Colchester v Forest Green

[Chris FGR]

First game this season we're up against someone we've never played in a league game before. Colchester haven't started great and FGR old boy Kurtis Guthrie is out, which is good cos he'd have probably scored, so reckon we could get something, especially given the confidence boost we should get from getting our first win last week.

I'm hoping to see Iacovitti and Bugiel start after they both made a major impact off the bench v Yeovil, and we're going to have to defend a lot better then we did in the first half last week.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Agree we have every chance of getting something out of this, particularly given Kurtis isn't the only Us injury absentee by the looks of things. Even better chance if the defence finally start bedding in.

 

[Chris FGR]

Yeah it's the defence that's the issue, we'll always carry a goal threat just need to keep them out at the other end

From what I've heard Iacovitti is rated by Forest fans, and he looked the part coming on Saturday. Big unit and seems to have a bit of pace, which will come in useful given we often seem a bit exposed on the break. We looked a lot tighter second half, will be interesting if we go with a back 3 or continue with Collins playing instead of Traore in front of a back 4, he looked pretty good there last week I thought.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

I'm stuck with the radio until November as I'm working abroad again this year so only that to go by from Sat, certainly sounded like Alex made a difference where Fitzwater had been a bit bullied/flustered.

 

[dedwardp]

No idea what to expect this weekend really. We've been woeful so far this season - reportedly terrible at Accrington, hopeless for 65 minutes against Stevenage and the less said about Luton last weekend the better.

Desperately in need of a couple of additions before Saturday. We're a shambles at the back and need an experienced head to come in and shore things up. Prosser was supposed to be that guy, returning from injury, but as is the case with us his comeback has been delayed by another couple of months so who knows when he may finally return.

Similarly without Kurtis Guthrie we look completely toothless up front, no idea where the goals are supposed to come from. Like Prosser, Guthrie was supposed to be back during pre-season but is also still out for god knows how long. With Guthrie injured, the only forward we actually have at the moment is Mandron who has failed to impress so far, because we've just let Denny Johnstone go out on loan for the rest of the season. No great loss because he was pretty rubbish anyway, but we literally have nobody else and need bodies.

After last year, we should have been aiming for the top three this season but at the moment a season of complete mediocrity in the bottom echelons of the table beckons. Our summer has been awful, and until Guthrie (no idea), Slater (no idea), Prosser (no idea) and Dickenson (February) are all back from injuries we'll be well short of last season's standard.

 

[SkyBluesRose]

Colchester are shocking this season - could see them in a relegation battle if things continue.
0-2 to Forest Green Rovers.

 

[FrankTheTank]

Colchester are shocking this season - could see them in a relegation battle if things continue.
0-2 to Forest Green Rovers.

I like the cut of your jib!

Will be very interesting to see if Cooper goes back to three CB, because despite getting our first win last weekend we still shipped three goals. However I think he should stick with two because our poor display at the back had a lot to do with the lack of communication between Fitzwater and Monthe (plus both of them performing poorly 1st half). Dragging Fitzwater at half-time for Alex Iacovitti changed the game for me, despite it being one 19yo for another. AI looked much more physically developed, talked constantly from the moment he came on, had a really quick turn of pace and attacked the ball when it came his way. If he keeps playing like that I'll be happy.

 

[Stripes]

I reckon Mark Cooper will play the mercurial Keanu Marsh-Brown, putting him in the shop window. Rumours he's on his way out the door. Doesn't everyone want another striker/forward! Keanu can produce moments of pure magic, he’s practically an icon when he turns it on. Wouldn’t be surprised if he scores tomorrow to offset one from Colchester.

Agree with Frank about Iacovitti, bit of a wow when he came on for the second half last weekend. We needed his assured performance again this weekend, gives hope for a reduction in the goals against column. There have been times this season when its looked like we could be in for a proper hammering.

Should be a good contest tomorrow, Colchester will be champing at the bit for a chance to improve and we’re finding our feet a bit now.

 

[FGR Stroud]

Stripes, I think not.
Report said KMB was training with youth team.
Besides clubs know their targets before b4 shop window closes.
I do agree with you that KMB is a terrific asset and I'll be sorry to see him go.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

One down already, Cooper cocked up a cross field pass. Last week all over again, let's hope it ends the same way. Roberts straight in so even four at the back defence are a new unit.

 

[Stripes]

We're not learning quickly enough, even with a new defensive line up we've let ourselves down with a careless sort of ball that we would have got away with in the conference. In the past Mark Cooper would ruthlessly drop the culprit for a mistake leading to goal. Young Cooper may have to make way unless he can redeem himself.
2 down now, game over. You have to question the coaching, we are embarrassingly bad at getting caught out.
Hang on, Noble pulls one back!

 

[The Jovial Forester]

We enjoyed last week so much we're doing a re-run! Sounds mad, all Colchester as we keep surrendering it in midfield, we panic under any cross but the moment we get close to their goal they're paper bag quality too.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Jesus, all over the shop. Four one down now and that sounds like it flatters us a bit.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

And five in injury time scored from what started as our corner. Christ on a bike.

 

[dedwardp]

We should have had five before half time to be honest, so dominant. Forest Green reminded me of us a little with all the frustrating short balls at the back and goal kicks - drives me mad when we do it but the number of times they gave it away in the first half around their box from goal kicks was unreal, really poor.

Thought we looked ok though, couldn't have got much worse than the last few games so far though to be fair. Some nice passing and movement going forward even though our finishing left a lot to be desired at times.

 

[Stripes]

I honestly thought Mark Cooper had enough experience to judge what we needed to compete at this level. From what I've seen so far he's got it horribly wrong even if our budget is not as big as we might have imagined.
Hopefully time to change things around. But I alreadyI have a nagging feeling we are going to have a nightmare of a season ahead.

