| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! 10:52 - Dec 9 with 5956 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The excellent Cooper was withdrawn on 65 mins and Doncaster scored a second through Faal (soft unmarked header).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 14:27 - Dec 9 with 3785 views | durham_exile |
Starting XI
Goodman
Greenidge Kells Mitchell
Fevrier McGeehan Read Egbo
Jay
Tovide Taylor
Pleased with that.
My only suggested change was Cooper for Greenidge
Up the U's | |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 14:29 - Dec 9 with 3783 views | wessex_exile |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 14:27 - Dec 9 by durham_exile |
Starting XI
Goodman
Greenidge Kells Mitchell
Fevrier McGeehan Read Egbo
Jay
Tovide Taylor
Pleased with that.
My only suggested change was Cooper for Greenidge
Up the U's |
Thank god Goodman is back! Pleased to see Jay is getting a start too. |  |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 15:47 - Dec 9 with 3753 views | durham_exile |
Once again conceded just before half time
Plenty to do in the second half (again).
I absolutely despair.
Come on the U's | |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 15:50 - Dec 9 with 3747 views | durham_exile |
Bring Bradley Ihionvien on and play three up.
Take Greenidge off and move Egbo to the defence.
At least make a fight of it.
Up the U's | |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 16:10 - Dec 9 with 3723 views | wessex_exile |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 15:50 - Dec 9 by durham_exile |
Bring Bradley Ihionvien on and play three up.
Take Greenidge off and move Egbo to the defence.
At least make a fight of it.
Up the U's |
Looks like Akinde with Tovide down injured. | |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 16:11 - Dec 9 with 3722 views | CrashBandicoot |
Absolutely clueless, IMO ME has this half to save his job otherwise he must go. |  |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 16:24 - Dec 9 with 3696 views | durham_exile |
Now 2-0
Never mind Ebeneezer Scrooge these are Hard Times I don't know what the Dickens is going on. | |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 16:27 - Dec 9 with 3689 views | CrashBandicoot |
I'm starting early:
ETHERINGTON OUT!!!! | |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 16:27 - Dec 9 with 3689 views | burnsieespana |
Christmas is coming which is never a hood time for is!
Can we really consider another change of Head Coach? |  | | |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 16:29 - Dec 9 with 3684 views | CrashBandicoot |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 16:27 - Dec 9 by burnsieespana |
Christmas is coming which is never a hood time for is!
Can we really consider another change of Head Coach? |
Looks like there's no other option, the rest of the management team can go as well - Embleton, Halajko etc in favour of a competent head coach who knows what he's doing... | |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 16:45 - Dec 9 with 3659 views | durham_exile |
This is truly grim.
Any chance of a floodlight failure.
Waterlogged pitch.
Shocking
Could be worse could be at Old Trafford! | |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 16:56 - Dec 9 with 3628 views | CrashBandicoot |
I've got a better one:
Etherington, Cowling, Embleton, Ball and Halajko all get abducted by aliens. | |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 17:01 - Dec 9 with 3615 views | wessex_exile |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 16:56 - Dec 9 by CrashBandicoot |
I've got a better one:
Etherington, Cowling, Embleton, Ball and Halajko all get abducted by aliens. |
They'd give them back! | |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 17:05 - Dec 9 with 3608 views | durham_exile |
Joe Taylor 97 mins following assist by Goodman. Easy this game!!!!
Bring on Wrexham.
Things can truly only get better.
Up the U's | |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 17:06 - Dec 9 with 3603 views | CrashBandicoot |
Things can only get better.
Once Etherington's sacked and clueless Cowling sells the club. | |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 18:16 - Dec 9 with 3516 views | bwildered |
Undone with big one two around Egbo and Keller knocking cross back where it came for sloppy seconds .
The MEssiah plays Fevrier and Jay in same area, and defender wide on right, keep knocking long ball to Taylor instead of Tovide.
Mitchell trending water in last 15 of games , needs resting, Egbo can only play in a flat back four.
Only back passed has threatened keeper in 90 mins.
Penalty finished the game off, but 2-1 score line flatters to deceive.
Common sense coach required immediately. |  |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 18:55 - Dec 9 with 3481 views | bwildered |
Oh, and the Nomomentum tour continues, with no sign abating with the serial, no quality, doing the simple things effectively, working off the ball, lacking a competitive edge, contributing factors in the demise of regular points week in week out.
