| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park 13:15 - Jan 2 with 1342 views | durham_exile |
A Happy New Year to all U's Supporters.
KK knows the scale of the task that he faces after two improved performances but no points. It is all the more frustrating because ANY team in league one can beat any other as demonstrated by the weekly results.
Colchester travel to Boundary Park today looking to avoid a tenth successive league defeat which would be a record that no one wants for the club. The Boundary Park pitch will be heavy after continued rainfall. Once inside sit towards the back of the stand as the strong wind at altitude takes the rain some 15 rows back without any effort.
The new North stand should be taking shape (it has been operating at reduced capacity) however which will enhance both facilities and capacity for David Dunn's team. All the hype has been ratcheted up with Dunn stating that this is the biggest game of the season.
Never mind biggest games the facts are that the U's have 22 matches to secure (31 more points) making a total of 51 points or more to avoid the drop.
That must start today against a team that has two games in hand against the U's and an unsettled captain Liam Kelly who is sought by big spending Wigan Athletic.
KK is not afraid to make changes and seems to favour a 4-4-2 formation. Now creating chances is not the problem, it is the conversion to goals ratio where we struggle. Gillingham was a case in point where we should have secured at least a point.
With Cally Messi returning to the Addicks (and likely to leave them as well in January) Porter and Sordell present themselves as the obvious strike force.
So 4,4,2
Parish
Brindley Eastman Elokobi Briggs
Gilbey Garvan Moncur Massey
Porter Sordell
Subs:
Barnes Wynter Kent Edwards Wright Ambrose Bonne
Today will be a day for putting your foot through the ball and plenty of aerial bombardment to avoid the cloying nature of the Boundary Park surface. No risky backpasses either.
Safe journey to the travelling faithful.
U's to secure the three points in a close affair.
RC has said that he will extract every penny for KK to strengthen the squad, Bolton Wanderers may yet have a firesale in the January sales.Competition for players will be fierce.
Next week the opportunity to secure a 4th Round place against Charlton but three points today will give everyone a huge lift.
Up the U's
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 15:17 - Jan 2 with 1314 views | durham_exile |
Only change Gilbey for Garvan
Poor start but prediction still 2-1 COL U
Up the U's | |
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 16:39 - Jan 2 with 1301 views | durham_exile |
| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 15:17 - Jan 2 by durham_exile |
Only change Gilbey for Garvan
Poor start but prediction still 2-1 COL U
Up the U's |
Chris Porter 1-1
Come on the U's | |
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 16:50 - Jan 2 with 1295 views | Fruitbat |
Crewe and Shrewsbury currently trying very hard to steal our "worst defence in the league" title! |  | | |
| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 16:50 - Jan 2 with 1295 views | durham_exile |
| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 16:39 - Jan 2 by durham_exile |
Chris Porter 1-1
Come on the U's |
The rot has been stopped.
Brings the Addicks. | |
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 16:55 - Jan 2 with 1291 views | Fruitbat |
I'll take that, still plenty of work to do but at least we've stopped shipping three goals a game under Keen who now has a couple of weeks off league duty to find some reinforcements. | | | |
| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 17:23 - Jan 2 with 1278 views | Barsidepete |
Still feels like water torture. Crewe has a game in hand so the U's could be back to the wooden spoon fast.
I suppose an FA Cup win would be a moral victory.
Home ties v Sheff Utd and Fleetwood really matter. I don't expect much to be spent in the transfer window. I think the squad we have is what we got.
I'm ok with a point but the next, a 3, will require another three and.. another three. Draws won't save the season. Those will not be moral victories in 3-4 weeks. |  |
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 18:15 - Jan 2 with 1258 views | Leadbelly |
My man at Boundary Park said it was not a good performance and we were flattered by a point. I shall take the positives that we secured a point for the first time in ages and that we came from behind to do so. |  |
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 18:16 - Jan 2 with 1255 views | carruthers |
Just a I was sinking into my customary sink of Saturday afternoon despair, my wife said 'oh your lot have drawn level' it bodes well for the fight ahead |  | | |
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 18:22 - Jan 2 with 1244 views | Barsidepete |
| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 18:16 - Jan 2 by carruthers |
Just a I was sinking into my customary sink of Saturday afternoon despair, my wife said 'oh your lot have drawn level' it bodes well for the fight ahead |
Aw your wife, God bless her. She sends such happy posts on my Facebook page.
And she's such an optimist. She's been stuck with you for decades  
Let's hang in there and have some pints  | |
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 18:42 - Jan 2 with 1229 views | Leadbelly |
Just seen the goals on Sky. No defending at all from a free kick for the Oldham goal. Porter bundled in after the Oldham 'keeper came for a corner and missed it.
We conceded another soft goal due to our inability to defend but, for a change, we were gifted a goal at the other end. | |
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 22:50 - Jan 2 with 1176 views | durham_exile |
| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 18:42 - Jan 2 by Leadbelly |
Just seen the goals on Sky. No defending at all from a free kick for the Oldham goal. Porter bundled in after the Oldham 'keeper came for a corner and missed it.
We conceded another soft goal due to our inability to defend but, for a change, we were gifted a goal at the other end. |
In fairness to our defence the Latics goal was a classic training ground set piece superbly executed.
However Darren Ambrose's cracking shot which struck the corner of bar and upright deserved to win the game.
We have stopped the rot and can look forward to a crack at the Addicks next week.
Up the U's
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 23:29 - Jan 2 with 1165 views | mfb_cufc |
| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 22:50 - Jan 2 by durham_exile |
In fairness to our defence the Latics goal was a classic training ground set piece superbly executed.
However Darren Ambrose's cracking shot which struck the corner of bar and upright deserved to win the game.
