| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS 14:59 - Feb 23 with 2446 views | durham_exile |
Today is 23rd February 2021 and we find ourselves 20th in League Two.
On Saturday 7 March 2020 we won 3-0 at Carlisle (JM’s 200th game in charge of Colchester) before the shutters came down on the league season and that ensured we qualified for the play offs. On Tuesday 18 June we played Exeter City in the Semi-Final 1st Leg of the League Two play offs and won 1-0. The rest as they say is history or more properly a Stephen King horror story.
We bounced around the top seven for a while this season and last won a game of football on Tuesday 8 December 2020. Since then, we have gone 12 games without a victory. The result is we are now in a relegation battle. Will it be lucky 13 tonight?
Mansfield 28 34 -2
PV 29 33 -3
COL U 28 33 -7
Stevenage 30 33 -7
Southend 29 24 -27
Barrow 27 23 -7
Grimsby 27 21 -26
Along with others I have called for SB to go. He simply is not a manager/ head coach, and he seems clueless about what is his best team, tactics to employ and how to get the best out of his players.
Let us look at our last game at Crawley:
He started:
Gerken
Welch-Hayes Sowunmi Eastman Smith
Pell Stevenson
Harriott Poku Nouble
Oteh
Subs:
Chilvers
Wiredu
Folivi
Brown
Senior
George
Tchamadeu
Pell was injured (again) on 32 minutes and Wiredu replaced him.
Chilvers replaced Poku on 67 mins and Brown replaced Oteh on 67 mins
Finally, Folivi replaced Harriott on 89 mins.
And this is SB’s problem, he does not play a settled team, he changes the line up every game, he refuses to play more than one striker and he has ruined our best striker Jevani Brown by leaving him as the lone striker and then dropping him and publicly stating he has to show more application no wonder Brown is pi**ed off.
We have two left backs in Clampin and Doherty; we were told a fully fit squad so why did they not feature on Saturday. Playing three Central Defenders at the back in a four is disjointed, SB has tried three at the back before and it did not work, he has tried 5 at the back and it was disastrous.
Play a flat back four and three in midfield and three up front. Be bold and constructive and take the game to the opposition.
Once again, I suggest tonight and for the foreseeable future 4,3,3:
Gerken
Welch-Hayes Eastman Smith Clampin
Lapslie Stevenson Wiredu
Harriott Brown Nouble
Subs:
George Sowunmi Chilvers Oteh Folivi Tovide Poku
Pell is injured, we do not know about Cowan-Hall and Senior must stay on the bench. When Pell is fit he can play alongside Ben Stevenson.
We have 18 games to garner 20 points for survival.
It is all about survival now. Relegation is unthinkable. SB’s job is safer than Klopp’s regrettable but true.
Survival will be good enough after such a shocking year. I would imagine that JM will be smiling. What did he do wrong, perhaps he spoke out about losing five key players? What the Chairman must do is stop internal appointments. Whether people like the situation or not Parky must be invited to return and he might if we survive. He knows about promotion and can get this team back to League One.
I have not even mentioned Exeter City yet. The result at St James’ Park was a disaster and they have the Indian sign over us at present. Matt Taylor plays a simple game always 3,5,2 and it is effective.
But tonight, they have no Ryan Bowman (our nemesis) who was dismissed at Newport together with Alex Hartridge, the nine men managed to grind out a 1-1- draw. It is that type of application and effort that we must start to show before it is too late.
The weather tonight in Colchester will be dry, mostly clear and 11 degrees c. Ideal for the match.
Can we achieve that elusive win? Yes, I believe so. Can we manage a clean sheet, yes, we can but only if we play the game in their half? Sitting back and encouraging the opposition on is not the answer.
Try and enjoy the game.
2-0 Colchester
Up the U’s
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| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:23 - Feb 23 with 688 views | thrillseeker |
Goal  |  | | |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:24 - Feb 23 with 682 views | durham_exile |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:23 - Feb 23 by thrillseeker |
Goal |
Oteh | |
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| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:25 - Feb 23 with 678 views | noah4x4 |
Humes and Ball must go.
I would be setting off home now if at the ground.
But fortunately I've just got to the bottom of the South Stand in time to see a goal.
Think I will stay until full time for the pitch invasion and protest. |  | | |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:26 - Feb 23 with 677 views | gerry_us |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:23 - Feb 23 by durham_exile |
Game over |
Not quite! |  | | |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:28 - Feb 23 with 671 views | durham_exile |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:26 - Feb 23 by gerry_us |
Not quite! |
It's not the despair it's the hope!!!!!! | |
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| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:30 - Feb 23 with 669 views | durham_exile |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:28 - Feb 23 by durham_exile |
It's not the despair it's the hope!!!!!! |
Senior about to be brought on
Really!
Wiredu off Senior on
Shocking | |
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| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:38 - Feb 23 with 663 views | durham_exile |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:30 - Feb 23 by durham_exile |
Senior about to be brought on
Really!
Wiredu off Senior on
Shocking |
I know it is anathema to SB but we're chasing the game so he can allow them to cross the half way line | |
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| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:40 - Feb 23 with 660 views | gerry_us |
Senior to the rescue  | | | |
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| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:47 - Feb 23 with 652 views | noah4x4 |
Saver to save us? | | | |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:54 - Feb 23 with 643 views | noah4x4 |
Cowling has to act!
Humes Out
Ball Out | | | |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:54 - Feb 23 with 640 views | thrillseeker |
Grimsby & Barrow winning
Stevenage drawing
Not great results for us | | | |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:55 - Feb 23 with 636 views | durham_exile |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:47 - Feb 23 by noah4x4 |
Saver to save us? |
Barrow winning
Grimsby winning
Southend play tomorrow
We are in dire straits.
