cityexile Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Want to keep perspective, been around more than long enough to know sometimes it's a bad day at the office, key moments go against you, you lose, but... First half was an outright shocker. Frankly looked like we thought all we had to do was turn up and they would do the decent thing and let us have the three points. No energy, heck, even looked like we hardly knew eachother, gave the ball away, lost every single fifty fifty across the park, our right defense was non existent. First goal, maybe a spill from Fielding, maybe a foul, would need to see it again. Was getting to the stage I would have applauded us kicking one of their players one in the air, to show we actually cared! Our fans view at half time was that they all looked totally knackered. Pitch not great by any manner of means, but we will have to play on worse. Were they knackerd? No. Second half pretty much all us. Fluke of a goal to get us back in it, second by Flint, and then for the next 15 just looked like a matter of time. Last 15 they did what you would expect them to do, waste time, mess around etc. By then however they were in a position to do so. Agard and Wilbs both worked hard, but clearly still coming back to match fitness. So. What is the lesson? We have a lot of games like this coming up - away at sides desperate for points. For them, with all due respect, this is more like a cup game against a team a league higher - most expect you to lose, and you can pretty much give if a go from the off. We have to get with that programme right now, realise we have to fight for the right to play from the off, and impose ourselves. Otherwise we are going to be shocked more than once. We are still in a great position. I hear Cotts was angry afterwards. So he should be, and I am sure he will ensure the lesson sticks. It has been a great season. Regroup, move on. But we do need to learn things from this as well. Fair play to the fans who gave it a good go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Cyril Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Great write up, appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 What I want to know - as did about 10 different Col U fans walking back - why on earth did we bring off Matt Smith?? Those tactics last half hour were made for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityexile Posted February 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 What I want to know - as did about 10 different Col U fans walking back - why on earth did we bring off Matt Smith?? Those tactics last half hour were made for him. Not quite sure of the thinking. Just got if back to 3-2, then the change almost straight away, if memory serves. Ayling? What the heck was happening there? Worries me we were forced in to a 442 by no more than an average team giving if a go. Ref let to much go, yes for sure time wasting, but heavens did we made it easy for them to get in a position to do so. We are going to come up with this time and time again in the next few games unless we turn up at the start of the match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumRed Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Was a shocking first half, misplaced passes all over the place, Colchester seemingly able to run down the wings with ease and winning nothing in the middle. Fair play though the 2nd half was better, was worried it could have turned into a rout. Still these things happen and at least 2nd half we put up a fight, I thought we'd nick a draw with 20 mins to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumRed Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 The time wasting was annoying especially by the keeper, looking forward to seeing the look on his face after the fluke goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheresaGreen Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Nice perspective. Agree with a lot you have said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon uk Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 With the 2 games per week for the forseeable future and a run of away games this next few weeks will really make or break us. I was figuring cotterill had done well to cover both wing backs but the 3 defenders and corey smith must be feeling it by now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 The time wasting was annoying especially by the keeper, looking forward to seeing the look on his face after the fluke goal. I had to Wikipedia him to understand the "Gas c---" shouts at him. 15 games on loan to them apparently. Amazing the in depth football knowledge of our fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Wade Elliott was the poorest I have ever seen him. Joe Bryan bottled every challenge. JET didn't seem to give a toss. Smith couldn't keep the ball or keep it in the pitch. Fielding kicking was awful. That entire first half was collective and individual bollocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olé Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Not much to add, the first half was by some distance as bad a half of football as we've played under Cotterill. I actually thought there might be widespread illness in the team they were so off the pace (and it sounded like Cotts had been ill in his interviews this week and Pemberton was doing all the shouting first half). But you're right, it was just total over confidence, in the first minute we actually passed round them with ease and I thought here we go, another easy day, but they themselves must have thought they were pushing against an open door from that first minute as literally from then on, Colchester grew in belief and outran and out worked us for everything. We were crowded out of the wings, Smith did a decent job upfront heading on long balls, but JET was flat footed and no one else was really getting into positions, the ball just never stuck and kept coming back our way, with interest. At the heart of that problem was our midfield, Elliott is a great player but he has days like this where his passing is just poor and he looks careless and a yard or two off the pace. Korey Smith is a fantastic player but I've noticed the past few weeks his passing has been a little looser and less accurate and it was the same today. And Joe Bryan had his worst game for a while. Freeman was still his sublime self, he's half our team at times. I thought it was a mess for the second and it looked like they got lucky with the third as it deflected perfectly into the strikers