Colchester Match Reactions

[Simi]

On a positive note - Colchester had won 11 games in a row at home and we managed to end it.

True. It is still a good result but can't help thinking we deserved all 3 points looking at the stats.

[Flynny]

Hmm that puts such a positive spin on today's game

Well it was a positive game, wrecked by a twat of a referee. We did nearly everything right, really.

[cisono]

Hume should really keep that tongue in...

perhaps the referee thought Hume was showing him disrespect?

[cisono]

Then let Stowell take charge of the post-match interview. Nothing will ever be looked into or changed unless something is said, and lets face it, Kelly will not say anything too serious about the ref will he?

Let us use pictures then...

[Guest Gist]

Oi, Im Greek and we dont break plates at weddings!!!!!!!!

Anyway, I said it on the ref thread.

We played well, hit the target 9 times and they only hit the target once (73rd min). They got a dodgy peno and were getting home decisions.

We should be proud of our lads as thats the first time they have dropped points at home in 12 games

Well said

And by the sounds of it we were robbed with the peno.

[Flynny]

Let us use pictures then...

Shocking. Absolutely shocking. We're getting raped by a referee who forgot to bring his white stick and black glasses and all Kelly can do is sing YMCA. Sack him now .

[Cobbo]

True. It is still a good result but can't help thinking we deserved all 3 points looking at the stats.

I agree, but just wanted to make us feel a bit better.

[Jonbluefox9]

Then let Stowell take charge of the post-match interview. Nothing will ever be looked into or changed unless something is said, and lets face it, Kelly will not say anything too serious about the ref will he?

The only thing that will be looked into or changed if Stowell does the post match interview is whether Radio Leicester should ever do a live interview with him ever again. Rob is a passionate man he just knows that spouting off won't do himself any good because they FA don't care if what's said is true.

[Thracian]

Two points lost for me...and for the usual wholly predictable reasons, even if the referee did contribute.

We conceded the one goal minimum that we usually concede and failed to take enough chances for it not to matter.

I think Williams, just once, was our only midfielder to have a shot which is nowhere near good enough.

And Fryatt, despite a good enough general performance and an assist for Hume's goal, continued his woeful spell of failing to score.

And still we stick with the formulae - as if 1-1 against Colchester is an achievement. It isn't.

We HAVE to increase our scoring potential.

Otherwise, like today, we can't even win when we play reasonably well. And that won't ever get you near the top end of the table.

It's all about ambition I suppose. And some people just seem to have low expectations and no will to demand the necessary alterations.

They're saying it on the radio now - talking about being relatively happy.

Well if you're going to be happy with that - and it was basically a decent first half rather than a full match - then you're just setting your sights too low.

We're seventh from bottom and that's still a disgrace for a club like Leicester. It's still almost as low as we've ever been.

Taggart talks about how well we close down and he's right.

But results are not all about closing down. We put so much emphasis on closing people down and so few resources into scoring that we'll forever fall short until we think again.

[lcfc_jme]

The only thing that will be looked into or changed if Stowell does the post match interview is whether Radio Leicester should ever do a live interview with him ever again. Rob is a passionate man he just knows that spouting off won't do himself any good because they FA don't care if what's said is true.

Hmmm maybe you're right about Stowell. I just can't help but think that Kelly will let this whole farce pass by without making any sort of angry comment about it.

I don't think that the FA don't care though, because, as much as everyone criticizes Newell, his comments are well and truly looked in to by the FA and he gets asked to explain them

[Flynny]

Two points lost for me...and for the usual wholly predictable reasons, even if the referee did contribute.

We conceded the one goal minimum that we usually concede and failed to take enough chances for it not to matter.

I think Williams, just once, was our only midfielder to have a shot which is nowhere near good enough.

And Fryatt, despite a good enough general performance and an assist for Hume's goal, continued his woeful spell of failing to score.

And still we stick with the formulae - as if 1-1 against Colchester is an achievement. It isn't.

