| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today 09:46 - Mar 11 with 1703 views | durham_exile |
Colchester United return to their JCS home this afternoon to play Stockport County in front of their new management team. The third “permanent” manager of the season.
But there are some loose ends to be tied before we move on. The interim team of EHW were in charge at Valley Parade. A bumper crowd of 20,383 including a magnificent 345 from the faithful witnessed a U’s team eager to spoil the party. Buoyed no doubt by the £5 a ticket inducement.
Junior Tchamadeu and Ossama Ashley returned to the side.
U’s lined up:
O’Hara
Greenidge Kelleher Hall
Tchamadeu Read Ashley Wood
Chilvers Jay
Hopper
The U’s started the brighter and bossed the first half. Sadly, as always you must take your chances. We had two or three very presentable chances notably from Hopper, Jay and Tchamadeu in the first half. The Bantams were on the back foot. Although a Platt header hit the upright in the second half it looked increasingly like another 0-0 draw at Valley Parade.
However, a dubious corner in the 93rd minute led to the prolific Andy Cook heading powerfully at the far post and we had lost. Pushing up for an equaliser a second goal was conceded. After the game I spoke to a Bradford supporter who witnessed Eastman’s winner at the JCS earlier in the season and opined that these things even themselves out. Perhaps, but the facts are that our approach play and overall performance justified and deserved at least a point made it all the harder to take. The faithful proved though that their support was consistent whereas the home masses only came to life in the last ten minutes.
The players and management though desperately disappointed welcomed the support from the faithful.
Ben Garner was watching from the stands and will have been impressed with what he saw but hopefully he will have noted the requirement to put the excellent chances away.
Scott Marshall and Graham Stack have this week been added to the management side as Assistant and Goalkeeping coach respectively.
Now BG wants to see expansive attacking football. Good for him. I also hope that my reservations are not reinforced over the coming weeks. We still require 13 more points to be absolutely safe. This though is all about building for the future. 15 managers in 14 years tells its own story. We need consistency and quickly.
So, this week BG will be putting the finishing touches to his side for the visit of the Hatters. New manager bounce today hopefully.
But what does his attacking policy mean that we will see on the pitch. Does he make wholesale changes to the formation and playing staff. This is the ultimate sadness with the loss of MB. He had just brought in some impressive players and was melding a great team.
We are building again now. It seems that Freddie Sears may get a reprieve. At 33 Sears will have to work doubly hard to force his way back into the side. It could be argued though that Tom Eastman should be recalled and returned to the team.
Injuries have cost us with Dallison missed at the back and Chambers who had also been playing very well. Cole Skuse equally has been missed. Also, where has Al Amin Kazeem gone.
So, BG has options for the first game.
Does he revert from a back 3 to a back 4, how many in midfield and how many up top.
There are five players who must be the first five on the starting XI:
Fiacre Kelleher
Junior Tchamadeu
Ossama Ashley
Noah Chilvers
Samson Tovide
The rest of the team can be built around them.
Let’s consider an attacking 4,3,3 formation:
O’Hara
Tchamadeu Kelleher Hall Wood
Chilvers Ashley Read
Hopper Tovide Appiah
Too radical perhaps but it would be exciting.
Will BG retain a back three? In a 3,4,1,2
O’Hara
Greenidge Kelleher Hall
Tchamadeu Read Ashley Wood
Chilvers
Hopper Tovide
or
the good old 4,4,2
O’Hara
Tchamadeu Kelleher Hall Wood
Read Ashley Chilvers Newby
Hopper Tovide
But I think he wants something like this today:
O’Hara
Greenidge Kelleher Hall
Tchamadeu Ashley Read Wood
Chilvers
Hopper Tovide
Subs:
Smith Newby Fevrier Sears Jay Marshall-Miranda Akinde
Stockport County defeated us 1-0 earlier in the season. I went to that game and we played poorly and it was the beginning of the end for WB. This however is a good time to play Dave Challinor’s Hatters. They have hit a mini wall and are ripe for the taking today.
The final 11 games are:
Stockport H
Orient A
Tranmere H
Newport H
Stevenage A
Crewe H
Salford A*
Crawley A
Sutton H
Doncaster A*
Mansfield H*
13 points required. But it’s all about next season.
