Bilel Mohsni; ready to return against Aldershot? Don't bet against it!
Southend United manager Paul Sturrock in his weekly Echo column has revealed that star centre-back come goal scoring sensation Bilel Mohsni is up to return for Saturday's match with Aldershot Town Saturday afternoon after his long lay-off with an ankle injury, but Luggy is not too sure!
Sturoock told www.echo-news.co.uk: "I know Bilel Mohnsi feels ready to play but I think that's just Bilel being Bilel to be honest. I don't think he's quite ready yet but we will have to see what happens in the next couple of days."
The other injury update given for the League Two match at Roots Hall is that 18-goal Barry Corr should be fit to start, Miguel Comminges will be OK and may take the place of Teddy Nesbitt at left-back, but midfielders Lee Sawyer and Craig Easton will probably remain missing, along with defenders, Peter Gilbert, Johnny Herd, Luke Prosser, and Mark Phillips. Phew!
Kane Ferdinand has hopefully returned from international duty in Cyprus with the Irish under-19's to take his place in front of the back four.
Luggy has accepted we'll have to win all our remaining eight games to have a chance of a top seven finish, personally I'm looking at seven wins and a draw but let's not split hairs, so it's all about preparing for 2011/12 right now!
Sturrock continued: "I think people must remember it's been a real rollercoaster ride for us this season and we've come a long way in a short space of time. Progress has definitely been made but injuries haven't helped our cause recently and nor has not having a proper pre-season. We certainly won't be giving up on a top seven finish and we will remain competitive in all of those matches but I am already thinking about next year now. There are one or two players I'm looking to sign on pre contracts and in our remaining fixtures I will be taking a look at players in the squad who maybe feel they haven't had a fair crack of the whip so far. It's then up to them to take the opportunity and show me they should still be here next season."
Fair enough, but I'm not sure who he could actually put out at the moment or the near future, Adam Bouzid!
Then again, the kids do look promising, and that is something to be optimistic in these tough days being a Shrimpers follower, fifty extra frigging quid, thanks guys.
Luggy said: "If we had managed to pick up a point at Stockport we would all have been waxing lyrical about how well we had done ahead of Saturday's game with Aldershot. However, now we're looking to bounce back and it will be a difficult afternoon as they are just above us in the table. They have done well since their new manager (Dean Holdsworth) came to the club and will be hard opposition for us."