team for Southend

[Copps is Magic]

It's a bit sad that Dickov hasn't met the board and they're not bringing in a striker. There's too much pressure on Williams as it is IMO. Dickov also says incomings will be dependent on injuries - err does the club really have such a poor grasp on our injury situation? Are we waiting for the British Red Cross to get involved before we can make a new signing?

[Dare to dream!]

It's a bit sad that Dickov hasn't met the board and they're not bringing in a striker. There's too much pressure on Williams as it is IMO. Dickov also says incomings will be dependent on injuries - err does the club really have such a poor grasp on our injury situation? Are we waiting for the British Red Cross to get involved before we can make a new signing?

Sounds like Dickov has been told that he can't bring anyone in. Sunday in his post match interview he was positive about bringing someone in now he doesn't want to upset the squad? Bit of a quick U turn.

[Copps is Magic]

Maybe he has asked and been told no. Between the budget, injuries, loans and Dickov's interviews we're not getting any clear information on the subject. If we're serious about going up we have to micro-manage the squad throughout the season like this and not be lethargic about it. If Williams gets injured in the first 10 minutes tomorrow night, then Main has to stand up and the rest is history.

[steve@dcfd]

It's a bit sad that Dickov hasn't met the board and they're not bringing in a striker. There's too much pressure on Williams as it is IMO. Dickov also says incomings will be dependent on injuries - err does the club really have such a poor grasp on our injury situation? Are we waiting for the British Red Cross to get involved before we can make a new signing?

Sounds like Dickov has been told that he can't bring anyone in. Sunday in his post match interview he was positive about bringing someone in now he doesn't want to upset the squad? Bit of a quick U turn.

It looks like the way we have been playing bringing in a striker now is not required.

@Gids1980: #drfc boss PD says the need for a new striker isn't that great, given they've been playing 1 up front.

[Copps is Magic]

That comment is rubbish and Dickov knows it.

[wing commander]

Playing one up front and scoring no goals...So I would agree...We haven't signed anywhere near what he wanted and lost an extra 2..Struggling to see his logic...I'm hoping that's his choice and not the boards...

[i_ateallthepies]

What manager would choose not to strengthen his squad given the chance?  Of course it's the Board, the club have given him a budget and that's the way it is.

[The Red Baron]

Certainly questions worth asking at the owners evening. Is there money available to bring players in?

Going back to the point about a loan striker, the problem with loans is that the parent club and the loaned player expect to be starting most games. Not many clubs will loan a player to act as cover. If anything happened to Williams we would want an experienced striker and could guarantee them a start for several games. At the moment anyone we brought in would be on the bench.

That said, I think the squad needs beefing up, but for that we need to be looking at players who are still unsigned. Personally I'd like us to bring in another defender, striker and midfielder. If we do that we might be able to let a couple of the youngsters go out on loan to gain more experience.

[wing commander]

  Fair point Baron...Although I'm not sure loaning youngsters out to anybody is such a great plan..In truth I would prefer them to play for local none league teams to start with but still train with us during the day..History tells me that letting youngsters out to anybody doesn't always work if the coaching is inferior then they normally end up drifting along and then been released..

[The Red Baron]

I realise I'm going a bit off topic here, Wingco, but I actually think one of the reasons we haven't done as well as we might with youngsters is that we haven't managed to find decent loan placings for them.

We've loaned too many to lowly clubs where they don't play at a high enough standard to develop them. They should be playing no lower than Conference level really - by that I include Conference North.

You also get cases like Wakefield who was with us for three seasons as a young professional but had only one brief loan spell. Thereafter he was needed to man the bench. Having a Development side does give them the opportunity to play, but if we want players like Lund, Whitehouse and the McKays to really kick on they need to be playing some first team football. Either for Rovers or as a loan player.

[steve@dcfd]

The transfer window will have closed when the meeting happens so the money question will be about loans.

At this moment in time we can't loan anybody out to any level.

We have 5 players with varying levels of niggles and injuries plus J McKay.

We started with 17, 21 years and over, plus 7 young professionals.

So we are left with 18 players for tomorrow's game maybe 19 if Chaplow is ready.

You cannot plan any loans going out at all.

[drfchound]

I think copps is past it now for me he ain't done anything for a few years now he doesn't even beat a man anymore when out wide he looking to pass or cross first time

Someone making that comment could only be from South Elmsall.

[steve@dcfd]

Which eleven PD picks tomorrow a win would be good after tonight's results. So let's send them out not thinking what Southend can do but what we need to do to get three points.

This will be the third team we play that is below us so far this season so let's take the game by the scruff of the neck and whic ever player gets a chance in front of goal please take them.

[drfchound]

Wigan were below us Steve but who was the other one?

[Rovers91]

Same team as Wigan nobody deserves to be dropped.

[steve@dcfd]

Looking at the table Bury, Wigan and Southend are now below us, I appreciate when we played Bury we were on the same points, as we are now but their goal difference is worst.