Swindon v Cambridge

[Habbinalan]

This is a new stadium (and new town) for me. The last time I saw Swindon play, Don Rogers and Mel Nurse (I think) were in the team - a 3-0 thrashing of Barrow at Holker Street in Feb 1969. I still have the programme.

My only reason to have any significant views on Swindon at all is that crooked prat Lee Power and, of course, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time."

With James Dunne suspended, I am optimistic that we can get a result and confident that we can put in a good performance. Whether we will and whether we'll get 3 points is an entirely different matter. With Swindon on the same points but with poor home form (only an opening day draw with Exeter and a close win over Satanage) they should be up for it.

I'm worried that Leon was hobbling a bit last night but we should be able to field a similar starting team and diamond formation as the last 5 matches, with scope to add fresh legs and/or revert to a flat 442 if necessary.

Forde
Halliday, Legge, Taylor/Taft, Dunk
Deegan
Mingoia, Maris
Brown
Ibhere, Ikpeazu

Subs: Mitov, Carroll, Taft/Howkins, O'Neil, Osadebe, Elito, Amoo

We should bring a few as it's almost 16 years since the U's visited the County Ground.
I can dream, so 2-3 (Legge, Brown and Ibhere) in front of 6,750 (390 travelling U's)

 

[AmberRich]

I have similar feeling to this game as I did in the run up to the Mansfield game last Saturday.

I think it will be a hard game, but if we want to get Playoffs we have to be able to compete and beat teams like Swindon. Jabo and Uche seem to be finding some form and hopefully the 3-0 win will boost their confidence for the game on Saturday. So I'm going to predict 1-1 draw, Jabo with the goal for the U's.

Not entirely sure how we'll line up. The core of the team will stay the same, but Taylor might come back into the team after missing the game on Tuesday because of a head injury. Maris went off early in the second half after picking up a knock so he might not start. Brown who was dropped to the bench against Forest Green might come back into the first 11.

I was looking forward to seeing a Dunne vs Deegan battle but obviously that won't happen on Saturday now.

 

[Indian Dan]

Dunne missing is no big deal - get Goddard in his place and have some guile in midfield instead.

Going forward I have no complaints . . . But the back 4 are a disaster. The 2 new fellas have to start Saturday.

That Ikpeazu was the dirtiest, cheating fucker I have ever seen when he played for Vale at the CG last season. Hope the Cnut gets his legs broke.

 

[Vanni]

Calm down Indian mate! It can't have been last season that's for sure.

As for this match, we'll beat 'em. That's all for now.

 

[Tom_CUFC]

Ikpeazu only played for us last season, but I assume you mean the season before that when I expect he was considerably more raw. He is still built like a brick shithouse and will muscle every man and his dog off the ball but he's certainly not been dirty for us. I'm surprised how lenient most of the refs have been to be honest, but rightly so. He's also fucking brilliant and has a great partnership going with Jabo, so please don't break him as we will be relatively fucked otherwise.

Confident after last night for sure, thought we looked better against FGR than Swindon did but that is a terrible benchmark, as with the majority of our games (poxy Gloucestershire village teams excepted) I expect it to be very tight with a goal either way, but I'm feeling optimistic and will go for a 1-0 win.

Would like to see Brown in for Elito but won't complain if he goes with the same XI. Wouldn't be opposed to Taylor LB Dunk LM either.

 

[Vanni]

Seems like my fellow U's really don't rate St. Melito. IMO,as much as Brown has taken to league footy like a duck to water, he's still nowhere near Elito. This is only my opinion, but still I fully expect to be met with accusations of blindness and/or not watching matches.

 

[Arbury]

Amazing what a couple of good results can do, Derry in(yes I'm just as fickle as you lot) and all that at the minute and rightly so, one of derrys faults was never changing his game plan from minute one to 90 but last night he did change it and we looked good for it.

Expecting a toughie and I think our record against you lot is pretty gash, was when hoddle was in charge anyway.

As everyone else is confident it would only be rude of me not to follow suit so with that I'll go for 0-15!






