| Oh Mr Porter what can I do, I wanted to go to Birmingham but here I am at Crewe! 01:23 - Mar 20 with 1265 views | durham_exile |
When the final whistle blew some 96 minutes into yet another Away defeat for the U’s, I waited until the faithful had traipsed out of their seats and sat in splendid isolation for 5 minutes pondering why our Away form is so wretched.
Forget about the injuries that argument doesn’t hold water, notwithstanding the fact that we are missing 13 players, there is sufficient talent within the squad (just) to have secured the points at Gresty Road.
Against the railwaymen, we were derailed by the journeyman striker Chris Dagnall who struck twice to give the hosts a victory. In fairness to Crewe they were determined and defended with considerable grit and a little good fortune. The stats indicate that possession was fairly even, but Crewe had 15 shots to our 12 and both teams mustered 6 each on target. Colchester though had 8 corners to Crewe’s 2.
The match though may not even have started with two pitch inspections at 1.30pm and 2.30pm with the Colchester supporters gathered outside the turnstiles, while Crewe support staff hastily positioned their gatekeepers to take our tickets from the 233 who had braved the elements. Now having finally gained entry I was staggered to find that not only was the pitch in virtually pristine condition with little evidence of surface water, save in the far corner in the lee of the main stand, but also the Holland’s meat and potato pie was done to a crisp, the content reasonable, the pastry inedible. This did not bode well.
I was pleased however to see that Rekeil Pyke was playing from the start in a line-up that was as follows:
Walker
Wright James Elokobi
Lapslie Murray Szmodics Briggs
Pyke Dickenson
Porter
Subs:
Edge Vincent-Young Barnes Kinsella Brindley Fosu Bonne
Now JM had described Pyke as the Beast during the week; I suspect that he must have confused the young energetic, tenacious, bustling striker with the Chairboys Akinfenwa, because Pyke looks to be a very capable and talented footballer and certainly not remotely like the character from Disney’s re-make of the classic Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve’s 18th Century fairy tale. (Don’t worry I had to look that up)
The 15-minute delay to the kick off had affected Colchester far more than their hosts and was reminiscent of the game at Home Park earlier in the season when after the Referee was poleaxed by the Plymouth striker, we were lackadaisical and gifted Plymouth their winner.
The faithful were in excellent voice throughout, (sadly there were some banal chants about Crewe’s much publicised off field serious problems) but that apart the support was first class.
On Saturday, the team started sluggishly and then lost Sammy Szmodics after he challenged Dagnall on the halfway line and stayed down. He was taken to Hospital and unfortunately it was later confirmed that he has broken his leg and is obviously out for the rest of the season. Get well soon Sammy. Fosu came on to replace him and was unlucky when volleying just wide mid-way through the half.
Dagnall glanced a header past Walker on 26 minutes following a free kick and it stayed that way until half time. Now some of the answers about away performance must have something to do with JM defensive approach. Porter was ploughing a lone furrow against 4 defenders who must have thought that their birthdays had come at once.
Pyke was playing in midfield, Dickenson had a quiet half (I’m sure that he has been unsettled again by talk of transfers), whilst young Cameron James was imperious in the heart of the defence.
At half time, there was no need to water the pitch but in fairness it had barely cut up and the quality of the surface was not in doubt. There was a very fine drizzle but nothing to really speak about.
Colchester came out with more intent after half time, but JM missed a trick by not immediately preparing Macca Bonne for action. During the interval, he had warmed up with the other subs but then took his seat after applying his shirt, shin pads and looked for the world as though he might get 45 minutes of football.
Nevertheless, the left side proved fertile attacking territory with Elokobi, Briggs and Dickenson combining well to present chances for Porter and Pyke. Pyke’s close range header should have brought the equaliser but Garratt in the Crewe goal saved well with his legs.
James was playing with a confidence that belied his years and one particular pass to the onrushing Fosu was measured and dissected the serried ranks of the Crewe defence. Had it been on MOTD, then they would still be replaying it now.
In some frustration, I shouted in the direction of JM and the bench to bring Bonne on and (even though I take no credit for the substitution) he duly appeared seconds later on the 69-minute mark. He should of course have been on at half time. Worse still he replaced the excellent Pyke who must have thought that he was very unlucky to leave the field.
