| Paul's View vs Notts County 21:37 - Dec 14 with 916 views | Paul38 |
So today’s game was a bit of a waste of time. Uninspiring, cold and quite honestly an utter shambles.
I really don’t know where to start, maybe with the team selection.
Joe started with;
Walker
Tozer Magnus Eastman Garbutt
Gilbey Eastmond
Bonne Morrison Dickson
Ibehre
Where to start with that team. Bonne playing on the wing? He’s a striker who’s been in great goal scoring form so why not play him upfront alongside Jabo? Garbutt didn’t have a great game today but I think he should be the more advanced player, why Joe decides to play Dickson further up the pitch is beyond me. He’s the much better defensive option in my opinion and attacking-wise Garbutt’s crossing ability is almost Premier League standard so that’s backwards to me. Tozer had to be thrown in at the deep end and was out of position a few times so it will be a much needed return for Wilson when he returns.
With injuries we have been short but there seems a lot more that Joe can do to improve our chances before kick-off. Shaun Derry got his tactics spot on today. He saw our weaknesses and they came with a game-plan and were rewarded for sticking to it. They got their goal, not that much of an early goal either coming in the 30th minute, but then they defended well and sat a bit deeper and hit us on the break. Which worked because with so many attacking players on the pitch we were so short at the back it was hardly surprising we conceded the two goals late on. (Especially when he replaced Dickson for Turgott at half-time but he had to try and get back into the game somehow)
The first goal was disappointing because Jack Grealish was allowed so much time and space inside our box that even I could have produced a decent effort. He took the goal well mind you, controlling the ball well before shimming past two defenders and firing home into the far corner giving Sam no chance. Nevertheless we should have defended much better but it wasn’t over at this point, not by any means.
A few chances came and went for us including Jabo firing wide on the edge of the six-yard box after a mad scramble in the County penalty area but we lost the game before the half-time whistle, not for the first time this season I must add.
Notts County were happy to go into the break 1-0 up and were wasting as much time as they could with every stop in play so Derry must have been delighted when they grabbed a second goal. The worst thing Colchester could have done was concede again before half-time. At least at 1-0 you can go in and re-group, asses and change the game with just one goal but at 2-0 both sets of players go in with a different mind-frame.
County’s second came after we’d done well to clear a set piece but when the second ball got fizzed in we’d gone to sleep and left-back Morgan Fox hadn’t. He smashed home in the 43rd minute and from there it was all downhill for Col U.
After the break, with the introduction of Turgott, we didn’t offer much more in an attacking sense and things just kept getting worse for us. Players running into each other and passing going astray happened far too often. Got to say we did get slightly unlucky and if you’re still reading please leave your opinion on this — Gary Liddle’s tackle on Morrison. My Gosh, how did he not walk off the pitch himself before the referee even spoke? It was horrendous. Morrison brought the ball down in the air and as he landed Liddle flew in two footed, may have won the ball but he sent Morrison absolutely flying and he dived in so fast that if he’d caught Morrison it could have ended his career for me. Unlucky for us that he didn’t get sent off because it could have made the game different but he only got yellow and we have to move on.
We did have a few chances to get back into the game and I think everyone wished our best chance didn’t fall to Magnus, anyone but Magnus. About four-yards out he found himself with a free shot on goal but he fluffed his lines big time and smashed it well over the bar. An awful effort that would have definitely changed the game, had it gone in.
County’s two other goals came in the 86th and 89th minute and made the result look a lot worse. Two counter attacks that were executed well and with us trying desperately to get back into the game it’s hardly surprising we conceded.
Third goal was just a case of not having enough players back in defence and Callum McGregor took full advantage of the time and space he was allowed just inside the box and fired into the far corner with a very calm finish.
Their fourth, a delightful run by Grealish from the left-hand side made the goal and he unselfishly laid the ball through into the box for Liddle(Who shouldn’t have been on the pitch but there we go….) who had a little shimmy to fool Walker and with an empty net just passed it home.
Probably only our second real proper chance of the game came for Bonne in injury time. A header that was saved brilliantly by Bartosz Bialkowski and summed up our day really, even if we could do something right, it wasn’t good enough.
