Spring is in the air - U's v Mariners

[Habbinalan]

Two clubs freed from the enthusiasm-sapping embrace of unpopular managers might just stage a classic Division 4 encounter on saturday, with two teams and two sets of fans up for the occasion. A very different scenario to the 0-0 bore-fest in front of a disappointing turn out of fractious and disillusioned loyalists that was in prospect only a week ago.

OK, the dead hand of Fenty still dampens the joy felt in Slade's departure and U's fans will always see a host of potential negatives in having a life long supporter multi-millionaire majority owner (whose family are also supporters), who is talking the talk on a community focussed sutainable club in a re-developed Abbey Stadium and who has the capital and patience to deal with setbacks and delays.

Context is everything. The joy and relief that last night's 95th minute winner, the result and the performance delivered would have been diametrically different if Derry was still in charge - we conceded 2 and struggled to beat a team in whimpering, confused freefall to the Conference or oblivion. In fact, Joe Dunne retained his 100% record as interim manager and we posted our 600th league win - with all of the team plus a re-vitalised BB Barry Corr likely to be available on saturday.

My occasional dips into Fishy suggest that midfield personnel, as well as management and tactics (route 1 coz midfield is inadequate?) lie behind the Mariner's descent from the swaggering bumptious promotees who rolled into town (and village) last season. Surely Wilko will come looking for and happy with a draw. We should be capable of winning this but the U's always find a way of confounding our optimism - perhaps an early red card in a game that will have plenty of bite.

I suspect that the banter in the Red Lion at Histon will be a bit more subdued (change of ownership means it'll be full of rugger buggers anyway) and numbers will be well down on last season's 5,121 (1,149 away) but we might top 4,500 if the visitors can achieve half of Lincoln's Friday night 1,678. I haven't a clue how Joe will shoe horn in his multi-talented range of attacking options. I know we're lowest scorers in the league but still.....who do you put on the bench and who do you leave out (apart from the blessed Melito/Don E)?

Forde
Halliday, Taylor, Taft, Carroll
Deegan
Amoo, Brown, Maris, Dunk
Corr

Subs: Mitov, Davies, Darling, O'Neil, Philips, Ikpeazu, Waters

Heart says 3-1 to the U's and I'll go with that

 

[Vanni]

Good write up Alan, but I just can't give you a 'like', You know why

Sorry.

 

[GTFCfish]

Should be a ground full of happy fans at least, both sets finally getting their wishes with defensive minded bore fest managers getting the boot.

My prediction, a 0-0 thriller.

 

[BlackHaddock]

Two clubs freed from the enthusiasm-sapping embrace of unpopular managers might just stage a classic Division 4 encounter on saturday, with two teams and two sets of fans up for the occasion. A very different scenario to the 0-0 bore-fest in front of a disappointing turn out of fractious and disillusioned loyalists that was in prospect only a week ago.


I suspect that the banter in the Red Lion at Histon will be a bit more subdued (change of ownership means it'll be full of rugger buggers anyway) and numbers will be well down on last season's 5,121 (1,149 away) but we might top 4,500 if the visitors can achieve half of Lincoln's Friday night 1,678.

Rumour has it we may bring more than Lincoln City did, we have a few anti-Slade supporters who have not been to games for a while. They are desperate to see their club again.

EDIT: Only sold 350 tickets by Wednesday evening, might struggle to reach the heady total of Lincoln after all.

 

[TommoCUFC]

Forde
Halliday Taylor Taft Dunk
Phillips O’Neil
Amoo Jevani Maris
Uche

2-0 U’s

 

[PaulHaddock]

I’ll be going, first game since Notts Co away. I suspect others like me will be paying on the gate, as Wednesday was the last day to get tickets sent out.

 

[Laker]

Forde
Halliday Taylor Taft Dunk
Phillips O’Neil
Amoo Jevani Maris
Uche

2-0 U’s

Phillips deeper? Not saying you’re wrong, just can’t envisage it since he seems to shirk every tackle going.

 

[BlackHaddock]

Got a speaking part at a Christening otherwise I would be there.

No idea what we will line up, or play like, but I know our support will be loud and proud.

 

[les.gtfc]

Forde
Halliday Taylor Taft Dunk
Phillips O’Neil
Amoo Jevani Maris
Uche

2-0 U’s

I read that as Daft Punk in defence.

At least that way there'll be a bit of entertainment.

 

[Tom_CUFC]

Christ I'm actually looking forward to a home game, forgotten what that feels like.

