Just suppose

[tallboyblue]

This season ends today and we are in the play-offs. Your thoughts on our chances against Rochdale Fleetwood and Burton please.

 

[MilkeySUFC]

My thought would be: "Let's get those out-of-contract players signed up on L2 wages"

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

The way we have played the last 3 or so games, no chance. The way we were playing before that, every chance.

We always have and always will seem to play better against the better sides, and then struggle against the dross.

This season has been a good run followed by a very bad one, then a very very good one, and we are now on another bad one. Hopefully that is now over and we can put together another good run until the end of the season. If we do, I think we will be top 3, as other teams will have bad runs as well.

 

[Jam_Man]

If you base play-offs on form then we go out as we havent won in 4 league games now.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

This season ends today and we are in the play-offs. Your thoughts on our chances against Rochdale Fleetwood and Burton please.

Was that a nightmare you had last night? With the present team and our recent run of form.................... NONE! As for the situation of play-offs at the END of the season, the question can only be answered by posing plenty of other questions.........like:-

How soon will Prosser be back?
When will O'Neill be fit and can we keep him until the end of the season? ( if not, can we get another defender on loan?)
Will Bennett play again this season?
Will Barnard regain any form and if not can we get in another 'Assombalonga?'.......can we get another Assombalonga in anyway?
Will the rain ever stop, allowing us to play football on a firm surface again?
Will Straker succeed in changing his ratio of good performances from one in three, to three in one?
Will Hurst regain his form, when the sun comes out?
Will Corr remain fit?
Will Freddy make any more than cameo appearances?

Happily, the season doesn't end today.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Another visit to Wemberlee depresses me (should it come to that).

 

[Ricey]

Well if we get to Wembley then we will win because I am away and will not be able to make it.

2 trips to Cardiff and 1 to Wembley all losses. The only one I missed was the play off final :'(

 

[Angell Delight]

It all depends. If we had Prosser fit and played the 4-3-3 which suits our best players so well (Hurst especially) then actually I'd say we'd be in with a shout against any of the other 3 sides currently in the play-off spots.

Centre-backs are the biggest worry for me, I'm hoping we can sign O'Neill back up and move White alongside Prosser (if we can't bring in a quality late replacement for Kiernan anyway). We're also missing someone with pace up top, that's an option I think we'll need between now and May. I see that Ikpeazu fella we were strongly linked with has started banging them in for Crewe on loan, what a pity we couldn't get him in the building..... :sad:

 

[Jam_Man]

It all depends. If we had Prosser fit and played the 4-3-3 which suits our best players so well (Hurst especially) then actually I'd say we'd be in with a shout against any of the other 3 sides currently in the play-off spots.

Centre-backs are the biggest worry for me, I'm hoping we can sign O'Neill back up and move White alongside Prosser (if we can't bring in a quality late replacement for Kiernan anyway). We're also missing someone with pace up top, that's an option I think we'll need between now and May. I see that Ikpeazu fella we were strongly linked with has started banging them in for Crewe on loan, what a pity we couldn't get him in the building..... :sad:

He scored 2 goals in one game and nothing in the other 3.

Any goals would be nice at moment but not sure Id class 2 as banging them in just yet, lets see how he does over a longer period.

With regards to White, are we really saying a right back is better than Phillips at the back ? That sounds more like the grass is always greener and just expecting something different to be better than what we have now. I cant see us dropping Phillips to play someone out of position.

 

[Harry Bullocks]

Well if we get to Wembley then we will win because I am away and will not be able to make it.

2 trips to Cardiff and 1 to Wembley all losses. The only one I missed was the play off final :'(

Me too, would love to break the duck this year (barring automatic promotion of course!!)

 

[LennySUFC]

When we was in form, we beat Fleetwood and Burton, and drew at home to Rochdale in what was a fairly even game!

If the games started tomorrow, then no. If they had started prior to the Hull game, then i would fancy our chances! WE must win tomorrow just to get out of this bad run!

 

[spoons]

Not a prayer in playoffs, and just as well because we have not got the financial clout to survive in a higher division.
We would lose Bentley on a transfer and Eastwood and Corr would not play at that level for many games.
Hurst would also probably go on transfer to a club paying more than we can.
The Chairman will be happy enough with gates of over 5000 presently and will need any cash for Fossets Farm.
Just be thankful that we have stayed in this league since Paul Sturrock pulled us from the brink of oblivion.
Have a look at the list of clubs in the Conference Prem league to see where many others have finished.:nope:

 

[Ricey]

Me too, would love to break the duck this year (barring automatic promotion of course!!)

If I had the choice to go and us not get promoted or miss it and get promoted I will miss it. Anything to get out of this dreadful league.

 

[Jam_Man]

Not a prayer in playoffs, and just as well because we have not got the financial clout to survive in a higher division.
We would lose Bentley on a transfer and Eastwood and Corr would not play at that level for many games.
Hurst would also probably go on transfer to a club paying more than we can.

There are plenty of teams with less "clout" than us. Orient are pushing for promotion....

If Bentley and Hurst would leave when we get promoted they will certainly leave if we dont. And if they do then we replace them like we always do.

The Chairman will be happy enough with gates of over 5000 presently and will need any cash for Fossets Farm.
Just be thankful that we have stayed in this league since Paul Sturrock pulled us from the brink of oblivion.
Have a look at the list of clubs in the Conference Prem league to see where many others have finished.:nope:

He most certainly won't be hence he has spent so much of someones money trying to get us promoted. Ron Martin want's us out of this league as much as we do.

If we arent pushing for promotion then we will not be getting gates of 5000 for long (which we still lose money at that level).

