Slightly Concerned

[* ORM *]

I've kept quiet for far too long now. I'm not convinced that last season's squad is good enough to even hold their own at Div 1 level and I don't buy the argument that we'll benefit in Div 1 because we are a good footballing side. Of the current squad we haven't got that many with proven experience outside the basement division.

I'd say we're looking at needing more than a couple of signings. My shopping list would include (at least) a centre half, full back, centre midfielder, winger, forward and a utlility player.

That's six players where the club are only talking about two or three including, if stories are too be believed, a six figure sum on one player alone.

Thoughts ?

 

[overseas shrimper]

Quote[/b] (* ORM * @ June 27 2005,11:38)]centre midfielder

Finally come around to thinking that Maher's just not good enough?

Seriously though, with Maher, Bentley, Smith, Guttridge and back-ups for them if need be, I can't see us needing a central midfielder... and with that position covered so well, getting a good player to sign would be very, very tough indeed.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (overseas shrimper @ June 27 2005,10:46)]

Quote[/b] (* ORM * @ June 27 2005,11:38)]centre midfielder

Finally come around to thinking that Maher's just not good enough?

Seriously though, with Maher, Bentley, Smith, Guttridge and back-ups for them if need be, I can't see us needing a central midfielder... and with that position covered so well, getting a good player to sign would be very, very tough indeed.

Yup, I agree with the Maltese jury - we don't need a central midfielder. Maher, Bentley, Guttridge and Smith are all competing there; and you've then got Petts and Lewis Hunt as potential cover as well.

The same goes for "utility players" - we've got quite a few of those. Che is the classic utility defender; Lewis Hunt is the utility defender / midfielder; and Petts the utility midfielder, in that he can play anywhere across the middle of the park if need be.

That leaves centre half, full back, winger and forward. I would add goalie to that list; and my priority (in terms of need) would be as follows:

Full back (pref. left sided)
Forward
Winger
Goalie
Centre half.

The latter is the lowest priority because we've effectively got four players capable of playing at centre half in the squad (Adam, Spinner, Eagle, Che)... but a youngster, trying to break into the first team, would be a good addition.

For me, a left full back remains the no. 1 priority. Then a forward - because we have a lot of eggs in the Freddy basket, and because we could do with someone with a bit more experience / nous at League One level to help us unlock defences. A decent winger would be #3 priority; and finally a new goalie.

And that is the verdict of the SE10 jury...

 

[C C Csiders]

Quote[/b] (Matt the Shrimp @ June 27 2005,11:03)][Centre half.

The latter is the lowest priority because we've effectively got four players capable of playing at centre half in the squad (Adam, Spinner, Eagle, Che)... but a youngster, trying to break into the first team, would be a good addition.

Not forgetting Lewis Hunt.

Forward, wide-man and left back for me in that order.

Beyond that you could always use a utility man. Someone in the Tony Hadley mould that can play in defence, midfield and up-front, all to a good standard. Dave Morley has just been made captain at Macclesfield though.

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

I have to say i agree with what Tilly seems to be pushing towards, get the players in the order you need them:

Striker
Winger
Left Back

Then we can concern ourselves with other positions of not so much import. We have lots of CM's, and with Hunt enough CB's.

At the end of the day, signing a new players is not easy, there is no point buying a S**T player is there?!?! I see what *ORM* is saying, however Tilly has not let us down yet has he? especially not with a signing.

 

[Beefy]

If we get a new left back, new winger and a new striker (or two if we don't keep Dudfield) then I don't see us having too much trouble at least staying in the division next season. From looking at the teams who went down to League Two the previous season, at how the four previously promoted clubs did last year and how we've done against clubs from that level in the past two seasons in cup competitions, I think we can hold our own if we don't get too many injuries and the players do themselves justice.

Besides, if little C********r can survive at that evel for six or so years, then surely anyone can....

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

Is this a wind-up?

You say we lack experience and need more players, starting with a centre-back. Our most experienced 2 players are both centre-halves, with 600+ games between them at this level or higher. Or are you suggesting that Adam Barrett won't be able to cut it at this level?

