Imps v U's Reunion (Lincoln v Cambridge)

[Habbinalan]

I've probably thought less about the ins and outs of this game than any other this season. Plenty of history, characters linked to both clubs and manager speculation to provide welcome distractions.

Peter Taylor has gone and Keith Millen is now odds on for the Gillingham job - so I guess we move on with the Derry regime looking to earn or blag a new contract.

At this stage I'm wondering how many points adrift of 7th we can afford to be by Christmas and still have the prospect of a serious push for the play-offs (whoever's in charge) using the January window to get in some reinforcements. FA Cup draw on Monday will be seen in a different light, depending on Saturday's result and performance.

A sunny day out and a few pre and post-match pints with some Lincoln supporting acquaintances (I'm not driving) puts the fixture in a more positive light. I'm expecting a loss, especially with Legge suspended, a Taylor/Taft CB pairing and LB proving problematic defensively.

There might be a few goals. He has to start Jevani Brown. With pay on the day available, we should bring over 500 - so a decent atmosphere and near full house seems possible. I'm sure the idiots will be out from both sides but I'm equally sure that Lincolnshire's men in blue will be relishing a bit of overtime.

2-1 to Lincoln then on to accumulating my new, more modest, target of 50 points asap, with Yeovil and Chesterfield up next.

 

[Luke Imp]

Raggett is suspended for us and will be a miss, although Waterfall is an adequate replacement and is as good at set pieces. Knott is back from suspension so it'll be him or Palmer behind Green.

Can't see there being many goals because we're not prolific scorers and don't concede many either (in fact, don't concede many chances full stop).

Whenever I think of Cambridge, I always think of drab 0-0's. I went there on a Tuesday night to be bored to tears. Went on a Friday night and did the same. Then in the NL we played each other towards the end of the season and Richard Money openly admitted that he picked a side based on their height and guess what? Another 0-0 where nothing happened.

 

[Vanni]

I remember those two 0-0 draws, back in 2002 and 2003. Then you beat us twice during the 04/05 season when we went down to the Conference. As for that 2013 match, tbf to Richard Money we weren't mathematically safe by the time we met at SB, so it was important we got something even if it was just the one point.

I'm not expecting anything this time round, and am quite sure Lincoln will beat us. We still have to fix that back line, and at the other end the strikers aren't taking the chances that fall their way. If Brown is fully fit, then I hope Derry drops either Ibehre or Jabo and reverts back to 4-5-1, though I suspect he is reluctant to do this. As much as I love seeing two strikers* on the pitch at the same time rather than one, playing both Uche and Ibehre leaves the side too open and unbalanced IMO, at least with the current crop of midfielders we have.

2-0 to the Imps.

*make that 10 strikers. 2.03 mins

 

[Tom_CUFC]

Looking forward to a cracking away day, game excepted of course. Done Lincoln loads of times but only by train once and that was for Lincoln United in the cup on a Sunday, so hoping to do the city justice this time.

Spared the shambles last week but no change in the outlook, 2-0 loss for me also.

 

[Habbinalan]

I'd take 0 - 0 at the moment but I don't think we've got a clean sheet in us, despite David Forde's best efforts.

I remember that "Money's Battle of the Giants" - particularly your long throws. Oh for a Richard Money Interview these days. Mark Johnson never recovered from having to face him - hence the bollocks he's now happy for "Shaun" to come out with.

Easter Monday, April Fool's Day and we were seeking the mystical 50 points so that we could begin thinking about next season.

Dire wasn't it?

 

[Arbury]

Fair play to every u that makes this trip, were fecking abysmal at the minute and with no legge I can only imagine we'll be worse.

I'm also going for a 2-0 bulldozing and comfortable win for Lincoln.




KTF

 

[Laker]

I'm not going. To be honest, even if I didn't have my little one to look after I don't think I'd go. I'm just so uninspired by a Derry-led Cambridge, I frankly can't be bothered with travelling to an away game. I'll be amazed if we get a win but more to the point I don't think we'll create many chances or create any real excitement. I know it's a relatively short trip but hats off to anyone that goes.

I was trying to explain to my mate who's a Wrexham fan about being a Cambridge fan at the moment. It's not that the club is in a bad shape, far from it - we're probably the most stable we've ever been. And the rhetoric from the club with regards to the stadium is positive too. But our on pitch progress seems to not be the focus for the club anymore, it's like the board have "settled" for stability on the pitch while the off pitch stuff moves forward. That's fine but it's so fucking boring.

