Relegation fodder

The dilemma is, do we stick or twist? We know the likes of Ball and Miller can turn it on but statistics show it's less on than off, therefore do we risk giving Ball 18 months when he'll want decent wage or do we say no, you'll stay on loan, send Miller back and bring in an experienced forward to work with Doyle. I'm not sure if we can even return Miller at this stage. Until we shift the dead wood in the squad, we're screwed.

 

Could that have been one of the reasons he wanted Caddis in the middle at Barnsley?
He identified that area of the pitch as being the most important, so I'd imagine he'll be looking to get that sorted asap.

 

We can’t afford to be financially screwed. It would be even more expensive if weget relegated. If we had carried on like we did in October/November, I would say don’t bother we need our resources to build in league 2.

 

If what I’ve heard with Ball is right - make it conditional. 6 month deal with an automatic 12 month extension if we stay up.

 

Barnsley result, though frustrating, was understandable, but that yesterday was worrying.

Games are won in central midfield and Akpan had a poor game. With no Jim O’Brien and Karl Henry around anymore the scrappers have gone and he’s guaranteed a start. Reeves and Wright won’t be considered any more it seems and are fairweather types anyway.

Four at the back didn’t suit us. I am still not convinced by our captain tbh, though he’s prob worthy of a spot given we lack depth? NKP at LB was a terrible move when Wood was on the bench.

Three of their goals were wonder strikes so we have to just hope it knocked us for six and put it down to freak events to an extent, But given we’ve moved players on and weakened the squad, even though finances are forcing Hopkin’s hand, I think he needs to make a big statement this week now to give the squad a lift.

Left back, target man and winger needed. I’d like to see a new ‘Jim O’Brien’ arrive too, as it doesn’t sound like Anderson is a a scrapper. In reality we’ll prob end up with one more arrival, on loan.

Worrying times again. :-(

 

Remember when people didn't want us to win against Scunthorpe because we were going to finish mid table any way?

Oh, how we laughed.

 

I very much doubt that this was a serious statement made by anybody.

 

You're very much wrong then

 

The points difference between 21 st and half way (12th) is only 6 points in league 1. It's significantly greater in league 2 and the championship. That could mean that our fate (and the fate of many other teams) isn't truly decided until the last game of the season. It's going to be a very nervy last few months.

 

Your post is more strange, Hopkin has won just 6 out of the 29 games in charge this season averaging just over 1 point a game and yet you claim my post that he will take us down at this rate is strange? You need to give your head a shake m8

 

Yep! And people actually liked it!

 

I stand corrected.

Some of our lot must be deluded!

 

Unfortunately, that's right. We were well in it until Barnsley scored and the old problem of dropping heads followed. Then, when we concede in less than 2 minutes, what follows? Yesterday was very worrying indeed and JO'B going could have left us once more without a bit of vocal on the pitch.

 

Hopkin alluded to this in the T&A article yesterday morning -

"He said: “January is a window when you’ve got a lot of players in the squad who maybe have their thoughts on different things.

“Agents maybe say different things to them. It’s an important month and you have to make sure you stay focused.

“As a player, if you can stay focused throughout January, you can probably stay focused through anything.

“You can get your heads turned. People make things a wee bit harder for players by saying that somebody might have been interested in them through the summer and are trying to get them in January.

“You’ve got to be professional. I spoke to the players about it on Thursday morning".

 

He's done well to win 6 with the shower he was left. Far too early to judge and far to early to suggest he'll take us down.

In fact, if you care to back it up I'll have £20 on us surviving under Hopkin with the proceeds going to the burns unit.

Over to you.

 

Yes for a manager who is not noted for turning his teams fortunes around when on a bad run he's not doing too bad.
22nd of December after we beat then 2-0

19th January around a month later

 

He's doing really well. Shame for us.

 

And it has three effects

1. It made the decision to have NKP as a left back look very poor (I actually agreed with the line-up, so it shows how moments can make fools of us all). That goal came because there was a slight mix up at the left hand of defence - obviously because NKP needed five / ten minutes to 'bed in'. You would have thought that his colleagues would have thought about the need to protect him during this time
2. We're chasing the game now, but have no attacking threat down the left, meaning virtually all the attacking would have be down the right. Which of course means;- a) A lot of our play / players are concentrated down the right. b) Caddis having to overcommit our only 'wide man' in the team). c) Southend simply have to play intelligently and they can exploit their lob-sided opposition. Poor NKP was exposed and saved us numerous times and whilst he was at fault for third goal - it was very harsh of an understandable O'Donnell to have a go at him.
3. The players, who are still mentally weak at time - just played for themselves, rather than getting together as a team. Result of that attitude was a heavy defeat

With regards to the game, the only ones to come out with any semblance of credit for me, were Caddis, Akpan and Payne - the later had two players always surrounding him, but never gave up. I would assume Akpan will have been slaughtered (I haven't dared read yesterday's comments!!) but I thought he made few errors and as the game went on - he joined in the attacks more, rather than hiding

Mr Happy Clapper here, is now seriously worried. It is inevitable that one of the well supported / should be at least L1 team, like us, Plymouth, Oxford or Bristol Rovers will go down (if not two). Yesterday and last week, means it will be us, unless we get back on form

However, the realistic side of me says this will act as a wake up call. I expect the financial boat getting pushed out a bit and two or three signings who will improve the team, will come in. Also, I think this is a one-off (but remember it is January where we average about 4 points a month for the last six / seven seasons )

Hopkin has made some puzzling choices, but the stick he's getting in terms of his whole management ability been question is laughable. Those doing this will be the same fans attacking Parky seven seasons ago - he ended up not doing too badly!!

We need to just try and forget this and move on. Dwelling on it serves no purpose. Nothing of positive of any description came out of yesterday - apart from the fact we badly need a winger and can't just wait for Scannell to come back