9:00am Tuesday 24th November 2009
By Chris Phillips
BLUES boss Steve Tilson has told his team to ignore the league table ahead of tonight’s trip to Tranmere Rovers.
The home-side are currently bottom of the standings and have triumphed in just one of their last seven league games.
But Tilson is still expecting a very testing evening.
“I watched Tranmere at Leyton Orient on Saturday and I thought they were very unlucky to lose,” said Tilson, 43.
“Tranmere were on top for long spells and, even though they are having a tough time, their players will really be digging in.
“We need to match that and have to go into the game with the right attitude because that will be crucial.”
In contrast, Southend go into the game boosted by Friday’s 2-1 win over MK Dons.
Tilson also welcomes back the on-loan Sean Morrison from suspension after he missed out on Friday with a one match ban following his red card at Yeovil Town.
But Blues will be without Anthony Grant who sits out the next two games after picking up 10 yellow cards.
“It’s a blow to be without Granty because he really has done a good job for us,” said Tilson.
“This season he’s played right-back, centre-back, left-back, right-wing and central midfield so it really is some going.
“He’s done a great job wherever he has played though and we will miss him while he’s out.
“It also leaves us short of numbers with only really one or two options on the bench but we will battle on and do the best we can with what we have.”
The Shrimpers are currently 11th in the table but they could again be without second choice goalkeeper Ian Joyce tonight.
For he is unable to be named in the match-day squad while Morrison is at the club on his emergency loan from Swindon Town.
That was the agreement made by Blues and the Football League when they signed Morrison and will be only be changed once Southend’s transfer embargo is officially lifted.
Southend United (from): Mildenhall, Francis, Morrison, Barrett, Herd, Laurent, McCormack, Christophe, Moussa, Barnard, Freedman, Walker, Scannell, O’Keefe, Asante and Bentley.
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