Where do we go from here then? Down the table if it carries on like today I would guess.
I hope we improve on boxing day(which I won’t be attending so let’s see if I’m just a bad-luck charm) but if we don’t pick up points in the next few games against the teams in and around us we are in serious trouble.
Joe skipped his post-match press conference duty and left it to Mark Kinsella. I thought I’d just give you a snippet of what he said. It’s pretty obvious but he didn’t have to say it after all.
“The normal crew come out week in week out and they’ve been tremendous for us, they proved that against MK Don’s and we appreciate all of that.”
“Today unfortunately we haven’t given them anything to shout about, previous games we’ve had a little fight back but today we haven’t given them anything and in the end we probably didn’t deserve anything but they’ve been excellent for us all season.”
Nice of him to thank the fans but he had to today, we deserved so much more from the team.
Hope it improves soon or neither Joe or Mark will be able to attend the press conference.....
I still believe though,
Up The U’s |  |
| “Anyone who has never made a mistake, has never tried anything new " |
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| Paul's View vs Notts County on 11:56 - Dec 15 with 841 views | AFCMorant |
I'd like to know what the rose tinted brigade take from that. I've seen the U's apply for re-election, lose 8-0 at Orient, 7-1 at crew, 5-0 at Hereford, and relegation to the conference. But yesterday topped the lot. Clueless, useless, leaderless, rudderless, uninspired, tactically.....were there any? 11 total strangers playing as if they'd never met. In short, utter, utter shite. |  | | |
| Paul's View vs Notts County on 16:21 - Dec 15 with 807 views | noah4x4 |
In short or long...utter utter shiiiiiite!
Should have played 4-4-2 with Bonne and Jabo up front. Then any four midfielders would have been better than the totally ineffective (and lazy) Morrison.
Then we should have entrusted Tosin Olefume at right full back. Tozer told the Gazette that Northampton dropped him because he wasnt trusted! Please Joe, send him back; as it's true. Next week, hopefully David Wright might be fit else we are in trouble (Magnus suspended). Why did we ever let John White depart?
As for Sam Walker and Luke Garbutt. They will be bonkers to stay; as they are much better than this. |  | | |
| Paul's View vs Notts County on 20:11 - Dec 15 with 776 views | Fruitbat |
Not sure "shite" really does it justice!
Our innovative new formation of two left backs and two in midfield really didn't work. Not helped by the two in midfield both having shockers (but then they were constantly out numbered so i don't suppose it was entirely their fault). Nothing creative at all anywhere and our only decent ball in to the box coming from Tozer's throws.
39% possession at home against bottom of the league. |  | | |
| Paul's View vs Notts County on 22:01 - Dec 15 with 760 views | bwildered |
The ultimate indefensible display . Totally inexcusable . |  |
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| Paul's View vs Notts County on 10:49 - Dec 16 with 720 views | Leadbelly |
The abject performance was bad enough but to produce that after two weeks without a game is indefensible. What have they been doing in training?
And could we stop signing loan players from West Ham and pisspoor League 2 sides like Northampton? If they are of such low quality as they appear to be then give our own youngsters an opportunity. At least they may have some interest in making an effort for the club. | |
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| Paul's View vs Notts County on 11:46 - Dec 16 with 718 views | gerry_us |
Absolutely LB. We have a brand spanking new training ground set up to bring on the youngsters so why not put them in the team. They will have a hell of a lot more commitment to the cause than some of the loan-ees who can wend their weary way back to their parent club when things go wrong.
For the Oldham game Joe should stack the team with "home grown" youngsters and tell them to go our and express themselves for the U's. "IF" I thought he was prepared to do that I may just make the trip across the Pennines but I fear it has a fat chance of happening. |  | | |
| Paul's View vs Notts County on 16:48 - Dec 16 with 691 views | bwildered |
Stacking the team with homegrown at present is NOT the answer. Having watched the recent Senior Cup game, not so sure the future is has bright has the club keep insisting. Most of these guys are a least one season off first team football and probally only a couple with become regulars. | |
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