8 defeats out of 11 league games at home

[Rookie]

They scouted us well.

Played a pressing game for 20 minutes and got in our faces and put us under pressure.

Our defence cannot handle it and they new that and got right at us.

Think you give them too much credit, looks to me as they always pump the ball up the big bloke and work from there. Wouldn't like to watch that sort of football every week but must be getting results judging by league position

 

[SI 4 BHA]

Colchester are a nothing team with no real stars, who haven't had the money we have spent over the last couple of years, but they have a decent manager who has got them organised and playing as a team. They may not be pretty, but there were quite effective and while some of you seem to think we shouldn't expect to be able to compete with Leeds, Norwich and Charlton, we damn well should be able to complete with Colchester.

Yesterday, we didn't start the game untill we were 2 nil down, we were pathetic early on and in the first 20 mins I can't recall us getting out of our half. After that we improved and it was an entertaining game, but at the moment entertainment is irrelevant, we just need to grind out a couple of wins and I don't care how dull and boring we are, we just need some points! Once we are a bit safer and have got a few results, then we can think about entertaining the fans!

 

[Barnham Seagull]

Think you give them too much credit, looks to me as they always pump the ball up the big bloke and work from there. Wouldn't like to watch that sort of football every week but must be getting results judging by league position

They new if they put us under from the start from scouting us we were likely to conceed early on.

They did theie homework and got their reward.

Easy to have the lion share of a game once you have shipped 2 goals in.

No point playing well for 70 minutes if for 20 you were non existent.

 

[SICKASAGULL]

Spot on Jamie,I hope Poyet does a lot better in his buying otherwise another season in Div 1 is likely.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

They new if they put us under from the start from scouting us we were likely to conceed early on.

They did theie homework and got their reward.

Easy to have the lion share of a game once you have shipped 2 goals in.

No point playing well for 70 minutes if for 20 you were non existent.

So by your recogning, if a team plays well for 20 minutes, that is all they need to do to win? a game lasts 90 minutes, if we had turned the result around last night and won (which we looked like we might do) would you just be moaning about the 20 minutes and conceeding 2 goals, or the 70 minutes we were better than them and won?

they outplayed us for 20 minutes and got 2 goals so by your logic, we outplayed them for 70 minutes and should have had 7? when was the last time you can recall when we had put the opposition under sustained pressure at home?
secondly, we were 2 down but our heads didn't drop, they didn't accept defeat but worked extremely hard to try to get something from the game and were very unlucky not to, we deserved something from it.

You have chosen a bad game to use as your basis for your moan, after all any team can play well, be unlucky and lose and we did yesterday

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Spot on Jamie,I hope Poyet does a lot better in his buying otherwise another season in Div 1 is likely.

What are your realistic expectations for this season, where do you think we should finish?

 

[Steve Foster]

Foster, were you the fool shouting the title of this thread to bennett at the final whistle, and telling him to f*** off? If so, you sir are no better than my 4 year old neighbour. If not, I hope you stick with Poyet, not like you did with Slade.

No definitely not me. Wouldn't use that sort of language either in front or near to kids either

 

[Barnham Seagull]

So by your recogning, if a team plays well for 20 minutes, that is all they need to do to win? a game lasts 90 minutes, if we had turned the result around last night and won (which we looked like we might do) would you just be moaning about the 20 minutes and conceeding 2 goals, or the 70 minutes we were better than them and won?

they outplayed us for 20 minutes and got 2 goals so by your logic, we outplayed them for 70 minutes and should have had 7? when was the last time you can recall when we had put the opposition under sustained pressure at home?
secondly, we were 2 down but our heads didn't drop, they didn't accept defeat but worked extremely hard to try to get something from the game and were very unlucky not to, we deserved something from it.

You have chosen a bad game to use as your basis for your moan, after all any team can play well, be unlucky and lose and we did yesterday

I enjoyed the fight back and yes you could say we were unlucky not to have scored but we did not and missed open goals.

It's easy to play well after the damage is done and the other team mentally thinks they have won the game and goes on the defensive. After going two up they dropped back 10 yards after pressing us for the first 20 minutes.

Colchester should have scored a third in the second but fluffed a chance.

Roll on January and hoprfully a little bit of quality and experince to stop the damage at the back.

Does not look like we will agree on this so I will agree to disagree on this one!

 

[clippedgull]

I'm with Tom, after all, how would STH react if they had to pay EXTRA if we were in the top 6?

I'm not in the refund camp, but full price season ticket holders pay top 6 prices as it is, for whatever reason the club justifies it!

 

[Jim in the West]

The thing about football is that sometimes things go your way, and you're a hero. On other occasions they go against you, and you're a villain. With just a little luck last night we would have come back from 0-2 to win 3-2 or 4-2. The whole of NSC would have been delirious. No need to get too depressed yet....Poyet is gradually improving the style and standard of play. Did you notice how often both Poyet and Oatway were clapping the players when they played the ball on the ground and sought simple, quick passes? It's going to take time, and we don't have all the players we need to make it work (esp. centre back), but we're at last headed in the right direction. And last night's game was actually highly entertaining - not often you can say that about a trip to Withdean!

