| Musings from Crewe and keeping things on track 00:01 - Nov 14 with 1064 views | durham_exile |
Another Away match and another defeat but let’s focus on the positives. First it was great to meet up with Wessex again and to spend a pleasant afternoon catching up. My journeys both ways from home to Crewe and back were very smooth about 12 hours flash to bang. The weather also was good and remarkably mild for the second week in November.
And the game, a vastly improved performance from that at Barrow and frankly the best team lost. However, we simply cannot afford to miss chances and expect to win a match. It is this lack of clinical finishing that is costing us at present. 12 shots and 6 on target from 40% of the play suggests we were hard done by and we were, but when you are bottom of the league this is when things simply do not go for you.
OK enough of the self-pity, we remain rooted to the bottom of the table.
Crawley 17 17
Newport 18 16
Rochdale 18 15
Harrogate 18 13
Gillingham 17 13
Hartlepool 18 12
COL U 18 11
One-win lifts us from the bottom as things stand and once again we are looking to finish 22nd or better. What a dire position we find ourselves in. The only saving grace was that teams just above us lost. 28 games left to play and a minimum of 36 points needed. 12 wins from 28 games, put simply.
After 18 games we have won 2, drawn 5 and lost 11.
So, a drive to Penrith station and then train to Crewe — AVANTI West Coast Mainline. Very smooth and bang on time.
Arriving at the ground I went to the Club Shop. Crewe have stopped producing a programme, they print a monthly magazine and print a team sheet on match days. However, at 1410hrs that hadn’t arrived in the shop.
The Stewards were friendly and after a bag search and “pat down” I took my seat. MB had made 5 changes (LB has suggested a prediction league to choose the team each week which has legs I am sure).
I then met Wessex who had endured a much more convoluted journey from Chippenham to Bristol, Birmingham New Street and onto Crewe. This is dedication.
Noah had decided on an afternoon off from travelling but there were 179 of the faithful (in good voice) in a crowd of 3,814. Gresty Road was unchanged and the pitch was in good condition, inspite of a very wet match on the previous Tuesday.
So, MB’s side 4,2,3,1 again!!!!
Hornby
Tchamadeu Chambers Eastman Kazeem
Ashley Judge
Newby Hannant Nouble
Tovide
Subs
O’Hara Sears Chilvers Lubala Chesters Marshall-Miranda Smith
It was good to see Tommy Smith warming up with the squad and he received a warm welcome from the faithful.
The most frustrating part is that MB studiously refuses to play two strikers. Whilst Samson Tovide has the legs to play across the front on his own, he has little support at key moments. Surely MB can see that this policy is not working.
Crewe have on loan keeper Arthur Okonkwo (clearly MOTM on Saturday) and he made two quality saves to deny the U’s.
Referee was Thomas Parsons (absolutely dreadful throughout).
MB did his customary walk to the fans and received plenty of good support.
We had much the better of the opening exchanges and Tovide saw plenty of the ball supported from midfield by Newby and Nouble. At the back Tom Eastman didn’t miss a header all afternoon.
The ref was abysmal and quickly demonstrated that he was reluctant to take any action against their twin centre backs Offord (6) and Sass-Davies (22). Every time Tovide went up for a challenge Sass-Davies was manhandling him to the ground and all allowed by Parsons. Offord was eventually booked and later should have been sent off (two bookable offences) but Parsons let everything go. Worse still Mellor their Right back Number 2 became a hate figure with his time wasting, exchanges with the crowd and unsportsmanlike play.
At Crewe the Away supporters occupy about two thirds of the quaintly named Whitby Morrison Ice Cream Van Stand about 30 yards each side of the Centre Circle. Most of Offord and Sass-Davies’ indiscretions occurred right in front of where we were sitting and this inflamed the faithful (rightly so). Coupled with the Refs inability to control, the game we were all getting more and more disgruntled.
