| Bluebirds to have wings clipped at the JSCS today 12:00 - Jan 15 with 1810 views | durham_exile |
So, at the third time of asking we managed to play the league leaders on Tuesday night and in my opinion were very unlucky to lose. A 1-1 draw would have been a fair result but missed chances (Judge culpable again) and a howler from our antipodean Captain at the death were costly. Sadly, the league table never lies and to day we welcome the bluebirds from Barrow to the JSCS.
Now I had the privilege to be at the Sand Dunes stadium in September to witness not only a U’s victory but also a great team performance with ten men after Chambers dismissal in the second half. The emotional scenes between players and supporters after the third goal and at the end of the game were brilliant and a real tonic.
But before we move onto talk about Mark Cooper’s Barrow team a word about Tuesday evening. Tchamadeu, Skuse, Wiredu, Judge and Andrews all played tremendously well. Corie Andrews looked the part, tall, strong able to hold the ball up and with a fierce right footed shot he looks as though he can fire some valuable goals for the U’s but alongside Freddie Sears as a proper strike partnership.
Sears is likely to be back today and this truly is a must win match and potentially our first double of the season.
Today also marks the half way point of our league season.
Bottom of the table:
Carlisle 23 25
Barrow 23 23
Stevenage 24 23
COL U 22 22
Scunny 24 19
Oldham 24 18
One thing is now certain, only the most optimistic supporter would believe that anything other than a bottom half finish is possible this season. Realistically we will be 23 played and 25 points meaning that 46 points would have to be garnered from the last 23 games (essentially about 15 wins from 23 games) which is promotion form to give 71 points for the season. Unlikely but not impossible. Still before we get the rose-tinted glasses on it is all about survival and that starts today.
Our next games include:
Sutton Away
Salford A
Swindon Home
Orient A
Mansfield A
Carlisle H
Northampton A
Hartlepool H
Unfortunately, no further signings have been made this week and in truth we only need one more striker and quick. Looking at Jermaine Defoe the other evening and now without a club the 39-year-old striker could still do a job for a league Two side (perhaps in a coaching role as well, he is securing his coaching badges).
Anyway, back to the current squad:
Team today needs to be bold and attacking:
Turner
Eastman Chambers Smith
Tchamadeu Skuse Wiredu Coxe
Judge
Sears Andrews
Subs
Gerken Dallison Daniels Dobra Chilvers Hannant Tovide
With the anticipation of another striker signing this week, I am confident that we can get out of this relegation mire, but there is little option but to play positively and look to take the chances that we are currently profligate with.
The news that the blue and White stripes will return next season and the seating arrangements will be restored to the more sensible choice option with the promise that the food will be back to better quality and choice as well there is a lot to look forward to. What we must now do is to secure as many points as possible and however unlikely a top seven finish is surely the team must push for this however lets start with baby steps and three points today.
With no precipitation expected and 6 degrees Celsius and cloud cover there will no chance of a farcical 2.30pm postponement and Colchester must take advantage of the conditions to secure the first points at home this year!
3-0 Colchester with Andrews and Sears on the scoresheet with Judge to redeem himself after some blatant misses recently.
Enjoy the game.
Three points is the only game in town today.
Up the U’s
 |  |
| |  |
| Bluebirds to have wings clipped at the JSCS today on 18:20 - Jan 15 with 570 views | durham_exile |
| Bluebirds to have wings clipped at the JSCS today on 18:14 - Jan 15 by thrillseeker |
It was cold at the ground and now thawed out.
Well what can I say.
I would not have attended match If I had seen we had signed another Ipswich failure before booking ticket
The starting XI was a pleasant surprise and it seemed more balanced and this looked the case in first 10-15 minutes but then things seemed to return to normal soon after.
Turner - played well and no blame for goals. My main criticism is his distribution which is so slow/ predictable.
