| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's 12:45 - Jan 1 with 2280 views | durham_exile |
Today marks our most important game of the year so far!
1st January 2024 Gillingham at Home in a must win game. Stephen Clemence brings his stuttering Gills side to the JCS where he will lock horns with ME his former Spurs team mate.
The Wimbledon horror show is now consigned to history as is 2023. It is now up to Management and the players to get us out of this current struggle. The fourth year running that we have battled relegation.
Fortunately, Sutton and FGR are both awful and so it is all about putting clear points between us and them. 21 games left of yet another shocking season. The ultimate insult too is being described as the Man Utd of League Two. We’re not that bad (yet).
At Plough Lane it was the normal Jekyll and Hyde performance (or perhaps that should be Jekyll and Hide because we were anonymous in the second half).
Frankly it is embarrassing and disheartening. Another season of Great Expectation has seen us once again fall upon Hard Times and we now find ourselves in a very Bleak House. No wonder the faithful are asking just what the Dickens is going on at CO4 5UP.
Rumours of Luton Town considering Joe Taylor’s loan agreement are adding to the unrest. We can however have no complaints if the Kenilworth Road club recall him. It is a mark of Taylor’s brilliance that despite his isolation in an underperforming side he has still managed 11 league goals this season. Frankly he must stay but ME (or whoever takes over in January if results do not improve) must give him a strike partner.
Let us be clear, since obtaining the post full time ME has been dreadful in club management. He skulks away at the end of games. He looks bloody miserable during the game and he does nothing to endear himself to the faithful. He lacks the ability to start with a strong team and fails to make key substitutions during the game. Why does he dislike Bradley Ihionvien so much. Bradley is a supporters favourite and has a bright future in the game. Get him alongside Taylor in attack.
Yes injuries have been unhelpful, but is it down to the training or fitness regimes.
Samson Tovide out for 12 weeks
Manny Egbo out for 8 weeks
Kells out for 8 weeks
Lawrence likely out for the season
Mingi out for 5 weeks
Bandeira still not fit?
Half the team out injured is shocking and unlucky, some might view it as careless.
Still some good news Owura Edwards is considered fit, The exciting winger should get some minutes at home to Gillingham today.
Drop Greenidge and Chilvers, McGeehan suspended after a stupid second booking at Wimbledon. Give Edwards 30 minutes second half. Start with Bradley Ihionvien. Give Akinde 20 minutes towards the end of the game.
ME has this game to save his job. Defeat and he must go, a win and we soldier on.
22 points now dropped from winning positions and late goals conceded in 14 games this season.
Team selection:
Goodman
Dallison Mitchell Hall Iandolo
Fevrier Read Jay
Cooper
Taylor Ihionvien
Subs:
Akinde Hornby Kazeem Chilvers Greenidge Edwards Lowe
Table:
Doncaster 24 25
Salford 24 23
COL U 25 23
Sutton 24 17
FGR 23 16
What hurt more than anything else at Wimbledon (which I watched on iFollow) were the celebrations at the end of the game by the Dons players. Frankly I’m fed up this season of watching the other side celebrate at the end of the game. Give our supporters something to celebrate today.
Today can be a rare double over a team.
I say 3-0 Colchester, but only if ME is brave and stops the defensive minded play which simply sucks the life out of us.
Colchester weather today will be 8 degrees Celsius dry and sunny. Perfect for New Year’s day football.
Don’t forget Exiles the game is on iFollow.
A bumper crowd to witness a U’s win and double of the season.
Enjoy the game.
Happy New Year.
Up the U’s
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 14:09 - Jan 1 with 1597 views | durham_exile |
Starting XI
Goodman
Dallison Mitchell Hall Iandolo
Fevrier Read Miranda
Chilvers
Akinde Taylor
Sub
Hornby Jay Edwards Hopper Kazeem Cooper Ihionvien
Up the U's | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 14:21 - Jan 1 with 1588 views | noah4x4 |
Still Covid positive and Col U negative here, so confined to I-Follow and a crate of Banks Amber (£1 per 500ml at Tesco). Of the aforesaid, I recommend getting only the latter (a twin hop masterpiece of Fuggles & Golding hops).
I am fairly inspired by today’s team selection. Suggests an attacking 4-4-2? Frankly, I’ve not been impressed with the Jay and Chilvers combination, so dropping one makes sense. Play one or other, but not both. I reckon Miranda will give us a tad more spite in midfield.
Greenidge dropped at last, but might be interesting to play him forward as a substitute if defending a lead? Gillingham have been goal shy all season, so maybe the tactic is get ahead and hold on. Saw that at Accrington! |  | | |
| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 14:39 - Jan 1 with 1577 views | durham_exile |
| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 14:21 - Jan 1 by noah4x4 |
Still Covid positive and Col U negative here, so confined to I-Follow and a crate of Banks Amber (£1 per 500ml at Tesco). Of the aforesaid, I recommend getting only the latter (a twin hop masterpiece of Fuggles & Golding hops).
I am fairly inspired by today’s team selection. Suggests an attacking 4-4-2? Frankly, I’ve not been impressed with the Jay and Chilvers combination, so dropping one makes sense. Play one or other, but not both. I reckon Miranda will give us a tad more spite in midfield.
Greenidge dropped at last, but might be interesting to play him forward as a substitute if defending a lead? Gillingham have been goal shy all season, so maybe the tactic is get ahead and hold on. Saw that at Accrington! |
Enjoy the game Noah.
