Forum | CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium by durham_exile

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CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium 22:46 - Jan 31 with 1202 views

After a magnificent victory (the third of the season) against Swindon Town on Tuesday evening, JM takes his players to Cambridge United on Saturday to attempt to keep the unbeaten run going and to gain revenge for our home defeat to them earlier in the season.

At last we are beginning to see some movement in the table:

Swindon 30 56
Exeter 29 54
Crewe 29 52
Plymouth 28 51
COL U 30 49
Northampton 29 49
Bradford 30 47
Cheltenham 28 45
FGR 30 44
Port Vale 30 44
Newport 27 39

A tremendous 16 league games unbeaten (7 wins, 9 draws) has taken us to fifth position and the most recent win against the Robins will have made the other promotion vying teams sit up and take notice; now that we have 16 games left to secure sufficient points to finish in the top three.

Tomorrow the top two play each other as the big games keep on coming.

But back to the local derby at the Abbey Stadium. Mark Bonner and Tom Pell are in temporary charge after the mutual parting of the ways with Calderwood earlier in the week. Make no mistake, this will not be an easy game because Cambridge are hurting after some humbling results and they will not want to lose to their rivals from Essex.

JM is asking for the U’s to keep their focus and they will in a win probably by 3-0 as we cement our top seven position and look to close the gap on the top three. Psychologically we can move to 52 points tomorrow and to within 30 points of a top three position at the end of the season.

JM must decide tomorrow regarding his preferred starting line-up, or does he?

The team against Swindon was:

Gerken
Jackson Eastman Prosser Bramall
Pell Comley
Harriott Poku Gambin
Robinson

The three substitutions were: Nouble for Poku on 59 mins, Norris for Gambin on 63 mins and Senior for Harriott on 67 mins.

Now what JM did was to make earlier substitutions that normal and they were all attacking options. Big Frank seemed reborn and he made a big difference in the attacking third.

The return of Cohen Bramall was unexpected but warmly welcomed; we have missed him greatly and his dead ball delivery and confidence is clear for all to see.

The other good news as far as we are concerned is that Antonee Robinson’s transfer from Wigan to AC Milan has not gone through for a fee of £6m plus add ons. This has taken the pressure of our club who did not need to sell Cohen Bramall and now can ensure that he stays to help our promotion to league one. Wigan may well be relegated anyway.

JM seems reluctant to play Comley Pell and Stevenson together (although they played for 9 minutes recently). JM favours wingers and would play Senior, Gambin, Harriott if space permitted. It is a fine dividing line between midfield and wingers that needs to be carefully considered. Kwame Poku has been a revelation and together with Norris, Robinson and Nouble we have strikers to benefit from their approach play.

I would like to see the following team start at Cambridge tomorrow:

Gerken

Jackson Eastman Prosser Bramall

Pell Stevenson

Senior Poku Nouble

Robinson

Subs:
Ross Sowunmi Norris Clampin Comley Harriott Junior

It seems increasingly obvious that Junior is becoming the next Bonne. All I can hope for is that JM will change his mind and start to play him during these final 16 games. This has become more important as no replacement for Brown has been found and no additional striker has been brought in during the transfer window.

Perhaps Paris Cowan-Hall can come back into the reckoning soon after his injury. He has been missed.

Cambridge weather will be 11 degrees Celsius with sunshine and dry conditions.

Colchester will be well supported by the faithful with 1,000 making the trip and another win will be welcomed as the U’s strengthen their league position.

Safe journey to those travelling and enjoy the game.

Up the U’s

[Post edited 1 Feb 2020 5:47]

Durham_exile

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 10:09 - Feb 1 with 1140 views

gerry_us

Is it just me who has a real concern about this afternoons game?
After the excellent win on Tuesday the confidence in the camp should be sky high, especially after the adopted format and performance of the last twenty minutes against the league leaders.
Will McGreal focus on this is will he revert to type and go for caution as he has done many times against lower league position opposition. It is clear our performances against these teams leaves a lot to be desired.
Hopefully though, even McGreal will have a sense of confidence that he can further instil in the team.
However.....I still cannoit get it out of my mind that a bore draw may be on the cards. Oh how I hope I am so wrong.

