| Gills in town today - time for a double! 08:04 - Jan 11 with 807 views | durham_exile |
After yet another enforced lay off as a result of the FA Cup (and the 4th Round will also see a blank weekend for the U’s) JD manages his charges to see if we can secure our first double of the season at home to the Gills.
Now obvious concerns about the playing surface have already been raised by JD this week. “It is a bog” sums up the situation. Now since the U’s moved to the WHCS, the surface has been consistently poor.
The classic “beach own goal” versus our Southend friends (televised) will live long in the memory but since then the pitch and drainage were re-laid. There was genuinely more sand than grass.
Last season I saw the home game versus Preston (1-0 to the U’s) and large sections of the pitch were devoid of grass.
Now Essex has fared better than most weather wise. Colchester in fact is one of the driest places in the country (check the met office records).
As a comparison, I was at Boundary Park just before Christmas and their pitch was immaculate. Next week we go to Carlisle, a location where the rain is horizontal and the playing surface is regularly under feet of water. I can predict that the Brunton Park pitch will be like a bowling green.
The climate at the WHCS ensures that the pitch certainly gets plenty of sunshine and swirling wind to dry up any dampness, so the conclusion is that the drainage must be non-existent in that part of north Colchester. This must be sorted long term.
Now the good news, we now only have long term absentees Drey Wright, Josh Thompson and Gavin Massey on the treatment table.
JD is beginning to get a full strength squad to choose from, we have also said a fond farewell to Andy Bond. He is wished well in his future endeavours. Bond was a loyal servant for Colchester and scored several vital goals. Sadly he has never been the same player since his horrific collision with Cousins.
The other great news is that Luke Garbutt can play for at least another month for Col U. Clearly Baines is not leaving the Toffees for Old Trafford just yet.
Now JD has a dilemma, given the surface. In my view he should not risk Sanchez Watt or Freddie Sears as starters on the WHCS quagmire (both injury risks).
Instead he should go 4,2,3,1 as follows:
Walker
Wilson Magnus Eastman Garbutt
Wright Eastmond
Bean Vose Bonne
Ibehre
Subs:
Cousins, Olufemi, Sanderson, Gilbey, Morrison, Watt, Sears
The Gills will be buoyed by their extraordinary win against the Wolves. This will not be easy but we need to start to pick up some wins, particularly at home.
The target remains top six and 75 points. The U’s are unbeaten in 2014!!!!!
Crowd will be enlarged by a sizeable Gills presence. Enjoy the game.
Up the U’s
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| Gills in town today - time for a double! on 08:50 - Jan 11 with 796 views | TheNet |
Will Trevor Lee be playing for either side!?! :-) |  | | |
| Gills in town today - time for a double! on 13:11 - Jan 11 with 769 views | RSCOSWORTH |
If Dickson is fit I'd sooner see him on the left flank than Bonne. We had such a good playing surface at Layer Road it's a shame we can't seem to replicate it at the WHCS. Like you I think that there must be some serious drainage issues. |  |
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| Gills in town today - time for a double! on 19:16 - Jan 11 with 730 views | bwildered |
It was not pretty in shocking pink for the Gills today, has the U's completed a league double with a convincing display. The three goal margin was a fair reflexion on matters although the last two where scored late on.
Welcome goals from firstly Watt, after good approach play by MOTM Voce and skipper Wilson, led to Watt finishing with a shot passed the keeper, although a U's player looked in a offside position but the ref deciding was not interfering in play, Morrison, yes Morrison,who had a excellent game leading the line and guided a Watt effort passed the keeper and sub Sears in extra time firing in off the far post.
It was nothing more than the U's deserved, although too much time and space was given by the PInkies who seemed content to keep it goalless has long has possible.
Although Garbutt was officially MOTM , my vote goes to Voce, who showed some nice touches and worked hard throughout , and showed why JD has given him a extended contract until the end of the season.
Coming back from CUFC unbeaten is the next step for the U's, after this display/result. |  |
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| Gills in town today - time for a double! on 22:56 - Jan 11 with 687 views | wessex_exile |
| Gills in town today - time for a double! on 19:16 - Jan 11 by bwildered |
It was not pretty in shocking pink for the Gills today, has the U's completed a league double with a convincing display. The three goal margin was a fair reflexion on matters although the last two where scored late on.
Welcome goals from firstly Watt, after good approach play by MOTM Voce and skipper Wilson, led to Watt finishing with a shot passed the keeper, although a U's player looked in a offside position but the ref deciding was not interfering in play, Morrison, yes Morrison,who had a excellent game leading the line and guided a Watt effort passed the keeper and sub Sears in extra time firing in off the far post.
It was nothing more than the U's deserved, although too much time and space was given by the PInkies who seemed content to keep it goalless has long has possible.
Although Garbutt was officially MOTM , my vote goes to Voce, who showed some nice touches and worked hard throughout , and showed why JD has given him a extended contract until the end of the season.
Coming back from CUFC unbeaten is the next step for the U's, after this display/result. |
Couldn't agree more - after a sluggish start, the U's took complete control of the game about 30 minutes in, and from then to the final whistle that was about the most enjoyable match I've watched in a long time. The U's totally dominated, and with sharper finishing that could have been a cricket score (that's an Australian cricket score obviously, not an English one...). Many contenders for MOTM out there today - Watt and Morrison amongst them, and a special shout out for Magnus, who I thought had a brilliant game - seeing him late in the first half up front with Morrison et al looking for the breakthrough was fantastic. I won't argue with Garbutt as official MOTM, he really did have an excellent game, and certainly was pivotal in the U's getting on top first half, but I agree Bwildered that for me, overall, Vose edged it - time and time again he found the pass in behind their back four where none looked possible.
3 goals, 3 points, another clean sheet and our first league double - all in all an excellent day!
UP THE U'S!!!! |  |
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| (No subject) (n/t) on 18:38 - Jan 22 with 533 views | bwildered |
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| (No subject) (n/t) on 18:56 - Jan 23 with 494 views | bwildered |
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