But we weren't "knocking it about". For most of the time, we were knocking across the line of the back four. When we did pass it forward, one of the central midfield players passed it back. I cannot remember Tuton or his two partners receiving one pass during that period. They simply chased around trying ineffectually to put their defenders under pressure. They were effectively our first line of defence. Against 10 men and a stand in keeper. I'm sorry but if that is all that we have to offer under such circumstances, then our lack of goals in the last 10 games comes as no surprise. It comes because of a negative outlook on the way that the game should be played.
Right conducive to calm composed football that. There were nowt wrong with the tactics, we weren't even playing not to score another. Fletcher went off, ball stopped stopped sticking, Hammill did something daft, Mawson made an error, Chapman lost his shape, defence didn't pick up. If we'd gone for it same thing might have happened
Anyone remember being 3-2 up at Brammall lane in 2000? Tried going for a 4th. Lost possession late on and they scored to make it 3-3 and celebrated like they'd win. 2points lost and had a big effect on us trying to finish in automatic places. The rest is Keith Brown.
What I observed was that whilst we were attacking just after scoring the winner Colchester never even looked as if they wanted to counter attack or otherwise ,they had all their men behind the ball content to boot it up field to our defenders or out of play ,IMO they were looking at damage limitation ,fearful of getting hammered . It wasn't until we started keeping it at the back and passing it around that they even thought about comi g out of their half.
Sub keeper dint retrieve ball very quickly for goal kicks for a team trailing by the odd goal either Marl.
Yes I commented about that at the time to my mates MrsHtr . We brought the equaliser on with naivety ,not a criticism just an observation.
That's to underestimate Colchester though...their form has picked up a lot...just too late to save them...3 wins 3 draws and only 2 defeats in the last 8 games.
The tactics were poor and very naive. Again not hindsight as it seemed obvious at the time. We always have a mistake in us so with a narrow lead and an outfield player in the nets the best form of defence would have been attack not passing relatively poorly between the defenders eventually losing the ball and inviting pressure. It pissed me off at the time and posses me off now. That first goal of Fletchers was lovely though wasn't it.
Exactly this. Utterly stupid tactics but hopefully they'll learn from it and try and put things right at Wigan next week.
Think it was Marcus Bent that scored the equaliser in that Sheff Utd game. Keith Edwards the most biased of all commentators in the world, was spouting on and on and, on about them winning the game and he had to be reminded that they'd only equalised! Gut wrenching it was.
Aye, I was there. Sickening moment. Shipperley had made it 3-2 I think with a peach right in front of us. Hristov I think might have scored. Barnard with a pen? Can't recall exactly. But I remember Bent equalizing very late on, they hadn't deserved owt either. Sure there was an error in there somewhere. Reight season that though.
John Curtis totally missed a United defensive clearance when we we trying to go for a fourth goal (leading 3-2) deep into injury time, Marcus Bent was clear through on goal and he equalised.
I think Colchester's attitude was excellent. I didn't expect the effort they put in, seeing as they were already relegated.
Aye. That's the one. We were cavalier that year though, it's how we rolled. It did for us at Wembley too. Well, that and Keith Brown.
It was. I remember us outplaying them in every department that game and then Bent came on and scored. For us it felt like a loss. Listening to Praise and Grunt , the Sheffield Utd fans were c making my blood boil! Horrible day that was.