Southend

[bungle]

It was his choice to start Hackett. He's been out for weeks.

Who would you have gone for?

[Dan]

Ivan Toney is struggling badly after a collision with the keeper.

[Dan]

Full time 2-0 Southend. How different things could have been.

Oh well, at least we are home next week    

 

[Dr Feelgood]

I reckon about 95% of us knew we'd lose today.

I was one of those. Maybe someone that went can judge the red card. I'm not that disappointed really.

Home next week so we'll win.

[Dr Feelgood]

Who would you have gone for?

Someone that hasn't been out for weeks. Anyone knows you bring a player back in gradually.

[bungle]

Someone that hasn't been out for weeks. Anyone knows you bring a player back in gradually.

Ok, name that 'someone'. The only option I can think of is Demon, who may well have got sent off himself. I've no doubt that  had Morris been fit then Hackett would have started on the bench.

[GrangeParkCobbler]

I'm off to Mexico Monday..Cancun. How is it down there?

Fine now, arrived Thursday, lots of rain thurs and Fri, but woke to blue skies and sunshine today, bit breezy but apart from that it's excellent!! Enjoy your time here!!
Saw a bloke wandering round our hotel in a Torquay shirt, hope he's still here next Saturday!! ;-)

[TbananaG]

Maybe someone that went can judge the red card. I'm not that disappointed really.

The first 20 mins looked like a race to the first red for both sides: looked like two yellows to me for Hackett - can't argue, and ADB made a big point of not acknowledging him as he came off.

[Gazman]

Someone that hasn't been out for weeks. Anyone knows you bring a player back in gradually.

I think 20 minutes of play time followed by a week off is quite gradual
 

[Elad]

Ref lost the plot today with all his cards. Our squad is just too thin for an crack at promotion. Think we'll be just under mid table and I can live with that.

[A view from the east]

Our squad is just too thin for an crack at promotion. Think we'll be just under mid table and I can live with that.

Its a shame but I think you're about right Elad.
Looking at the bench today told its own tale.

[1HorshamCobbler]

Hold on, we've got a top 7 budget guys!

[guest49]

Think we'll be just under mid table and I can live with that.

So if that was to happen then what would that actually mean going forward? It's not a loaded question, just that any club losing out on promotion by one game should have higher expectations the following season.
If we were to finish below mid table, we would most likely have a new squad again next season, which would have to 'gel' again, finishing mid table again etc.
Is this how low our expectations need to be?
Not a pop at you or anyone but sad when we are thinking like this, which I guess isn't surprising after all these years.

I can see us replicating last season. Having a fortress at home, cr*p away and losing 3 v 0 to Newport in the final in front of 15,000 miserable Cobblers fans.

It's all about fine margins though and if the pen had gone in it may have turned out totally differently today.

[fwalden]

I hate results like this. Miss a penalty after 7 minutes and then down to 10 men 20 mins in. Games over.

I don't think we can read too much into this result. Roy puts the pen away, confidence begins to exude out, maybe just maybe as a result of that, Chris doesn't go in as hard for that second challenge and we end up winning the game. It just shows what fine margins there are but again I don't think we all need to measuring our length of hanging rope just yet.

[tcobb]

 Its all going to be ok, Aidy says the away form is not too much of a problem ,so all is rosey.

[DrillingCobbler]

I watched the cricket down the pub...good choice!

I decided against going to Southend after going to York. As frustrating as it is to do, we must forget about yesterday. We played a team who had won both of their opening matches, we were away from home...we missed a penalty at 0-0 and then had to play with 10 men for 70 minutes.

My view hasn't changed because of yesterday, and it didn't change after we won last Saturday. I think we will finish bottom 8. Our first choice X1 is good, our 12th-18th best players are no where near good enough. As soon as we have a handful of injuries we look very exposed across the team, particularly in defence and up front. I would say we are 4 good players away from having a squad capable of challenging for a play off play.

There is still time to rectify that, and by the end of the month if we have I will change my outlook. I do not understand though how anyone can look at our current squad and say its better than it was in May!!

[1HorshamCobbler]

Well Aidy does!

[auntie chops]

I think we will finish bottom 8.

Really? Are you still on the gin?  I've just written some depressing s*** for the fanzine but it was more Morrissey than Nick Cave. Bloody 'ell.

[bungle]

I think we will finish bottom 8. Our first choice X1 is good, our 12th-18th best players are no where near good enough. As soon as we have a handful of injuries we look very exposed across the team, particularly in defence and up front. I would say we are 4 good players away from having a squad capable of challenging for a play off play.

I agree to a certain extent, although I think bottom 8 is a little pessimistic. The fact that Hackett was thrown straight in to a tough away game after missing out completely on pre-season is certainly indicative of the lack of depth in the squad. The fact that AB went for him over Demontagnac speaks volumes over his faith in the other options available. In hindsight it was mistake to start him, but you can't blame AB for failing to legislate for a missed penalty and some reckless tackling from one of our most experienced players

Having said that, we have suffered more than most from injuries to key players and we will be a much more competitive outfit when Langmead, Hornby and hopefully Nicholls get back.

[clarkeysntfc]

To be honest I more or less forgot we were playing.

Well done to Northants, by the way.