| "Gotta picka pocket or two, three, four, five" - Noah's View 10:00 - Feb 24 with 692 views | noah4x4 |
Despite the guile and dexterity of the perpetrators, one should only ever get your pocket picked once. It’s a shame Josh Thompson and Sam Walker had never learned this lesson, nor had Joe Dunne ensured they had buttoned pockets in their shorts after half time.
The afternoon was reminiscent of the woes at Milton Keynes, but at least I didn’t have a long drive home and could later take some solace from an oval ball victory over the French, and a hard ball success over the Black Caps. The aptly named Max Power had smashed the ball into the U’s net on 11 minutes whilst 999 eyes in the South Stand (my pal has a glass one) saw things differently from the referee and lino. How on earth could that ever have been a corner? Hence, Mr Stroud was firmly established as ‘Fagin’ and fussily conspired against the blue and whites at his every whistle.
Whilst the home crowd focused on his villainy, the increasing peril of the Birkenhead based Rovers went largely unnoticed during the first 45. The U’s even pulled level on 29 minutes after a scruffy pinball game in the Tranmere 18 yard area saw the ball drop fortuitously to Magnus who tucked it away. “Game on” we thought and merely 8 minutes later, Scunthorpe were two down; “let’s get in there” (or rather out of the drop zone)!
But four minutes before pie time, Akpa Akpro; the artful dodger incarnate; slipped a foot between the narrowing gap between Thompson and Walker and the ball agonisingly bounced over our line. I can’t help feeling Tom Eastman would have safely thumped it out of play and such larceny avoided. This set the pattern for the remainder of the game; as time and again, the U’s defence seemed to hold open our wallets and say take what you want. Our defence in the second half was shambolic, and on this occasion I do blame Joe Dunne. The Tranmere goals were almost a mirror image of what transpired at MK Stadium. Tom Eastman was our weak link on that day, and ever since then has not found much favour with the manager. One can understand Tom’s temporary shattered confidence, but I perceive that he was previously highly dependable and had just one single ‘nightmare’ game. By contrast, Josh Thompson looks increasingly vulnerable to positioning errors and a second clumsy and unnecessary penalty conceded in two games perhaps suggests both inexperience and naivety.
I didn’t ever expect to win this fixture, but equally didn’t expect to witness such an embarrassing drubbing. Yeovil must be rubbing their hands, given they don’t appear to need smash and grab tactics to gain victories. Six points conceded to Scunthorpe are increasingly looking like the defining moments of our season. Perhaps all isn’t lost yet just yet, but I am becoming increasingly resigned to visiting two from Grimsby, Wrexham, Newport or Forest Green next season unless we sort out a defence that leaves doors unlocked, windows agape, and our valuables on display. |  | | |  |
| "Gotta picka pocket or two, three, four, five" - Noah's View on 16:54 - Feb 24 with 641 views | Fruitbat |
About right as usual noah. All 5 goals were poor goals to concede. First was never a corner but we had chances to get it clear and didnt do it properly, 2 to 5 were just abject defending, I for one am starting to have serious concerns about thompson, and i dont think the midfield covered themselves in glory either.
Worries abound for tuesday night and beyond. |  | | |
| "Gotta picka pocket or two, three, four, five" - Noah's View on 17:35 - Feb 24 with 631 views | bwildered |
Just struggling to think of a worse side in this division , and on that display will be unlikely to gain many points to stave a double dip relegation. |  |
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| "Gotta picka pocket or two, three, four, five" - Noah's View on 00:47 - Feb 25 with 594 views | noah4x4 |
| "Gotta picka pocket or two, three, four, five" - Noah's View on 17:35 - Feb 24 by bwildered |
Just struggling to think of a worse side in this division , and on that display will be unlikely to gain many points to stave a double dip relegation. |
Whilst I am fast becoming resigned to the likelihood of the U's falling into Division Two, I think talk of a "double dip relegation" is overly pessimistic. However, one only need observe the plight of Portsmouth or Plymouth to note that once a slide down the leagues has commenced, it can become almost unstoppable.
But let's also respect how tough Division One has been this season. Today, merely two points seperate places one to six. We still have 13 games left, with comparitively few fixtures remaining against these top six sides; indeed few against the top ten. Our destiny is still in our hands.
