Cambridge (H) Match Thread

Broadly speaking, nothing up front until Gibson came on and no pace at the back were where the points were lost. With three new additions, a game we could easily win against another very ordinary looking side..

Quoted from devs

Left ourselves too much to do - as ever
But second half much much better
And we managed to have sustained pressure
2/3 better forward players and I think we will be OK

Bennett
Gibson
Morais
All good today

Rose - too slow/ponderous?
Green - sorry but he's gone

Tilley - if not injured then being taken off half time won't be good for him

Jackson - struggling at this level

90% of problem is up top

Hurst knows this and will sort it

Is Jackson struggling? Scored a couple of goals and I'm pretty sure he's hardly had more than a couple of sub appearances and maybe 1 start? Opinions can be funny things but I guess this is why fans aren't managers. I also feel like Rose is one of the better of our signings this season, not every player is a skinny whippet who can run fast, Pollock is slow too but nobody gets on his case because he comes from our youth system. We've had players who were never particularly fast but good at moving the ball around that can be good players. Sometimes you need players with a bit of build like Rose and Pollock as they don't get bullied off the ball so easily.

Green is an oddball, sometimes he'll have a good game and show he's capable then the next 3 games he'll be lazy and predictable.

At least Gibson is a handful and makes a nuisance of himself. Feels like Green is pretty easy for centre backs to play against now. A striker has to be number one priority though surely.

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

At least Gibson is a handful and makes a nuisance of himself. Feels like Green is pretty easy for centre backs to play against now. A striker has to be number one priority though surely.

Two strikers

Based on today`s performances I would say that these 4 should be shown the door:

Green.... obviously.
Rose. Not good enough - misses too many balls.
Hewitt. Despite the goal, I don`t think he cuts it. Too many mistakes.
Preston. No coincidence that teams like to attack on his side of the defence?

Preston is a boy doing a mans job. He had never played a league game until this season. It's shameful that we don't have someone more experienced at left back. Preston should be a back up.

I write this every January transfer window, as we’re always desperate for a striker around this time, any player in form or who knows where the goal is, will not be leaving their current club, so once again we are going to have to scrape around for either a young lad from premiership/ championship or  someone from the conference which would mean getting the cheque book out.

Quoted from Gaffer58

I write this every January transfer window, as we’re always desperate for a striker around this time, any player in form or who knows where the goal is, will not be leaving their current club, so once again we are going to have to scrape around for either a young lad from premiership/ championship or  someone from the conference which would mean getting the cheque book out.

Not necessarily. There will be strikers out there not getting a game. Some teams have more than 2 or 3 strikers on the books, unlike us. There will be teams that want to strengthen their defence maybe and will let a striker go. Squad caps mean teams have to offload to bring others in.

Opinions on Williams? Obviously had been a quality player pre-injury. Looks pretty anonymous when he comes on, with fairly poor/consistently low-loft deliveries. Sadly not showing to be the player I'd hoped , but maybe Hurst can get something out of him. Almost looks scared to challenge/be on the ball... Wonder if it's because of his broken leg?

Injuries often change players for one reason or another. Or, have we simply not seen him have enough of a run in the side to judge yet?

We need a striker (big and mobile LJL style) a left back and a midfielder who can carry the ball forwards, and if not using Hewitt as a centre back we need a Toto type asap. Bennet had a decent game after the failed freekicks, Green a waste of space (how do you not even get a shot off when clean through). Dont anyone call me a liar but I saw Williams do a tackle on 88mins, well I say a tackle he stood a foot in front of their player (facing him and not running away) and he kicked it at him and it landed at his feet
Decent 2nd half and should have got a point in the end but it took till 70mins for any of our midfielders to run into the box, and put any proper pressure on. As said earlier our keeper only had 4 shots to face, but typically a big deflection to set it all downhill from the start.