Southend 0-1 Bolton

If we can be so poor and win then promotion is on, missed a couple of chances first half but so poor second.

Maddison needs minutes on the pitch if he is to return to the form he showed, and IE knows this he will stay in however he may rest him on Tuesday just to protct him from injury,the frustrating thing with MM is he should do the simple things well whilst regaining fitness rather than doing the fancy stuff, always reckon it takes 5 or 6 games to find your touch, the point proved by Lee who continues to improve MOM for me, best player on the pitch however was George of Southend.

Whitesince63 wrote:That second half was just excruciatingly bad but if we can be that poor and still come out with 3 points, bring it on I say. We still miss a player in the middle of the park to boss the game though, put his foot on the ball and direct play. None of our midfield are like that, other than possibly Young George. I just hope he doesn’t get sacrificed for Sarcevic now he’s fit again, he produces twice as much and his range of passing is immense. I’d have put him on instead of Sarcevic today as he did on Wednesday because we were crying out for someone to control the play but in the end we got the result. Two winnable home games coming up now which should see us into the play off places unless we cock it up again like last time we got on a run!!

I think Williams did a decent job and he and Lee are quality at this level but my biggest concern is the lack of cohesion when we get up the pitch. Worryingly a lot of it is down to poor touch and passing which really does have to improve massively if we are to get anywhere this season. So frustrating to watch them turn the ball over so often. Luckily we haven’t played teams capable of taking advantage recently but that will change.

Don’t forget everyone has 2 to 4 games in hand on us  so we just need to keep on winning and hope it’s enough.

For the second game running I was in the toilet when Bolton scored a late winner.

Natasha Whittam wrote:For the second game running I was in the toilet when Bolton scored a late winner.

Drink yourself stupid before the next game. This is definitely the only reason we won the past two

I'll up my Pepsi intake for the team.

Crap performance today, but the 3 points is all that matters.

I'd forgotten what it felt like to go on a run like this but boy it feels good.

Yes I know it's only League Two and we're still only 10th but so what? It's been too long since I felt luck is WITH us for a change so I'm going to enjoy this while it lasts.

Report: Southend United 0-1 Bolton Wanderers

Substitute Shaun Miller scored his 100th career goal as he came off the bench to secure a late winner to complete a Sky Bet League Two double over Southend United at Roots Hall.

The striker was in the right place at the right time to fire home from close range after fellow sub Antoni Sarcevic’s deflected volley spun off the bar.
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​​The victory was Wanderers' third on the spin taking their unbeaten record to five games as they moved to tenth spot in the table.
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​​Ian Evatt made one change to the team that travelled to Roots Hall with Nathan Delfouneso coming in for Lloyd Isgrove, who was named amongst the substitutes.
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​​Wanderers started brightly and Dapo Afolayan was unlucky to fire a low shot just wide from the edge of the box after being played in by Declan John.
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​​Mark Oxley spilled a low shot from distance from Marcus Maddison with Doyle not far away with the follow up which looped just over the bar.
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​​At the other end, Ashley Nathaniel-George should have done better but drilled his effort wide of Matt Gilks’ right-hand post from the edge of the box.
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​​A clever flick from Afolayan saw him create space to surge into before threading the ball through to Doyle whose first-time strike went wide of goal.
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​​Afolayan had the ball in the back of the net after 17 minutes but the linesman had penalised Doyle for an offside in the build-up.
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​​Elvis Bwomono headed over from close range after reaching Hackett-Fairchild’s swing into the box with the game evenly poised.
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​​Oxley made a point-blank save from Alex Baptiste after Marcus Maddison had swung in a decent free-kick from the far side.
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​​Doyle then had a powerful angled drive cleared off the line after some good work from Delfouneso while Maddison was narrowly wide with a strike from distance seconds later which whistle just wide of the post.
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​​Although no clear-cut chances were created during the opening stages of the second period, Wanderers were enjoying more possession and looking resolute in defence at the same time.
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​​Wanderers made a triple substitution after 63 minutes with Antoni Sarcevic, Arthur Gnahoua, and Lloyd Isgrove coming on for Afolayan, Maddison, and Delfouneso respectively.
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​​Evatt made another change with 15 minutes to go when Miller came on for Doyle to lead the line.
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​​Miller put Wanderers in front under bizarre circumstances with seven minutes to go with his first league for the club.
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​​Sarcevic’s volley from just outside the box took a wicked deflection which looped up and appeared to be going over the bar, but the ball floated down rebounded off the bar and into the substitute’s path. The former Crewe man made no mistake with his close-range volley to fire home.
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​​Wanderers survived two late corners with keeper Oxley allowed to join the attack, presumably to try and atone for his error which led to Miller’s winner.
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​​But they hung on for a memorable three points to take back home.
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Southend United: Oxley, Bwomono, Hobson, White, Clifford (Hart 78), Demetriou (Taylor 86), Dieng, Hackett-Fairchild (Holmes 67), Ferguson (Acquah 78), Nathaniel-George, Akinola.

Subs Not Used: Seaden, Cordner, McCormack.
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​Bolton Wanderers: Gilks, Jones, Williams, Almeida Santos, Delfouneso (Isgrove 63), Doyle (Miller, 75), Maddison (Gnahoua 63), Baptiste, John, Lee, Afolayan (Sarcevic 63).
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​​Subs Not Used: Jackson, Tutte, Thomason.

Goals: Miller (82).

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One important change I noticed, firstly in the Mansfield game because of the crap pitch, and a bit more yesterday, was that Gilks was kicking the ball much further up the pitch, 
The Mansfield game it was the right idea, as it was yesterday. However, yesterday, nobody had told the team that the ball was going to go further up the park, leaving most players in the two thirds nearest the goal, and there was no great rush to advance.
As for Maddison, he reintroduced the snapshot and long crossfield balls, back into the game, which is great, otherwise he was as much use as tits on a bull. You never know where he will be, and he really doesn't like getting involved in tackles. We need him, but can we afford to carry him for so much of the game?

I think you've answered your own question there gloswhite. We need Madison and that means we might have to carry him a bit but without him we're a poorer side. For now at least I'd say that ends the debate wouldn't you?

luckyPeterpiper wrote:I think you've answered your own question there gloswhite. We need Madison and that means we might have to carry him a bit but without him we're a poorer side. For now at least I'd say that ends the debate wouldn't you?

Until the next game probably, especially if the rest of the team improve.