Yup - you're right.
If I were in Paul's position, if he didn't want to go to the bother of what I suggested before, I'd still move the 'TV stand' as far back as it will go, and the speakers forward, if necessary, so that the end result is that the 'TV stand' is as far out of harm's way as possible. Doing that will defo improve the sound of the system :)
Marco.

