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Seven points after three matches was a pleasing, if slightly fortuitous return, but nine points from seven games doesn’t look quite so good. On the balance of play I think nine points is probably about right given the up and down nature of the performances and the last time we had more than nine points after seven games was in the 2020/21 season, so it’s actually been a pretty decent start to the season for us. A trip to Shrewsbury is next up for the U’s. A side who are a few places below us in the table and also one of the lowest scorers in the division. We did the double over them last season and we really could with three points tomorrow. Four of our next five league games are against teams below us in the table so in a few weeks we’ll have a much better idea of what kind of season we’re in for.
Obviously, Danny made wholesale changes for the EFL Trophy match against Peterborough and I’m not sure anyone did enough to improve their case for being a starter rather than a squad player. After picking the same starting XI for three consecutive league matches there will be at least one enforced change tomorrow as Jay Williams is away on international duty. I believe KVY was also hoping to represent his country but will be staying with the U’s instead, in light of this I’m expecting the U’s to lineup as follows:
Beryly Lubala has signed on a short term deal today after spending a couple of weeks training with the squad. He was here on loan previously when both Wayne Brown and then Matt Bloomfield were in charge. I believe he was a striker then but is evidently a winger now. We definitely needed a wide player and at 28 he’s good age with decent experience so hopefully he can be a good signing for us. If he’s not able to figure tomorrow I expect Connolly to be on the bench instead as Jaden Williams is now suspended after our failed appeal against his sending off last weekend. I think Hunt is a tidy footballer although I’m not a massive fan of him slotting into the midfield alongside Sesay but, for some reason, Cowley doesn’t seem to trust Digby and I just can’t see him getting the nod to start tomorrow. It doesn’t bode well when the manager is choosing to play a player out of position rather than pick the player that was meant to offer that added bite and steel in midfield. If things don’t change soon, I can see him being this season’s Gape. If Bishop, Oni and Perry were fit I don’t think he would be getting anywhere near the matchday squad.
Don’t think there’s anyone in the current Shrewsbury Town squad who’s appeared for Col U or vice versa. Our former captain and now head of first team recruitment, Tom Flanagan, spent two seasons there before he joined the U’s though. And Anthony Scully has also appeared for both in recent seasons. Please feel free to add any more that you come up with. Gavin Cowan, the current Shrewsbury manager, never figured for Col U but did begin his career at Braintree.
The weather at the New Meadow tomorrow is set to be sunny and warm at 19 degrees with a gentle breeze from the south-west. Shrewsbury aren’t a team we’ve played a lot recently, only 11 meetings this century in fact of which we’ve won four to Shrewsbury’s three. We've not managed an away win this season yet (or a draw) but with the New Meadow feeling somewhat familiar I’m going for the U’s to come out on top 1-0 with a late winner from substitute Lubala.
Lubala Proves To Be Shrewd Signing At New Meadow on 18:03 - Sep 25 by bwildered
Oh dear. Was not impressive previously.
True, but he's got a few more years and clubs, and at a reasonable level, now under his belt, so fingers-crossed. We do need some attacking flair on the wing, that's for sure.
Nice preview RS - after what seems an age, this will be my first awayday of the season. A combination of family, work and travel logistics have scuppered anything else up to now, so I'm really looking forward to it. On the played for both list, there is of course Jamie Cureton, but given he's still playing, it's becoming more of a rarity these days to find another club he hasn't played for.
My top pick has to be Mike Walker though. Originally on the books at Reading, I think his league debut came when he signed for Shrewsbury. After a handful of other clubs, most notably Watford where he was part of the lower league team that knocked Bill Shankly's Liverpool out of the FA Cup in 1970. He joined the U's in 1973, where he would spend the rest of his playing career, and one of the stars I grew up supporting. Our longest-serving goalkeeper of all time (and unlikely to be beaten ever), he went on to manage the U's briefly, until sacked whilst we were top of the league, allegedly off-pitch bedroom matters were involved. He was 'posthumously' awarded the Manager of the Month award several days after his departure.
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