Its been a disastrous start to the season for Southend United. The Shrimpers are experiencing all sorts of problems on the pitch and issues off the pitch haven’t helped their season either.
A tough situation for manager Mark Molesley who only came arrived in the summer after a wonderful time at non-league Weymouth. However, he is enduring the harsh realities of the Football League and things desperately need to change and fast.
Major Problems Running Through Southend United
Keeping Clean Sheets is the Biggest Issue
Mark Molesley inherited the side which was relegated from League One last season. Due to their off-field problems, Molesley has had to work with what he’s got and it’s clear there are issues which need addressing, as well as the proverbial relegation hangover.
Southend’s 11 league games have produced just two points. The Shrimpers have lost their last six league games and the pressure is starting to increase on their new manager. Southend prop up the League Two table and they have hit rock bottom. However, despite the troubled times, Molesley has remained upbeat and regularly backed in a project that he is determined to see through. But football is unforgiving and a win needs to arrive sooner rather than later.
Crawley Town and Exeter City are the only sides Southend have taken points off. Nine defeats in 11 games has set the tone for their losing trend and struggle to fight in games. The big problem for Southend is their defence – the Shrimpers have yet to keep a clean sheet. Unsurprisingly, they boast the league’s worst defence, conceding 25 goals in their 11 matches so far.
Their defensive problems run skin deep. The Shrimpers have gone 25 matches in all competitions without a clean sheet – a run which stretches back to early January. Mark Molesley needs to find a solution and fast otherwise the Shrimpers are staring at back to back relegations.
The Shrimpers Are Struggling Offensively Too
While the defence is proving the major problem, Southend are also struggling to find the net. Only Scunthorpe United have scored fewer goals than them this season. The Shrimpers have managed just five league goals which is another headache for Molesley to address.
He is a new manager and so far finding the balance between attack and defence has been elusive. You can admire the effort Molesley is putting in but Southend’s struggles on the pitch are clear for all to see.
Offensively, they are desperately short. With the defence unable to bail them out, Southend are sinking to defeats and struggling to assert themselves in games. The Shrimpers have drawn blanks in seven of their league games this season. As noted earlier, they have only managed five goals – a big problem. They need to find a regular goalscorer and fast.
Brandon Goodship is their most likely goal threat. However, he has yet to score in League Two so far this season. But he did manage to break his duck in the FA Cup against Boreham Wood. He will hope to build on that moving forward with his side desperate for goals.
The rest of Southend’s attacking options are young players or inexperienced players at League Two level. Emile Acquah and Tom Clifford are academy products with a big weight on their shoulders. Clifford did score his first senior goal under Molesley but that is the only goal managed so far.
Kazaiah Sterling, who arrived on loan from Tottenham Hotspur in the transfer window, hasn’t been prolific in any of his loan spells. He barely featured for Sunderland or Leyton Orient and has yet to impress at Roots Hall either.
The Problems off the Pitch Are No Better for Southend United
With Southend finding life difficult on the pitch, things off the grass are no better. The club is barely surviving but, at the very least, avoided insolvency at court. Chairman Ron Martin finally paid off a tax bill worth around half a million in late October. The club were on the verge of insolvency if the bill wasn’t paid off.
Southend have been in and out of court over the last year and, at stages, have failed to pay the players on time. The problems at the club appear to be skin deep with these problems resonating on the pitch.
Despite paying off some of their debts to HMRC, the club remain under a transfer embargo. They remain under this embargo because there is still outstanding money owed to HMRC.
This, unsurprisingly, has meant any signing made by Mark Molesley needs approving by the EFL. His first transfer window at Southend was quiet but they did sign a couple of players. Veteran Alan McCormack and attacker Ashley Nathaniel-George were the main signings over the course of the transfer window.
These off-field matters are not helping Mark Molesley and the players. Molesley knew what he was walking into when he took over from Sol Campbell. However, he is certainly learning the harsh realities of football management and life at rock bottom.
Maybe Signs of Life in the FA Cup Defeat
With all the problems on and off the pitch, there were signs of fight in the FA Cup. Despite being knocked out by National League side Boreham Wood, the Shrimpers came back from two goals down to earn extra time: A big response from the players and something which would have impressed the manager.
The Shrimpers fought back again during extra time after falling behind again. They earned a penalty shoot-out thanks to a goal from James Olayinka. Southend lost the shoot-out but Mark Molesley will take plenty of positives from the performance.
While the clean sheet continues to elude Molesley, he saw fight, determination and a willingness to improve, all huge pluses to take as the Shrimpers look to get their first win of the season and gain ome positive momentum to carry forward in the challenging weeks ahead.
Crucial games ahead include the Essex derby with Colchester United in the Papa John’s trophy- A great opportunity to build some momentum ahead of league games against Walsall, Cambridge United and Forest Green Rovers.
The club has big problems in all areas of the pitch as well as off it. Mark Molesley knows his tenure needs to kick off sooner rather than later. That elusive first win could finally start solving the Southend United problems.
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