As for the team, Legge is obviously out which is a massive blow so j guess it'll be a Taylor/Taft pairing - we'll have to see how that pans out! Dunk shouldn't play at left back but with the choice being him or Carroll, I suspect Dunk will which is such a waste of his attacking talents and leaves us weak on that side.

Elito was pony the other day against Wycombe (yes the whole team were but an AM is required to create spark, not just keep the ball) so I wouldn't start him. I can't work out what his best position is - it's not wide on either side as he goes missing, he's not an attacking midfielder centrally as he doesn't create anything or break into the box really, he's not a striker, is he a number 10 or is he a deeper midfielder? Brown has to start as he's the one player who brings a bit of excitement to the game, a player capable of changing the pace.

I'd go:

Halliday
Taylor
Taft
Carroll

Mingoia
Deegan
Maris
Dunk

Brown

Ikpeazu/Ibehre

But I reckon we'll go 4-4-2 diamond with Dunk at left back and the two strikers starting.

Edit: my memory of Lincoln is my sole visit in 2014 when we went on to be promoted. It was March or April and we lost 1-0. Donaldson was sent off for diving iirc and we were generally pretty poor. But my memory of the day was the pub beforehand (Blue Anchor I think it was called). I don't know what hell is but I assume it's pretty similar to that place. I can honestly say it's the worst pub I've ever been in!

 

[Davidimp]

Parking will be at premium again as we're heading for another home sell out so if driving up from Cambridge get to Lincoln before 1pm if not earlier.

 

[TommoCUFC]

Comfortable 3-0 win for Lincoln

 

[Imp in Branston]

Comfortable 3-0 win for Lincoln

Doubt that, we don't seem to do comfortable that often.

 

[Davidimp]

Probably be another of our narrow edge of the seat wins unless we finally start tucking chances away.

 

[Vanni]

Should've got a penalty right before ht for a foul on Elito by the goalie.

re. the game, plenty of huff and puff by both sides but it looks clear to me the two sides are missing a natural poacher. This one's got nil nil written all over it so far and I'll be disappointed i we don;t take at least a point.

Credit to Derry where's it due as he has set us up perfectly to match Lincoln's physicality.

 

[SVH]

Well that was fucking dreadful.

Elito dog shit, Dunk even worse and to top it off Brown still doesn't get a game.

I would have taken a point before the game so not a bad point overall but surely Derry has lost the plot with team selections once again.

 

[Luke Imp]

What was I saying about 0-0's?

Poor game, lots of huff and puff but both sides obviously short up front albeit having players who have enough of a nuisance factor to give the CB's something to think about.

As DC's just said in his post-match interview, for some reason we were quite negative in our play in the sense that we were passing sideways and backwards when we weren't whacking the ball out of play. Habergham, who's usually pretty reliable from wide areas, kept floating balls into the box for the 'keeper to collect. We just didn't seem to have a proper go.

Best period in the game was probably us in the opening 15 minutes where we created a few openings but once Cambridge decided to show up, we cancelled each other out and nothing really happened.

The guy who came on up front in the second half, whose name I can't spell, should have started. Far better than the other guy, also whose name I can't spell. Number 21 was tidy, if a little blasé and laid back, the CB's solid.

As for us, we missed the direct running of Anderson in wide areas and he's got a goal in him as well. Said it earlier in the season but Knott's got to be in the '10' not out wide as he was today.

All that said, if you can't win, don't lose and short term it's going to be unspectacular but if it keeps things ticking over then so be it. Certainly prefer to build from a solid base as we seem to have.

 

[GTFCfish]

Two absolute thrillers in League 2 In Lincolnshire today then.

 

[Davidimp]

Should've got a penalty right before ht for a foul on Elito by the goalie.

re. the game, plenty of huff and puff by both sides but it looks clear to me the two sides are missing a natural poacher. This one's got nil nil written all over it so far and I'll be disappointed i we don;t take at least a point.

Credit to Derry where's it due as he has set us up perfectly to match Lincoln's physicality.

Big physical dirty Lincoln....

 

[YEO YEO YEO]

What a drab game. First half both teams cancelled each other out, the ball spent a lot of time in the middle of the park, very scrappy, a lot of long ball from both sides, no one getting a foot on the ball and a lack of chances. 2nd half Cambridge grew in confidence and if any team looked like scoring it was them. As a back line we stayed strong against a massive strikeforce, can't believe the size of Cambridge's front line.

Very clear we lack a natural goalscorer but massively missed Anderson on the wing today. Ginnelly and Knott were nowhere near as effective.

Nice to see the Cambridge keeper clapping our support at the end too.

