Following yesterday’s superb 3-1 victory against old foes Colchester United at Adams Park, here are some views from the travelling supporters and their manager John McGreal.
McGreal wasn’t happy with his team`s defending or the officiating.
‘It’s a setback and it’s the first time in a long time that the boys have had back to back defeats. It’s hard to take at the minute and we’ll have to thoroughly analyse it’ he said.
‘We went with an attacking line-up and we have had great opportunities throughout the game and asked questions but I thought we were wasteful and the defending aspect was disappointing.
‘We’re disappointed with the scoreline, especially with the start that we had which was terrific. We should have been leading through Kurtis Guthrie’s header’ he continued.
‘We’ve worked on things all week like quick throw ins and (Ade) Akinfenwa pulling off back post and it’s as though we’ve just totally knocked off (for Wycombe’s first goal). It was a quick throw in, into the box and we haven’t dealt with the ball’.
‘The second goal was third or fourth phase and the ball was flying around the box – we haven’t got a foot on it and it’s just squirmed into the corner.
‘Before we know it, after a good start we were 2-0 down and it was a realisation then that we were 2-0 down and we started playing.’
McGreal felt Wycombe should have been reduced to ten men just before the half hour mark when Nathan McGinley appeared to haul down Mikael Mandron on the edge of the hosts’ area.
‘It was a horrendous decision,’ said McGreal.’Mika was brought down outside the box and it should have been a red card’.
‘The fourth official said it was the wrong decision and I would also question the linesman and where he was positioned. The referee seems to think that the lad has got the ball but we’ve watched it back on the video and he’s nowhere near it – he’s definitely got that one wrong’ he claimed.
‘It was a good time for us as well and we started getting it in and around them but to be fair to them, they got bodies on the line’ McGreal concluded.
The Colchester fans also bemoaned their side’s poor defending and also criticised their lack of squad depth.
The following extracts are taken from the Fans Network and CUFC Chat.
LeadBelly said: ‘Never a better time to play Wycombe. They have so few fit players they can name just 5 subs and they have two loanees making their debut. Sounds like we were the better side first half but definitely not in the second. Plenty of chances but good goalkeeping and/or poor finishing mean we lose’.
Durham_Exile said: ‘The so called highlights suggest that Walker should have saved the beasts header (how did he stoop so low, obviously limbo dancing in Wycombe high street!). Their second was a wicked deflection. Their third and Szmodics’ goal were both good strikes. So where does that leave us. Chasing the top seven rather than the top three. A shocking fortnight of results has really stuck the boot in’.
3nglishsniper said: “Poor judgement from Walker, went to come for the ball but the Beast stooped low to get his head to the ball’.
ColUBrigade said: ‘We are effectively going through a blip. Hopefully when we come out of it, we are still not far off the playoffs. I’d rather us have a blip now then later on in the season. I’m hoping we make a couple of signings between now and next week’s home match’.
North Essex Casual said: ‘Been going through a blip for 5 games now, thought we would have freshened things up however sure we won’t make any worthwhile signings’.
ColURob said: ‘Cr*p defending and for the umpteenth time poor finishing cost us getting anything out of this game’.
elneilos said: ‘Disappointing but not surprising result (see my prediction league entry). From what I’ve seen of Wycombe this season, I think they’ll win promotion. I think we have run out of steam a bit in the race compared to the other contenders, I just hope we can have another good run to try and sneak into the playoffs come end of season’.
lofty said: ‘We don’t necessarily need experienced signings but we do need someone, or ones, who can change a game. Right now if we get our noses in front we have a decent chance, If we don’t we are going to struggle. There was nothing to come off the bench today that would really change things for us. The best we could do was put on Senior and even then it was for a midfielder rather than a defender and a change of formation’.
dc said: ‘We are clearly not going to make the play-offs. For the first time ever I am starting to think that McGreal should probably go. But that would cost Scrooge McCowling a few quid to get a proper manager in as a replacement, plus it might put Humes’ nose out of joint and we couldn’t possibly have that. We have so clearly gone backwards since we beat Wyscum on August 27 2016′.
AbbertonJet said: ‘Just got home from Wycombe. I thought it was a really enjoyable match and 3-1 flattered Wycombe. It was a tough one to take – we started the game really well with lots of attacking threat, then found ourselves 2-0 down. The difference was that they took their chances (second goal was a lucky, wicked deflection though) and we didn’t. Wycombe defended really well, throwing themselves in front and blocking goal bound shots and their keeper made an unbelievable save. On another day we would have won. I can’t fault the effort of the players who gave their all right until the end.
I’d like to see that incident where Guthrie was brought down when he was clean through. Could have been a potential red card. It is concerning that we haven’t won for five games, but if we play with that level of commitment until the end of the season, we should be in the play off mix’.
signals82 said: “The defensive platform that got us to the top 7 has faltered. First half defensive lapses cost us the game. They didn’t have to work hard enough for the first two decisive goals. We never looked like having the creativity to get back in it. We are obviously not out of it yet but we have dropped to 11th 3 points outside the POs despite having played a game or two more than our rivals so we need to rediscover our form quickly. Top 3 now looks out of the question. Substitutions summed it up today. Nothing on our bench that was going to change anything. They brought on Nathan Tyson. We brought on Courtney Senior. Nuff said’.
Adrian Coote said: ‘I note that John McGreal thought there should have been a sending off for Wycombe when Mandron was brought down around 30 mins in. It looked like a clear foul from our admittedly distant view point. It just feels like we never get those decisions’.
Bluesmonkey said: ‘We have a tired squad because there is a lack of options, we shouldn`t be waiting on long term injuries to return, in case of setbacks, if we really want to compete at the upper part of this league. But every other club has had to play the same amount of games so tiredness can’t be used as an excuse, there are clubs that would kill to have the resources we now have as a club’.
neil_178 said: ‘A much better performance than last week and so nice to see us actually attack in the second half of a game for a change! Very enjoyable game to watch, shame about the result but just one of those games we didn’t get the rub of the green. Their second goal took a wicked deflection and their third was a great strike that 9 times out of ten would have ended up in row z and they should also have had a player sent off for bringing down Mandron? I think as the last defender.That could have been a very different result. We all know what happens when teams go down to 10 men.’
ColUBrigade said: ‘Just seen the goals. I’d take a defeat on the chin, but the manner of defending was awful.
Their first, a throw in to their player with no one in a 10 yard radius when he receives the ball. Three players marking 1 of theirs in the right back position. Cross goes in, Frankie Kent should be easily heading it away. Instead he seems more concerned with shielding the ball away from Akinfenwa which allows a free header. Every pre-match warm up the defence line up to each receive balls in the air to head clear.
Their second is even worse. Ball goes towards the back post from the corner. It was going out of play but yet again another free player is allowed to hook the ball out towards the 12 yard line area. Their player shows more fight to win the looping ball from Comley. Their player is then allowed to bring the ball down with all the time in the world (in our own bloody area) with 6 of our players just watching it all. He lays to off and their guy scores with a deflected shot. Their 3rd was unstoppable.
I’m getting more and more frustrated with our defending. Sometimes it isn’t the actual shot which results in the goal I’m annoyed at. It’s the play just before it which we allow to happen’.
Barside24 said: ‘Are you all watching the same match I did today? We are f###### terrible. Lack in almost every department. No leaders. No spine. No creativity. We have a striker in Mandron who quite frankly isn’t good enough for conference south football. Absolutely embarrassing’.
Next Match: Crewe Alexandra vs Wycombe Wanderers, Saturday 20th Jan 3pm
Share this article
Related Articles