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 10:56 - Feb 1 with 1134 views

GOSBTS

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 10:09 - Feb 1 by gerry_us

I’m optimistic and think we’ll win 4-0 today. Reckon McGreal will stick with formation we began with on Tuesday as like he said, it has contributed to the unbeaten run. Now we know though that we have a pretty great Plan B with 4-4-2!

Setting off in a little bit, meeting a friend (the vicar who married my wife and I) in Cambridge beforehand. Very excited for my first U’s away trip!

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 14:44 - Feb 1 with 1098 views

wessex_exile

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 10:56 - Feb 1 by GOSBTS
I’m optimistic and think we’ll win 4-0 today. Reckon McGreal will stick with formation we began with on Tuesday as like he said, it has contributed to the unbeaten run. Now we know though that we have a pretty great Plan B with 4-4-2! Setting off in a little bit, meeting a friend (the vicar who married my wife and I) in Cambridge beforehand. Very excited for my first U’s away trip!

Have a great day chap - hope God will be on our side?

	Up the U's
Poll:	How will we do in 2016/17
Blog:	Knees-up Mother Brown #24

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 14:44 - Feb 1 with 1098 views

mfb_cufc

U's side to face Cambridge: Gerken, Jackson, Eastman, Prosser, Bramall, Pell, Comley, Senior, Poku, Nouble, Norris

U's subs v Cambridge are Sowunmi, Clampin, Stevenson, Gambin, Harriott, Robinson, Ross

mfb

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 15:51 - Feb 1 with 1077 views

gerry_us

Hmmm...0-0
442 second half, or 424 even

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 16:46 - Feb 1 with 1056 views

gerry_us

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 15:51 - Feb 1 by gerry_us
Hmmm...0-0 442 second half, or 424 even

I hate it when we go 1-0 because we are hopeless at that score.
Rather confirmed my earlier concerns 2-1 down now.
Arghhhhhhhhhhh

[Post edited 1 Feb 2020 17:14]

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 17:17 - Feb 1 with 1030 views

noah4x4

Comley and Prosser awful. The rest marginally better.

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 18:46 - Feb 1 with 967 views

Moor_Pinot

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 17:17 - Feb 1 by noah4x4
Comley and Prosser awful. The rest marginally better.

Yep, pathetic almost shocking performance after Tuesday. Incorrect team selection as usual and nobody played as though it mattered. Eigth in the league written all over a lacklustre demotivated, passionless display typical of the slow witted management who on Tuesday had worked out precisely what had been advised by supporters on here for months. Credit due to the management then, nothing due today. Feel sorry for the 1000 who endured this. Plymouth will be giggling.

8th will be the aim then. How does Cowling put up with this?

Moor Pinot

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 19:09 - Feb 1 with 949 views

wessex_exile

Don't know what to say, just absolutely gutted. Lacklustre performance from the start, full of mistakes all over the park right from the word go. We'll need a miracle to get automatic promotion now, and will probably do well just to stay in the play-offs. Saturday is going to be a forensic examination of our ambition, we'd better not fail.

	Up the U's
Poll:	How will we do in 2016/17
Blog:	Knees-up Mother Brown #24

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 19:12 - Feb 1 with 949 views

GOSBTS

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 18:46 - Feb 1 by Moor_Pinot

Just back from the game. Here's my thoughts on what transpired this afternoon...

Football is a bizarre game. U's beat Swindon 3-1 on Tuesday night. Come Saturday, Swindon recover from that to beat Exeter and Colchester somehow lose again to Cambridge.

