the goals he scored, he can't pass a football and by pass I mean he can't find a blue shirt 10 yards away, he doesn't have the football brain that a Conlon, Gardner or Lundstrum have and that's why he was deemed surplus, he has some terrific attributes as a player particularly at our level but he doesn't look after the football. Going back to the current crop I thought they started off promising, Conlon and Gardner deep with Charsley and Hammond probing further forward and it worked, each were showing for each other and working hard off the ball but that seems to have stopped for one reason or another and we've resorted to diagonal hoofs and punts upfield more regularly, to be fair to the midfield you couldn't really blame them for many if any of the goals conceded, I'd put 90% of those down to either keeper or defensive errors or just good goals which you can't legislate for. Would Sheron be the answer? Of course he wouldn't he's a limited player, what we need though is these players with more ability ie Conlon, Dolan, Kay, Lundstrum to show a similar desire to play and influence a game, get on the ball, look for the pass, play with some flair but also play with the grit required to dominate a game, I've left Gardner out because he just can't get about the same anymore and I feel he's giving his best which is all you can ask, are the rest?, I'm not really sure. Same goes for Uchegbulam, he's so passive and nonchalant particularly out of possession it's almost like he doesn't care where he is positionally, I stand by my assessment that he's done little since the opening game and I can see why many fans from Dale suggested he's a 1 in 5 man as for me it's an accurate judgement, he doesn't deserve to be starting week after week as he's not doing enough, he's not a patch on a Kanu, Sinclair, Allarakhia and your lucky if he gives us a good 10 minutes. Only midfielder I think out performing expectation is Charsley and it looks like he'll be spending some time in the treatment room which is unfortunate. I think we do have the players to compete but they are just happy to let games pass by and are incapable of stepping up, biggest disappointment for me is Conlon as I expected so much more particularly as he was given the armband, in those tight games we should be finding a way but it's just not happening. On the plus side we still have time and I expect us to strengthen but we can't continue to haemorrhage points in games we should be winning, it's a bad habit we need to drop. We'll get battered every now and then like we did at Aldershot and I get those results as a bad day at the office but a draw Saturday at home to a let's face it a threadbare Southend team is piss poor particularly when we didn't have one player able to influence the game, honestly you couldn't have named a man of the match and we are in the first couple of weeks in September, it was played like an end of season dead rubber. I agree with what you say about sheron. Absolutely. He isn’t the answer. but on what evidence you suggest lundstrum has more ability and the willingness to influence the game I don’t know. he too is not the answer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pidge Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 Several good points made @yarddog73. Our players ( and this should be coachable) don’t seem to accept that when the ball is live, they need to keep moving, not sprinting, just changing position. Obviously there are moments when already in a good position, waiting for a pass can be acceptable, but you are easy for a defender to cover if you don’t move, or your movement is linear. “Showing for a pass” means a movement, your defender is temporarily out of position and the pass is easier to complete. The problem is that if the pass doesn’t come you have to move again. That’s what our less competent players (or lazy ones) don’t keep on doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whittles left foot Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 8 hours ago, penrhyn said: Guess he didnt answer the question , avoided like a seasoned bullshitting MP. Caprice Conlon Gardner Khan Just for you-that seasoned enough for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
League one forever Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 1 hour ago, yarddog73 said: Would Sheron be the answer? Of course he wouldn't he's a limited player, what we need though is these players with more ability ie Conlon, Dolan, Kay, Lundstrum to show a similar desire to play and influence a game, get on the ball, look for the pass, play with some flair but also play with the grit required to dominate a game, I've left Gardner out because he just can't get about the same anymore and I feel he's giving his best which is all you can ask, are the rest?, I'm not really sure. That’s a good point. If they got the maximum out of their ability they’re all better than Sheron. But we are yet to see it, and his goals, drive, willingness to run are showing them up thus far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Og Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 1 hour ago, yarddog73 said: I think we do have the players to compete but they are just happy to let games pass by and are incapable of stepping up, I'd say the two halves of that statement are completely incompatible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafcmetty Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 1 hour ago, whittles left foot said: Caprice Conlon Gardner Khan Just for you-that seasoned enough for you? So you're playing someone who isn't a midfielder there, and chucking someone who hasn't played before straight in. Don't give up the day job. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddog73 Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 30 minutes ago, Dave_Og said: I'd say the two halves of that statement are completely incompatible I like having my own proof reader Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 (edited) 47 minutes ago, League one forever said: That’s a good point. If they got the maximum out of their ability they’re all better than Sheron. But we are yet to see it, and his goals, drive, willingness to run are showing them up thus far. Watched Portugal last might, yes they are very talented players, but added to that was sheer passion from every one of them - even though facing lesser opposition, We have full time professional footballers so there's no reason ours cant display the same will to win they do. The big difference is 'support play' which can be shown at any level, but we badly lack. That's what our management and coaches should be addressing most of all IMO. Let's bring some front foot passion back please with every player supporting each other and you can bet the fans will respond accordingly. Edited September 9 by BP1960 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanishfly Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 11 hours ago, whittles left foot said: So what is the point of persevering with Lundstram? Has Lundstram ever looked like scoring since he joined? Plenty telling us Conlon will be like a new signing after a pre season-that's working out well isn't it. There is no point persevering with Lundstram as he's simply not good enough. I said pre-season that we'd have no chance of promotion with him and Conlon in midfield. First couple of games I thought I'd got it wrong as they looked transformed. Quickly reverted to type though and our midfield looks weak again. It's baffling tbh - everyone keeps saying how much the club has "turned around". It really is high time that turnaround showed via results on the pitch. We seem to be just treading water in non-league despite a multi million pound investment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddog73 Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 19 minutes ago, oafcmetty said: So you're playing someone who isn't a midfielder there, and chucking someone who hasn't played before straight in. Don't give up the day job. Didn't we finish with these four on the pitch along with Fondop and Norwood in a front six or am I imagining that. I'm presuming Caprice played further forwards down the right than Ogle and Khan similarly on the left in front of Kitching, with Conlon and Gardner more central. 1 hour ago, whittles left foot said: Caprice Conlon Gardner Khan Just for you-that seasoned enough for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 13 minutes ago, yarddog73 said: Didn't we finish with these four on the pitch along with Fondop and Norwood in a front six or am I imagining that. I'm presuming Caprice played further forwards down the right than Ogle and Khan similarly on the left in front of Kitching, with Conlon and Gardner more central. Ogle went to centre back in pace of Hobson and looked better there linking up well with Caprice, Khan played left midfield, when I thought he might be better wide, Kitching did well though linking up with him. I don't expect Lundstram to retain his place and even Conlon needs to improve. Not many options there unfortunately, It puzzled me why Dolan was given such as restricted role when I'd give him a free role to express himself like Haughton does at Fylde. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whittles left foot Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 47 minutes ago, oafcmetty said: So you're playing someone who isn't a midfielder there, and chucking someone who hasn't played before straight in. Don't give up the day job. Fine-just keep picking the same old rubbish then and hope it clicks some time this decade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddog73 Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 I suppose the danger now is that we may look to fix something that isn't too badly broken, if the xG for and against is to be believed he may stick with the group and demand that little bit more, none of those starters from Saturday could complain if they were dropped for Tuesday and I include everyone in that. Some will be near last chance saloon particularly when players are coming on and making a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Og Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 7 minutes ago, BP1960 said: Ogle went to centre back in pace of Hobson and looked better there linking up well with Caprice, Khan played left midfield, when I thought he might be better wide, Kitching did well though linking up with him. I don't expect Lundstram to retain his place and even Conlon needs to improve. Not many options there unfortunately, It puzzled me why Dolan was given such as restricted role when I'd give him a free role to express himself like Haughton does at Fylde. Is that the great imponderable? Do we know he was given a restricted role or did he not step up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafcmetty Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 30 minutes ago, whittles left foot said: Fine-just keep picking the same old rubbish then and hope it clicks some time this decade. Conversely throw darts at a board and hope you stumble on a winning formula? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobledgersheart Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 4 hours ago, TheBigDog said: MM has a number of very experienced players on the pitch (Conlon, Raglan, Monthe, Norwood) - I think they should be ensuring that the team play with that urgency and further up the pitch The lack of urgency is highlighted when Raglan and Hudson do their version of the Chuckle Brothers when taking goal kicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobledgersheart Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 51 minutes ago, Dave_Og said: Is that the great imponderable? Do we know he was given a restricted role or did he not step up? I was surprised to see him wide as he seems more suited to playing just behind our one striker. Perhaps he'll play there if Charsley's out for a while although I think Hammond's energy may make him the replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 54 minutes ago, Dave_Og said: Is that the great imponderable? Do we know he was given a restricted role or did he not step up? Much more of a free role when I've seen him play. I sometimes think MM is reluctant to let players off the leash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
League one forever Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 3 minutes ago, Bobledgersheart said: The lack of urgency is highlighted when Raglan and Hudson do their version of the Chuckle Brothers when taking goal kicks. Or when Conlon and Lundstram continuously look for the safe pass, usually backwards or sideways. Our only two midfielders who play a forward pass are Gardener and Charsley. The former can’t play every week and the latter is out injured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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