What worries me most.....

[DTS]

I really dont want this thread to turn into a Tilly bashing sessions as I love the man....

However what worries me most is its clear to all Freddy will be gone this summer and really good luck to him. He has been a fantastic player and has been a large part of the reason we have gone up so much.

Assuming he goes for a couple of mill which on recent performances is optomistic at best I am worried based on Tilly striker signings this season that we are going to spunk the money on a loads of crap strikers.

I think our upfront signings this season have been nothing short of woeful. Tilly really needs to have a good sit down come the summer and pull a rabbit out the bag as its clear at the moment our attack bar my hero Freddy is absolute ****e.

 

[smudgster]

I dont think Paynter has been given a fair crack of the whip. But do agree the signing of Matty H was a bad one.

Ive said all along, even if we stay up this season the next will be exactly the same. Bargain basement signings and no imagination on the loan front.

If freddy does go, it wouldnt suprise me one bit to see Harold, Bradbury as the starting pair up front next season.

As for tilly i think he has done a superb job and is the right man for the post. Just needs some help financially when it comes to getting players in.

 

[Cricko2]

Assuming he goes for a couple of mill which on recent performances is optomistic at best I am worried based on Tilly striker signings this season that we are going to spunk the money on a loads of crap strikers.

This is of course assuming that Tilly @ Co will still be with us next season:confused:

 

[Mr. Benedict]

I see no reason to believe Tilly and Brush will get the sack, and I don't think any otheer clubs will be in a rush to appoint them so it's safe to assume they will be here I reckon.

 

[Dustybin]

If we go down and Freddy leaves then I don't see it as a problem. There is a huge gulf between League 1 and the Championship (as we have discovered the hard way) and our strikers have proved they can score at that level.
Granted we won't have a 20+ scorer but we won't have a load of 6- ones either.
Maybe it will be the perfect opportunity for Hooper to mature in the same way Eastwood did.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Granted we won't have a 20+ scorer but we won't have a load of 6- ones either.
Maybe it will be the perfect opportunity for Hooper to mature in the same way Eastwood did.

I've not seen such an overated Striker playing for Southend for Years .I've seen Hooper play many times and he's showed me nothing to suggest that he might be the new Freddy Eastwood as some have said .He scored Two soft Goals at Leeds and that was it .He never once came on and changed a Game ,he is slow off the blocks ,he can't get past a defender with the Ball ,he doesn't find space in the Penalty Area and hasn't got a good shot on him .Grays had him summed up correctly and that is why he couldn't get in their First Team .He's in the same category as Bradbury ,Harrold and Lawson ,they all can hardly get a Shot in at Goal and are just not good enough for the Championship .

 

[ldnfatso]

I really dont want this thread to turn into a Tilly bashing sessions as I love the man....

However what worries me most is its clear to all Freddy will be gone this summer and really good luck to him. He has been a fantastic player and has been a large part of the reason we have gone up so much.

Assuming he goes for a couple of mill which on recent performances is optomistic at best I am worried based on Tilly striker signings this season that we are going to spunk the money on a loads of crap strikers.

I think our upfront signings this season have been nothing short of woeful. Tilly really needs to have a good sit down come the summer and pull a rabbit out the bag as its clear at the moment our attack bar my hero Freddy is absolute ****e.

I agree fully here, Harrold is a waste of Oxygen, Paynter perhaps needs a fairer crack of the whip but was never Championship standard anyway, Hoops in my view could have been the surprise as he quite obviously has talent. Farming him out to the East End scum i think was a mistake. With regard to Foran, i have to say he doesn't look hungry enough and the desire is just not there however i'm sure he has the ability (Has he settled in yet or a i just making excuses for him?). Bradbury, well lets just face it, he isn't a Centre forward, he is slow and although he has a decent footballing brain, it very rarely gets used.
Sorry Tilly, if we are gonna be more than mid table non entities next season this lot aren't the players to do it!

 

[McNasty]

I've not seen such an overated Striker playing for Southend for Years .

What about Harrold ? His first touch is appalling , he is another lightweight who is taking money under false pretences. Someone needs to take the blame for signing him.

 

[Skyblue]

What about Harrold ? His first touch is appalling , he is another lightweight who is taking money under false pretences. Someone needs to take the blame for signing him.

I agree, you do wonder how many times the club has these players watched before puting in a bid. I beleive you are born with what you've got and you dont learn how to have a good first touch, time a header or hit a forty yard pass. You have these things by the time your ten or you dont have them at all. You can learn about off the ball running and how to create space and fancy free kicks but you have to have natural ability to start with. Unfortunately bar Freddy our strike combinations just dont have what it takes and never will.

 

[shrimpled]

Adameno will be a big player for next season. Granted he's young and inexperienced, but thats probably what we need, somebody that plays with no fear. He's confident in his ability, quick, strong and a very good finisher, there is no reason he can't score in League 1 if we do go down. Paynter and hooper are proving they can polay well at that level, paynter scored again yesterday. Hooper and paynter to start, adameno off the bench.

 

[Angell Delight]

As I said in another post the defence and midfield is arguably better than what we came up with and IMHO I don't think we'll lose anyone more than maybe Hammell in the summer, if so he'll need replacing.

However it's the forward-line that worries me same as DtS, I'm also worried the Freddy money will be squandered - Tilly and Brush need to get a 20-a-season man in and if they don't it is this that will stop us from making a quick return to the Championship. If the forwards we splashed out for this season are anything to go by.......

