Onwards and Upwards or same again?

[Shrimpers are Magic]

With three games coming up so quickly one after the other and the league table so tight, you would think that a good return of points could be vital. We seem to be here again with the team doing well going into the new year but it was after the boxing day win at Dagenham last season when the wheels started to come off. If memory serves the same thing happened the season before.
Do we think Brown's Boys can finish the job or are we to come down with the decorations once again?

 

[Southend Pier]

An interesting one. Could boil down to 2 things. retaining the confidence factor and keeping the squad fit and intact. If this happens I see no reason why we can't tough it out. If there is interest in 1 or 2 players from elsewhere hopefully that'll be put on the back burner. As has been mentioned it'll be boost if we could strengthen the squad a little further embargo-free to give us lee-way should injuries/suspensions mount up. If things stay as we hope they will I'd expect to be challenging come May.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

I posted this on an earlier thread, for which it probably wasn't too relevant. It may be more suitable to bring it up here....... apologies for those who have already read it.

Just looking at the last two seasons both which contained good runs before the New Year. Was thinking that our problems came in January but in fact the crunch times arrived in mid-February. It was interesting to note that it was at this time in 2011/2 that we fell out of the automatic positions, never to return and it was about the identical time in 2012/3 that we fell out of the play-off places. Our failure was not a great collapse but rather just a falling away, accompanied by occasional very poor performances and defeats.
Looking more closely at February, there are amazing parallels between the two seasons. In league games both seasons statistics were the same i.e. W 2 D 1 L3 . In 2011/2, February was heralded in by that crushing 1-4 home defeat against Swindon on the 31st January. In 2012/3 our six league games were accompanied by the memorable but ultimately destructive, JPT Area Final legs against Orient. (Eight games in the space of one short month!!!)
What is interesting this season is that, at the moment, only three league games are previewed for the month. This should be far easier to handle with a small squad and it may well be that we have to wait for the outcome of our seven games in March to tell what our promotion prospects are going to be..........counting on the fact that we haven't completely fallen away by the end of January! :winking:

* We can now add the Hartlepool re-arranged fixture for the 18th of February.

 

[Smiffy]

The lack of bodies and ability to bring fresh faces in will ultimately cost us again IMO.

Expecting an average to poor second half of the season. But then I am a negative *******.

 

[Southend Pier]

The lack of bodies and ability to bring fresh faces in will ultimately cost us again IMO.

Expecting an average to poor second half of the season. But then I am a negative *******.

your first line of comment may well be the undoing of the team's ambitions. if this area could get sorted once and for all the team should be competing for the play-offs at least. As things stand it makes life harder should injuries/bans mount.

 

[OldBlueLady]

We need a goal poacher, a Britt...or Theo. That's what is missing from our side this season, Phil Brown would do well to bring one such in. Talking of which, what has happened to Gavin Tomlin?

 

[buffalowolf]

If we could retain Kiernan until the end of the season, remain injury free and find ourselves a decent striker , one who scores goals then come May i expect us to be up there pushing for promotion.Yes we have Freddy but im not so sure he can remain injury free.:sad:

 

[chapperzUK]

Why get a striker when we can't give the current ones any decent service? As far as creativity goes we have Hurst with no one else. Straker is very hit and miss, mainly poor when I've seen him.

 

[buffalowolf]

The January transfer window is going to be very interesting , not just for us but also seeing who other clubs in league 2 sign.If SUFC were looking for a playmaker, theres a 24 year old plays for Melbourne Victory who would love to play overseas Mitch Nicholls ,just a shame SUFC got no money.

 

[onceknownasrab]

Well for me PB has done much to applaud this season and in honesty surprised me in the process. Glad for him but one thing stands out to me and that is give Corr a few games coming off the bench. He is not at the top of his game and lately we seem to be playing the longer ball which requires him to be firing on all cylinders.

The pitches and conditions have not warranted the change of style in my opinion, though that may become a necessity in the near future with worsening pitches.

Revert to what we can do best. Keep it down, pass it around and put the opposition to the sword.

Put the pace of Woodrow up front, bearing in mind the only time we did he scored, and if things struggle with the preferred style bring Corr on and go long. Simples.

 

[Southend Pier]

I will stick my neck out and say that I don't think any key player will go next month even if offers come forward. I remember in recent times that we thought Ferdinand and Hall would go at this point but didn't. this time last year we turned down a bid from Gillingham for Gavin Tomlin. and Tomlin's contract was winding down at the time. could be a similar situation with Hurst. so this gives me optimism no-one of importance will go in January and that the tilt at promotion will be top of the agenda. and should that happen the financial rewards would be greater.

 

[Bobby dazzler]

How we get one I don't know, but we are crying out for a striker. Many a time the ball goes across goal begging to be put away only for no one to be there(alright a few times). As much as I love BBBC he really is not the answer with the way Brown sets the team out. He works tirelessly to no avail on his own and if he scored a goal for every offside he concedes we would be romping the league. Please Barry learn the offside rule.Still love you though.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

My concern is that other teams strengthen (that blasted loan system) whilst we struggle to get into "a groove".

Having said tht I am not sure what changes to the squad we need to make as the subs bench is already extremely strong (with the possible exception of Reid).

If we can stay relatively free from injuries and suspensions then it is more a question of formation and mix of players.

People say we play a 4-3-3 but I regularly see a 4-5-1 or 4-1-4-1. With Fred back from injury, I would drop Strakes and put him back in from the start - that leaves some very good options on the bench if required.

 

[southend_aussies]

The January transfer window is going to be very interesting , not just for us but also seeing who other clubs in league 2 sign.If SUFC were looking for a playmaker, theres a 24 year old plays for Melbourne Victory who would love to play overseas Mitch Nicholls ,just a shame SUFC got no money.

A J-League club is interested in his services. Besides he would never move from Melbourne Victory to a League Two club. Many players now go to 1st divisions of Germany, Belgium, Scotland and others before lower leagues of England.

 

[Jai]

Oxford, Fleetwood, Chesterfield all can and will strengthen significantly in January. We can't.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

We have slightly lost our way of late and PB is fully aware of that as are the squad. I expect us to make the play off and that the team spirit will be the main factor for that. We need to keep away from suspensions, be lucky with injuries, have good refs and not have any disruption in the squad such as selling Kevan Hurst or bring in Ryan Hall.

 

[Ricky Otto]

The January transfer window is going to be very interesting , not just for us but also seeing who other clubs in league 2 sign.If SUFC were looking for a playmaker, theres a 24 year old plays for Melbourne Victory who would love to play overseas Mitch Nicholls ,just a shame SUFC got no money.

A couple of seasons ago Trent Sainsbury was interested in trying to get a trial here, I wrote to the club and heard nothing back. He turned down Bolton this summer and a move to Basle fell through, way out of our league now. Worth trying, get the impression Phil Brown might be more open to external input and you'd probably get the courtesy of a reply at least.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

A couple of seasons ago Trent Sainsbury was interested in trying to get a trial here, I wrote to the club and heard nothing back. He turned down Bolton this summer and a move to Basle fell through, way out of our league now. Worth trying, get the impression Phil Brown might be more open to external input and you'd probably get the courtesy of a reply at least.

I thought we accepted Sainburys with open arms