 

[Steve Foster]

The thing about football is that sometimes things go your way, and you're a hero. On other occasions they go against you, and you're a villain. With just a little luck last night we would have come back from 0-2 to win 3-2 or 4-2. The whole of NSC would have been delirious. No need to get too depressed yet....Poyet is gradually improving the style and standard of play. Did you notice how often both Poyet and Oatway were clapping the players when they played the ball on the ground and sought simple, quick passes? It's going to take time, and we don't have all the players we need to make it work (esp. centre back), but we're at last headed in the right direction. And last night's game was actually highly entertaining - not often you can say that about a trip to Withdean!

Maybe but back to the original thread. 8 defeats out of 11 at home, is utterly appalling. It's great that a number of posters can still be positive & apologetic on behalf of our players!

 

[king Wombat]

maybe but back to the original thread. 8 defeats out of 11 at home, is utterly appalling. It's great that a number of posters can still be positive & apologetic on behalf of our players!

you weren#t actually at the game tho were you.

 

[Jamie]

you weren#t actually at the game tho were you.

what the eighth out of eleven home games the players have lost this year - no I wasnt either. Results are poor given the money spent. Not Poyets fault but it is adams and slades. They bought dadly and both put together a losing team. Poyet has the cheque book and lets see what he does with it

 

[Steve Foster]

you weren#t actually at the game tho were you.

Because the team played well once we threw the game away, is not a reason to find some solace in defeat? Not when 3 out of 4 games at home this season have ended in defeat

 

[king Wombat]

Because the team played well once we threw the game away, is not a reason to find some solace in defeat? Not when 3 out of 4 games at home this season have ended in defeat

Take it that's a no then...

 

[Steve Foster]

you weren#t actually at the game tho were you.

Take it that's a no then...

Actually I have been to most of the home games & some away this season. Not that it changes anything does it? The number of home defeats is completely unforgiveable?

 

[king Wombat]

well its not great. But you have to put it into context. Which you aren't doing.

We now have a different manager and coaches - So its quite reasonable to split the season into two. Pre poyet and Poyet. Poyet's record against the top 4 teams in the division who are all in GOOD form hasn't been great, but why on earth would it be?

We've got a leaky defence and have done since butters retired. That hasn't changed overnight but why should it have? None of the defenders have suddenly gained massive amounts of experience and developed organisational skills. That is gained through experience or being a natural leader.

I think the defenders as individuals are good players ( although not enitirely convinced by whing). But they don't play as a tight cohesive unit and there is a very very good case for bringing in a new defender or two now as they've had long enough to sort it out.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Year we lost, but we played bloody well except for the first 20 minutes.

But that's the point. All too often our lack of concentration is handing teams goals on a plate.

You can dominate a match for 60 minutes, 70 minutes or 80 minutes but if you give the opposition 2 goals a game you'll lose most of your matches.

We've been crying out for a Simon Morgan-style central defender all season, and that decision to axe the keeper Sullivan's not looking too clever.

 

[Spider]

They bought dadly and both put together a losing team. Poyet has the cheque book and lets see what he does with it

I don't think he played last night, not sure he was even on the bench...

Slade's failure this season was in simply not buying the right defensive player. Tunnicliffe looks like a decent player but is not the defender we needed to accompany Elphick. He can be forgiven for thinking Whing would be good enough but so far this season he has been terrible when playing. Also unlucky with McNulty injuries but we should have had better cover at left back than a non-league player playing out of position.

Still think we will improve without a radical squad overhaul, and I'm not convinced that would do us much good anyway, but we have to improve the home form as it has been truely dreadful for far too long.

 

[Steve Foster]

I don't think he played last night, not sure he was even on the bench...

Slade's failure this season was in simply not buying the right defensive player. Tunnicliffe looks like a decent player but is not the defender we needed to accompany Elphick. He can be forgiven for thinking Whing would be good enough but so far this season he has been terrible when playing. Also unlucky with McNulty injuries but we should have had better cover at left back than a non-league player playing out of position.

Still think we will improve without a radical squad overhaul, and I'm not convinced that would do us much good anyway, but we have to improve the home form as it has been truely dreadful for far too long.

What I can't understand is why Slade & now Poyet do not play 5 at the back? Say a 5-3-2 formation. I know it is a little defensive, especially at home. However, we have been leaking goals all season & playing with inexperience goalies.

The whole defence are not up to the job, we all know that. None of them will be playing in the championship I suspect, however a more compact defence with more bodies may help.

So why won't the manager at least try such a formation against any club in the top half of the table? A 4-4-2 formation at Swindon and I can only see a 3-0 defeat