Colchester (A) - Exiles Thread

[gshaw]

I can understand people’s frustrations (to a degree) but I have to pull up nonsense like this. We had no choice to ‘bring Alabi back’ as no other club would offer him what he wanted. You can’t just force out a player who’s under contract. Not sure how that situation is Ross’ fault at all.

The biggest mistake IMO and what really restricted the squad was giving Harrold a new deal. We must have known there was a good chance of that happening with Alabi given his wages and the budgets of NL clubs, not to mention that Bonne and Koroma would move on. It meant we had to rely on two first-choice strikers being able to play every game and perform well, which obviously hasn’t happened.

Wrong. I thought Torquay wanted Alabi but he didn't want to go.

Exactly, you can't force a player to join another club if he doesn't want to go. So not wrong.

JE had basically bombed him out of the squad last season and seemed content to give him the message "you won't be playing". A strong manager pushes for another striker and leaves Alabi as 5th choice / EFL cup fodder.

Harrold contract was a bit of a strange one and a tad sentimental perhaps. That said JE used him effectively in a particular role seeing out games, again something Embleton has failed to do this season.

Even if he's been bombed out of the squad we still have to pay his wage. How do you know Ross didn't push for another striker?

Seeing as the club doesn't like to answer any difficult questions whenever one gets sent to the stooge podcasts we won't ever know but all that's blatantly obvious is he didn't get one.

Simple fact is a quartet of Angol, Wilkinson, Alabi and Harrold isn't strong enough for L2. We got very lucky with only one injury to Bonne & Koroma last season (and look how toothless we were during that period) so to leave it to fate again this season is really poor.

[Eat The Rich]

I've always been supportive of Ling and his role at the club but his friendship with Ross concerns me. Will ML have the balls to tell his mate that times time and he needs to step down. They can't sack him, that would look dreadful after all the old flannel about him just seamlessly slipping back into a coaching role (yeh right. All of his authority shot to pieces).

Don't know where we go from here. You can put up with dross if you can see it leading somewhere but with Ross in charge it feels like Steve "Nice Bloke" Davis all over again.

[Smendrick Feaselberg]

We are now 5 points off the bottom spot, how much longer can disaster continue before Embleton is replaced, bearing in mind how long it will take to interview those interested and make a final decision.

We were 6 points off the bottom before today so it's strange that you're crying about a 5 point gap now.

Oh wait, it's PoundhillO...

So 5 points off the bottom spot is better than 6 points of the bottom spot ?
You really are weird !

That's a typical Poundhill strawman. I've not said that 5 points off is better. You are the seriously weird one for conjuring that out of nowhere.

The difference of one point seems to have pushed you to this...though on reflection you've always had it in for Embleton

[Sid Bishop]

The poor results, & low table position, arent all Ross's fault, but having said that, he doesn't inspire confidence, he doesn't have the x factor

The squad is weaker than it was last season, even though we need a stronger squad than last season, for obvious reasons. This is down to DOF Ling.

In January, the owners have got to put their hands rather deeply in their pockets once again, because we just aint good enough...simple as that

If they dont, then the chances of us going back to the horrors of the league below will loom large

Some may call this exaggeration but if we go down the club is in serious trouble. Attendances will drop like a stone and we've already seen the club isn't financially viable at NL level with staffing levels as they are.

Simply have to get out of this situation. That will mean new manager and big spend in January. Something that could be been avoided by investing in the squad properly in summer.

Happy Ross clappers will maybe not agree, but if things dont get better in the next few weeks, then new manager in please.

[Smendrick Feaselberg]

Are there any "Happy Ross clappers" or is that just a label created to suit an argument?

[gshaw]

Are there any "Happy Ross clappers" or is that just a label created to suit an argument?

Lots, fire up Facebook, search for "STAND UP FOR THE ORIENT" (yes it's actually in capitals) and you'll find all you seek

[Smendrick Feaselberg]

Oh dear...that's worrying.

[LeytonOstone]

Just back from the game.

Conceded two very poor goals again, last season our defenders were throwing themselves in front of shots in a determined effort not to concede, we would not have conceded the first goal last season but some of the defending today was less than committed. Second goal we just stood off no tackle forthcoming but it was a fantastic strike. We were a shambles at times in the first 45 and Colchester found space in midfield and down our left hand side. widdowson was very poor but got absolutely no help from Brophy who was shocking all game. Gifted a goal just before half time 2-1 really flattered us.

