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Nothing helps with the commute to the Cotswolds, it's a pretty inaccessible place for public transport or driving - I guess that's what contributes to its charm?
Let's redress the balance with this classic from ELO. I used to get laughed at for buying a triple cassette box set of ELO's greatest hits, until they had to begrudgingly admit they knew pretty much every track.
After our trip to the West Country, the U’s finally return to the JobServe on Saturday for the first of two home games in quick succession, with Pete Wild’s Fleetwood Town the visitors. Before we get to that though, a few words on last Saturday’s win at the Memorial Stadium. Being one of my easier awaydays this season, I didn’t miss the opportunity to join the 600+ faithful to watch a dominant U’s easily control most of the game. Southwood’s fingertips prevented Samson from giving the U’s a first half lead, Mbick’s audacious deft flick onto the inside of the post deserved more, and Samson should have nailed his chance after that.
The reality though was that despite our control, with the clock ticking down I had a nagging feeling we weren’t going to get the goal we deserved. However, cometh the hour cometh the man, and with five minutes to go Owura Edwards reminded us of the talent we know he has, cutting in from the left and blasting an unstoppable effort into the far corner – top bins indeed. The celebrations were insane!
The real downside though was Iandolo’s injury early in the game, which I fear will keep him out for a while. Credit to Frankie Terry, he did a fine job replacing him considering he’s more of a centre-back filling in, but there’s no glossing over it, for now at least we’ve lost one of the best left-backs in the league. More on that later.
Fleetwood Town are currently 15th in the league, five points behind the U’s, but with only one point from their last four games, and only 12 points from their last ten games (compared to our 21 points). Most seasons that would be borderline relegation form, but with the bottom six already adrift and in such poor form I don’t think there’s any chance they’ll join that party. They’ve conducted a bit of business so far in the transfer window, with Ryan Graydon going to Salford for a fee (who then scored a brace on his home debut in their FA Cup win over Swindon), and their second choice goalkeeper David Harrington also sold for a fee to Bolton Wanderers. However, probably the most notable move in relation to the U’s is loaning recalled Josh Powell from Forest after he struggled to break into the U’s starting XI. Ironically, Josh is a left-back, and could have been seen as decent cover for Iandolo – the benefit of hindsight being a wonderful thing I suppose? They generally play a 3-5-2 formation, or variations thereof, so it’ll be interesting to see if our pace down the flanks can take advantage of that.
As to our line-up for Saturday, apart from Iandolo’s replacement, the big question mark will be over Mbick. Brighton have made at least two offers to Charlton, the most recent reportedly £3.5m with add-ons. We all know that even if they do sign him, there’s only two teams he can play for this season, loaned back to us or loaned back to Charlton. However, I’m not certain Charlton will sell him, and Managing Director Jim Rodwell, in charge of transfer activity at the Valley, said as much at an online forum this week.
“I’m not going to particularly comment on who bid what and for who. No-one will leave unless the deal suits Charlton. There is no pressure to sell our assets. There is always a number where someone comes with an offer for a player where you go ‘crikey, let’s get a car – let’s go’. We’ve not been anywhere near that point. We’re hopeful of Micah being in the first-team at Charlton Athletic in the Championship scoring goals for us. That is where the real value is.”
That’s reassuring to hear, and gives me hope he’ll stay, despite his apparent absence from training during the week. As a result, I’m going to stick with broadly the same line-up as last Saturday, with Frankie Terry slotting into left-back in place of Iandolo. Alternatively, if not Frankie Terry, I guess it’s possible that Jack Baldwin or even Sam Kuffour Jr could fill in, but that’s still trying to fit a centre-back shaped peg into a left-back hole.
Fleetwood are one of those sides who win a few, lose a few, never quite hitting the right form to challenge for the play-offs, but avoiding the sort of calamitous runs to drop into the danger zone. We should also bear in mind that Fleetwood have the chance to do the double over the U’s, after our 4-2 walloping at Highbury back in September. That being said, we really should have enough about us tomorrow to register our third win on the bounce, and potentially, depending on results elsewhere, even sneak into the play-offs.
The U’s to win 3-0, with Jack Payne getting the party started in the first half, and Tovide and Edwards off the bench wrapping things up.
The weather forecast for tomorrow looks very fair, with sunny intervals and no rain expected. The temperature will be about 7-8 degrees, though in a moderate breeze from the east-south east whipping in through the corners, it’ll feel a few degrees colder than that.
Wow - stunning! I wonder, is their a rule if the ball somehow manages to hit one of the wires? Probably unlikely I guess, given the height. Faintly reminiscent of the colosseum velarium awning, which was some sort of fabric as well, and extended/ retracted by ropes and pulleys.
Unless the club's X feed has stalled, the young U's are currently 1-0 up at Oxford with half-time approaching, courtesy of an own goal. Can you get an assist for an own goal? If so, it'll go to Dwayne Campino Do Vale.
I don't want a meek and mild manager Gerry, I want a manager who lives and breathes Col U with a passion and fights for the U's, and that is what he and Nicky instill in the team. Dilute that, and you dilute that across the squad to our detriment, it doesn't give the wrong impression, they will run through walls because of it.
Always interested in what opposition fans are thinking? Here are links to all unofficial forums across League 2. A few clubs have more than one, some none at all, so where appropriate I have included alternative Facebook groups. Please let me know if you find any broken links, or indeed any alternative message boards I’m not aware of.
Bristol Rovers Not surprising given it’s Bristol, and the Gas have a very large fanbase, there are two forum, GasChat and GasHeads. GasChat is the more popular, though they’re both quite busy. https://gaschat.co.uk/ https://gasheads.org/
Bromley Bromley’s forum is members only, even to view, and I couldn’t be bothered to register. Help yourself if you wish. https://bromleyfc.boards.net/
Fleetwood Town Fleetwood Town do have a forum of sorts, but activity on it is almost zero. Last post when I checked was December 3rd last year. If you’re into Facebook, they get much more traffic on there, and it’s a public group. https://codarmyforum.freeforum https://www.facebook.com/group
Harrogate Town Harrogate Town do have a forum as such, but it’s just tumbleweeds – last post in December 2021. They do have a private Facebook group, so you’d have to apply for membership, which I haven’t done, so I have no idea whether it would be worth it. https://harrogatetownfc.forumo https://www.facebook.com/group
Milton Keynes Dons As well as the Concrete Roundabout (aka Sit down or we’ll steal your club), MK Dons also have a public Facebook group, but the former is where 99.9% of the chat takes place. https://www.sitdownorwellsteal https://www.facebook.com/group
Oldham Athletic Again, two forums, and whilst the OWTB forum is much the busier, the OAFC Message Board still sees quite a bit of traffic, albeit it is one of the old skool thread view forums, so not so easy to use. https://www.owtb.co.uk/forum/1 https://members.boardhost.com/
BURNLEY v TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0-2 BLACKBURN ROVERS v WATFORD 1-1 HULL CITY v SWANSEA CITY 3-1 LEICESTER CITY v OXFORD UNITED 3-0 DONCASTER ROVERS v WIGAN ATHLETIC 1-0 PORT VALE v EXETER CITY 0-2 STEVENAGE v MANSFIELD TOWN 1-2 MILTON KEYNES DONS v SHREWSBURY TOWN 3-0 WALSALL v ACCRINGTON STANLEY 2-0
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