Season previews have Southend down for relegation

[lawrenceaustin]

Many previews I have read have tipped us to go down this season with some predicting col utd to finish top half?!?
OK, we haven't brought many players in but the ones we have should complement our current nucleus... I think we'll surprise a few people this season, What are our thoughts?

 

[RHB]

It kind of depends on who wrote the previews. We'll do ok provided we steer clear of major injuries to key players. I will reserve complete judgement until I see who else PB is planning to recruit and who arrives.

 

[mrsblue]

Currently our squad is painfully thin in numbers,we need extra bodies ASAP.

 

[onceknownasrab]

Its very hard to call. Hopefully we will have a few more quality recruits before too long. I think Wordsworth looks a great addition and for me Mooney is class. If Hunt can put his best foot forward then I think he will be a good acquisition.

Last seasons warriors are hit and miss for me. DB was good but will he see the season out with us? White is only a steady performer for me and although Coker has great ability he is also prone to lapses of concentration at key moments.
Bolger I think can go on to develop into a top defender and Thompson could do too. Barrett will be a bit part player and I prefer Prosser all day long. For me there is not enough goals in that defence to help out.

In the mid Timlin is hard working and determined but not so gifted flair-wise. Leonard can be more and needs to progress again and also stop lofting long throws and make them lower and faster. Atkinson is tireless but I think his brain does not keep up with his feet. Worrall is quality. Hurst has quality but needs to display it more. Deegan needs to learn to hold a position in front of the back four and stop running out of position and then pointing to team mates telling them to fill the gap he vacated. Payne needs to retrain as an in-the-box poacher feeding off the likes of Hunt. Weston is powerhouse with no real idea.


I am not sure we have enough goals in the midfield either so it puts an added pressure on the attackers. We are light in attack in terms of numbers.

As it stands I think the season looks tough but two or three good additions can make the world of difference.

 

[RHB]

I agree with just about everything you've written there RAB, that's never happened before, how scary is that?

 

[londonblue]

Currently our squad is painfully thin in numbers,we need extra bodies ASAP.

I would say that is partly true. We don't just need bodies to make up the numbers, we need bodies that, when push comes to shove can actually do a job. PB is more sensible than to get people in unless he truly believes he will play them if needed.

 

[mrsblue]

I would say that is partly true. We don't just need bodies to make up the numbers, we need bodies that, when push comes to shove can actually do a job. PB is more sensible than to get people in unless he truly believes he will play them if needed.

Very true,

Last season we struggled for goals,so far in the striking department we have Mooney and unfit Hunt,that is it!

Peculiar way to run a professional football club.

 

[Tinky]

Our home form has to improve from last season, we still only have two strikers and I do not see lots of goals coming from them especially if Brown persists with 4-5-1!!!

 

[Jai]

As it stands, with two strikers and 18 in the squad, we will be relegated, it's almost certain.

But obviously Brown is trying to bring in more players.

 

[Kevin Hogg]

Firstly, this looks like a very tough League 1.
Our squad could be stretched through injury and suspension, so ideally we need another couple of players that add some further quality.
Our strength will hopefully be be spirit, teamwork, PB's experience and perhaps being an unknown quantity to some.
Is one hell of a challenge!! But it is a challenge that looked unlikely with 30 seconds left at Wembley and beats the hell out of another season in League 2.
This is what supporting your club is all about. Up against it? Perhaps. Ready to give it everything we have got? I reckon so.
Bloody brilliant. COME ON YOU SHRIMPERS!!!!!

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

i would like a work-horse up front, willing to put the shift in to help the other around them. add cover at full back and maybe a wide player and i think we're find though that is assuming that Bentley and Thompson stay

 

[TTS]

Very true,

Last season we struggled for goals,so far in the striking department we have Mooney and unfit Hunt,that is it!

Peculiar way to run a professional football club.

But it's abundantly obvious that he is trying to get more strikers in isn't it - unless you just don't wish to admit that . Also, so are you now saying that Williams doesn't count . You do realise that the window is open for another month, if it was closing tomorrow I would agree with you, but it doesn't so I'm delighted to be able to say I don't agree with you. As someone else as alluded to and as I stated on another thread, Brown is being more specific with his search for players this season, we need quality over quantity. The squad we start with against Fleetwood is not the squad that we have to use all season long, but I suppose you choose to ignore that so you can continue with negative brand of "support" ! If we struggle and we could well do this season, I think I'll have to come off this forum because you will be so so negative and smug that you will kill my wish to have any debate with you, your mate Kev and the up until now , exclusive troll that is Wiggy !

You must be a joy to live with with your wonderful bright outlook on life

 

[eastling]

Who knows what the season may bring and certainly the squad and eleven that start tomorrow at Fleetwood will be different from the one that finishes in May. We certainly have to improve our home form as we won't win so many away and we definitely need to turn our possession into goals.

 

[mrsblue]

But it's abundantly obvious that he is trying to get more strikers in isn't it - unless you just don't wish to admit that . Also, so are you now saying that Williams doesn't count . You do realise that the window is open for another month, if it was closing tomorrow I would agree with you, but it doesn't so I'm delighted to be able to say I don't agree with you. As someone else as alluded to and as I stated on another thread, Brown is being more specific with his search for players this season, we need quality over quantity. The squad we start with against Fleetwood is not the squad that we have to use all season long, but I suppose you choose to ignore that so you can continue with negative brand of "support" ! If we struggle and we could well do this season, I think I'll have to come off this forum because you will be so so negative and smug that you will kill my wish to have any debate with you, your mate Kev and the up until now , exclusive troll that is Wiggy !

