Just back

Tbh it wasn’t all that bad - and they hit it long just as much as we did - but once we had the ball we knocked it around ok - they had one stand out player who scored a a cracker and made another but we managed to keep him quiet second half - but yeh it’s not all hoof ball from town and I’ve defo seen worse from town

Seen worse but we need more of a blend in midfield
Three of Clifton, Whitehouse, Hess and Hewitt is not going to get you to the top 7 of L2 IMO
I agree that a lot of L2 is about grit, hard running, stamina and physicality but Bury and Tranny proved last season you can play really good footy and succeed (not that it has done Bury much good).

I think Vernam/Cook should be one of the midfield - poss Vernam cos he has the pace and fitness but also a lot more potential trickery and pace

Teams will eventually suss that if you stop Hanson you stop GTFC - so we do need more subtle options

Cant' fault the 100% work rate and attitude and there have been many times in recent past we would not have come back from 2-0 down

Bit less brawn and more brain is needed if we are to challenge the top places

Saw it on Ifollow and agree with a lot of what's been said
First half they were like a boxer getting inside and giving you a bit of a hiding and we couldn't get away from em to play our game' whatever that is!
Disappointed with Whitehouse, thought he was our new Waters/Groves to bind it all together but on that showing we desperately need a pivot in midfield or some sort of diamond to string it all together
When you play 4 3 3 you have no pace to get behind em on the flanks and surely Hanson needs service from there
But got back and that deserves credit

Quoted from essexexile

Saw it on Ifollow and agree with a lot of what's been said
First half they were like a boxer getting inside and giving you a bit of a hiding and we couldn't get away from em to play our game' whatever that is!
Disappointed with Whitehouse, thought he was our new Waters/Groves to bind it all together but on that showing we desperately need a pivot in midfield or some sort of diamond to string it all together
When you play 4 3 3 you have no pace to get behind em on the flanks and surely Hanson needs service from there
But got back and that deserves credit

Saw enough of Whitehouse against Bradford to see he can be an important player for us. A couple of competitive games close together will be hard after being out for a full season - top notch match fitness can't be gained on the training park or in friendlies. If he gets anywhere near what the two players you mention brought to GTFC we'll all be overjoyed...

Started brightly and was the better side up until their first goal. Seemed to fall apart after they scored and was very poor until half time. Pulled one back early and once both side had settled again after that goal we seemed to grow into the game and looked the better side in the second half without being spectacular but it was pleasing to see us dig in and do what was needed. Thought we gave away too many set pieces for the first 60 minutes too and was maybe lucky to have not been punished more for that. I was disappointed to see ogbu taken off because I thought he looked threatening and caused problems, think he was annoyed about it too but to be fair Town continued to push forwards with Vernam coming on who put one or two decent balls in. Looking back now I understand the substitution, keeping Moses fresh for Saturday is probably a good move and sometimes even if someone is playing well, some fresh legs on the pitch are more beneficial. Seemed like we went with two up front after the substitution too which benefited Matt Green, who scored a fantastic goal to make it 2-2, definitely a deserved equaliser after our second half performance. Looked a bit nervous after the equaliser but soon settled. Disappointed to see the free kick given against cook because although it was a mistimed tackle, it didn’t result in any contact at all so no foul for me, the ref should’ve just had a word at the next stoppage in play. Very good run then form Max Wright which led to a foul and a free kick. Harry Davis then fouled in the box after the ball was put in yet the officials gave nothing, should’ve been a penalty.

Other than the poor 25 minutes after their first goal we looked pretty solid for the most part, without being world beaters. Maybe could’ve used the ball a bit better and seemed to miss Clifton’s energy in the middle for large parts of the game. Could’ve done with someone a bit more creative in the middle to pick out attacking pass at times, I think Whitehosue has the potential to offer us something in terms of that but after his ACL injury it could understandably be a few months of regular game time before he's back to his best. Maybe Max Wright could fill that role if needed, he's definitely got energy and flair going forwards.

I thought the Ref and linesman made some poor decisions for both sides too. Shown be both Town and Colchester staff giving the officials an earful at full time. 

