Latest Rumours January transfer window

[Westcliff Shrimper]

Fairchild had 3-4 options for league 2 clubs to join. Portsmouth and Fairchild chose Southend. Players know they will get games here and we are a big club for this league, so I don’t think we are that unattractive actually.

Spot on. Kenny Jackett, the Pompey manager, said this and he has a point...

 

[Lincoln Shrimp]

Just a reminder of the salary cap/ squad size that was agreed last summer for league 1 and 2 clubs.

League One and League Two clubs will be limited their squad size to 22 players for the 2020/21 season.

This will be reduced to 21 and 20 in subsequent seasons (2021/22 and 2022/23 season respectively).

Players aged under the age of 20 are exempt from these restrictions.

League One and League Two "Squad Salary Cap" - All you need to know

"Squad Salary Cap" has to turned into one of the keywords in the mouths of League One and League Two club fans. So, here is a comprehensive guide to

footballleaguefc-com.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Fairchild had 3-4 options for league 2 clubs to join. Portsmouth and Fairchild chose Southend. Players know they will get games here and we are a big club for this league, so I don’t think we are that unattractive actually.

I agree - players (and their agents) can see what we can see - a club that seems to have hit rock bottom and is coming back up again.

Southend United does have attractions if you are not getting games and if you want to play at a club that gets bigger crowds (in normal times) for instance.

 

[SeldomSeenShrimper]

We need a target man ... simple to see from a game like yesterday...

 

[brigg blue]

I agree - players (and their agents) can see what we can see - a club that seems to have hit rock bottom and is coming back up again.

Southend United does have attractions if you are not getting games and if you want to play at a club that gets bigger crowds (in normal times) for instance.

It's all set up for a striker to come in and be hailed as a saviour, that'll appeal to someone's ego.

 

[Lincoln Shrimp]

The other thing is....if we do bring in a target man we could potentially have to change our shape/ formation again which could take some adapting to.

If we kept the same shape then that means potentially pushing Akinola either out wide or playing him just in behind. Based on yesterday's starting eleven, this then leaves MM having to potentially leave out one of ANG, Fairchild or Olayinka.
Certainly much for MM to consider.

 

[Westcliff Shrimper]

The other thing is....if we do bring in a target man we could potentially have to change our shape/ formation again which could take some adapting to.

If we kept the same shape then that means potentially pushing Akinola either out wide or playing him just in behind. Based on yesterday's starting eleven, this then leaves MM having to potentially leave out one of ANG, Fairchild or Olayinka.
Certainly much for MM to consider.

Lovely problem for the Gaffer to have.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

It's been more than 10 games since we conceded a goal from down the right yet people are still complaining about Elvis' defending

 

[shrimperjon]

Just wondering what people's thoughts on Olayinka. For me he's been on of my favourite players and scored a couple of cracking goals, but of late his fitness has been questioned and if reports are correct and he has picked up a nasty injury ( from a tackle that didn't even get a card) then he could be seen declined for a period of time. On that basis I guess the sensible thing to do would be to let him go and use his space to bring someone else in (assuming squad size is an issue). I'd rather lose James from midfield and sign another striker minimum and if able to two new strikers

 

[OllieSteph44]

It's been more than 10 games since we conceded a goal from down the right yet people are still complaining about Elvis' defending

Perception over fact is a powerful human tool......

 

[RHB]

Perception over fact is a powerful human tool......

And some may say that there are a fair few powerful human tools on here.

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

It's been more than 10 games since we conceded a goal from down the right yet people are still complaining about Elvis' defending

MM has clearly asked him to stay back more as Hart is the fullback that gets forward a lot more. As a result of this, we are far weaker defensively on the left side as ANG and Hart like to get further up the pitch. We were weaker down the right when Elvis did the job that Hart now does.

It's perceived that Elvis seems less effective but that's because he simply isn't as involved as much further up the field.

I'd say he has definitely improved defensively. White being on that right hand side of the the two central defenders really helps.

 

[onceknownasrab]

I think Emile Acquah will come good. It took BBBC five years to score the three goals EA has so far. It generally takes an exceptional big lump to come good at the age of 20. I think some people expect too much of him too soon.

Having said that, time not being a friend to us, we can't just sit around and wait for EA to produce the goods. Keep him yes but we could well do with a more experienced candidate for the target man role now. Good ones are few and far between and likely to cost more than we want to pay.

MM likes pace and players that can ping balls quickly in the last third. Perhaps we should just keep the ball down and several of our pacier, capable players will get the goals the fans are clamouring for.

 

[Chrisb]

I think Emile Acquah will come good. It took BBBC five years to score the three goals EA has so far. It generally takes an exceptional big lump to come good at the age of 20. I think some people expect too much of him too soon.

Having said that, time not being a friend to us, we can't just sit around and wait for EA to produce the goods. Keep him yes but we could well do with a more experienced candidate for the target man role now. Good ones are few and far between and likely to cost more than we want to pay.

MM likes pace and players that can ping balls quickly in the last third. Perhaps we should just keep the ball down and several of our pacier, capable players will get the goals the fans are clamouring for.

Yes, I think EA will come good and was surprised he didn't get a few minutes on Saturday - it's hardly the best time at the moment for the younger players given the events of last season and now our current league position.

 

[Holy Joe]

Just a reminder of the salary cap/ squad size that was agreed last summer for league 1 and 2 clubs.

League One and League Two clubs will be limited their squad size to 22 players for the 2020/21 season.

This will be reduced to 21 and 20 in subsequent seasons (2021/22 and 2022/23 season respectively).

Players aged under the age of 20 are exempt from these restrictions.

League One and League Two "Squad Salary Cap" - All you need to know

"Squad Salary Cap" has to turned into one of the keywords in the mouths of League One and League Two club fans. So, here is a comprehensive guide to

footballleaguefc-com.cdn.ampproject.org

How many players aged 20+ do we have? And does it matter when a player turns 20?

 

[leeblue]

Find the nearest thing to a Barry corr you can find....sign him...window done.

 

[Murkey_Mouse]

Emile Acquah, if you are reading this, just run, push more efforts in, try attempts to win the ball in the air, use your strength to try and hold the ball up, you have an abilities to do the damage against the opponent back four. What we don’t want to see is slow limping jogging as you are given the opponent central back their easier job they will ever had.

If you come off as an sub with 10 or 20 minutes left, just put their defenders under pressure and run like an lunatic when needed!

 

[bluesfansince1952]

Do we need a target man? It is my belief that the attribute MM values most among his forwards most is speed.
On seeing the line up selected Saturday my first thought was we were set up for counter attack. Unfortunately, no one told Grimsby! They played us the way we would normally expect an away team to set up against us at RH, and, I would guess this saw SimAk play further forward than may have been originally planned.
Hopefully the next time we play away from home the opposition will play more positively, and, allow us to display our counter attacking skills!

 

[bazzashrimper]

With just pace teams will have a deep defensive line. If you have a big lad with pace either side it either pulls the defence out or gives the big lad chances to tee people up

 

[LBBlue]

If you really want to know how hard it is to find/sign/keep a striker in League 2 just look at Max Watters- an Essex boy.

He is 22 in March. Played 11 games for Barking in 2017, signed for Doncaster in 2018 and was released at the end of last season after another 4 non league loans and 5 sub appearances for Donny.

Crawley played against him when he was on trial at Maidstone in September after he had had trials at Bromley and D and R.

16 goals later after 14 starts and 5 sub appearances for Crawley he has gone to Cardiff for a reported £1m.

Bit of a large gamble by Neil Harris if you ask me. What hope is there for League 2 though.