Match Discussion: Game 41 - The U's (A) Live

[PON_News]

Game 41 - The U's (A)

Team: Colchester United

Date: 05/04/2025

Where: Colchester Community Stadium

What line-up should Stuart Maynard opt for? What will be the key areas for the Magpies to get a victory? What do you think the final score will be?

Have your say below, join in with the Pride of Nottingham match discussion.

[Robbie 𝕏 @Robbie_NCFC]

So we are now down to the last six games of the regular league season. Notts have managed to get themselves back into the promotion mix with a couple of wins on the bounce.

The first of those six games is as tough as they come in this league. Colchester lie in 9th place just three points off a playoff place. They have everything to play for, so they will be a very tough nut to crack.

Colchester have a similar home record to Notts this season. They have lost five matches just like Notts & have a similar defensive record at home, conceding only 15 goals.

Colchester are similar to Notts in their footballing style. They like to control the game by possession based football.

This may help Notts as Colchester will want to be on the front foot & this may create space for the Notts players when attacking.

It Notts can remain tight at the back & exploit the space left by Colchester, it could help to facilitate a positive result for Notts.

I wonder if Stuart will keep the same side that started against the Dons. Notts did very well when using the high press on Wednesday. I wouldn't be surprised if Jatta was on the bench early doors for Notts in a tactical move from Maynard.

[CliftonMagpie]

I know Colchester's ground is in the middle of nowhere, but it's quite a nice stadium for a modern one. It's easy to reach, leaving is hassle-free, and the match atmosphere isn't too bad. I wish I could be attending, but I'll have to wait for next season now. Notts should be able to maintain their current form. I think a lot depends on keeping David McGoldrick available and ensuring the players defend like they can while minimising mistakes.

[Robbie 𝕏 @Robbie_NCFC]

Just some useful stats to bear in mind before the match.

Only Colchester & AFC Wimbledon have kept more clean sheets than Notts County this term, & that rear guard effort has been crucial to Notts's impressive form on the road.

Notts County's previous victory away at Newport County last Saturday was their ninth of the campaign away from Meadow Lane, & they have now taken 33 points from their 20 away games, a total which is the highest of anyone in League Two & accounts for over 50% of their current points total.

Source Google.

It is noteworthy that Colchester are one of two teams that have more clean sheets this term than Notts, however they have lost five matches at home, the same as Notts, so it will be fascinating to see who wins this battle. I do hope it is Notts because that would be so massive.

[Robbie 𝕏 @Robbie_NCFC]

Stuart's team to face Colchester.

Another injury Abbott out injured.

Jatta back in the starting eleven.

Jones on the bench.

Hinchy replaces Abbott. 

[Robbie 𝕏 @Robbie_NCFC]

Kick off.

CMON U PIES!!!

Update 

Goal to Colchester 

Half Time 

Back underway 

Update.

 

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

A scrappy second half and Notts are losing 1-0 only injury time left.

Six minutes to equalise. COME ON!

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

 

[Morten Johansen]

How we missed Abbott today on this rough and difficult pitch.

Disappointing result.

[Robbie 𝕏 @Robbie_NCFC]

It's a dissapointing result today but Notts  are still in the mix & a couple of wins should see Notts win a playoff place, then anything can happen.

Abbott was a big loss for us today. The injuries have been a big factor this season. We've had our best player out for most of the season, & our best central midfielder before he got injured.

Stuart Maynard has worked miracles with the players that he's had available to stay in contention & no matter what happens , the team have improved from last season.

The continued criticism of Maynard when Notts have a loss is totally unfair in my opinion. Notts are at home to Salford next Friday & Notts at their best should get three points from it.

Up to date table.  Notts in sixth place, six points ahead of Colchester who are in eighth place with 5 games left 

 

[gtownjohnno]

Seems like the Referee didn't do us any favours today....allegedly hes reffed in the Prem and Championship already this season.......wasn't Jarvis fouled in the build up to their goal?????

[Piethagoram 𝕏 @piethagoram]

Yes @gtownjohnno there was a foul. We are not getting seemingly any ref decisions going our way at the moment.

