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Last season our start to the season didn’t look too bad on paper but we ended up playing five of the eventual top six in our first five matches. Four points from those first five matches seemed a pretty poor return at the time but I don’t think too many people expected Leyton Orient and Carlisle to be two of the best teams in the division. Ultimately it was probably the two points we got from our next four matches that led to Wayne Brown losing his job. Six points from a possible 27 was our worst start to a season since the 2014/15 season where we’d had a similarly poor start and only dodged relegation from League One due to our final day heroics against Preston. After nine games this season we have a slightly healthier 10 points on the board and it doesn’t feel like Ben Garner is particularly close to being sacked anytime soon. There are arguments that we could, and possibly should, have more points than we currently do but this is the position that we find ourselves in. The start to the season looked pretty tough, according to the bookies, with us playing five of the expected top eight teams in our opening 10 matches. Obviously we ended up not playing Swindon first game of the season, not sure if this was a good thing or not, but they currently sit third in the table after an unbeaten start. In our nine matches to date we’ve played five of the top seven with Tranmere being the only team we’ve played who currently sit below us in the table. Gillingham, Notts County and Mansfield were expected to be our toughest matches but we managed a draw and two wins and it could’ve easily been three. Most expected us to lose against Bradford and MK Dons but neither of those seems to be doing all that well at the moment. And we probably hoped for positive results against this season’s surprise packages in Wimbledon and Crewe. For me, if we’re going to do anything in this division this season the next seven games are key, Morecambe in 12th are the highest placed team we face and we’ve got three games against teams currently below us in the division. If we can get some momentum and go on a bit of a run we could be looking at the top half of the table rather than the bottom which would make a nice change.
First Nine Games of the Season
Home V Swindon Town - 3rd - PP Away V Bradford City - 14th - L Home V AFC Wimbledon - 6th - L Home V MK Dons - 11th - L Away V Gillingham - 4th - W Away V Walsall - 13th - L Home V Tranmere Rovers - 23rd - W Home V Mansfield Town - 5th - D Away V Crewe Alexandra - 7th - L Home V Notts County - 1st - W
The Next Seven Games of the Season
Away V Newport County - 17th Home V Morecambe - 12th Away V Forest Green - 22nd Home V Harrogate Town - 16th Away V Grimsby Town - 19th Away V Accrington - 15th Home V Sutton - 24th
A tougher division than the last three, four years . Yes agree RSC it’s about momentum, momentum, momentum. Too much drivel in terms of statements, and not enough performance on it . Team needs to do the talking once and for all on the pitch.against all opposition.
Notts County gave us space and hence freedom. Newport quickly closed us down. League Two can be brutal. We have too many powder puff players. Plenty of skill, but no bite in a tackle and ball retention is then poor. Needs work on the training pitch and gym to “man up”.
Playing out from the back is fine, but it needs the right players. The crowd winced every time the ball was rolled to Greenidge. Simply too error prone. Our passing was as if players had only just met. Recriminations soon started as forward players moaned and those at the back blamed them. The lack of captaincy from Hall is conspicuous and Goodman doesn’t call and dominate. Do either say anything?
The positive from reading his comments, Garner recognises the attitude and commitment issues and will rip into them. Previous management having grown too close to players via mutual long association in the Academy probably made them to buddy buddy when an iron fist is often needed. Hopefully, new positivity and attitude will be in evidence versus Morecambe.
[Post edited 5 Oct 2023 8:26]
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Our season starts now, kind of on 14:01 - Oct 12 with 1274 views
Our season starts now, kind of on 08:24 - Oct 15 by thrillseeker
Let's try again
Our season starts with another restart
Saturday 21 October 2023
We have the small matter of Tuesday at Cambridge first. What on earth does Garner do? We all know that the competition is an irrelevance. But do we play our second string and accept another thrashing, or play a decent XI and hope to inspire some confidence playing against the Cambridge second string? As a fan intending to travel, I believe the latter is justified. But please leave Chilvers on the bench until he grows a pair.
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Our season starts in freefall now, kind of (n/t) on 17:40 - Oct 15 with 1044 views
Our season starts now, kind of on 12:47 - Oct 15 by noah4x4
We have the small matter of Tuesday at Cambridge first. What on earth does Garner do? We all know that the competition is an irrelevance. But do we play our second string and accept another thrashing, or play a decent XI and hope to inspire some confidence playing against the Cambridge second string? As a fan intending to travel, I believe the latter is justified. But please leave Chilvers on the bench until he grows a pair.
I'd play the first team, and let them know they're playing for their place in that first team. I'm not actually bothered if we lose at the Abbey in a meaningless competition, just so long as we see a significant improvement in performance on the last three games.
Our season starts now, kind of on 19:31 - Oct 15 by wessex_exile
I'd play the first team, and let them know they're playing for their place in that first team. I'm not actually bothered if we lose at the Abbey in a meaningless competition, just so long as we see a significant improvement in performance on the last three games.
Cambridge might be viewing it the same way since no one really cares about the Mickey Mouse Cup unless their team makes it to the quarters.
Our season starts now, kind of on 19:31 - Oct 15 by wessex_exile
I'd play the first team, and let them know they're playing for their place in that first team. I'm not actually bothered if we lose at the Abbey in a meaningless competition, just so long as we see a significant improvement in performance on the last three games.
