Reasons to be cheerful...

fbm · Sep 5, 2004

Although we have got off to a slow start, I think we will now start to impose ourselves on the division. I know, I know, we have said this before, but I think there are 2 main reasons why this year just might be a bit different.

1) For years we have not created any problems at all from set-pieces and have missed penalties galore. Now, of the 8 goals we have scored this season, 2 have been from penalties, 2 from free kicks and 3 from corners. The last time we scored from that many set pieces was in 89/90 and 90/91 - 2 promotion seasons.

2) A 4-1 victory away from the Hall is a rare event indeed. But having gone back through the results, I have found 4 other occurences when we have achieved this scoreline on our travels;

v Millwall in 92/93 under Barry Fry. When he left we were 4th in the table, receiving national acclaim for the football we were playing and I reckon would have had a VERY good chance of going up if he had stayed; v Cambridge and Swansea, both in the 1990/91 season when we went up to Div 2 for the first time, and v Reading in 1971/72, when we got promoted for the first time ever. Two of those seasons we got promotion and the other we certainly could have done if not for Karron Brady and Bummingham Titty football club!

I like a 4-1 scoreline personally - anything more I think shows more about the character of the opposition generally (don't get me wrong, I'd take 5 and 6 any day!) but there is something about 4-1 that shows confidence, superiority and dominance... the opposition have had enough teeth to notch one, but they have been totally overwhelmed and defeated.

Certainly the scoreline has happy connotations for Southend... lets hope this season is no exception.

Technician · Sep 6, 2004

Some interesting stats in brief...

Northampton have the least shots on goal [37] and are 17th in the table after a 3-0 reverse at Mansfield.
Grimsby have had the most shots on goal [91] and are 18th in the table.
Bury have scored the most goals [14] and have the best strike rate in L2, but only lie 7th in the table.
Kidderminster have scored the least goals [3] and lie 23rd in the table, but have 5 points.
Southend have had more shots [77] and more shots on target [45] than all but seven other clubs in L2.
Sc**thorpe are the only team in L2 with a 100% home record and are undefeated this season.
Lincoln have the worst home record, collecting only 1 point from 3 games and only scoring 3 goals.
Grimsby have the worst away record, losing all 3 matches without scoring and conceded 4 goals.
Bristol R* / Wycombe have the best away records, *Bristol Rovers have not conceded a goal away yet.
Notts County under-achievers of the division lying 22nd despite being fancied for promotion back to L1.
Grimsby have not won away from home in 16 matches and have not scored in the last 2 matches.

Wycombe [11.09.04] is going to be a tough game with their away form and as we have to make at least 1 enforced change, I think we might struggle to contain them... let's hope they leave their shooting boots behind!

Notts County [18.09.04] have had a poor start at home with only 2 points from 4 starts, scoring 2 goals, but they have got more shots on target than Southend... I think we can get something from this one!

Kidderminster [25.09.04] against one of the poorest teams in the division, I think Southend will outclass this lot! can't score goals, weak defensively and I suspect Jan Molby may become a casualty of their poor start, if things continue.

That's my analysis of the next three games... be interesting to see what happens to this over the next few weeks!

footymad13 · Sep 6, 2004

Id be happy if we could get 4 points from the next 3 days although i can't see us winning the Wycombe game nor the Notts game but im expecting 3 points from the Kiddy game.