Phil Brown: Southend United ‘playing like individuals’

Phil Brown's Southend United are seventh in League One

Southend United manager Phil Brown has said his team are playing like individuals following their second heavy loss at home in a row.

The Shrimpers followed up the 4-0 loss to Millwall on 28 December with a 3-0 reverse against Doncaster on Saturday.

"I'm disappointed with the group mentality. They've made it easy for me to pick a team next week," said Brown.

"We've never played as individuals in the last two and a half years - but at this moment in time we are."

He told BBC Essex: "I need to get that collective group mentality back and if that means changing personnel, I'll change personnel. There's not one of them safe, apart from Adam Thompson."

Southend had gone into December's game against the Lions on the back of victories over Bury and Essex rivals Colchester.

Despite the defeats, Brown's side are still seventh in their first season back in League One following promotion last year, three points off sixth-placed Peterborough and the final play-off spot.

"I think the questions I'll be asking will be about the difference between the teams that played Millwall and Doncaster and the two teams that played against Bury and Colchester," said Brown.

"But that's my job - maybe it's a bridge too far for one or two of them in terms of the standard of the division or a bridge to far for one or two in terms of the amount of games we've had."