FL2: Southend v Torquay 22 October 2011

I don't think that Ling really believes that - I just think that it would be madness to come out and admit it, he may be honest when he says that the team have played poorly, but I think that would . I think that he is at the top of his limit in terms of what he can bring-in - financially. He can see that we have a pool of strikers that have managed six goals from open play between four of them in fifteen games so far this season. We are now being consistently over-run in midfield and our defense is sieve-like.

Where on earth does he start? There must be players out there available - after all we let twenty five goals from last season worth of attacking players go for forty grand - not for one minute do I believe that Ling thinks that Atieno and McPhee are genuine replacements! I just think that his hands are tied and there is very little he can do. He was sold a pup with the players he was left with and the budget to replace those that had gone being inadequate. I don't doubt that he will work incredibly hard with the players and I don't doubt that they will work incredibly hard themselves - but the squad has been depleted in quality.

If there is no movement in the transfer market this week (preferably out as well - a couple of our strikers and midfielders might be best served to have a run-out in the BSP / South to improve their confidence) then I will be concerned. If there is any change of manager then I will be desperately concerned and I think that would be a real show of panic and not the way the board have operated over the last 4 1/2 years- I just think that anyone attending the next two matches needs to keep behind the team in the same way that the mass majority have, that as supporters is really all we can do.