FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL - Cambridge United vs Lincoln City

[gijsbert_bos]

vs

KO 19:45

Lincoln come into this game off the back of a MASSIVE penalty win in the semi-finals of the Checkatrade Trophy. The focus for the Imps is now back on the League, but can Lord Cowley motivate the group to continue the journey to League One? Victory for the Imps would put them back in the playoff places, whilst Shaun Derry's Us haven't won since the 30th December and are battling for mid-table obscurity. Victory on Friday would see them move one step closer to mediocrity.

Important news: Lincoln have sold 1442 tickets for the game.

This will be the Cowley brothers' 101st game in charge of the Imps. Full record is as follows:

P100 W60 D22 L18 F169 A99

Lincoln are likely to make changes to the side that faced Chelsea on Tuesday, bringing in some of the cup-tied players. Former Us man Nathan Arnold is rumoured to have signed a loan deal with Salford so is unlikely to feature. Our first-choice' keeper Josh Vickers is injured so out of contention, and I expect Bournemouth loanee Allsop to start ahead of Farman. Harry Anderson looks tired so may be rested.

Not sure how we will line up as Cowley tried a 4-5-1/4-1-4-1/4-2-3-1 against Swindon to combat their midfield 5 (something we have never mastered) but went to 4-4-2 against Chelsea. Depends how Cambridge line up really. If we stay 4-4-2 then there are decisions to make in the central areas as 6 into 4 doesn't go.

Us fans - I see George Maris is still with you lot. I can barely remember him (he was with us BC - Before Cowleys). Is he any good these days?

 

[Luke Imp]

I think DC will be tempted to make 3 or 4 changes for this one.

Can we really risk Eardley playing 5 in 15 days? Probably not, so Long could come in. Can't see Whitehouse keeping his place (for no other reason than he's 4th choice) so Frecklington will be in with a shout if he's fit although if DC brings Wilson in at CB, then Woodyard and Bostwick will be re-united. Pett or Williams for Anderson?

 

[Davidimp]

vs

KO 19:45

Lincoln come into this game off the back of a MASSIVE penalty win in the semi-finals of the Checkatrade Trophy. The focus for the Imps is now back on the League, but can Lord Cowley motivate the group to continue the journey to League One? Victory for the Imps would put them back in the playoff places, whilst Shaun Derry's Us haven't won since the 30th December and are battling for mid-table obscurity. Victory on Friday would see them move one step closer to mediocrity.

Important news: Lincoln have sold 1442 tickets for the game.

This will be the Cowley brothers' 101st game in charge of the Imps. Full record is as follows:

P100 W60 D22 L18 F169 A99

Lincoln are likely to make changes to the side that faced Chelsea on Tuesday, bringing in some of the cup-tied players. Former Us man Nathan Arnold is rumoured to have signed a loan deal with Salford so is unlikely to feature. Our first-choice' keeper Josh Vickers is injured so out of contention, and I expect Bournemouth loanee Allsop to start ahead of Farman. Harry Anderson looks tired so may be rested.

Not sure how we will line up as Cowley tried a 4-5-1/4-1-4-1/4-2-3-1 against Swindon to combat their midfield 5 (something we have never mastered) but went to 4-4-2 against Chelsea. Depends how Cambridge line up really. If we stay 4-4-2 then there are decisions to make in the central areas as 6 into 4 doesn't go.

Us fans - I see George Maris is still with you lot. I can barely remember him (he was with us BC - Before Cowleys). Is he any good these days?

My only memory of Maris is a winning goal v Chester in 2016 in front of barely 2000...

 

[Laker]

There’s not a lot of enthusiasm for this from U’s fans. We haven’t won since last year and we’re on a slow and painful slide down the table. The only positive of the game is that it’s an evening game - I always prefer the Abbey under lights.

I imagine we’ll go 4-4-2 with Ikpeazu and loanee Waters up top. It’s possible Derry will play a diamond in midfield which doesn’t enthuse me much frankly - I’d prefer us to have more width. Jevani Brown will likely be at the tip of that, Maris on the left.

On the whole Maris is a decent player but his sending off for a dive in our cup win over Sutton has dropped his popularity somewhat. I can’t remember what his contract position is, if he’s out of contract at the end of the season I wouldn’t be upset if he stayed or went but then I’m quite ambivalent about our side at the moment.

We are having a shite season and our record against sides in the top seven since Derry joined is dreadful. But Lincoln aren’t in it at the moment so that record is irrelevant. Therefore I’m going 4-0 to the U’s.

Assuming Lincoln bring about 1,500, I expect a total crowd of around 5,000 which sums up how fucked off our fans are with our club right now.

 

[AdamStag]

Doesn't Lincolns "massiveness" now mean their games need Friday night KO's? Bloody hell.

Home win

 

[TommoCUFC]

I think DC will be tempted to make 3 or 4 changes for this one.

Can we really risk Eardley playing 5 in 15 days? Probably not, so Long could come in. Can't see Whitehouse keeping his place (for no other reason than he's 4th choice) so Frecklington will be in with a shout if he's fit although if DC brings Wilson in at CB, then Woodyard and Bostwick will be re-united. Pett or Williams for Anderson?

Hopefully Long plays and is as gash as he was for us. 3-0 Lincoln

 

[Raffles]

Doesn't Lincolns "massiveness" now mean their games need Friday night KO's? Bloody hell.

