| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma 20:38 - Jan 22 with 1803 views | durham_exile |
After an improved performance against Cambridge last weekend SB takes his charges to the Mazuma Stadium Morecambe on Saturday. Without a win in 6 games now it is time to secure another Away win and to begin to determine whether we are serious promotion candidates or not.
After Chuck Norris was allowed to leave to join Stevenage and Luke Gambin was loaned to Newport County, we have secured the services on loan of QPR striker Aramide Oteh who will take the Number 9 shirt.
Morecambe gave us a caning at the JSCS when winning 2-1 a few weeks ago. They looked a better team than everyone that I have watched this season except perhaps Carlisle United.
Our next games after tomorrow are:
Stevenage A
Scunny H
Salford A
Orient A
Our away record frankly is appalling this season and we simply have to start securing away points or we can look forward to another League Two campaign next year and of course we will lose even more of our promising players.
Morecambe have just signed on emergency loan a keeper from Reading who is Jokull Andresson. They will be no pushovers tomorrow and we need to start strong and take the game to them.
Now I simply do not know about the fitness of Folivi or Cowan-Hall or Welch-Hayes. Why do Colchester never divulge details of team fitness? It gives no advantage to the opposition at League Two level and makes no difference to team tactics, but the team will have been training during the week and must have an idea of who will be playing where and whether our new signing will be pitched straight into the fray as Centre Forward.
Now the club have made a mistake in letting Gambin go on loan (he will never play for us again I suspect) and if Newport don not sign him at the end of the season he will drift away perhaps to Stevenage. Everybody else seems to after all.
Courtney Senior should have gone on loan, perhaps to a National League club where he can toughen up. His challenges are weak, and he does not track back sufficiently well. He loses the ball with frustrating monotony and I have not seen him advance as a player this season rather he has regressed. Sorry, but that is the way it is and although the current management do not share those views, can anyone really say that he adds anything constructive to the team.
Now we have invested in Oteh so lets play him from the start tomorrow.
If Welch-Hayes is fit, then he should start at right back and the team should revert to a back four.
SB actually played the best midfield trio last week and they should also play at Morecambe.
Jevani Brown should revert to the Number 10 position and if fit Ainsley Harriott should play as the wide player. Aramide Oteh would make up the team.
So, play 4,3,2,1 as follows:
Gerken
Welch-Hayes Eastman Smith Bramall
Pell Stevenson Chilvers
Brown Harriott
Oteh
Subs:
George Poku Clampin Tchamadeu Sowunmi Tovide Bohui
Tom Lapslie is unfit again. That leaves Cowan-Hall and Folivi unaccounted for (both of whom would have a place in my team, but their fitness levels are not known). Courtney Senior should be dropped. SB please do so, after all the world is not going to end if you do and he needs to take a long hard look at himself and decide what he can bring to the team, where he is going to play and what advantages there are in playing him.
I think that although pacy and tricky, he is lightweight and does not contribute goals or creates goal scoring opportunities.
Play Oteh as the (lone) striker with Brown for support and Harriott who creates opportunities and is not afraid to shoot. Cohen Bramall is long overdue a goal and one of his trade mark free kicks is overdue.
Do not be afraid to bring Samson Tovide on either. He may spring a surprise and the opposition will know nothing about him.
The weather is going to be 3 degrees Celsius and partly sunny which will be a welcome change after the rain, sleet, and snow which we have had this week. The pitch will be heavy, and this is another reason not to play Senior.
Table:
Cambridge 24 41
Newport 22 40
Carlisle 21 39
Salford 24 38
FGR 23 38
Cheltenham 23 37
Orient 23 36
Morecambe 22 35
Crawley 22 34
Exeter 21 33
Tranmere 22 32
Walsall 24 32
COL U 22 30
The table is not entirely accurate because of the games that some teams have in hand but the top four look strong and will not be a million miles away come the end of the season. We must make up 6 points just to get into the top seven.
Enjoy the game.
Score - 1-0 to Colchester with a debut goal from Oteh (if he gets the full 90 minutes).
Up the U’s
SB out
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| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 16:36 - Jan 23 with 861 views | gerry_us |
Interesting comment on Sky "Macauley Bonne brought on for QPR to give them some spark for the last 15 minutes". Earlier than we used him! |  | | |
| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 16:43 - Jan 23 with 841 views | durham_exile |
| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 16:30 - Jan 23 by durham_exile |
Surely that was a foul on Bramall |
3-0 game over
Pell out for three games.
