Player Ratings: Bristol Rovers vs. Southend United (RESULTS)

Smith 5

leadbitter 4
J. Clarke 4
Broadbent 5
Craig 4

Bennett 6
Upson 4
O. Clarke 4
Sercombe 5

Nichols 4
Payne 5

Subs:
Rodman 5
Jakubiak 5
Reilly 5

Crowd 6
Ref 2
Southend 4

Smith 3 Shocking does not come for crosses, kicking awful
Leadbitter 4 Poor, obviously not match fit, cannot cross the ball
Craig 3 Showed no fight and obviously does not want to play full back
J Clarke 4.5 Tried but is found wanting at centre half
Broadbent 4 What has happened to the centre half that passes the ball out, or used to?
Sercombe 5 Based on 18 minutes
Bennett 3 For me was extremely poor and seems disruptive
O Clarke 4.5 Tried but gave the ball away too often
Upson 5.5 MOM best of a poor lot
Payne 5 Tried but early booking affected him
Nicholls 4 Not a good day, should have scored

Rodman 4 Average
Reilly 5 Looks as though given the chance maybe ok
Jakubiah 5 As above

Ref 2 water poor
Southend 4 Almost as bad as us
D.C. 4 Seems to have lost it, managing with his hands tied b e hi d his back
Crowd 3 Understandably quiet

Abysmal - Only word for it. Yes I know Lockyer, Sercs etc but we were truly shocking. Schoolboy defending and bang average goalkeeping with nothing going forward. Body language is poor on the pitch and off the pitch from all. Too many players came out at half time laughing and joking. Nobody wanting to take responsibility. I am a D.C. supporter but he is overall responsible for the players at the club and tactics. Too many players playing out of position. Yes it is early in the season, but the way we are playing we are looking at a season near the bottom if not at the bottom. The club is a shambles, we have a new ticketing system that did not work at the turnstiles! What is that all about? Catering still not sorted, and new club shop all over the place. Let's hope we can turn it around but it is back to basics! Players in correct positions and give the players on the fringe a chance. The lack of support in player recruitment is frightening. D.C. has brought in a defensive coach, yet the defence is worse! Head of recruitment who cannot recruit! f**k me what is going on. Rant over, on to next project, UTG

Smith 4
leadbitter 5
J. Clarke 5
Broadbent 4
Craig 5

Bennett 6
Upson 4
O. Clarke 6
Sercombe 5

Nichols 6
Payne 5

Subs:
Rodman 6
Jakubiak 5
Reilly 7

Crowd 5
Ref 3
Southend 5

I couldn't disagree more with most of this. I stand right next to the tunnel and trust me, not one player came off smiling at half time. In fact, Smith was giving verbals back to some idiot it the West Enclosure who was giving him stick.

Opinions on players performance are very different to mine, but that of course is the beauty of it...we all have different opinions. But to insinuate players don't care is wrong.

And what evidence is there that Bennett is disruptive?!!! Poor today yes, but...

Sorry I meant when they returned to the pitch after the half time break, Bennett, Jakubiah, Mensah, Payne, Nichols!  As you correctly state opinions differ and mine are what I saw and how I feel.  I do respect your views though and I am sure we all want the same end product.

Smith: 7. Couldn't be blamed for the goal and made two good saves. Is he the answer to our keeper problem though? Not for me and I really hope DC can get a good one in soon. We saw with Lumley how much if an impact that can make on the defending as a whole.

Leadbitter: 5. Flatters to deceive. Pacey and direct going forward, but seemingly can't cross a road. Defensively suspect and for me, Partington's return can't come soon enough.
J Clarke: 6.5. Mr Consistent and player of the season so far. Did nothing wrong.
Broadbent: 6. Did ok in the air for once but seems to have lost his composure on the ground. With his physique, he should be the dominant centre half people talk about, but he's not.
Craig: 6. Quality centre half, but past it in the type of full back DC's teams have had, i.e. overlapping. Didn't do anything wrong but a left back on loan is as important as a goalie. Sadly, it seems the backing just isn't there for it.