In all fairness to McGreal, the first half was a non-half of football due to the wind. The U's didn't help themselves by trying to play aerially. Second half wasn't too much better and a boring 0-0 looked to be a fair result. We then got a goal out of nothing in an away game in which we weren't playing particularly well. That's what promotion contenders do. Norris deserved the goal because he and Bramall were the only U's players playing well.

However, what happened after was bizarre. I walked behind a Cambridge fan who was saying to his son that they deserved to win. What nonsense. A draw may have been fair. Two goals in the space of a minute. The midfield is where we lost today IMO. When you go 1-0 up you need your midfield to hold the ball and control the game to the end. Pell and Comley couldn't do that. First Cambridge goal came from a ball that went from defence all the way to attack, pulling Eastman out with the striker and leaving a gaping hole behind. Second goal was a ridiculous mistake by Comley. He really was poor today and Pell wasn't much better. In hindsight, Stevenson would have been a better fit for today.

Great support from the U's faithful and as you guys had advised, park and ride was easy peasy. Frustrating and weird end to what was looking to be a drab but valuable 3 points. Pleased Norris played well. Hopefully the players will be fired up in a very crucial game against Plymouth on Saturday. I have a Safeguarding course in Colchester until 4.30 but hoping it finishes substantially earlier so I can make it.

Up the U's!

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 19:47 - Feb 1 with 920 views

gerry_us

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 10:09 - Feb 1 by gerry_us

Wish I wasnt so bloody clever!

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 19:57 - Feb 1 with 913 views

GOSBTS

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 14:44 - Feb 1 by wessex_exile
Have a great day chap - hope God will be on our side?

Sadly He wasn't today it seems.

I did have a great day though, despite the result. Enjoyed Nozza's goal as he worked his socks off. But Gerry I will learn to trust your hunches more in the future!

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 21:59 - Feb 1 with 853 views

wessex_exile

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 19:47 - Feb 1 by gerry_us
Wish I wasnt so bloody clever!

I'd take your 0-0 bore draw right now Gerry.

If there's a silver lining on this very dark cloud - at least we sacrificed our unbeaten run against a team who gain no material advantage over us in doing so - we had to lose eventually, after all.

It's now all about Saturday.

	Up the U's
Poll:	How will we do in 2016/17
Blog:	Knees-up Mother Brown #24

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 22:14 - Feb 1 with 836 views

Leadbelly

Regarding Junior...it appears he’s moved to Hapoel Hadera in Israel until the end of the season. If true I’d suggest we won’t see him in a Us shirt again.

Poll:

Safe standing at football; yes, know or don't know?

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 22:19 - Feb 1 with 833 views

durham_exile

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 21:59 - Feb 1 by wessex_exile
I'd take your 0-0 bore draw right now Gerry. If there's a silver lining on this very dark cloud - at least we sacrificed our unbeaten run against a team who gain no material advantage over us in doing so - we had to lose eventually, after all. It's now all about Saturday.

Just got home at 9:45pm after decent journey home.

Best not to write anything tonight.

Difficult to understand how we can defeat the league leaders 3 times and lose twice to this shite.

Cohen Bramall is the only player who deserves his salary this week. He was outstanding.

Anyway I will pen some thoughts tomorrow.

UTU's

If we don't get promotion this season JM must go

Incensed of Tunbridge Wells

Aka Durham

Durham_exile

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 23:08 - Feb 1 with 810 views

GOSBTS

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 22:19 - Feb 1 by durham_exile

I'd add Norris there too Durham for earning his salary - thought he fought really hard today.

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 08:11 - Feb 2 with 762 views

burnsieespana

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 22:19 - Feb 1 by durham_exile

Football a funny old game and why we keep following our team.
Even funnier the tractor boys got thrashed at home and fans are calling for Lambert to be sacked and our very own JMc installed as Manager!

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 09:22 - Feb 2 with 741 views

gerry_us

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 22:19 - Feb 1 by durham_exile

Did you take a wrong turn out of Cambridge, Incensed?

