Colchester Match Reactions

[Thracian]

Summed it up perfectly.

The Kray Twins!

[Thracian]

Perhaps two points dropped but if i had been offered a point before the game I would have taken it especially considering Colchester's home form. Excellent approach to the game, we went for it and didnt stop when we scored (apart from maybe 1st 10 mins which i didnt see) and were still pressing right at the end when Hume could have scored were he a few inches bigger. Noone played badly, Paddy Mac still needs to acquire common sense, Hughes and Williams seemed to have got some confidence. We played some really nice stuff at times and broke forward quickly. Levi did really well against a very good right back and Fryatt looke dlike he had something to prove. Didnt see the penalty and the ref was generally poor, not biased just shite, but claims colchester should have 2 pens are ridiculous. Home support was a bit noisy n spells but quiet in the main and only 1 part of the ground seemed to ever do anything. Only disappointing thing maybe was weso did not come on. Stearman did not look like there was any likelihood he would play

You make good comments and exactly sum up what's become of us when you talk of being - "offered a point".

[john_lcfc]

just got back. i think the ref lost all credibility after having to retract the red card, we cant comment on the penalty at this stage because it was right up the other end and pillars,goalnets and crowd control cages obstructed the view.

shit ground the toilet facilities were hilarious but always loving visiting thes grounds. atmosphere was pretty good, but would have been electric if we actually had any play in front f us second half.

there keeper made a great save from a shot from i think it was maybury diving to his left. arr well i would have taken a point at the start.

[Steven]

Perhaps two points dropped but if i had been offered a point before the game I would have taken it especially considering Colchester's home form. Excellent approach to the game, we went for it and didnt stop when we scored (apart from maybe 1st 10 mins which i didnt see) and were still pressing right at the end when Hume could have scored were he a few inches bigger.

Noone played badly, Paddy Mac still needs to acquire common sense, Hughes and Williams seemed to have got some confidence. We played some really nice stuff at times and broke forward quickly. Levi did really well against a very good right back and Fryatt looke dlike he had something to prove.

Didnt see the penalty and the ref was generally poor, not biased just shite, but claims colchester should have 2 pens are ridiculous. Home support was a bit noisy n spells but quiet in the main and only 1 part of the ground seemed to ever do anything. Only disappointing thing maybe was weso did not come on. Stearman did not look like there was any likelihood he would play

Halford a two million pound rated rated player, if you believe the press.

[Flynny]

Why would I be happy?. What has changed or been repaired?. Nothing. What has been learned or improved? Nothing? Virtually no shots from midfield and no support into the box. You might be easily pleased but I'm not.

And yet we played well anyway. What exactly would you have done differently?

[Manwell Pablo]

just got back. i think the ref lost all credibility after having to retract the red card, we cant comment on the penalty at this stage because it was right up the other end and pillars,goalnets and crowd control cages obstructed the view.

shit ground the toilet facilities were hilarious but always loving visiting thes grounds. atmosphere was pretty good, but would have been electric if we actually had any play in front f us second half.

there keeper made a great save from a shot from i think it was maybury diving to his left. arr well i would have taken a point at the start.

Now now, we all know where you stand on slagging off refs

[Wils]

just got back. i think the ref lost all credibility after having to retract the red card, we cant comment on the penalty at this stage because it was right up the other end and pillars,goalnets and crowd control cages obstructed the view.

shit ground the toilet facilities were hilarious but always loving visiting thes grounds. atmosphere was pretty good, but would have been electric if we actually had any play in front f us second half.there keeper made a great save from a shot from i think it was maybury diving to his left. arr well i would have taken a point at the start.

The toilets were a disgrace.

[Leicfox]

The toilets were a disgrace.

It seems people go to the football to inspect the toilet facilities now days.

Never go for a shit at the match thats a given rule, and if you can piss despite the mouldy conditions there fine by me.

[Thracian]

And yet we played well anyway. What exactly would you have done differently?

I would have had more players in our team who could score goals.

On a points basis with a point for genuine marksmen and half a point for reasonably-likely-to-score non specialists we had Hume and Fryatt who could score, and half a point each would go to Porter and Kisnorbo based on performances so far.

That is a potential three scorers, based on adding the points up.

You might be generous and give 1.5 more points to Hughes/Kisnorbo/McAuley/Williams/Tiatto combined, making 4.5 points in total.

