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Anybody else watching the live stream? It’s now the HT break.
In the first half, I was impressed with the Cowley’s strategy planning. More like an MBA graduates’s business plan than regular perceptions of football. However, simply presented and most players and U’s staff should grasp its sound principles.
Has anyone got an idea of how many tickets Col U have sold for County? It has the potential to be the biggest away party since Huish Park. The weather is forecast to be sunny intervals!
One more question, assuming the S1 faithful will be heading to Hooters pre-match, morally, how old is too old to drink there? (fortunately I don’t have many morals).
I’ve managed to get another pass for the weekend, so I hope to see a few of you at the ground.
Great to meet Wessex and Noah last week, the latter being the only bloke I know with bigger ‘kippers’ than myself (only by the slightest of margins), so I share concerns about the steps and the Community Stadium being designed for midgets.
Reminds me of the useless careers teacher at the Gilberd, who took one look at my super-sized ‘plates’ and asked if I’d ever considered joining the police! I can’t remember if I said F##K OFF out loud, but I think he could tell I wasn’t impressed. To put it into context, punk was at it’s height at the time, so the straight and narrow didn’t align with the mood of the youff.
Whilst feet are the only appendage that I will be comparing with Noah, I can confirm that I too have been asked a 1001 times by ladies ‘if it’s true what they say about men with big feet’. If you asked Mrs TOOT to describe me, I’m sure no one would be surprised if the words ‘Massive C@ck’ were included in her response.
Col U Matches Prediction League 2023-24 - Match 44
Notts County V Col U
Deadline - 15:00 20th April 2024
Scoring system: 2 points for a correct win result 3 points for a correct draw result 1 bonus point for each correct team score 1 bonus point for overall correct score (not applicable for draws)
This means a spot on is worth five points but you could also get a point if you predicted Col U to win 2-1 and they drew 1-1 and you'd get three points if it finished 2-0 or 3-1, 4-1, 5-1 etc.
Let’s hope the U’s do not pay the penalty of another miss from the spot . Incredible scenes at Stamford Bridge last night, of players squabbling over the taking of a penalty. Wonder if the U’s players will be so keen considering are recent record from the penalty spot ?
Col U Matches Prediction League 2023-24 - Match 43
Col U V Grimsby Town
Deadline - 19:45 Tuesday 16th April 2024
Scoring system: 2 points for a correct win result 3 points for a correct draw result 1 bonus point for each correct team score 1 bonus point for overall correct score (not applicable for draws)
This means a spot on is worth five points but you could also get a point if you predicted Col U to win 2-1 and they drew 1-1 and you'd get three points if it finished 2-0 or 3-1, 4-1, 5-1 etc.
BURNLEY 1 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 1 Burnley failed to get a vital win after a calamitous own goal by goalkeeper Arijanet Muric, who allowed a simple backpass from his team-mate Sander Berge to roll under his heel into the net. A magnificent 7 got this spot-on, and nobody had the outcome. 16 predicted a win for Brighton with 13 going for a 2-1, in what was the weeks most predicted score.
CARLISLE UNITED 0 BLACKPOOL 1 Blackpool kept up the pace in the League One play-off race with a goal after 22 seconds, as relegated Carlisle only had one shot on target. A sublime 5 had this spot-on, and a further 17 got the outcome.
CHELTENHAM TOWN 1 BRISTOL ROVERS 3 Rovers ended a seven-match scoring drought in style with a comfortable win at relegation-threatened Cheltenham. Nobody got this spot-on, but 8 did have the outcome.
LINCOLN CITY 1 WIGAN ATHLETIC 2 Play-off chasing Lincoln saw their 16-game unbeaten run ended by Charlie Hughes' 90th minute winner. Well done to gerry_us for being the only one to have this spot-on, and nobody got the outcome. 23 predicted a win for Lincoln.
SHREWSBURY TOWN 0 WYCOMBE WANDERERS 2 Goals from Luke Leahy and Richard Kone (remember him) earned Wycombe a win against 10-man Shrewsbury, who only had one shot on target. Again nobody got this spot-on, though 5 did have the outcome.
