Our current form

[Slim Man]

Right, the disappointment of Friday is still very very raw to me. It just adds to our poor run and with only 1 win in our last 10 there is no point in pretending otherwise, since Coutts injury we have been very poor and in relegation form to be quite honest. There isn’t a prayer we can stay in the top 6 if we continue in this vein, so what’s going wrong and what changes?

For me first and foremost we aren’t playing with the same intensity we were playing with earlier in the season, when we had a real point to prove. It was hell for leather, 110%, quick attacking football. The centre halves would bomb on a few times but not ALL the time like they do now, teams have sussed the overlapping from them and it’s just not having the same effect for that reason.

The final ball more often than not has been terrible. We are making the wrong decisions in the final third so often now.

Sideways passing. Very little dynamic running through the middle or running with the ball in general. It’s all very easy to defend against.

This for me is why I’d line up like we did at Wednesday with Brooks just off Clarke once he’s back fit. Then either Duffy or Holmes next to them. We need something different and someone who’s prepared to grab the ball and run with it, ask questions of packed defences and commit players. They’re scared to death of him when he gets the ball.

Players such as Stevens and Basham have become very comfortable. They know they won’t be dropped and their form has taken a massive dive due to that.

We don’t know what to do when teams come to defend. We don’t ask any questions really, we just pass across the pitch and cross the ball in to an already packed box.

I’d drop Leonard in at RCB, he CAN play in that role, not exclusively though. One of the posters in the Southend view from says he’s best as a marauding right back in his view, our RCB is essentially a full back quite often. He’s 6 foot, physical, athletic and I think very capable of playing that role.

Once Freeman is back I’d play him at left wing back, since Chris obviously doesn’t trust Lafferty. I don’t think Lundstram has done much to deserve dropping but I’d like to see Evans play because he can take a set piece and score from outside the area so I’d probably try him behind the front 2 in place of Duffy who I think probably needs a rest.

Then hopefully we have Holmes through the door and Brooks back fit our final ball will improve and we’ll bring the intensity back that we had earlier in the season.

We’ve come too far to keep saying ‘would you have taken this before the season started blah blah blah, because at this rate it’s leading us to mid table, we’re very close to it as it stands nevermind with another couple of poor results. We can pick it up but things need to change and we need our players to take on more responsibility. Hopefully the new lads can bring our standards back up to where they were as it’s still all to play for.

 

[Large Mendonca]

We were far from poor against Bristol City, Aston Villa, Sunderland, Derby and Ipswich. Yeah ok it's a disappointment from topping the league following the Burton game, but we just need to take stock and think back to less than 2 years ago, and the personnel we had under Adkins

<shudders>

 

[Fanny magnet]

Right, the disappointment of Friday is still very very raw to me. It just adds to our poor run and with only 1 win in our last 10 there is no point in pretending otherwise, since Coutts injury we have been very poor and in relegation form to be quite honest. There isn’t a prayer we can stay in the top 6 if we continue in this vein, so what’s going wrong and what changes?

For me first and foremost we aren’t playing with the same intensity we were playing with earlier in the season, when we had a real point to prove. It was hell for leather, 110%, quick attacking football. The centre halves would bomb on a few times but not ALL the time like they do now, teams have sussed the overlapping from them and it’s just not having the same effect for that reason.

The final ball more often than not has been terrible. We are making the wrong decisions in the final third so often now.

Sideways passing. Very little dynamic running through the middle or running with the ball in general. It’s all very easy to defend against.

This for me is why I’d line up like we did at Wednesday with Brooks just off Clarke once he’s back fit. Then either Duffy or Holmes next to them. We need something different and someone who’s prepared to grab the ball and run with it, ask questions of packed defences and commit players. They’re scared to death of him when he gets the ball.

Players such as Stevens and Basham have become very comfortable. They know they won’t be dropped and their form has taken a massive dive due to that.

We don’t know what to do when teams come to defend. We don’t ask any questions really, we just pass across the pitch and cross the ball in to an already packed box.

I’d drop Leonard in at RCB, he CAN play in that role, not exclusively though. One of the posters in the Southend view from says he’s best as a marauding right back in his view, our RCB is essentially a full back quite often. He’s 6 foot, physical, athletic and I think very capable of playing that role.