At least you have sustenance for the match.
I am very excited about the prospect of Owura Edwards making an appearance.
Up the U's | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 14:54 - Jan 1 with 1569 views | noah4x4 |
I-Follow and BBC Sport suggests 3 - 4 - 1 - 2.
Against 5 - 3 - 2 for Gills.
We played 2-3-5 in my day! | | | |
| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 15:18 - Jan 1 with 1558 views | durham_exile |
Joe Taylor should have scored but I'm not worried he only misses one chance the next will be in the net.
Up the U's | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 15:38 - Jan 1 with 1552 views | wessex_exile |
| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 15:18 - Jan 1 by durham_exile |
Joe Taylor should have scored but I'm not worried he only misses one chance the next will be in the net.
Up the U's |
Lovely move too, shows the value of having Akinde on the pitch. Pretty even for now, took a while for it to really get going. |  |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 15:49 - Jan 1 with 1544 views | durham_exile |
Half time
0-0
Must see Edwards second half probably for Miranda.
Close game.
Three points up for grabs.
Up the U's | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:11 - Jan 1 with 1518 views | durham_exile |
| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 15:49 - Jan 1 by durham_exile |
Half time
0-0
Must see Edwards second half probably for Miranda.
Close game.
Three points up for grabs.
Up the U's |
ME must make some changes.
Edwards for Miranda
And now we have conceded another soft goal.
Shocking | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:15 - Jan 1 with 1515 views | durham_exile |
We are in danger of getting swamped here.
Come on ME time for a change.
And qhickly | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:22 - Jan 1 with 1507 views | durham_exile |
Ihionvien and Hopper on for Akinde and Taylor
Gillingham have brought Bonne and Nichols on!!!!
62 mins
Come on the U's | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:26 - Jan 1 with 1502 views | durham_exile |
Attendance 4,923
Gillingham have brought over 700 I would reckon | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:30 - Jan 1 with 1494 views | durham_exile |
| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:26 - Jan 1 by durham_exile |
Attendance 4,923
Gillingham have brought over 700 I would reckon |
Get Chilvers off and Edwards on.
Keep Miranda on. | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:31 - Jan 1 with 1492 views | noah4x4 |
It’s all too easy for opposition sides.
Fevrier has had a mare. Miranda has impressed though.
How did Hopper not get a touch on that? | | | |
| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:33 - Jan 1 with 1485 views | durham_exile |
| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:31 - Jan 1 by noah4x4 |
It’s all too easy for opposition sides.
Fevrier has had a mare. Miranda has impressed though.
How did Hopper not get a touch on that? |
15 mins plus added time.
Owura Edwards on for Iandolo
Last throw of the dice. | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:35 - Jan 1 with 1483 views | durham_exile |
| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:33 - Jan 1 by durham_exile |
15 mins plus added time.
Owura Edwards on for Iandolo
Last throw of the dice. |
DFK for the U's
Come on | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:36 - Jan 1 with 1480 views | durham_exile |
| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:35 - Jan 1 by durham_exile |
DFK for the U's
Come on |
Sadly wasted.
Come on we will get another chance. | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:38 - Jan 1 with 1474 views | durham_exile |
| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:36 - Jan 1 by durham_exile |
Sadly wasted.
Come on we will get another chance. |
Bonne booked | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:42 - Jan 1 with 1466 views | durham_exile |
| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:38 - Jan 1 by durham_exile |
Bonne booked |
Cooper and Jay on for Miranda and Chilvers | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:46 - Jan 1 with 1448 views | CrashBandicoot |
Ffs we need Etherington out - for the umpteenth time... |  |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:52 - Jan 1 with 1439 views | durham_exile |
998 from Gillingham.
Grim times.
Just not enough quality to force an equaliser.
New Year same result. | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:53 - Jan 1 with 1436 views | durham_exile |
8 defeats in the last 9 .
Simply not good enough. | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 16:59 - Jan 1 with 1408 views | wessex_exile |
Sutton and FGR both picked up points as well this evening. The only small consolation is Salford are having a decent go at joining the relegation party... | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 17:06 - Jan 1 with 1384 views | CrashBandicoot |
Etherington needs to go now. As does our stupid owner at the end of the season if results don't improve. | |
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| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 17:16 - Jan 1 with 1369 views | gerry_us |
Not sure where we go from here. We really cannot rely on two teams worse than us in the division because either of them could have an improvement and "bite our bums"
Do we have the infrastructure within the club to see a way out of the s##t we find ourselves in, and do we actually have the desire?
My second team Chesterfield have rebuilt themselves after three years and are nailed on certainty for promotion and play home matches in front of close on 10k every week.
Do we want to go that route? NO...we've been there and done it but will not necessarily be successful second time round.
Get it sorted before it is too late ...please! |  | | |
| Start 2024 as we mean to go on with a home win. Up the U's on 17:38 - Jan 1 with 1336 views | noah4x4 |
Transfer window.
1. Replace Akinde and Hopper.
2. Let Chilvers go - his heart isn’t in it.
3. Not surprised Miranda got MOM. Where’s he been?
4. Edwards looked encouraging.
Our problem at the back is that Chilvers and Fevrier lose the ball too easily when we are overly committed forward. Three at the back leaves us exposed down the flanks. | | | |
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