Tonight

[cahill]

The players looked oddly casual tonight and the crowd had a resigned air about it, almost as if expectations weren't there. Perhaps that was the key to a 4-1 win. JCR struggled tonight, Baxter didn't have his passing boots on and Murph was relatively quiet. Matty Done by running like a lunatic forced hurried balls from defenders which more often than not put United on the attack. He was the bright spark for the night. I enjoy Che's movement and enthusiasm. Basham is becoming my favourite player. Harris almost never lets the team down. Turner looked assured at the back.

 

[felix]

There's a space at the end of the pitch, 8 feet x 8 yards, and the object is to get the ball into it, which we would do more often if we actually kicked the ball in that direction. Tonight's statistics: Shots 4 Goals 4. Passes backwards and sideways approximately 1000.

4-1 is a very satisfying result to sleep on but I thought the team played no better than against Preston. Colchester's defence was terrible. It took one pass from Harris and a great finish from Done to score the second goal, illustrating that passing the ball forwards is a very good idea it you want to see it go into the net. I couldn't understand the first goal but it looked like bad goalkeeping, the third was a cracking shot but Colchester's players failed miserably to get a challenge in while McEveley strolled towards the penalty box, and the fourth goal was a gift; a stupid penalty given away when there was little danger.

Matt Done was great. His goal was beautifully taken (and after seeing film of his Rochdale goals it was no surprise to see him tuck it into the corner) and his turn and finish for the one that was disallowed was lovely. Otherwise we played some very sloppy stuff and a better side than Col U would have punished us for it.

 

[TheBeard]

What I liked about Done was that he sat on the back four, which puts the defence constantly under pressure. He needs to time his runs better and perhaps angle some of his runs but pressing the defence like he did you will get caught offside on occasions

 

[diplomat]

I thought that until Done scored we were using him as an inappropriate target. He barely touched it despite running about 10k and was offside a lot which I think demonstrated how unused to being the target he was (I am open to being corrected on that). However, the first time we give it him facing the goal, running toward it he looked great and scored. I'd like to see him as the second striker rather than the top one.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

With Swindon losing, it gives us back that tiny chink of hope that we could win our games in hand and then make up nine points on them. However, MK and Preston would both need to go on poor runs and we'd need to win virtually every game.

At the moment the 'Magic number' for automatic (based on 2nd places current PPG, and our rubbish goal difference) is 91. We'd have to raise our game to 2.58 points per game to get there (49 out of a possible 57pts).

Ain't going to happen.

 

[grafikhaus]

Unfortunately, whenever we get a decent result this season we seem to lose or draw the next one.

And who's up next? Oh yes. Bristol City. The way Colchester ripped us apart for their goal suggests you may be right, Dkc!

 

[Shalalalafenoughty]

from John Street it looked like 4-4-2 to me with Baxter playing off Done

You need to go that extra mile, Bartman, and actually come through the turnstile.

 

[HillmortonBlade]

Quickly, it was still 4-5-1 with Done lone striker, Done looked good, offside far to often first half, harasses the defense nicely and he has a eye for goal, certainly is not scared to shoot.
Holt I forgot was even playing when he got subbed on and when I did notice him he seemed too negative, always passing backwards.

I wasn't at the match last night, I put that proviso in straight away. I am looking at the score and reading the comments about how we played and how Colchester had us on the back foot for periods of the match. I side with the comments about Holt though, not really understanding why a pass backwards is negative? Was it lack of ideas or was it retaining possession and creating from the back? Am just a bit confused as I would never criticise a player for playing back to retain possession and create a new opportunity. As I say, just reading the comments and looking at the final score.

 

[itsinyerblood]

I wasn't at the match last night, I put that proviso in straight away. I am looking at the score and reading the comments about how we played and how Colchester had us on the back foot for periods of the match. I side with the comments about Holt though, not really understanding why a pass backwards is negative? Was it lack of ideas or was it retaining possession and creating from the back? Am just a bit confused as I would never criticise a player for playing back to retain possession and create a new opportunity. As I say, just reading the comments and looking at the final score.

Interestingly, I read a post (don't ask which one) that commented positively about Holt's brief appearance. It wasn't glowing, but it did suggest that Holt had moments that were decent contributions to the performance. It'll take time for the fella to assimilate himself into the team, so I'm not expecting (although I'd love this to be the case) trees to be pulled up, just a steady display of the basics performed well.