 

[chapperzUK]

Not a prayer in playoffs, and just as well because we have not got the financial clout to survive in a higher division.
We would lose Bentley on a transfer and Eastwood and Corr would not play at that level for many games.
Hurst would also probably go on transfer to a club paying more than we can.
The Chairman will be happy enough with gates of over 5000 presently and will need any cash for Fossets Farm.
Just be thankful that we have stayed in this league since Paul Sturrock pulled us from the brink of oblivion.
Have a look at the list of clubs in the Conference Prem league to see where many others have finished.:nope:

I'm struggling to see how you have come to the conclusion that we can't survive in League 1 because of finances.

You've based in on a stab in the dark that Bentley will leave and Eastwood and Corr not being able to play a level above what we are playing. If Bentley does leave, then it will be for a big transfer fee that will help finances.

Why would Hurst go? If we got promoted then he will be playing in League 1 and will never be able to play in the Championship and unless he gets a ridiculous offer of tripling his contract, which no sane team would do, then I'm sure he would stay if we got promoted.

When did the Chairman say he was pleased with gates of over 5000 at the moment? We are averaging nearly 6000 so far this season and promotion to League 1 would easily increase that. The away fans on their own would go from a couple of hundred to nearly a thousand in each game.

Do we need cash for Fossetts Farm? Sainsburys are paying for the first 3 sides and we were hoping for a hotel chain to build the main stand with a hotel attached, not sure if that is still the plan though.

 

[IloveShrimp]

It all depends. If we had Prosser fit and played the 4-3-3 which suits our best players so well (Hurst especially) then actually I'd say we'd be in with a shout against any of the other 3 sides currently in the play-off spots.

Centre-backs are the biggest worry for me, I'm hoping we can sign O'Neill back up and move White alongside Prosser (if we can't bring in a quality late replacement for Kiernan anyway). We're also missing someone with pace up top, that's an option I think we'll need between now and May. I see that Ikpeazu fella we were strongly linked with has started banging them in for Crewe on loan, what a pity we couldn't get him in the building..... :sad:

White is carrying a dodgy shoulder, we need a replacement centre back ASAP.

 

[united we stand]

Me too, would love to break the duck this year (barring automatic promotion of course!!)

someone posted up before the records of promoted sides in the season following promotion. On balance the sides that went up through the play offs did better than those that went up on the automatics. They also gain financially from he extra matches. Going up by the play offs is definitely the best route.

When we played Crewe at Wembley . and ion the play offs we knew they were the better side. There is no one in this league that I feel we could not beat on our day

 

[Bolton Shrimper]

Every team above us except Burton who are also stumbling a bit, have had minor blips but have now come good. It will all change again in the 10-12 games but right now I would take Burton if the play offs arrived.

 

[Angell Delight]

He scored 2 goals in one game and nothing in the other 3.

Any goals would be nice at moment but not sure Id class 2 as banging them in just yet, lets see how he does over a longer period.

With regards to White, are we really saying a right back is better than Phillips at the back ? That sounds more like the grass is always greener and just expecting something different to be better than what we have now. I cant see us dropping Phillips to play someone out of position.

My mistake on Ikpeazu, didn't realise he'd played 4 games now (although 2 in 4 is still a good start). My point is we need a pacey option up top, we have no plan B on that front - none of the strikers we have possess any! Any side challenging for promotion requires strikers who complement each other well and provide different attributes, a pacey option is essential in the modern day game.

Would I like to see White at CB? I'd prefer to see a natural centre-half alongside Prosser, someone like Kiernan who is solid. Phillips isn't, he used to be alright but he's been on the decline for a while now defensively. Do I feel confident with the players we have at CB now? No. I'd like to see Prosser and one other, preferably a half-decent CB arriving on loan but if not then I'd prefer to see White there than Phillips. He's played there before for Col U and from what I was told did a decent job. In any case what's the point of re-signing O'Neill if Brown isn't considering moving White to centre-half, he'll come down here for the rest of the season and sit on the bench! Highly unlikely. I can only assume that White may still be injured after popping his shoulder, if not then it's a waste of loan and we should be looking to bring in a solid centre-half and a pacey forward instead of O'Neill.

P.S. For the record I'm not singling out Phillips here, Thompson didn't pull up any trees alongside him either and they looked very shaky together. Laird must be due a recall soon too, preferably with Atkinson being switched to the left. In my opinion a midfield 5 (in the 4-3-3 though) of Atkinson, Timlin, Leonard, Laird and Hurst is our best bet, especially while we're under-strength at the back. We'd be difficult to break down and Hurst/Atkinson should be able to create enough for whoever gets the nod up top (and at this moment I'd favour Barnard as Corr clearly needs a rest and no-one can blame him).

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

I'm struggling to see how you have come to the conclusion that we can't survive in League 1 because of finances.

You've based in on a stab in the dark that Bentley will leave and Eastwood and Corr not being able to play a level above what we are playing. If Bentley does leave, then it will be for a big transfer fee that will help finances.

Why would Hurst go? If we got promoted then he will be playing in League 1 and will never be able to play in the Championship and unless he gets a ridiculous offer of tripling his contract, which no sane team would do, then I'm sure he would stay if we got promoted.

When did the Chairman say he was pleased with gates of over 5000 at the moment? We are averaging nearly 6000 so far this season and promotion to League 1 would easily increase that. The away fans on their own would go from a couple of hundred to nearly a thousand in each game.
Do we need cash for Fossetts Farm? Sainsburys are paying for the first 3 sides and we were hoping for a hotel chain to build the main stand with a hotel attached, not sure if that is still the plan though.

Don't think we would see nearly 1,000 away fans on average at Roots Hall in League 1. The average away support in League 1 last season was 542 and because of our location the number of away fans at Roots Hall is nearly always below the average.

For example the average away fans in League 2 last season was 420, the number of away fans at Southend on average last season was only 271.