Once Freeman is back I’d play him at left wing back, since Chris obviously doesn’t trust Lafferty. I don’t think Lundstram has done much to deserve dropping but I’d like to see Evans play because he can take a set piece and score from outside the area so I’d probably try him behind the front 2 in place of Duffy who I think probably needs a rest.

Then hopefully we have Holmes through the door and Brooks back fit our final ball will improve and we’ll bring the intensity back that we had earlier in the season.

We’ve come too far to keep saying ‘would you have taken this before the season started blah blah blah, because at this rate it’s leading us to mid table, we’re very close to it as it stands nevermind with another couple of poor results. We can pick it up but things need to change and we need our players to take on more responsibility. Hopefully the new lads can bring our standards back up to where they were as it’s still all to play for.

Agree with every word of that
My Sentiments entirely would love to see us face up that way at home
Also use evans as back up for Duffy after an hour and Wilson to replace one of the front lads

 

[Slim Man]

We were far from poor against Bristol City, Aston Villa, Sunderland, Derby and Ipswich. Yeah ok it's a disappointment from topping the league following the Burton game, but we just need to take stock and think back to less than 2 years ago, and the personnel we had under Adkins

<shudders>

We were unlucky against Bristol. Two poor defensive mistakes against Villa cost us, we never really looked like getting the second at Derby but we did play very well.

Didn’t go to Ipswich but that was our second string vs theirs, on that note I’d give Thomas a go by the way.

Sunderland are and were absolutely terrible, we might have beaten them under David Weir...

That’s also countered by the performances on Friday against a poor Wednesday side, against Bolton in their first away win all season, at home against a poor Birmingham side only taking a point and getting absolutely demolished at Millwall. We’ve lost a lot of consistency as much as anything.

 

[Slim Man]

Agree with every word of that
My Sentiments entirely would love to see us face up that way at home
Also use evans as back up for Duffy after an hour and Wilson to replace one of the front lads

Chelsea used that line up last season to win the league, they used the 5 at the back but had 2 attacking midfielders playing off Costa. That’s how I think we should start lining up once Brooks is back.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I think we've just been sussed out. Teams know that if they defend deep we can't work a way through and then they have a chance on the break. The amount of times we have players out of position because we have 4 in the corner fannying about is concerning. Really hope Ricky Holmes offers something different in the final 3rd.

 

[HoodedClaw]

I think we just need to speed up our play a bit, we've gone a bit chuckle brothers football once we get near the oppositions box, to me to you to me to you. Once the overload has worked and we've a bit of space get the ball in, not doing so has thrown the timings out for the forwards, they have no clue when or if there will be a cross.

I also want Fleck to believe in himself a bit more and drive forward with the ball, he's got all the talent to do it, and they shit themselves on Friday when he did. I've got fingers crossed that Friday was the start of him doing this more.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

We need wins, no two ways about it.

But (& maybe this is clutching at straws a bit), the last 5 games have seen a significant improvement in a defensive sense -

• Two clean sheets (after having gone the previous 10 games without one)
• Only one goal conceded from open play
• Just four goals conceded in 5 games

That was needed, we'd become too porous.

 

[dc_blade]

There have been signs of improvement already. Form over the last 5 games is WLDWD. In none of those games have we played as badly as we did against QPR, Millwall, or Preston. Even more importantly, we've had 3 clean sheets in those 5 games, suggesting the worst of the defensive problems are behind us.

Having said that, I think there are problems up front. We continue to dominate possession in the attacking third without creating enough chances. We struggle to break down deep-lying defences. We persist in playing two No. 9s (Clarke plus either Sharp or Donaldson) when it doesn't lead to effective partnerships up front. When Duffy is out of form we completely lack guile in and around the box. After very promising starts to the season our wing backs have stopped making any real attacking contribution (Stevens in the worst offender).

I'd like to think some of the new signings will fix a bit of this.

I also think it's daft to say we've been terrible over this poor run. We've had two really bad performances, one freak result, and some bad luck. If we were playing badly I'd be worried but we're not and I still reckon we have a shot at the play offs.