Don't think Oteh has touched the ball.
The only bright spot Senior hasn't played!
Another season in league two confirmed.
Up the U's | |
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| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 16:46 - Jan 23 with 831 views | Leadbelly |
| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 16:43 - Jan 23 by durham_exile |
3-0 game over
Pell out for three games.
Don't think Oteh has touched the ball.
The only bright spot Senior hasn't played!
Another season in league two confirmed.
Up the U's |
Bit premature Durham. There are two ways out of League 2. |  |
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| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 16:46 - Jan 23 with 828 views | thrillseeker |
This is painful | | | |
| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 16:53 - Jan 23 with 818 views | durham_exile |
| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 16:46 - Jan 23 by Leadbelly |
Bit premature Durham. There are two ways out of League 2. |
LB I'm trying to stay positive.
When Stevenson and Bramall go I might join the National League brigade.
This is grim.
Up the U's | |
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| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 17:40 - Jan 23 with 762 views | wessex_exile |
We won't be relegated, but we're probably not getting near the play-offs either this season. Frustrating, but this season is all about just survival through the crisis.
Today was so frustrating, playing some really good first touch football most of the first half, really should have been ahead going into half-time, and then undone by a sucker punch break-away goal. To be fair, Morecambe worked it very well, but still totally against the run of play. I fully expect the club to challenge Pell's red card, given the benefit of the replay, and possibly the FA will look into the Morecambe player's 'simulation', but he went head to head, and really should have known better. The sliding tackle that provoked it all was actually sublime, the Morecambe players had no right to react as they did, but everyone does it. Telling that when all the fracas died down, the ref agreed it was a fair tackle and gave the throw-in. The substitutions were positive, and we didn't give up taking the game to them, but two clinical strikes showed us just why we need someone in the box putting those sorts of chances away. Didn't see much from Oteh to be honest, but to be fair coming on in a ten against 11 match, it was always going to be difficult to make an immediate impression.
Heyho, we go again on Tuesday.
Up the U's
Edit: forgot to say, I really enjoyed the mixed commentary team, it gave an interesting perspective, and Greggors did well. [Post edited 23 Jan 2021 17:43]
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| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 18:55 - Jan 23 with 727 views | Daniel |
I agree, the joint commentary gave us interesting perspective. Two comments I picked up on which back up what we've all been thinking.
1. To an outsider we have some of the best players and squad in the league, why aren't we higher.
2. When there was a discussion about a certain Director of Football, Greggors all but confirmed that the Head Coach has no say in how the teams plays and is the fall guy. Its cheaper to hire and fire a Head Coach than it is a Manager.
This post has been edited by an administrator |  | | |
| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 19:37 - Jan 23 with 710 views | gerry_us |
| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 18:55 - Jan 23 by Daniel |
I agree, the joint commentary gave us interesting perspective. Two comments I picked up on which back up what we've all been thinking.
1. To an outsider we have some of the best players and squad in the league, why aren't we higher.
2. When there was a discussion about a certain Director of Football, Greggors all but confirmed that the Head Coach has no say in how the teams plays and is the fall guy. Its cheaper to hire and fire a Head Coach than it is a Manager.
This post has been edited by an administrator |
Would be intrigued to know what the administrator (Daniel?) found to edit in "Daniel's" post.  | | | |
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| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 20:21 - Jan 23 with 681 views | Daniel |
| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 19:37 - Jan 23 by gerry_us |
Would be intrigued to know what the administrator (Daniel?) found to edit in "Daniel's" post. |
I wrote fool guy instead of fall guy, that's all. | | | |
| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 20:30 - Jan 23 with 675 views | Leadbelly |
| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 18:55 - Jan 23 by Daniel |
I agree, the joint commentary gave us interesting perspective. Two comments I picked up on which back up what we've all been thinking.
1. To an outsider we have some of the best players and squad in the league, why aren't we higher.
2. When there was a discussion about a certain Director of Football, Greggors all but confirmed that the Head Coach has no say in how the teams plays and is the fall guy. Its cheaper to hire and fire a Head Coach than it is a Manager.
This post has been edited by an administrator |
So the playing style/philosophy at all levels of the club is dictated by the director of football? The same director of football who was a disaster as manager and oversaw relegation? It really does beggar belief.