Eastwood had no league experience whatsoever, but most people reckon he did alright. Its not about experience, its about whether we are good enough. I have no worries about the likes of Hunt, Prior, Barrett, Bentley, Smith, Maher, Gower and Eastwood being good enough to play at this level (although I may have reservations about fitness and motivation).

I think we need a winger, a partner for Eastwood and a left-back. Think Ansah, Benjamin and Powell, all 15 years younger! If (and its a very big if) we get the right three players in and they fit into our style of play, we will comfortably hold our own. If we don't, we may struggle as offensively we are over-reliant on Eastwood to create things.

 

[Shrimpersarmy]

I think ORM is spot on. I would be happy with just staying up next season, but half of Shrimperzone is talking about the play offs, or getting in the top ten.

I think the most important is the striker, Freddy is a marked man now which means he needs a quality player up front with him to take advantage of all the space there will be because Freddy is being heavily marked.

No needs for CM's, especially with Smith back, but a winger and a full back are also needed IMO.

 

[Southendsleeper]

I'm very concerned there wasnt a pun in this thread's title

Are you sure you're ORM?

 

[sufcintheprem]

Quote[/b] (Southendsleeper @ June 27 2005,16:58)]I'm very concerned there wasnt a pun in this thread's title

Are you sure you're ORM?

I was wondering myself!

Still, it's a very serious point. Yes, we finished later than everyone else, yes, we were waiting on players to sign and yes, we don't want to jump in to the market without careful consideration. Still, every day that passes involves me checking any news on the official site or substantiated rumours on here and each day I get more anxious that the deadline is looming large and we'll be left without any more signings.

Remember that the hand that fed us can also be the one that takes it all away so easily. There are 4 places down as well as up and you have to get a hefty haul of points to be safe. Considering that, on league position last year, we are the worst team in the division, I think it's essential that we sign two or three players, if nothing else, to replace players that have left this summer.

Love him or loathe him, Tes did have some input in to our promotion and rather than replace him, we have got rid of a playuer who was most likely his understudy. Losing Dudders without bringing in at least two more strikers, in my eyes, would be completely unacceptable.

Still, I've seen enough superb judgemenmt by the management at the club in the past to maintain some confidence in future performance. I'm keeping the faith but it is thinning every day without transfer activity.

 

[Guest]

I'm under no illusions at all about next season, we will nopt be challenging form anything but mid-table. we need to consolidate before we take the next step up.

Player wise, I don't think central midfield is an issue, although we could do with a winger. We really need to look at getting another couple of forwards and a full back first.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Just to clarify, the transfer-window situation.

As I understand it, all FL clubs now have to abide by the two seasonal transfer windows for permanent transfers, e.g 1 June to 31 August & 1 January to 31 January.

Am I also correct in thinking that some kind of concession to league clubs was put in place in that short-term loan deals could still be arranged outwith of these windows.

Does anybody know if this true or if I've been misled?
Cheers!

 

[Kenny]

ORM in "serious post" shocker

 

[Angell Delight]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ June 27 2005,17:15)]Just to clarify, the transfer-window situation.

As I understand it, all FL clubs now have to abide by the two seasonal transfer windows for permanent transfers, e.g 1 June to 31 August & 1 January to 31 January.

Am I also correct in thinking that some kind of concession to league clubs was put in place in that short-term loan deals could still be arranged outwith of these windows.

Does anybody know if this true or if I've been misled?
Cheers!

I believe that Conference clubs have had the number of loans at any one time and the quantity allowed throughout the season extended but nothing like this is currently in place for the Football League.

 

[Welsh_Shrimperz]

Left Back, Wingers and a striker is needed for League 1 level, Torquay has kept the same squads and sold their star forward to Wigan but unluckly to go down, they paid the price for having their players injuryeds. We be F*****ds if we pick up an injurys during the season, we have to hope that we dont get injurys to our star players if we want to finish somewhere 18th or higher.

 

[Welsh_Shrimperz]

We seem to get players on trails, like we got Spinners who come to train with the club as he is trying to get fit last summer and end up signing him - Iam glad that happen. Its can be the same again, a players come on trail and played an blinders leds us to chant "Sign him up!". We only need 4 players to do well at League One.