Sorry but Senior is shite. | |
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| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:58 - Feb 23 with 621 views | gerry_us |
Sorry but it's not about OTHER results, it's about ours.
Sacking must be immediate. Without a manager we would have more ideas surely. Bring in someone who cares a damn; is Wayne Brown free? | | | |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 20:59 - Feb 23 with 618 views | wessex_exile |
Started brighter, fizzled out very quickly, back to aimless chips forward to no one, Exeter always first to the 50:50. Chilvers and Oteh combining showed what we can do, but even then it was momentary and fleeting.
Oh dear... |  |
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| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 21:10 - Feb 23 with 598 views | noah4x4 |
What are the odds on Southend and Col U starting 2021-2 in the National League?
Cowling to close the academy after its loss of status and build 500 houses at Tiptree to recoup his losses?
Freddie Ladapo about to enter the field of play at Rotherham. Should have kept him. | | | |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 21:15 - Feb 23 with 588 views | durham_exile |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 21:10 - Feb 23 by noah4x4 |
What are the odds on Southend and Col U starting 2021-2 in the National League?
Cowling to close the academy after its loss of status and build 500 houses at Tiptree to recoup his losses?
Freddie Ladapo about to enter the field of play at Rotherham. Should have kept him. |
Noah don't get me started Ladapo, Bonne, Ross etc
Times are grim indeed.
The annoying thing is we could have sneaked a draw tonight but 13 games without a win tells its own story.
I dont feel angry tonight just disconsolate.
We are in the mire of relegation without doubt.
The only way is Up the U's | |
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| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 21:27 - Feb 23 with 572 views | Leadbelly |
Lost by the odd goal in three but Exeter have a goal disallowed and hit the bar and post. Could have been worse.
Whilst I don’t want anyone to lose their job football is a results business. It’s far too long since we got one and the next three fixtures don’t look any easier. Time for the chairman to act in the hope we can arrest what is looking like a terminal decline. | |
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| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 21:55 - Feb 23 with 529 views | thrillseeker |
The situation feels very similar to our relegation to the Conference season.
In my opinion we shall just about survive but next season I fear for us if things are not changed
We finished 3rd from bottom 1988-89 and continued our bad form to end up relegated 1989-90.
See the same similarities?
Being a U's fan is very frustrating.
Something must have happened that we are not privy too. The players on paper are good. I know we don't win things on paper but I am concerned the players have no respect for SB and are not playing for him.
I don't wish a job loss on anyone but as Lead has stated football is a results business so is it time for SB, HM & TM to go? | | | |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 22:01 - Feb 23 with 519 views | RSCOSWORTH |
If you were Steve Ball would you resign? It's not like he's Klopp or Mourinho who are made for life. He's probably still got a mortgage and bills to pay. If he resigns, unless there's some kind of settlement package, he's out of work with no money coming in and with not great prospects of finding a new job any time soon. There's not a lot of money in football below the Premier League right now and even a League Two side probably wouldn't offer him a coaching role. So does he sit it out and try to turn things around and hope he gets sacked if he can't? |  |
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| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 22:13 - Feb 23 with 509 views | noah4x4 |
Cowling is starting to look stupid backing Humes......
He sacks Humes to bring in Keen.
He soon appoints Humes as Director of Football.
Keen promptly leaves (was he upset by said DOF?)
A few caretaker games under assorted stewardship and along comes McGreal
McGreal 37% win ratio. Got us into play-offs last season.
(Parkinson 43%, Boothroyd 43%, Lambert 45% Williams 40%).
McGreal departs July 2020 as four key players make a surprising exit.
(was there disagreement about policy?).
Cowling appoints the clueless Ball. Win rate 27% and fast declining.
Ashby leaves without explanation.
13 games without a win.
Gates decline (ok, fiction, but would have if we were allowed in)
Common denominator = Humes, 1 up front and an Academy dream that has failed.
All credit to Robbie for his financial support, but the buck stops with him.
Humes Out! | | | |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 22:16 - Feb 23 with 505 views | Blue4U2 |
Exeter v U's we were only losing 1-0 HT
Ball makes a triple change at HT
U's go on to lose 6-1
U's v Exeter we were only losing 1-0 HT
Ball makes a double change at HT
We go to lose 2-1
Someone once said "Madness is doing the same thing twice and expecting different results"
Maybe the real reason Ball didn't show up to the BBC Essex interview was he's already left!?
Gotta go just seen a pig flying past the window
Hope Southend lose tomorrow!! |  | | |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 22:25 - Feb 23 with 495 views | thrillseeker |
I didn't realise Ball didn't turn up for the BBC interview after match as I switched off | | | |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 22:32 - Feb 23 with 475 views | noah4x4 |
Ball has left his position - no further comment.
See club website. | | | |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 22:32 - Feb 23 with 474 views | Colukev |
His gone! | | | |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 22:36 - Feb 23 with 467 views | wessex_exile |
| Grecians in for hair raising experience at the JSCS on 22:32 - Feb 23 by noah4x4 |
Ball has left his position - no further comment.
See club website. |
Link here, Ball has gone.
https://www.cu-fc.com/news/2021/february/club-statement/
Edit: and whilst it was probably inevitable, let's all please remember that Steve Ball has been, on and off, associated with the U's since 1989. He was clearly out of his depth as manager, but let's not trash his commitment to Colchester United over five decades.
Best wishes Steve, I hope your next football adventure goes better for you! [Post edited 23 Feb 2021 22:41]
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