Torquay United v Southend United Sat 25 Feb KO 3pm

[thebigp1]

I have to say today was an absolute disgrace. The standard of football was nothing short of embarrassing. I cannot remember us at any point passing the ball instead we aimlessly pump it long over and over again. The only player is saw put any effort in was lapslie. Nico the only other player who looks above this level.

Zero atmosphere other than a few idiots giving it large in the pop side. GJ walking off at the end and on a few occasions unable to take any criticism from fans who had enough from the bench. We deserve to go down.

[Louis]

[DB57]

In Gary we trust?

[Mr Tea808]

It's no surprise, Southend are no mugs, decent team, we've got 6 NL standard players, the rest are not up to it, need shipping out, they probably know they're gone come May, to inconsistent for this level, I said months ago, why did no other NL clubs snap these players up?, I know GJ was hoping some of them were going to come good and get a few rough diamonds, but sadly it's backfired bigtime,what gets to me is, why does our XI, formation and tactics change SO much?, Way to many signings, and naive loanees, crazy set up, we need to pull a rabbit out the hat soon, how can you work on any structure,tactics and passages of play when we sign so many loanees, we never get anyone proven or experienced do we?, Always shopping in clubs under 23 teams, or misfits from other clubs, it sounds blunt, but it a harsh truth

[DevonBee]

The problem is Hoofball is the Gj way when we are in this relegation situation. It is pitiful to watch Moxey, and with all his Premier League experience just hoof it high and 9 times out of 10 Jarvis will not win his header...and the ball will come straight back .
Opposition can get sucked into the Hoofball, but most teams don't at Plainmoor.
As i have said before...count how many headers, flick on Jarvis and Tope win from the long ball......and how many they lose.

[bobbytanz1963]

Well that was dreadful. Only players worthy of mention were Lapslie, Lawrence,Jarvis and Collins !

MOM Donnellan (WTF) backs of the guy who scores their winner with McGavin treading water in lukewarm pursuit ! Why was De Silva on the left ??? He should be hugging the right touch line. McGavin isn’t up to it too lightweight and slow. Marshall is like a scared rabbit at the back. Mensah well that was the worst performance I’ve seen for a while !

GJ doesn’t like the verbals from the crowd then ? He should grow a pair as it’s him that’s brought together the worst squad in years and the buck stops with him. He ain’t gonna be shown the door as he is so entrenched at the club so all we can do is accept the inevitable relegation and then wait for GJ to walk away and look forward to a new era !!

At least ticket prices may be less next year ???

[Admiral]

Well that was dreadful. Only players worthy of mention were Lapslie, Lawrence,Jarvis and Collins !

MOM Donnellan (WTF) backs of the guy who scores their winner with McGavin treading water in lukewarm pursuit ! Why was De Silva on the left ??? He should be hugging the right touch line. McGavin isn’t up to it too lightweight and slow. Marshall is like a scared rabbit at the back. Mensah well that was the worst performance I’ve seen for a while !

GJ doesn’t like the verbals from the crowd then ? He should grow a pair as it’s him that’s brought together the worst squad in years and the buck stops with him. He ain’t gonna be shown the door as he is so entrenched at the club so all we can do is accept the inevitable relegation and then wait for GJ to walk away and look forward to a new era !!

At least ticket prices may be less next year ???

He’ll be gone at the end of the season.

[desperado]

Whatever his reasons for playing that formation it didn't work. De Silva was uncomfortable and ineffective on the left.
Why play Mensah who has hardly played a game and not fit up against a player like Bridge - I felt sorry for him. Just play your strongest team in a system that's suits them and they are happiest in.
De Silva can't defend but at least his pace on the right would have been more of a threat and he could have kept pace and knocked the outstanding Bridge off his stride who was taking the piss and going past people for fun. Could have played 4-4-2 with Wyatt left midfield. Let's have Evans and Collins starting on Tuesday.
I would even play Wyatt centre mid in preference to the pedestrian McGavin, the bloke just doesn't look fit, the only thing of note he did was whip over that superb inviting free kick that was begging to be put in but no-one fancied getting on the end of it and risk getting hurt - oh for someone like Steve Cooper !