Weather today 6 degrees Celsius, cloudy but dry.
Scoreline, new manager bounce 3-0 to the U’s.
Enjoy the game.
Up the U’s
 |  |
| |  |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 14:53 - Mar 11 with 1621 views | wessex_exile |
Interesting line-up, very much with Ben Garner's stamp on things to come. No big striker to lump it up to, more a pacy attacking passing approach to the game. Hope it works. |  |
| |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 15:42 - Mar 11 with 1603 views | gerry_us |
Great start for the new manager! |  | | |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 15:44 - Mar 11 with 1597 views | durham_exile |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 15:42 - Mar 11 by gerry_us |
Great start for the new manager! |
Disappointing scoreline.
Only one striker though and at home.
Come on let's get back into this match.
Up the U's | |
| |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 15:46 - Mar 11 with 1596 views | noah4x4 |
This is utter drivel. Tippy tap football that we can’t play. Losing possession. One up front. Toothless. Shambolic. Humes and Garner out! |  | | |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 16:21 - Mar 11 with 1567 views | durham_exile |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 15:46 - Mar 11 by noah4x4 |
This is utter drivel. Tippy tap football that we can’t play. Losing possession. One up front. Toothless. Shambolic. Humes and Garner out! |
Where are Oppiah and Tovide not even warming the bench.
BG must make some changes. Only two shots and none on target.
Sears and Akinde on the bench at least one must be introduced.
Up the U's | |
| |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 16:30 - Mar 11 with 1556 views | noah4x4 |
Awful, simply awful.
This is back to Humes/McGreal tactics. One up front. We don’t look like scoring. Tippy tap, too slow, loose ball, Stockport counter attack. At last a change. Fevrier. But not sure of formation? | | | |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 17:00 - Mar 11 with 1519 views | gerry_us |
Shots on target...NIL
Where do we go from here? | | | |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 17:03 - Mar 11 with 1518 views | burnsieespana |
Swindon fans did warn us this was Garner's preferred way of playing!
If we are not careful we are going to end up in a very nasty place. |  | | |
Login to get fewer ads
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 17:09 - Mar 11 with 1514 views | durham_exile |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 17:03 - Mar 11 by burnsieespana |
Swindon fans did warn us this was Garner's preferred way of playing!
If we are not careful we are going to end up in a very nasty place. |
Well I reserve judgement, it's only the first game but after telling everyone we were going to play open attacking football, no shots on target and starting with a lone striker doesn't bode well.
Up the U's | |
| |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 17:25 - Mar 11 with 1494 views | burnsieespana |
Agree Durham a very odd team selection given how we have been set up in recent mo rhs. I know a new manager wants to stamp his style of play but it does seem we were back to the bad old days.
As you say only the first game so judgement has to be reserved but worrying to see the trapdoor move a little closer this afternoon.
We really do need to start picking g up points as think this I'd our 5th defeat on the bounce and heaven only knows how long since we scored a goal. | | | |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 17:32 - Mar 11 with 1482 views | Leadbelly |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 17:25 - Mar 11 by burnsieespana |
Agree Durham a very odd team selection given how we have been set up in recent mo rhs. I know a new manager wants to stamp his style of play but it does seem we were back to the bad old days.
As you say only the first game so judgement has to be reserved but worrying to see the trapdoor move a little closer this afternoon.
We really do need to start picking g up points as think this I'd our 5th defeat on the bounce and heaven only knows how long since we scored a goal. |
Goals are the issue. Only Rochdale and Gillingham have scored fewer. |  |
| |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 17:32 - Mar 11 with 1485 views | noah4x4 |
Will somebody please explain what formation we played today? We had 55% possession, but I would be interested to learn how many times we lost the ball when nowhere near their penalty area and they counter attacked. We are just hopeless at this slow, ponderous, style of play. At least if we hoof the ball into their box, there is a chance that an Akinde or Tovide might get on the end of it. Frankly, this reminded me of the Humes/Ball/McGreal eras. One up front, zero shots on target, tippy tap ineffective football.
