| Prenton Park Tranmere proves to be our bogey ground once again..... 00:59 - Dec 2 with 739 views | durham_exile |
After an encouraging week with a draw at high flying Preston and an excellent win against the Franchise, I drove to Tranmere hoping for only the U’s 2nd win at Prenton Park in 26 years. I saw the 4-3 some years ago.
Last season the 4-0 scoreline and performance was simply shocking. I also came in for some stick from home boarders for daring to suggest that Tranmere were a poor team and the 4-0 scoreline had flattered then somewhat. They soon slumped in the table and their early promotion form evaporated. Enough said about our campaign last year!
After a substantial cooked breakfast, I decided against a lunch before leaving Telford for the match. On arrival at the ground, I bought the excellent value Fanzine “Give Us an R” and went straight for a pie and cup of coffee. The meat and potato pie was very good and warming on what was a dry but cold afternoon.
The crowd seemed sparse, 4,148 with approximately 150 of the faithful having travelled to the Wirral.
As I was straining to hear the substitutes over the tannoy system it was good to see Wessex plus his pal Chris arrive and we settled into our seats.
JD had selected the following team in a 4-5-1 formation:
Walker
Wilson Magnus Eastman Garbutt
Gilbey Wright Eastmond Vose Dickson
Ibehre
Subs:
Cousins, Tozer, Olufemi, O’Donoghue, Bond, Bonne, Morrison
Now without wishing to be ultra critical, I felt that for 70 minutes Jabo was isolated and forced to operate on his own up front, more later.
After a bizarre opening 12 minutes Tranmere had been forced to use two of their three subs. First debutant Otsemobor tangled with Dickson and fell over the advertising hoarding. He struggled to carry on but was soon forced off the field. Then the evergreen Ian Goodison (41 years of age) suffered a recurrence of a groin strain and also hobbled off.
Jabo Ibehre should have scored from 8 yards after 25 minutes but blazed over with Fon Williams stranded.
Then a clash of heads between Tom Eastman and Akpa Akpro led to both players leaving the field for lengthy treatment. Wright moved to centre half before Eastman was first to return and we played with 11 versus 10 for a further 10 minutes but the disruptions seemed to have affected Colchester more than Tranmere and we conceded a sloppy goal from Lowe from roughly the goal line after 32 minutes.
The crowd awoke from their slumbers but we were very much in the game and bossed possession but the final third let us down.
The Assistant Referee on the left touchline had a consistent match, consistently useless. Devoid of any decision making other than to flag erratically, he struggled in both halves.
So 1-0 at half time and the faithful were disgruntled. We didn’t play particularly well and I could not agree with JD that we could have been 3-0 up at half time.
No changes were made at half time (the ineffectual Vose should have gone off but didn’t), on 55minutes the other Assistant Referee (clearly eagle eye) saw an infringement which involved Wilson and Akpa Akpro and drew the Referee’s attention to the alleged push in the penalty box.
Lowe stepped up and sent Sam Walker the wrong way with a clinical finish into the corner. Another 2-0 scoreline before we once again woke up to our plight.
JD finally acted and brought on attacking intent, Bond and Bonne for Wright and the ineffectual Vose respectively after 57 minutes.
There was still plenty of time and at last we saw Colchester with attacking ideas. The excellent Bonne had a jigsaw moment (he went to pieces in the box) and he headed over when well placed 6 yards out.
Bond and Eastmond had shots blocked before Sam Walker was grateful to see Lowe scoop a shot straight into his arms when the goal beckoned.
JD took the tiring Gilbey off and brought on a revitalised Clinton Morrison after 72 minutes. Suddenly a Rotherham scoreline looked possible and wave after wave of possession followed. But still no goal.
Tranmere’s loanee from Liverpool — Peterson had an inspired game and proved a handful all match. But after he dived and the referee waved away Tranmere protests you sensed that we could still get something out of the game.
Jabo Ibehre missed another good chance, Bonne just missed when well placed and the faithful groaned “we don’t want to score”. It was excruciating.