Hannant struck a shot from distance from the left side of the penalty area which Okonkwo saved well. Newby had a shot from close range which the keeper parried and from the resultant second shot Eastman was unlucky.
Agyei struck a fierce shot but Hornby could see that it was going wide of the goal.
The Ref added four minutes injury time at the end of the first half but it was all square at the interval.
It was irritating that Junior Tchamadeu received some criticism from a small number of the faithful. Junior is our best player bar none at present.
MB didn’t make any changes at HT and in truth none were needed. Tovide was putting in a shift but was receiving more support from Nouble and Newby. I thought Big Frank had a good game on Saturday.
As time wore on the crowd were getting frustrated. Crewe dropped deeper relying on breakaways whilst we were pushing for the opening goal. The faithful were willing the ball into the net. Despite all the approach play it was a long ball over the top that led to our best effort of the match on 70 minutes. Newby found himself in space just outside the right side of the box and advanced inside before striking the ball goal wards. Okonkwo made a fine diving save but in truth Newby should have scored.
Still no changes but again the team was playing well and were on top. Then disaster as a long-left wing cross on 80 minutes evaded everyone and found Agyei unmarked on the right-hand post and he headed past Hornby.
It was a goal that Crewe barely deserved and we had been punished for failing to convert chances earlier. Immediately MB decide on four changes and off came Newby, Hannant, Nouble and the hard-working Tovide to be replaced on 85 minutes by Sears, Chilvers, Lubala and Chesters. Frankly it was asking too much to change the spine of the team with 5 minutes remaining.
But of course, we were chasing the game. A combination of the subs, time waiting by the odious Mellor and perhaps an admission that he had been too lenient towards the two thuggish centre backs by the Ref added 7 minutes.
We huffed and puffed but couldn’t blow the house down. The ref blew bang on the seventh minute as well at exactly 1700hrs.
The faithful unfurled a banner proclaiming RC get out of our club and sang something about seeing him next Tuesday!
The players and MB came over to applaud the support and vice versa. The banner embarrassed some I am sure who were unsure as to give it credence by getting too close. I understand today that sometime after the match finished a small number of supporters entered into a conversation with MB. It was largely convivial, but I do hope he was told to get a second striker alongside Tovide.
Let me make it plain that MB must stay and be given more time to improve matters.
The managerial merry go round with 13 in 13 years is no good and he deserves a chance to convert these dismal results into some much-needed wins.
Tchamadeu, Ashley, Eastman and Tovide were our best players. Hornby made one good save when the score was 1-0 but apart from that was not unduly challenged.
We are missing Appiah and I would welcome back Huws when fit.
Donny Rovers are in Town next week in what is another must win game.
Wessex and I retreated to the station for our respective trains. We enjoyed a drink and further dissection of the game.
Like Wessex I am angry at the number of games that we are losing. Especially these 1-0 affairs.
However, on Saturday there were signs of improvement. But more clinical finishing is required if we are to start to record morale boosting wins.
Remember 12 from 28 are required.
My next game will be Mansfield Away. We are overdue a win and Doncaster this coming Saturday offers the opportunity.
Keep the faith.
Up the U's
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| Musings from Crewe and keeping things on track on 09:52 - Nov 14 with 1006 views | burnsieespana |
Durham thank you for your detailed report and overview.
To my mind the responsibility rests with Ball and a lesser extent Embelton, for not recruiting a proper out and out goal scorer. Yes I understand not easy as this is what every team needs but we only have to see what Leyton Orient and Stevenage have done with the right recruitment.
I agree with you about the Manager merry go round but sadly don't think Bloomfield is the right man given our circumstances, bottom of the league. He is totally inexperienced and doesn't even have an experienced assistant.
The other point which frustrates me is these two are supposedly top line coaches but, Bloomfield left Eastman out for his first games in charge when clearly he has been all season our most reliable defender.
Top coaches don't have teams who concede soft goals by defensive errors and are unable to put chances away.