It is simply not enough and I cannot imagine any reason for fielding a side even away from home that didn't register six or 6.5 potential scorer points and 7 to 8 points at home.

At Leicester we have forwards/midfielders who are forever expected to help defend but the defenders are not expected to assist the attack with the same commitment except at set pieces.

That is why good teams can get so many players forward to support an attack (and therefore score so many goals) and we get so few forward and score so sparsely.

Unfortunately, some of our players cannot support such a system anyway, because they so rarely score or even venture anywhere near the front third, even when they play well as was the case today. So, they are simply unable to have sufficient effect.

That doesn't mean they are bad players. Just that, if you play too many such players, they won't get you high enough up the table.

You can get away with one or two "limited effect" outfield players but not five.

The only way you might get away with it is if you had a George Graham-type manager and outstanding defenders in which case you might get enough low-score wins to get into the top six of a modest League like the Championship.

But you've no chance if, like Leicester, your team concedes more than a goal a game. With that formula, we will simply tread water at best and I'm not being wise after the event, I explained it is August and that's what's happened.

[lildave3]

The toilets were a disgrace.

It was just a room with a toilet in

[Tommeh]

It was just a room with a toilet in

didnt see it myself but thats how my mate described it and I laughed my head off, thats how you'd imagine it though!

[lildave3]

didnt see it myself but thats how my mate described it and I laughed my head off, thats how you'd imagine it though!

I laughed my head off at the whole ground, especially their 'club shop'

Was a great day out. Seeing Tony Cottee, the team coach, Tim Davies and then Milan saying 'Hi lads' to us capped it off brilliantly

[john_lcfc]

they were getting on top second half and we should have brought cadamateri on with 20 mins to go not 5 IMO.. he changed the game v fulham and colchester dominated the second half and we were on top in the first. the ball was never really near us in the city terrace

[Manwell Pablo]

they were getting on top second half and we should have brought cadamateri on with 20 mins to go not 5 IMO.. he changed the game v fulham and colchester dominated the second half and we were on top in the first. the ball was never really near us in the city terrace

So they had alot of the ball second half, did they do much with it (penalty aside), by the sounds of it Henderson didn't really have alot to do?

[john_lcfc]

So they had alot of the ball second half, did they do much with it (penalty aside), by the sounds of it Henderson didn't really have alot to do?

no they didnt have too many clear cut chances, but i just felt apart from 3 or 4 attacks i was tensing my eyes looking past the half way line for the majority of the 1st and 2nd half...they had a goal disallowed but it was a foul there player climed all over one of our defenders (not sure who).

i loved it when kisnorbo was right in front of us and

"kisnorbo whhoooa

he used to be shite

but now hes alright"

[Flynny]

I would have had more players in our team who could score goals.

On a points basis with a point for genuine marksmen and half a point for reasonably-likely-to-score non specialists we had Hume and Fryatt who could score, and half a point each would go to Porter and Kisnorbo based on performances so far.

That is a potential three scorers, based on adding the points up.

You might be generous and give 1.5 more points to Hughes/Kisnorbo/McAuley/Williams/Tiatto combined, making 4.5 points in total.

It is simply not enough and I cannot imagine any reason for fielding a side even away from home that didn't register six or 6.5 potential scorer points and 7 to 8 points at home.

At Leicester we have forwards/midfielders who are forever expected to help defend but the defenders are not expected to assist the attack with the same commitment except at set pieces.

That is why good teams can get so many players forward to support an attack (and therefore score so many goals) and we get so few forward and score so sparsely.

Unfortunately, some of our players cannot support such a system anyway, because they so rarely score or even venture anywhere near the front third, even when they play well as was the case today. So, they are simply unable to have sufficient effect.

That doesn't mean they are bad players. Just that, if you play too many such players, they won't get you high enough up the table.

You can get away with one or two "limited effect" outfield players but not five.

The only way you might get away with it is if you had a George Graham-type manager and outstanding defenders in which case you might get enough low-score wins to get into the top six of a modest League like the Championship.

But you've no chance if, like Leicester, your team concedes more than a goal a game. With that formula, we will simply tread water at best and I'm not being wise after the event, I explained it is August and that's what's happened.

So we're coming back to 'play the kids'? Who do we have, really? I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that the reason RK isn't playing them is because they aren't match fit. Either that or he doesn't think they're good enough - one or the other. But with Fryatt and Hume playing well, there would have been no reason to play Dodds today, leaving just Gradel and King.

Let's face it, we don't have a team laced with attacking quality, we have a bog-standard, cautious team, who, for once, have gone out and played good, attacking football and dominated a game. We only lost because of a shite refereeing decision and some good goalkeeping. If we'd played like that at home against a team not in the top six and without momentum, we'd have scored two or three more goals.

Given the circumstances, given what we've got to work with, it was a good performance.

[Tommeh]

must admit I'm incenced now that everyone says it was never a pen

At the time we could never see it clearly and I sort of accepted it but when even their manager disagrees with the decision it really does make me mad!! They never looked like scoring that apart, defenatly 2 points dropped then! Not the players fault though.

[Thracian]

So we're coming back to 'play the kids'? Who do we have, really? I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that the reason RK isn't playing them is because they aren't match fit. Either that or he doesn't think they're good enough - one or the other. But with Fryatt and Hume playing well, there would have been no reason to play Dodds today, leaving just Gradel and King.

Let's face it, we don't have a team laced with attacking quality, we have a bog-standard, cautious team, who, for once, have gone out and played good, attacking football and dominated a game. We only lost because of a shite refereeing decision and some good goalkeeping. If we'd played like that at home against a team not in the top six and without momentum, we'd have scored two or three more goals.

Given the circumstances, given what we've got to work with, it was a good performance.

Well you asked and I explained. I didn't expect you to be convinced. But the facts don't lie, not after this amount of time.

I'm perfectly happy that Fryatt played well but people who was there mentioned that a) our strikers faded second half and b) Fryatt should still have scored one of his chances.

Perfect opportunity to use Dodds off the bench but no. And no Cadamarti until it was all over.

In other words no room for anyone who's actually scoring goals. Bizarre.

Did we settle for a draw? Only RK knows.

[Craig]

Well you asked and I explained. I didn't expect you to be convinced. But the facts don't lie, not after this amount of time.

I'm perfectly happy that Fryatt played well but people who was there mentioned that a) our strikers faded second half and b) Fryatt should still have scored one of his chances.

Perfect opportunity to use Dodds off the bench but no. And no Cadamarti until it was all over.

In other words no room for anyone who's actually scoring goals. Bizarre.

Did we settle for a draw? Only RK knows.

As do those who travelled there.

We didn't settle for a draw, the fact we were caught out on the break a couple of times at the end proves that we weren't exactly sitting back and begging them to attack, like sometimes.

[Fez of Mahrez]

As do those who travelled there.

We didn't settle for a draw, the fact we were caught out on the break a couple of times at the end proves that we weren't exactly sitting back and begging them to attack, like sometimes.

[London_Fox]

I'm all for playing youngsters if they're ready and can fit into the system we play but what you're calling for is to scrap the system we have and start from scratch with an even younger and less experienced team. I would love it if we could play football the way Arsenal have been doing recently but the point is we don't have the players for it. If any of our youngsters could change a team the way you describe they wouldn't be here anymore! We have a fairly young team by most standards (reckon it's below championship average but willing to be proved wrong) and one of our problems this season has been a lack of consistency which would only get worse with if we lose more experience. The if they're good enough then they're old enough thing only works which a very high quality of player (Rooney being one example) which we don't have unfortunatly.

[Muz]

I thought first half we played very well. Fryatt's disalowed goal was a beautiful bit of football before hand.

Second half I thought we got dragged into their sort of game.

Whilst we were playing football there center backs were getting run all over the place. And we were having all of the game. I can see why they've been unbeaten at home for so long , they're a team full of players that just hoof and kick the opposition off the park and many a team will have got bullied out of the points.

The ref well I dont know what to say , it comes to something when both sets of fans are singing 'You dont know what you're doing'

[James.]

I thought first half we played very well. Fryatt's disalowed goal was a beautiful bit of football before hand.

Second half I thought we got dragged into their sort of game.

Whilst we were playing football there center backs were getting run all over the place. And we were having all of the game. I can see why they've been unbeaten at home for so long , they're a team full of players that just hoof and kick the opposition off the park and many a team will have got bullied out of the points.

The ref well I dont know what to say , it comes to something when both sets of fans are singing 'You dont know what you're doing'

perfectly sums up the refereeing performance.

[Fez of Mahrez]

"You're not fit to referee" makes me laugh. It sounds like something they'd have sung in 1906.

[Hullfox]

The Kray Twins!

Steptoe