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Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS 09:28 - Jan 2 with 986 viewsdurham_exile

JM is aiming to welcome in the New Year with the same style that they saw out 2016. Cheltenham are the visitors to the WHCS this afternoon. JM will neither underestimate them nor allow any complacency to creep into their play.

Gary Johnson brings his Robins together with two new loan signings — Diego De Girolamo a striker from Bristol city and Emmanuel Onariese a defender from Brentford. JM will be wary of Cheltenham’s recent performances and poor results; and knows that today is all about the three points. JM will remind his players that it was the sparkling win at Whaddon Road that started this excellent run of results and he will instil into them the need to keep this run going. JM is also aware that Cheltenham have had an extra 24 hours recovery ahead of the game but would counter this with the mental strength displayed by his charges, particularly second half at the Lamex.

January sees a challenging set of fixtures with Carlisle, Newport, Exeter and Wycombe to come. Three points today could propel the Super U’s into the Play Off places and set things up nicely for the tricky game against the Cumbrians.

Now after 5 successive unchanged teams, Craig Slater’s illness forced a change on New Year’s Eve. Denny Johnstone and Slater may be unfit today and so Chris Porter is likely to start against the Robins, but I would play Fosu instead of Drey Wright. Colchester are keen to extend his stay at the club and of course are still on the look out for another striker.

So, I would consider:

Walker

Eastman Kent Elokobi

Brindley Garvan Lapslie Dickenson

Fosu

Guthrie Porter

Subs:

Wright Vincent-Young Wynter Doyley Bonne Barnes Kamara

Whilst the table never lies, The Super U’s would do well to consider that Wycombe, Cambridge and Blackpool, all currently ahead of them (but not for much longer) were languishing in the bottom four earlier in the season. League Two has demonstrated that it is very open and that teams embarking on a similar run to that enjoyed by JM and his charges can maintain such a run and improve upon it.

A decent, expectant crowd at the Weston Homes today, will demand a performance and three more precious points. Confidence is sky high and the results that were eluding them earlier are now boosting their play-off hopes.

Enjoy the match, get behind the team and Up the Super U’s


Durham_exile

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Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS on 10:17 - Jan 2 with 972 viewsnoah4x4

Hopefully Slater will be fit as his ailment was food poisoning rather than a longer term illness. If so I then agree with 3-4-1-2, but instead with Slater (hence Fosu on bench).

But if Slater isn't fit, I personally think McGreal might switch to 4-3-3 or perhaps a more likely 4-3-2-1 with Porter leading the line. The recent Johnstone and Guthrie pairing works because they will run miles "off the ball" and hence thrive off Slater who then will secure and retain forward possession, hold it up and feed them (unlike the greedy Moncur); but a characteristic is that Chris Porter won't cover as much ground (or maybe he can't?) and he is far more of a target man doing the ball holding. We might only get 60 minutes from him too. Wright is also (like Moncur) far more direct and so is Fosu. I hence feel that 4-3-3 (or 4-3-2-1) with Fosu (or Wright) and Guthrie running off Porter might be more likely in the absence of Slater. But I wonder, can Kamara fill Slater's boots?

Cheltenham also tend to bypass the midfield and hoof balls towards our box (e.g. like Shrewsbury). With Guthrie and Fosu (or Wright) likely to drift all over the place, yet not be so keen as Slater to chase back to defend, having Brindley a tad backward from his recent positioning might be wise. Hence (this assumes Slater unfit);

Walker

Brindley Eastman Kent Elokobi
(or Doyley if George feeling tight after so little rest).

Garvan Lapslie Dickenson

Fosu Porter Guthrie
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Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS on 10:49 - Jan 2 with 959 viewsdurham_exile

Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS on 10:17 - Jan 2 by noah4x4

Hopefully Slater will be fit as his ailment was food poisoning rather than a longer term illness. If so I then agree with 3-4-1-2, but instead with Slater (hence Fosu on bench).

But if Slater isn't fit, I personally think McGreal might switch to 4-3-3 or perhaps a more likely 4-3-2-1 with Porter leading the line. The recent Johnstone and Guthrie pairing works because they will run miles "off the ball" and hence thrive off Slater who then will secure and retain forward possession, hold it up and feed them (unlike the greedy Moncur); but a characteristic is that Chris Porter won't cover as much ground (or maybe he can't?) and he is far more of a target man doing the ball holding. We might only get 60 minutes from him too. Wright is also (like Moncur) far more direct and so is Fosu. I hence feel that 4-3-3 (or 4-3-2-1) with Fosu (or Wright) and Guthrie running off Porter might be more likely in the absence of Slater. But I wonder, can Kamara fill Slater's boots?

Cheltenham also tend to bypass the midfield and hoof balls towards our box (e.g. like Shrewsbury). With Guthrie and Fosu (or Wright) likely to drift all over the place, yet not be so keen as Slater to chase back to defend, having Brindley a tad backward from his recent positioning might be wise. Hence (this assumes Slater unfit);

Walker

Brindley Eastman Kent Elokobi
(or Doyley if George feeling tight after so little rest).