I really want to start Dunk on the left of midfield but my mind is too convinced that the alternatives in that position are better than Carroll at left back. Uche was immense Tuesday and should start, and I think Waters deserves a start too based on that so will keep Barry on the bench, again though the dilemma is whether to start him on the left (where he doesn't want to be) or in a two up top and then sandwich someone else into the left midfield role, tough, so I'll go for a super-ambitious-never-going-to-happen 4-3-3:

Forde

Halliday
Taft
Taylor
Dunk

Maris
O'Neill
Brown

Amoo
Uche
Waters

Subs: Mitov, Darling, Carroll, Deegan, Phillips, Lewis, Corr

2-0 Cambridge.

 

[Arbury]

This will be my first game since Wycombe(7 Oct) now mr negative has gone I can look forward to watching us again rather than the baron football that he had us playing.

Feel quite positive for this, not sure if that’s just because Derry has gone or because the shackles may come off us somewhat but it’s good to be positive again.

UP THE U’S


KTF

 

[les.gtfc]

Cambridge and Grimsby fans BOTH looking forward to their next games. Who'd have thought that a week or so ago!

 

[Vanni]

 

[PaulHaddock]

We’re going down.

 

[Vanni]

A veritable snoozefest so far, interrupted briefly by Uche's well taken goal. I had thought this one was going to be an open game???

 

[GTFCfish]

WILKINSON OUT!!

 

[Laker]

8 points off the play offs.

#justsayin’

 

[BlackHaddock]

Woe is me!

 

[Habbinalan]

The first half was a terrible watch - but we were 1-0 up from a route 1 Corr assist and uncharactersitic Uche clinical finish. Second half was only made significantly better by the goals that Mariners kept trying to give us, I shouldn't be so grudging (we're finally putting away chances) but a lot of the team had average to poor games.

Grimsby were perhaps not quite as bad as Chesterfield but they are getting there.

5 points from the next 5 will be a decent return - I'm expecting 3 or less - so it's good to have these points on the board.

Pleased to have got a win for Andrew Bennett and I'm missing his report's alternative angle on the day already.

http://www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk/blog/andrew-bennett-1959-2018

 

[StrangelyBrown]

Rumour has it we may bring more than Lincoln City did, we have a few anti-Slade supporters who have not been to games for a while. They are desperate to see their club again.

EDIT: Only sold 350 tickets by Wednesday evening, might struggle to reach the heady total of Lincoln after all.

797 is still a good turn out after the last 2 months at Town- fair play to those who trekked down to Cambridge

 

[BlackHaddock]

https://www.twtd.co.uk/league-tables/competition:league-two/form/matches:12/type:home-and-away/

Christ on a Bike, these stats tell me we are going down.

 

[Laker]

https://www.twtd.co.uk/league-tables/competition:league-two/form/matches:12/type:home-and-away/

Christ on a Bike, these stats tell me we are going down.

Eh? Barnet and Chesterfield closed 6 and 4 points on you respectively in 12 games. If they do the same again, they still don’t catch you.

 

[BlackHaddock]

Eh? Barnet and Chesterfield closed 6 and 4 points on you respectively in 12 games. If they do the same again, they still don’t catch you.

OK, go back to the link and change the games from 12 to 6.

 

[Laker]

OK, go back to the link and change the games from 12 to 6.

Even then they’ve both only closed 4 points on you in 6 games - they’d just about catch you but wouldn’t go past at that rate.

 

[GTFCfish]

797 is still a good turn out after the last 2 months at Town- fair play to those who trekked down to Cambridge

Had Slade still been here it would have been around half that, our away attendances have gone to shit with him in charge.

 

[Vanni]

I'm sorry Grimsby fans, but I just can't agree with my fellow U's fan Laker. I don't like to rely on form guides or ppg's, I just look at the possibility that any poor side or sides can indeed string together a couple of wins and get back in the mix. Surely it can 't be that people have already forgotten all about seemingly 'all but doomed' Pools and Newport going on great winning runs and ultimately avoiding the drop?

Having said that, I think you lot will stay up but the sooner you get more points on board the better.

 

[Laker]

I'm sorry Grimsby fans, but I just can't agree with my fellow U's fan Laker. I don't like to rely on form guides or ppg's, I just look at the possibility that any poor side or sides can indeed string together a couple of wins and get back in the mix. Surely it can 't be that people have already forgotten all about seemingly 'all but doomed' Pools and Newport going on great winning runs and ultimately avoiding the drop?

Having said that, I think you lot will stay up but the sooner you get more points on board the better.

My point was more that BlackHaddock stated those stats told him “they were going down” but the stats don’t suggest that at all.

I agree with your point however that relying on stats/form to keep you up is a flawed concept. Grimsby need to get to 42-43 points to have relative safety.

 

[BlackHaddock]

I can see why the stats might point to us actually staying up, but my thoughts are that even Chesterfield and Barnet win the occasional game, we have not done so since the 9th of December, some 13 games. That was against FGR.

Plus we are not losing by the odd goal, it's usually two or three.