I think we should now take inspiration from Kidderminster Harrriers. On 13th October, having played 15 games, they were in the Conference relegation zone. Today, after a further 18 games they sit second, merely two points off the automatic play off place. The U's still have 13 games left, so there is potentially enough time for a sufficient climb up the table to at least get out of trouble. But we do need the town behind us.
Kidderminster has Wolves, West Brom, Villa, Walsall and the Blues on its doorstep, yet their crowd on Saturday v Alfreton (who?) for a Conference game was 2,209. Colchester's population is comfortably triple that of Kidderminster and projected to grow by a further 25% in the next ten years. Yes, we do have Ipswich up the road, but our crowd on Saturday for a DIVISION ONE game against a 'table topping' side was merely 3,077, merely 800 more.
I just think it's sad that as Colchester gets ever closer to having a 200,000 population we can't get more of its people behind its local football team. Never before have we perhaps needed the support, yet I fear that we won't get it. Hence it is perhaps a self fulfilling prophecy that we will ultimately become a Conference side if we get Conference levels of support.
So I appeal to all, let's not surrender, let's back the lads - another 13 games.... | | | |
| "Gotta picka pocket or two, three, four, five" - Noah's View on 07:27 - Feb 25 with 586 views | durham_exile |
| "Gotta picka pocket or two, three, four, five" - Noah's View on 00:47 - Feb 25 by noah4x4 |
Whilst I am fast becoming resigned to the likelihood of the U's falling into Division Two, I think talk of a "double dip relegation" is overly pessimistic. However, one only need observe the plight of Portsmouth or Plymouth to note that once a slide down the leagues has commenced, it can become almost unstoppable.
But let's also respect how tough Division One has been this season. Today, merely two points seperate places one to six. We still have 13 games left, with comparitively few fixtures remaining against these top six sides; indeed few against the top ten. Our destiny is still in our hands.
I think we should now take inspiration from Kidderminster Harrriers. On 13th October, having played 15 games, they were in the Conference relegation zone. Today, after a further 18 games they sit second, merely two points off the automatic play off place. The U's still have 13 games left, so there is potentially enough time for a sufficient climb up the table to at least get out of trouble. But we do need the town behind us.
Kidderminster has Wolves, West Brom, Villa, Walsall and the Blues on its doorstep, yet their crowd on Saturday v Alfreton (who?) for a Conference game was 2,209. Colchester's population is comfortably triple that of Kidderminster and projected to grow by a further 25% in the next ten years. Yes, we do have Ipswich up the road, but our crowd on Saturday for a DIVISION ONE game against a 'table topping' side was merely 3,077, merely 800 more.
I just think it's sad that as Colchester gets ever closer to having a 200,000 population we can't get more of its people behind its local football team. Never before have we perhaps needed the support, yet I fear that we won't get it. Hence it is perhaps a self fulfilling prophecy that we will ultimately become a Conference side if we get Conference levels of support.
So I appeal to all, let's not surrender, let's back the lads - another 13 games.... |
We must win 6 out of the final 13 games.
What I want to see is the U's treating each game like a cup final.
Unless we do so we are surely doomed.
Up the U's
More effort, commitment, ability, cut out the unforced errors and let's see some passion from the first XI |  |
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| "Gotta picka pocket or two, three, four, five" - Noah's View on 09:54 - Feb 25 with 574 views | AFCMorant |
I'd say "game over", and start planning the trips to Morecambe, Fleetwood, Accrington et al |  | | |
| "Gotta picka pocket or two, three, four, five" - Noah's View on 11:32 - Feb 25 with 568 views | Leadbelly |
Shambles at the back, weak midfield and no cutting edge up front...apart from that we were OK.
There seemed to be a real lack of charater in the team on saturday. Whilst the likes of Duguid and Izzet may have done no better with the ball at their feet I'm sure they would have improved the performance with their attitude and commitment.
We have games against Yeovil, Coventry,MK Dongs and Bournemouth plus a genuine 6 pointer against Bury all before the end of March. Not many teams with nothing to play for. If we stay up it will be a huge surprise. |  |
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