Bread and Butter Games

[TrueBlue]

Now as we all know no match this season is going to be easy but looking at the fixture list what games should we be expecting to get a decent result from?
IMO I think that Col******r and Barnsley we should try and do a doubble on, we know Col ewe are nothing to write home about and we also know that at Barnsley away if it were not for some stupid ref! we could have won that game.

With the squad 'AS IT STANDS' we could have a relegation fight on our hands but Tilly has made two VERY decent signings and with 1 more to come today or tommrow with any luck! I can see the structure of a team with good balance and a good mixture of expirence with Prior and young fresh faced determind players like Eastwood.

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

No game is going to be a walk-over this season, not even Col******r United. I'm taking each game as it comes; to pre-judge a team before pre-season has even started is very dangerous. Just think back to last season: who were dead certs for relegation in League One?

 

[EastStandBlue]

Teams, with the right signings, we could beat next year:

Col******r
Barnsley
QPR
Plymouth
Hull possibly
Burnley
Luton Possibly.

I'm judging these teams on the squads they have currently and what kind of position the club are in at the moment. Hull are managerless and struggled last season, QPR have a poor squad and are also managerless. Burnley and Luton struggled last year and Col******r and Barnsley are teams we know we can beat.
Its so important to get a good start... Our first month is terrible so we should try to get at least a point against Stoke and maybe 3 away to QPR.

 

[Smiffy]

I think we need to be getting results against teams like Luton, Stoke, Plymouth, Burnley et al... if we have any ambitions of staying in The Championship..

 

[DTS]

I think we if you look at the league there are a lot of biggish teams that aren't that fantastic - For example Barnsley, Burnley, Coventry, Hull, Plymouth, Sheffield Wednesday and Stoke and of course not forgetting that pub team Col******r.

If we can look to take 4 points off most of the above and then nick some of the bigger boys at Roots Hall I dont think we will go to far wrong.

My only worry is that of last season relegated teams from the Championship last season they were probably the three teams with the worst resources.

DtS

 

[Hawkwell Blue]

Quote[/b] (TrueBlue @ June 29 2006,09:36)]Now as we all know no match this season is going to be easy but looking at the fixture list what games should we be expecting to get a decent result from?
IMO I think that Col******r and Barnsley we should try and do a doubble on, we know Col ewe are nothing to write home about and we also know that at Barnsley away if it were not for some stupid ref! we could have won that game.

With the squad 'AS IT STANDS' we could have a relegation fight on our hands but Tilly has made two VERY decent signings and with 1 more to come today or tommrow with any luck! I can see the structure of a team with good balance and a good mixture of expirence with Prior and young fresh faced determind players like Eastwood.

I think we should try and do the double over everyone.

 

[TrueBlue]

Quote[/b] ]My only worry is that of last season relegated teams from the Championship last season they were probably the three teams with the worst resources.

Crewe do have a very good youth setup and have produced many young tallents. they are a selling club though

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (EastStandBlue @ June 29 2006,09:42)]QPR have a poor squad and are also managerless.

Nope, they appointed Gary Waddock as full-time boss yesterday.

 

[DTS]

Quote[/b] (TrueBlue @ June 29 2006,09:50)]

Quote[/b] ]My only worry is that of last season relegated teams from the Championship last season they were probably the three teams with the worst resources.

Crewe do have a very good youth setup and have produced many young tallents. they are a selling club though

Agreed but they get rubbish gates and have little money.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ June 29 2006,09:52)]

Quote[/b] (EastStandBlue @ June 29 2006,09:42)]QPR have a poor squad and are also managerless.

Nope, they appointed Gary Waddock as full-time boss yesterday.

Wasn't aware of that, but am i right in saying he has very little managerial experience? He's certainly not the Ian Holloway who's kept the club in this league on little resources...

 

[Smudger]

I think we need to have big balls next season and just go for it. We're a well drilled, organised footballing side - League 1 Champions and back-to-back promotion winners. We shouldn't fear anyone and will give every side in the division a good game. I'm hopeful that we can surprise a few teams next season.

Failing that, on the brightside at least this season we don't have a array of grim northern sh!tholes to visit. There's some sh!tholes in the midlands too.

 

[Yoda]

Quote[/b] (EastStandBlue @ June 29 2006,09:42)]Teams, with the right signings, we could beat next year:

Col******r
Barnsley
QPR
Plymouth
Hull possibly
Burnley
Luton Possibly.