[Post edited 9 Dec 2023 19:21]
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 20:20 - Dec 9 with 3403 views | noah4x4 |
I didn’t think it could get any worse.
The only service Taylor got all game was a hoof from goalkeeper. Maybe we should learn from that and become more direct? Pussy footing around at the back is fine for Man City, but we don’t have the skills.
Matt Jay had a decent game and the crowd let Etherington know their feelings when replaced by Chilvers, who promptly lost the ball repeatedly. Taylor’s frustration was patently obvious. Akinde was blowing after his first five minutes.
We will probably defy the odds and beat Wrexham, but I fear another long struggle to avoid the drop under Etherington. |  | | |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 21:09 - Dec 9 with 3367 views | thrillseeker |
We need to stop the pussy footing around - we were SH!T again
I cannot describe what I witnessed today
I did not want ME as manager but now I want him gone. |  | | |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 21:18 - Dec 9 with 3360 views | thrillseeker |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 16:27 - Dec 9 by CrashBandicoot |
I'm starting early:
ETHERINGTON OUT!!!! |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 22:34 - Dec 9 with 3296 views | mfb_cufc |
Seen on the OMB
Interesting eavesdropping one South stander having a constructive discussion with Joe Taylor at the end.
SS: tell Matty his tactics are all wrong.
JT: its not Matty there is an issue
SS: whats that then ?
JT: cant’t say but there is an issue. |  |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 23:30 - Dec 9 with 3291 views | thrillseeker |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 22:34 - Dec 9 by mfb_cufc |
Seen on the OMB
Interesting eavesdropping one South stander having a constructive discussion with Joe Taylor at the end.
SS: tell Matty his tactics are all wrong.
JT: its not Matty there is an issue
SS: whats that then ?
JT: cant’t say but there is an issue. |
The big story I heard on Monday was that Garner banned Steve Ball from the training ground but now ME is in charge SB is back involved in day to day training and tactics etc.
I have heard this from multiple people | | | |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 23:58 - Dec 9 with 3282 views | durham_exile |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 23:30 - Dec 9 by thrillseeker |
The big story I heard on Monday was that Garner banned Steve Ball from the training ground but now ME is in charge SB is back involved in day to day training and tactics etc.
I have heard this from multiple people |
This all sounds disastrous.
Clearly rifts within the club which doesn't bode well.
The playing out from the back must stop.
Joe Taylor deserves much better service than he is receiving.
Ihionvien must have upset ME because he doesn't get many or no minutes.
If this conflict within the club isn't sorted then we are doomed.
Grim times.
I gave ME 6 games. We could be bottom by then if this carries on.
13 defeats tells its own story.
Simply not good enough.
Relegation is still unthinkable but fast becoming reality.
The supporters deserve far better.
Up the U's | |
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| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 08:29 - Dec 10 with 3217 views | SparkfilmsTV |
It is reassuring to know that this site allows some of the extraordinary things that go on behind the scenes at Colchester United to be made public.
Information that would never be divulged by the club, press or media can be shared here and the public given the raw truth without everything being sugarcoated.
If true, and the Steve Ball saga more than likely is, this makes a mockery of the conveyer belt of fluff information that the public are forced to endure.
I used to receive confidential information of what was going on behind the scenes until around 18 months ago from very reliable sources. I had at least ten years worth of information that was unprintable.
Not that Colchester United are alone in this respect but the club spend a lot of time and effort on these matters. Several of the recent interviews on the club TV channel have been excruciating to watch and l wonder if there is much value in this medium.
Matty Etherington has been through an awful lot in his life, and now has quite a challenge ahead. I am sure he will work flat out to pull things around but working flat out at Colchester United under some of the restraints that existed at one time was not enough for others who fell by the wayside.
I am not aware if these circumstances still exist but it was a blueprint for failure if playing at a higher level was any ambition. | | | |
| Nothing less than a win will do today for COL U, ME take note! on 09:02 - Dec 10 with 3204 views | bwildered |
The tail of the tape
Home37% Away63%
Shots
Home11Away12
Shots on Target
Home2Away4
Corners
Home4Away5
Fouls
Home10Away9
ME out shouts
Home not enough Away could not stop laughing. | |
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