CRAWLEY TOWN 2 COLCHESTER UNITED 3 Tom Hopper scored twice as 10-man Colchester moved out of the relegation places with a spirited victory at play-off chasing Crawley. Nobody had a 3 pointer, but 10 did get the outcome.
CREWE ALEXANDRA 0 GRIMSBY TOWN 3 Grimsby virtually secured their Football League survival with an emphatic win at play-off hopefuls Crewe. No points for anyone from this game, as 22 predicted a win for Crewe, and the other 4 went for a draw.
GILLINGHAM 3 BARROW 0 Gillingham boosted their play-off hopes with a convincing win over 10-man Barrow. A final game this week with no 3 pointer, though 10 did get the outcome.
NEWPORT COUNTY 1 TRANMERE ROVERS 2 Tranmere came from behind to hand Newport a sixth successive defeat. 4 got this spot-on, and another 5 had the outcome.
STOCKPORT COUNTY 2 MORECAMBE 0 Stockport sealed promotion back to League One after a stress-free win. A sublime 5 had this spot-on, and a further 20 got the outcome.
The penultimate week of the season, that produced seven away wins, and five games without a 3 pointer, it was not one for those looking for a big week to make a difference. At least the other five games did achieve a respectable 22 spot-ons, with five members doing well to have two. Best of those were blueeagle, who had the wins for Blackpool and Tranmere, noah4x4, who got the wins for Blackpool and Stockport, Daniel, who had the Burnley 1-1 and the Blackpool 1-0, and finally gerry_us, who got the Burnley 1-1 to go with his good Wigan 2-1 prediction. They each also got three outcomes, to give them all an excellent 9 points, and a four-way share of being the weeks top scorer. The other member to have two 3 pointers was Sector4, who had the Burnley 1-1 and the Stockport 2-0, and one outcome, to give him a decent 7 points. Best of those to get one 3 pointer was concordman, who had the Tranmere 2-1, and four outcomes, to give him a decent 7 points.
U'sual Champions League Just a gentle reminder to the two members who have yet to post their predictions for the Quarter-finals 2nd leg fixtures. With the deadline on Tuesday 16th April 20.00.
In the Premier The decent week for concordman has all but sealed the title for him, as he goes into the final week with a 13 point advantage. After getting 16 points in Week 35, RSCOSWORTH looked a good thing for the other Charity Shield spot, but after getting an excellent 9 points for the second week running, blueeagle has moved up a place, and reduced the deficit to that second place by 8 points, to give him every chance of making that end of season competition. Back in fourth, thrillseeker is going to require a big last week to give him any chance of breaking into that second place. For a number of weeks the mid-table members have had little to play for, except for getting involved in a relegation scrap, and that looks as though that is how it will end. After his excellent week, noah4x4 is going to require something even better in the final week, to give him any chance of avoiding the drop. Another solid week for Moor_Pinot has reduced the gap to safety, but he has now run out of time, and makes an instant return to Division One.
In Division Another excelent week for Daniel, to give him 26 points in the last three weeks, means he has hit top form at just the right time, to all but give him the title. He now has an 11 point cushion back to burnsieespana in the other automatic spot, who had the Stockport 2-0 spot-on, to maintain that place. Having the Blackpool 1-0 spot-on, kept basher2010 in contention for a top two finish, and all but guarantee him a play-off place. Just outcomes for bwildered and BFG, and they remain fourth and fifth. A solid week for Tropical_Us, that included getting the Burnley 1-1 spot-on, moved him up a place, and into the final play-off spot. But it is only on the most 3 pointer rule from Blue4U2. Only outcomes for Lewis_1 and Colukev, but they are the only other ones with a realistic chance of breaking into the top six. The fight to avoid the wooden spoon has always looked like going to the wire, and that is how it has turned out. Solid weeks for Madeira163, wessex_exile and Jorash63 looks to have made sure they won't be holding it. Four outcomes for durham-exile has left him looking over his shoulder, as the excellent week for gerry_us moved him off the bottom again. That has left rookie TheRams replacing him once again.
THE TABLES (270 out of 280 played) (Tie-breaker: Most 3 pointers, and then the first to post)
Week 38 Fixtures The final games of the season, and just a reminder of a rule for those still involved in Promotion/Relegation/Charity Shield issues. No more than four predictions the same as your nearest rival(s) please.