Welch-Hayes - I thought he was doing OK and surprised he was subbed. We looked more balanced with him at RB
Coxe - not his worse performance but that doesn't mean much - sorry he is not a footballer.
Chambers - not great, but not poor
Dallison - a good start but then scored the OG and his confidence drained. However a big improvement on Smith and potentially a good signing once he has more games
Wiredu - his worst performance in a long time. Can't put my finger on why he was not his normal self.
Skuse - effective at breaking up and reading the game but his killer pass is 5 yard sideways.
Tchamadeu - deserved his MOM award but I feel there is so much more to come from him
Alan Judge - again disappointed me. I thought he was going to be our equivalent to Wes Hoolahan from Cambridge. I obviously had incorrect expectations
Freddie Sears - huffed and puffed and should have scored one
Corie Andrews - anonymous.
Hayden Mullins - impressed me that he had the balls to make some changes but I feel he is not the right person for the job. His time must be up soon unless he can finally get players motivated and play as a team. He shows no passion/ reaction during game.
It is the same old story - don't take any chances so as soon as we concede defeat it is.
People will be highly critical of referee but why is it Northerners are always more brutal and streetwise than us?
I am beginning to fear relegation but clinging to hope we can turn things around or Oldham & Scunthorpe bail us out.
Very disillusioned at the moment and glad I can't get time off work on Tuesday
Oh did I mention it was cold [Post edited 15 Jan 2022 18:16]
|
TS thanks for the player performance gradings.
Disappointed with Andrews after a good start on Tuesday.
I think Wiredu is unsettled after the paper talk about Forest.
Grim times indeed. | |
| |
| Bluebirds to have wings clipped at the JSCS today on 18:39 - Jan 15 with 542 views | Leadbelly |
Just got home and thawed out.
What a total shambles! There is no fight, none of the players look bothered, we strolled through the game despite being behind, Sears worked hard but always isolated and hardly saw the ball, Barrow got stuck in and we didn’t. Ref was poor but we lost this game, not him.
During the post mortem in the pub I asked my mates to put on the rose tinted spectacles and give me a positive to take away from that performance “Barrow didn’t score three” was as good as we could drum up.
Very disillusioned this evening. |  |
| |
| Bluebirds to have wings clipped at the JSCS today on 20:10 - Jan 15 with 466 views | bwildered |
A picked side of three at the back,two in the hole and two wide men who cannot produce any quality or goals is always going to struggle against a side which were hardworking, committed to deny and physical in the challenge.
The three players left, two played like strangers, with one out marked and the other struggling to get in the game despite a gilt edge chance,and the dead ball specialist hitting the first man far to often from the set piece
To much acceptance within the club of losing streaks and no winning mentality.
Win your home games and will stay up, says it perfectly. [Post edited 15 Jan 2022 20:12]
|  |
| |
| Bluebirds to have wings clipped at the JSCS today on 20:31 - Jan 15 with 454 views | thrillseeker |
Today was a painful watch | | | |
| Bluebirds to have wings clipped at the JSCS today on 09:51 - Jan 17 with 296 views | RSCOSWORTH |
I know a winning team picks itself and we haven't had one of them for a while but it does worry me that we're halfway through the season and Mullins doesn't know his preferred formation let alone his best XI. I guess he's changing things as it's not going well but it can't be easy for the players to keep adapting to new formations. |  |
| |
| Bluebirds to have wings clipped at the JSCS today on 11:07 - Jan 17 with 284 views | thrillseeker |
| Bluebirds to have wings clipped at the JSCS today on 09:51 - Jan 17 by RSCOSWORTH |
I know a winning team picks itself and we haven't had one of them for a while but it does worry me that we're halfway through the season and Mullins doesn't know his preferred formation let alone his best XI. I guess he's changing things as it's not going well but it can't be easy for the players to keep adapting to new formations. |
RSC - you share the same concerns as me and that is why I think HM is out of his depth
Hopefully HM and the team can turn things around | | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
