Terrible managerial decisions today!

[terryjolleysboot]

Honeymoon over for Justin,what a terrible decision to drop Marquis for Norris today until Marquis was brought on our attacking prowess looked totally inept!
Marquis provides the link from defence and midfield all young Norris does is win a few headers hes a old fashioned centre forward maybe ideal to play off Marquis but not instead of him.
Its hard to critise Loft when he made one and scored one today but certain midfielders around him are painfully lacking in terms of ability in this division.I thought Bradley Dack put in another spirited performance and maybe Justins thinking was that he could perform the link that John Marquis provides sadly he didn't!
So peeved as Colchester were there for the taking but a draw was the correct result today!
Well played to Bell at left back and I must admit Dickenson was again largely anominus when he took his place!

[gillsjan]

Loft had a much better game and I agree bell played well and was also quite fast. I thought Dack had a poor game today not up to his usual self. I would have struggled to find MOM and guess Maz Elmar was obvious choice as he scored the first goal. I agree not the best choice of players to start and pleased to see subs bought on.

[statotheblue]

Clearly Marquis wasn't dropped.It could be he needed a break.Norris could have looked better in training.Norris wasn't too bad to be honest Bell apart we did not defend well enough.I hope some are not going to turn on the manager JE is doing a good job the team were below their best but we got a point.The team are still giving everything.A few close calls went against us today.Loft had a chalk and cheese game his reaction after the goal says it all.For those who were at him for 80 minutes today.GIVE LOFT A CHANCE TO START AGAIN.Stop and think are you really helping the team with this constant Loft bashing.It was in my ear all game with perfect timing the main person concerned near me walked out when Colchester got their second.So missing Loft's excellent right footed finish.The gaffer statement after the match points more to wanting to look at Norris and G.Morris.He needs to know where he stands with Norris for next season.No our season is not over but it is very unlikely that we are going up or down. If we want the manager to bring in the right mix next season he has to learn as much as he can about those he already has.

[gillsjan]

Loft is certainly not being " loft Bashed " on this particular thread in fact completely the opposite . I see you specifically attribute this to people around you but they may not be on this site, I don't think today's match was particularly entertaining and was very messy for both teams at times but we did get a valuable point. JE needs a lot more time before we start rubbishing his managerial skills and I am sure most of us will allow this to happen.

[statotheblue]

Mar 21, 2015 21:22:36 GMT 1 gillsjan said:

Loft is certainly not being " loft Bashed " on this particular thread in fact completely the opposite . I see you specifically attribute this to people around you but they may not be on this site, I don't think today's match was particularly entertaining and was very messy for both teams at times but we did get a valuable point. JE needs a lot more time before we start rubbishing his managerial skills and I am sure most of us will allow this to happen.

Agreed I came home pleased we got a point from a game where we really never totally put it together.The Loft thing was in my ear all game I didn't mean to blame anyone who writes on here.But I am sure some Loft Bashers read this Message board.One turned to me and said sorry to me after Loft scored I ask him not for the first time to give Loft a real chance to return to form under JE.

[muppet]

Awful game and a bit disappointed at the team set up. We get the ball and feel if has to be pushed forward at every opportunity, it was like watching Sunday league for the first 70 minutes. We need width as a team as our players aren't good enough to play 1 touch in tight midfields. Also we seem to have gone back to everybody being in front of the man with the ball instead of square/wide to open the pitch up. It cuts down passing options and just makes us ineffective.
Thought bell had a good game for his first time out for us.
As to loft, I think he is a good player, but lacking any support in midfield. I watched him closely in the first half and he is covering half the pitch, which isn't his game. As I have said before he needs a big ball winner around him, who then gives him the ball to play around. Sick of people getting at him and if he had turned to the rainham end and stuck two fingers up after scoring then it was justified - leave him be to get on with it. I certainly wouldn't want to play next to Hess, as he needs constant covering due to his mobility issues. Thought dack was poor today and really not sure we can afford virtually a third striker in a midfield that is under performing.
Another point towards safety so not all bad. Oh also got me bovril, which was a bonus after all the speculation this week.

[terryjolleysboot]

Agree totally Muppet.

May I add only when Marquis came on did we manage to link well in the middle of the park!
Regarding Loft I constantly get frustrated with him as I know he has a lot of potential ,we desperately need another two able midfielders, one needs to be a strong ball winner!
I was pleased with Morris in goal but we defended poorly but the cross for Colchester's second goal was the one piece of class they showed all game!
For a 2-2 draw it was a extremely poor match!

[statotheblue]

I saw someone from Oxford Utd it is possible of course that someone had come to watch a player with a view to a loan move.That could be another reason why free up funds.