LUTON TOWN v BRENTFORD SHEFFIELD UNITED v BURNLEY CARDIFF CITY v SOUTHAMPTON STOKE CITY v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE BLACKPOOL v BARNSLEY BURTON ALBION v READING DONCASTER ROVERS v BARROW GRIMSBY TOWN v SWINDON TOWN NOTTS COUNTY v COLCHESTER UNITED SUTTON UNITED v CRAWLEY TOWN
The advantage of playing three games a week is that you don’t have to wait too long before the next game comes along. Among the disadvantages (if you don’t win) is the strain on players fitness.
Now many people are fixated on the two turning points in Tuesday night’s game against the Hatters. The Goodman mistake and the penalty miss. As glaring as they both were, the game was lost because we failed to take our chances and Stockport capitalised on the few they had. Not dissimilar to the Wrexham game.
Teams challenging for promotion find a way to win whilst the relegation threatened teams play well but do not do enough to win. Simples.
Criticism of DC has been prevalent this week. With some observers suggesting another change of manager is required. This is nonsense of course. 15 points from 16 games is indifferent form but at least four of those drawn games should have been converted into victories. We would already have been safe. Sadly, we continue to struggle.
Midfield players electing to take penalties when DC says that all players practice them in training. Fortunately, we managed to score some against Spurs. That form must be recaptured. We simply cannot afford this profligacy in front of goal.
Today the roadshow moves to the Broadfield Stadium in West Sussex where in front of a sell out home crowd and 1000 of the faithful the U’s will attempt to secure three more precious points to avoid the fate almost worse than death.
And I think they will manage a vital victory by 3-1 to dent Crawley’s faint play off hopes whilst rekindling the U’s survival.
It is all about the players and whether they want a Relegation on their CV or whether they can demonstrate an ability and desire to secure League Two status for another season.
Enough of the false dawns, failures to convert draws to wins, indifferent goal scoring, missed penalties, inability to score more than one goal in a game and feeling sorry for themselves in the changing room after a game.
Nothing less than a win is required today. If you want any motivation then look at the supporters and players of Stockport after they had won on Tuesday night. The joy, adulation and let’s admit it relief was palpable and that just annoys me more. I am heartily sick and tired of watching other teams celebrate a point or a victory against the U’s.
I want the faithful to be dancing with joy at 4.50 pm today following a relegation saving victory against Crawley.
Scott Lindsey and Jamie Day have worked wonders for the Reds to get them to this position but the U’s are better than this, much better than this and the three points will finally put the nails in FGR and Sutton’s coffins.
Remaining fixtures:
Grimsby 42 43 Crewe A COL U A Swindon H Crawley A
Sutton 43 39 Harrogate A Crawley H MK Dons A
Colchester 41 38 Crawley A Grimsby H Notts Co A Doncaster H Crewe H
FGR 43 36 Wrexham A Morecambe A Notts Co H
DC said that the 24 players who regularly train will be needed so let’s start to get tough.
I’m not really anti Chilvers, I just think he has wasted his talent. He just doesn’t tackle; he fails to track back; he doesn’t convert enough chances and he thinks the world owes him a living. Back on the bench for Mr Chilvers today.
Team:
Goodman
Richardson Kells Hall Iandolo
Read McGeehan Smith
Mingi Tovide Akinde
Subs Dallison Hornby Fevrier Ihionvien Chilvers Anderson Edwards (if fit) or Jay
Mingi although brilliant at Right Back must play further up field where his forward runs will be most effective. Richardson is back at RB and with Kells and Hall, Iandolo offer a more solid and structured flat back four.
Read, McGeehan and Smith are the dream Midfield trio and Mingi can support Tovide and Akinde up front.
Options from the bench would be Fevrier, Ihionvien, Chilvers and Edwards if fit.
Crawley weather will be mild 17 degrees Celsius, sunny but breezy.
Today is where we finally decide to stop the indifferent results and play with confidence and belief. The faithful will give support in spades. It is up to the players to perform to the best of their ability.
