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At Torquay, Newman's side finished the match with two defenders (yes, I did say two) and five strikers (if of course you include Jones). Now, I know Southend were chasing the game, but intelligence must be used. A side cannot defend with just one centre back, a left back and a central midfielder. Similarly it cannot attack down the flanks with an out and out striker employed in each position. And, most importantly of all, a team does not win matches if it doesn't have a strategy with which to win the match. Newman himself has confessed that he doesn't know what to say to his team when they are winning at half time. Well, if he doesn't know what to say to them when they're winning, how on earth can he motivate them when they're losing? The man defies belief.
A few supporters continue saying 'give Newman time and he'll get things right', but just how much time? He's been in charge now for fourteen months and seems no wiser than he was back then, and if he's allowed much more time Southend will simply continue to plummit into the relegation dogfight, and at this rate they will not stand a chance against the battlers at the foot of Division Three. Maybe Newman will get it right against the likes of Farnborough, but a slip into the non-league pyramid could well signal the end for our Football Club and is the career of Rob Newman really more important than the future of Southend United Football Club and it's dedicated supporters?
You can critise the players, and at times there are a few who don't pull their weight, but there are a few who aren't not up to the job at the moment; Kevin Maher, David McSweeney, Darryl Flahavan and of course Jones instantly spring to mind, but the players do not pick themselves and if Newman - a very stubborn man - cannot see (or more realistically, admit) that these players are not up to it, he shouldn't be in charge of a professional Football Club.
Anyway, onto the defeat at Torquay, and needless to say it was yet another encounter that clueless Southend never looked like winning, the first half of which was truly incredible with thre Shrimpers not mustering a simple attempt at goal until injury time at the end of the half.
The first chance arrived on nine minutes, Matt Hockley shooting just wide of Flahavan's goal from 20 yards before Damon Searle blocked Tony Bedeau's close range effort three minutes later.
Torquay took the lead on the 20 minute mark, slack defending by McSweeney allowing a long ball forward to drop straight into the path of Jo Kuffour who, totally unmarked, smashed a neat half volley past Flahavan from 15 yards. Minutes later Flahavan did well to push out Kuffour's long range shot.
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A dull, but stupidly one-sided first half came to close with the visitor's first 'half chance' of thr game when Arjan Van Heusden blocked a Tes Bramble effort at the near post.
Torquay goalkeeper Van Heusden was substituted for Kevin Dearden at half time, and one would have to strongly debate whether it came about through boredom, but nevertheless Southend stsrted the second period quite brightly and for a spell were probably the better side. However, twice Mark Rawle should have done better having been gifted with decent chances, firstly heading a Searle free kick inches wide of the post when completely unmarked before screwing a shot wayward having been played through on goal.
However the equaliser arrived on the hour, Dearden completely flapping at a loose ball whilst under rare pressure from Jones before Bramble found space to smash the ball home from eight yards. Interestingly it was the sixth consecutive away game in which Bramble had featured that he had scored.
The scores were not level for long though, and a bizarre incident five minutes later led to the home side regaining the advantage. A backpass from Maher dropped just outside the penalty area whee Flahavan, amazingly, decided to commit two crimes at once, firstly handling the backpass and secondly doing so outside his area. Surprisingly referee Graham Salisbury only booked the Shrimpers custodian. Anyhow the goal soon arrived as Darren Dunning curled the resulting free kick out of the grasp of Flahavan and into the top left hand corner of the net.
Flahavan went someway to redeeming himself by twice denying Kevin Hill in the 67th minute before a double Southend attack saw Dearden push a Rawle effort wide of the post before the chubby goalkeeper got a full grasp of Leon Cort's header from a Maher corner.
The match was over on 78 minutes, and it came courtesy of more sloppy Southend defending - but you must remember that by this stage the Shrimpers had very few defenders left on the pitch - Bedeau braking clear of the rearguard before slipping a cool finish underneath Flahavan.
Southend now have three very difficult matches. Make or break time for Mr Newman methinks...
Mark Wallis
www.thelittlegazette.com