Just Back-on the bus.

To coin an old saying...a point is a point but Town will know they had enough chances, even in the second half to win comfortably.
First half  was about as good as anyone could hope for. I didnt see the stats but we must have had getting on for 70% possession. Kean had nothing to do. Osborne hit the bar. Matt got stuck in and Vernam had more shots than the entire team had mustered in 2018. The goal was all about Vernon's excellent chest down and Vernam's great finish into the far corner. The Colchester players were booed off.
A crying shame then that we conceded so early in the second half although it was a decent finish. The goal rocked Town and they reverted to aimless hoofing but gradually came into it although the movement up front never really returned. Only Davies will know how he didnt bury a free header at the far post. The same player saw a direct free kick in stoppage time drift past the far post.
Man of the match...difficult to choose between Summerfield and Vernam with mentions in dispatches for Collins/Clark and defensively Davies who reads the game magnificently.
The weather was sh1te.

Quoted from barralad

To coin an old saying...a point is a point but Town will know they had enough chances, even in the second half to win comfortably.
First half  was about as good as anyone could hope for. I didnt see the stats but we must have had getting on for 70% possession. Kean had nothing to do. Osborne hit the bar. Matt got stuck in and Vernam had more shots than the entire team had mustered in 2018. The goal was all about Vernon's excellent chest down and Vernam's great finish into the far corner. The Colchester players were booed off.
A crying shame then that we conceded so early in the second half although it was a decent finish. The goal rocked Town and they reverted to aimless hoofing but gradually came into it although the movement up front never really returned. Only Davies will know how he didnt bury a free header at the far post. The same player saw a direct free kick in stoppage time drift past the far post.
Man of the match...difficult to choose between Summerfield and Vernam with mentions in dispatches for Collins/Clark and defensively Davies who reads the game magnificently.
The weather was sh1te.

Stats Ian

Town 51% possession
13 shots - 8 on target (Colchester 15 shots - 4 on target)
4 corners (5 corners for Colchester)
13 fouls (9 fouls by Colchester)

Pleasing we had so many shots and I'm really happy for Vernam to get on the score sheet, his efforts deserve something.

Quoted from Marinerz93

Stats Ian

Town 51% possession
13 shots - 8 on target (Colchester 15 shots - 4 on target)
4 corners (5 corners for Colchester)
13 fouls (9 fouls by Colchester)

Pleasing we had so many shots and I'm really happy for Vernam to get on the score sheet, his efforts deserve something.

I suspect it evened up second half. I meant the stats for the first half.

When I checked the score about 30 minutes in on the BBC site, stats said we were running at about 67% possession so that certainly backs up what you're saying barralad!

9 points ahead and they have a game in hand ... we are now in a relegation battle

Quoted from fleabag1970

9 points ahead and they have a game in hand ... we are now in a relegation battle

We desperately need to string a couple of wins together. Great to hear we played a bit of football but it took a long range strike to score. We need to put the ball in the box with regularity and have people looking to get on the end of it and pick up second balls.

Good to stop the run of losses. Easy game to follow it up with next week  

Relegation FIGHT.

We've been in a relegation battle for ages, but today was a positive IMO, and definetly something to build on.

Vernam has played well in both his games and got wrote off instantly when he signed....

Thought Vernam was brilliant today. Always looked to get his shots off.

Quoted from jonnyboy82

Relegation FIGHT.

We're 40/1 to get delegated  

Have you piled on it Rob?  

Quoted from chaos33

Have you piled on it Rob?  

Course he has.  

Quoted from GrimRob

We're 40/1 to get delegated  

Worth a tenner to cushion the blow.