Survival remains in our own hands, time to get safe for another year.
A incident occurred during the last game where a pensioner fell down the last ten steps in the stadium. BBC Essex had an item regarding this 11/4/24, 11-24 am, where the following advice was forthcoming.
The procedures should be - to report the accident to the club stewart while still on the premises, ( take names, get witnesses and photos ) and also report to Essex County Council who are responsible for issuing the safety certificate.
After the Round Of 16 produced 28 spot-ons, some tough to predict results in those 1st leg fixtures, could only achieve just the one 3 pointer.
THE GROUPS (4 out of 8 played) (Tie-breaker: Most 3 pointers only)
It was blueeagle who got that 3 pointer with the Atletico 2-1, to give him the advantage at the half-way stage. All other members in this group got the Atletico outcome.
Three outcomes for bwildered, the Arsenal draw, and the wins for Atletico and Barcelona, give him the advantage in this group. The Atletico and Barcelona outcomes have put burnsieespana in the other qualifying spot.
Quarter-finals 2nd leg Fixtures All kick-off at 20.00. No more than two predictions the same as fellow group members, and all fixtures to be predicted at the same time please.
All predictions are the result at the end of normal time, extra-time and/or penalties will not count. If any members are level on points after the 8 fixtures, the tie-break rule will apply. As always in this competition, there will be no first-to-post tie-break deciders, only most spot-ons. If they are still level, then a further tie-break will apply by predicting the number of goals scored in the League 2 programme on Saturday 20th April.
16/04/2024 BARCELONA v PARIS SAINT GERMAIN 16/04/2024 BORUSSIA DORTMUND v ATLETICO MADRID 17/04/2024 BAYERN MUNICH v ARSENAL 17/04/2024 MANCHESTER CITY v REAL MADRID
Picked up a 12th booking of the season last night (14 if you include the second bookings that led to a red card) not sure if that means he's due another suspension. He seems to be our main goal threat and will be a big miss if not available.
Col U Matches Prediction League 2023-24 - Match 42
Crawley Town V Col U
Deadline - 15:00 Saturday 13th April 2024
Scoring system: 2 points for a correct win result 3 points for a correct draw result 1 bonus point for each correct team score 1 bonus point for overall correct score (not applicable for draws)
This means a spot on is worth five points but you could also get a point if you predicted Col U to win 2-1 and they drew 1-1 and you'd get three points if it finished 2-0 or 3-1, 4-1, 5-1 etc.
Having sat in W4 since DC took over I’ve seen DC/NC and their 2 assistance conflabing like school girls virtually every game.
DC/NC - always in the technical area yapping away. Some makes sense some it’s just white noise. Very rarely does it result in a goal. It’s just for him to keep busy.
Set peace coach - randomly jumping up shouting out to players who half the time look at him like he has recited the alphabet in mandarin. Who also lets midfielders take pens when strikers are on the pitch.
It’s getting way to silly for a club that hardly even wins a game. What’s happened to the basics of playing football. Do we even know what our strongest team Is. Every week we are changing our team on the basis of what the data said on the team we are playing.
This is league 2 football how about we get the basics rite and pick our Colchester Utd best 11 and try and win a game.
15 games 15 points yes the players do let us down… but it’s coming to a point now where I think are the coaching staff letting them down as well.
No one but the goalie can take the blame for the first goal tonight … this post is based on 15 games not a goal keeper error.
So, yet another defeat on Saturday and just six games to play now. The Cowleys have secured 15 points from 15 games. Frankly too many draws.
Stockport County led by Dave Challinor come with one hand on the League Two Championship and will offer the U’s sternest test of the season.
I went to the game at Edgeley Park where a goal either side of the interval did for the U’s. Yes it was a close game but I am sick and tired of the same old excuses being trotted out from successive managers. The excuses have got to stop and we must find a way to see games out from winning positions.
Our defence is too porous and we repeatedly fail to inflict the killer blow when we had a slender lead. DC was furious after Saturday and rightly so. A goal up and then we failed to play, they equalised and there was an inevitability about the closing stages.
You just knew that Colchester would concede a last-minute goal and so it proved. Now I have toyed with writing that we have no chance this evening and that we will lose by 3 or 4 goals. I have never written that regardless of who we play or where, so I’m not going to start now.