 

[HillmortonBlade]

Interestingly, I read a post (don't ask which one) that commented positively about Holt's brief appearance. It wasn't glowing, but it did suggest that Holt had moments that were decent contributions to the performance. It'll take time for the fella to assimilate himself into the team, so I'm not expecting (although I'd love this to be the case) trees to be pulled up, just a steady display of the basics performed well.

The next match I can get to is Notts County and looking forward to hopefully seeing Holt and Done especially, assuming NC plays a similar team.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

I wasn't at the match last night, I put that proviso in straight away. I am looking at the score and reading the comments about how we played and how Colchester had us on the back foot for periods of the match. I side with the comments about Holt though, not really understanding why a pass backwards is negative? Was it lack of ideas or was it retaining possession and creating from the back? Am just a bit confused as I would never criticise a player for playing back to retain possession and create a new opportunity. As I say, just reading the comments and looking at the final score.

Will attempt to explain the booing for Holt. He was unlucky that we had been playing sideways and backwards and it was the last straw for some of the fans. The ethos seems, keep possession, when fans want a bit of excitement, hence the moans and groans.

There is very little movement from our players in front of the ball, so when a player wants to play a forward pass there wasn't one on. Coutts (most of match) and Doyle played centre mid and sort of sat a bit deep. Colchester did the usual away tactics against us and closed us down which is a tactic we have not learnt how to play against.

The crowd saw Colchester get 7 corners in the first half and actually take the game to us - it was only because they were crap that we got 4 goals. Great save from Turner from Porter at 1 nil to us. Might have been going wide, but still an excellent save.

If ever I have seen an unconvincing 4-1 win then it was last night - really weird game to watch.

Still plenty of work for the coaching staff to do.

UTB

 

[bartman]

You need to go that extra mile, Bartman, and actually come through the turnstile.

 

[HillmortonBlade]

Will attempt to explain the booing for Holt. He was unlucky that we had been playing sideways and backwards and it was the last straw for some of the fans. The ethos seems, keep possession, when fans want a bit of excitement, hence the moans and groans.

There is very little movement from our players in front of the ball, so when a player wants to play a forward pass there wasn't one on. Coutts (most of match) and Doyle played centre mid and sort of sat a bit deep. Colchester did the usual away tactics against us and closed us down which is a tactic we have not learnt how to play against.

The crowd saw Colchester get 7 corners in the first half and actually take the game to us - it was only because they were crap that we got 4 goals. Great save from Turner from Porter at 1 nil to us. Might have been going wide, but still an excellent save.

If ever I have seen an unconvincing 4-1 win then it was last night - really weird game to watch.

Still plenty of work for the coaching staff to do.

UTB

I've seen that during the season, so the booing more about the style of play than Holt himself? It just seems a bit harsh on the lad. Had been giving the ball away then fair enough. Thanks for the explanation, BTW

 

[itsinyerblood]

The next match I can get to is Notts County and looking forward to hopefully seeing Holt and Done especially, assuming NC plays a similar team.

After last night my assumption is that Done is a shoe-in to start the game, unless he's injured of course. Again, from reading reports, there were many examples of both a new player and the existing squad getting used to one another. Timing a run, as well as the hoped for pass, is something they'll practice and hopefully bring into a game with the improved understanding of what each other expects. As for Holt, reading Fulwood Blade's description above, if he's told to play in a certain way you can't blame the lad. I think we'd all like to see more imagination and threat, and seeing Clough's post-match analysis, I think NC would like to see the team be more expressive and tighten the noose, especially when we have a 3 goal lead.

 

[Rossb123]

Things we learnt from last night............Baxter is a very good player that needs to stay in our starting 11 for years to come and Done loves running.

 

[Wards]

Ironically we didn't keep hold of the ball at all in the first half. I had no problem with Holt, will get better and certainly no need to boo him for keeping hold of it. Have to remember a lot of our fans are braindead and only happy if we're twatting it 80 yards up the pitch in the general direction of the goal.

 

[Bergen Blade]

At the moment the 'Magic number' for automatic (based on 2nd places current PPG, and our rubbish goal difference) is 91. We'd have to raise our game to 2.58 points per game to get there (49 out of a possible 57pts).

Ain't going to happen.