We could have played Pyke, Porter and Bonne up front (after all we are trying to reach the playoffs) instead we simply pushed Bonne alongside Porter. The tiring Drey Wright was replaced by Richard Brindley on 76 mins but perhaps Edge would have a better and more attacking threat especially as Brindley didn’t seem fully fit.
Worse was still to come, Lapslie was fouled and the referee allowed the play to continue to see whether an advantage could be gained. It wasn’t and instead Crewe broke away only for Dagnall to cut the ball in from inside the six-yard box on 84 minutes. The game was up and even though the referee added on 5 minutes, it was insufficient to make up for the time wasting that the Crewe defence and goal keeper had mercilessly adopted throughout the second half.
The final whistle brought some muffled boos from some of the faithful, many gathered by the pitch side to shake hands with George but one “supporter” berated Porter who carried on an exchange with him, before big Sam ushered him away to the changing room.
In an attempt to answer my own question about our wretched away form I can only think that JM is too defensive minded, perhaps fearful of a drubbing, but when you consider that we have lost since the turn of the year to Accrington Stanley, Grimsby and now Crewe, (I’ve seen them all), unless action is taken to stem the tide, the play offs will become but a distant memory.
This weekend is the make or break game at home to Luton Town. Failure to win and I suspect that even the play offs will be a step too far this season.
There are now only eight left games to play; Luton (H), Notts Co (A), Stevenage (H), Doncaster (H), Morecambe (A), Plymouth (H), Orient (A) and Yeovil (H).
With 54 points on the board, we will probably require 21 more to sneak into that 7th position. There is no margin for error and we are now drinking at the last chance saloon.
The situation calls for the same run of results that we achieved from the end of November to early January.
Get behind the boys because this season is not over yet and every game now becomes a cup final.
Up the U’s
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| Oh Mr Porter what can I do, I wanted to go to Birmingham but here I am at Crewe! on 08:08 - Mar 20 with 1245 views | Fruitbat |
Excellent write up Durham. You're absolutely right about McGreal's tactics, a point that was very effectively rammed home in the second half on Tuesday. 2-0 up (somehow) at home and looking to restore some goal difference after the Pompey pasting, the ensuing ultra-negative set up was horrible to watch and should have cost us the gsme had Mansfield had anyone who could put the ball in the net.
I fear we are starting to revert to John Ward's latter days when we were too frightened of losing to actually try and win. |  | | |
| Oh Mr Porter what can I do, I wanted to go to Birmingham but here I am at Crewe! on 10:02 - Mar 20 with 1231 views | BlueStripes |
Totally agree with the comments about McGreal's defensive tactics and that's why I'm disappointed that Porter seems to be getting a lot of unwarranted stick from some of the fans. The guy is obviously not Premier League quality or even Championship quality, but we are playing in League 2 and he's a perfectly adequate front man at this level. The problem is the fact that he always seems to be playing on his own up front and, as basically a target man, he needs someone up there to support him. The fan who had a go at him after the game on Saturday, should have directed his frustrations at McGreal instead. |  | | |
| Oh Mr Porter what can I do, I wanted to go to Birmingham but here I am at Crewe! on 11:09 - Mar 20 with 1219 views | Moor_Pinot |
Wonderful report Peter - not only 'was I there' but I even feel that I endured the journey, the drizzle, the pie and the pain.
I am delighted not to be suffering another season of U's decline; the last 4 seasons were uncomfortable at best and am grateful that we had the run of results which ended what seemed like more decline to 23rd yet built us up into the top 7.
The catalyst for this excellent run was Guthrie - NOT management. The lad deserved to avoid injury and finish with 20 goals. I believe he would have, and one can only conject about the outcome of input like that from Kurtis. We need to hang on to him.
My thoughts about our managerial choice are known on hereand every time I hear an interview with Cowley or see documentaries about his extraordinary intuitive and original methodology which clearly works on players I have to bite my tongue. I would have preferred Mr Cowling to have sought experience because Mr McGreal - who never impresses in interviews - is learning 'on the job', poor chap. That's the hardest from of management and takes a long time. Not everyone is an Eddie Howe. This accounts for JM's unbelievable caution v the Stags, Porter's seclusion and for tactics which show little creation. Whatever Bonne has done to p**s people off I'd be well peed off by now if I were him as he has been given no chance to prove himself or mend whatever has transpired. Poor management? I do not know but when you are so close to a P/O top 7 a bit of creativity has more potential for success than the negative defensive caution that is demonstrated. Yes! As has been said, more akin to John Ward.
