| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! 10:52 - Dec 9 with 5960 views | durham_exile |
Is ME the answer – what is the question, more later.
Before we talk about what is a grudge match there is the little matter of Doncaster Rovers to get out of our system.
It seems an age ago now but it was the 28 November on a cold but mainly dry evening. I met Gerry and we enjoyed a pre-match meal and there was a degree of optimism. Even Noah seemed up beat prior to the game. However, we started poorly and decided that back passes were the order of the day and that we could only make occasional forays into the Donny half.
On 33 minutes a corner appeared to evade everyone and apparently struck the post and came back off Zach Mitchell although the unfortunate Smith seemed to be blamed for the softness of the goal.
Now Tom Smith last season seemed to be the answer to our goalkeeping woes and was imperious. This season he is bereft of confidence and looks ill at ease between the sticks.
Hornby was sent out on loan and is conceding plenty in the National League. Could Big Sam return, would he want to.
I think Goodman will be back today at home to Crawley.
Anyway, ME lined up:
Smith
Mitchell Kells Dallison
McGeehan Read Chilvers Egbo
Cooper
Hopper Taylor
Subs
Greenidge for Cooper on 65 mins
Ihionvien for Hopper on 76 mins
Jay for Dallison on 88 mins
So, 1-0 down and we looked relegation certainties. Joe Taylor missed a golden chance to equalise but then on 43 mins Chay Cooper played a great through ball and Taylor ran on to score emphatically. We then didn’t want the half to finish and looked the only winners.
Half time called for Cadburys hot chocolate in the absence of anything stronger!
Second half the Colchester malaise continued. This was the worst half of football I have seen for years. No creativity, sitting back encouraging a poor Doncaster team to dominate and no substitutes warming up from ME. No wonder the faithful; were disgusted.
The excellent Cooper was withdrawn on 65 mins and Doncaster scored a second through Faal (soft unmarked header). Bradley Ihionvien came on after 76 mins (even he is losing any interest after ME fails to give him meaningful minutes on the pitch).
Finally, a soft penalty conceded by Greenidge on 87 mins made the scoreline 3-1. The disquiet in the stands was palpable.
Matt Jay who clearly has run over 100s of black cats and walked under countless ladders was given 2 mins of normal time. Ihionvien missed a sitter, but we did at least show some attacking intent for the last 10 mins (including 7 mins of added time). It was simply shocking.
Ugly scenes at the end of the game with supporters shouting obscenities at the players and ME refusing to come over to face the criticism. Frankly he looked out of his depth.
I didn’t bother to watch the West Ham game. We simply have to get out of the relegation mire that we are once again in the midst of.
The season starts (again) today with Crawley and Scott Lindsey in town.
The team, ME all owe the supporters a game and a handsome win. What is embarrassing though is that Crawley are confident they can come to the JCS and secure only their second away win of the season. In fact, that to me is the ultimate insult. Teams want to play us because we are easily beatable.
Today ME’s managerial credentials will be put to the test. A win is vital to not only end the run of defeats now four on the bounce but also because we travel to Wrexham next week.
Grimsby 20 20
COLU 20 20
Tranmere 20 18
FGR 19 15
Sutton 20 14
Frankly I am fed up with lack lustre performances, ME failing to pick a decent side and then failing to make early changes. He has until New Years Day (6 games) to steady the ship otherwise we will be looking for yet another manager.
Crawley H
Wrexham A
Salford H
MK Dons A
Wimbledon A
Gillingham H
OK, so who do we select today, what about:
Goodman
Mitchell Kells Egbo
Fevrier McGeehan Read Jay
Cooper
Tovide Taylor
Subs:
Smith Bandeira Akinde Ihionvien Chilvers Terry Kennedy
We still have injuries affecting team selection; Iandolo, Hall, Mingi, Lawrence, Kazeem and Dallison.
Weather today a mild 12 degrees Celsius, partly sunny and the chance of some precipitation 13%.
This close to Christmas normally sees a reduction of the faithful who favour Christmas shopping. Fail to win today and we might soon be shopping for yet another Manager.
Through my rose-tinted glasses, I optimistically see a 3-0 home win (mainly because it will boost the team, but also Crawley have not endeared themselves after the contract fiasco).
Joe Taylor is due a hattrick and today could be the day.
ME is on borrowed time, drinking at the last chance saloon and having to prove that there is a Santa and that he is not the Grinch. Cheer up ME and start to look like a winner. Your demeanour on the touchline does nothing for morale, you look so bloody miserable and downbeat.
Attack from the outset, give Taylor the service he craves, ball to feet or for him to run onto.
Try to enjoy the game.
Up the U’s
PS. Is ME the answer, we will know a lot more at 4.50 today!
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 22:34 - Dec 13 with 672 views | oxfcolu |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 19:58 - Dec 13 by wessex_exile |
Probably same generation Oxford - first game on my 9th birthday in 1971, so into my 53rd year following the U's, or more like 50 years as a regular. My golden era was the 70s, though the rise from the Conference to the Championship was a special time to be following the U's, even if there were a few dour seasons of barely avoiding relegation in some of that. Pretty (ugly?) meagre fair for the most part after that unfortunately, but the support never waivers. |
Small world Wessex, 8th birthday 1971. From that I was hooked but knew it was a small club that you could visually see putting in real effort each game. I believe in looking forward not back, and I don't like where we are heading again. |  | | |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 10:24 - Dec 14 with 592 views | burnsieespana |
Whilst I hate the thought of dropping into the NL I have seen a number of games as my son lives in Woking and the level of football is very competitive but generally the refereeing is awful. |  | | |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 12:27 - Dec 14 with 571 views | Leadbelly |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 10:24 - Dec 14 by burnsieespana |
Whilst I hate the thought of dropping into the NL I have seen a number of games as my son lives in Woking and the level of football is very competitive but generally the refereeing is awful. |
Same as League 2 except the competitive football. |  |
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