Southend United’s squad has specifically been built for the 3-5-2. There are no players in the squad who can reliably play as a right-winger to a good, proven standard. Consequently, it places a huge reliance on the strikers and wing-backs to score & assist.
The 3-5-2 turns into what can be interpreted as a 3-1-6 when play has reached the final-third. The wing-backs push high & wide, and the #8’s move up into the half-spaces, leaving the back-three and the #6 behind them.
This may seem like an attack-minded shape, and it can be, but the profiles of players who are in these roles must be considered. The players are the tactics after all, so one side’s 3-1-6 may work differently to another side’s depending on the profiles of players available.
Noor Husin, Oli Coker, Cav Miley, and James Morton are all able to play as an #8 in Southend’s system. However, none of them can contribute in terms of goals & assists to a top standard. Coker scored six goals last season, and is on three so far, this. But that’s about it.
That’s not particularly surprising. The #8 is perhaps the most difficult profile of player to find, precisely because they have to excel at everything. It’s why I believe most back-three sides then attack in a 3-2-5 as opposed to a 3-1-6.
George Moncur and Keenan Appiah-Forson are more likely to be able to contribute in the final-third because of their profiles; but Moncur hasn’t shown enough yet, and Appiah-Forson is still a young, developing player.
Consequently, it leaves the ‘front-four’ with more responsibility to score & assist, because there isn’t enough output from the #8’s. That could still be fine, but there are issues with it…
Wing-backs are, typically, less likely to be effective in the final-third compared to natural wingers. Southend get away with it on the left-side, because that’s where Jack Bridge plays. But it doesn’t account for if he’s having a below-par season…
Bridge is desperately missing Wes Fonguck’s ability to play ahead of the ball & make forward runs, which helped Bridge to create separation from his makers when he was ‘doubled-up’ on. After his departure in the summer, no direct replacement was able to be signed.
That could still be fine, if the strikers are putting the chances away that they are getting. But then Southend lost last season’s top scorer, Harry Cardwell, to Forest Green Rovers. The attack is now qualitatively weaker than last season.
Two season ago, Southend scored 57 goals. Then, 70 were scored as Cardwell scored 18 himself. At half-way this season, Southend have scored just 24 goals.
Bim Pepple is the striker with the most goals at the club, with four; Josh Walker has scored twice; Charlie Kendall has just arrived; Macauley Bonne and Danny Waldron are yet to score this season; and Jack Wood, a young, fairly unproven player, has been loaned out.
If not from the strikers, the goals have to come from somewhere else. The issue is the squad building has restricted the number of suitable formations to choose from, and you can’t expect your #8’s to be major contributors to goals & assists when they have so much to do already.
The 3-5-2 can still work for Southend. However, more recruits are needed: a central centre-back who’s better on the ball and can defend in a high line (possibly James Golding), a left-footed #8 who can contribute in attack, and more quality up-front.
But when will these players be able to be brought in? With most contracts expiring in 2026, there’s not too much wriggle room in the squad. Expiring in 2025 are Nathan Ralph, Bridge, Moncur (Loan), Bonne, Waldron, Wood, and Pepple (Loan). Zach Jeacock and Golding are also on short-term loans.
Ralph and Bridge (and hopefully Pepple) will likely be kept for next season. In the summer, that potentially opens up one #8 spot and allows for a bit of a shake-up in attack.
But we shouldn’t wait until then. Work needs to be done imminently to replace one or two of the current squad with better players, or players better suited to the system. Otherwise, a switch to the 3-4-2-1 formation may be more suitable until these new recruits are brought in.
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