 

[dog]

I honestly thought Mark Cooper had enough experience to judge what we needed to compete at this level. From what I've seen so far he's got it horribly wrong even if our budget is not as big as we might have imagined.
Hopefully time to change things around. But I alreadyI have a nagging feeling we are going to have a nightmare of a season ahead.

In spite of promotion, Cooper showed last season that he can't or won't be able to change things. He is remarkably arrogant.

Sonny boy in midfield wasn't up to scratch last season, let alone League Two. People seem to have forgotten those two stunning errors he made at Wembley which almost gifted Tranmere.

We will do well to finish 22nd with our squad.

 

[Carver]

You might have more money than most in this league, but you have a sociopath owner and that is not going to get you far in the big time.

 

[Chris FGR]

Well that was a total clusterfuck. Hoped we had tightened up, but if anything we got worse. Took me back to those days we were struggling in the Conference, took a few hidings then as well.

Good ground and friendly locals, bit quiet but so are we.

 

[dedwardp]

Good ground and friendly locals, bit quiet but so are we.

Can be a bit lively for bigger games or when there's a better crowd etc but yeah, on days like today with such a low crowd it is completely dead. Too many empty seats unfortunately.

 

[Greenacres]

You might have more money than most in this league, but you have a sociopath owner and that is not going to get you far in the big time.

Yeah, my big worry is that he might be a hotshot in the renewable energy industry but is a bit of a novice when it comes to football...not sure that all his decisions will be the right ones.

 

[Chris FGR]

So 12 goals conceded in 4 games, not gonna do much conceding 3 a game.

You might have more money than most in this league, but you have a sociopath owner and that is not going to get you far in the big time.

Vince might have more money then a lot of other owners, but look at our squad. Does it look like we're spending more money then most clubs in this league to you? Heard last week our budget is similar to Yeovil's, so hardly big hitters.

 

[dedwardp]

I think my main concern if I was FGR fan would be the amount of arguing and bickering that seemed to be going on in the team yesterday, even from quite early on. The defenders and goalkeeper were at each other's throats half the time (probably thanks to the silly short balls that were selling each other short) and probably best displayed when Traore gave Noble a good shove in the back for shooting from the half way line.

 

[Greenacres]

The defenders and goalkeeper were at each other's throats half the time (probably thanks to the silly short balls that were selling each other short) and probably best displayed when Traore gave Noble a good shove in the back for shooting from the half way line.

This is how we played last season and pretty much every game we gifted the ball to an opponent with a fairly clear run on goal. Sometimes we were punished for doing this, but often we weren't, my guess is that teams in Division Two will expect us to play this way and will more likely take advantage than not. The pay off is that most of us enjoy watching teams build up moves from the back, rather than having the keeper just lump the ball forwards, perhaps we just need to get better at not playing like that when the opposition forwards are pushing on to our defenders.

 

[dog]

This is how we played last season and pretty much every game we gifted the ball to an opponent with a fairly clear run on goal. Sometimes we were punished for doing this, but often we weren't, my guess is that teams in Division Two will expect us to play this way and will more likely take advantage than not. The pay off is that most of us enjoy watching teams build up moves from the back, rather than having the keeper just lump the ball forwards, perhaps we just need to get better at not playing like that when the opposition forwards are pushing on to our defenders.

Press, press, press and we will give the ball away in midfield. Last two goals yesterday showed just how open we are. That's no payoff. What's the point in persisting with a style of play when it's doomed to fail?

I'm very worried that we're going to go straight back down. I wish I could say I've got faith in Cooper to turn it around, but I really don't.

 

[Greenacres]

Press, press, press and we will give the ball away in midfield. Last two goals yesterday showed just how open we are. That's no payoff. What's the point in persisting with a style of play when it's doomed to fail?

I'm very worried that we're going to go straight back down. I wish I could say I've got faith in Cooper to turn it around, but I really don't.

My only wish for this season is that we stay up, it is that simple, we have taken a long time to reach this level and it would be a shame if we go straight back down again. I think that reality is starting to sink in for many, though reading our forum you might think that the end of the World is nigh after just four games, we are now a very small fish in a large pond.

 

[Chris FGR]

Not too worried yet, way too early to judge how we'll do. Lots of weird results yesterday, Swindon getting smashed at home by pointless Crawley for example.

Last week we beat Yeovil who beat Coventry yesterday. Lots of inconsistency from everyone.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Half the battle would be settling on a back four and sticking with them even given the odd mistake. Seemed mad to start Roberts when he's just off the bus, others hadn't been that shocking even if at fault at times in earlier games.

 

[Chris FGR]

I think my main concern if I was FGR fan would be the amount of arguing and bickering that seemed to be going on in the team yesterday, even from quite early on. The defenders and goalkeeper were at each other's throats half the time (probably thanks to the silly short balls that were selling each other short) and probably best displayed when Traore gave Noble a good shove in the back for shooting from the half way line.

That was just after Noble had booted the ball over the stand after you're third as well.

Tbf I don't mind people having a go at goal from kick off, definitely worth a crack now and then and Nobes didn't actually miss by much. He had a pretty shite game overall though by his standards, and walked straight down the tunnel when deservedly subbed off. He'll know he's got to do better, probably our best player and we need him on form.

Players arguing amongst themselves has to be expected when you're getting battered like that, would rather that then them just trudging around with their heads down but we need a reaction at Wycombe. They've got goals in them and unless we tighten up we could be in for another tonking.

 

[FGR Stroud]

You might have more money than most in this league, but you have a sociopath owner and that is not going to get you far in the big time.

I'm not going to defend Vince because his involvement with FGR has been well discussed. But I can assure you he is not a sociopath. Check it up in the dictionary if you disagree.