Second half we created some decent openings two vollied chances for Dennis who should have done better,one long throw that hit Coulson at the near post and grazed the post and a swipe from Alabi that went across goal hit a defender but Gerken in the ColU goal saved it on the line.

ColU have got some very good young players and a game plan to use the width of the pitch they could have had more goals after the break. But we have some decent players too but no obvious pattern of play other than get to Wilkindon hope it sticks, when we were desperately piling forward last 15 minutes we got Ling up the pitch and he started to cause a few problems on the right.

I'm now in favour of bringing in an experienced manager (Phil Parkinson will do) sooner rather than later, we have some decent players who at times today played at a snails pace went side to side with no real idea of what the plan was.

I'd pretty much go with all of that. And add that there are a number of players beginning to show that the step up might be a step too far for them. As has been stated by many on here, the defence is clearly creaking badly - at least 2 goals a game is relegation form. Nothing less than 4 points from the next 2 games or RE must be relieved of responsibilities.

[Disoriented]

Phil Parkinson should have been snapped up immediately. Perhaps the question of why not could be answered on the next Orient Hour show.

[eagwgw]

Can't imagine the club being supportive of any question that undermines the manager, like it was for Davis the party line will be to back the manager until the end, and blame everything else like luck or injury.

Probably makes little difference but I'd like to see Ross suit up for games. Perhaps even he believes he is more of a coach than a manager, but we need leadership.

[point nine one eight]

Oh dear, yet again, same mistakes, same as last week and the week before, the race to the bottom is well under way, maybe the only thing we do win, Dross will take us down, clear as daylight. As for me the was the last straw, I wont be going to anymore away games, I'm a season ticket holder in south stand so will complete my obligation to attend, but not going to throw away good money on this team. For me go for Nigel Adkins or push the boat out and get Chris Houghton, "ya never know unless you try", if not then lets go dangerous and get Sol in the building, he would know some of Justin's ways and thinking's, sure as hell can't be any worse than what we got. Now i'll sit back and wait for the attacks to start.

[Smendrick Feaselberg]

Chris Houghton?

Phil Parkinson would be a good choice but not sure how realistic. Maybe Daryl McMahon for an up and comer.

As for the mistakes...we have players who are not up to speed at this level. Yet we signed some to new contracts before the season started instead of evaluating how we did and making decisions based on that. Think this was a big error of judgement and hopefully some of these contracts won't be an albatross (though Brill, Widdowson and Coulson are all showing signs of this).

[o-no]

Can't imagine the club being supportive of any question that undermines the manager, like it was for Davis the party line will be to back the manager until the end, and blame everything else like luck or injury.

Probably makes little difference but I'd like to see Ross suit up for games. Perhaps even he believes he is more of a coach than a manager, but we need leadership.

You know, I strongly agree with this as well. It doesn't look good him raving at the fourth official in his tracksuit and cap. He's not one of the boys now, and dressing with authority is an easy way to set himself apart.

[DonaldRocks]

Just watched the highlights. Coulson caught out of position and for pace big time for the first. The second was a great strike, perhaps Brophy should have got a little tighter. The Orient goal was a real calamity, worse than the keeper kick me ups last season, wtf was the keeper and defender at. They said that the blocked fierce Alabi shot at the death, wasn't exactly a fierce shot to be honest. Have to stop giving away soft goals like the first goal today, everything seemed to again be in slow motion.

[F*ck The Poor & Fat]

For me the difference between players looking and playing good and looking bad is how they are managed, the system played and the ability to play to strengths. How many times have we seen well organised but average teams make it difficult for opponents to score.

A good manager can get teams performing well, the team being stronger than the sum of the parts stuff. We have seen exactly this forvourselves first hand. The man in charge can make a huge difference. That difference can be good and bad.

So whilst players make mistakes, of course they do, the underlying problem is far more fundamental. The buck stops at the top and quite right too.

[RedDwarf 1881]

Chris Houghton?

Phil Parkinson would be a good choice but not sure how realistic. Maybe Daryl McMahon for an up and comer.

As for the mistakes...we have players who are not up to speed at this level. Yet we signed some to new contracts before the season started instead of evaluating how we did and making decisions based on that. Think this was a big error of judgement and hopefully some of these contracts won't be an albatross (though Brill, Widdowson and Coulson are all showing signs of this).

Whoever we appoint as our new manager ,it will probably be somebody who's currently unemployed. This would rule out Daryl McMahon.

[Smendrick Feaselberg]

Chris Houghton?

Phil Parkinson would be a good choice but not sure how realistic. Maybe Daryl McMahon for an up and comer.

As for the mistakes...we have players who are not up to speed at this level. Yet we signed some to new contracts before the season started instead of evaluating how we did and making decisions based on that. Think this was a big error of judgement and hopefully some of these contracts won't be an albatross (though Brill, Widdowson and Coulson are all showing signs of this).

Whoever we appoint as our new manager ,it will probably be somebody who's currently unemployed. This would rule out Daryl McMahon.

Thought he was still without a job but after seeing your post found out that he is at Macclesfield. Thanks for pointing that out

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Dave Challinor, get it done.

[BIGRON]

Just watched the highlights. Coulson caught out of position and for pace big time for the first. The second was a great strike, perhaps Brophy should have got a little tighter. The Orient goal was a real calamity, worse than the keeper kick me ups last season, wtf was the keeper and defender at. They said that the blocked fierce Alabi shot at the death, wasn't exactly a fierce shot to be honest. Have to stop giving away soft goals like the first goal today, everything seemed to again be in slow motion.

I also thought Coulson got left for dead for the first goal , he looks a yard off the pace and has done for a few games

[StockholmO]

Dave Challinor, get it done.

Relentless

[Bergen]

Top League Two away attendances on Saturday:

1,655 - Leyton Orient
828 - Carlisle United
736 - Swindon Town
736 - Exeter City
679 - Mansfield Town

[Thor]

Do you know what Bergen, great stat by the way. The team is being fully supported by us fans as evidenced by your stat, unfortunately we are being let down, not necessarily by the players, but by the direction given to them, by the leadership provided to them.

If you look at the games and analyise them you can see that we are not as well drilled as we were last season, yet it’s the same people coaching them. People last year threw their bodies on the line game after game, this season I am not seeing that. The coaching it would appear is not as good as it was previously and it seems to me that we’ve slipped back to “Davis mode” that’s not to say the coaches are not good enough, we’ve seen that they are, but it’s the direction and details that they are given by the manager to implement his vision. That’s a massive loss on what we had last year.

Decisions over substitutions have cost us points in previous games imho, yet yesterday a strange thing happened. The ball was out of play, the ref asked coulson to leave the pitch, RE was then taking him off for Happe, Coulson is waving his hands about, the physio is on his phone thing, the assistant ref has the board to change, the announcer is starting to say the change, coulson is waving his hands about obviously saying I’m ok, the physio walks all the way back and happe is told to sit down. What the hell was that all about? Indecision, lack of direction, not listening maybe? Not sure, but what I do know it was embarrassing.

Ling Snr should have brought in a midfield enforcer, he failed us by not doing so. Some of the other contracts, I’m not going to have a pop at him about as they earned the right to play here and deserved them. His son though after struggling last season we should have waited, reviewed and then decided, again miss judgement on his decision making I’m afraid, at least that’s what I think rather than nepotism.

This team is good enough to compete in the upper tier of this league and dare I say it, the play offs. It’s clear to see from what we have faced so far, and under JE we would be top 3. What the club has done over Justin has been marvellous and special and they deserve credit for that. However, RE is not working, the team is not performing to its capability and the rot is starting to set in as is sure as day turns into night the players will lose confidence in him, and that would be a shame. I’m not blaming RE he’s doing a job under extremely terrible circumstances and I applaud him for standing up and taking it on however, he’s a coach a number 2 not a manager and this needs to change before the damage is done and the players won’t accept him as a coach.

We need bold leadership now from our owners, and I would not like to see anyone thrown under the bus, but a leader needs to be brought in ASAP and RE revert back to the coaching team before the damage done to him is too great.

[Byways1]

Your time has arrived Sol.

[Disoriented]

Your time has arrived Sol.

100% agree, but not here. Anywhere but here. Big Ron has got it bang on with his feelings on this topic.

[Bergen]

Michael Duff won one of his first ten games as the new Cheltenham manager last season. They are doing pretty well now.

I am not saying that we should stick with Ross no matter what, but I still think he should be given more time.