Home win

 

[Habbinalan]

Tuning in to this from Kalaw in Myanmar, having just got back on the grid in preparation for the long trip home. Lincoln was the only match I regret missing but I'm still expecting a thrashing. Birding in the wilds of Myanmar, with a few Buddhist temples as a distraction, is definitely preferable to life at the Abbey at the moment.

If we should fluke a win, I may be tempted to make the trip to Chesterfield and take in a new ground otherwise I'll be working out how we can get past 50 points and have a comfortable wind down to a disappointing season - a couple of points from the next 2 would be a good start.

 

[Tom_CUFC]

0-2.

 

[Vanni]

Late play off push starts today boys. Was going to go for a 4-0 win but I see Laker has beat me to it, so I'll go with a 5-1 win instead, with the mighty U's to be already 2 or 3 goals to the good by the end of the first 45 mins.

Waters x2, Big Uche, Elito pen, and Bostik OG - Fat boy for the Imps

Att - 3500'ish proper footy fans, 1600 bandwagon jumpers.

#bteamboycott #wembleyisoverrated

 

[Indian Dan]

What’s with all this sniping at Lincoln’s increased support? Surely, that's what we would all want for our club. I reckon it’s great credit to how their club is run.

 

[Tom_CUFC]

General increased support isn't the problem.....

 

[GodsGift]

What’s with all this sniping at Lincoln’s increased support? Surely, that's what we would all want for our club. I reckon it’s great credit to how their club is run.

Jealousy/bitterness. We were all told at the start of the season how we'd struggle. Not one has admitted they were wrong.

 

[Guernica]

It's going to be a very difficult game tonight.

Off the back of saving ALL EFL clubs with our victory over the Galacticos, the EFL have done us NO favours in forcing our weary bodies and minds to play again tonight.

I'm expecting a few changes, we coped with the quick turnaround in fixtures last season amazingly well and I feel the squad has the right texture to put up a good fight. I'm sure Mansfield fan(s) will be eagerly listening tonight whilst praying to the shrine of Barry Corr to slot a couple past our exhausted back line.

A fat boy one nil would be lovely.

 

[gijsbert_bos]

What’s with all this sniping at Lincoln’s increased support? Surely, that's what we would all want for our club. I reckon it’s great credit to how their club is run.

It's a strange, lower-league thing where we are all supposed to stay shit and poorly supported, apparently.

 

[gijsbert_bos]

But mainly it's jealousy that their own lousy clubs are stagnating.

 

[gijsbert_bos]

I'm sure you'll all be delighted to know that Lord Cowley is appearing on the Channel 5 highlights show alongside Colin Murray on Saturday, giving his expert opinion on the weekend's matches.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Come on Cambridge, you can do it!

 

[Vanni]

Jealousy/bitterness. We were all told at the start of the season how we'd struggle. Not one has admitted they were wrong.

Here's my preseason prediction -

1. Luton
2. Mansfield
3. Coventry
-----------------------
4. Lincoln
5. Exeter
6. Colchester
7. Swindon
-----------------------

 

[PaulHaddock]

I don’t have a problem with Lincoln’s increased support - my only issue is the Checkatrade attendances but that’s already been well documented.

That’s not to say some Lincoln fans are getting quite full of themselves!

 

[Imp in Branston]

I don’t have a problem with Lincoln’s increased support - my only issue is the Checkatrade attendances but that’s already been well documented.

That’s not to say some Lincoln fans are getting quite full of themselves!

I can only really think of one mainly. Most of us said at the start of this season that a play off challenge would be a decent start back into the FL.

 

[Davidimp]

Goalless at halftime, did score but was offside.

 

[denzel ecfc]

I predict a late Lincoln winner....

 

[markpvfc]

SSN reporting Derry has left by mutual consent straight after the game.

 

[DarkSithLord]

SSN reporting Derry has left by mutual consent straight after the game.

Confirmed.

 

[Luke Imp]

Not too many comments out there at the minute, but that seems the usual drab 0-0 result we always have against Cambridge!

 

[gijsbert_bos]

I don’t have a problem with Lincoln’s increased support - my only issue is the Checkatrade attendances but that’s already been well documented.

That’s not to say some Lincoln fans are getting quite full of themselves!

With all the negativity on here towards us, I dare say a few of us may be hamming it up a touch for effect.

 

[gijsbert_bos]

I am away on a work residential so checked in occasionally on the score on Twitter. Seems I didn't miss much. We've got to start winning a few more in the league or we will be looking at playoffs only. If we can put a run together we could still be in with a shout of the autos.

 

[Laker]

First half was pretty poor from both sides but second half was decent and either side could have won it. Lincoln were diving about a bit which was a shame to see but otherwise they had the upper hand in midfield (not hard against Gary Fucking Deegan) whereas we looked decent wide, especially when Amoo came on and Dunk got forward from left back.

It’s a decent draw for us in the circumstances - off pitch changes all over the show must have been a bit of a distraction. Nice to be a point closer to safety, now up to 12 points which will be tough to close.

And finally it’s great news that Derry has finally gone. We can actually look forward to the future with optimism finally. It’s 6 months (more depending on who you speak to) too late but at least it’s done now.

Up the U’s.

 

[Luke Imp]

What happened with Wilson? He went off in the second half an went straight to hospital for X-Rays on a possible broken ankle.