A draw was probably a fair result although I felt we could’ve won if it weren’t for that disastrous 25 minutes and that actually for 60/65 minutes we were the better side, without being spectacular. It'd have been a different game and I think we'd have won 2/3-0 if we'd have scored in that 20 minutes we were on top in the first half. The players and management deserve a lot of credit for pulling that back to earn a point though because it’s never easy once you go 2 down. No way near as bad overall as some are making out and disappointing to hear one or two boos at half time but I think the last two games have brought some back down to earth because there’s still work to be done, which we all knew and I'm confident we'll continue to improve albeit with some lows along the way.

I think some got too carried away after some good performances against Morecambe, Bradford and Doncaster and are now overacting to these last two results (up until we equalised tonight anyway). Roll on Saturday. (my last game at BP for a while)

Dont want to say anything negative about any of our players so all I will say is  , what a cracker from Matt !!!

I don't agree with all this talk of hoofball. Some posters seem obsessed wtih it - nearly as much as i am obsessed with wanting Fenty out.

We have a great target man in Hanson, who seems to go for every ball in the air, but what is wrong with that? I thought we were crying out for a target man?

Hoofball to me is when all the defenders just wallop it up to the front and hope for the best. We do that sometimes of course, this is division 4 after all, but  where possible they try to find a midfield player.

We didn't play nearly as well last night as we did against Bradford, but to come back from two goals down takes some doing in any division, so great credit to them for that.

I think Vernam is our most skilful player, and should be a shoe in for this team but he is so frustrating. As often happens when he comes on his first touch of the ball is sublime; beats a couple of players on a jinking run and lays it off nicely and then...nothing. He never seems to get the ball after that. He should impose himself much more on the game.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I don't agree with all this talk of hoofball. Some posters seem obsessed wtih it - nearly as much as i am obsessed with wanting Fenty out.

We have a great target man in Hanson, who seems to go for every ball in the air, but what is wrong with that? I thought we were crying out for a target man?

Hoofball to me is when all the defenders just wallop it up to the front and hope for the best. We do that sometimes of course, this is division 4 after all, but  where possible they try to find a midfield player.

We didn't play nearly as well last night as we did against Bradford, but to come back from two goals down takes some doing in any division, so great credit to them for that.

I think Vernam is our most skilful player, and should be a shoe in for this team but he is so frustrating. As often happens when he comes on his first touch of the ball is sublime; beats a couple of players on a jinking run and lays it off nicely and then...nothing. He never seems to get the ball after that. He should impose himself much more on the game.

I agree about Vernam but maybe he needs a certain system to play in. Not professing to be a manager and i would certainly acknowledge that he barely had a pre-season but I would certainly be tempted to play him behind Hanson & Green in a 4-3-1-2 or a 3-4-1-2 which might be better as the wide players in a midfield 4 would be more advanced.

Possibly as follows?

Mckeown

Hendrie Ohman Davis
Hewitt Hess Whitehouse Gibson
Vernam
Hanson Green

Quoted from MuddyWaters

I agree about Vernam but maybe he needs a certain system to play in. Not professing to be a manager and i would certainly acknowledge that he barely had a pre-season but I would certainly be tempted to play him behind Hanson & Green in a 4-3-1-2 or a 3-4-1-2 which might be better as the wide players in a midfield 4 would be more advanced.

Possibly as follows?

Mckeown

Hendrie Ohman Davis
Hewitt Hess Whitehouse Gibson
Vernam
Hanson Green

Interesting ideas for sure, but you would think the management team would have looked at all ways of accomodating him to best efffect.

I think part of the problem lies with the player himself. Half joking, it always seems to me that he thinks a little jinking run with a lay off is job done. Where is the desire to take the game by the scruff of the neck, to score, to create goals and to play for 90 mins? If he is not careful he will be another talented player whose potential was unfullfilled.

Can’t fault the effort, but our passing was very poor and our lack of a midfield play maker was very evident.

A couple of the Colchester players showed how it should be done and in terms of distribution and movement they were the better side.

Though Waterfall looked good in the air at both ends of the pitch.

We just couldn’t put together that killer final ball and appeared to be pumping high balls into the box in the hope that it would break to one of our players, but most of the time their centre backs dealt with things pretty easily.

Ogbu was hit and miss but showed glimpses to suggest there is more to come.

Overall I think we just about deserved our point against a well organised side.