Not really, 1-2.


KTF

 

[Tom_CUFC]

Brown is considerably better than Elito, and his trajectory is going in a significantly higher direction than Elito's as well. That's not to say I don't like Elito, he played well last night and he's a good player to have, but if they're both fit and it's between those two it's an absolute non-contest, even with Brown only fundamentally a month into his U's career.

 

[Indian Dan]

Calm down Indian mate! It can't have been last season that's for sure.

As for this match, we'll beat 'em. That's all for now.

Yeah, might have been the season before. Still, when the sly fucker punches one of your players in the back of the head when he had his back turned and then spends the rest of the game kicking everything in sight and going down like a sack of shite when someone sneezes in his direction, you kinda remember him.

 

[Habbinalan]

Brown is considerably better than Elito, and his trajectory is going in a significantly higher direction than Elito's as well. That's not to say I don't like Elito, he played well last night and he's a good player to have, but if they're both fit and it's between those two it's an absolute non-contest, even with Brown only fundamentally a month into his U's career.

As Vanni knows, I agree with Tom.

The blessed Melito can see some great passes and sometimes makes them, can make time and room for himself, dribble well and finish OK but defensively he makes me more nervous than any of our players, especially supporting a fullback in 442. He's definitely a point of the diamond player rather than winger or striker (except in extremis for the last 10 minutes).

I was purring for Jevani's cameo last night. His touch is sublime, however the ball is hammered to him or how close he's marked. He gets his head up when he beats his man and is starting to make some great passes/crosses. He's unlucky that some of his finishes have just been saved or blocked and a goal is coming - which will be followed by more. When Uche inevitably does himself a mischief, I'm looking forward to seeing how a Jabo/Jevani partnership with Melito in behind can be made to work.

Isn't it pleasant to be having such relaxed discussions, largely because of our modest expectations, rather than the Derryout/Derryball dirge of recent times and the manic ramblings of some our East Midlands/Lincs fellow travellers.

 

[Habbinalan]

Yeah, might have been the season before. Still, when the sly fucker punches one of your players in the back of the head when he had his back turned and then spends the rest of the game kicking everything in sight and going down like a sack of shite when someone sneezes in his direction, you kinda remember him.

Sounds like he's a changed man. He's not the sort of player you forget, even without that alleged behaviour, and I think he scored in that draw as well.

He definitely doesn't go down like a sack of shite these days and something has been clearly missing in his coaching over the last 3 or 4 years. I don't doubt he picked up some bad habits at the various clubs he's had. Only now (the last few matches) have we seen evidence that he's learning how to head a ball and he's getting a lot of attention and steer from the coaching staff and from Jabo on the pitch.

He's now one of the sweetest guys that you could bump into - although recently a few CBs (and team mates) have discovered that it's not a great idea to bump into him.

 

[Vanni]

As Vanni knows, I agree with Tom.

The blessed Melito can see some great passes and sometimes makes them, can make time and room for himself, dribble well and finish OK but defensively he makes me more nervous than any of our players, especially supporting a fullback in 442. He's definitely a point of the diamond player rather than winger or striker (except in extremis for the last 10 minutes).

I was purring for Jevani's cameo last night. His touch is sublime, however the ball is hammered to him or how close he's marked. He gets his head up when he beats his man and is starting to make some great passes/crosses. He's unlucky that some of his finishes have just been saved or blocked and a goal is coming - which will be followed by more. When Uche inevitably does himself a mischief, I'm looking forward to seeing how a Jabo/Jevani partnership with Melito in behind can be made to work.

Isn't it pleasant to be having such relaxed discussions, largely because of our modest expectations, rather than the Derryout/Derryball dirge of recent times and the manic ramblings of some our East Midlands/Lincs fellow travellers.

It's funny how we all see things differently, but that's the great thing about opinions. Elito makes you nervous when we're defending, but for me it has to be Maris. He just makes me feel so uneasy every time he goes in for a tackle, and btw I'm not referring to the Mansfield penalty incident at all. Another one is Deagan, but I guess that's only to be expected in the position he plays in.