Bennett: 6. Tried but nothing is happening for Kyle this season. Looks a shadow of the player we had last year although maybe he's just a performance away. Hope so.
Upson: 3. Simply dreadful. He's a scrapper who doesn't work as hard as Sinclair, isn't as all round a player as Ollie Clarke and has none of Lines' creativity. Suspect DC's comments about taking reaponsibility may have been aimed at him given how often he gave the ball back to the centre half when we should have been looking to build attacks. Play him alongside Lines or Sercombe or not at all.
O Clarke: 7.5 (MoM). Decent game, never stopped working. However, with no Lines in the side we have zero creativity and when he is available again, DC needs to get him back in the eleven and build around him in my opinion.
Sercombe: 6. Did ok bit again, needs to play centrally as he offers little out wide. In fact, offers little when not scoring goals.

Nichols: 7. Lively in the first half and possibly a touch unlucky to be subbed. But, strikers have to be judged on goals.
Payne: 5. Stupid booking and walked a tightrope after that. Largely ineffective however like Nichols, was starved of any decent service.

Rodman: 5.5. At fault for the goal as he failed to prevent or even delay the cross by ambling over. However, a weaving run into the box in each half gave glimpses of what he can do going forward.
Reilly: 5.5. Showed some good signs and could be a useful addition. Time will tell whether he is a goalscorer or not though. Someone needs to be.
Jakubiak: 5. Didn't see much from him but hard to criticise strikers on a day when no decent passes came to them.

Crowd: 4. Flat.
Ref: 3. What have we done to deserve the clowns we've had at home so far? Dreadful. Was like watching Uriah Rennie all over again, such was his desire for the game to be all about him. To book the keeper in the 92nd minute for timewasting when they'd been doing it all through the 2nd half was the most pointless decision of all.
Southend: 5. Credit them as the away team to restrict us to just two shots, but overall a poor, diving side. Worrying that we never looked good enough to get a point against that.

So, QPR. With the likely bodies available (assuming no Sincs, Partington, Lockyer, Sercombe and of course Lines), I'd go with Smith in goal (unless someone signs), back four of Leadbitter, Clarke, Craig and Kelly; midfield four of Russe, Clarke, Bennett, Rodman; with Nichols and possibly Mensah (to protect Payne from another booking) up top.
UTG

Smith 4
Leadbitter 4
Broadbent 3
Craig 3
Clarke J 6
Upson 5
Clarke O 4
Sercombe NOLE
Bennett 4
Nichols 6
Payne 4

Rodman 5
Jakubiak 5.5
Reilly 5.5

Ref 4
Crowd 2
Southend 4

Smith 4

Leadbitter 3
J. Clarke 6
Broadbent 4
Craig 3

Bennett 3
Upson 4
O. Clarke 3.5
Sercombe 5

Nichols 5
Payne 5

Subs: Rodman 3
Jakubiak 4
Reilly 5

Crowd 3
Ref 3
Southend 4

Smith 5.5 - actually made a couple of good saves but poor kicking and did not inspire any confidence. Slocombe is far better.

Leadbitter 5 - some good pace at time but poor crossing and dodgy defending
J. Clarke 6.5 - not a great game but reasonably sound and showed some attacking intent
Broadbent 5 - not very commanding especially in the air. Seems to have lost confidence.
Craig 4.5 - didn't impress as a full-back. Throw ins poor and adds not much going forward

Bennett 4.5 - very frustrating. Clearly has the ability to play consistently well but only showed glimpses of what he can do.
Upson 5 - error strewn performance
O. Clarke 4.5 - a few good moments but a very poor game. Did not show the leadership expected. One decent shot.
Sercombe 5.5 - one good move in his short time on the pitch

Nichols 6 - played quite well in the first half. Great strike which hit the bar but a striker does have to score. Is also too lightweight for League1.
Payne 5 - poor game today. Hampered by the early yellow card but could have been more effective

Subs: Rodman 5.5 - showed glimpses of what he can do with some good runs. With better dead ball deliveries we could have got something from the game
Jakubiak 4 - looked totally out of his depth but wasn't helped by a very poor service
Reilly 5 - looked dangerous a couple of times but looked a bit lost

Crowd 6
Ref 4 - another poor ref but could not blame him for the defeat
Southend 4 - a poor side who could have had a bigger win but for Smith's two good saves and missing an open goal. Did not offer much apart from those efforts and it is frustrating that even an average performance from Rovers would have been good enough to secure all good points.