 

[Slim Man]

There have been signs of improvement already. Form over the last 5 games is WLDWD. In none of those games have we played as badly as we did against QPR, Millwall, or Preston. Even more importantly, we've had 3 clean sheets in those 5 games, suggesting the worst of the defensive problems are behind us.

Having said that, I think there are problems up front. We continue to dominate possession in the attacking third without creating enough chances. We struggle to break down deep-lying defences. We persist in playing two No. 9s (Clarke plus either Sharp or Donaldson) when it doesn't lead to effective partnerships up front. When Duffy is out of form we completely lack guile in and around the box. After very promising starts to the season our wing backs have stopped making any real attacking contribution (Stevens in the worst offender).

I'd like to think some of the new signings will fix a bit of this.

I also think it's daft to say we've been terrible over this poor run. We've had two really bad performances, one freak result, and some bad luck. If we were playing badly I'd be worried but we're not and I still reckon we have a shot at the play offs.

I don’t think anyone’s said we’ve been terrible

 

[Fanny magnet]

Chelsea used that line up last season to win the league, they used the 5 at the back but had 2 attacking midfielders playing off Costa. That’s how I think we should start lining up once Brooks is back.

Definitely when up against the kind of defensive formations we've seen in the last half dozen home games
The two up top seems to work well away where teams have to attack

 

[Esablade]

I think we just need to speed up our play a bit, we've gone a bit chuckle brothers football once we get near the oppositions box, to me to you to me to you. Once the overload has worked and we've a bit of space get the ball in, not doing so has thrown the timings out for the forwards, they have no clue when or if there will be a cross.

I also want Fleck to believe in himself a bit more and drive forward with the ball, he's got all the talent to do it, and they shit themselves on Friday when he did. I've got fingers crossed that Friday was the start of him doing this more.

For me what’s been most disappointing were the performances against the ‘shitter’ teams..Bolton, Preston, Millwalll...against the supposed ‘better’ teams we’ve performed well.

Hopefully the new lads will freshen things up a bit, give us more options and help us get back into the winning habit.

UTB!

 

[Brian Blessed]

1 win in the last 6 at home is worrying, given what a fortress the Lane was earlier in the season. Especially when that 1 win was against the worst team in the league and 3 of the other 5 were against bottom third opponents.

 

[Rodley]

Right, the disappointment of Friday is still very very raw to me. It just adds to our poor run and with only 1 win in our last 10 there is no point in pretending otherwise, since Coutts injury we have been very poor and in relegation form to be quite honest. There isn’t a prayer we can stay in the top 6 if we continue in this vein, so what’s going wrong and what changes?

For me first and foremost we aren’t playing with the same intensity we were playing with earlier in the season, when we had a real point to prove. It was hell for leather, 110%, quick attacking football. The centre halves would bomb on a few times but not ALL the time like they do now, teams have sussed the overlapping from them and it’s just not having the same effect for that reason.

The final ball more often than not has been terrible. We are making the wrong decisions in the final third so often now.

Sideways passing. Very little dynamic running through the middle or running with the ball in general. It’s all very easy to defend against.

This for me is why I’d line up like we did at Wednesday with Brooks just off Clarke once he’s back fit. Then either Duffy or Holmes next to them. We need something different and someone who’s prepared to grab the ball and run with it, ask questions of packed defences and commit players. They’re scared to death of him when he gets the ball.

Players such as Stevens and Basham have become very comfortable. They know they won’t be dropped and their form has taken a massive dive due to that.

We don’t know what to do when teams come to defend. We don’t ask any questions really, we just pass across the pitch and cross the ball in to an already packed box.

I’d drop Leonard in at RCB, he CAN play in that role, not exclusively though. One of the posters in the Southend view from says he’s best as a marauding right back in his view, our RCB is essentially a full back quite often. He’s 6 foot, physical, athletic and I think very capable of playing that role.

Once Freeman is back I’d play him at left wing back, since Chris obviously doesn’t trust Lafferty. I don’t think Lundstram has done much to deserve dropping but I’d like to see Evans play because he can take a set piece and score from outside the area so I’d probably try him behind the front 2 in place of Duffy who I think probably needs a rest.

Then hopefully we have Holmes through the door and Brooks back fit our final ball will improve and we’ll bring the intensity back that we had earlier in the season.