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 11:59 - Feb 2 with 706 views

noah4x4

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 09:22 - Feb 2 by gerry_us
Did you take a wrong turn out of Cambridge, Incensed?

Quote from the Quest pundits...

“Bit surprised John McGreal didn’t start with the team that ended on Tuesday.....”

Was this Humes fault? Did McGreal get a roasting for daring to change the system? How long before he is lured away by faltering Ipswich and the lure of cash? How come fans favourite, Ben Stephenson is so out of favour? Lapslie not even on bench? Junior shipped out to Israel? I rate McGreal, whilst I realise others don’t. But is Humes still pulling the strings?

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 12:18 - Feb 2 with 699 views

wessex_exile

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 11:59 - Feb 2 by noah4x4

He pretty much did - the only changes I think were Robinson on the bench, who it was reported on the commentary had been ill during the week, and Poku starting (he started against Swindon).

No, I do not think McGreal got a roasting, nor do I think Humes is pulling the strings.

	Up the U's
Poll:	How will we do in 2016/17
Blog:	Knees-up Mother Brown #24

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 14:05 - Feb 2 with 677 views

GOSBTS

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 12:18 - Feb 2 by wessex_exile
He pretty much did - the only changes I think were Robinson on the bench, who it was reported on the commentary had been ill during the week, and Poku starting (he started against Swindon). No, I do not think McGreal got a roasting, nor do I think Humes is pulling the strings.

Though I have very limited knowledge to back this up, I agree with you Wessex. When BBC Essex were complimenting him for the 4-4-2 on Tuesday night, McGreal cautioned them by praising the system that had contributed to the unbeaten streak before that game. It was perhaps inevitable in hindsight that a) he would go back to it and b) that we would struggle after the monumental effort in the Bradford, Exeter and Swindon matches. Throw in the mix the wind in the first half and we were in for a different kind of game.

However, we were on our way to a 1-0 win after not playing well - a trait of winners. For me, Pell and Comley couldn't control the midfield and that played a big part in our downfall. In hindsight, Stevenson may have been a perfect fit for yesterday. Hindsight is a wonderful thing though.

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 22:21 - Feb 3 with 576 views

mfb_cufc

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 11:59 - Feb 2 by noah4x4

There has been doubts for a long time with fans whether McGreal is solely in charge of affairs. Then after comparing the last 20 minutes of the Swindon game to the 90 at Cambridge, it is not surprising those doubts have got stronger. Obviously without working at the club we can only speculate what goes on. The evidence we do have is McGreal is 1st team coach, not manager. Then there are comments after the Swindon game like "we've got a DNA, we've got a philosophy at the club that we have to adhere to", and also recently that he has a remit to play the youngsters. That is enough for me to suggest that he is not 100% in charge. Did he get a roasting for changing the system? Even though he went back to script for Cambridge, there is no way it was because he got a roasting. Is Humes still pulling the strings? I wouldn't go as far to say that, but he is definitely having some input. Then he is the DOF so that is not really surprising. Without a great deal of transparency from the club we don't why Stevenson and Lapslie are out of favour. Could simply be they are not 100% fit. As for McGreal going to Ipswich. They are only 2 points away from the automatics, so why would they be thinking about sacking their manager. Even if they were I doubt he would be top of their list just because he use to play for them.

mfb

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 00:04 - Feb 4 with 569 views

wessex_exile

CUFC Essex to defeat CUFC Cambridgeshire at the Abbey Stadium on 22:21 - Feb 3 by mfb_cufc

Wonderful whatifery chap. I can’t be bothered to remind you about context, because I’d hoped you had got that. Either you hadn’t, or you had and deliberately choose to ignore it - it has to be one or another. I get that you don’t like McGreal, or Cowling, or Humes, but honestly...

	Up the U's
Poll:	How will we do in 2016/17
Blog:	Knees-up Mother Brown #24

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