Let's talk about the Colchester United game

[selby]

   With the injuries picked up v Crewe and the game Tuesday evening v Colchester looming so close we are likely again to be in the realms of looking for our fringe players of the last few weeks coming into the lime light and having to step up again for us.
  Hopefully the two old war horses of Wood and Adamson are up to it having being the bed rock of our displays against Bradford and Crewe and the team as a whole can carry on showing the better form they have shown in the last month or so.
   We really do look a different side with our midfield now showing the bite and movement getting around the pitch  that had been missing for a couple of seasons, a real well done from me.
   Again we look to have run into injuries in the full back positions  and could be an opening for Flint as cover who would not let anyone down.  Further forward if Ironside is out and Goodman,  Biamou looks a really good addition but cover of an out and out striker more problematic, Adamson the best of the rest by far as a striker.
   Colchester are having an even poorer season than ourselves being third from the bottom, and lost today to Barrow away 2-0 Barrow scoring both goals in added time in both the first and second half, and Colchester's previous three games all ended 1-1
  Managed by the Cowley brothers, at least we know they will try to be all action, and in the past we have put on some of our most dismal displays there, even when we were doing well in the league with decent sides, so a hard place for us to go if the last few visits are to go by.
  Our better form however has a base of our home form and the away form of only three wins is poor, although against Bradford we did play well and deserved more, so again we come up against that third unbeaten game on the trot, although our form since the new year has improved immeasurably, the loss at Walsall a disappointment after doing so well.
  So we have injury problems to overcome in a short period, some areas are easier covered than others and might require players filling in out of position such as Olowu who did well today, and we might have to go left field for some youngsters to sit on the bench as cover.
  Despite Colchester's position in the league Cowley has turned them around somewhat and the defeat at Barrow was only their second in nine league games and in Tom Hopper have an old adversary who can be a handful and in the game at Barrow had by far the most possession but failed to threaten for long periods, something we got quite good at at one time.
  So not an easy game for more than one reason, can we overcome our difficulties? Can we get the the points? will any of the walking wounded take part in the game? we have a different attitude to me now, and are willing to stand and fight, this is a test in more than one way with our injuries, but our subs did well v Crewe when needed and can carry us through this game with the same commitment I think, what do you think? lots to discuss about the game, please have your say.

[Chris Black come back]

They have a terrible home record in the league. Only Sutton United have a worse home record. More generally, they are really not good. Their last 20 league games has seen three wins, seven draws and ten defeats. Cowleys look to have made them more solid as they are picking up more draws but wins still as rare as hen's teeth. They've won one in their last eight home league games, and even that was courtesy of a 89th minute goal against a poor Salford City side.

[selby]

  Forgot about Waters up front cover so not as bad as first thought, hopefully Ironside will be fit however as he has been really good most of the season and always causes problems for defences.

[karldew]

2/1 to win
5/1 -1 goal handicap
Evens to win either half
10/1 to win both halves

Seem good odds for the game.

[karldew]

“Warning to Doncaster fans...  you might not want to bother coming to Colchester on Tuesday... Raining all day today,  supposed to be rain Tuesday....  got a bad feeling again....


Edit* Just an heads up. Off of a Colchester fan on a Facebook league 2 group.

[roversdude]

Hope there is an early decision what time are coaches due to set off ?

[Scooter]

I’m driving down. Leaving about half 2. Hope we have a decision before then

[roversdude]

Straight after school pick up for me so about 3pm

[ForsolongaRover]

Yes, it’s been wet in Essex from last night onwards and despite the investment in a new stadium they did not seem to invest sufficient in the sub-structure for a decent pitch. Their Grimsby match in mid February and the 2 March fixture v Stockport were both postponed and I seem to remember its poor state was a talking point when they played their first match there.

[Draytonian III]

I bet their goalkeeper needs attention a few minutes needs attention a couple minutes either side of the 22nd and 67th minute, the manager likes to split the game into quarters

[les@donr]

I think we will get a hatful of goals on Tuesday.

[Colin C No.3]

I’ve made it clear where I stand on this one fella’s. A rolling stone gathers no moss, whereas a ‘Rolling Stone’ ends up with a face like one.

[selby]

  I think Ferguson with the Hartlepool last game of the season gave the two worst displays of management leadership I have ever seen that game and equalled it at Colchester and threw a championship season away like a gift on a plate.
 Nearly every time we go there we have been the fancied team, especially with our own supporters, and more than once we have not turned up and have been on the end of a good hiding.
  We need to be at it from the start and impose our game on them like we did with Crewe on Saturday.

[roversdude]

Do we have any local knowledge relating to the weather in Colchester and the likelihood of playing

[ForsolongaRover]

Do we have any local knowledge relating to the weather in Colchester and the likelihood of playing

I gave you my thoughts and a bit of history earlier in the thread, but I'm 40 miles away. The ground here in Southend is pretty well sodden, there is still fairly extensive flooding of fields and some rivers on the Colchester area and their pitch is not well drained and matches have been called off recently in this weather cycle. Since Rovers will be travelling in the morning or early afternoon you'd expect an fairly early morning inspection, but as you probably know there's nothing on the website of relevance.

[roversdude]

Thanks Forsolonga

[steve@dcfd]

There’s a pitch inspection at 8 am in the morning and will be public knowledge shortly after.

https://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/2024/march/colchester-pitch-inspection/

[karldew]

Looks like we’ll be playing them on a smaller pitch. EFL have agreed to the measurements to be able to cut the bad bits of the pitch

‘Colchester United’s new dimensions are 64 metres wide (formerly 68 metres) and 102 metres long (previously 105 metres).

[Scooter]

Confirmed for 23rd April

[roversdude]

Looks like we’ll be playing them on a smaller pitch. EFL have agreed to the measurements to be able to cut the bad bits of the pitch

‘Colchester United’s new dimensions are 64 metres wide (formerly 68 metres) and 102 metres long (previously 105 metres).

Appreciate that officially to aid drainage but is this a Cowley tactic

[les@donr]

We could send them down.

[roversdude]

If I recall they were our last opponents in the league before we were relegated. Also our opponents when we won the league under Penney ??

[Campsall rover]

If I recall they were our last opponents in the league before we were relegated. Also our opponents when we won the league under Penney ??

That was Cambridge dude when we won the league in 03/04 not Colchester.
No it was Carlisle we played Cambridge a bit earlier in April.
We we’re both right with the club with a Letter C   

[Scooter]

Defo Colchester when we were relegated

[roversdude]

If I recall they were our last opponents in the league before we were relegated. Also our opponents when we won the league under Penney ??

That was Cambridge dude when we won the league in 03/04 not Colchester.
No it was Carlisle we played Cambridge a bit earlier in April.
We we’re both right with the club with a Letter C   

Quite right sorry an age related error there were ?? Lol