Southend were much better than us

I am not sufficiently competent to explain why.

But their number 10 was the best player on the pitch by a mile.

Their number 25 was second best.

They deserved to win. Although we could have fluked it had their goalie been rightfully sent off.

 

Number 10 being Payne? I'm sure he was a target of ours last summer. Ex Peterborough?

 

Looked like a poor man's Michael Owen.

But sadly too rich for us today.

 

Just thought we were abit nieve and got bullied at times and all the time wasting from the fourth minute got under our skin. We were poor today a off day but **** me they weren't real Madrid it was southend a rough physical side came with a game plan didn't let us play and it worked they deserved to win.

 

and another of the posse mounts up

predictable or what.

 

This is just about spot on; exactly as I saw the game. We're still a good side and we'll bounce back.

 

Whatever confidence we must have had after our recent run seemed to evaporate immediately. They bullied/pressured us from the start and took over.

Never mind.

 

Soft goal to give away but we can bounce back we lost to Gillingham and bounced back we will be okay am sure

 

I posted in October when you guys played at our place.

Thought you looked a good side then, just young and lacking confidence, so wasn't surprised you've been on such a great run.

In truth, we flatter to deceive. We play well against the better sides, but Brown builds us on work-rate and closing down quickly, which we don't do well every week.

Sounds like we were on our game today.

10 you mentioned is Jack Payne. He Isn't the same Payne that someone mentioned had played for Peterborough. He has come through our youth ranks. Should start every week, but Brown doesn't always see it that way.

25 is Kamara. On loan from Arsenal, but only played a couple of games.

Brown is linked heavily with a move to Bolton under the new consortium, so we might be a different side if and when we meet again.

Best of luck for the rest of the season. Be a major achievement to go up, given where you were in November.

No team is unbeatable in this division.

Ps, We were well pleased when we heard Sam Winnall was on the bench. Has he been injured this week?

 

I thought Southend were a very good side. They looked like the perfect example of a successful League One team as in big, strong, effective big man-little-man strike partnership, solid defence etc. Clearly they aren't all that great as they are only on the same points or less than us, but I was impressed. Wouldn't mind their front two at Oakwell to be honest, which I never thought I'd be saying before today.

 

I thought Southend were excellent today. The #25 in midfield was good, and the #26 in the centre of defence won everything. Our wingers were constantly surrounded by two if not three Southend players and did not manage to get a run into the penalty area. From the front Southend worked very hard.

 

I thought Southend played quite well , one of the better sides to come to Oakwell, Goals though change games and if Hourihane hadn't fluffed his pen. I think it would have been business as usual.

 

What was your take on your keeper? Straight red for denying goalscoring opportunity? Further chance of a second card for his behaviour walking off and refusing to return to the net?

 

Difficult one.

Some get given, some don't.

It's the borderline of whether It's a clear goalscoring opportunity. On the BBC Essex commentary down here, they feared the worst and were surprised it was a yellow. Funnily enough, he did the same thing at our place against you guys, though he doesn't normally come charging out. We wouldn't have been surprised if it was a red.

He does take his time before being ready for a penalty, though. Normally a bit of gamesmanship. Don't always like to see it, in truth.

Crewe did the same at our place, last week. Prolonging the spot-kick by arguing about whether the contact was inside or outside the box, resulting in a long delay while referee and assistant discussed all manner of things.

We missed the kick, as well.

 

I think the difference between players arguing to delay and what he did is that everyone was ready, hourihane was stood waiting to take the kick everyone else was outside the box and ref was in position and your dick of a keeper (no offence) was the only person refusing to do what he was told. The ref was a coward in my opinion.

As for the actual foul, our camera work wasn't the best as it was too zoomed in but I can say in all honesty I've never seen a clearer goalscoring opportunity that hasn't resulted in a red. Fletcher had perfeclty weighted his tap round the keeper and had an empty net to roll the ball into on his favoured foot

 

There was a theory that we had players covering, but it's the classic interpretation of the law, which is hazy, at best.

It was an opportunity to score, but some refs seem to say that if there is cover, it makes it not a clear opportunity. Not sure I agree with it.

Funny thing with a penalty being awarded is that the goalscoring opportunity Isn't denied, as a penalty is still a goalscoring opportunity,but yep, definitely can see why you guys thought it was a red card offence.

The ref sounded like he should have acted on the gamesmanship bit, though.

 

I understand the 'somebody covering' interpretation being an issue sometimes but not yesterday. When he was fouled there were only two players inside the 18 yard box, fletcher and the keeper

I honestly believe the ref was bent yesterday, he was that bad.

 

On that basis, then it's a red card offence.

Law needs looking at. Should be like the original 'professional foul' law where a player deliberately handles on the line or someone is hauled down from behind with an open goal in front of them, but the 'last man' rule kind of confuses things.

Like offside should be clear daylight between players.

I think the ref yesterday was changed at the last minute, so don't know too much about him.

The original ref did our home match against Coventry City, where he did send one of our players off, rightly so, and didn't send their keeper off for exactly the same thing as yesterday.

 

Were we linked with Payne in summer? Or am i thinking of someone else.

Good performance by Southend, did a proper a number on us and deserved to win.

I'm not really going to blame anyone for it. A few of em had off days, but i think they can be forgiven.

 

Southend were the better team & deserved the win.

What frustrated me was that I could see after 15 mins our midfield was towing. They had 3 men against our 2 & we couldn't cope. Payne & Kamara looked quality. Kamara seemed to win every tackle & get to every second ball first & Payne's movement was superb.

So it was simple, at half time take Chapman off & bring Scowen on. Go with the same system that worked against Coventry in the second half & match up against them.

I think that's the first time I can say I think Heckinbottom got a decision badly wrong in bringing Winnall on instead & staying 4-4-2.

But anyway we're still one of Europe's elite based on recent results, the football's entertaining, Hammill's worth the ticket price alone, I still want Heckinbottom to get the job & we're off to Wembley in 3 weeks. Happy days