Just Back.
1st Half: has largely been said.We played better than all of us there probably expected. Of course there was a lot of
concern and even nervousness but Town got off to a flyer and played some good stuff. Matt and Vernam linked up to
provide some real hope. Summerfield continued his worthy efforts to drive Town forward and I have to say (red cross
if you must) I thought Dixon looked O.K. If we had gone in 2/3up at half-time there could have been no complaints.
Cynically
You could say, “But we weren’t 2/3 up!” “We were playing a rubbish team” “If he’d picked X or Y we would have won.”
2ndHalf: They obviously had a half-time bollocking and came out a different team. I was disappointed when we conceded that the body language seemed to portray negative vibes - l suppose this is about confidence but Summerfield appeared the only one to be trying to rouse the others. I think we need more leaders on the pitch. However Town held up and Vernam had a great effort from the edge of the box that rattled the bar near the end.
It is about confidence. It is about momentum. It is about a bit of luck. All cliche l know.
We can talk of leadership from the top.We can talk of Management. We can talk of engagement etc etc
BUT I am trying ( at this point ) to talk about today and the team.
Next week is Luton and that might spark a different conversation............ In the meantime UTMM


.

Quoted from chaos33

Have you piled on it Rob?  

I never disclose my bets  

As others who were there have posted, we dominated the 1st half by keeping possession. It helped that we had 3 in the centre of midfield against their two but we also pressed them really well. Good finish after good work by Vernon and Dixon.
They, as most expected, came out after a real ear bashing at h-t and sadly we capitulated inside 90 seconds.

Vernam had a great effort on the turn pushed over and Davies had to do better with his free header.

Heard bits of Slades post match interview which seemed to focus on the referee. For me the ref was one of the better performers on the pitch and I, nor anyone else on this thread, has mentioned the evidently stonewall penalty we were denied. Deluded or is the pressure beginning to show?

A much improved performance. Clarke, Summerfield Rose and Vernam the star performers for me today.

Quoted from Cloudy

As others who were there have posted, we dominated the 1st half by keeping possession. It helped that we had 3 in the centre of midfield against their two but we also pressed them really well. Good finish after good work by Vernon and Dixon.
They, as most expected, came out after a real ear bashing at h-t and sadly we capitulated inside 90 seconds.

Vernam had a great effort on the turn pushed over and Davies had to do better with his free header.

Heard bits of Slades post match interview which seemed to focus on the referee. For me the ref was one of the better performers on the pitch and I, nor anyone else on this thread, has mentioned the evidently stonewall penalty we were denied. Deluded or is the pressure beginning to show?

A much improved performance. Clarke, Summerfield Rose and Vernam the star performers for me today.

I don't seem to recall there being any outcry from JT on the commentary either....

The Evening Telegraph commentary said something about a penalty appeal when Vernam went down after being sandwiched in the Colchester box.

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

I don't seem to recall there being any outcry from JT on the commentary either....

Call me a cynic but probably part of his plan to avoid awkward questions on Asante.

So just back after dropping the lad back into the City, so what to make of that then?

First half we where decent with the ball on the deck. The shape helped but it did take the lads a while to get used to it I think i we could get pace into that shape it might work dividends. The 3 CB's looked o.k. and Osborne's bit of pace helped cover a lot of their attacks. Thought the goal was well worked with a decent finish and pretty much underlined what we tied to do.

At half time we deserved to be ahead but they came out with real zip on the back of bringing on their sub who looked pretty decent and it did not take too long for the inevitable to happen. After their goal it was a bit one way but Town weathered that and finished quite strong. In fact we once again got in some good positions but that cried out for a poacher to finish. Expected better from Davis with the free header chance and thought the penalty shout was 50/50 to be fair, I reckon it was contact as well as a slip.

So headlines for me,

- We need to water the pitch at BP before kick off as the surface water looked like it helped us zip the ball a bit or did we just pas it better

- Despite what Davis said on RH in the week I still think not being in the atmosphere at BP helped today

- Overall football was better but if he can't add a striker can he add a bit of pace from mid field/wide?

- Why Woolford as a 2nd half sub ahead of DJ

- Really embarrassed to see/hear a handful of tw@ts boo Vernon when he replaced Matt, yes he may be NL level in reality but we shouldn't be booing our own players on.

