Hold your nerve everyone...

Wright, Hanson, Scannell

I wouldn't want to be in the trenches with some of the posters on here. We have 23 games to play and are zero points behind the 2 teams above us, both of whom have won a game less than we have- and 3 points behind Scunny, who we play soon and have already beaten.

1 goal between 3 of them in 23 matches. They may have been injured for some of that time but there not that impressive. Subs if there lucky

Quoted from ginnywings

I wouldn't want to be in the trenches with some of the posters on here. We have 23 games to play and are zero points behind the 2 teams above us, both of whom have won a game less than we have- and 3 points behind Scunny, who we play soon and have already beaten.

Exactly what I said last week. I am not calling for blind optimism just back the judgement of Hurst and see where we are at the end of the transfer window.

Nows the time for the real support to get behind the club ffs !!

The problem with taking comfort from how close we are to the clubs above us is that the direction of travel is shocking.

Not so long ago some were saying that Southend were as good as down, so one relegation place was already filled.

A few matches ago people were saying, it's ok, we have a six point gap top the drop zone.

In December it was ok because we have games against the bottom feeders and had the opportunity to pick up plenty of points and move well away from the danger zone.

Today we are in the drop zone. The team one point below us are near the top of the form table with games in hand. In recent weeks we have played teams mostly in the bottom six and have beaten only one of them.

Our top scorer is our centre half.  We have a keeper who has given away daft goals, as has his replacement. Our defense is awful.We have the worst goal difference in the division. We have no strikers worthy of the name. We lack strength and creativity in midfield. Most of our players seem unable to master the basics of the game.

It's not a question of holding nerve. It's a question of waking up and smelling the coffee. We basically need a new team.

It is going to be tough to persuade enough quality players to join us. Hurst has a huge task. We need to face the fact that despite the new manager, new owners, and an injection of cash, the rot might simply be to deep to fix this season, especially it it is terminated early and we have to go to PPG.  

Quoted from RonMariner

The problem with taking comfort from how close we are to the clubs above us is that the direction of travel is shocking.

Not so long ago some were saying that Southend were as good as down, so one relegation place was already filled.

A few matches ago people were saying, it's ok, we have a six point gap top the drop zone.

In December it was ok because we have games against the bottom feeders and had the opportunity to pick up plenty of points and move well away from the danger zone.

Today we are in the drop zone. The team one point below us are near the top of the form table with games in hand. In recent weeks we have played teams mostly in the bottom six and have beaten only one of them.

Our top scorer is our centre half.  We have a keeper who has given away daft goals, as has his replacement. Our defense is awful.We have the worst goal difference in the division. We have no strikers worthy of the name. We lack strength and creativity in midfield. Most of our players seem unable to master the basics of the game.

It's not a question of holding nerve. It's a question of waking up and smelling the coffee. We basically need a new team.

It is going to be tough to persuade enough quality players to join us. Hurst has a huge task. We need to face the fact that despite the new manager, new owners, and an injection of cash, the rot might simply be to deep to fix this season, especially it it is terminated early and we have to go to PPG.  

Yes, you are correct, no one is disputing how bad we have been, but I bet Southend fans were saying the same thing 6 weeks ago. You are assuming that what has gone before will be what is to come for the second half of the season, and we simply don't know that for sure. We don't even have to improve to the same level as Southend to move away from the bottom. They have had to have a massive upturn in form just to get caught up. We need to improve, no doubt about that, but we don't need to improve by a massive amount to get clear of the bottom two.

Port Vale were in even worse form than us, and one win took them up the table 5 places.

The defence you say is awful was operating quite well at the end of last season and the beginning of this one. There is nothing to say that with a bit of time and coaching, a bit more confidence in the rest of the side with some new signings, that they can't get back to being a tight unit again.

It's not that I am being blindly optimistic either, It's simply that I've seen enough football over many seasons to know that things can change very quickly. Not saying it will, but it most definitely can, given the amount of games we have left in the season.

There are better players out there that we can attract, of that I am sure, and PH is as good as we could have right now to know where to find them.

Quoted from Swansea_Mariner

I don't think he has, but he doesn't look leggy in games to my eyes, players getting subbed off occurs for several  reasons.

He has either come on as a sub or been taken off like against Port Vale where he started well but faded out of the game.

If he was that fit and good you would think he would be playing a full game.

Quoted from louth_in_the_south

Nows the time for the real support to get behind the club ffs !!

Not easy in current circumstances.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Not easy in current circumstances.

Absolutely, but this is what sorts out the plastics and the real fans