We'll have to hope that Swindon (2 defeats in 3) and MK Dons' (1 win in 4) form represent the start of a trend for them.

 

[shorehamview]

what did Holt look like in his half hour?

His knees looked like strangers to each other, he's a proper bandy-legged fellow. Looks like he couldn't stop a pig in an alleyway.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Will attempt to explain the booing for Holt. He was unlucky that we had been playing sideways and backwards and it was the last straw for some of the fans. The ethos seems, keep possession, when fans want a bit of excitement, hence the moans and groans.

There is very little movement from our players in front of the ball, so when a player wants to play a forward pass there wasn't one on. Coutts (most of match) and Doyle played centre mid and sort of sat a bit deep. Colchester did the usual away tactics against us and closed us down which is a tactic we have not learnt how to play against.

The crowd saw Colchester get 7 corners in the first half and actually take the game to us - it was only because they were crap that we got 4 goals. Great save from Turner from Porter at 1 nil to us. Might have been going wide, but still an excellent save.

If ever I have seen an unconvincing 4-1 win then it was last night - really weird game to watch.

Still plenty of work for the coaching staff to do.

UTB

Nigel Clough said "we want the players to play the ball forward a bit more than they did. That comes from fear and lack of confidence when they're going backwards instead of forwards".

Sometimes when a player looks for someone to pass to, there is nobody moving in front of them. You can then sometimes tell the difference between confident, skilful players with good composure who will shrug off a challenge, find some space and then play it forward, and players who lack all that and just play a safe pass sideways or backwards. The latter player will most of the time escape blame (he doesn't give the ball away), but he's not taking responsibility when it comes to creating chances.

It is not easy for young/new players though. They're often scared of losing the ball in dangerous positions.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

We'll have to hope that Swindon (2 defeats in 3) and MK Dons' (1 win in 4) form represent the start of a trend for them.

And hope that prestons 2 wins in 2 doesn't represent the start of a trend for them.

 

[Bergen Blade]

It was definitely more of a 4-4-1-1 Tommas, with Baxter playing behind Done.

When I saw the team I hoped that would be how we'd line up, otherwise we would have been to static in midfield.

We may stick with this tweak for these reasons:

• With Coutts and Doyle we may have a duo who is strong enough to work as a holding duo.
• Scougall has been one of the reasons we've kept playing the 4-1-4-1, but now he's unavailable. Cuvelier is not in the squad at the moment.
• With Baxter given less defensive work load, he may have more energy to use in attacking situations
• Baxter has an eye for a through ball and in Done we finally have a striker who's both pacey and determined to run in behind defences. It can be a good combination when they get used to eachother.
• Done's stretching defences may open up more space in front of them, and Baxter in an advanced role can hopefully take advantage, hopefully getting to shoot more often as well.

Possible disadvantages:

• Slightly more defensive work for wingers.
• Both central midfielders must hold back more, i.e. we may have one less players joining in with attacks
• Central midfielders will have a bit more ground to cover defensively.

 

[MBoreman]

There's a space at the end of the pitch, 8 feet x 8 yards, and the object is to get the ball into it, which we would do more often if we actually kicked the ball in that direction. Tonight's statistics: Shots 4 Goals 4. Passes backwards and sideways approximately 1000.

This is the thing that annoys me most about our fans. They can't go forwards all the time, with sides getting behind the ball you have to keep the ball and look for an opportunity. Fans moan for the ball to go forward, so the players force it, then lose possession, so those same fans moan again! It's ridiculous, the loudest noises last night were at mistakes and people were shouting at players for keeping the ball at 4-1. Unbelievable.

Harris passed forward because their was space to pass into, which often there isn't so you have to move sideways and backwards to create it and wait for a chance.

Our fans moan when it's passed around centre halfs, yet moan again if the other team are doing it and we aren't stopping them!

 

[MBoreman]

Will attempt to explain the booing for Holt. He was unlucky that we had been playing sideways and backwards and it was the last straw for some of the fans. The ethos seems, keep possession, when fans want a bit of excitement, hence the moans and groans.



UTB

We were 4-1 up what do the fans expect? That groanings what puts players off doing anything risky for fear of losing it and being lamented.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

I've seen that during the season, so the booing more about the style of play than Holt himself? It just seems a bit harsh on the lad. Had been giving the ball away then fair enough. Thanks for the explanation, BTW

It wasn't against Holt - more against "another" player who turns backwards and plays it backwards.
Colchester were very active in closing us down, so whilst understandable - some fans just see the negativity of it.
Our style appears to try and keep possession, and move the opposition about and look for an opening.