We HAVE to increase our scoring potential.

Otherwise, like today, we can't even win when we play reasonably well. And that won't ever get you near the top end of the table.

It's all about ambition I suppose. And some people just seem to have low expectations and no will to demand the necessary alterations.

They're saying it on the radio now - talking about being relatively happy.

Well if you're going to be happy with that - and it was basically a decent first half rather than a full match - then you're just setting your sights too low.

We're seventh from bottom and that's still a disgrace for a club like Leicester. It's still almost as low as we've ever been.

Taggart talks about how well we close down and he's right.

But results are not all about closing down. We put so much emphasis on closing people down and so few resources into scoring that we'll forever fall short until we think again.

Unfairly negative, that. Citing 'the usual' reasons when Leicester played like a completely different side and had the match decided for them due to extraordinary circumstances robs them of the credit they deserve for that performance.

[MBK]

Levein running 5 star hotels recently

[DB11]

My 'reaction' can be described in one word: referee

More to the point, the referee was abysmal, he cost us the game, he obviously reffed Colchester last year and likes them

But the positives are that we approached the game well, we played well and we deserved the points. BRING ON FULHAM!

[Jonbluefox9]

Hmmm maybe you're right about Stowell. I just can't help but think that Kelly will let this whole farce pass by without making any sort of angry comment about it.

I don't think that the FA don't care though, because, as much as everyone criticizes Newell, his comments are well and truly looked in to by the FA and he gets asked to explain them

The FA would rather get the money from a fine than sit down and re-watch an abysmal performance from a ref before reaching the conclusion that yes, he was fooking awful. Thank you for your comments Mr Kelly.

[Leicfox]

I'll reserve judgement on the penalty decision untill i see it with my own eyes on tv.

You never know the ref actually might have it right going on previous comm from RL.

[Thracian]

Unfairly negative, that. Citing 'the usual' reasons when Leicester played like a completely different side and had the match decided for them due to extraordinary circumstances robs them of the credit they deserve for that performance.

Unfair?

I am not criticising the general display or saying that individuals didn't have decent games. They sounded terrific at times.

I am saying we won't win enough games with Hume as our only scorer among the strikers and midfield players

Fryatt (dangerous today), Hughes, Tiatto and Williams have bagged just seven goals between them in 28 games.

Or one goal between four players every four games - and one of those players a striker.

Those are facts and as light reading they're pretty appalling.

No matter how impressive the team looks, how good our covering/workrate or how many chances people like Porter make, there has to be more than one player to put those chances away and there has to be more effective support up to the box.

[davieG]

From the Colchester OS

The U's battled back from a goal behind to earn a draw against Leicester City in a game full of incident at Layer Road.

U's boss Geraint Williams would have been looking for a reaction from his side after the midweek cup defeat at Barnet, and they were made to work hard for their point by the Foxes.

The visitors deserve credit for being the first side in a while to take the game to the U's on their own turf and merited their own rewards from their visit to north Essex.

They had had the better of the first half but, after the U's drew level with a Chris Iwelumo penalty, it was a hotly contested game after that as both sides sought a victory.

The referee took centre stage on several occasions though, as a series of baffling decisions - and seven yellow cards - left both sets of fans and players wondering what would happen next.

Both teams had goals disallowed in a match that held the attention of those watching and the draw kept the U's in sixth as they prepare for the visit to Ipswich next Saturday.

The U's made just the one change to the starting line up, with Karl Duguid coming into the side in place of Kevin McLeod.

City came to Layer Road on the back of a fine display in the FA Cup against Fulham, whilst the U's were still smarting from their defeat to Barnet.

And the two sides took their respective form into the first half of the game as the Foxes looked the more confident both on and off the ball as the opening forty-five minutes unfolded.

Although Chris Iwelumo had the first effort of note as his shot went narrowly over the crossbar, it was the Foxes who were first to test the opposition goalkeeper.

