| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! 18:35 - Feb 16 with 1375 views | durham_exile |
JM takes his resurgent Super U’s to derail the Railwaymen at Crewe on Saturday.
Resurgent because of a magnificent win against the Sky Blues. The vital nature of Tuesday nights victory over Coventry cannot be overstated. It was thoroughly deserved and the fact that it was against one of our closest rivals for the play off spots and against a team that we rarely manage to defeat, makes it all the sweeter.
Dave Artell’s side are struggling at the wrong end of the table, but make no mistake it will not be in any way a walkover. Any thought of complacency and we will come unstuck. Last season I witnessed a Colchester defeat at Gresty Road in a match that was in doubt until 30 minutes before kick-off because of the prolonged rain that had fallen in Cheshire. Therefore, we must ensure that we are fully prepared to take the game to Crewe early doors and look to secure the three points.
The weather in Crewe is scheduled to be partly sunny and a relatively mild 8degrees Celsius. The pitch is normally very good and a true surface to play the ball on the deck.
Of course, and sadly totally overshadowing the football (just as it did last year when we played the Alex) is the matter of the serial abuser Barry Bennell. He has rightly been convicted this week in Liverpool Crown Court of offences against 11 boys, but another 86 have come forward with allegations against this individual. His time at Crewe Alexandra (two spells) was highly controversial and it is hoped that his victims may obtain some sort of closure after he is sentenced.
Crewe are suffering an injury crisis with Chris Dagnall and Chris Porter both out, but key defender Eddie Nolan may be back after missing their narrow mid-week defeat at Accrington.
JM is in a much happier position with key player Brennan Dickenson back in contention. He should start tomorrow and get about 60 minutes under his belt to prepare him for the Barnet (derby match) next week.
Kurtis Guthrie, although injured last week after a strong challenge by Clint Hill, will soon be back but he is not yet fit. JM surprised many by giving a well-deserved home debut to Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe on Tuesday and it was a masterstroke. He scored a penalty which he himself won and made the winning goal from Mika Mandron.
JM surely must start Junior at Crewe with Senior and Junior as a front three. Sammie Szmodics is rightly being kept out of the team at present because the first XI are playing some superb football. Szmodics can be an impact player with 20 minutes to play.
Ryan Jackson is also out at present and Ryan Inniss though fit is being kept out of the team by the brilliance of captain Luke Prosser. Ben Stevenson also is fully deserving of praise for the positive way that he has taken to the midfield position and should also start tomorrow.
JM will line up something along these lines at Crewe:
Team 3,4,3:
Walker
Eastman Prosser Kent
Vincent-Young Comley Stevenson Dickenson
Senior Mandron Ogedi-Uzokwe
Subs:
Gilmartin Inniss Lapslie Murray Wright Szmodics Mandeville
League table:
Luton 33 67
Accrington 32 61
Wycombe 32 59
Notts Co 32 57
Mansfield 32 56
Swindon 33 54
Lincoln 32 53
Exeter 30 52
Coventry 32 50
COL U 33 50
With 50 points Colchester now need to push on and secure another 26 from 13 games. That would be promotion form and the play offs are all about momentum.
Crewe A
Barnet H
Morecambe A
Mansfield A
Yeovil H
Stevenage A
Luton H
Forest Green A
Accrington H
Notts Co H
Lincoln A
Swindon H
Exeter A
Safe journey to the travelling faithful, enjoy the game and hopefully the 3 points.
I have a feeling that the unwelcome three-year record could be broken tomorrow!
Up the U’s
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| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 18:44 - Feb 16 with 1370 views | gerry_us |
I'm arranging several road blocks between Durham and Crewe.  |  | | |
| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 19:33 - Feb 16 with 1358 views | durham_exile |
| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 18:44 - Feb 16 by gerry_us |
I'm arranging several road blocks between Durham and Crewe. |
Gerry I thought of that and am already ensconced in the West Midlands ahead of the game.
This has to be the end of the three years of miserable results.
Up the U's
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| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 19:50 - Feb 16 with 1354 views | gerry_us |
| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 19:33 - Feb 16 by durham_exile |
Gerry I thought of that and am already ensconced in the West Midlands ahead of the game.
This has to be the end of the three years of miserable results.
Up the U's
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Sneaky!
Have a great day, unfortunately not able to make Crewe and resuscitate you when we win. Hopefully catch up at Mansfield. | | | |
| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 22:16 - Feb 16 with 1333 views | oxfcolu |
Staying with family in Manchester, looking forward to tomorrow's game.Unfortunately going to the match with relatives who just informed me they didn't fancy the away end. Say no more apart from there will be no animation from me tomorrow otherwise I will receive strange looks by the Crewe fans. [Post edited 16 Feb 2018 22:18]
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| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 14:50 - Feb 17 with 1258 views | Moor_Pinot |
Where is Szmodics? Another one our management has mis-managed? I do hope not. Perhaps he is injured. |  |
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| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 15:03 - Feb 17 with 1253 views | gerry_us |
| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 14:50 - Feb 17 by Moor_Pinot |
Where is Szmodics? Another one our management has mis-managed? I do hope not. Perhaps he is injured. |
Did he stay out until 5.30am and steal a taxi home? I think not. He may have not performed over the past few weeks but is still a very potent threat and at least a place on the subs. bench at least. I personally would play him in place of Mandron any day.
