| Time to stand up and be counted against Crawley tonight 14:24 - Dec 1 with 1230 views | durham_exile |
The shellshocked U’s entertain the reds of Crawley at the JSCS this evening but before we focus on this must win game a consideration of the dreadful events at St James’ Park last Tuesday evening.
Now try as I can I am unable to banish the truly horrendous images from my mind. But then I thought am I overthinking this. Is it really as simple as Exeter City are simply our bogey team? After all every side has another team that has the Indian sign over them. But no however easy that is to consider, it was the manner of the defeat that knocked the stuffing out of Colchester. So, what is the real reason, is SB simply tactically inept. I reckon that he is and what proves it for me was the manner of our capitulation.
Now at Half Time however little of the game that we had enjoyed for the first half it was only 1-0 but then SB made three substitutions. The team then became so disjointed and ill at ease that it became a turkey shoot.
SB got his starting line-up wrong, simple as and no excuses because we have been crying out for weeks for a second striker. Jevani Brown is isolated and alone like someone in Tier 3.
SB plays 5 at the back with Pell just above or alongside the back four.
Stevenson and Chilvers are then holding midfield players with his favoured two wingers who are bizarrely “inverted” wingers leaving Jevani Brown all on his own.
Result we are too defensive minded and Exeter (even though I do not like them) had done their homework. We were pressed back from the outset and forced to play mainly in our own half. Jevani Brown managed one shot on goal which might have gone in but for a decent save.
Jay for Exeter played superbly well and scored on 20 minutes and that is how it stayed until the end of the first half.
This is when SB panicked. He disrupted the defence by taking off the excellent Welch-Hayes and replaced him with Harriott (who is still not fully fit). Poku was replaced by Chuck and the industrious Chilvers was replaced by Folivi. So, in one move SB weakened the defence and the midfield and played three at the back but still kept Pell in defence and then expected Ben Stevenson to singlehandedly take on the four Exeter midfield players who could not believe their luck.
Gerken
Welch-Hayes Eastman Smith Bramall
Pell
Stevenson Chilvers
Senior Poku
Brown
Then on 45 minutes we moved to:
Gerken
Eastman Smith Bramall
Pell
Stevenson
Senior Bohui Harriott
Brown Norris
Senior was weak and ineffectual, Harriott was unfit, the formation was clearly one that none of the players had contemplated let alone play on the training ground.
Randall then scored on 53 minutes and at 2-0 the game was up.
SB then did his Alec Guinness impersonation at the Bridge over the River Kwai — “What have I done?” And exacerbated the problem by thinking why did I take off my Right Back at half time and brought on an out of form and inexperienced Scarlett on 56 minutes for the disappointing Senior.
Result Bowman (who will never score an easier hattrick) scored on 57 minutes after Scarlett had been dispossessed on the right. At 3-0 the team were shell shocked and looked leggy. No one was receiving any service up front at all. Bowman scored another tap in to make it 4-0 on 71 minutes.
Only then did we see some interplay between Brown and Folivi who scored with a sharp shot on 73 minutes and it was 4-1. I thought at this stage that we had another goal in us and perhaps could have made it even 4-3.
However, SB brought his talisman Brown off on 74 minutes and replaced him with Josh Bohui. The team continued to labour and without Brown there was even less attacking threat. Poor Ben Stevenson was injured and eventually had to go off. Leaving Exeter to score twice more on 90+3 (Bowman) and Jay (90+5) to leave the scoreline 6-1. Frankly, it could have been 10.
In truth the game was over at 2-0.
So, we finished with:
Gerken
Scarlett Eastman Smith Bramall
Pell
Bohui Harriott
Folivi Norris
(Stevenson injured)
A weakened defence, no midfield and forwards who had never played in this formation ever before.
I felt sorry for Bramall who did not deserve to play in such a pathetic team and for Brown who surely cannot be sending SB a Christmas Card this year for the way that he has been treated and played out of position and without cover or support.
To make things even worse Marine eked out a 1-0 win at the weekend and have drawn Spurs in the third round. We have as a club have lost £250K this season because of our inability to beat the part timers from Crosby.
Phil Parkinson should be welcomed back with open arms.
Not only was the defeat so damaging to our confidence, but also it has destroyed our positive goal difference and forced us down to mid-table again. Once you quickly get off the pace in this league you are always playing catch up and this is the situation that we now find ourselves in.
I make no apology for the damning indictment we were abysmal, and SB must accept the blame for the tactical mistakes and disgraceful performance. Much has been made about Klopp’s annoyance at the lack of 5 subs in the premier league. Maybe SB needs to telephone the German and ask him about deploying 5 substitutes tactically and with nouse.
So, this evening we play Crawley at the JSCS. Led by John Yems they have just secured a lucrative third round cup tie against Leeds United after defeating Wimbledon at the weekend. They will not be short on confidence and could leapfrog the U’s if they win tonight. This is a must not lose and definitely a must win game now for Colchester.
SB must play the following starting XI:
The one doubt is Ben Stevenson who was injured but hopefully he will be fit. If not, then Paris Cowan-Hall or fit again Tom Lapslie could play midfield.
Gerken
Welch-Hayes Eastman Sowunmi Bramall
Pell Stevenson Chilvers
Bohui Brown Folivi
No messing about, a genuine 4,3,3 with Bohui on the flank and Folivi and Brown, who have a good understanding on the pitch, to play as two strikers.