Garvan Lapslie Dickenson

Fosu Porter Guthrie


Noah I don't disagree with your reasoning. I do think however that JM is well pleased with his three at the back and Brindley enjoys his midfield role.

Much depends on Slater's fitness. Personally I wouldn't risk him today, instead he will be required for the Cumbrians.

There is no reason why Guthrie and Porter cannot play together.
Enjoy the game.
Happy New Year
Up the Super U's

Durham_exile

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Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS on 11:32 - Jan 2 with 952 viewswessex_exile

Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS on 10:49 - Jan 2 by durham_exile

Noah I don't disagree with your reasoning. I do think however that JM is well pleased with his three at the back and Brindley enjoys his midfield role.

Much depends on Slater's fitness. Personally I wouldn't risk him today, instead he will be required for the Cumbrians.

There is no reason why Guthrie and Porter cannot play together.
Enjoy the game.
Happy New Year
Up the Super U's


The conspiracy theorists have wondered whether Slater's 'illness' is a smoke-screen because the club know he's off in the January transfer window? I certainly hope not!

Up the U's
Poll: How will we do in 2016/17
Blog: Knees-up Mother Brown #23

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Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS on 13:31 - Jan 2 with 931 viewsdurham_exile

Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS on 11:32 - Jan 2 by wessex_exile

The conspiracy theorists have wondered whether Slater's 'illness' is a smoke-screen because the club know he's off in the January transfer window? I certainly hope not!


Happy New Year Wessex - sadly Slater wouldn't be the first or the last player that Colchester have taken and nurtured, only to find the sharks circling in the transfer window.

Let us hope that he can help us to promotion this season before he leaves the club.

As one of the greats once said "Say it ain't so Joe!"

Up the U's

Durham_exile

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Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS on 15:14 - Jan 2 with 912 viewswessex_exile

Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS on 13:31 - Jan 2 by durham_exile

Happy New Year Wessex - sadly Slater wouldn't be the first or the last player that Colchester have taken and nurtured, only to find the sharks circling in the transfer window.

Let us hope that he can help us to promotion this season before he leaves the club.

As one of the greats once said "Say it ain't so Joe!"

Up the U's


Well, Slater has started today. Doesn't mean there won't be interest during January, but perhaps confirms at the moment there isn't a deal on the table...


...and to cap it all, Eastman puts us 1-0 up - Come On Col U!!

Up the U's
Poll: How will we do in 2016/17
Blog: Knees-up Mother Brown #23

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Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS on 19:12 - Jan 2 with 864 viewsLeadbelly

Three points gained against an agricultural Cheltenham side abetted by one of the worst referees I've seen this season. Their only tactic was to kick us if we had the ball and the useless officials allowed them to do so all afternoon.

Poll: Safe standing at football; yes, know or don't know?

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Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS on 19:20 - Jan 2 with 860 viewsdurham_exile

Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS on 19:12 - Jan 2 by Leadbelly

Three points gained against an agricultural Cheltenham side abetted by one of the worst referees I've seen this season. Their only tactic was to kick us if we had the ball and the useless officials allowed them to do so all afternoon.


Eastmans header was classy, Dickenson finish sublime.

Bring on the Cumbrians.

Up the U's

Durham_exile

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Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS on 20:11 - Jan 2 with 843 viewsFruitbat

Got away with it today. We were the better side in the first half but the second was terrible and we spent most of it making a very poor side look good. Perhaps the busy festive schedule caught up with us but we'll have to ply much better against Carlisle on Saturday.

No surprise where Cheltenham are in the league. Perhaps if they occasionally tried to play the ball rather than the man they might do a bit better.

And Lead is right, that might possibly have been the worst refereeing performance ever.
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Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS on 22:08 - Jan 2 with 811 viewsnoah4x4

Guthrie has tweeted " have never been so tired". McGreal commented that the entire team looked weary. How can it be fair that we play Saturday and Monday yet Cheltenham have an extra day to recover? Having seen the supreme effort at Luton and Stevenage I won't criticise a team that today gave all that they had left in the tank, but not at their very best. But good enough.

But we got through it, but no thanks to a referee with no bottle. He should have dished out at least two second yellows. Some of the Cheltenham tackling would have not been out of place in cage fighting.

Begs the question, when was the last time that the U's were 15 points clear of a relegation zone? I reckon in our promotion year to the Championship.
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Robins to have wings clipped (again) at the WHCS on 23:20 - Jan 3 with 735 viewsburnsieespana

Yesterday was my first league game of the season.
Liked the defence as generally in command and Francis Kent is such a cultured sweeper so long may he continue in that role.
Referee was hopeless and let so much go. Our boys were pretty much all fouled at one time or another
Considering how tired the legs were I thought we played pretty well achieving the right result.
All in all a good Christmas with three wins out of three and must be sometime since we last achieved that.
Up the U's, onwards and upwards over the next few months. Likely to see a forward on loan and also a midfielder to give us a bit more depth to push for an automatic promotion place.
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