You must be a joy to live with with your wonderful bright outlook on life

We are playing Fleetwood in just over 24 hours,we travel there ATM with a depleted squad and very little options up top.
Phil and the club have had ample time to obtain the guys they require to have a go in this division.

The chase for Piggy has become comical,some alluded to on here that he would be a good third choice!,Piggy ain't stupid so why oh why would he sign here knowing full well his pitch time will be limited and when used he will be playing the lone forward which he admitted he hates.

Many on here only see what they want to see which is their choice,however rightly or wrongly I say it as I see it!

Remember it's only an opinion,an opinion which you or any other can ignore,laugh or whatever,still just an opinion though.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Quality not quantity! We can have a small squad and loan a few in, these people don't know what they're talking about! :whistling:

 

[TTS]

We are playing Fleetwood in just over 24 hours,we travel there ATM with a depleted squad and very little options up top.
Phil and the club have had ample time to obtain the guys they require to have a go in this division.

The chase for Piggy has become comical,some alluded to on here that he would be a good third choice!,Piggy ain't stupid so why oh why would he sign here knowing full well his pitch time will be limited and when used he will be playing the lone forward which he admitted he hates.

Many on here only see what they want to see which is their choice,however rightly or wrongly I say it as I see it!

Remember it's only an opinion,an opinion which you or any other can ignore,laugh or whatever,still just an opinion though.

How is the squad "depleted" ?? Explain. Explain how we won't be able to put a very decent starting 11 out tomorrow, it may be 451 formation , which I understand you don't approve of, but then also look at the players that we can call upon from the bench !!! We have regained 95% of our promotion squad and added some excellent players to it. We have coverage on a day for all positions. Depleted was when Sturrock took over and not one fan knew any of the starting players. We do and we will tomorrow. Again, the fact of the matter is (and this is fact not opinion) the transfer window remains open for a further 4 weeks , therefore this depleted squad as you put it will get added to !!

 

[mrsblue]

How is the squad "depleted" ?? Explain. Explain how we won't be able to put a very decent starting 11 out tomorrow, it may be 451 formation , which I understand you don't approve of, but then also look at the players that we can call upon from the bench !!! We have regained 95% of our promotion squad and added some excellent players to it. We have coverage on a day for all positions. Depleted was when Sturrock took over and not one fan knew any of the starting players. We do and we will tomorrow. Again, the fact of the matter is (and this is fact not opinion) the transfer window remains open for a further 4 weeks , therefore this depleted squad as you put it will get added to !!

We have a player who has not played since February,Mooney requires somebody to set him up,we have possibly 3 who IMO are not league one standard,we have Bents who may or may not go.

You say retained 95% of the squad,oh yes the same squad who spluttered all season and only became galvanised when Adam joined,the same squad who were 20 seconds away from still playing league 2!

 

[Kev29]

We have a player who has not played since February,Mooney requires somebody to set him up,we have possibly 3 who IMO are not league one standard,we have Bents who may or may not go.

You say retained 95% of the squad,oh yes the same squad who spluttered all season and only became galvanised when Adam joined,the same squad who were 20 seconds away from still playing league 2!

So true, it's time to stop the rubbish, as I said way back Hunt has NOT played for ages, or had a pre season, well unfit... he won't be able to be a worrier, his games played for a 32 year old are very low, it's tells you a few things.

I do hope brown is not looking at some of the injury prone strikers mentioned, we have one already, the treatment table will be on overload.

fit, runners in the Revell mould.... Someone who works so hard, that's what we need.

 

[TTS]

We have a player who has not played since February,Mooney requires somebody to set him up,we have possibly 3 who IMO are not league one standard,we have Bents who may or may not go.

You say retained 95% of the squad,oh yes the same squad who spluttered all season and only became galvanised when Adam joined,the same squad who were 20 seconds away from still playing league 2!

However as you are one for stats ... It doesn't matter if we were 20 seconds or 1 second away, we are not playing league 2 football this season, because over the course of the season we were good enough to finish in a position that allowed us to play in the play off positions and we had enough team spirit and gumption not to be beaten in the final .... Spirit is something that is a collective quality instilled by managers and coaches alike, not in constant bemoaning "supporters". So what if Adam galvanised the squad, he was indeed part of it and continues to be part of it. Name me the 3 players not good enough for league 2, just so we have this on the record.

How the hell can you lay the bents situation at the door of Southend, we are waiting for an acceptable offer, or would you have accepted the first offer just so you could have finished your summer shopping before the Fleetwood game ...

Are we the only club that will add to our squad during August ?? Probably not ( that is also a fact ) ...

Yes, I agree I would not be happy if this was our final squad, no, but I would like to think we have enough quality to avoid defeat tomorrow - which would be a positive way to start a new season in a new division. You may say I've rose tinted glasses on, you may be right, however for all your "Adam got is promoted" / "we were 20 seconds away from not being promoted" the simple fact is , over the course of the season of you gain promotion, then you deserve the plaudits for the achievement , not the continued scathing you continue to bombard this forum with ...

Again, for me, you cover yourself by saying " he will have my 100% support " but you do what them to fail just to be able to say you was right !! Good attitude to have. Whereas if Hunt did become injured , if it was me, I'd be gutted as opposed to gloating , because on his day, he is a quality player and that can only be a positive ( check that word up regards to the meaning of it ) thing for all, other players, supporters and the club as a whole !

 

[Chaucer]

The Sun this morning had us at 19th, with Col U bottom - which to me seems much more realistic.

However I also think we can surprise a few people but it is a strong league this year with the likes of Sheff Utd, Wigan all having bought decently through the summer.