We have stopped the rot and can look forward to a crack at the Addicks next week.
Up the U's
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That is exactly what I thought about the Oldham goal, durham. Also there was a couple of good saves from our much maligned goalkeeper Parish, that kept us in the game at 1-0. |  |
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 00:13 - Jan 3 with 1155 views | Leadbelly |
Training ground move that all our players stood motionless to admire. That has to stop if we want to stay up. | |
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 11:00 - Jan 3 with 1107 views | noah4x4 |
Let's be a tad more positive folks.
The Oldham goal was brilliantly worked. The U's "wall" did its job (solid, organised) but we didn't ever expect this brilliance! Work on the training ground is obviously needed, but credit the opposition. It was their only real chance in H1.
First half the U's were poor. Frankly, Moncur again looked a bit lost wide in a 4-4-2. Eventually, Sordell went wide and Moncur went inside alongside Porter, but that produced minimal improvement. Harriott was missed. But once Garvan and Ambrose replaced Edwards & Moncur we looked a completely different side. Edwards had a decent half, but had dislocated a finger in the warm up. One wonders what discomfort he was suffering. Ambrose unlucky (hit bar), Eastman missed a low free header from three yards when it looked easier to score. Sordell blasted over when Massey might have had a tap in. We dominated most of the second half, and looked the most likely winners and it was unfortunate that Elokobi suffered a hamstring injury on about 80 minutes. With all subs used (Briggs off with chest pains); Massey had to go to full back. Incredible effort and bravery shown by the strapped up Elokobi in a forward position in the last ten minutes, but we had Oldham on the rack and this misfortune may have let them off the hook. Early exodus of disenchanted Lactics fans and some booing. U's faithful very vocal throughout. Fantastic acoustics. No wonder Home fans unhappy at switching ends.
What hasn't been mentioned elsewhere is Oldham were a pretty bruising side that leapt into, nudged and generally distrupted both our defenders and forwards with immunity from the referee, but we held firm. Sort of tactics more often seen in lower leagues; totally different from the more elegant Gills or Shrimpers. Parrish was outstanding.
I came away uplifted by a hard won point in an ugly game. Keen evidently knows what he is doing; and tactically responds when things are are not working. Lastly, superb vicious inswinging corner (curved like a banana) from Garvan just clipped a defender and goalkeeper fumbled. Deffo own goal, but if anybody should claim credit it should be Garvan. [Post edited 3 Jan 2016 11:19]
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 12:03 - Jan 3 with 1086 views | burnsieespana |
Thanks for your summary of the game noah which has slightly cheered me up. Frankly have felt very flat since Humes going and Keen coming as even after supporting Col U for almost 60 years don't really know what to expect next.
It does seem that Garvan has been badly missed as our decline appears to have coincided with his injury, etc. Hopefully he can stay fit and we can start to move forward but we badly need a win as starting to look at bit adrift. |  | | |
| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 12:26 - Jan 3 with 1077 views | bwildered |
A free kick routine reminisce of Groves and Adcock years gone by . |  |
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 12:53 - Jan 3 with 1070 views | thrillseeker |
i remember that free kick. Sure Ian Allinson was involved as well | | | |
| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 13:12 - Jan 3 with 1066 views | noah4x4 |
| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 12:26 - Jan 3 by bwildered |
A free kick routine reminisce of Groves and Adcock years gone by . |
Before my time, but this free kick move was quick, unexpected, and we were ill prepared, but to quote KK "it won't happen again". I think we must recall the "wall" shambles at Burton. We have learned from that and will learn from this. This lapse apart, we were defensively pretty solid, with players covering the inevitable errors of others on a tricky pitch and a midfield work rate that I havn't seen from a U's team in a long while. Yes, it was ugly at times, but consider table topping Burton's goals for and against. Keen is leading us towards that type of solidity, and we will inevitably become less free scoring as a result.
Garvan was in a different class to others on this day. I never rated Ambrose before, but with the right combination of players around him he looks class too. Moncur, Sordell, Massey, Sembie-Ferris etc are all skilled individuals but I reckon they need the experienced and vision of Porter, Garvan and Ambrose as pivots to play the killer through balls that others don't see. I am confident we will soon emerge after four years of struggle as a team deserving our D1 status. [Post edited 3 Jan 2016 13:42]
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 13:48 - Jan 3 with 1056 views | bwildered |
Ambrose looked off the pace, having just returned from injury against Southend . Let's not forget both him and Garvan also have to adjust at playing at this level . Having said previously they need to stay fit and use the youngsters to good effect .
Sembie - Ferris requires a loan spell out to progress his talent, having made only brief token appearances , while Drey Wright and Massey can cover wide duties . | |
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| U's to prevail against Latics at Boundary Park on 15:25 - Jan 3 with 1040 views | noah4x4 |
It's true neither Ambrose or Garvan (or Porter) are 100MPH speedsters even when fully fit. But they have the 'vision' that our younger players are lacking.
How often have we fans criticised our young attackers for selfishness, over complicating attacks or trying to "walk the ball into the net". Harriott had the individual class to do it all himself, but others simply don't. We fans have also generally criticised the U's for over focus on youth. We need Porter, Garvan and Ambrose plus a NEW central defender of similar experience/stature to better marshall and harness the obvious talents of our skilful enthusiastic but sometimes headless chickens youth. The Academy will be a source of talent but not experience. I say play Garvan and Ambrose and stuff their Ipswich pedigree! I recall many fans moaning about signing Garvan before he had pulled on a U's shirt. It is no coincidence his injury absence coincides with our worst ever sequence of results. [Post edited 3 Jan 2016 15:30]
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