Matt Fryatt made the most of a through ball from Iain Hume to strike a shot that forced a save out of Dean Gerken, before firing the rebound into the side netting.

Patrick Kisnorbo then had the ball in the back of the net on eleven minutes, but his effort was ruled out for climbing on Wayne Brown.

The U's were not at their free flowing best, but were still creating chances and Kem Izzet, yet to score this season, fizzed in a shot that only went narrowly wide of the post.

The home team had an outside shout for a penalty on the quarter hour mark as Kisnorbo climbed on Iwelumo, but the referee waved away any appeals.

The official was to enrage both sets of fans before the half was out and the U's supporters in particular were not impressed as a series of strange decisions disrupted the flow of the game.

The anger briefly subsided into disappointment on the twenty minutes mark, as the visitors took the lead.

Fryatt and Hume swapped roles from their earlier combination and the latter burst into the box to slide a ball under the advancing Gerken and into the net.

The goal gave the visitors even more encouragement to drive forward as the U's football was fragmented in the first half.

But Cureton came close on 28 minutes, driving in a shot that went just wide of goal with the City goalkeeper sprawling across his line.

The visitors thought they had doubled their lead on 29 minutes as Porter slid in Maybury and his shot from the edge of the box was diverted into the back of the net by Fryatt's outstretched boot.

The referee pulled him up, rightly, for offside, but the official was again to frustrate the home support just before the break.

Watson took a free kick quickly as the ref went to set the wall, and he opted to book the U's man, despite not having warned him to wait for the whistle.

It left the home crowd apoplectic and Watson powered around the pitch in search of the ball before half time, as his frustrations also shone through.

The home supporters were much happier three minutes after the restart as their side drew level.

Again, it was not a clear decision but the referee pointed to the spot as Iwelumo fell to the ground on the edge of the area.

The U's striker made no mistake with his penalty as he again sent the keeper the wrong way to make it one apiece.

The goal sparked the U's into life after their first half misfire and, both on and off the pitch, it was back to recent levels of performance.

There were not many chances in the early stages after the restart, though, and it was not until the hour mark that the U's again went close.

Wayne Brown stepped over a free kick and Karl Duguid came in from the other side to curl an effort that went just wide.

The ball wasn't quite breaking for the U's though and passes that had been coming off in previous matches were being cut out this time around.

It was the visitors who had the U's worried next, though, as Maybury fired in a low shot from distance that Gerken helped around the post at full stretch.

Fryatt fancied his chances not long afterwards but sharp reactions from the U's keeper saw him rush off the line to block bravely.

The visitors were certainly not settling for the draw as the game went from end to end, Wayne Brown having a shot blocked before the visitors' next chance.

Brown and Gerken blocked a ball into the box but the U's keeper was unable to collect, with Hume lingering.

He contrived some space for a cross on the byline and threw the ball back into the danger area, only for Williams to head wide.

Ephraim had the ball in the back of the net for the U's not long afterwards but his celebrations were cut short by the ref blowing for a foul.

The official's interventions in the afternoon reached ridiculous levels with time running out at the end of the game.

Duguid had had a running battle with Kisnorbo throughout the second half and the ref called the U's skipper over for a word.

Whether it was for verbals or the tussle with the opposition defender, the ref showed Doogie a yellow and then a red.

The whole ground looking on in astonishment, with it taking the U's skipper time to shake off his own disbelief to point out that he had not actually been booked previously.

The fans were again far from impressed and the referee left the pitch to plenty of cat calls, as late chances for Hume and Iwelumo were not enough to separate the two sides in an entertaining game.

[London_Fox]

Two points lost for me...and for the usual wholly predictable reasons, even if the referee did contribute.

We conceded the one goal minimum that we usually concede and failed to take enough chances for it not to matter.

I think Williams, just once, was our only midfielder to have a shot which is nowhere near good enough.