UTB

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Nigel Clough said "we want the players to play the ball forward a bit more than they did. That comes from fear and lack of confidence when they're going backwards instead of forwards".

Sometimes when a player looks for someone to pass to, there is nobody moving in front of them. You can then sometimes tell the difference between confident, skilful players with good composure who will shrug off a challenge, find some space and then play it forward, and players who lack all that and just play a safe pass sideways or backwards. The latter player will most of the time escape blame (he doesn't give the ball away), but he's not taking responsibility when it comes to creating chances.

It is not easy for young/new players though. They're often scared of losing the ball in dangerous positions.

Don't disagree with those comments - one of the issues again was yet another change in midfield. Coutts and Doyle in centre mid and with the amount of possession Colchester had it was at times a bit embarrassing.
Lack of confidence is also correct - it just doesn't help with the team changing every week.
The lack of a forward pass is difficult to comprehend as "movement" should be taught in training - and the lack of it in games seems to be that we don't practice against teams that close us down - we just struggle against them - ie: Colchester last night.

It was just a weird game last night, and not really pretty to watch. Think I learnt one thing - Done is a decent player. Playing Couuts and Doyle in centre mid doesn't seem to work and unsure whether NC sees this as regular.

Interesting times as usual - don't you just love football !

UTB

 

[Cyprus Blade]

Our style appears to try and keep possession, and move the opposition about and look for an opening.

On the basis of - if we have it they can't score. Didn't Nigel's dad say that once years ago.

 

[HillmortonBlade]

On the basis of - if we have it they can't score. Didn't Nigel's dad say that once years ago.

I wonder if it's my mindset sometimes, of course I enjoy flowing attractive attacking football. But I prefer not being honourable losers in that regard. Keep possession, don't concede... And then score four goals!

 

[Punk Blade]

I think all this booing Holt stuff is way out of context.

First, I didn't hear any booing from the Kop end of JSS. There may have been a bit of groaning, which I can understand.

The two occasions I mentioned, and particularly the second, he received the ball in more space than anyone else in midfield in the entire game. Even then I wouldn't mind a choice of knocking it back to a centre back just to keep possession and protect a lead. But without checking what was around him he carried the ball backwards ten yards at pace before laying it off for a centre back. We even asked each other if he knew which way we were kicking.

I am not criticising the lad, I'm stating what I observed from him and that it wasn't very impressive in my opinion, especially given I had believed he was meant to be an attack-minded midfield player. Maybe I was poorly informed. Either way I will not judge him on 15 minutes. But if someone wants to know how he played, his most notable contribution was twice carrying the ball backwards under no pressure whatsoever when he had 10-20 yards of space into which he could have taken the ball forward.

 

[bladesadviser]

It was one of the strangest games I can remember, two nil up at half time but could have been three two down, the first goal most people in the stadium thought the linesman had disallowed, Done on his debut didn't touch the ball for 35 minutes then scored an absolute cracker, after which he ran Colchester ragged, he then scored a terrific second which the referee ruled out for hand ball, (presumably the hand must have grown out of his boot) Then Macevely after looking nervous in defence again scored a worldy and it was basically game over.

To add to the strangeness the Colchester centre forward looked incredibly mobile and strong in the first half before looking like Chirs Porter in the second half.

The atmosphere also summed things up, most people looking very bewildered.

I think this sums up what I thought, enjoyed it as a 4-1 win but bewildered is a good phrase!!. I felt when we scored the first half the crowd didn't know what to do and it was a muffled " have we really scored in the first 10 mins" type of thing"

I was watching Done for the first half and he led the line really well but got no service which is why he was offside a few times. I pointed it out to the lad sat next to me, next minute Bob sent a super pass and he scores. His second goal never went near his hand and to me the test is do the defenders appeal en masse and I may be wrong but I didn't see any appeal and in fact two had turned to go back to the centre. The linesman on that side was hopeless all night

I think we had the question "is he a striker" answered about Done but will need the service to feet

 

[Treeton Blade]

Done needs a partner, but was a constant menace to the defence, Holt is no better, perhaps worse than what we have. Seen him twice, it`s a NO from me.