Agreed on Elito playing at his best when he's just behind the front two, that is definitely his best position. I thought he had a great match last night but he also missed a sitter when he went past a couple of FGR defenders and then dragged his shoot wide when it was easier to score.

To make myself absolutely clear, I'm happy with either Brown or Elito playing even though I reckon the latter is the better overall player presently. Brown is a great prospect and IMO hasn't had a poor game yet, he's been excellent in fact, but I'll reserve judgement until he plays at least 20/25 games. I've seen far too many players fade away after a very good start with their new club and I can only pray he'll not be another one to add to the list. My main concern though is that Derry has to be careful with the lad, and gives him time to recover by not starting him in every league game. This is the first time in his life he's playing professional footy after all.

Lastly, fully agreed this is much better than the Derry in/out dilemma. I've always believed in this squad but felt that Derry wasn't getting the most out of it mostly because of his all too cautious tactics, esp. after taking the lead. But thankfully it seems that he's finally managed to ditch this approach, and he's also making tactical changes and player substitutions at the right time.

 

[huddsmoose]

Elito is so frustrating. That run he made through several defenders last night (before badly scuffing the finish) was superb but he made so many elementary mistakes, including twice miskicking when we had a great chance for a through ball and also shinning the ball out for a goal kick at one point.

Frankly I wouldn't have him in my first 11, but he's a reasonable impact sub.

If we're going to play Elito id put him on the left and Maris/Brown central. Maris had probably his best game for us last night but he was always most effective when drifting inside. That shot off the bar!

This will be a tough game. A win and I'll feel like we're making progress. A draw wouldn't be too shoddy.

 

[SVH]

Last night was the perfect game to give Elito a run out but for me he should be playing second fiddle to Brown.

Brown is new to the football league but is a much better player in every aspect of him game. Touch, vision, workrate. All he needs to do is add goals to his game but I'm confident they will come.

Another tough away day Saturday but I'm confident we can get something. I'm going to go with a score draw. 2-2.

 

[Habbinalan]

Dunne missing is no big deal - get Goddard in his place and have some guile in midfield instead.

Going forward I have no complaints . . . But the back 4 are a disaster. The 2 new fellas have to start Saturday...........

Apparently Flitcroft was so worried about our devastating attacking options (lowest goals scored outside the bottom 5) that he wasted cash on an unsuccesful red card appeal to get Dunney available. Some of us will be disappointed not see a Deegan/Dunne clash but not me.

Anticipation building but I'll find distraction in the Liga 2 early kick off for an improving and further strengthened Foresta Suceava at home to CS Baloteşti.

https://translate.google.co.uk/tran...a-1/foresta-suceava-3515730/stiri&prev=search

 

[Agombar stool]

Dunne's red overturned and he starts.

3 changes from midweek.

 

[Vanni]

What a poor match, you see much better stuff down in the Conference South. Two very poor sides but Swindon took their chances and we didn't. Still, while it's a fact we're struggling with scoring, we really need to shore up that back line and I've been saying this after nearly every match. Once again, and exactly like Mansfield did last week, Swindon had no more than 4 decent chances and yet they scored twice so that's a 50% conversion rate.

If our strikers can't score, then we need to focus on keeping a clean sheet. If we did that today we would've got a point, same as Mansfield last week. If I were Derry I would make the back line and the DMs my first priority and worry about the strikers later. But then again, if I were Derry I wouldn't manage my side by checking out our mb and see what the fans are demanding, because it seems to me that's precisely what he's currently doing. Proof of this today was playing Osadebe when he wasn't even making the squad before (what the actual fuck was he doing out there? Is he really THAT unfit?) and the usual occurrence nowadays of subbing Elito for Brown, and always around the same time in the match naturally.

 

[Big Bird]

Waited until I saw the team before I predicted this. If we had Robertson playing CB there's no way i'd have gone for a win because he's a complete donkey.