[swansgills888]

I just got back from hong kong and expected a tough game versus colchester who are fighting for their lives, I think a draw was probably the fair result in the end. Edinburgh decision to let a few fringe players start a game might just tell us that he is planning for next season already. I really do hope marquis signs for us next season. I think him and cody are special when they play together. Norris & Cody combo is never going to work , luke is only a backup player in my opinion.

At the moment I think it's important that we assess certain squad players in match day situations to determine whether they are here next season. The argument is whether we played them yesterday or wait until we could no longer reach the playoffs.

In my honest opinion, I would release Norris, Hessenthaler, pritchard, galbraith and hoyte.

Looking forward to going to crawley next week.

[technical]

I don't pretend to understand all the reasoning behind the formations etc but from a spectator's POV, I'm really disappointed that we seem to have reverted to direct football, I was enjoying all the other stuff.

I disagree about Norris TJB, I thought he did well, strong for a young lad and holds the ball up well and we do need someone to win those headers, especially if we're going to play the long ball. TBH, I'd have switched Cody for Norris if anything. I like Cody but he does seem to need a kick up the backside every now and again.

However, as always, what really needed changing was mid-field. Loft often appears to have a poor game because he's constantly covering for everyone else. Hess, as Muppet says, is just not mobile enough and Dack is full of enthusiasm but where does that take him? He does a brilliant headless chicken act but what is his actual position? He's one of the reasons we're not seeing the best of Loft IMO. People around me seem to be bright enough to realise this Stato and Loft doesn't get a hard time where I sit. Perhaps you need a new seat, I think you're crediting the Loft bashers with too much intelligence if you think they READ these boards :-D

I thought the new lad did well, I wouldn't have taken him off, but replaced Hess or Dack with Dickenson. Morris was sound in goal and giving him a chance after some of Nelson's recent efforts was a good (and brave) decision IMO.

[swingfieldgill]

I was puzzled initially by the team changes but now accept JH's explanation that he wants to get a good look at all the players in the squad before the end of the season.
Loft was OK so far as I am concerned and is playing a lot better than a few weeks ago. That goal should do wonders for his confidence and might just silence the Loft-bashers.
Dack gave the ball away more times than I could count and should try playing the simple ball sometimes instead of the flicks. But he is really such a good player that he should stay in midfield.
Norris tried hard but until we are mathematically safe should be used off the bench, same for Dickenson.
Young Bell played very well. We have been blessed by our three loanee left backs this season.
Hoyte is fine so far as I am concerned. A good steady experienced defender.
Finally I too was disappointed by the time the ball spent in the air. We have not prospered with route one on a regular basis this season.

[muppet]

I'm glad a number of us spotted the same things and hopefully we will get away from the direct/long ball stuff ASAP. Really can't justify spending lots of money on that sort of rubbish-it's free over most parks!

[Greyfox]

Mar 22, 2015 18:44:39 GMT 1 muppet said:

I'm glad a number of us spotted the same things and hopefully we will get away from the direct/long ball stuff ASAP. Really can't justify spending lots of money on that sort of rubbish-it's free over most parks!

[swanleygill]

I am certainly not going to verbally bash JE at all BUT, the long direct ball is what he was known for at Newport, so it is probably just the start of it id think.

[Greyfox]

Mar 22, 2015 18:44:39 GMT 1 muppet said:

I'm glad a number of us spotted the same things and hopefully we will get away from the direct/long ball stuff ASAP. Really can't justify spending lots of money on that sort of rubbish-it's free over most parks!

Yes, there seems a consensus about yesterday's game. However it has to be said. Why oh why on a must win game does the manager decide to experiment with fringe players.
In all my 60 years as a supporter I can't remember a manager doing it with nine matches still to play.
What is he doing all week in training if he can't see the standard require for this kind of match. I bet Paul Scally was happy to come home to watch that performance.. Not.
I like most have been extremely disappointed in the last three home games. But where has the get up and get at them gone that was under the Gang of Four.
It looks like it's back to hoof ball. He might as well but Legg in the team as he can easily clear the mid field every time. Surely we're not going back to the long ball game, I'd just about had enough of that during the Martin Allen reign. The amount of times the ball was just kicked 50 yards in the air for no apparent reason was frightening.
People around me were complaining about Cody not getting in the game. He needed to be 10ft tall to get anywhere near the ball. Especially in the first half.

As for Loft, at least he tries to play football. Yes he gets caught out, especially when turning into trouble, but he's trying to do the job of three players most of the time. He needs more support in midfield instead of the lightweight other midfield duo. I know they are both young, but it's time to step up to the job on a more consistent basis.

It costs a lot of money to go to matches and the level of support is very poor for the size of the area. It doesn't help to put in performances like we've witnessed over the last three games and then for the manager in a very important match to start 'looking at players' as he put it, doesn't help.

If this is a sample of what's on offer, the crowd will soon dip under 5000 again.