 

[Son of Cod]

Why didn't Anderson play, Impies? Seems like he is your major threat at the moment, so I'm assuming an injury?

A couple of tough games up next for you, that I think will be arguably the most telling matches so far about where you lot genuinely are.

 

[Imp in Branston]

Why didn't Anderson play, Impies? Seems like he is your major threat at the moment, so I'm assuming an injury?

A couple of tough games up next for you, that I think will be arguably the most telling matches so far about where you lot genuinely are.

Anderson didnt play because Chesterfield crocked him knowing he was a major threat. In fact it was quite a late tackle, the ref didn't even speak to the guy, though was happy to get his card out for ours.

 

[Habbinalan]

What little could be said about the match is already out there. I was impressed with both sides' mid-table potential and need for a goal scorer. In fact my views on the football were compromised despite the lack of pillars. The Red Arrows fly past was nearer to the Stacey-West Stand than most of the action.

All the mutual respect and self congratulation that was going on pre-match and in the programme was getting a bit uncomfortable and needed a bit of Deeganesque enforcer or Matt Rhead wind-up to get a some edge into the relationship. Jabo late on and a Rhead cameo made a half-hearted effort but everyone seemed to go away satisfied with a draw and a clean sheet. Highlight of the day for me was that Derry passed on my instructions and we didn't concede a single corner - so we only had to suffer that F**KING air raid siren in recorded form at the very start of proceedings. I was told after the match that I was twice blessed as they now have two of the f**kers.

Pre and post match chat with a range of Lincoln folk in the Golden Eagle confirmed that the mutual respect and back slapping is built on shared history, personal experiences, attitudes and aspirations throughout the fanbase of both clubs - including the more neanderthal elements. The latter seemed to have been kept in their boxes on this occasion and it was an excellent positive atmosphere, with both sets of fans trying to out sing each other rather than hurling insults and challenges. The kids I met and saw, along with their parents, were intending to enjoy the day whatever the scoreline or result.

Also picked up a copy of "A CITY UNITED," which was a good read in parts and gave further insight into aspects of the City revival as well as goings on in non-league (especially Lincoln United) and Sunday League around the county - for those of us with such quirky interests.

 

[Luke Imp]

I did wonder why there was a random round of applause during the game and I didn't even realise what had happened until I saw the following photo this morning. Shame the Cathedral wasn't quite in shot.

I've not read any of the A City United yet (only started publishing a few weeks ago) but Gary, who's idea it was, also runs the Stacey West Blog website, which is also a good read although it's just Lincoln City so probably not of any interest to others.

 

[Davidimp]

Anderson didnt play because Chesterfield crocked him knowing he was a major threat. In fact it was quite a late tackle, the ref didn't even speak to the guy, though was happy to get his card out for ours.

Yep our players keep getting crocked but the oppo players never seems to get booked for it and our players seem to get for petty offences, very frustrated.
Have refs been told not be influenced by our crowds?

 

[Davidimp]

Special mention to Cambridge for having the 3 biggest players I've seen this season.
I think your no.9 will be joining us in January as he was very keen to get hold of an Imps shirt when he came...

 

[Habbinalan]

Special mention to Cambridge for having the 3 biggest players I've seen this season.
I think your no.9 will be joining us in January as he was very keen to get hold of an Imps shirt when he came...

I take it you didn't travel to Wycombe for your opening match? Uche is only no 10 on the world list of strongest players, behind the Beast at No 1.

Our true giant at the back, in all senses, Big Leon (we have a Litle Leon as well) wasn't even playing.

Uche does have a large collection of shirts (and bits of shirts) that he's nicked over his 50 games for the U's but they're all being passed on to good causes in Africa via

http://www.cambridgefansunited.org/shirt-donation.html

 

[Davidimp]

Hope the Cambridge fans enjoyed the fly past by the red arrows during the first half?
Probably the highlight of the afternoon!

 

[Davidimp]

I take it you didn't travel to Wycombe for your opening match? Uche is only no 10 on the world list of strongest players, behind the Beast at No 1.

Our true giant at the back, in all senses, Big Leon (we have a Litle Leon as well) wasn't even playing.

Uche does have a large collection of shirts (and bits of shirts) that he's nicked over his 50 games for the U's but they're all being passed on to good causes in Africa via

http://www.cambridgefansunited.org/shirt-donation.html

Nah I dont do many away games these days, very expensive with my Imps mad daughter in tow since she got properly hooked last season.
Used to go over during the 90s and 00s.
Not been to your place since 2003, another 0-0 draw lol!