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Danny Cowley said after the Fleetwood match that “if you want to be a good team, you normally have to win about 25 games. That gives you 75 points, and you have to draw some and that normally gets you somewhere in the 80s. Now you are not going to play well in all of those 25 games, so you have to find ways of winning!”
As things stand, we have Played 26, Won 11, Drawn 9 and Lost 6. So, if we want to be that “good team” that Danny has mentioned, we need 14 more wins from 20 more matches.
Is it too early in the season for 6 pointers? If not than this is the proverbial 6 pointer at home versus a Grimsby side that is on a 4-game winning streak in the league (5 in all competitions) with a Boxing Day draw at home to Oldham before that had halted their 8-match streak without a win. Grimsby currently sit on 40 points from 26 games, two points and two positions behind The U’s in the League Two table.
After we last played Grimsby, away on 11 October, Grimsby were sitting pretty in 5th and Col U were down in a lowly 16th. An Mbick (again) brace secured an excellent 2-1 away victory against high-flying, and recent Manchester United beating, Grimsby Town! And who can forget that second goal from Mbick (again)? The Charlton loanee displayed excellent composure, taking a brilliant first touch before lifting the ball over Pym from just over 20 yards for a fine solo effort that silenced the home crowd and put Colchester 2-1 up. A goal that ended up winning Goal of the Month, not only from the Colchester United fans for the Col U monthly edition, but also from the EFL themselves!
Talking of Mbick (again), unfortunately he had to be withdrawn from the action in the 63rd minute to be replaced by Will Goodwin. However, this was 25 minutes after he scored another spectacular goal after he brilliantly controlled Samson Tovide's cross (after bursting past former Col U loanee Powell) before planting a low shot past goalkeeper into the corner of the net. Was his withdrawal a precaution with tonight’s game coming up or something more serious? Another doubt for the match against Grimsby will be the other goalscorer from the weekend. Lisbie having departed the Fleetwood match in the 54th minute with a knee injury! So, off the top of my head, that means MIA for this match could include Iandolo, Perry, Flanaghan, Anderson, Bishop, Lisbie, and Mbick (again). It was good to see both Akande and Baldwin (not that one) back in the matchday squad against Fleetwood. Neither of them made it onto the pitch, however, they will definitely be required at some stage again this season! There are also injury doubts/problems with young Kuffour Jr, Oni and Harvey and Danny also mentioned that Read, Hunt and Gape were playing through the pain barrier to help the team get over the line (or should that be put out a team over the sideline).
So, with all of that in mind, what team do the Cowley brothers go with against Grimsby? Well, the back four and the goalkeeper pick themselves:
In midfield, Arthur Read will be strapped up, drugged up (all legal I hope) and sent out again to put on another masterclass in passing and breaking up the play. This game might come too soon for a Bishop return, so I can see Rob Hunt partnering Read in the centre of midfield again! Just a quick word on Rob Hunt who is receiving high praise from management and fans alike for his tenacious displays in midfield – he has come along way from his displays last season when he was part of 3 man defence at the back and then shifted from the centre to the right and then the left!
CM: Read CM: Hunt
That leaves the four up front/on the wings. Tovide has looked in top form on the right, with the ability to interchange with Payne in the number 10 role. His power, strength and willingness to work hard to get the ball back offers something difference from both Lisbie and Edwards. Especially with Anderson out of the team, this seems to be the favourite system that the Cowleys like to adopt, giving the freedom for Lisbie (or in the case for this match Edwards) to concentrate on affecting things from the left. Goodwin to come in for Mbick:
RW: Tovide AM: Payne LW: Edwards ST: Goodwin
Subs: Smith, Baldwin, Gape, Akande, Williams, Gordon, Another (bring ya boots you might get a game!)
As for a score prediction, I don’t know whether that is harder or easier than predicting the Col U starting lineup! Grimsby look good for a goal, but we also look dangerous every time we go forward. With a few changes in the starting line-up and a subs bench that doesn’t have too many appearances in recent games, the classic Cowley (and Gerry) 1-1 seems the obvious bet. However, if we want to be that “good team” Danny talked about, we need to be winning our home matches, so I am going for another battling 2-1 home win for The U’s (Payne and Edwards).
As for the weather, I should be waking up to morning cloud clearing to fine. Northeasterlies developing in the morning. High of 21 and low of 13 – as for Colchester, BBC are saying “Heavy rain and a fresh breeze. High of 8 and low of 2!”
Up the “Good Team” U’s!
Ps. If you get a match programme look out for the birthday message from me for my nephew’s 21st birthday! It should also be on the big screen and announced over the Tannoy! Happy 21st birthday Dylan!
Nice one ghughes, I don’t think you’ll be too far off with that line-up. I was looking at our form since the start of October - P16 W10 D4 L2, an average PPG of 2.125. It would be a tough ask to continue that for the 20 games of the season left, but on paper at least we’re currently on target for about 84 or 85 points. Doncaster won the league last season with 84 points.
