Cambridge 0-1 Kevin Ellison

[Tom_CUFC]

Bound to happen, right?

Don't think I've been so despondent 3 games into the season before, despite 9 years of non-league and 5 years of chaos before that, it's having nothing to be enthused about that is worst of all, regardless of whether we win, lose or draw tomorrow you know it's almost certainly going to be an absolute snoozefest, not sure I'll even be able to muster up the energy to boo Derry if we lose. Morecambe will play their part if they take the lead or are 0-0 with half an hour to go, but they have every right to.

Forde, Halliday, Legge, Taylor, Carroll (reluctantly), Deegan, Osadebe, Mingoia, Maris, Dunk, Uche, with Brown as the first change barring injury. Never going to happen, obviously.

Sub 4k crowd in addition to a loss courtesy of the best WUM in professional football.

 

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

Almost as predictable as a Notts goalkeeping calamity against Cambridge.

 

[Laker]

We'll win 3-0 and the season will begin in earnest. I'm not going and I'm quite pleased to be missing it to be honest.

 

[Vanni]

Another must win game, and I believe we can indeed get the win. The reason I'm being uncharacteristically optimistic is that this game comes so soon after the whole Berry saga, and our BOD will desperately want the side to win this, for obvious reasons. Like doubling the win bonus for the players perhaps?

I'm also thinking the gate will be higher than what I thought it would be now that Berry's gone. I'm sure that most of those who could make the match but were planning on staying away will now change their minds and go. So I'm revising my predicted att of circa 3500 to a little over 4000.

2-1 to the U's (Elito pen, Mingoia).

If we end up losing this, then I fully expect Derry to be gone on Monday morning. I think Jez and co will try to start rectifying matters with the fan base and they'll have the perfect scapegoat in Derry should we lose.

 

[Arbury]

Be fucked if I'm going to this, for those that do give jez n co some stick.

KTF

 

[Habbinalan]

First plus for the day, we're at home so I can make leisurely preparation to tootle down the Abbey for a routine home league match, with no worries about traffic, sustenance, music choice and birding opportunities.

2nd plus.............................I must be streets ahead in epic73 's Adopt a Team table.

And so another chapter of Mr Derry's Diary stutters on to the page. We face a blend of modest, unassuming, street wise, "Old" and ageing L2 journeymen and young northern loanees managed and well coached by one of the best in the league. Shrimps by name, Pistol Shrimps by nature.

Jabo is supposed to be having a fitness test but I can't imagine he'll be risked - possibly on the bench?

God knows what team will be picked with the febrile, verging on toxic, atmosphere at the moment. We'll probably go 442 and I can think of plenty of picks and formations with the potential to screw up the day.

If Jabo starts and we play some proper wingers, we have a chance. I envisage a frustrating afternoon but hope for some steel and sparkle from the likes of the two Leons and George Maris. Best bit of news I can hope for is that Jim Bentley has agreed to pick up the pieces at Holker Street, convinced that Paul Casson has refound his MoJo.

 

[Laker]

We'll win 3-0 and the season will begin in earnest. I'm not going and I'm quite pleased to be missing it to be honest.

I've just seen our team and I think we might get more than 3, I'm genuinely excited about that side. Derry has gone attacking!

 

[Habbinalan]

I've just seen our team and I think we might get more than 3, I'm genuinely excited about that side. Derry has gone attacking!

That went well..............................................................ish.

As the time wasting began, I said to my mate, "Will we really need 90 mins to score?" He just looked at me.

It's going to be a long season...... but we are in the Football League and I have more distractions coming up than my poor compadres.

Jevani Brown looked promising if raw. Uche remains a joy. If we can get Jabo on the pitch or sign a goal scorer (and a CB?), we might threaten the play-offs.

 

[Vanni]

Pretty disappointed we didn't beat a poor side. For all the offensive players we had on the pitch, we only created a couple of decent enough goal scoring opportunities. I thought Morecambe didn't really have to work hard to handle us and that's the biggest concern I have right now.

Derry out please.

 

[Tom_CUFC]

Give the guy some credit today mate, yes Morecambe are poor and we will face better most weeks and have to improve but we at least addressed the issues we've all been complaining about, we were on the front foot for most of the game and looked like a revitalised team. What that did was expose our lack of clinically up top, but we played about as well as our ability allowed today and how under-resources certain areas of our squad are, and exactly who is to blame for that, is another debate entirely.

I still don't think it will improve enough under him but it was a necessary small step in the right direction, we have to now use this week to build on it in light of facing much better opposition in 7 days time, rather than preparing to go back into our shell, which is the fear.

 

[Laker]

That went well..............................................................ish.

As the time wasting began, I said to my mate, "Will we really need 90 mins to score?" He just looked at me.

It's going to be a long season...... but we are in the Football League and I have more distractions coming up than my poor compadres.

Jevani Brown looked promising if raw. Uche remains a joy. If we can get Jabo on the pitch or sign a goal scorer (and a CB?), we might threaten the play-offs.

Yeah I got a bit carried away. ;-) From what I've heard we were a goal scorer away from winning comfortably today, particularly in the first half where we had plenty of chances but needed someone more clinical to put them away.

 

[Vanni]

Give the guy some credit today mate, yes Morecambe are poor and we will face better most weeks and have to improve but we at least addressed the issues we've all been complaining about, we were on the front foot for most of the game and looked like a revitalised team. What that did was expose our lack of clinically up top, but we played about as well as our ability allowed today and how under-resources certain areas of our squad are, and exactly who is to blame for that, is another debate entirely.

I still don't think it will improve enough under him but it was a necessary small step in the right direction, we have to now use this week to build on it in light of facing much better opposition in 7 days time, rather than preparing to go back into our shell, which is the fear.

Agreed Tom. I've not been feeling all that well lately (looks like the black dog is trying it's hardest to get back into my life) and people tend to focus mainly on the negative stuff when going through such a time. In hindsight, I should refrain from posting so soon after the match and only do so when my head's clear.

Anyway, it's clear we're missing a decent striker but I'm not expecting one to come in before January at the earliest. Azeez and Uche may be decent enough but they're not natural goalscorers. Jabo is a natural one though, but it's not a good idea to rely on someone who struggles to stay fit and will probably feature in only half of our league games. I'm also a bit concerned with who will take over the free kicks now Berry's gone. He may have been shit at penalties but his freekicks were superb.

Still, I'll refrain for praising Derry for now. Setting us up the way he did was to be expected as everybody knows the way Morecambe set up when they're playing away. They always sit deep and let the home side do the running, so our attacking line-up was somewhat forced on Derry or any other manager who's playing Morecambe. BUT to his credit he didn't go for a 4-4-2 line up and the usual long ball tactic, and this IMO was the thing I enjoyed seeing the most, because it clearly shows that we've got enough quality at our disposal to make it work.