Question So... Where are we going to end up this season

[Mr Browns Ghost]

About 11th I imagine appalling at the back since lopata left

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

I think it will be a slow start with some tough matches in the first few week, a couple of loans coming in and the team settling down to then go on a long unbeaten run to sneak into the play-offs in the last few weeks. Finishing 7th.
How will we do in the play-offs though?

Last season we put in a good run come January. If we can settle into a good mid-table position & then replicate that run I would be very happy.

 

[leeblue]

We took the first 15 games off, last season. Was an extremely fragile, unhappy incomplete squad which had a terrible pre season. No first team coach, no football department, no direction, an embargo, players coming and going, didn't think we could stoop lower, a change of management team....and we still finished 5 wins away from play offs.

I would consider it a failure if we finished outside top 7. We literally have to win 5 more times than last season and we make play offs, and you would like to think this squad is a whole lot better than last years.

Damn....when you put it like that

 

[Chalky]

Damn....when you put it like that

Haha, don't get me wrong, football doesn't work like that.

But we really were awful, posters on here last November/December genuinely were concerned we may face another relegation battle. We changed management team, brought in Stan and overhauled the recruitment process, had a bloody embargo, a second half protest at home to Chesterfield and yet still finished in top half.

We've proved that we can be a basket case of a club and still be 5 wins away from PL. We literally just have to be a smidgen, 1 percent, absolutely anything better than last year.

Plus, the league also lost 2 big boys in Grimsby & Stockport as well, going up.

I think fans really are entitled to be excited and optimistic going into this year.

 

[old leigh shrimper]

Promoted as Champions! My money will be on (Betfair) before k.o Saturday.

 

[Ipswhrimp]

Haha, don't get me wrong, football doesn't work like that.

But we really were awful, posters on here last November/December genuinely were concerned we may face another relegation battle. We changed management team, brought in Stan and overhauled the recruitment process, had a bloody embargo, a second half protest at home to Chesterfield and yet still finished in top half.

We've proved that we can be a basket case of a club and still be 5 wins away from PL. We literally just have to be a smidgen, 1 percent, absolutely anything better than last year.

Plus, the league also lost 2 big boys in Grimsby & Stockport as well, going up.

I think fans really are entitled to be excited and optimistic going into this year.

I love your optimism. Sorry to burst the bubble a bit - we finished in the bottom half, 13th out of 23.

 

[Chalky]

I love your optimism. Sorry to burst the bubble a bit - we finished in the bottom half, 13th out of 23.

Oh, was it? I'll revaluate and revise it a tad. We are getting relegated.

 

[Kris]

I'm tentatively optimistic we'll sneak into the play-offs. The fruity thing halted our progress in the transfer market so I'm less sure than I was a few weeks ago but equally as some have said, this isn't our definitive squad. You only have to look at the spectacular impact Freddy made when we were floating in mid-table (I think?) to know how signings can catapult a team towards near promotion, or how the Domino Dancing-esque freak injury crisis nearly took us down.

 

[duncan bulgaria]

Top 7 for me ,the team spirit seems to be there and we have some purpose on the ball and trying to win games .
I’d go higher but I’m not to sure who we’ll others like boreham wood have strengthened to compare …..I suppose Saturday will tell

 

[Strykr]

7th and playoffs!

 

[Gt Yarmouth Shrimper]

That's how we should think but Ron had worn most of our fans down and now it almost seems acceptable that we are a mid table non league side.

I fear for our future. What kids are going to want to support a club where we stand now. Very very few.

I bet everyone flocks round you at parties.

 

[Blue43]

If we can somehow pull of the signing Lopata on a season long loan, bring in a decent loan striker and don’t have too much bad luck with injuries then we would have an excellent chance of challenging for the top spots!

I honestly believe Kaspa is the difference between challenging for promotion this season as we still look very vulnerable at the back, especially from set pieces!

 

[JD]

That's how we should think but Ron had worn most of our fans down and now it almost seems acceptable that we are a mid table non league side.

I fear for our future. What kids are going to want to support a club where we stand now. Very very few.

My daughter is one.
She is absolutely buzzing to have her first season ticket, after going to a couple of games last year.
She also has £40 of her own money burning a hole in her pocket ready to buy a shirt on Saturday (if the shop has her size!)
Puts a massive smile on my face

 

[Westcliff Shrimper]

My daughter is one.
She is absolutely buzzing to have her first season ticket, after going to a couple of games last year.
She also has £40 of her own money burning a hole in her pocket ready to buy a shirt on Saturday (if the shop has her size!)
Puts a massive smile on my face

Is she a member of the Junior Blues? Has been taken back in-house so great time to join...

 

[amsemp]

I think and hope we’ll be in the playoffs. Interested to see how Wrexham get on. Pressure is massively on Parky with the level of investment in the squad. If they get off to a slow start or go on a bad run, it won’t take long for the fans and the board to get a bit restless.

 

[JD]

Is she a member of the Junior Blues? Has been taken back in-house so great time to join...

She hasn’t but that does remind me that it would be something she’d like. I saw @OldBlueLady ‘s post about last week I think. Is it on the trust website?

 

[Westcliff Shrimper]

She hasn’t but that does remind me that it would be something she’d like. I saw @OldBlueLady ‘s post about last week I think. Is it on the trust website?

Or follow this link!

Junior Blues - Southend United

www.southendunited.co.uk

 

[mattytheshrimper]

I predicted 17th last season which at one point, even that was looking beyond us. Thankfully we stayed up, that's all I care about from last season even before the season started.

This season I'm predicting a bit more positive with a 8th spot finish but I'm sure I even believe myself there to be honest. I'm expecting a much better season but I really do struggle to see where the goals will come from to be enough to get us or above. I think our front isn't that great even when fit, let alone two already injured, losing Dalby and replacing him someone who struggles to play. Fingers crossed the midfield chip in with a few more goals this season, same with the defence.

 

[OldBlueLady]

She hasn’t but that does remind me that it would be something she’d like. I saw @OldBlueLady ‘s post about last week I think. Is it on the trust website?

Definitely get her signed up, we don't have enough girls for doing things like the flag waving! You can also sign up in person in the Shrimpers Bar on Saturday.