Nice to get some points on the board at home again where we're hugely inconsistent, ugly or not.

 

[Indian Dan]

I think it says a lot for the quality, or lack thereof, in this league that we are just outside the playoffs playing absolutely terrible stuff.

Not sure I can watch too much of it, successful or not.

 

[Tom_CUFC]

Bye Shaun.

 

[Habbinalan]

Foresta won and are off the bottom of Liga 2 for the first time this season.

Apart from the easy journey home, it was largely downhill after that. The second goal was just a consequence of chasing the game with very thin resources off the bench. The first goal was well taken but an embarassment for the back 4 (not just Dunk).

We were two well matched teams for most of the match and the main difference was that we can't hit the net for toffee. Most, especially Uche, need 10 chances for a goal - whilst Swindon took half their chances.

To have any hope of top 10, we need to start Jevani Brown, improve our finishing (even just a little) and see where we are by January. The only reason for not putting Osadebe out to pasture with Lewis is we need someone to play in the reserve matches with Saints and Posh (could that be a penny-pinching reason why he brought Osadebe on?*) If Derry is seriously considering pastures new, the sonner he goes the better. I sense that an equally likely outcome is another contract with more work for "the recruitment team" if we are anywhere near the play-offs and still in the FA Cup come December.

Roll on Wycombe at home. Deep joy.

* I checked - apparently not.

"• EFL team selection criteria amended to allow increased flexibility for League One and League Two clubs. Clubs can now name four qualifying outfield players from ten and a qualifying player is now any player who has made 40 or more first team appearances in their career or are on loan from a Premier League or Category One Academy club."

 

[Posh Red]

Odd how people see games differently but I would have sworn we had as many chances as Cambridge. A look at the match stats says 6-3 to us as far as shots on Target would back that up.

The only other thing of note was the slight irritation that Cambridge didn't put the ball out of play when Norris dislocated his shoulder.
Ordinarily I wouldn't bother but earlier in the game they asked us to put the ball out of play (which we did) when one of theirs was down injured.
It was made worse by the fact that not only didn't they give us the ball back after we kicked it out so he could get treatment, but when we did kick it out the cnut Legge was urging the full back to take the throw quickly. I for one hope he suffers an injury so the opposition can just play round him whilst he's down injured.

 

[Habbinalan]

Odd how people see games differently but I would have sworn we had as many chances as Cambridge. A look at the match stats says 6-3 to us as far as shots on Target would back that up.

The only other thing of note was the slight irritation that Cambridge didn't put the ball out of play when Norris dislocated his shoulder.
Ordinarily I wouldn't bother but earlier in the game they asked us to put the ball out of play (which we did) when one of theirs was down injured.
It was made worse by the fact that not only didn't they give us the ball back after we kicked it out so he could get treatment, but when we did kick it out the cnut Legge was urging the full back to take the throw quickly. I for one hope he suffers an injury so the opposition can just play round him whilst he's down injured.

You're probably right, it's how you see it when partisan. And I thought I was probably over egging it as I wrote it, especially as you had more and more chances when we were chasing the game.

Apparently the neutrals say you converted 2 from 6 on target and 2 off target. It depends how many "shots/chances" are counted from the goal mouth scramble but it seems we we converted none from 3 weak on target headers/shots (it felt like the keeper had more to gather) and 6 off target, including Uche hitting the bar - so we didn't create the minimum 10 we need to get a goal.

Sorry that it wound folk up but that team (including the likes of Legge and Deegan) are never going to put it out if the ref is not stopping things and we're chasing an equaliser. I wouldn't expect the opposition to either, especially as the injured guy eventually jogged to the half way line rather than 5 yds off the the pitch to his physio and he'd done it to himself lunging to block a keeper's kicked clearance.

 

[Vanni]

One of the Swindon players had enough time to put the ball out of play but he just lumped it up the field instead. If it were up to me I'd have put it out of play (it wouldn't have made any difference after all), but then again the Swindon players didn't help their team mate out either so why should our lot?