"Inside the Halle … catching little nimble shrimps"
Gilbert
Every now and then the fixture list turns up a game where you think "If we can’t win this one we mightas well pack up and go home" - and this match fits that bill pretty near perfectly. The Shrimpers are currently bottom of the table, without a win in their 11 games so far, and sporting a goal difference of -20 (scored 5, conceded 25). Hamstrung in League One last season by a signing embargo allied to the ongoing difficulties with HMRC, manager at the time Sol Campbell left in June with the club relegated (4 wins in 35 games). The outstanding tax bill of almost half a million pounds has been settled, but there has been something of a clear-out of senior players under new manager MarkMolesley - their current League Two form looks like this:-
November 3rd Bradford City (A) Lost 3-0
October 31st Port Vale (H) Lost 0-2
October 27th Oldham Athletic (H) Lost 1-2
October 24th Tranmere Rovers (A) Lost 2-0
October 20th Salford City (A) Lost 3-0
You get the idea…
Southend’s current squad includes ex-Saddler Jason Demetriou, who doubles as club captain. In recent seasons Sam Mantom was a regular player with 65 appearances, but he left in the 2020 clear-out, and is currently plying his trade at Rushall Olympic. Previous players to have been on the books of both clubs include Brett Angell and Stan Collymore.
Darrell Clarke has no worries about resting players for future Cup games, as we know there won’t be any. However his selection tactics are always unpredictable, although one or two players may have done their chances no harm in the Oxford United defeat. The unexplained absence of Liam Roberts from that game’s squad may mean that Jack Rose gets his opportunity for an extended run. Jake Scrimshaw’s energetic performance could see him start this game in view of the perceived weakness of the opposition’s defence. But (as always) at the end of the day, who knows?
Prediction? It just HAS to be a convincing home win. Even if we concede a goal in our usual gesture of goodwill, the final result should be something like 4-1 to the Saddlers, with contributions from a rested Adebayo (2), Holden, and a debut screamer from Scrimshaw.
These sort of games always worry me as the run Southend are on must end sometime. Our inability to create and score goals is also a worry so I think we will win 1-0.
Statistically it may be untrue (?) but the feeling that we are always likely to kick-start somebody else’s dreadful run is always there I agree. Given the comments on the Oxford thread this will lead to much wailing and gnashing of teeth if things go wrong and even your 1-0 win prediction may not prevent that.
Southend in a complete mess. Sad to see another former established league one club and of similar stature to Walsall heading for non league.
Seems their owner has now lost interest after pumping in some decent money for years (not long ago had likes of Anton Ferdinand and Kightly playing for them) as been talk of them leaving Roots Hall for 15 years but nothing seems to ever happen with new stadium.
They’ve got the odd experienced player in Demetriou and Oxley still with them but rest are just kids.
To have any chance of proper top 7 bid simply have to win this game. Type that did stop the momentum last season e.g. 1-1 home draw with Macclesfield who were in a similar state.
All these 3-0 4-0 5-1 projections, who is going to score all these goals? When we know for a fact that Darrell will play 9 defenders (to include two groundsmen who’s names went into ‘the hat’ by mistake) non of whom have ever played together before, to combat Sarfend’s strong attacking threat. He will change the ‘system’ every 12 minutes, sideways and backwards will be the attacking mantra, he will play ‘give us an easy goal chance’ FlapatitRoberts, and Clarke will be there to lay on the usual defensive ‘clanger’.
Other than the above I’m confident of a crushing 1-1 win.
Lavery to score…cus of course DC will pick him.
More of a ‘can’t lose’ than a ‘must win’. 2-1 us in a nervy display. 80% possession in our own half, most moves breaking down in the last third. Scorers Og, Og and Og.
If we were on a bad run of losing games and a draw would be seen to stop the rot then I’d agree, but we’ve all seen enough draws this season and not enough wins, and that needs to change sooner rather than later.