I agree. Also any kind of confidence boost would be a benefit right now. There's no point playing a reserve team on Tuesday night if only a few of them are going to start on Saturday. I'd be looking towards the Harrogate game and starting the Cambridge match with the same starting XI I'd be looking to start on the Saturday, even if you only play it for a half of 60 minutes. Winning breeds winning, it's no coincidence that the majority of our recent cup runs have come at the same time as we've been doing well in the league.
Found this seven year old Cowling interview on YouTube recorded soon after our relegation. He justifies the appointment of a Director of Football and “Matrix Management” saying he recognises that poor player recruitment is our downfall and this was the solution. I wonder what he is thinking now?
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Our season starts now, kind of on 16:36 - Oct 17 with 823 views
We are now about to play a Swindon team that has the joint least amount of points from their last six games in the division. And they lost 7-4 at home at the weekend. That's got to be better than playing the one that went unbeaten in their opening nine league matches of the season right?
Our season starts now, kind of on 17:29 - Nov 7 by RSCOSWORTH
Our season starts now...we wish!
We are now about to play a Swindon team that has the joint least amount of points from their last six games in the division. And they lost 7-4 at home at the weekend. That's got to be better than playing the one that went unbeaten in their opening nine league matches of the season right?
Of course 2-0 to the Super U's
Durham_exile
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Our season starts now, kind of on 22:37 - Nov 7 with 492 views
It wasn’t pretty from the U’s in the first half and we conceded a sloppy goal, but I repeatedly remarked to my pals how (IMHO) Swindon were committing huge reserves of energy unnecessarily chasing balls that frankly penetrated nothing and were so negative, frustrated the home fans. In the second half, the youthful U’s were noticeably quicker, or was it that Swindon had became leggy and slower having expended too much energy in the first 45? I wonder if this is a deliberate tactic given there was a similar pattern at Cambridge, Grimsby and Accrington? Energy conservation and tactical substitutions are vital components of the modern game. The HT boos were unjustified if my assumption is correct.
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Our season starts now, kind of on 23:46 - Nov 7 with 480 views
Our season starts now, kind of on 22:37 - Nov 7 by noah4x4
It wasn’t pretty from the U’s in the first half and we conceded a sloppy goal, but I repeatedly remarked to my pals how (IMHO) Swindon were committing huge reserves of energy unnecessarily chasing balls that frankly penetrated nothing and were so negative, frustrated the home fans. In the second half, the youthful U’s were noticeably quicker, or was it that Swindon had became leggy and slower having expended too much energy in the first 45? I wonder if this is a deliberate tactic given there was a similar pattern at Cambridge, Grimsby and Accrington? Energy conservation and tactical substitutions are vital components of the modern game. The HT boos were unjustified if my assumption is correct.
The thrashing on Saturday caught up with them tonight.
Conceding 7 goals to a non league side or anyone for that matter takes it out of you. Admittedly I wasn't there tonight but from iFollow it seemed that we were fitter than Swindon.
But we Wanted the victory more than them which hasn't always been the case.
Grimsby, Accrington and tonight we showed resilience and commitment.
Pity about last Saturday but we move on.
Up the U's
Durham_exile
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Our season starts now, kind of on 00:06 - Nov 8 with 475 views
Our season starts now, kind of on 22:37 - Nov 7 by noah4x4
It wasn’t pretty from the U’s in the first half and we conceded a sloppy goal, but I repeatedly remarked to my pals how (IMHO) Swindon were committing huge reserves of energy unnecessarily chasing balls that frankly penetrated nothing and were so negative, frustrated the home fans. In the second half, the youthful U’s were noticeably quicker, or was it that Swindon had became leggy and slower having expended too much energy in the first 45? I wonder if this is a deliberate tactic given there was a similar pattern at Cambridge, Grimsby and Accrington? Energy conservation and tactical substitutions are vital components of the modern game. The HT boos were unjustified if my assumption is correct.
In all my 50+ years of following Col U I've never ever booed the team at any point, that to me is not what supporting a team is about. I get why some might be frustrated, and want to convey that frustration to the team, but it's never been an option as far as I'm concerned. When our team is at a low ebb they need uplifting, not knocking further into the hole.
Your match analysis looks spot on Noah, in the second half Swindon looked burned out and incapable of dealing with our youth and energy. Both physically and mentally - they were on the back of a righteous mauling by non-league Aldershot and I think just wanted to desperately hold on to the slender lead they had - to no avail.
Our season starts now, kind of on 00:06 - Nov 8 by wessex_exile
In all my 50+ years of following Col U I've never ever booed the team at any point, that to me is not what supporting a team is about. I get why some might be frustrated, and want to convey that frustration to the team, but it's never been an option as far as I'm concerned. When our team is at a low ebb they need uplifting, not knocking further into the hole.
Your match analysis looks spot on Noah, in the second half Swindon looked burned out and incapable of dealing with our youth and energy. Both physically and mentally - they were on the back of a righteous mauling by non-league Aldershot and I think just wanted to desperately hold on to the slender lead they had - to no avail.
Booing your own team is surely just counter-productive. I've never understood it. They were booed off at half time against Forest Green and looked what happened in the second half there. It's bad enough doing it at the final whistle but half way through a game just seems plain moronic. Makes no sense whatsoever to me.
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