I'm judging these teams on the squads they have currently and what kind of position the club are in at the moment. Hull are managerless and struggled last season, QPR have a poor squad and are also managerless. Burnley and Luton struggled last year and Col******r and Barnsley are teams we know we can beat.
Its so important to get a good start... Our first month is terrible so we should try to get at least a point against Stoke and maybe 3 away to QPR.

Clearly we're not in a position to call any "bread and butter" games this season. Obviously, we'll be looking to pick up points off of every team that we play, but I'd agree with you ESB that these are the teams we should be looking to finish above this season.

While not being bread and butter, they'll likely be six-pointers.

 

[Jai]

Quote[/b] (Yoda @ June 29 2006,10:07)]

Quote[/b] (EastStandBlue @ June 29 2006,09:42)]Teams, with the right signings, we could beat next year:

Col******r
Barnsley
QPR
Plymouth
Hull possibly
Burnley
Luton Possibly.

I'm judging these teams on the squads they have currently and what kind of position the club are in at the moment. Hull are managerless and struggled last season, QPR have a poor squad and are also managerless. Burnley and Luton struggled last year and Col******r and Barnsley are teams we know we can beat.
Its so important to get a good start... Our first month is terrible so we should try to get at least a point against Stoke and maybe 3 away to QPR.

Clearly we're not in a position to call any "bread and butter" games this season. Obviously, we'll be looking to pick up points off of every team that we play, but I'd agree with you ESB that these are the teams we should be looking to finish above this season.

While not being bread and butter, they'll likely be six-pointers.

It's far too early to say in my opinion. Nobody would have expected Southend and Col******r to have been the hardest games in League One last year, and who from the Championship was probably sitting around this time last year saying "We really should be taking six points from teams like Watford."

 

[Stodge]

Fear no-one. Remember our last promotion to this level? First away game, Derby away. They had just been relegated after a long spell in the top flight, having just sold Dean Saunders. We went up there expecting nothing and came away 2-0 winners at the old Baseball ground.

Teams such as Palace and Leicester in August will expect to just have to turn up to get 3 points from us. We may be able to surprise them!

 

[grayhound]

Quote[/b] (Stodge @ June 29 2006,11:54)]Fear no-one. Remember our last promotion to this level? First away game, Derby away. They had just been relegated after a long spell in the top flight, having just sold Dean Saunders. We went up there expecting nothing and came away 2-0 winners at the old Baseball ground.

Teams such as Palace and Leicester in August will expect to just have to turn up to get 3 points from us. We may be able to surprise them!

Just like we suprised Bradford last year!!

 

[Beefy]

I don't think theres any teams in this division that we have to be scared of.

That said, our end of season run-in looks far easier than our season opening. From mid-February we only play one side (Leeds) who I expect to finish in the top-10.

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

I can't see how or why you should be afraid of anybody, especially at home. Brighton managed to stay up for a couple of seasons with a poor side that had one decent striker and a ground that no-one wanted to come down and play at. I don't see Southend as any different.

Some of the sides that haven't even been mentioned (such as Wolves and Sunderland) are complete toss, and full of overrated players who think they're above playing at places like Roots Hall. There's only a few sides (Birmingham and Leeds to name a couple) where there is an obvious gap in class between you, and as long as you pick up the odd result off them, then you'll give yourselves a chance of staying out of too much trouble.

That said, unless you sign a pacy centre-back, you're f%&ked.

 

[Smudger]

Quote[/b] (Jonny_Stokes @ June 29 2006,13:37)]Brighton managed to stay up for a couple of seasons with a poor side that had one decent striker and a ground that no-one wanted to come down and play at. I don't see Southend as any different.

Sounding bitter and boring in every post now JS...? What happened? Lower league boards not interesting enough?

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

Quote[/b] (Smudger @ June 29 2006,13:42)]

Quote[/b] (Jonny_Stokes @ June 29 2006,13:37)]Brighton managed to stay up for a couple of seasons with a poor side that had one decent striker and a ground that no-one wanted to come down and play at. I don't see Southend as any different.

Sounding bitter and boring in every post now JS...? What happened? Lower league boards not interesting enough?  

Bitter? Moi?

Nah, I'm just being realistic. I can't see how anyone can, at the moment, make a case that you've got anything other than a below-average Championship side which is going to rely heavily on the talents of one exceptional forward. Nothing untoward or untrue about that is there?

That said, you're conveniently ignoring every positive thing I've said in my first post. Well done.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Quote[/b] (Jonny_Stokes @ June 29 2006,13:37)]That said, unless you sign a pacy centre-back, you're f%&ked.

You obviously didn't see Efe Sodje play much last season...
And as i understand it, Simon francis isn't lacking in the pace department either.