You can argue this season is all about survival and I understand that. But if what survives is still overseen by Humes, insisting on a style of play that doesn’t work, signing good players that are wasted, playing youngsters before they’re ready in the hope we can sell them then I’m afraid I’ll have little interest in even listening to radio commentary let alone attending games.
I don’t expect us to be promoted, I don’t even expect us to make the playoffs on a regular basis. I do, however, expect us to compete to the best of our ability with the resources available, put out the best XI we can every week and play like it matters. If playing games to provide a shop window for youngsters we hope to sell is more important than playing games to win then I have to ask “what is the point?”. I have plenty of other things to occupy me on a Saturday afternoon, none of which provide the all too regular dissatisfaction that is the Us recently. A bit of hope wouldn’t go amiss but I can’t see that happening without fundamental change from within the club. | |
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| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 20:31 - Jan 23 with 674 views | durham_exile |
| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 20:21 - Jan 23 by Daniel |
I wrote fool guy instead of fall guy, that's all. |
I wouldn't have changed it!
Up the U's | |
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| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 22:26 - Jan 23 with 642 views | mfb_cufc |
| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 20:30 - Jan 23 by Leadbelly |
So the playing style/philosophy at all levels of the club is dictated by the director of football? The same director of football who was a disaster as manager and oversaw relegation? It really does beggar belief.
You can argue this season is all about survival and I understand that. But if what survives is still overseen by Humes, insisting on a style of play that doesn’t work, signing good players that are wasted, playing youngsters before they’re ready in the hope we can sell them then I’m afraid I’ll have little interest in even listening to radio commentary let alone attending games.
I don’t expect us to be promoted, I don’t even expect us to make the playoffs on a regular basis. I do, however, expect us to compete to the best of our ability with the resources available, put out the best XI we can every week and play like it matters. If playing games to provide a shop window for youngsters we hope to sell is more important than playing games to win then I have to ask “what is the point?”. I have plenty of other things to occupy me on a Saturday afternoon, none of which provide the all too regular dissatisfaction that is the Us recently. A bit of hope wouldn’t go amiss but I can’t see that happening without fundamental change from within the club. |
Brilliant post Leadbelly. They are my exact thoughts. It is Cowling that said he wanted all the clubs teams to play the same way, at the time Ward was manager, and it has carried on since then, with Humes dictating it now. That is why all the clubs we play against know exactly what our tactics are. |  |
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| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 09:33 - Jan 25 with 482 views | RSCOSWORTH |
| Colchester to prevail at the Mazuma on 17:40 - Jan 23 by wessex_exile |
We won't be relegated, but we're probably not getting near the play-offs either this season. Frustrating, but this season is all about just survival through the crisis.
Today was so frustrating, playing some really good first touch football most of the first half, really should have been ahead going into half-time, and then undone by a sucker punch break-away goal. To be fair, Morecambe worked it very well, but still totally against the run of play. I fully expect the club to challenge Pell's red card, given the benefit of the replay, and possibly the FA will look into the Morecambe player's 'simulation', but he went head to head, and really should have known better. The sliding tackle that provoked it all was actually sublime, the Morecambe players had no right to react as they did, but everyone does it. Telling that when all the fracas died down, the ref agreed it was a fair tackle and gave the throw-in. The substitutions were positive, and we didn't give up taking the game to them, but two clinical strikes showed us just why we need someone in the box putting those sorts of chances away. Didn't see much from Oteh to be honest, but to be fair coming on in a ten against 11 match, it was always going to be difficult to make an immediate impression.
Heyho, we go again on Tuesday.
Up the U's
Edit: forgot to say, I really enjoyed the mixed commentary team, it gave an interesting perspective, and Greggors did well. [Post edited 23 Jan 2021 17:43]
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Strange that one of our better performances this season, especially away from home, resulted in one of our heaviest defeats. If either or both of those chances that hit the post had gone in it might have been a different outcome.
I'm not sure what Pell did was any worse than the Morecambe player who grabbed him in the first instance and the second one who pushed him away at neck level. I agree though, it was a perfectly timed tackle and not even overly aggressive. If the Morecambe player hadn't reacted in such a needless manner Pell would've stayed on the pitch. Shame the ref felt that the actions of the Morecambe were not worthy of at least a yellow card. For me the first player that reacted is the one at fault here and he's completely got away with it and I'm sure will do so again. |  |
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