- Better today overall but I think we'll still get sucked into relegation run in, I'm hoping the experience in the squad keep us clear.

UTM!  

  

Not a stonewall penalty, looked like there guy put his foot on the ball as it stopped dead before Vernam went over .

Not a detailed post from me, many have made better comments than I could already. I will say I finally saw us score! I am happy.

The fact that Colchester were poor and we let them get an easy equaliser with urine poor defending and failed to really try and get a win against a side who looked even less confident and able than us is all an issue for future me (and rest of us as looks to me like we need to rely on there being 2 teams worse than us), saw a goal and better than that it even mattered! UTM

Slade speaks of a man who’s fighting for his career let alone his job, he won’t get another one if we sack him, the pessimist in me says that we only controlled the first half as it confused them but we were outplayed when they got to grips with it and looked the better side. That formation needs athleticism from the 2 wing backs, genuine composure on the ball from the 2 outside centre halves, a central midfielder who’s happy to drop in when we attack and the other have to get beyond the strikers to take men away from the play and get goals themselves. It’s a formation that requires specialist players and is extremely effective if you play it well (like when Chelsea won the title and Ajax won Champions Leagues and league titles aplenty with it) but can look horrible when countered properly.

Quoted from Mariner_09

Slade speaks of a man who’s fighting for his career let alone his job, he won’t get another one if we sack him, the pessimist in me says that we only controlled the first half as it confused them but we were outplayed when they got to grips with it and looked the better side. That formation needs athleticism from the 2 wing backs, genuine composure on the ball from the 2 outside centre halves, a central midfielder who’s happy to drop in when we attack and the other have to get beyond the strikers to take men away from the play and get goals themselves. It’s a formation that requires specialist players and is extremely effective if you play it well (like when Chelsea won the title and Ajax won Champions Leagues and league titles aplenty with it) but can look horrible when countered properly.

Apart from the first ten minutes of the second half I don't think that we were ever outplayed.

Ok, I wasn't there but going on JT's commentary and reports on here I guessed we were. I remember what happened last year. Exeter and more importantly Crewe sussed it out, I don't want that to happen again!

Quoted from Mariner_09

Slade speaks of a man who’s fighting for his career let alone his job, he won’t get another one if we sack him, the pessimist in me says that we only controlled the first half as it confused them but we were outplayed when they got to grips with it and looked the better side. That formation needs athleticism from the 2 wing backs, genuine composure on the ball from the 2 outside centre halves, a central midfielder who’s happy to drop in when we attack and the other have to get beyond the strikers to take men away from the play and get goals themselves. It’s a formation that requires specialist players and is extremely effective if you play it well (like when Chelsea won the title and Ajax won Champions Leagues and league titles aplenty with it) but can look horrible when countered properly.

Sorry to nitpic but Chelsea won the league last year with a 343 and Ajax's playing philosophy is all around their own version of a 343 (which is different to the Chelsea of last year.

Also I think any formation can be effective if you play it well, and that 352 wouldn't require specialist players any more so than a 442 does - you pick players with attributes to suit that particular profile of player needed in each position of the system. Just as you would with a 442 or 433.

Agree that you need a bit of athleticism from the wingback in the 352, but it worth noting how Dixon was the highest man forward to set up our goal today.

I disagree, 3-5-2 requires specialist players in a 4-4-2 you can fudge a full back or a winger, in this system you need athleticism from both wing backs who need to be equally as good at both ends of the pitch. The outside centre halves have to be equally comfortable in wide positions as they are in centre and need to be able to cover more ground than your average L2 centre half and they have to be composed on the ball and happy to take things like throw ins as well. I don’t like it. 4-3-3 also requires the full backs to require athleticism to provide width at both ends. I’d much see us sign a powerful athletic left back and play that formation

I enjoyed the game yesterday, to be fair. We kept possession, passed well and had a shedload of chances. 2nd half they were better and we were quieter but I wouldn’t say they outplayed us.

