Sturrock: 'It would put a lot of confidence in the squad if we were to win'
Blues boss Paul Sturrock is always up for a challenge, and none comes harder in League Two at the moment than taking on his former club Swindon Town, but he's happy with the way the squad is shaping up, especially after the 5-0 win over a West Ham X1 in a closed door friendly last Saturday, while the Robins were on their way to a bruising 2-0 defeat in the fourth round of the FA Cup at Leicester.
Sturrock told BBC Essex: "Players were right up for this game which was very pleasing. Two or three people were giving me a headache where selection is concerned. Got to have freshness for the long trek to the west country, (Plymouth Saturday), it's something I will deliberate on before hand, but we've got a game on Tuesday we have to win."
The late fitness tests on JP Kalala and Mark Phillips will decide if Pat Baldwin and Kane Ferdinand, or possibily Anthony Grant, get into the starting line-up, but upfront is it former Swindon striker Elliot Benyon or Jack Sampson to start with Liam Dickinson?
He did try and deflect away the importance of the game, oh it is Luggy.
Sturrock said: "The league table was always going to tighten up. The key thing for me is t’s still only three points we’re playing for and we could lose then go on another brilliant run. Nothing will be decided by what happens in this match but if we could win it then it would be a huge confidence boost for us."
So are Swindon are the best team in the league as Robins boss Paolo Di Canio insists?
He replied: "No, the team at the top of the league are the best team, in League Two at this moment in time. Been impressed with Cheltenham all season. They've had a settled team and played very well since the start of the season."
Though we could return ourselves to the fourth tier summit Tuesday with victory!
Back to that selection, no doubt we have a real fine looking squad now, with cover for everybody, but is that the end of it all, more players to leave after this week's loaning out of Teddy Nesbitt and Kyle Asante?
Sturrock explained: "Very hopeful we can move some players on but at this junction no clubs have come in. Windows not closing for loans, we get a bit excited at times. It was the right time for us to bring personel in, we've done our business now but some of our younger players are benefiting from loans I'd like to think. There's a few more going out."
Fair enough, but those players that have joined, all five of them, and Michael Timlin being taken on board permanently making six, have we got a happy Luggy?
Sturrock concluded: "The proof will be in the pudding. Elliot's still to give us a goal, Dave's got off the mark, we're all pleased about that. We're see how the others go as the season unfolds."
We will indeed.
Sturrock's striking dilema: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk
Who will win the biggest game of the season so far?: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk