Match Thread: Cambridge United v Lincoln City | Page 26 | Vital Football

Match Thread: Cambridge United v Lincoln City

You could argue that crookes, Wharton, mensah, Gordon, luque and slocombe are bench warmers at best as they have had little or no game time. Why is this? Probably because they are not good enough.

Also they are loan players who could all get recalled. If they are recalled we will need to replace just to stand still. Factor in that McCartan Anderson and Andrade are hot property.

Call me crazy if you like but I can see a significant turn around of players in January. The majority of which is beyond our control.

It is a good job we are 6 points clear as if we had played MK Dons, Colchester, a Mansfield or a Grimsby over the festive peroid we would not be.

The defence and midfield are not playing as well as they have been and as well as they could. Why is this? We look tired and get exploited by pace.

The answer is we have an excellent core of about 16 players of which 2 are chronically injured and 2 are on loan. Beyond that we the rest of the players are not top 7 level.

Compared to our rivals our squad is thin and lacking depth. With winter coming we need another 5/6 players capable of coming on in matches or covering injury that are better then the likes of crookes and mensah.

Wether we have the funds or the opportunity in a single transfer window is another matter.

What is refreshing about the Crowley’s is that they are not afraid to change things round. I can see them making the necessary adjustments.
 
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bristolimp said:
You could argue that crookes, Wharton, mensah, Gordon, luque and slocombe are bench warmers at best as they have had little or no game time. Why is this? Probably because they are not good enough.

Also they are loan players who could all get recalled. If they are recalled we will need to replace just to stand still. Factor in that McCartan Anderson and Andrade are hot property.

Call me crazy if you like but I can see a significant turn around of players in January. The majority of which is beyond our control.

It is a good job we are 6 points clear as if we had played MK Dons, Colchester, a Mansfield or a Grimsby over the festive peroid we would not be.

The defence and midfield are not playing as well as they have been and as well as they could. Why is this? We look tired and get exploited by pace.

The answer is we have an excellent core of about 16 players of which 2 are chronically injured and 2 are on loan. Beyond that we the rest of the players are not top 7 level.

Compared to our rivals our squad is thin and lacking depth. With winter coming we need another 5/6 players capable of coming on in matches or covering injury that are better then the likes of crookes and mensah.

Wether we have the funds or the opportunity in a single transfer window is another matter.

What is refreshing about the Crowley’s is that they are not afraid to change things round. I can see them making the necessary adjustments.
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Crowleys? You mean the Cowleys!

I think you are dreaming here a little bit. I agree on your core argument that we have about 16 that are top 7 level but the idea that we can have a squad of "top 7 quality" is a pipedream. Just will not happen at this level.

Why would a "L2 top 7" standard player join us to get half the games or be on the bench more often than not? They could warm the bench for a L1 club on more money. they could go outside the "top 7" and get regular games. At this level that is just not a possibility.

I agree we need a couple in and I agree that might increase if some loans are recalled / not extended but the idea we are going to get a first 11, bench and a couple more all of a top 7 standard is just not ever going to happen at this level.

It does happen at top Premier league clubs but there is a lot of money involved there.

We just lost our 3rd/4th choice striker to the league below. How are we supposed to keep 4 "top 7" strikers happy? Tell them we are the mighty Lincoln and they will lap it up? At this level, even at the top of the league if we started rotating too much and giving 4 strikers equal games then 1,2 or all of them would eventually be asking to leave so they could play all the games or demanding a change of policy.

I think some fans have lost the plot a little bit with the success we have had. Yes we are a reasonably attractive option at the moment but we shouldn't be getting carried away and thinking players would queue up for a chance to be on our bench, because that would be what it meant either for the player we brought in OR the player they replace. Rotation at this level means filling in where necessary. Injuries, suspensions, tiredness etc.

At the moment we have a great first 11. A good bench and a decent backup in the squad. A couple of additions might improve it further but the list you have would just demolish morale and team spirit, if not our bank balance/overdraft significantly.
 
GreenNeedle said:
Crowleys? You mean the Cowleys!

I think you are dreaming here a little bit. I agree on your core argument that we have about 16 that are top 7 level but the idea that we can have a squad of "top 7 quality" is a pipedream. Just will not happen at this level.

Why would a "L2 top 7" standard player join us to get half the games or be on the bench more often than not? They could warm the bench for a L1 club on more money. they could go outside the "top 7" and get regular games. At this level that is just not a possibility.

I agree we need a couple in and I agree that might increase if some loans are recalled / not extended but the idea we are going to get a first 11, bench and a couple more all of a top 7 standard is just not ever going to happen at this level.

It does happen at top Premier league clubs but there is a lot of money involved there.

We just lost our 3rd/4th choice striker to the league below. How are we supposed to keep 4 "top 7" strikers happy? Tell them we are the mighty Lincoln and they will lap it up? At this level, even at the top of the league if we started rotating too much and giving 4 strikers equal games then 1,2 or all of them would eventually be asking to leave so they could play all the games or demanding a change of policy.

I think some fans have lost the plot a little bit with the success we have had. Yes we are a reasonably attractive option at the moment but we shouldn't be getting carried away and thinking players would queue up for a chance to be on our bench, because that would be what it meant either for the player we brought in OR the player they replace. Rotation at this level means filling in where necessary. Injuries, suspensions, tiredness etc.

At the moment we have a great first 11. A good bench and a decent backup in the squad. A couple of additions might improve it further but the list you have would just demolish morale and team spirit, if not our bank balance/overdraft significantly.
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Totally agree.
 
I think back to Danny’s pre-match press conference on Friday when he said his first aim in recruitment is to improve the starting 11. If that’s not possible then it’s to improve the squad.

I also think back to the signing of Tom Pett last January.

I can’t imagine we sign too many we don’t expect to contribute to the first 11 but obviously not every signing works as planned. Equally I don’t imagine any player signing does so with a guarantee of first team football whoever they are.

Remember also the Cowleys recruit ‘people with the right attributes’ first and foremost rather than ‘players with the right skills’.
 
I think some are forgetting the high standards D&N set when posters say we are OK with the current first 11. The Cowleys will not be happy with recent performances and will know that with a few additions we can do much better.

They will also though have an eye on next season with any permanent additions. Several of this season's regulars would not be regulars a division higher.

So in January their eyes will most definitely be on improving the starters - not just rotating the loanees.
 
OK, deep breath.

When was the last time we played really well? I'm struggling to remember.

Our performances have deteriorated steadily for some 10 weeks now.

We have become very predictable and not that difficult to play against.

Too many players looking either leggy or just not pulling their weight.

We've looked flaky at the back under any pressure.

Disappointed at the slowness of the forward play.

No, this is not my opinion of the City team. These are comments from the Manchester City forum following their Boxing Day defeat.
https://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/threads/when-was-the-last-time-we-played-really-well.338034/

The sense of entitlement is huge amongst football supporters. Those sort of complaints are at least understandable amongst those who are in a sustained period of decline, though that's usually accompanied by some gallows humour as well. But in an unprecedented golden era?

It doesn't even take one game for some to lose the plot on this forum now, just the first half.

You can try and be objective when appraising players and managers, and my views on those will be different from others, but all sense of perspective has been lost.

It must be lack of oxygen from the dizzying heights of being at or near the top of the league for three seasons.
 
Brendan Bradley said:
OK, deep breath.

When was the last time we played really well? I'm struggling to remember.

Our performances have deteriorated steadily for some 10 weeks now.

We have become very predictable and not that difficult to play against.

Too many players looking either leggy or just not pulling their weight.

We've looked flaky at the back under any pressure.

Disappointed at the slowness of the forward play.

No, this is not my opinion of the City team. These are comments from the Manchester City forum following their Boxing Day defeat.
https://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/threads/when-was-the-last-time-we-played-really-well.338034/

The sense of entitlement is huge amongst football supporters. Those sort of complaints are at least understandable amongst those who are in a sustained period of decline, though that's usually accompanied by some gallows humour as well. But in an unprecedented golden era?

It doesn't even take one game for some to lose the plot on this forum now, just the first half.

You can try and be objective when appraising players and managers, and my views on those will be different from others, but all sense of perspective has been lost.

It must be lack of oxygen from the dizzying heights of being at or near the top of the league for three seasons.
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Last time we played really well?

First 30 minutes against Newport- 8 days ago! It was sublime- we were pacey, accurate, forward thinking, creating chances, scoring goals, As good as anything I have seen from the Imps this season or last.

Last time we played really well for a whole game...there hasn't been a game for as long as I can remember when we played "really well" for the entire 90 minutes and dominated every minute. Because teams don't do that- they have periods of play where they are in the ascendency and need to capitalise on those periods of play with goals and have sufficient defensive qualities to defend well when the opposition are having periods of play in their favour.

We have had good "results" (Exeter, Cheltenham away, MK, FGR, Newport. Swindon, Notts County at home) but all those games had periods of play where we were defending strongly and not in control of the play.

We top of a league, by 6 points, where every team without exception has the ability to beat every other team. Imagine being an MK Dons fan with a team packed with players from the Championship and L1 and losing two games on the bounce over Xmas!

We play as consistently as any other team (ie every team in this league has good, bad and average weeks) but we have enough quality to convert our average games to wins rather than draws and, mainly, our bad games into the occasional draw rather than loss). That makes us top.

Liverpool yesterday won 5-1 but their first 15 minutes were wobbly and had some really poor passages of play which ultimately led to the Arsenal goal. No team ever dominates a game for 90 minutes.
 
Bit of a ramble in no particular order. After almost 60 years of watching the Imps , mainly lows but with the well documented very occasional highs, I am just loving what is happening at SB both on and off the pitch. To be in the situation we have made for ourselves over the last 30 months is fantastic, and without doubt more to come. A virtually full SB every two weeks, great atmosphere and edge of your seat games, including a Lancaster bomber to call on if things get dodgy, all for £230 quid. Just making sure I / we are enjoying the moment !
I think sometimes we tend to forget DC/NC have only been full time Managers for a very short time and they are learning on the job and dont always get it right,both in tactics and player recruitment, but most of the time they do as suggested by our steep upward curve and current League position, lots of families and children at the games. I didnt think I would ever see a Manager to beat GT, but I think we have two for the price of one to rival him, but we live in a different era now compared to the mid 70's and they have brought something much different to the Club including the ability to hold intelligent conversation with the media and fans, and get the City behind them. GT was ahead of his time in that respect.
Current player situation, I think yesterday in particular showed how good Rheady is to have around, played 90 minutes gave his all, made a goal, not first choice anymore, but hope he stays for another 12/18 months. He is worth it in my opinion. Andrade, is not fully fit at the moment, has not been since Stevenage, probably only played yesterday because there was nobody else really available . The window has come at the right time, too many players carrying knocks no where near 100% fit. We have done really well in December, 5 wins one defeat, dragged ourselves over the line on a few occasions helped by our 12th man. I am sure DC/ NC will recruit well and freshen things up and be ready for the Season part two.
Just make sure we enjoy and support whenever we can what is happen at SB at the moment, it does not come along very often I can assure you !!
Just one real downside, creeping into footi in general this year, I sincerely hope not amongst our supporters but I fear it just might be, are racist remarks, we don't need that sort of rubbish again, and if we can safely identify any culprits , report them to the Club.
Looking forward to Tuesday !! UTI.
 
johnolbe said:
Just been reading through a few earlier comments. Embarrassing is an under statement, some of you lot who post pathetic comments such as

Our defence is too slow
We can't hold the ball up
Our back up players are no good
We need 6 or 7 new players
We’ve been found out
Our players are tired.

What a load of utter utter b*ll*cks. A sense of entitlement is what DC calls it when it is suggested we should win matches easily and he hates it and quite rightly so.
6 points clear at the top of league 2, 3 years ago we had CM as manager and were sliding into oblivion.
Idiots out there get a bleeding grip!
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Why are you singling out CM John.
Was it cos he took over from your best mate Simo and your still a bit jealous and bitter.
There was a few managers before CM who had a good go at putting this club into oblivion.
 
clanfordimp said:
Why are you singling out CM John.
Was it cos he took over from your best mate Simo and your still a bit jealous and bitter.
There was a few managers before CM who had a good go at putting this club into oblivion.
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I know others will disagree, but CM was the second best manager in our non league tenure in my opinion, certainly when it comes to player recriitment.
 
SIMJON said:
I know others will disagree, but CM was the second best manager in our non league tenure in my opinion, certainly when it comes to player recriitment.
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Indeed Luke Imp and I have mentioned this many times CM signed around half the team that got us promoted.
Rhead, Waterfall, Wood, Muldoon ,Hawkridge, McCombe, Howe etc plus keeping Farman and Power.
Then Danny added that bit of extra quality and now look at us.
CM probably just didn't have the coaching magic the Cowleys do but he certainly laid the foundations for the Cowleys to build on.
 
Barney Imp said:
A result that, to me, shows much of the qualities of the team.

And finally, if we are indeed doing badly or have been found out, there are 23 teams that are doing less well thus far....
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The dynamic has changed as this season has progressed, for a variety of reasons.

Firstly, Lincoln have become the team to beat in League Two. They have largely been top of the table from the third game; there is a misconception that they have spent megabucks buying success; their manager is high-profile; and every other team will want to show they are just as good as the league leaders, even those who are not even close to being. Therefore they raise their game and play out of their skins - we have done it in the past when playing the better sides. As the season continues to unfold, this will become even more noticeable; get used to it.

Secondly, every team will want to come to Lincoln and win. Beating the league leaders on their own ground in front of 9,000 is a feather in their cap, and they will bust a gut to do it.

As a result, it is now very hard to judge how good we are compared with those other teams because we are not seeing them as they really are. Were Newport as impressive when losing 4-1 at home to FGR on Boxing Day (or when drawing 0-0 at home to Crawley yesterday) as they were at Sincil Bank a week ago? Of course not. I am sure many Lincoln fans came away from yesterday's game wondering how Cambridge are third from bottom, but they were not seeing Cambridge as they really are.

If we also include the increasing sense of desperation felt by sides struggling against relegation, the fight level when playing against Lincoln can only increase. That is why a promotion-winning team that has been at the top all season has done so well.

As Barney points out, Lincoln continue to win games despite these extra factors against them. In that never-to-be-forgotten 2016-17 season, Lincoln had 52 points after 24 games; they have 50 this time around, which represents a fantastic achievement at a higher level just two seasons later. I think that is wonderful.

For some reason, there is a section of the current support eager to be more critical of the side than congratulatory, and I have no understanding of that. Presumably they expect nothing less than a devastating 4-0 win every week, which is simply crackers. Even Graham Taylor's team had to grind out results at times, as did Danny's team in 2016-17. Anyone remember how hard-fought those seven successive wins were in April? I would love to know the identity of the brain donor who allegedly sent that eight-page letter to Danny pointing out where he is going wrong; I wonder what that person was doing on Saturday afternoons prior to the Ipswich game?

We are living a dream at the moment; if anyone fails to recognise that, they are denying themselves some very special memories.
 
syimp said:
Pope can't play at both ends of the pitch, which is where their problems lie, it seems. Didn't do them much good yesterday at Vale Park either ?
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I don't think anyone to do with Port Vale did much good at Vale park yesterday though.

Also, spotted at Vale Park with the Oldham Chairman was Jacques Santini, former France and Spurs manager, and John Askey was there too.

Santini in at Oldham and Askey replaces Aspin at Vale?
 
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