Who knows though....manager may be right? Would be nice. | | | |
| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 15:05 - Feb 17 with 1252 views | mfb_cufc |
| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 14:50 - Feb 17 by Moor_Pinot |
Where is Szmodics? Another one our management has mis-managed? I do hope not. Perhaps he is injured. |
He has a sore back apparently. |  |
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| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 16:59 - Feb 17 with 1241 views | gerry_us |
| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 15:05 - Feb 17 by mfb_cufc |
He has a sore back apparently. |
Durham will have a sore throat.  | | | |
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| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 23:15 - Feb 17 with 1170 views | durham_exile |
| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 16:59 - Feb 17 by gerry_us |
Durham will have a sore throat. |
Gerry have just arrived home I am incandescent with rage.
Afraid I told the players that the 200 supporters deserved much better.
Anymore performances like this and its another year in league two.
Up the U's | |
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| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 23:51 - Feb 17 with 1161 views | mfb_cufc |
It is going to be another season in League 2, because we have a manager who accepts mediocrity as matter of course. it is consistency that gets you promoted, and that is something we are greatly lacking in. [Post edited 18 Feb 2018 10:27]
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| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 07:59 - Feb 18 with 1145 views | bwildered |
McLiverpool Express, now in the sidings due to a points failure .
Every man must have dream . |  |
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| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 08:16 - Feb 18 with 1141 views | thrillseeker |
| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 23:51 - Feb 17 by mfb_cufc |
It is going to be another season in League 2, because we have a manager who accepts mediocrity as matter of course. it is consistency that gets you promoted, and that is something we are greatly lacking in. [Post edited 18 Feb 2018 10:27]
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Couldn't agree more mfb.
For me the promotion bid for this season is now officially over and I an resigned to Division 4 football again next season.
Of course we will probably have a good run of results like last seaon to nearly reach play-offs but this will only paper over the cracks.
The joys of watching CUFC - it is like a rollercoaster ride [Post edited 18 Feb 2018 8:17]
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| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 11:26 - Feb 18 with 1098 views | HungryStudent |
McGreals got caught focusing on statistics & opposition tactics instead of reacting to what's needed 'in-game'. We've lost the spontaneity, the caution to the wind approach needed at this point of the season and i'm afraid it's damning indication of tactical rigidity.
McGreal acknowledged "Crewe changed it up to how they had been playing, they made it very tight for us rather than knocking the ball around"... So why did we seemingly continue to operate under our pre-match game plan? I'm no football manager, but i felt it clear that the game was calling out for wingers and direct runners ala Senior, Wright and unused sub Shodipo. Instead we stayed at a firm 3-4-1-2 whilst it was abundantly clear that we lacked the personnel in key positions (Wing backs) with an injured Jackson and an out of position Drey Wright, shackled with his defensive duties.
Senior at CAM took 2/3 players out of the game every time he got the ball as Crewe closed him down but we failed to capitalise on the space this created.
I'm happy for us to focus on stability throughout the season but not when we need 7/8 wins from 12. The season is not over yet, but it doesn't fill me with confidence that we petered out without even a spark against a side who, whilst they proudly fought for their 3 points, showed why they are down at the bottom of the table. We need to be really imposing ourselves on games now, attacking quickly and directly with the quality we have. Dickenson now returning, Senior unplayable, Wright and Shodipo, an unknown, but highly regarded quantity. We have the defensive fortitude but I feel our attack is being shackled. | | | |
| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 11:35 - Feb 18 with 1093 views | wessex_exile |
The big difference between Crewe and Col U yesterday? They played like it actually meant something to them. |  |
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| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 11:38 - Feb 18 with 1093 views | Moor_Pinot |
Sadly I feel you are right Mick. Man - management is never easy but our club policy of rewarding from within creates inevitable limitations. Our current chap can only create mediocrity because that's all his experience permits. The consistency you speak of is an anathema to him because he can't progress from his level of management ie mediocrity. It's such a shame as we've some interesting players. When the Cowleys were at Concord I know of several who contacted our club with a suggestion! But nothing happened even during the Braintree era so inevitably Lincoln benefit as well. I understand the financial constraints but we currently have unconvincing leadership. When our manager gives interviews I cringe and often turn them off. They demonstrate in totality why we are inconsistent and why we do not build on mediocrity. We have the raw material but not the tools. Well said Mick and I really feel for Durham today.
Up the U's | |
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| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 17:56 - Feb 18 with 1036 views | Leadbelly |
In the post match interview on BBC Essex McGreal said something along the lines of "that's the worst performance this season". What he didn't offer was a convincing explanation as to why that was the case. I wonder if he actually knows. He really didn't sound that bothered.
I think we have some decent players and wonder just how far an experienced manager, or one who was able to react to events on the pitch, would take this squad. Sadly we will never know because in the unlikely event that McGreal ceases to be the manager it will be another appointment from within. Next man up is highly unlikely to be best man for the job. Perhaps the almost unparalleled job security at Col U is part of the problem. | |
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| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 21:20 - Feb 18 with 1000 views | mfb_cufc |
Absolutely spot-on Leadbelly. What we need is someone like Steve Evans as manager. He maybe a nasty bit of work, but he gets results. He knows what it takes to get a team out of Division Four, and he would definitely get our good squad promoted. Obviously something like that is never going to happen with Cowling as owner, so we will have to carry supporting a team with this failed philosophy, until the owner leaves. But that is not likely to happen any time soon. | |
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| Crewe well and truly up the Junction after Super U's steam in to Gresty Road! on 14:54 - Feb 19 with 919 views | oxfcolu |
So gutted at this pathetic performance this weekend. By the way Barnet is not a easy match as they have put in a couple of good performances. If we don't buck up another boring draw is on the cards. | | | |
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