Transfer News and Gossip Transfer Rumours Thread 2023-24 (Part 2 - Back in Business. Oh no we’re not)

[The General]

You can hardly moan about going *slightly* off topic when we’ve had a transfer thread on the Zone for the last 18 months

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

No, but I have seen the number of one on ones/ decent chances we have absolutely trousered since Cardwell has been out of the side. The point is, a striker rarely loses his eye for the goal, so getting him on loan to fill a much needed gap isn't exactly a difficult decision, given our current plight.

He is 30 years old not 40, and could be what we need to get over a spell of very few goals needed.

Freddy Eastwood and Lee Barnard were far more accomplished goalscorers in their prime than Hopper (who was a fine player for us) and barely got a goal between them on their second spells at a similar age.

A striker doesn’t lose their eye for goal so much as that little bit of acceleration that gets them the space to shoot.

On topic of Tom Hopper, my view is the management set up here have MORE than earned our trust. I cant remember a "bad" signing we have made.

So I wouldnt question anyone they bring in. If they think Hopper is the right player, we know they would have had him watched and spoke to friends/managers etc etc. If they happy with that, then I trust that 100%.

Have we had a manager who's ratio of transfer hits have been so high? Must be up there.

It’s a higher success rate than most but Dan Mooney, Leon Davies, Louis Lomas, Callum Powell, Aaron Cosgrave, Jake Hyde, Jack Wood etc weren’t/arent yet successful signings.

I think the difference however is the process is better. Even with signings like Mooney and Lomas that haven’t worked you can see there’s a player there it just hasn’t clicked. The only one where that process seemed to be lacking was Hyde where we appear to have been rushed into taking a player past his prime. So as long as we don’t feel rushed into taking a past their prime forward as we desperately need a striker we should be ok…

 

[MisterStubbs]

Not sure if I missed it through all the Tom Hopper and who'll be the next manager of that lot down the A12 but it's been confirmed today that Harrison Neal has had his loan at Stevenage ended.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1742576748342989163

 

[BoyWonder2]

Not sure if I missed it through all the Tom Hopper and who'll be the next manager of that lot down the A12 but it's been confirmed today that Harrison Neal has had his loan at Stevenage ended.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1742576748342989163

I’d be pleasantly surprised, and over the moon, if Neal came back here, but I don’t see it.

Interest is definitely there, and Neal loved his time here so never say never, but I’d be surprised if he is wearing a Southend United shirt for the rest of the season.

 

[Holy Joe]

I’d be pleasantly surprised, and over the moon, if Neal came back here, but I don’t see it.

Interest is definitely there, and Neal loved his time here so never say never, but I’d be surprised if he is wearing a Southend United shirt for the rest of the season.

Wasn't that confirmed by Sensei Phil after he spoke with Neal - think he said he's off to a lower league 2 club

 

[WestyReturns]

On topic of Tom Hopper, my view is the management set up here have MORE than earned our trust. I cant remember a "bad" signing we have made.

Mooney. Agree overall though, they have a good record so far. Every manager/club gets it wrong sometimes.

 

[BoyWonder2]

Wasn't that confirmed by Sensei Phil after he spoke with Neal - think he said he's off to a lower league 2 club

I’ve heard it’s a club in league one.

I’m sure he said there is a small chance we may play them next season. Us getting promoted, them being relegated from league one would be a small chance…

 

[Hadleigh-shrimper]

I’d be pleasantly surprised, and over the moon, if Neal came back here, but I don’t see it.

Interest is definitely there, and Neal loved his time here so never say never, but I’d be surprised if he is wearing a Southend United shirt for the rest of the season.

It’s ok we will settle for Danny Waldron crowther and moaris chuck in hopper for good measure.

 

[Bromley Blue]

I can’t say it’s an area we desperately need to reinforce right now either. Surely midfield is the strongest part of the team right now.

Also if Adam Crowther signs and starts - how do we see the pack being shuffled to accommodate him?

Obviously Ralph and Taylor are arguably being played out of position but both have performed admirably IMO.

Ralph moving to wingback could allow us to push Jack Bridge further forward but I think we’d need to tweak the formation to accommodate for that so it’s an interesting dilemma.

 

[Crowstone Crevette]

Do it in black and white, that’ll shut them up!

If you do it in black and white is it okay if we colour it in?

 

[WestyReturns]

I can’t say it’s an area we desperately need to reinforce right now either. Surely midfield is the strongest part of the team right now.

Also if Adam Crowther signs and starts - how do we see the pack being shuffled to accommodate him?