Tonight is going to be a very tough game without a doubt, David Artell has got Grimsby into a fine run of form, so I’ll gladly take your 2-1 win, and tbh even accept the more likely 1-1 if it were offered.
I've only been to Grimsby (well Cleethorpes) once. That was a Tuesday night game, and when I called in a chip shop for my fish supper before the game, I was told by the staff that they're known for their Haddock, not Cod.
Cod or haddock, I don't expect us to be battering anything tonight. This is going to be a tough game, and I'd take a draw now. I'd love us to win it, not just as a six-pointer, but to get retribution for the pitch's contribution to their win last season.
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Battered cod on the menu twice in one week! on 11:11 - Jan 27 with 1133 views
If the weather down your way is anything like it is up here on the Durham coast the match will surely be off. It's windy more days than not on our seafront but this is as close to a hurricane as I can ever remember. The dog's been round the block once and that's it for the day.
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Battered cod on the menu twice in one week! on 11:29 - Jan 27 with 1109 views
Battered cod on the menu twice in one week! on 11:11 - Jan 27 by BLACKCAT
If the weather down your way is anything like it is up here on the Durham coast the match will surely be off. It's windy more days than not on our seafront but this is as close to a hurricane as I can ever remember. The dog's been round the block once and that's it for the day.
It will be a good test of the new drainage system, but it looks like the rain will stop before kick-off, so fingers-crossed it'll be on.
Well this as hard as we were expecting, it's going to be a huge effort to get into the game. I'm afraid I'm not convinced by Edwards and Goodwin at the moment, let's hope they prove me wrong second half.
Battered cod on the menu twice in one week! on 20:45 - Jan 27 by wessex_exile
Well this as hard as we were expecting, it's going to be a huge effort to get into the game. I'm afraid I'm not convinced by Edwards and Goodwin at the moment, let's hope they prove me wrong second half.
Up the U's!
Mmmm! Never give up though, think Tovide may perform especially if Lisbie gets on soon.
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Battered cod on the menu twice in one week! on 22:09 - Jan 27 with 584 views
Sadly, despite a commendable effort second half, we just couldn't get past a resolute and determined back line. Credit to Grimsby, they were as good as I was expecting with 11 on the pitch, and defended valiantly when they went down to ten. We should have at least equalised, but it shows how paper thin our squad is that if you lose too many key players, we just don't have that spark.
Battered cod on the menu twice in one week! on 22:09 - Jan 27 by wessex_exile
Sadly, despite a commendable effort second half, we just couldn't get past a resolute and determined back line. Credit to Grimsby, they were as good as I was expecting with 11 on the pitch, and defended valiantly when they went down to ten. We should have at least equalised, but it shows how paper thin our squad is that if you lose too many key players, we just don't have that spark.
The antics they resorted to seemed to make you forget that they were a decent side that tucked in well . The red card which came out the blue, seemed to give them the take what we have scenario. Tried to be too clever in running the ball through down the middle which played into there hands. Will play worse and pick up points .
Battered cod on the menu twice in one week! on 20:45 - Jan 27 by wessex_exile
Well this as hard as we were expecting, it's going to be a huge effort to get into the game. I'm afraid I'm not convinced by Edwards and Goodwin at the moment, let's hope they prove me wrong second half.
Up the U's!
I'm not sure Goodwin is up to the task. Offered very little last night. Doesn't even work that hard.
My biggest frustration with that game wasn't Grimsby's shithousery or the inept officials, it was our inability to shoot. We spend most of the final third of the game passing the ball around the outside of the penalty area and holding up the ball in the hope that we'd draw out their players. We should have just hit them on the break and shot on sight.
You don't score if you don't shoot
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Battered cod on the menu twice in one week! on 12:02 - Jan 28 with 222 views
I think last night showed that it's difficult to compete with one of the form teams in the division whilst missing five or six of our best players and other key players not fully fit. We were given a bit of a lifeline with the sending off but didn't have the necessary quality or luck to get the goal that we probably deserved. Can't fault the players for their effort, many of them were dead on their feet by the end. If we don't get some players back soon or some new recruits then around mid-table will probably be where we'll finish.
I was unable to attend, but have since watched the whole game on I-Follow.
1. Without MBick we are half as good up front. 2. Goodwin is not up to the job. 3. Even D Cowley seems to have lost faith in Gape. 4. We take too many touches before shooting. 5. With so many absent injured, our squad to too thin. 6. Grimsby are on an unbeaten run with justification.
Frankly, I don’t think promotion would do us any favours, witness the plight of Port Vale. I’m content in Division Two winning 40%+ rather than losing 80%+ in L1. Until Cowling concludes a sale, we can only limp along.
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