[Admiral]

Whatever his reasons for playing that formation it didn't work. De Silva was uncomfortable and ineffective on the left.
Why play Mensah who has hardly played a game and not fit up against a player like Bridge - I felt sorry for him. Just play your strongest team in a system that's suits them and they are happiest in.
De Silva can't defend but at least his pace on the right would have been more of a threat and he could have kept pace and knocked the outstanding Bridge off his stride who was taking the piss and going past people for fun. Could have played 4-4-2 with Wyatt left midfield. Let's have Evans and Collins starting on Tuesday.
I would even play Wyatt centre mid in preference to the pedestrian McGavin, the bloke just doesn't look fit, the only thing of note he did was whip over that superb inviting free kick that was begging to be put in but no-one fancied getting on the end of it and risk getting hurt - oh for someone like Steve Cooper !

This is the issue with Johnson, he doesn’t play to the strengths of the players we have. Instead he insists on a formation that doesn’t work with players out of position, blaming everyone but himself when we lose.

[Modgull]

I was so steamed up when I got home I thought I should resist an early posting. The first half was very poor with just two powder puff attempts on goal and one on target. The second half was a slight improvement with six attempts and two on target but we never looked likely winners of that game.

Performances all over the pitch were below par but special criticism has to be levelled at Mensah (an even worse full back than Crowe!), Marshall (a disaster waiting to happen), McGavin (a slow, lumbering presence in midfield who seems to think he just has to pirouette with the ball a few times and leave others to do the hard work) and De Silva (who despite his obvious talent in an attacking role was hardly in the game and a liability when defending). And who were we relying on to change the game at the death but another lightweight, Hanson!

Sadly, I have come to the realisation that we just do not have enough talent in the squad to survive in this league - those who are up to standard (Jarvis, Lapslie, Moxey, Lawrence and Halstead) are being let down by their team-mates and, by implication, the management. I hope I am proven wrong but I cannot see us collecting enough points from our remaining games.

[Modgull]

BTW I think we missed Evans yesterday - he's taken a lot of stick from some during the season but I think much of it was unfair and at least he works his socks off like Lapslie and unlike the rest of our midfield.

[Gull in black]

After drawing level late in the match I’m devastated that we came away with nothing.
Still, back at Plainmoor on Tuesday. Bromley begin with B like Barnet do maybe we can play like the second game against Barnet … nonsense I know but it’s my best source of hope !

[portugull]

I have watched the winning goal on the Highlights about 10 times. No 8 and 17 in the Southend team ran at Jarvis almost before the whistle blew with the result that Southend counter attacked at speed. Wyatt made a valiant attempt to get back and so nearly succeeded in blocking the shot that won 3 points for Southend.

However watch Donnellan and McGavin.All season their lack of pace has resulted in goal after goal being conceded. Both one paced and just a liability when they go forward because on the counter they cannot get back leaving us wide open.

Just watch them lumbering along and you wonder how a professional full time footballer can be this slow.

I agree with Modgull half this team are not up to standard but I exempt De Silva because he is a match winner if only Johnson would play him as an attacking winger on the right. It is infuriating that De Silva is expected to defend when clearly he is not, and never will be, a good defender. What a stupid waste of his attacking talent.

[DevonBee]

Horrendously slow at getting back, but then fitness levels have been questionable all season.
McGavin slow on the ball and getting forward, even slower when chasing back.
According to Wiki he signed a 3 year contract for us...if true whoever agreed this should be shot in my opinion.

[standupsitdown]

I agree with Modgull half this team are not up to standard but I exempt De Silva because he is a match winner if only Johnson would play him as an attacking winger on the right. It is infuriating that De Silva is expected to defend when clearly he is not, and never will be, a good defender. What a stupid waste of his attacking talent.

I completely agree with this. Why waste our most creative player and attacking threat by playing him in defence. It's not even as if he's a good defender.