I thought Berrett had a decent game. Good chest down by the much maligned Vernon on to the much maligned Dixon to create the goal. As previously stated, Vernam had a great game and looks a player.

The most boring part of the game was a small section of our own fans ridiculing Vernon all game, booing him when he came on, etc. Why flipping bother.

Loved Collins’ passion when we scored and his attempts to gee up the crowd, as ever. We might be in a rotten spell of form but there is fight and belief in the camp still, it seems.

Nice to hear summat positive Sam.

Quoted from sam gy

I enjoyed the game yesterday, to be fair. We kept possession, passed well and had a shedload of chances. 2nd half they were better and we were quieter but I wouldn’t say they outplayed us.

I thought Berrett had a decent game. Good chest down by the much maligned Vernon on to the much maligned Dixon to create the goal. As previously stated, Vernam had a great game and looks a player.

The most boring part of the game was a small section of our own fans ridiculing Vernon all game, booing him when he came on, etc. Why flipping bother.

Loved Collins’ passion when we scored and his attempts to gee up the crowd, as ever. We might be in a rotten spell of form but there is fight and belief in the camp still, it seems.

One thing that sets us apart from a relegation side is that clearly everybody involved in the playing side does care regardless of their ability and competence, that might just see us right.

.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

One thing that sets us apart from a relegation side is that clearly everybody involved in the playing side does care regardless of their ability and competence, that might just see us right.

.

Good point HertsGTFC

Just hope that they have the same resolve to do their best in another half dozen games or so if things don't go their way

Quoted from Mariner_09

I disagree, 3-5-2 requires specialist players in a 4-4-2 you can fudge a full back or a winger, in this system you need athleticism from both wing backs who need to be equally as good at both ends of the pitch. The outside centre halves have to be equally comfortable in wide positions as they are in centre and need to be able to cover more ground than your average L2 centre half and they have to be composed on the ball and happy to take things like throw ins as well. I don’t like it. 4-3-3 also requires the full backs to require athleticism to provide width at both ends. I’d much see us sign a powerful athletic left back and play that formation

Absolutely bang on. Dixon and the excellent Davies can't really fulfill the role if wing backs. Neither can get up and down the pitch and supply the width the formation requires. I understand Slade changing it on Saturday, the extra man in midfield was apparent until the countered it by matching the numbers up and putting us under the cosh. In effect, on Saturday at least, it was more of a 5-3-2, especially in the second half as the 'wing backs' were pushed back.

Quoted from HistonMariner

Just Back.
1st Half: has largely been said.We played better than all of us there probably expected. Of course there was a lot of
concern and even nervousness but Town got off to a flyer and played some good stuff. Matt and Vernam linked up to
provide some real hope. Summerfield continued his worthy efforts to drive Town forward and I have to say (red cross
if you must) I thought Dixon looked O.K. If we had gone in 2/3up at half-time there could have been no complaints.
Cynically
You could say, “But we weren’t 2/3 up!” “We were playing a rubbish team” “If he’d picked X or Y we would have won.”
2ndHalf: They obviously had a half-time bollocking and came out a different team. I was disappointed when we conceded that the body language seemed to portray negative vibes - l suppose this is about confidence but Summerfield appeared the only one to be trying to rouse the others. I think we need more leaders on the pitch. However Town held up and Vernam had a great effort from the edge of the box that rattled the bar near the end.
It is about confidence. It is about momentum. It is about a bit of luck. All cliche l know.
We can talk of leadership from the top.We can talk of Management. We can talk of engagement etc etc
BUT I am trying ( at this point ) to talk about today and the team.
Next week is Luton and that might spark a different conversation............ In the meantime UTMM


.

Have a look at the highlights, he is caught daydreaming yet again, leaving one of their players to cross the ball into the 6 yard box that led to their goal.

Not the first time his poor defending has cost us. We need a new left back asap.