path. Our lot still didn't look as though they knew they were in a game. We had one good move before halftime but no one was in the box to meet a killer low cross and then Elliot met it from the edge of the box and put it onto the post. I think most people expected then that we just weren't ever going to turn up. Second half started with a bit more purpose but to be honest our goal was a fluke. When it really started to change was when we started to get set pieces into the box or finally get our wide players in behind them from the wings - our game. I think in the end we all thought we'd get an equaliser but probably more hope than expectation as we never hit the gears we normally have and as the OP says, Colchester got bodies behind the ball and started to suck the life out of the game - irritating to see so many of their players going down claiming injury but they had earned the right to kill the game so no grudge with them. We need to look at our tactics when we're chasing a game with limited time - it's not a position we've been in much but we really didn't have many ideas by the last 5 minutes and were punting it upfield and hoping to get a knockdown; contrast with our best play being wingers in behind them. Poor result and nothing to excuse it. Agard was a positive introduction as we didn't trouble them with pace in the first half at all. In the end three things stand out a mile for me from this game. 1. We are going to be very limited up front after Smith goes. 2. God help us if we lose Freeman, he's the only player who never fails to beat players and make things happen (today by no means his best, but still a long way ahead of his teammates), and 3. and most importantly, it seems to me we have some great players who can do some great things, but in the last month I think we've looked far more careless with the ball than before. It's over-confidence and loss of focus. On that last point, examples are Little, one of our best players first half of the season, running convincingly at opponents but losing the ball; Elliott neatly making himself space but then passing in front of an opponent; Korey Smith always in great positions but then vague with his passing; and today Joe Bryan seeming to pick up the same carelessness and lack of precision. So I think the original poster is spot on, we are showing signs of becoming complacent and not being as measured and careful with the football as we had been to get where we are. Of course today is a one off but I thought I'd seen signs of this creeping in recently and today it all bubbled to the surface. Hopefully this is a lesson and the team can re-focus and play every game like a cup tie and not a formality. Perhaps tiredness of two games a week is catching up too, but Cotts has more squad rotation options than he's perhaps using. Finally a word for the SUPERFANS at Colchester. They know who they are. Yes it was flat in the away end too but some of the abuse dished out by no more than one or two SUPERFANS to their own lot was embarrassing and a f---ing liberty. It isn't a competition to be a SUPERFAN, some of us know exactly what effort we put into being City fans, and don't need to be repeatedly berated and abused for not joining in 25 choruses of Red Army at 3-0 down. People who were there know what I'm talking about, it was directed at 90% of the City fans - it seems pretty obvious to me these blokes are totally insecure and need to constantly point out what SUPERFANS they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwicolin Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Well what every happened , looks like Colchester deserved to win. They are fighting for points. Lets go into the next game and win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityexile Posted February 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Wade Elliott was the poorest I have ever seen him. Joe Bryan bottled every challenge. JET didn't seem to give a toss. Smith couldn't keep the ball or keep it in the pitch. Fielding kicking was awful. That entire first half was collective and individual bollocks. I think that is the key thing - I 'get' losing. It was simply however a laughable first half, and for all that, they needed to use all sorts of crapping around to hang on in the end. Fair play for getting back in to it, but when we started playing we were clearly the better side. Cannot really understand how our normally pretty secure 532 just fell apart! I do want to not panic over this last bit, but we are now going to be heavily dependent very shortly on Wilbs and Agard. We need them back to 100% quickly - and they are not yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 I would agree on the superfan bit. We were 3-0 down. Just because several rows in front want to sit down, watch the utter shite football and not stand up to another "stand up if you hate the gas " - does not mean they are not fans. We were all there today supporting the club. We don't need to be told who is more a fan than others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hortonred Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Wade Elliott was the poorest I have ever seen him. Joe Bryan bottled every challenge. JET didn't seem to give a toss. Smith couldn't keep the ball or keep it in the pitch. Fielding kicking was awful. That entire first half was collective and individual bollocks. That sums it up perfectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olé Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 I would agree on the superfan bit. We were 3-0 down. Just because several rows in front want to sit down, watch the utter shite football and not stand up to another "stand up if you hate the gas " - does not mean they are not fans. We were all there today supporting the club. We don't need to be told who is more a fan than others. Amen brother. I'm fine with the odd remark at the odd game and often a well placed call to action in the Dolman gets everyone going, but it was all bloody day today and I don't mean the "Stand up.." songs, I mean the subsequent sniping and abusing everyone else - it was embarrassing and blatantly not an attempt to get people involved, just an attempt to make one or two of them feel like superfans. I can't say I've heard "Stand up if you love city" rolled out quite so many times in any other game I've ever been to, but it got so many goes just as an excuse to then abuse every other City fan there. "Miserable c--ts". "Why did you come all this way just to sit there" "You're not f--king city fans." How insecure are these clowns about their own loyalty that they needed to continually question everyone elses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
