Forum | My thoughts from Holker Street after the U's were defeated by the Bluebirds by durham_exile

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My thoughts from Holker Street after the U's were defeated by the Bluebirds 23:23 - Nov 3 with 614 views

A rearranged game against another in form team on a Tuesday night at Holker Street Barrow in Furness Cumbria and another defeat. So far this season I have been to three games, Stockport Away Lost 1-0, Brentford Home Lost 2-0 and now Barrow Away Lost 3-1.

Not even my first Colchester goal of the season could assuage my disappointment.
I deliberately travelled early in order to take in some of the sights around this part of Cumbria. Furness Abbey founded almost 900 years ago was the wealthiest Abbey in NW England. Today the remains are vast and impressive.

I then travelled to the Dock Museum situated next to the BAE Systems Submarine facility where the four Dreadnought class submarines are being built to replace the Vanguard class submarines currently operating. HMS Dreadnought the first of the four will be delivered in the 2030s. The Dock Museum which charts the Maritime history of Barrow sadly is only open from Wednesday to Sunday.

(Come on, stop procrastinating, get on with the match report Ed.)

OK then reluctantly I will. I will say that the Brewers Fayre restaurant in Barrow was excellent and the gammon was superb. Arriving at the ground the weather was dry and remarkably mild.

I went to the Club Shop for a programme and then entered the ground (the gateman had already scanned my ticket once so the figure of 91 Colchester supporters is entirely accurate).

Now last season I sat in the stand and did so again this year. I was greeted warmly by the three Colchestrians (vastly experienced and knowledgeable Colchester supporters, with a collective total of close on 160 years supporting the club).

It is also pleasing to note that at least three people read these musings!

We spoke about the trials and tribulations of being a Colchester supporter this season and it was suggested that despite the fact that I advocate both Chilvers and Longstaff playing alongside each other in the midfield their insightful comments suggested that Chilvers doesn’t have the commitment to make the sort of challenges necessary to get us out of a relegation scrap.

The pitch was looking in good condition and although there was some churning of the surface on the right wing (as we looked at it) it did not stop the ground staff operating the sprinklers ahead of kick off.

MB had once again made four changes to the starting line-up. He really doesn’t know his best XI but in fairness we are missing to injury Cole Skuse, Kwesi Appiah, Big John Akinde, Matty Longstaff, Tommy Smith, Emyr Huws and Chay Cooper.

The team was 4,2,3,1:

Hornby

Tchamadeu Eastman Chambers Clampin

Miranda Judge

Chesters Hannant Newby

Nouble

Subs
O’Hara Ashley Lubala Chilvers Sears Dallison Kazeem

Although he had travelled with the team and was named on the bench Dallison was not going to be risked after picking up a strain at the weekend.

So, the rock bottom U’s were playing their game in hand. I had predicted a 2-0 win and still felt confident. The 91 faithful were in good voice especially the magnificent seven standing behind the low wall on the side of the pitch. Essentially this area had become a demilitarized zone since last September, where everything that resembled a pylon or post or barrier had been fenced off and some bizarre artificial grass had been laid on the terracing.

A nice touch prior to the game from MB when he came over to the U’s supporters and applauded. He received a warm response. He really is a nice guy. Perhaps too nice.

The U’s had set up to contain but the midfield formation was unusual. It was unclear where Chesters, Hannant and Newby were playing because when either Tchamadeu (our best player) or Clampin received the ball there was no outlet and when Chesters made some darting runs there was only Big Frank beyond the half way line and when he received the ball there was no one within 20 yards of him. Judge played the ball over the top but again there was no obvious outlet. This isolationist approach with one striker will NEVER work.

Is MB being influenced by you know who because he must have two strikers to offer some attacking threat. So, the first 20 minutes we matched Barrow and probably had more possession and made more passes, even if they were sideways or backwards.

Now I made much of the fact that Josh Gordon with 9 goals from 19 appearances this season was absent suspended, but it didn’t matter because the Bluebirds had Billy Waters who managed a hattrick all from corners and all within the six-yard box.

Colchester loanee Myles Kenlock plies his trade for Barrow now and had a quiet game on the left side.

The first goal arrived on 22 minutes. A controversial corner was awarded because the Colchester players believed an infringement had occurred on the edge of the penalty area before the ball went out for a corner. I believe the players were still aggrieved when the ball was swung in and the diminutive Waters had the freedom of the penalty area to score from three yards out. Ben Whitfield was their dead ball specialist and he assisted with all three goals.

The Bluebirds manager Pete Wild had promised money for every set piece goal that Barrow score prior to Christmas and he will be broke if this continues.

Three minutes later and another corner routine led to the second goal, the ball was played into the six-yard box, Hornby missed it and so did the defence allowing Waters to turn and swivel before scoring from close range on 25 minutes.

We were stunned, the Barrow supporters finally started to sing and our players were downcast. MB was impassive on the touchline. The faithful were quiet and seemingly accepting of our fate.

A third goal was averted by a goal line clearance from Eastman and we staggered onto Half Time.

Alan Judge struck a decent shot on 34 minutes which Farman tipped over for a corner.
I suggested changes with Chilvers and Lubala to come on but no changes were made at HT.

Of course, the game was over within a minute of the restart when from another Whitfield corner Waters tucked away the second ball and the game was up. We simply had no answer to the corners and were punished.

Strangely enough though it wasn’t a three-nil game. I’ve been to enough pastings away from home and this simply wasn’t a pasting. Barrow didn’t have to be that good to win the game.

So, 46 minutes had elapsed still no changes and we were 3-0 down.

Worse still the rain started to fall, a light shower at first but the wind got up and was blowing into our faces and despite the fact that the U’s were kicking with the wind they failed to make it count.

