aaronoafc

What sort of numbers are people thinking?

Even though our starts not been the best I thought we would still take a big following considering it's only down the road. Hearing we have only sold 250 as of this morning...

Unless a :censored: load decide to pay on the day - which could always happen considering we took around 800 in JPT (cheaper prices) on a tues night and around 600 for a monday night TV game.

Anyone on here going?

Is there any saving to be made by buying tickets before Saturday?

Don't believe so mate. Someone said you have to buy tickets though from the away ticket office rather than just paying on the day? Not too sure. Picked up 4 the other day hopefully we take a few.

Thought we actually played well last night, mainly the last 5-10 minutes of the first half and most of the second half. Thought we were the better "footballing" side of the two.

Elekobi was much improved, Lockwood for me though once he comes back as you can clearly see the difference in organisation (at the back) from the back end of last season and now.

Thought 4-4-2 worked much better, and Philly was very good. His off the ball movement at times was a class above the rest of the team, more often than not he wasn't found but he found space more often than not.

JCH has to score that chance before half time. Simple as.

Thought we did more than them to nick it - definitely not a performance to be annoyed/disappointed about. Move on to Preston now which will be touch but it's only down the road so hopefully we take a decent following and who knows? Would be typical latics to get their first win of the season at one of the toughest away matches of the season.

4-4-2.

Jones Winchester in centre of midfield.

Forte upfront with JCH.

done.

If we move Forte up front after he's been so impressive and scored 3 goals in 2 games playing out wide I am NEVER going again.

Forte needs to be out wide to have the space to outpace players and cut in...up top he wouldn't get that freedom and would be less effective

He's impressed then as soon as the opposition has realised he's our biggest (only) threat he's been closed out of the game and double'd up on.

That won't happen up front - he is a striker, not a winger - hence his positioning for his second goal at Colchester, he knew where to be.

him upfront with JCH will cause problems, JCH isn't good enough to be on his own up front and is clearly struggling. With a strike partner especially someone with experience like Forte he will be much more comfortable.

Yes Forte has looked awesome on the wing, but I think the team as a whole would benefit more with him upfront and 2 strikers, not one.

 

Unfortunately, the replacement for a way off full fitness Kelly would be the reportedly even more way off full fitness Noble?

Think someone else said similar but we could easily go winchester/Jones in the middle, Dayton out wide and JCH Forte up top

Only 3 games gone and been to them all so far but I'm yet to see him is he any good?

Lockwood in - Conceded 6 in 10 games.

Lockwood out - Conceded 8 in 3 games.

Also has anybody seen Kelly since we signed him?

 

He at least tried to play it on the floor and to feet rather than aimless hoofs forward in the air to Clarke-Harris

Yeah agreed - a lot of last night was 2/3 passes around the half way line - back to Wilson then a hoof forward.

Dieng will be unlucky not to start Saturday one of only 2 or 3 we currently have who look comfortable on the ball.

Really? I thought he seemed to flap quite a lot last night, and most of his passes where under hit

We need to bin this 3-5-2 off - players obviously can't play it, as it never works and we just change system after 10 minutes anyway. We also need to stop changing formation in general every 10 minutes....

4-4-2 sat:

Rachubka

Wilson Wilson Elekobi Mills

Winc Jones Kelly (time to impress) Dayton

Forte JCH

:censored: I forgot king lockwood was injured.

Cant wait for tonight!

Head says 2-0 Boro, heart says 2-0 Latics.

Can't see us lining up the same as saturday, we looked far to open defensively.

Expect 4-4-2 tonight:

Rachubka

Wilson Wilson Elekobi Mills

Winchester Kelly Jones Dayton

Forte JCH

Didn't see Deing much in Pre season - heard he looked great at the back though however I think LJ will give the nod to Elekobi over him. Or even Lockwood? We missed a voice at the back saturday.

Unless LJ chooses to pack the midfield, but JCH looked so isolated at times on saturday never mind against better opposition.

Proper thought we'd got away with hit when they hit the post I actually said "you lucky bastards"...then they scored anyway...

Thought Jones looked the busier of him and Kelly, I don't really remember seeing Kelly on the ball too much. Both wanted it all of the time and Jones was able to pull off a few neat turns in the build up. Winchester I thought played well, some of the passes too him where :censored:e and he was able to control them instantly and turn away from his man with ease on most occasions.

Dayton needs to get his act together, he has it, definitely. But some of his decision making at times can be shocking. I'd stick with him for now.

Kusunga - I'm sorry but needs dropping. Don't really like dropping players out of the starting 11 a game in to the season but with Dieng, the returning Lockwood and Elekobi on the bench you can't put in a performance like that second half yesterday.

Say what you want about Lockwood, but we missed his leadership at the back without a doubt. He was the one organising the Defence during that 10 game unbeaten run where we hardly conceded last year and at times yesterday the defence was a bit all over the place.

Forte - Outstanding first half. Their Right back had a torrid time with him. This lad looks the :censored:.

JCH - Does he need a strike partner? Will LJ Try 4-4-2 at home against Mboro/Orient and stick Forte up top? Many times yesterday JCH simply wasn't strong enough despite his size/presence and couldn't hold the ball up. I think he has tons of talent but at times he's so frustrating. Seems to have improved jumping/heading wise though.

B Wilson - good cross for the goal, other than that didn't do much. Especially second half seemed reluctant to get forward when one of the CM's where looking to play out wide.

Wilson looked solid, Mills had a decent game, gets forward a lot, looks like he could run all day. Subs were alright, Philly looked fairly Sharp and "big willy" was a menace.

Was a decent match, could have gone either way but I won't lie I thought Colchester had more than us late on to nick the win. Held on though, 11 unbeaten in the league, roll on tuesday

Don't mind it at all - not too bad really.

350 ish sold

600 ish I reckon - Can't wait for it, long journey down but the journey home will be better after a 4-0 win

I think it was Billy Quarmby who made the call

Just been to pickup tickets and the Ticket office said we had sold over 200 - Not bad for a couple of weeks before hand + I bet most of the southern fans will pay on the day

so how many do we think we will take?

 

735 at Stevenage last season opener which was a stunning effort.....any chance we can repeat that?

Similar to this, around 700 I think. colchester one of the only away matches in the league I've not done so will be ticking this off the list this season.

Thought Dayton looked alright, especially first half but should have crossed for JCH to tap in (or balloon over). Connor Brown looked much better 2nd half but he's definitely not a left back. Gros wasn't even bad I thought he did more than JCH today. Heard negative things about Gros so far (first time seeing the team today) but thought he looked okay.

...maybe it's suggesting LJ is thinking of playing Mills on the left wing.... otherwise we risk being blessed with defenders...?

This. I think LJ wants brown to be left back and Mills left wing

Not the best tie in the world, will probably be another "played well but lost narrowly 1-0" game but it's something different as I've not seen us play Mboro either.

Would have loved Bolton away, Bury you lucky b*******

Defence will now be done I think. Brian Wilson, Colchester's captain, don't know much else about him though.