We’ve come too far to keep saying ‘would you have taken this before the season started blah blah blah, because at this rate it’s leading us to mid table, we’re very close to it as it stands nevermind with another couple of poor results. We can pick it up but things need to change and we need our players to take on more responsibility. Hopefully the new lads can bring our standards back up to where they were as it’s still all to play for.

 

[Slim Man]

Decent contribution

 

[thehet]

Right, the disappointment of Friday is still very very raw to me. It just adds to our poor run and with only 1 win in our last 10 there is no point in pretending otherwise, since Coutts injury we have been very poor and in relegation form to be quite honest. There isn’t a prayer we can stay in the top 6 if we continue in this vein, so what’s going wrong and what changes?

For me first and foremost we aren’t playing with the same intensity we were playing with earlier in the season, when we had a real point to prove. It was hell for leather, 110%, quick attacking football. The centre halves would bomb on a few times but not ALL the time like they do now, teams have sussed the overlapping from them and it’s just not having the same effect for that reason.

The final ball more often than not has been terrible. We are making the wrong decisions in the final third so often now.

Sideways passing. Very little dynamic running through the middle or running with the ball in general. It’s all very easy to defend against.

This for me is why I’d line up like we did at Wednesday with Brooks just off Clarke once he’s back fit. Then either Duffy or Holmes next to them. We need something different and someone who’s prepared to grab the ball and run with it, ask questions of packed defences and commit players. They’re scared to death of him when he gets the ball.

Players such as Stevens and Basham have become very comfortable. They know they won’t be dropped and their form has taken a massive dive due to that.

We don’t know what to do when teams come to defend. We don’t ask any questions really, we just pass across the pitch and cross the ball in to an already packed box.

I’d drop Leonard in at RCB, he CAN play in that role, not exclusively though. One of the posters in the Southend view from says he’s best as a marauding right back in his view, our RCB is essentially a full back quite often. He’s 6 foot, physical, athletic and I think very capable of playing that role.

Once Freeman is back I’d play him at left wing back, since Chris obviously doesn’t trust Lafferty. I don’t think Lundstram has done much to deserve dropping but I’d like to see Evans play because he can take a set piece and score from outside the area so I’d probably try him behind the front 2 in place of Duffy who I think probably needs a rest.

Then hopefully we have Holmes through the door and Brooks back fit our final ball will improve and we’ll bring the intensity back that we had earlier in the season.

We’ve come too far to keep saying ‘would you have taken this before the season started blah blah blah, because at this rate it’s leading us to mid table, we’re very close to it as it stands nevermind with another couple of poor results. We can pick it up but things need to change and we need our players to take on more responsibility. Hopefully the new lads can bring our standards back up to where they were as it’s still all to play for.

Where to start with this...

Leonard at RCB? The position everyone has been saying Bash needs to be in instead of CCV. Crazy.
Freeman at LWB? He's a RWB.
Evans, a CM in place of Duffy in behind who's without question our most creative player.
But actually, you said before that that Duffy or Holmes next to Brooks behind Clarke. Which is it then? One of them isn't even signed yet.

I agree with one point of yours - we play Brooks behind Clarke.
The midfield three should be LCM - Fleck, CM - Lundstram, RCM - Leonard. Duffy to fight it out with Brooks.
We need to be more creative, this means we need something extra in the midfield. The reason Wilson came on instead of Sharp on Friday was he had a tendancy to drop off into midfield and pick the ball up.
We shouldn't change our shape, the players are fine in it.
Everything Wilder said was correct, we just need to make better decisions in the final third, not start playing midfielders at CB and so on.

 

[wizadry]

For me what’s been most disappointing were the performances against the ‘shitter’ teams..Bolton, Preston, Millwalll...against the supposed ‘better’ teams we’ve performed well.

Hopefully the new lads will freshen things up a bit, give us more options and help us get back into the winning habit.

UTB!

You’ve missed the pigs out when you mention the shitter sides comment.

 

[Esablade]

You’ve missed the pigs out when you mention the shitter sides.

...they woz the shittist.

 

[wizadry]

We’ve just got to be a bit quicker and make better decisions in the final third, we aren’t far off.