I so very much fear what our destiny will be this season and the National League beckons with all its exit problems as we only have to look at the difficulties Sunny and Oldham are having. |  | | |
| Musings from Crewe and keeping things on track on 12:28 - Nov 14 with 966 views | durham_exile |
| Musings from Crewe and keeping things on track on 09:52 - Nov 14 by burnsieespana |
Durham thank you for your detailed report and overview.
To my mind the responsibility rests with Ball and a lesser extent Embelton, for not recruiting a proper out and out goal scorer. Yes I understand not easy as this is what every team needs but we only have to see what Leyton Orient and Stevenage have done with the right recruitment.
I agree with you about the Manager merry go round but sadly don't think Bloomfield is the right man given our circumstances, bottom of the league. He is totally inexperienced and doesn't even have an experienced assistant.
The other point which frustrates me is these two are supposedly top line coaches but, Bloomfield left Eastman out for his first games in charge when clearly he has been all season our most reliable defender.
Top coaches don't have teams who concede soft goals by defensive errors and are unable to put chances away.
I so very much fear what our destiny will be this season and the National League beckons with all its exit problems as we only have to look at the difficulties Sunny and Oldham are having. |
burnsie - I am going to put a marker down for the Christmas period. We will have played 23 league games after the Gillingham Away match and if we cannot win another 3 games by then, then we will really be in the brown and pungent.
In an ideal world an experienced manager would have been the solution, but I hope that MB can start to turn things around.
There is still much to commend the team and we have missed Appiah. I totally agree about an experienced striker and there are many about but who would come?
Samson Tovide has great potential but needs a strike partner.
Donny Rovers is a must win game, if nothing else we must stop the defeats which are destroying the support and draining the lifeblood from the team.
I did not doubt the effort and application on Saturday, but the clinical finishing is sadly missing at present.
Up the U's | |
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| Musings from Crewe and keeping things on track on 15:39 - Nov 14 with 933 views | burnsieespana |
If MB is as good a coach as is being said why oh why are we totally unable to score goals? | | | |
| Musings from Crewe and keeping things on track on 16:53 - Nov 14 with 919 views | durham_exile |
| Musings from Crewe and keeping things on track on 15:39 - Nov 14 by burnsieespana |
If MB is as good a coach as is being said why oh why are we totally unable to score goals? |
In some cases bad luck, in others poor finishing.
Have we had a finisher as good as Cureton since 2009.
On Saturday at least we were prepared to strike the ball from outside the box.
Newby really should have scored but in fairness their keeper made two quality saves.
There is no word on Appiah at present but if he can partner Tovide that would be a decent attack.
One thing I haven't really mentioned is our annoying habit of overhitting the crosses.
Both full backs and Big Frank were guilty on Saturday.
Also normally Judge takes the dead ball kicks but on Saturday Kazeem took the corners.
Difficult for me to say much more. Otherwise I am simply going over old ground.
Up the U's | |
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| Musings from Crewe and keeping things on track on 17:11 - Nov 14 with 917 views | burnsieespana |
You are right Durham and we can only hope MB can get things right very soon but sadly I feel he is out of his depth. | | | |
| Musings from Crewe and keeping things on track on 15:35 - Nov 15 with 818 views | burnsieespana |
When fans call for RC to leave they should reflect on the plight of SUFC with fans setting up a crowd funding page so backroom staff and youth players can be paid.
RC might have made some debate able decisions regarding Managers and backroom people such as Humes and Ball but I believe he has always fully funded and supported the needs of CUFC
Be careful what you wish for springs to mind and many were happy when McG went but it has been totally downhill Management wise ever since resulting in where we are today.
I suspect, looking back McG stood up to Humes whereas I doubt any manager since has done so and one has joined him!
Personally I don't think Humes or Ball influence who plays or the shape we play but they are culpable as to the poor players signed. | | | |
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