The only saving grace is Northampton equalised against Hartlepool, whilst Rochdale lost. However, I can't see us taking any points off Orient, Newport, Stevenage, Salford or Sutton United on this evidence. So it is possibly down to Crawley versus Col United on 18th April and must wins against Tranmere, Crewe and Doncaster. I really do fear the worst based on today's pathetic shambles.
Humes Out! | | | |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 17:52 - Mar 11 with 1469 views | wessex_exile |
A bright first five minutes, and an improved final 20 minutes, but otherwise in between a poor performance against a Stockport side who knew the drill and set about it confidently. That sort of passing game always carries the risk that you'll (often) cough up possession, particularly if your squad is dominated by League 2 footballers less used to close ball control and more used to lumping it forward.
If we can avoid the drop, I'll take it as a work in progress, with the summer spent filling positions with those much better suited to that style of play, but for now we just need to get some more points on the board to be safe. I'm still reasonably confident we'll stay up - it's a big ask for Crawley to win both their games in hand, and even then they'll be a country mile behind the U's on goal difference, and Hartlepool are five points behind, an inferior GD and no games in hand, but it's getting closer than I'd prefer. | |
| |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 18:11 - Mar 11 with 1455 views | thrillseeker |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 17:32 - Mar 11 by noah4x4 |
Will somebody please explain what formation we played today? We had 55% possession, but I would be interested to learn how many times we lost the ball when nowhere near their penalty area and they counter attacked. We are just hopeless at this slow, ponderous, style of play. At least if we hoof the ball into their box, there is a chance that an Akinde or Tovide might get on the end of it. Frankly, this reminded me of the Humes/Ball/McGreal eras. One up front, zero shots on target, tippy tap ineffective football.
The only saving grace is Northampton equalised against Hartlepool, whilst Rochdale lost. However, I can't see us taking any points off Orient, Newport, Stevenage, Salford or Sutton United on this evidence. So it is possibly down to Crawley versus Col United on 18th April and must wins against Tranmere, Crewe and Doncaster. I really do fear the worst based on today's pathetic shambles.
Humes Out! |
A truly shambolic performance
noah has summed it up really well
Glad Appiah not in squad but why were Read & Tovide not in squad. Is there any news on this?
Time for divisive comments:
Chilvers - needs dropping. Was his mum the sponsor for him to win MOTM
Jay - will be another Jevani Brown - has a football brain that works 20 seconds quicker than his team mates. He looked a lot better today.
Fevrier - seems to have some skill. Maybe give him an opportunity to start some games
O'Hara - I would like Tom Smith to be given an opportunity. Although O'Hara made one brilliant save in 2nd half he does not fill me with confidence. He also spends more time kicking mud off his boots than looking for quick distribution.
Sears - glad Garner seems to have wiped slate clean although not sure he is our answer to the goal drought unless we play a better formation/ system that suits him
Garner - to me he looked lost but I suppose after just one week I shouldn't be too critical.
Onwards and upwards - the joy of being a Colchester United | | | |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 19:47 - Mar 11 with 1408 views | bwildered |
Uninspired performance for a managers first in charge . Trying to be too clever out from the back led to passing which left players to much to do, and play becoming to slow which led nowhere in terms of execution or final play ball.
Subs should have been made on the hour mark. More goals conceded from corner kicks by opponents winning the first ball. County, tidy and never needed to up their game to hold result once a goal ahead, become a walk in the park .
Still need to win home games to get safe.
Would have hoped the new man could have imprinted some new dynamic into the play, sadly not. |  |
| |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 13:52 - Mar 13 with 1073 views | RSCOSWORTH |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 15:46 - Mar 11 by noah4x4 |
This is utter drivel. Tippy tap football that we can’t play. Losing possession. One up front. Toothless. Shambolic. Humes and Garner out! |
One game noah, one game! |  |
| |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 14:58 - Mar 13 with 1053 views | durham_exile |
Challinor complaining about our big pitch but spongy.
For those that were there, how was the surface. Was it in poor condition?
Anyone who wants to complain about the pitch. Valley Parade was wet and uneven in places and of course we have Moor Lane coming up next month and that is always a quagmire. | |
| |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 15:01 - Mar 13 with 1051 views | gerry_us |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 13:52 - Mar 13 by RSCOSWORTH |
One game noah, one game! |
Did he not learn anything watching in the stand at Valley Parade?
