Colchester Match

[DarrenGNFC]

Well someone has to make a thread. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

 

We lost 6-0 for those who don't know. I didn't think we played very well and I'm quite sure that Number 24 (Grant?)'s header straight into the goalie's arms was our only attempt on target.

 

I thought their Number 26 Chris Iwelumo looked pretty good.

 

I thought James Smith looked very good at the back for us.

 

The new match programme looked good but is it really that hard to check the spelling? ("Norfleet" on the back, "Officail" on the front) <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

 

Ah well, they are a League One team...thought they could've brought more fans though...

 

Team was:

 

Kerr (Mott...?), Gooding(Protheroe) McCarthy, Smith, Skinner(Glozier), Drury, Saunders, Bowry, Lovell(Jackson), McDonald(Omoyinmi), No. 24 (Boot)

 

I think...

[Harry J Allstars]

Uninspired, dull and boring.

 

We lacked pace at the back, height up front and dare I say bring back Roy. No we weren't that bad, but we do need a Roy Essandoh'esque player with the stature t get amonst the opposition defence and mix it up a bit.

 

Tonights peformance was much like many from last season, keeper starts with the ball pass' to midfield who the move ball to one of the wingers who stand about twenty yards out on the left.

 

Very good you might think, all we need to do now is get the ball in to the box and have a chance on goal, at the end of the day all we want is chances on goal.

 

However this is not what we got for much of last season and indeed not tonight. When it got to the wingers it for some reason got passed back down to the midfield and then aimlessly kicked forward towards the goal. Why? We have no Essandoh anymore.

 

However the one thing that was different from last season and tonight is that opposition teams don't seem to capitalise on the the lack of pase at the back, tonight they did.

 

Okay so it's preseason and they are two leagues above us and after goal three I just started laughing and clapping their goals, but improvement needs to be made.

 

After the game I went into the bar, not one payer turned up. Supposedly thats was because they had all been given a good telling off from Daish and were sent home with a flee in each of their ears.

 

Fortunatly though it was just a preseason and we can laugh about it so when we walk to the Conference title this year lets this be an example of how far we've come.

 

I made a bet today on confguide with an Exeter fan who thinks they're going to beat us 5-0. He bet me £10 they would so even if we lose 4-0 I'm quids in, unfortunatly I think I'd better start saving.

[American FLEET FAN No1]

I wonder if the players didn't show up in the bar because they are in training for the coming season...........Nah..........Far too logical!

[Drummer Scott]

Could have played a lot better. Agree with Darren20 that James Smith played very well, also Bobby Bowry played well tonight.

 

But overall even if they are 2 leagues above us I think it would be fair to say that they showed it.

[FleetFanatic]

Quote:

Harry J Allstars said:
Why? We have no Essandoh anymore.

I wasn't there tonight (working) but can I suggest an alternative answer?

For years, Gravesend haven't had a striker who will take on the last defender.
Why?
'Ooh last defender to beat....let's knock it out wide and wait for the cross'
(which invariably goes out for a goal-kick of is overhit and goes for a throw.)

Take on the last defender on for gawd's sake!
If he sticks his leg out & catches you, great - penalty.
If he doesn't then the striker should be capable of slamming it past the 'keeper.

I'm not worried about the team losing 6-0 in a friendly against a team from a higher league.
I AM worried about how lacklustre our attacking performances seem to be under Daish,
even more so than under Andy Ford.

Let's go for goals, if you score 5 then the opponent has to score 6!

[Gravesend Gills]

and score 6 they did.

[RedNotDead]

Which is about the size of your first team squad isn't it?

[ned the red]

I have heard that Grays beat Colchester over the weekend.

Can't wait for August 16th!!!

[Gravesend Gills]

If Colchester managed to put six past your lot then we'd hit double figures at least.

[Ding]

I thought the tannoy said No. 24 was Kim Grant, when he was substituted. The man next to me also heard this and said he used to play for Millwall.

 

We just have to hope this is the bottom of our performance level and not nearer the peak.

 

Have to agree we need some one of Essandoh's height. Has anyone heard if he's signed for someone else yet?

 

Note to Gravesend Gill I hope Colchester do get double figures when you meet!