Obviously Ralph and Taylor are arguably being played out of position but both have performed admirably IMO.

Ralph moving to wingback could allow us to push Jack Bridge further forward but I think we’d need to tweak the formation to accommodate for that so it’s an interesting dilemma.

I wouldnt be impressed if either are moved back into midfield. Both so much better at the back and would make us more defensive if moved into midfield which is not what we need.

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

I'm not saying we haven't done well, I haven't said that at all, we've done amazingly well. However, we are where we are in the table. I'm simply pointing out that the consortium are trying to push half season cards and I'm saying that if we were in and around the playoffs, there would be greater interest. Being closer to the relegation zone isn't going to entice as many people to buy one unfortunately. Many will wait until next season which is a shame.

You’re right, I see they’ve made Altrincham tickets available now and it’s kids for a quid so that’s maybe an attempt to get another big crowd in.

We do need at least one striker in by the weekend it would give everyone such a lift.

 

[Gridelet's contact lens]

Mooney. Agree overall though, they have a good record so far. Every manager/club gets it wrong sometimes.

or sometimes the bigger picture at the Club cause players to be unsettled. Kev did say it was up to him to get the the best structure in place for Dan Mooney to succeed, but of course he could not run a 'normal' team as it was whoever was fit was selected.

 

[SHRIMPERPETER]

I can’t say it’s an area we desperately need to reinforce right now either. Surely midfield is the strongest part of the team right now.

Also if Adam Crowther signs and starts - how do we see the pack being shuffled to accommodate him?

Obviously Ralph and Taylor are arguably being played out of position but both have performed admirably IMO.

Ralph moving to wingback could allow us to push Jack Bridge further forward but I think we’d need to tweak the formation to accommodate for that so it’s an interesting dilemma.

I'd have Ralph lwb as Bridge can't defend

 

[leeblue]

I'd have Ralph lwb as Bridge can't defend

Begging the question where dors Bridge play, every time he's been tried elsewhere he's been a bit poop

 

[shrimperjon]

Begging the question where dors Bridge play, every time he's been tried elsewhere he's been a bit poop

Just been talking about this, for me Ralph is the better wing back than Bridge, has the pace to get forward and back and doesn’t try to beat his man three times before crossing. However bridge is our top assist player I believe. Just be nice to have a dilemma again

 

[leeblue]

Just been talking about this, for me Ralph is the better wing back than Bridge, has the pace to get forward and back and doesn’t try to beat his man three times before crossing. However bridge is our top assist player I believe. Just be nice to have a dilemma again

Ideally you go with the formation that kev originally seemed to favour with three up top, that's the reason Mooney was signed and Powell imo.

 

[Strykr]

Ideally you go with the formation that kev originally seemed to favour with three up top, that's the reason Mooney was signed and Powell imo.

Make you right there, pretty sure thats what kevs aiming for. Powell and mooney cutting in and providing pace and guile, picking up the loose balls from the targetman cardwell. Hasnt worked with powell and mooney so they have adapted.

 

[Thundersley Blue]

Freddy Eastwood and Lee Barnard were far more accomplished goalscorers in their prime than Hopper (who was a fine player for us) and barely got a goal between them on their second spells at a similar age.

A striker doesn’t lose their eye for goal so much as that little bit of acceleration that gets them the space to shoot.


It’s a higher success rate than most but Dan Mooney, Leon Davies, Louis Lomas, Callum Powell, Aaron Cosgrave, Jake Hyde, Jack Wood etc weren’t/arent yet successful signings.

I think the difference however is the process is better. Even with signings like Mooney and Lomas that haven’t worked you can see there’s a player there it just hasn’t clicked. The only one where that process seemed to be lacking was Hyde where we appear to have been rushed into taking a player past his prime. So as long as we don’t feel rushed into taking a past their prime forward as we desperately need a striker we should be ok…

Think that is a bit harsh on Lomas. When he played he didn't let us down. Just a shame he picked up a long term injury.

 

[Jim Levenstein]

Just been talking about this, for me Ralph is the better wing back than Bridge, has the pace to get forward and back and doesn’t try to beat his man three times before crossing. However bridge is our top assist player I believe. Just be nice to have a dilemma again

Loool absolute tosh. Bridge is our most effective player by a mile and he’s done that by playing lwb. What he offers going forward massively outweighs his lack of defensive nous and no way in a million years would I be moving Bridge out of that spot to put Ralph in. We need to sign a very, very good lcb to cover and hopefully someone in cm can cover at times