Now the Bluebirds Goalkeeper Paul Farman started to waste so much time at 3-0 that it was embarrassing. Referee Bond — Darren not James allowed it to go with impunity.

Then the wind increased and the intensity of the rain worsened. The supporters on the demilitarized terracing all sought shelter except the magnificent seven who stuck it out and stood impassively on the terracing in the worst of the weather. We all took cover further back into the small stand which didn’t blot out the rain entirely, but it did give some respite. It was appreciably colder now.

On 56 minutes Lubala and Chilvers replaced Hannant and Newby. Now Chilvers I think has become a Jack Grealish wannabe. His hair style resembles the City man and his short socks and miniscule shin pads resemble the man too. And if left at Christmas with a £100m price tag then that would do nicely!

Now Lubala I don’t think touched the ball after coming on such was the lack of service or creativity from the U’s players.

The wind and rain are on the side of an able man they say but Colchester failed to play with the weather which was now torrential rain and strong biting winds.

We hoped for an abandonment but the pitch was draining remarkably well. Still the seven braved the elements. One even removed his shirt.

Marshall Miranda and Big Frank went off after 79 minutes to be replaced by Ashley and Sears.

Referee Bond at last decided that Blofeld aka Farman deserved to go into the book on 80 minutes although he had probably wasted at least seven minutes before hand.

Just as we were re-signed to a 3-0 defeat Judge played Sears in and his cross shot cleverly beat the timewasting Farman. It was of course too little and far too late.
5 additional minutes failed to provide a second goal which would have produced a frisson of excitement but it wasn’t to be.

Very few players deserved their wages for this lack lustre performance. Junior Tchamadeu was MOTM by a country mile. Tom Eastman battled hard; Ryan Clampin doesn’t seem fit. The players generally are out of sorts and desperately need to be lifted.

At the end of the game the Colchester supporters applauded the team and MB came along to where we were situated. Another nice touch but he needs to introduce more steel into the team and he must play a second striker. The isolationist approach is both ineffectual and frustrating.

After the game we heard that there had been another incidence of racism directed towards a Colchester player by a Barrow die hard. This unsavoury behaviour was also evident last year. People make the right noises about stamping it out. But nothing is ever done and no one is ever prosecuted.

Tony Humes should be prosecuted for crimes against football but that won’t happen either.

I wished the faithful well on their long journey home. True dedication from the faithful but the pressure is beginning to tell. The enjoyment is going out of it. I simply do not understand how we have become so devoid of attacking intent and the season is already reminiscent of our last season in League One when the wheels fell off and we started to lose 4 or 5 at Away games.

I asked my friends where Michael Folivi is but he seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth. Perhaps he is on one of the nuclear subs on a six-month tour of duty clutching the launch codes.

A couple of weeks ago MB suggested that Samson Tovide could be employed in the first team.

Why not play him on Saturday at Rodney Parade but as a second striker.

Immediately after the game I walked to the car in the pouring rain. I wasn’t upset just disappointed. Perhaps we are beginning to be resigned to our fate this season.

We are 17 games in there are 29 more games to accumulate the 48 points for survival. We have 11. Where are the 37 coming from I wonder.

At least the F A Cup 1st Round Proper offers a revenge mission against Newport County.

I though am fed up with seeing the team lose. We make these team look good.
Barrow managed a chant of going down, I replied with so are we. These are grim times. But until mathematically impossible we must believe.

My return journey was subject to delay because of a serious accident at Newby Bridge but I was home before midnight so not all bad.

Keep the faith, keep supporting the U’s and hang in there but we simply must start to win some football matches.

This is dedicated to the 91.

Up the U’s

Durham_exile

My thoughts from Holker Street after the U's were defeated by the Bluebirds on 03:33 - Nov 4 with 592 views

MrHappy2

Fantastic report mate x

Keep the faith ...ðŸ˜‡â¤ï¸ðŸ™Œâš½ï¸ðŸ‘ðŸ

Dig that book out I gave ya ðŸ˜‚ðŸ‘

[Post edited 4 Nov 2022 4:05]

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My thoughts from Holker Street after the U's were defeated by the Bluebirds on 09:53 - Nov 4 with 555 views

thrillseeker

Durham - your passion is clear. Shame the players don't share that passion.

What I saw on ifollow appalled me - I think that performance was up there with the performances I witnessed in season 1989/90 when we were relegated to the Conference.

At this moment I am of the belief relegation is on the cards unless MB can perform a miracle. I can offer MB some guidance for starters

We are NOT good/ clever enough to play the 1 upfront system
For a period of games irrespective of results play, (subject to injuries) a settled team and formation.
Stop playing players who are woefully out of form
Play players in their natural positions
Be brave and tell Humes/Ball to fu*k off to allow you to play your style/ formation without their input/ influence.

These are worrying times as a Colchester fan as I fear if we are relegated to the National League we will never return to the Football League

[Post edited 4 Nov 2022 9:54]

My thoughts from Holker Street after the U's were defeated by the Bluebirds on 11:22 - Nov 4 with 525 views

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My thoughts from Holker Street after the U's were defeated by the Bluebirds on 09:53 - Nov 4 by thrillseeker

[Post edited 4 Nov 2022 9:54]

Not much to disagree with here.

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My thoughts from Holker Street after the U's were defeated by the Bluebirds on 12:44 - Nov 4 with 513 views

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My thoughts from Holker Street after the U's were defeated by the Bluebirds on 09:53 - Nov 4 by thrillseeker

[Post edited 4 Nov 2022 9:54]

Tuesday night was the first time this season I thought we're in real trouble here.

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