Wessex left slightly early to secure his train connection and so missed Clinton’s calmness when despatching the ball for our solitary goal.
Gradually Clinton had exerted more pressure on the Tranmere defence and as the clock ticked towards the 94th minute he deservedly scored from 8 yards with a well directed side footed goal past the time wasting Fon Williams.
Sadly there was no time to pull off another classic comeback.
So another defeat. It was interesting to note that when we showed attacking intent the Tranmere defence were shaky to say the least. Frankly though we lined up too defensively at a ground where we fare badly.
The U’s have two weeks off and a chance to recharge some batteries and restore some of the walking wounded.
Lessons to be learned; we must stop presenting sides with 2 goal advantages before we decide to show intent.
Dominic Vose is not the answer. JD should Play Luke Garbutt ion a more advanced position on the left side and play Dickson as left back.
Jabo Ibehre needs someone to complement him up front. 4-5-1 is too negative.
Give the youngsters more time on the pitch.
Get Sanchez Watt back sooner rather than later.
Up the U’s
 |  |
| |  |
| Prenton Park Tranmere proves to be our bogey ground once again..... on 19:48 - Dec 2 with 690 views | bwildered |
Reading post match comments after the game the word should seems to be favourite. Should have defended the corner better, should have woke up from a short corner and should have scored later.
A general nativity seems to incompass are game at times, perhaps a lack of continuity in certain positions does not help communication and stability in general play which seems to help the opposition further. |  |
| |
| Prenton Park Tranmere proves to be our bogey ground once again..... on 22:50 - Dec 2 with 678 views | gerry_us |
| Prenton Park Tranmere proves to be our bogey ground once again..... on 19:48 - Dec 2 by bwildered |
Reading post match comments after the game the word should seems to be favourite. Should have defended the corner better, should have woke up from a short corner and should have scored later.
A general nativity seems to incompass are game at times, perhaps a lack of continuity in certain positions does not help communication and stability in general play which seems to help the opposition further. |
Uh? A general "nativity". Is it near Xmas?  |  | | |
| Prenton Park Tranmere proves to be our bogey ground once again..... on 05:01 - Dec 3 with 664 views | Barsidepete |
| Prenton Park Tranmere proves to be our bogey ground once again..... on 22:50 - Dec 2 by gerry_us |
Uh? A general "nativity". Is it near Xmas? |
Congrats on being the first to post the Santa smile 
naïveté with milk n shugah please  |  |
| |
| Prenton Park Tranmere proves to be our bogey ground once again..... on 07:22 - Dec 3 with 654 views | durham_exile |
| Prenton Park Tranmere proves to be our bogey ground once again..... on 22:50 - Dec 2 by gerry_us |
Uh? A general "nativity". Is it near Xmas? |
Gerry - are you up for Boundary park on 21 December?
I hear that they have started to build their new stand!
Just the demilitarized zone aka the car park to negotiate!
Up the U's
Seasons Greetings | |
| |
| Prenton Park Tranmere proves to be our bogey ground once again..... on 08:29 - Dec 3 with 651 views | noah4x4 |
Didn't make it to Prenton Park; but a few things in Durham's report have struck me.....
This was Clinton Morrison's 50th league appearance; yet only THREE goals. Will somebody please explain why he is still considered a striker worthy of a place in the squad?
Morrison is also perhaps best with his back to goal and hence he needs wingers (or full backs) that will get to the bye-line and then pass short and low to his feet. Where is that width when we are now playing Garbutt at full back (see below) and with Massey and Watt injured?
Yet again; I read "Jabo isolated". Despite his frequent MOM performances; I have repeatedly said in my match reports that (IMHO) he EITHER has to play in a side with genuine width OR (if we do play more narrow) with two pacy runners that are fearless (e.g. like Bonne & Szmodics) and can play off him. If not; we always seem to want to "walk the ball into the net" from a tedious midfield build up. We also always seem to be a goal (or more) down before we get into either shape to adopt the more direct and more effective Plan B.