From his initial line up and playing style ...
NO.
Bring back Tom Eastman [Post edited 13 Mar 2023 15:06]
| | | |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 15:02 - Mar 13 with 1051 views | RSCOSWORTH |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 14:58 - Mar 13 by durham_exile |
Challinor complaining about our big pitch but spongy.
For those that were there, how was the surface. Was it in poor condition?
Anyone who wants to complain about the pitch. Valley Parade was wet and uneven in places and of course we have Moor Lane coming up next month and that is always a quagmire. |
I wasn't there at the weekend but I did see a tractor going through the gates onto the pitch earlier today. I was unable to identify the implement on the back due to my limited knowledge of machinery. | |
| |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 15:19 - Mar 13 with 1046 views | noah4x4 |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 15:02 - Mar 13 by RSCOSWORTH |
I wasn't there at the weekend but I did see a tractor going through the gates onto the pitch earlier today. I was unable to identify the implement on the back due to my limited knowledge of machinery. |
The way we are going it won't be long before it can be ploughed up and switched to an all-weather surface in non-league. It had snowed most of Friday and despite pitch covers, the amount of water that came down will have inevitably made the going 'soft'. However, it didn't stop either team playing football on the deck.
The problem was that the U's only used 80% of the pitch as we rarely ventured into the opposition penalty area except for set pieces. We made three passes before advancing the ball 20 yards from O'Hara's hands. It was so slow and ponderous that Stockport getting back into a solid defensive shape was too easy.
Yet, we played great passing FORWARD football at Bradford. Saturday, it was almost as though an instruction had been given to don't pass the ball beyond 20 yards. Then when (tiny) Sears came on we bizarrely start to hoof it skyward, but he isn't quick enough. Then when Akinde came on, only then did we, at last, look as if we might steal steal a point, but it was too late.
It reminded me of Hume's tactics. One up front, no passion, no strength, passive in attack, overly defensive. Frankly, it was horrible. The pitch was irrelevant except I suspect that on a better surface Stockport might have scored more. I don't recall their keeper making ANY save except from a back-pass! Zero shots on target (again!). | | | |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 17:47 - Mar 13 with 1022 views | RSCOSWORTH |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 15:19 - Mar 13 by noah4x4 |
The way we are going it won't be long before it can be ploughed up and switched to an all-weather surface in non-league. It had snowed most of Friday and despite pitch covers, the amount of water that came down will have inevitably made the going 'soft'. However, it didn't stop either team playing football on the deck.
The problem was that the U's only used 80% of the pitch as we rarely ventured into the opposition penalty area except for set pieces. We made three passes before advancing the ball 20 yards from O'Hara's hands. It was so slow and ponderous that Stockport getting back into a solid defensive shape was too easy.
Yet, we played great passing FORWARD football at Bradford. Saturday, it was almost as though an instruction had been given to don't pass the ball beyond 20 yards. Then when (tiny) Sears came on we bizarrely start to hoof it skyward, but he isn't quick enough. Then when Akinde came on, only then did we, at last, look as if we might steal steal a point, but it was too late.
It reminded me of Hume's tactics. One up front, no passion, no strength, passive in attack, overly defensive. Frankly, it was horrible. The pitch was irrelevant except I suspect that on a better surface Stockport might have scored more. I don't recall their keeper making ANY save except from a back-pass! Zero shots on target (again!). |
I think you must've watched a different Humes' team to me then as the one I watched was generally attacking but couldn't defend for toffee. 82 goals scored in 60 league matches is pretty good going, the 111 we conceded was the much bigger problem. | |
| |
| Hatters to lose their heads at JCS today on 09:02 - Mar 14 with 942 views | bwildered |
Perhaps the early substitution at the back was injury due to the playing surface, which led to the managers post match quote. Otherwise it looked pretty standard from something you would expect come March, cutting up only in the goal areas has expected.
Let’s hope in a years time the U’s can go away, gain three comfortable points against sides in the play off positions, and then only say good things about the hosts, oh what a perfect day … | |
| |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