[DarrenGNFC]

Essandoh is on trial at Kettering. He played in their game tonight aswell as their game on Saturday.

 

Kim Grant? Former Charlton player? Ah, wow. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[JimGNFC]

A report of the match can be found here:

 

http://www.cu-fc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Home/0,,10424,00.html

 

Its only Pre-Season and long since learnt not to read to much into pre-season results but 2 things were apparent to me:

 

a) The absence of a big Target Man. This was compounded by the fact that in Chris Iwelumo (6 feet 4) Colchester had a Peter Crouch type player that we couldn't handle and desperately need in our forward line. The guy has been playing in Germany according to soccerbase.com

 

Of greater concern - our 2 goalkeepers seemed very short in comparison to both Pullen and Wilkerson. Now they may not be facing players of the quality of Chris Iwelumo every week but they will come up against big 6"4 Conference Centre half's every week coming up for set pieces. In such cases, the keeper has to ensure he is first to the ball - this didn't happen tonight.

[Bloodnock]

Kim Grant also played for Yeovil in 2002,not sure for how long,as has been said we do need a target man someone with aerial presence,and there doesn't seem to be anyone on the horizon.

Daish seems to sign good defenders and hard working midfielders but where's the flair players and strikers?

[Guest]

Is anyone able to tell us who the subs on the bench were who didn't make it on to the pitch last night?? Are they all triallists or youth team or???

[Harry J Allstars]

Had time to thinl and to sleep on it. upon reflection things weren't so bad they were two leagues above us but like I say things need to change and rapidly.

 

We could get beat like that every week in the conference if things don't improve, lets just say this will mark how far we've come.

 

Also I think we could need a new goalkeeper, or maybe an old one. Anyone got Pullens number?

 

And to think Grays confortably beat this lot 2-1 at the weekend. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

[mikefleet]

i thought we were very poor in the 1st half.

Kerr the goalie in the 1st half had a nightmare, the 1st goal he called and missed it, 2nd and 3rd he was all over the place, Mott wasn't to bad but really didnt have as much to do.

 

Keith/Kim Grant looked good and i remeber his name from Millwall i few years ago if its the right man.

 

Tony Boot dont know why hes on trial, just sign him, good player, plays at this level, easy signing.

 

James Smith played well, didnt know how tall he was, good old centre half and with Macca alongside him he can only get better. Daniel Glozer, played well but i dont know where he going to fit into the side.

 

Nice new burger bar, hope thats there for the season!!

[Harry J Allstars]

Quote:

mikefleet said:
2nd and 3rd he was all over the place,

Your very much mistaken Mike. The third goal was his fault but the second was just a case of Skins getting out paced and not enough hoofing the ball away.

The first one was also his fault, came to punch it and missed it. I'm trying to remember what happened for the third one, I remember thinking it was his fault but can't quite remember why?

[Matt (GNFC)]

We have a lot of work to do its worrying. As i said earlier this match i felt was going to be the benchmark as we were playing good opposition but not Premiership standard. Lets face it Colcehster will probably be mid to bottom half of league 1 and to be frank to lose 6-0 is shocking. We were poor i thought and people have already summed up our deficiencies. Im also nervous that we still dont seem to have much clue about new signings. Mike, im willing to give Boot a chance but he left Daggers because he was only going to be a bit player this year for them yet comes to our cr*p side and looks good. Dagenham should be our benchmark and this season will tell but i think we're falling behind them. Why, becuase they have an Andy Ford type manager Jon Still who has an excellent knowledge of non league football. Im not convinced Daish has and im nervous about us signing journeyman footballers as full time pros.

[thatguy]

Quote:

Gravesend Gills said:
If Colchester managed to put six past your lot then we'd hit double figures at least.

You haven't even got payment for players which is in double figures!

[49er]

Take comfort,lad's our reserves (Welling) beat Stevenage 2_0.Seriously,though,most of the Colchester team seemed to be about a foot taller than ours,and a yard or two faster.We definitely need a big front player to win the ball in the air....Dare I say a certain Mr Essandoh? Anyway it was good to see Manny back,he looked sharper for the little time he was on.