Rumour is that Everton are insisting that Garbutt must play at full back; hence we are playing Dickson further ahead in the absence of a winger. We did seem to be much better when this is reversed and when Luke G had the freedom to get more advanced (e.g Dickson at full back). So is this request hindering our width?
I don't know if it was 'Total Football'; or simply some defensive players getting out of position; but no-nonsense Tom Eastman appeared to be supporting Wilson on the right side when against MK Dons (having swapped sides with Magnus). It's down that (right) flank where we seem to leak most goals (not helped by Monakana's low defensive work rate during his tenure). Now against Tranmere; it was back to normal with Eastman at left CH. I reckon lack of cover tends to hinder Brian Wilson getting forward; or if he does; it leaves us exposed; as Magnus makes too many errors. So why these odd swap/about turns in the vital centre half positions?
Whilst recently our personnel seems to have been more consistent (notwithstanding our injury crisis); we do seem to be changing the roles of some individuals from game to game. Does this reflect specific calculations about our opposition; or are we tweaking things simply for the sake of trying new things?
Every confidence the next four games are winnable...but we need to sort out these issues. |  | | |
| Prenton Park Tranmere proves to be our bogey ground once again..... on 12:33 - Dec 3 with 638 views | BluenWightExile |
With thanks agan to Durham and as ever those observations Noah4x4.
The personnel may be more 'consistent' but the results are not.
We have not been consistent for 7 seasons now hence our decline and being in yet another battle of the type we regularly endured under Whitton and even Wiggy before him.
Unless we put a run together - which we are not good enough to achieve - we need to try to at least be consistent somewhere. Namely with selection and formation used at home or away so that at least somewhere the players have a chance of perfecting something. Our individual stats show no pattern whatsoever, other than headless chickenism [is it 3-3-3 home and 1-6-3 away?] - I'd far sooner have 7-1-1 at home and 0-1-9 away! More points too! Oh and we still have no goalscorer even if the promise of Noah's 'Tres Bonne' is most encouraging.
It's a long stretch til we play again........will there be a friendly of some sort?
Nervously biting nails
[and not just because the IoW is cold] |  |
| |
| Prenton Park Tranmere proves to be our bogey ground once again..... on 12:55 - Dec 3 with 637 views | Leadbelly |
They may get a run out earlier than expected as JD is threatening to make the first team squad play in the Essex Senior Cup tonight. Morale boosting win against mighty Billericay Town to spark a run to the play offs? |  |
| |
| Prenton Park Tranmere proves to be our bogey ground once again..... on 21:59 - Dec 3 with 609 views | wessex_exile |
| Prenton Park Tranmere proves to be our bogey ground once again..... on 12:55 - Dec 3 by Leadbelly |
They may get a run out earlier than expected as JD is threatening to make the first team squad play in the Essex Senior Cup tonight. Morale boosting win against mighty Billericay Town to spark a run to the play offs? |
Good practice for the play-offs if so, U's won 7-6 on penalties after a 2-2 draw. |  |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| Prenton Park Tranmere proves to be our bogey ground once again..... on 22:46 - Dec 3 with 606 views | noah4x4 |
We were mighty lucky in the Essex Senior Cup tonight.
Billericay were the better side; but fell behind twice to good U's moves against the run of play; but the Ryman League side clawed its way back into the game and their lively forwards should have put away a number of second half chances to put this game beyond doubt.
What was bizarre was both teams played in blue; albeit BT in a a Coventry City style sky blue. Sometimes it was hard to tell the sides apart. The Referee should never have permitted.
A shocking first penalty by Spence; and we looked like making an early exit until Bonnett-Johnson replied with an equally poor fifth effort. Then MOM Benjamin was lucky to hit the North Stand as frankly his awful shot looked destined for the A12. Game over.
We won; but undeserved. [Post edited 3 Dec 2013 22:47]
| | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