And Fryatt, despite a good enough general performance and an assist for Hume's goal, continued his woeful spell of failing to score.

And still we stick with the formulae - as if 1-1 against Colchester is an achievement. It isn't.

We HAVE to increase our scoring potential.

Otherwise, like today, we can't even win when we play reasonably well. And that won't ever get you near the top end of the table.

It's all about ambition I suppose. And some people just seem to have low expectations and no will to demand the necessary alterations.

They're saying it on the radio now - talking about being relatively happy.

Well if you're going to be happy with that - and it was basically a decent first half rather than a full match - then you're just setting your sights too low.

We're seventh from bottom and that's still a disgrace for a club like Leicester. It's still almost as low as we've ever been.

Taggart talks about how well we close down and he's right.

But results are not all about closing down. We put so much emphasis on closing people down and so few resources into scoring that we'll forever fall short until we think again.

I disagree. Today was different. We had 9 shots on target I think which is a decent number in any game. We got a point and could/should have won against a team on an amazing home run. In the first half especially we went forward and had a go at them! There is a lot of improvement still needed but to expect a huge dramatic improvement overnight seems a bit much...we've battled and worked hard for two games in a row now, its not much but its a positive.

[Daggers]

Paddy Mac - a booking for improper conduct, a series of fouls and giving away a penalty.

He can't control himself when it matters.

[lookwhaticando]

I disagree. Today was different. We had 9 shots on target I think which is a decent number in any game. We got a point and could/should have won against a team on an amazing home run. In the first half especially we went forward and had a go at them! There is a lot of improvement still needed but to expect a huge dramatic improvement overnight seems a bit much...we've battled and worked hard for two games in a row now, its not much but its a positive.

Even Alan Maybury had a good stab at goal from 30+ yards.

That wasn't your typical 'one shot on goal' City game.

[London_Fox]

Paddy Mac - a booking for improper conduct, a series of fouls and giving away a penalty.

He can't control himself when it matters.

A bit harsh? Didn't sound like he did much wrong with the penalty.

[Flynny]

Unfair?

I am not criticising the general display or saying that individuals didn't have decent games. They sounded terrific at times.

I am saying we won't win enough games with Hume as our only scorer among the strikers and midfield players

Fryatt (dangerous today), Hughes, Tiatto and Williams have bagged just seven goals between them in 28 games.

Or one goal between four players every four games - and one of those players a striker.

Those are facts and as light reading they're pretty appalling.

No matter how impressive the team looks, how good our covering/workrate or how many chances people like Porter make, there has to be more than one player to put those chances away and there has to be more effective support up to the box.

Fryatt looked dangerous and Hume scored. Why change those? Midfield wasn't particularly threatening but did its job. Other players we could bring in are either unfit or wouldn't make a difference. So why the criticism? And do you conciously hit enter twice after every sentance?

[lookwhaticando]

A bit harsh? Didn't sound like he did much wrong with the penalty.

Even the Colchester chaps couldn't work out what the peno was for.

That can't just mean it's a typical RL glorification of all things Leicester, if they're not the only ones baffled by the call.

[Wils]

Good result IMO,had a fantastic first half really played well as a team and played some top football. Fryatt looked sharp and had a decent game. After we let the penalty in we faded a bit but still a good performance to hold on for the draw,and perhaps could have made a bit more of our posession but overall very happy with a point.

[luffbra]

Then let Stowell take charge of the post-match interview. Nothing will ever be looked into or changed unless something is said, and lets face it, Kelly will not say anything too serious about the ref will he?

Oh no?

Some of Kelly's comments from the official site:

"the penalty decision has changed the momentum of the game, and everyone in the ground knew that something like that was coming. There was no contact. Nobody from Colchester appealed for it. It was the referee's first Championship game and it was too much for him. There were 7 bookings in a game where there wasn't a bad tackle. In the end it has cost us 2 points. The outcome of a game should be decided by the players."