It's a shame because we've now lost as many as we've won, lost a third of our home games, are unadventurous away and Portsmouth did not discover a fortress last week......at Stevenage they clearly did.
It will be a big surprise to make the top 7 because we've displayed total inconsistency since the new year. Maybe we are a very young side, more likely the injuries are key but I do feel that we may have made too little of what product we actually have.
I look to next season and more growth from Cowling's policy from Tiptree. It is working and one of those products, Szmodics, has been sorely missed this season. He's a goalscorer too and I wish the lad a speedy recovery, along with Kent, Garvan, Slater and in particular Guthrie. That's a goodly group of players from what I have seen but they can do no more now.
Once again, great report Durham and such a shame that your and others' frustration suggest that we do not have the collective quality to pull off a play off spot. Hope I'm wrong.
Up the U's. |  |
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| Oh Mr Porter what can I do, I wanted to go to Birmingham but here I am at Crewe! on 01:04 - Mar 21 with 1167 views | durham_exile |
| Oh Mr Porter what can I do, I wanted to go to Birmingham but here I am at Crewe! on 11:09 - Mar 20 by Moor_Pinot |
Wonderful report Peter - not only 'was I there' but I even feel that I endured the journey, the drizzle, the pie and the pain.
I am delighted not to be suffering another season of U's decline; the last 4 seasons were uncomfortable at best and am grateful that we had the run of results which ended what seemed like more decline to 23rd yet built us up into the top 7.
The catalyst for this excellent run was Guthrie - NOT management. The lad deserved to avoid injury and finish with 20 goals. I believe he would have, and one can only conject about the outcome of input like that from Kurtis. We need to hang on to him.
My thoughts about our managerial choice are known on hereand every time I hear an interview with Cowley or see documentaries about his extraordinary intuitive and original methodology which clearly works on players I have to bite my tongue. I would have preferred Mr Cowling to have sought experience because Mr McGreal - who never impresses in interviews - is learning 'on the job', poor chap. That's the hardest from of management and takes a long time. Not everyone is an Eddie Howe. This accounts for JM's unbelievable caution v the Stags, Porter's seclusion and for tactics which show little creation. Whatever Bonne has done to p**s people off I'd be well peed off by now if I were him as he has been given no chance to prove himself or mend whatever has transpired. Poor management? I do not know but when you are so close to a P/O top 7 a bit of creativity has more potential for success than the negative defensive caution that is demonstrated. Yes! As has been said, more akin to John Ward.
It's a shame because we've now lost as many as we've won, lost a third of our home games, are unadventurous away and Portsmouth did not discover a fortress last week......at Stevenage they clearly did.
It will be a big surprise to make the top 7 because we've displayed total inconsistency since the new year. Maybe we are a very young side, more likely the injuries are key but I do feel that we may have made too little of what product we actually have.
I look to next season and more growth from Cowling's policy from Tiptree. It is working and one of those products, Szmodics, has been sorely missed this season. He's a goalscorer too and I wish the lad a speedy recovery, along with Kent, Garvan, Slater and in particular Guthrie. That's a goodly group of players from what I have seen but they can do no more now.
Once again, great report Durham and such a shame that your and others' frustration suggest that we do not have the collective quality to pull off a play off spot. Hope I'm wrong.
Up the U's. |
Pinault Noir, thank you for your constructive comments.
It is only when I read such thoughts that I begin to appreciate that yes we have been in decline now as a club for probably 5 years, which is very disappointing and frustrating.
Inconsistency has been the only consistent thing about our performances and results, but the injury crises over the past four years have been nothing compared to this season.
Knees, ankles, groins and backs have all been giving the health services of North Essex an additional headache for some time now.
Is it fitness levels, overtraining, poor pitches, or simply bad luck. Some players go through a career with nothing more than sprains and the odd tear, we have clearly had some deep rooted injury problems like Doug Loft who came to the club carrying an injury. Some have developed at the club during the season.