 

[Smirth]

I wonder whether it’s time for a formation change to a 3-4-3. I think that could allow us to get two players in between the lines to support one striker, rather than relying on Duffy to do it all by myself.

We can’t keep saying that we’ve played well but not won. It’s gone on too long and think it may be time to freshen it up.

Lundstram our for Leonard. Maybe Basham our with Stearman playing on the right side and Wright in the middle.

Duffy and Holmes or Brooks playing off Clarke or Donaldson.

 

[FinchleyBlade]

When back fit, Brooks certainly needs to be upfront with Clarke, we have been crying out for someone like him to run at teams centrally in recent home games.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

I wonder whether it’s time for a formation change to a 3-4-3. I think that could allow us to get two players in between the lines to support one striker, rather than relying on Duffy to do it all by myself.

We can’t keep saying that we’ve played well but not won. It’s gone on too long and think it may be time to freshen it up.

Lundstram our for Leonard. Maybe Basham our with Stearman playing on the right side and Wright in the middle.

Duffy and Holmes or Brooks playing off Clarke or Donaldson.

Was about to proffer the same idea.

 

[sitwell]

Players such as Stevens and Basham have become very comfortable. They know they won’t be dropped and their form has taken a massive dive due to that

You seriously think that is the case ? Wilder isn't bothered who he drops ,ask Bill sharp.

 

[Slim Man]

Where to start with this...

Leonard at RCB? The position everyone has been saying Bash needs to be in instead of CCV. Crazy.
Freeman at LWB? He's a RWB.
Evans, a CM in place of Duffy in behind who's without question our most creative player.
But actually, you said before that that Duffy or Holmes next to Brooks behind Clarke. Which is it then? One of them isn't even signed yet.

I agree with one point of yours - we play Brooks behind Clarke.
The midfield three should be LCM - Fleck, CM - Lundstram, RCM - Leonard. Duffy to fight it out with Brooks.
We need to be more creative, this means we need something extra in the midfield. The reason Wilson came on instead of Sharp on Friday was he had a tendancy to drop off into midfield and pick the ball up.
We shouldn't change our shape, the players are fine in it.
Everything Wilder said was correct, we just need to make better decisions in the final third, not start playing midfielders at CB and so on.

He did need to move back to RCB, but he’s been poor there since he has. He’s played a lot of games in a lot of different positions and he could do with a rest as I think his form is suffering. Leonard apparently can play there, he’s a similar player to Basham.

Freeman might be a right back but he’s played left back for us before... surely you can remember that? Full backs can swap wings, especially if they’re comfortable with both feet.
Duffy has been poor lately, dipped below his standards. Hence the thinking of giving someone else a try now we have a better alternative to Carruthers in waiting.

Have you even been watching us recently?

Despite that, I do agree with the gist of your last point

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

When back fit, Brooks certainly needs to be upfront with Clarke, we have been crying out for someone like him to run at teams centrally in recent home games.

In the two games he's featured in for wales, he's been on the right hand side of the 3 in a 4-2-3-1.

 

[Slim Man]

You seriously think that is the case ? Wilder isn't bothered who he drops ,ask Bill sharp.

I don’t think he darent drop them, I just think Chris doesn’t think Lafferty is good enough to come in for Stevens in the league. If he had surely he’d have played by now, Stevens has been poor for a fair bit of time.

Basham probably a more difficult one but now we’ve signed Leonard who’s a similar type of player we’ll see because I can’t see why him or Evans deserve to come in for Lunny or Fleck, they’ve been good lately despite everything

 

[Slim Man]

When back fit, Brooks certainly needs to be upfront with Clarke, we have been crying out for someone like him to run at teams centrally in recent home games.

I agree with you definitely. Was a joy to watch against pigs then at home to Wolves these two upfront. Now Clarke’s only got better since then.

 

[Slim Man]

We’ve just got to be a bit quicker and make better decisions in the final third, we aren’t far off.

How long do we keep saying that before actually thinking ‘right this isn’t working’ and change it up?

 

[alcoblade]

You’ve missed the pigs out when you mention the shitter sides comment.

Because it goes without saying.

 

[alcoblade]

How long do we keep saying that before actually thinking ‘right this isn’t working’ and change it up?

Wilder knows this, and we’ve just made 4 signings who are apparently all more direct in their thinking.