By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions. We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
After two undeserved defeats by Grimsby and Crewe, when despite having 46 shots over the games. we were unable to score that vital goal. At the time we had a whole team out injured, and suddenly making the play-offs looked difficult. Fast forward a week, with players returning from injury, and a workman like victory over Shrewsbury, everything was back on track. Now only 4 points from the play-offs, with a game in hand, and Walsall in seventh having another post Christmas wobble. Confidence is restored, as we embark on to the longest away journey of the season, the 326 mile trip to Barrow. A team currently bottom of the League Two form table.
Barrow had a reasonable start to the season, with wins over Notts County 2-1, Colchester 2-0, Crewe 1-0 and Crawley 2-1. At that point they had 12 points from 10 games. Then it all went wrong, with their only win in the next 10 games being a 2-1 at Walsall, and manager Andy Whing was sacked on 10th December, after less than a year in the job. Neil McDonald took over as interim manager, with Paul Gallagher his assistant. After a good 3-1 win at Tranmere, and an improved performance in the defeat against Salford, Paul Gallagher was given the job permantly. To become their tenth manager in the five and half years since they were promoted back to the League. Since he took over they have lost all five games, to make it six defeats in a row. Also that win against Crewe was their last one at home on the 20th September, eight games ago, losing the last five. Going by the past Gallagher wont get many more games to turn things around, as Barrow do like a sacking. In the 48 years they spent out of the League, they went through 41 managers.
Head-to-head Before looking up the head-to-head details, I had a feeling we didn't have a good record against Barrow, and this proved to be true.
Home: Colchester wins 2, Draws 5, Barrow wins 4
Away: Colchester wins 2, Draws 3, Barrow wins 5
Total: Colchester wins 4, Draws 8, Barrow wins 9
Two of the Colchester wins came when they did the double over Barrow in the 1970-71 season. The other Colchester home win came in the 1967-68 season, the only time they played each other in the third tier. It was also this season when Barrow had their highest ever League finish, when they were 8th in the old Division Three. Since Barrow won promotion back to the League, the only win Colchester has had is when they won 3-2, when down to 10 men, in the 2021-22 season. Of course these figures are for League games only, and they don't include one of the most memorial games in Colchesters history, when they beat Barrow 5-0 on the last day of the1991-92 season, to win the Conference title, and claim their League status once again.
Those figures show Barrow are a surprising bogey team, and even though they are going through an horrendous run at the moment, this could be a harder game than it seems.
They have played for both With the two clubs at different ends of the country, it is not surprising there aren't many who have played for both. The only ones I have found are Andy Bond, Rhys Healey (who we had on loan), Myles Kenlock and Bobby Noble.
Prediction With the secrecy around the injured players, it always difficult to predict what team will play. Also with a tough away game against Cambridge next Tuesday, will certain players be looked after to play in that. If possible Danny tends to stick by a winning team, if there are any changes from the Shrewsbury game, I think they will be in midfield, and the one change I am going to predict is Akachukwu replacing Bishop. On the subs bench I am hoping Mbick is fit enough to make that. Making the team:
In what I think will be an attritional game played on a heavy pitch, I am going to predict a 1-0 for us, with Jack Payne getting that winning goal.
The weather After all the rain we have had lately, it is forecast to be a rare dry day at Barrow, with sunny intervals and a gentle breeze, and a top tempreature of 6 degrees.
mfb
2
Bluebirds to be overwhelmed by the Eagles on 09:43 - Feb 16 with 208 views
Whilst obviously a very poor performance you could argue that we were still the better team on the day. That's three times in our last four games where we've had the majority of the ball and chances and lost 1-0. Our inability to create and/or take chances is really starting to cost us.
We've scored eight goals in our last nine games since Christmas. Two were penalties, two were worldies and one was from a set piece.
Bluebirds to be overwhelmed by the Eagles on 09:43 - Feb 16 by RSCOSWORTH
Whilst obviously a very poor performance you could argue that we were still the better team on the day. That's three times in our last four games where we've had the majority of the ball and chances and lost 1-0. Our inability to create and/or take chances is really starting to cost us.
We've scored eight goals in our last nine games since Christmas. Two were penalties, two were worldies and one was from a set piece.
It will be interesting to see how the squad react to DC’s strong criticism. Personally, I think he should have just said ‘look, we’ve had a bad day at the office and we need to put it right at the Shabby – players are coming back and the future looks a lot brighter’.
When Plan A is shite and clearly isn’t working, we need a manager that can think in real time and have Plans B, C… that are significantly different, not one that jumps up and down, shouts a lot and blames the players.
Because of injuries, we had only two players on the pitch that are proven goalscorers, Lisbie and Payne and we played a system for 90 mins that ensured neither of them got anywhere near the goal.
If we start with either Samson or Goodwin up front on Tuesday, then I’m defecting to camp Frankie.
EDIT: Errrm... just for clarity, I'm not suggesting that Frankie was camp
[Post edited 16 Feb 10:04]
0
Bluebirds to be overwhelmed by the Eagles on 16:36 - Feb 16 with 129 views
Bluebirds to be overwhelmed by the Eagles on 16:36 - Feb 16 by mfb_cufc
Extended Highlights
As posted previously "I don’t think I have ever seen a more pointless free kick to give away and gift them two points". He's young and a real talent, so I think we can forgive him.
Yes we had chances, yes we have injuries, but if you watch that with an open mind, Barrow played some good football at times, whereas we looked lost for ideas. I don't think it's fair to say that's all down to the players.
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
