Cambridge United v Dagenham

[SVH]

So we won at Orient and everyone believes again. Watch us fuck this one up.

 

[Tom_CUFC]

Yup, nailed on non-win.

 

[Habbinalan]

Since we don't always fuck up these fixtures, just usually, I'd say we're more likely to go off the rails against York (0-0) and Satanage (1-1 or even 0-1) and get a hatful of goals on Saturday........but who knows? It's the Cambridge way.

It'll be fun to offer little Lukey G a warm Abbey welcome - hope he starts and Ledson/Dunne can provide said welcome whilst remaining on the pitch. I'd love to see Satanage and Crawley take the drop, as I enjoy away days at D&R and York (and haven't yet got to Huish Park or Rodney Parade) but can see their fragile revival sustaining a dent on Saturday - Though I can also see them turning us over big time as the Derry wheels come off big time in February.

 

[Murphy]

I have it in my head that we like playing Cambridge away...so I'm going for an optimistic draw.

 

[Laker]

So they stuffed us at ours in the paint pot cup earlier in the season but I can't remember what happened last season (got a feeling we lost 2-1 when a free kick went straight in from a cross?). Before that, I remember a 4-2 win when Dagenham got promoted from the Conference and their fans we're doing the conga in the aisles. Conversely we've won both league games in Dagenham.

Anything could happen and that's the "beauty" of watching us at the moment - we have no idea what to expect as we followed an excellent December with 3 dire performances v Wimbledon, Crawley and Hartlepool then the excellent win at Orient. There's no pattern, no one can see our performances coming.

If we play the same 11 that started against Orient then I think we might struggle - I think we need to go 2 up top and take the game to Dagenham. I'd go:

Norris

Furlong
Legge
Coulson
Page

Donaldson
Berry
Dunne
Dunk

Williamson
Spencer

Plenty of pace, plenty of energy, ball on the floor, running in behind etc. I fear us sitting back and playing hoofball with two little strikers.

 

[Arbury]

Confidence must be high after last week but knowing us like I do we'll muck this one up.

Fingers crossed for a win but wouldn't be surprised to see a daggers victory.

KTF.

 

[r1ch1e]

Lose 2-1. Dunne will score I imagine

 

[Vanni]

Yep, we need to take the game to Daggers, and I hope we won't see a repeat of the Pools match,with Derry desperately struggling to come up with excuses in his post match interview. I really struggle to muster enough excitement for games against the bottom 4/5 sides as I've been disappointed far too many times, and would rather we play the top sides every week.

I'm going for a 1-1 draw, with our goal coming 5 mins from time after witnessing 70 mins without having a decent shot on target, before Derry throws everyone forward in search of the equalising goal.

 

[Leewilson]

Honestly not a clue with this one. We do really really need a win so hopefully the boys turn up today and don't crumble. My gut instinct is saying quite a poor 2-0 defeat.

 

[Laker]

The march into play offs continues.

 

[Murphy]

I haven't seen us that much this season but this has to be one of the worst games we've played. Understand the conditions were difficult for both sides, but we offered absolutely nothing going forward bar one Chambers shot cleared off the line in the first half. Cambridge were no great shakes, but it was testament to how poor we were that what little they offered they still deserved to win the game. Very disappointed because with our run in, we need to be trying to win games against sides that aren't in and around the top 3.

 

[Habbinalan]

Dire match. Dire referee, for both sides, although he (actually his lino) may have got that nailed on pen, that wasn't, correct (punctuation nightmare).

Glad of the pen, that was, the points and the clean sheet. On, with no great enthusiasm, to the joys of the Lamex next up. I don't even like cup-cakes.

 

[Tom_CUFC]

Did what we had to in the conditions and I think we deserved it, the first half looked pretty even overall and much like a lot of our first halves at home recently, but it was really noticeable in the second half how much the weather was a benefit for the team attacking our end and we dominated the game, without really creating a whole lot, but a nice bit of work from super sub Robbie to win the penalty.

Thought Spencer played well and Dunne was really effective in that holding position. Apart from that one wobble in the first half when Coulson cleared off the line (understandable "flap" from Norris in the conditions, could've been a lot worse) the defence looked solid too, be interesting to see where O'Neill will fit in eventually.

It's the hope that kills you isn't it? If we are to make a run at the playoffs then we really need 6 points from the next two games before a much trickier run of matches, but we never do well at Stevenage and gifted a poor York team 3 points at home last year and should've gifted them 3 at their place this season. Still don't think we're a "playoff calibre" team, but I'm not sure there are really any more than 5 teams in this division that are actually any good, so it's certainly on, League 2 once again proving that it's not over 'til it's over, as they say.