Do some players come back too soon. Is the fitness regime not what it should be at the club. Despite the fine facilities that the WHCS and Florence Park have to offer.
13 first team injuries, many of whom have been out for months tells its own sorry tale.
I totally agree with you about Kurtis Guthrie, he could have been the first player for many years, probably since Roy McDonough to score 20 goals in a season for the U's and Guthrie's injury was desperately unlucky.
I have not made up my mind fully about JM yet, he seems too defensively minded, whether he is trying to protect his fledgling team or squad I dont know but this weekend is the last chance, anything less than a win and it is all over.
Of the injuries sustained, it is Eastman, Kent, Slate and Guthrie that we miss the most.
I was even thinking it was my fault, after all I haven't seen the U's win for two seasons and about 20 matches. The odd draw yes but a victory certainly not and that begins to get to you after a while. Like you after some 45 years of watching the U's I have experienced every conceivable emotion, successes, failures, dramatic, pathetic, superb, dreadful but this season the rollercoaster of emotions has been in overdrive.
I was emotionally drained after the game. My long suffering wife, who dislikes football, tells me to knock it on the head, but like a moth drawn to a light I cannot resist supporting the U's and will be back again next year whatever the outcome of this.
At least we will not be relegated in successive years!!!!
l will consider carefully my thoughts ahead of the Hatter's game but am of a mind to suggest playing three strikers (which is all we have fit anyway) and to take the game to Luton, the negative frightened to lose philosophy will never prevail and I truly hope that JM will throw caution to the wind this weekend.
A great manager once said that football was not about life and death, it was more important than that.
Surely good health is the most important aspiration or hope that we mere mortals can enjoy in our lives. Can we be greedy though and wish our football teams success???
Trust your weather in France and the wine is being kind to you.
Up the U's
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| Oh Mr Porter what can I do, I wanted to go to Birmingham but here I am at Crewe! on 08:32 - Mar 21 with 1147 views | bwildered |
While the much acclaimed academy by either home grown or young cast off is producing first team players, unfortunately the management academy system is not keeping pace .
Fair due to JM who took the opportunity of the vacant post, has I have stated previously, managing a U 23 side is totally different to a senior side who soul purpose is results for three points every week . He will be replaced one day by another from the same process, a process which at present requires reassessment .
Quite frankly the squad has been stronger this season than several seasons even after the release of Moncur and Gilby, and a playoff spot ( note not automatic place ) should not have been beyond the club . |  |
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| Oh Mr Porter what can I do, I wanted to go to Birmingham but here I am at Crewe! on 10:16 - Mar 21 with 1135 views | Moor_Pinot |
Thank you for your kind words Durham!
Yes, I feel that if this week's home game produces nothing then we are looking at tenth or something like it. I am grateful to have avoided a fifth year of sliding and indeed back in November we were sliding and we were 23rd! So, fair dos. Yet from what you report and from what I have seen Bewilderd's comments that we should have challenged more this year do seem to have weight. But, there it is, Mr McGreal will be doing his best and I am sure he knows better than I.
There does seem to be a problem where injury analysis [Lofts, Brill] and injury prevention in trianing is concerned but again the Club should know best about that.
The loss of Guthrie for me has been crucial because clearly he has the ability to motivate within the changing room as well as out of it. We must hang on to him and to Szmodics as well as Slater and Garvan.
To go two seasons without a win as you have Peter is demoralising [it uused to be the same for me when in Somerset and the pre Parky Div 1 days] but the manner of defeat is the worst bit because when you, or Whalers, or Noah etc can clearly see what needs doing on the pitch and it is not done then the players actually cannot necessarily take all the flack.
My wife also dislikes football so I suffer each game in silence and try to recover by Monday! Mind you, as you say 45 years [50+ for me] somewhat forms one and my passion cannot change just because I am here. A U's flag flies at my little stone house and at all my exhibitions here in the Limousin.
But one's health is indeed the main thing and I wish Szmodics a successful repair and hope that your wellbeig has been better this year Peter. I've avoided the hospitals for a couple of years now too so am grateful, just as I will be to avoid any more U's sliding!!
Frustration and disappointment minnd, cannot be repaired by the health service whatever the country!!!
Up the U's. Give Bonne a proper go! | |
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