And Its Smith Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Are the superfans about 18 years old? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeade Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Agree with lots of previous posts and two pacy wide men on Williams and Ayling is causing us big problems (aka Sheff U). Fielding howler for first and was like playing Barca in 1st half as they just ran through us. Elliott was shocking and aside from MK has been for weeks.Now two people I don't particularly rate in Little and Agard were really good and Tavernier is clearly a confidence player as improved so much. That said I would have have taken Tavernier off and moved Agard to the right as pitch forced us to go long and set plays remain our biggest threat. As for super fans told a couple to shut up and they are in serious danger of getting lumped as everyone supports the club and love them and show emotions in different ways! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumRed Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 I would agree on the superfan bit. We were 3-0 down. Just because several rows in front want to sit down, watch the utter shite football and not stand up to another "stand up if you hate the gas " - does not mean they are not fans. We were all there today supporting the club. We don't need to be told who is more a fan than others. I was at the front today in the 'sitting' section, couple of little uns (who were brilliant, one suggested he'd like to go to the park after the 3rd went in) in front of me and surrounded by those picking up their winter fuel payments. Free seating allows those to sit at the front so they can get a view and still sit. 'A sit where you want' game always sorts itself into the usual structure and I think works well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoldenBall Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 So nothing on Fielding flapping another cross which concedes us another goal? He has his good points but his flapping is costing us more goals recently. Elliot has somehow become one of our influential players to complete liability in a couple of months. All teams need to do is press us in groups of 3's and we look lost, very concerning for a top of the table team who you'd think would deal with high pressing. And our manager crying about the pitch, the weather, the seagull that flew over the stadium when their player was unmarked for their 2nd goal, is all very embarrassing. I truly hope he told them about their first half performance in private. We somehow have to bounce back against a very tricky Donny side, a lot of travelling and a lot of soul searching to be done. And where the **** has Saville gone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC RISK77 Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityexile Posted February 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 So nothing on Fielding flapping another cross which concedes us another goal? He has his good points but his flapping is costing us more goals recently. Elliot has somehow become one of our influential players to complete liability in a couple of months. All teams need to do is press us in groups of 3's and we look lost, very concerning for a top of the table team who you'd think would deal with high pressing. And our manager crying about the pitch, the weather, the seagull that flew over the stadium when their player was unmarked for their 2nd goal, is all very embarrassing. I truly hope he told them about their first half performance in private. We somehow have to bounce back against a very tricky Donny side, a lot of travelling and a lot of soul searching to be done. And where the **** has Saville gone? I have a feeling he did. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, having listened to it, his whole body language seemed to be seething, at the team, who 'just did not turn up for the first half'. Think a lot of his other comments were displacement, for really trying to avoid saying something he would regret about his own team! Odd final comment about asked that 'now has a few days to get them focused' replied something along the lines of 'well, we will see...'. Clearly not a happy bunny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bucksred Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Ayling pulled off cos he was struggling with the U's pace then I take it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumRed Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Ayling pulled off cos he was struggling with the U's pace then I take it? He was struggling, looked a bit lost, no idea the reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumRed Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 I'd also add that the midfield looked short againt theirs so all the high ball stuff 'head tennis' led to them winning the headers in the first half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llewy's right boot Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Seems our best performance this year was the West Ham game. Struggled since then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bucksred Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 He was struggling, looked a bit lost, no idea the reason. Sounded as if Tavernier was as well, is that fair comment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumRed Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 In defence of JET, which I will always do (even against the evidence of my own eyes sometimes, I'll be honest). He was marked tightly and aggressively by a number of players and it was almost like going back to the Goater days. 2 down give it to JET no matter how many players are around him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeade Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Tavernier poor to start with and didn't protect Ayling....scored a fluke then was a different player Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo88 Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 It was a bit depressing to read the posts but, in the main, they are very good. They told it like it was. Dire performance and some less than wonderful "support" from some of the fans. Never mind, the new unbeaten run starts on Tuesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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