Southend ( H )

I fancy us to get a fair few goals tomorrow, 3 or 4.

I think we will bounce back strong.

 

Chris Powell says ................

"They’ve got some results since David [Hopkin] has come in and quietly gone about his business. It was very tough at the start but of course that happens through the changes, but ultimately you have to do your best on the field and they have got some results and performances of late.

"We have to contend with them and be ready for them. Like all games at this level you have to be ready to compete and stake a claim to try and win the game.

"They’re very direct and they will put it on us. We’ve been working on that. I got my anger from the Plymouth game out the way on Monday because I didn’t want it lingering. We started our work on Tuesday and we know what we’re coming up against. We’re facing a player everyone knows well in Jack Payne and we’ll have to do our best to deal with what they will throw at us to win the game.

"We did well there last year and it’ll be good for us to emulate that result from Valley Parade last year."

 

I'm hoping these lot of utterly clueless and Isherwood is nowhere near the starting 11!

https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/20-year-old-starts-the-bradford-city-xi-we-expect-hopkin-to-play-v-southend-tomorrow/amp/

 

We're very direct?

Not sure. Discuss.

 

We were at Barnsley

 

We were direct early in Hopkins reign but in the last few months I wouldn’t say anything like as much. Things have clicked with the trio in midfield and Miller running the channels, then leading the chase as he work hard when not on the ball. Its nothing like the long diagonal balls from Rory to Hanson - as it was during Parky’s reign, for example!

Looking forward to the game.

 

No chance.

If it's a flat 4 it'll be Wood. Or if Wood is injured it'll be NKP with O'Connor A and O'Connor P/McGowan in the middle.

 

I'm guessing their new lad can't play as it seems like he only signed this morning. Well, he was only announced this morning anyway.

 

Hoping we can put the Barnsley defeat behind us, much like we did with Sunderland.

3 points today and some very winnable games coming up over the next few weeks.

 

According to the Southend club website he was signed in time to play.

 

I have been told that the new lad (Humphrys) is available for today's game and is match fit. We shall find out later today but I suspect he may go straight into the team (alongside Cox up front) or onto the bench so that we play Cox and Robinson up top.

 

And he (Humphrys) knows this division - having played previously for The Shrews and Scunny - so (from a Southend perspective) it all sounds quite good.

 

Direct is often confused with long ball.

It just means we don't spend hours farting around with the ball, maintaining possession across the back line and waiting patiently for gaps to appear.

We are very direct, high pressure, attacking every chance we get and countering with balls from O'Donnell.

 

Yes, I did wonder that also.

 

Back 3/5 to make its return at home today? Or just 4?

Team news out soon

 

If we have 3 at the back again. I will be pissed off.

 

I won't be! But seriously - for me four at the back offers the best defensive option for most teams - and in particular one that is in need of points. 3 at the back can all to often end as 5 as the back when under pressure (which given that Bradford are where they are in the league is what they can expect to be) and then there is to much room in midfield for the opposition to work in and there is to big a gap from defence to the front ............ so being direct can just lead to the ball being given away and the pressure coming back on.

Anyway - enough of that nonsense .......... I'm off to the game!

 

That line up has 6 loanees.

I wonder if we’ve converted Ball....?

Hopefully it’s not an admin balls up...

 

Only 5?