Instead, I’m going for a narrow 1-0 Colchester victory. We need the game and performance of the season against arguably the best team in the league. Alistair Smith deserves to score the goal.
Time to take the game to the opposition and show a steadfast determination against the Hatters, who if FGR inflict a defeat on Mansfield (quite possible because they were woeful against Crawley) and we lose tonight, then Stockport will be promoted to League One at 9.35pm.
One thing is sure I want to be at Brunton Park next season for the Carlisle game. One of my favourite Away trips (it helps that it is only 55 miles door to door) now that we know they have been relegated.
Let’s consider the remaining fixtures:
Grimsby 41 43 Harrogate A Crewe A COL U A Swindon H Crawley A
Sutton 43 39 Harrogate A Crawley H MK Dons A
Colchester 40 38 Stockport H Crawley A Grimsby H Notts Co A Doncaster H Crewe H
FGR 42 36 Mansfield A Wrexham A Morecambe A Notts Co H
Let’s say that FGR have effectively gone and it’s between Sutton and the U’s for the other position. Don’t forget Sutton were dead and buried but four straight wins transformed things and Sutton can win two out of the three and so we need another 7 points minimum from our remaining six games. Grimsby have probably just about saved themselves.
Frankly its shocking and this has to be the last season of abject performances and results and struggle. It does no one any good and is not good for persons of a nervous disposition. No team deserves to stay up on reputation alone, it has to be earned. We have had four years of constant struggle and 16 years of slow decline and it has to stop right now.
The losing culture, negativity and disappointments are legion. John Cleese uttered one of the most apposite lines in any film when he said, “It’s not the despair, I can take the despair, it’s the hope I can’t stand”.
All diehard U’s fans can relate to that, I have experienced that feeling for 54 years, many on this board for a lot longer. But we keep coming back and frankly and bizarrely I wouldn’t miss it for the world.
So, six games to save our season and probably the next few years because it is no easy way back from the National League. Ask Chesterfield, Barnet, Halifax, Aldershot, Oldham, Southend, Rochdale, Hartlepool and York.
The Saltergate crew have managed to get back at long last and would hope to set the league alight next season. We want to be there with them too.
DC rightly exploded post-match, only Colchester can achieve the biggest gate of the season and then take the lead but lose their shape and simply stop playing when they needed it most.
The attendance wont be 8,500 tonight, probably half that (Stockport may well bring more than Wrexham did) but the faithful must get behind our team and inspire them to a memorable win which will kill the fight in Sutton and FGR without question.
But who does DC select:
I understand that Iandolo is unfit and so something like the following is required:
Goodman
Mingi Hall Kells Dallison
Smith McGeehan Read
Fevrier Tovide Anderson
Subs: Hornby Jay Chilvers Wilkinson Ihionvien Akinde Hopper
We want the table to look like this after tonight’s game: Grimsby 42 43 COL U 41 41 Sutton 43 39 FGR 43 36
Not wishful thinking, but the result of 90+ minutes of endeavour and commitment from the U’s.
Weather at the JCS will be 10 degrees Celsius with dry conditions but breezy.
What one are you going for? We have scored some great goals this season with Read featuring multiple times.
Always think it's a bit early for end of season awards, especially this season when we have so many games left, but I imagine it's the same at most clubs.
Col U Matches Prediction League 2023-24 - Match 41
Col U V Stockport County
Deadline - 19:45 Tuesday 9th April 2024
Scoring system: 2 points for a correct win result 3 points for a correct draw result 1 bonus point for each correct team score 1 bonus point for overall correct score (not applicable for draws)
This means a spot on is worth five points but you could also get a point if you predicted Col U to win 2-1 and they drew 1-1 and you'd get three points if it finished 2-0 or 3-1, 4-1, 5-1 etc.
Good to see Wyscum losing at Wembley in injury time, in the Chuckaturd, Paint Pot, Papa Bristols, Sheild, Cup, Prem Reserves, Waste Off Time, Trophy thing.
Let’s hope they get expelled from the league for wearing that disgraceful non-league strip.
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