Fan-File Questions -2005-06

[Matt the Shrimp]

Saw a thread on the Southampton fans' website which contained an e-mail address (oddly, an aol.com one) and said it was looking for fans to come up with a series of answers to questions about how they thought the season would pan out, which would then go into FourFourTwo's 2005-06 season supplement.

Anyhoiw, here was my effort... thoughts?

Matt

<span style='color:blue'><span style='font-size:10pt;line-height:100%'>Fan file questions- Season 2005-06</span>

What are your strengths?

A fantastic spine to the side: a solid defence, a gifted and powerful midfield and one of the best finishers in the lower leagues.  That, and our awesome team spirit.

What are your weaknesses?

The flanks... offensively and defensively.

A lesson to learn from last season?

Get ahead early.  We won 20 out of 22 games in which we scored first, the best record in our league.

What is the best that can happen this season?

Top half finish and a double over Col Ewe.

What is the worst that can happen this season?

Relegation and losing twice to Col Ewe.

Young player to watch?

Freddy Eastwood, of course.

Most important player?

Adam Barrett - a colossus for the side.

Player you would most like to get rid of?

None of them.  We have a small but excellent squad, where they are all committed to the cause.

Have you got the right manager?

Oh yes, and then some.  Tilly & Brush are on their way to being our best duo ever.

What advice would you give him?

I wouldn't have the temerity to try to advise a managerial team which has led us to profitability, three Cardiff finals (2 LDV, one playoff) and promotion in little over 18 months.

Which team do you most want to beat this season?

Col Ewe.  Twice, please.

Which opposition player will get the most stick?

Anyone plying his trade in the north of Essex.

Where will you finish this season?

14th</span>

 

[Fish]

We&#39;re surely quite keen to put one over Swansea after they denied us automatic promotion in such crappy circumstances last season, and Blackpool after doing us in the LDV final as well as Col Ewe?

Advice to managers - be more courageous with substitutions. They often seem hesitant and miss the moment before making changes. Oxford away immediately springs to mind, but very often last year Duds or Gray only got 10 mins when 20 might have made a bigger difference.

 

[fbm]

Surely the lesson to learn from last year is one we have already learned... that would come under a heading (if there was one) of &quot;Things to continue doing that you did last year&quot;.

My &quot;lesson to learn&quot;? Don&#39;t EVER play Nicolau at full back again&#33;

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (fbm @ June 28 2005,16:49)]My "lesson to learn"?  Don't EVER play Nicolau at full back again!

Ah well, thought mine was a good one, so ner!

 

[Mr Wooly]

Fan file questions- Season 2005-06

What are your strengths?

Togetherness and local pride. A squad that is sky high with team spirit.

What are your weaknesses?

Not enough goals from midfield.

A lesson to learn from last season?

IMO be more ruthless in front of goal. We could have dished out a couple of real hammerings last season if we showed a touch more composure in front of goal.  

What is the best that can happen this season?

Ever the optimist; Playoffs (long shot). If not, anywhere between 8th-14th would represent a superb season. An FA Cup run would also be very nice.

What is the worst that can happen this season?

Relegation, obviously!

Young player to watch?

Freddy Eastwood will get all the attention but Jay Smith, when fit, will be a player to look out for.

Most important player?

We need goals this season, so I'll say Freddy Eastwood.

Player you would most like to get rid of?

None of them. A couple more additions and we'll have a very solid squad.

Have you got the right manager?

I wouldn't swap him (or Paul Brush) for any other manager/coach in the world.

What advice would you give him?

I'll let him make the decisions!

Which team do you most want to beat this season?

Col Ewe, heavily. Notable mentions to Brentford and Bournemouth as well.

Which opposition player will get the most stick?

Can't think of anyone.

Where will you finish this season?

12th

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (Mr Wooly @ June 28 2005,17:37)]What are your weaknesses?

Not enough goals from midfield.

Is 16 out of 65 - a quarter - a bit low...? I suppose it might be - if it hadn&#39;t been for Adam Barrett&#39;s goals, I suppose we might not have made the play-offs.

That&#39;s the difference, I suspect, that Jay Smith will make - he&#39;s a man who knows where the back of the net his more than perhaps any other of his midfield colleagues. Either him or Luke Guttridge - Cambridge&#39;s top scorer a couple of seasons ago.

It presents Tilly with a real selection dilemma - how do you shoehorn:

Maher
Bentley
Gower
Pettefer
Smith
Guttridge, and
Nicolau

into our midfield...?

That&#39;s Tilly&#39;s no. 1 selection dilemma next season, I reckon.

Matt

 

[Guest]

Not a bad dilema to have though  

Wish we had the same sort of dilema up front.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (TrainCrewBlues @ June 28 2005,18:20)]Not a bad dilema to have though  

Wish we had the same sort of dilema up front.

I'm sure we will do, soon enough...

At the moment, we've only got Freddy and Wayne, which I'd say is looking more than a little thin on the ground. It's why the Lawrie situation is a bit weird - surely we will need him at the club next season in any event?

Matt

 

[TheSouthendUnitedRunner]

Fan file questions- Season 2005-06

What are your strengths?

We are blessed with a side with players&#39; that genuinely want to play for the Club. We have strength in depth in the midfield department with Kev Maher, Jay Smith, Mark Bentley, Luke Guttridge, Mark Gower, Nic Nak, Carl Petterfer. The spine of the team consists of our strongers players and we move the ball around well.

What are your weaknesses?

If Gower and Eastwood are having off days, we, at times, struggle to break down well orgainised sides.

A lesson to learn from last season?

To get behind the team. At times, our fans really became the 12th man. And to get knocked out in the early rounds of the LDV because, in the finish, it nearly ruined us.

What is the best that can happen this season?

Staying up. Anything else will be a bonus. Also, a win or two over Col Ewe.

What is the worst that can happen this season?

Relegation. We were in the bottom division for far too long. We worked extremely hard to get promoted and we can&#39;t afford to throw it away.

Young player to watch?

Freddy Eastwood or a fully fit Jay Smith.

Most important player?

Adam Barrett or Kevin Maher.

Player you would most like to get rid of?

None of them. They all want to play for the Club and that can only be a good thing.

Have you got the right manager?

Yes, for what they have done for this Club in the past 18 months they should be awarded the freedom of the city.

What advice would you give him?

Th only, and I mean only, critisicm you could have of them is with their subsitutions, they need to be a bit braver.

Which team do you most want to beat this season?

Col Ewe.

Which opposition player will get the most stick?

Not too sure on that one.

Where will you finish this season?

I&#39;d gladly take 20th and then build on that.