 

[shrimper dan]

Fred is gone at the end of the season if we go down and by the looks of thing we are but if we stay up he could stay, think about it who is going to want him, he hasnt exactly shone in this league has he.
Harrold=waste of money, cant do anything.
Paynter and Hooper are proving themselves in league 1 i think both of them have 3 each.

But as for replacements i cant see many decent players comeing in, we were looking at sharpe but as scunthorpe are up now he aint going no where. But i heard that we were looking at trundle now if we got him i would not complain.

 

[Bromley Blue]

But as for replacements i cant see many decent players comeing in, we were looking at sharpe but as scunthorpe are up now he aint going no where. But i heard that we were looking at trundle now if we got him i would not complain.[/QUOTE]

I'm sorry but I think the whole Trundle thing was just wishful thinking on our part and never much in it. Pus he wont come to us if we're both in League One next season anyway.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

But as for replacements i cant see many decent players comeing in, we were looking at sharpe but as scunthorpe are up now he aint going no where.

We were looking at Billy Sharpe but we was apparently put off by the then asking Price of 400K .Looks a snip now as he will attract offers of between 1 and 2 Million in the Summer .
Just think ,we could have had Sharpe instead of Paynter plus Foran for the same Money and almost certain survival .

 

[A Century United]

We were looking at Billy Sharpe but we was apparently put off by the then asking Price of 400K .Looks a snip now as he will attract offers of between 1 and 2 Million in the Summer .
Just think ,we could have had Sharpe instead of Paynter plus Foran for the same Money and almost certain survival .

My understanding, (and I am happy to be corrected if anyone had the inside info) is that we OFFERED £400k, and were told that they were looking for around £1m.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

My understanding, (and I am happy to be corrected if anyone had the inside info) is that we OFFERED £400k, and were told that they were looking for around £1m.

My understanding is that we offered 250K when they wanted 400K and a few Months later after he scored another hatfull of Goals and had become a better all round Player as well ,we then offered the 400K but it was too late as the asking price had now Rocketed to around the Million Mark .

 

[A Century United]

My understanding is that we offered 250K when they wanted 400K and a few Months later after he scored another hatfull of Goals and had become a better all round Player as well ,we then offered the 400K but it was too late as the asking price had now Rocketed to around the Million Mark .

Oh well, whatever the truth of what happened we didn't get him. :(

 

[Richard_Cadette]

I think there are two sides of the coin in this debate.

On the one hand, looking at our current crop of strikers, that if/when Freddy does leave, then we are in serious trouble without him.

On the other side is that when Freddy hadnt played this season, in at least 2 away games, we scored 3 goals in each - Preston away and Leeds away in the League Cup, perhaps indicating other players are prepared to take more of the responsibility for scoring rather than leaving it up to Fred!

My own person view on this is once Freddy goes, we will need to replace not just him, but at least 2 others in our striking ranks. Yes, it will be dissapointing when Freddy goes, but no one can begrudge him that, and this club will survive without him as other clubs do when they lose there top players.

My biggest worry however is not the fact Freddy is leaving, it is what is left behind when he does leave. Our remaining strikers are not good enough to score goals on a consistent basis, and I dont think it matters what league you are in, none of them are out and out goalscorers, and that is a massive worry.

I am yet to see enough of Paynter to form a complete opinion, but from what I have seen, he does look the best bet out of what we have remaining, but even so, he would need a goalscorer playing alongside him to make any partnership he was involved with work. I have no doubt he would be good enough at League One level, he has proven that whilst on loan at Braford and in all fairness, while playing in an average Port Vale side.

As for the rest of them, Hooper, Harrold, Bradders, Foran and Lawson we should cut our losses with all of them and start again because they are not the answer and never will be.

Having said all of that, we will, PROBABLY, I should add have a bit of a war chest once Freddy goes, and based on what I have seen this season, I am not confident that Tilly is capable of spending that money wisely in bringing in replacements and that is also a huge concern.

Yes, there certainly should be concern at life after Freddy, but for my money, it is not the act of Freddy leaving on its own that is the biggest worry, it is all the attributing factors which I have just mentioned which cause me most anxiety!!

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

On the one hand, looking at our current crop of strikers, that if/when Freddy does leave, then we are in serious trouble without him

My own person view on this is once Freddy goes, we will need to replace not just him, but at least 2 others in our striking ranks. Yes, it will be dissapointing when Freddy goes, but no one can begrudge him that, and this club will survive without him as other clubs do when they lose there top players.

My biggest worry however is not the fact Freddy is leaving, it is what is left behind when he does leave. Our remaining strikers are not good enough to score goals on a consistent basis, and I dont think it matters what league you are in, none of them are out and out goalscorers, and that is a massive worry.

I am yet to see enough of Paynter to form a complete opinion, but from what I have seen, he does look the best bet out of what we have remaining, but even so, he would need a goalscorer playing alongside him to make any partnership he was involved with work. I have no doubt he would be good enough at League One level, he has proven that whilst on loan at Braford and in all fairness, while playing in an average Port Vale side.

As for the rest of them, Hooper, Harrold, Bradders, Foran and Lawson we should cut our losses with all of them and start again because they are not the answer and never will be.

Having said all of that, we will, PROBABLY, I should add have a bit of a war chest once Freddy goes, and based on what I have seen this season, I am not confident that Tilly is capable of spending that money wisely in bringing in replacements and that is also a huge concern.

Yes, there certainly should be concern at life after Freddy, but for my money, it is not the act of Freddy leaving on its own that is the biggest worry, it is all the attributing factors which I have just mentioned which cause me most anxiety!!

I think you are Spot On with this Richard .