Subs:
George Cowan-Hall Smith Lapslie Poku Senior Norris
This season we have played poorly at times but won. Dreadful against Marine we were woeful against Exeter. SB must be on borrowed time.
Stop the lone striker, take the game to the opposition. Stop the five at the back. Play Pell in a more advanced role and give Brown the safety blanket of Michael Folivi. Jevani Brown will only get back to scoring ways if he has service and support. I do hope that SB has learned something from the mauling against the Grecians.
Weather tonight will be dry, 4 degrees and partly cloudy. The pitch will be good, and we need to get the ball down and play. SB has had one week to address his deficiencies.
I am not showing a league table we dropped to 11th and that is embarrassing enough to know.
Enjoy the game if you can — prediction 2-0 to Colchester but only if SB is brave and tactically savvy.
Up the U’s
Rumour is Parky is attending the match tonight.
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| Time to stand up and be counted against Crawley tonight on 21:15 - Dec 1 with 412 views | gerry_us |
Another stunning draw and our top scorer withdrawn with 15 to go when we should be looking for the win.
What next SB? Saturday sees Grimsby as our visitors. With the current form they are in, if we can't beat them then we will soon be in dire troubles. |  | | |
| Time to stand up and be counted against Crawley tonight on 21:21 - Dec 1 with 402 views | RSCOSWORTH |
| Time to stand up and be counted against Crawley tonight on 21:15 - Dec 1 by gerry_us |
Another stunning draw and our top scorer withdrawn with 15 to go when we should be looking for the win.
What next SB? Saturday sees Grimsby as our visitors. With the current form they are in, if we can't beat them then we will soon be in dire troubles. |
Negative, negative, negative.
We have no idea why Brown was taken off. He might be suffering from fatigue or have a slight niggle. It's a long season and the games are coming thick and fast. Better to take him off as a precaution than lose him for a month or so.
Unlike the majority of this board I seem to think that Steve Ball is probably more tactically astute than myself given the fact I have no coaching qualifications and haven't "coached" at a higher level than an U13's girls team. Also as he sees the players in training most days and I've never seen them train he's also probably better positioned than me to pick the best team/formation to get a result but hey what do I know. Everyone's an expert from their armchair. |  |
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| Time to stand up and be counted against Crawley tonight on 21:50 - Dec 1 with 385 views | noah4x4 |
I have said positive stuff for 17 years RSCosworth. Durham Exile also used to be Mr Super Positive. I hated listening to the negativity of U's fans, but then I have only endured the club's lack of ambition for a third of my adult life. Others have suffered far longer.
Maybe it is Covid fatigue in my instance, but sacking McGreal simply to replace him with Ball was the turning point for me. What had McGreal done wrong? He got us to the Play Offs. I suspect the release of four key players must have had repercussions leading to McGreal saying his piece. Nouble is a massive loss. Senior and Poku might have skill, but no muscle like big Frank.
Humes Out! |  | | |
| Time to stand up and be counted against Crawley tonight on 22:42 - Dec 1 with 369 views | durham_exile |
| Time to stand up and be counted against Crawley tonight on 21:50 - Dec 1 by noah4x4 |
I have said positive stuff for 17 years RSCosworth. Durham Exile also used to be Mr Super Positive. I hated listening to the negativity of U's fans, but then I have only endured the club's lack of ambition for a third of my adult life. Others have suffered far longer.
Maybe it is Covid fatigue in my instance, but sacking McGreal simply to replace him with Ball was the turning point for me. What had McGreal done wrong? He got us to the Play Offs. I suspect the release of four key players must have had repercussions leading to McGreal saying his piece. Nouble is a massive loss. Senior and Poku might have skill, but no muscle like big Frank.
Humes Out! |
The one inescapable fact is that Colchester is advancing backwards.
Our home record was papering over the cracks of our poor away form. Two points dropped tonight in another lacklustre game.
The reason that Brown was removed escapes me but as our top scorer he should have stayed on to see if he could score a winner.
My earlier post stated my reasons why brown was unable to secure more possession.
I'm afraid that SB doesn't have a clue about his best XI and still hasn't worked out that you cannot play a lone striker and then give him no service and expect him to get us out of a hole.
Jevani Brown is being wasted and this is the only reason why the goals have dried up.
Michael Folivi offers real pace and could form a genuine strike partnership with Brown.
Against Grimsby give it a try.
Many posters on this board have supported the U's longer than my 50 years.We have witnessed it all promotion, relegation, cup runs, cup failures.
This season I've watched every league game via iFollow plus that cup match. We are going downhill and noone seems to be bothered or capable of turning things around.
I live 260 miles from Colchester and so my home games are limited to normally three each season. But I watch about 15 away games.
I am dismayed that our appalling form has cost us £250k in lost earnings this season and that we are fast becoming a mid table team.
Once again we are playing catch up and struggling to maintain a play off position place.
A change of manager is required but the DOF must go too.
Bring Parky back and let's get out of this useless league. At present if we do get out of it sadly it won't be up but down.
Seething you bet I am.
Up the U's
Please tell me what hold Senior has on the management [Post edited 1 Dec 2020 22:44]
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| Time to stand up and be counted against Crawley tonight on 13:02 - Dec 2 with 289 views | burnsieespana |
I suspect things are only going to get worse over the next month or so as the effects of the bookings lead to players being banned and Covid along with injuries.
Could be worse just keep the faith and think about the suffering Southend fans are experiencing.
The important thing is we have a football club once this pesky Covid has been controlled. |  | | |
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