[Piethagoram 𝕏 @piethagoram]

 

[Piethagoram 𝕏 @piethagoram]

 

[Piethagoram 𝕏 @piethagoram]

 

[menzinho]

I think the fact Jarvis gets up so quickly probably didn’t help us. I don’t like it but I remember when George Abbott scored against Barrow their players just protested until the ref basically folded. I wonder if Will had stayed on the ground and the rest of the team made a scene it might have been overturned?

Equally I think the fact he doesn't protest tells you it probably wasn't a foul, he could’ve done more to hold the Colchester player off and just knocked the ball out for a throw. He’ll learn from it though and we still played 90 minutes of football and didn’t score… We’ve got to find a way to create some decent chances when teams do just sit back and let us have the ball.

[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

I thought Notts made a very bright start, and early on created some decent chances. There are times when we look like we're moments away from scoring, and if we just took a bit more care, that might have been the case. Colchester United didn't look like a team trying to push for the playoffs, I thought they were quite dirty and were fortunate to have the officials largely giving them advantage but this is another matter.

There are chances created where it's easy for me to say at the time, and in hindsight, that Notts should have slowed down or even taken a shot earlier. The players are always thinking, have energy and adrenaline pumping amongst a host of other things, and it does mean times there will be wasted opportunities.

As I say, I felt Notts played quite well until Colchester took the lead. At the time, I had suspicions of offside and a foul.

Colchester always looked happy with a point, even more so to just sit on their lead. To be fair, I think they defended very well, and ignoring all the heavy shirt pulling, dangerous challenges and other antics, I think this is the main reason why Notts started to struggle. I noticed visible signs of frustration, which I don't really like to see from players like David McGoldrick But again, it's the heat of the moment. I would just like to add, there were times he made very poor decisions and nobody got onto his back. Notably, a very poor cross, where he started to hit himself in the head. Whereas he did complain, and get in the face of some of the players at times, which just doesn't sit well with me for a player of his experience.

I thought Nick Tsaroulla was superb, by far the best player in terms of performance on the pitch in my eyes. I felt Stuart Maynard should have switched him to the left when bringing on Jodi Jones. I felt unimpressed with the changes, not to go as far as calling Mai Traore a headless goat (like a fan said behind me), but Traore clearly isn't settled yet. I feel had Maynard made at least one change earlier, around the 55th minute we might have been a bit more composed.

Notts did very well to maintain possession and create chances, what they lacked is that ability to get back into the game. I made the point about rushing earlier, but there were times when we should have taken the time to carefully choose where to shoot, and then times where time mattered. Another day, things might have been different, but I thought the decision-making was very poor on our behalf at times. So many times we needlessly made passes, or passed into crowded areas.

I wouldn't single anyone out as having a particularly poor game, but defensively I thought Matty Platt was by far the most consistent defender. Nick Tsaroulla impressed me, I thought David McGoldrick worked hard and played well. Matt Palmer pulled a lot of strings, and has recently started making longer, pinpoint passes which mixed things up. Will Jarvis did okay, but in an average way. Charlie Whitaker should have stayed on, I thought he gave us a lot of heart and made some nice runs/passes. Some of the comments directed to Sam Slocombe during games shows the level of bias some of our fans have towards him, and I would discourage these remarks. Slocombe did well enough, despite several players putting him in danger with poor decisions. There's zero fault on him for the goal, Jacob Bedeau was out of position and the defending at this point wasn't good enough.

Oddly, it was once changes had been made by Maynard that I stopped believing we could get a point or more from the game. Now, the pitch was poor, but you have to play on what is presented. The officials made the game difficult, and this is very frustrating. The management of the referee was very poor, inconsistent and very biased towards Colchester. Not once did he allow us to play to our advantage, instead repeatedly calling it back. On the other hand, Colchester were allowed several challenges by the U's and should have been punished.

The melee between players is just a further sign that he lost control of the game, very poor officiating, but truth be said, you can't help but feel Notts should have been better.

[Piethagoram 𝕏 @piethagoram]