Colchester vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Chris Smith]

Steer was better tonight than any match Johnstone has played for us yet.

Still, at least we're helping Bruce's old club out a bit.

Yes that was my thought also whilst watching. Not sure why we should be developing someone else's player whilst we have an equally good one?

Or how about.....Steer has been out for the best part of two years and no-one knows how good he is/might be.  he looked good in one game which is promising, so we signed another keeper who already knows the club on loan with an option to buy of we want, but if Steer makes it then we may not need to?

Get that but How is Steer going to make it if he doesn't get regular first team football? How about Steer being first choice and loanee on the bench?

Based on one game against lower league opposition? Very risky in my view and Bruce would get slaughtered, particularly on this site, if Steer had a couple of dodgy games.

I think like any player returning from long term injury there has to be a degree of management around his reintegration into first team football.

[Damo70]

Only saw the second half, but the positives for me were Onomah, O'Hare and Steer. On the flip side I'm not sure what Hourihane does, and I felt Samba was a bit ropey.

Don't think the conditions helped at all either but we're through and we now need to go and win an away game in the league, 2 opportunities in the space of 4 days.

I might as well just quote you as you posted exactly what I was thinking. The only thing I would add is if we should worry that our goalkeeper was man of the match in a cup tie against a team two leagues below us.

[AVH87]

Only saw the second half, but the positives for me were Onomah, O'Hare and Steer. On the flip side I'm not sure what Hourihane does, and I felt Samba was a bit ropey.

Don't think the conditions helped at all either but we're through and we now need to go and win an away game in the league, 2 opportunities in the space of 4 days.

I might as well just quote you as you posted exactly what I was thinking. The only thing I would add is if we should worry that our goalkeeper was man of the match in a cup tie against a team two leagues below us.

A slight worry, maybe, but I felt against a team 2 divisions below, the weather meant the pitch became a bit of a leveller. I'm not one for excuses but the amount of standing water meant at times there was no flow whatsoever when passing along the deck.

[darren woolley]

Glad we are in the next round did enough to win my man of the match Jed Steer for me.

[Chris Jameson]

He did skin a division 4 player and set up a chance, both with no outcome.

File with Stefan Moore, nothing to see here.

Have you written off O'Hare yet?

[cdbearsfan]

I'd just close the youth academy. Stefan Moore didn't turn out as well as we'd hoped so I doubt we will ever produce a good young player again.

[garyshawsknee]

He did skin a division 4 player and set up a chance, both with no outcome.

File with Stefan Moore, nothing to see here.

Have you written off O'Hare yet?

That'll happen after the weekend.

[Chris Jameson]

I'd just close the youth academy. Stefan Moore didn't turn out as well as we'd hoped so I doubt we will ever produce a good young player again.

Was Darren Byfield the second Stefan Moore or was that Luke?

[Exeter 77]

If we're going chronologically Stefan Moore was the second Darren Byfield.

[cdbearsfan]

So does that make O'Hare about the twelfth Martin Carruthers?

[AV5nobs]

He did skin a division 4 player and set up a chance, both with no outcome.

File with Stefan Moore, nothing to see here.

Have you written off O'Hare yet?

It was a reference to Murphy, who delightfully skinned a player and set up a chance.

[Chris Jameson]

He did skin a division 4 player and set up a chance, both with no outcome.

File with Stefan Moore, nothing to see here.

Have you written off O'Hare yet?

It was a reference to Murphy, who delightfully skinned a player and set up a chance.

I know. O'Hare has the potential to be the next Stephen Cooke or John McGrath.

[Clark W Griswold]

Steer - Excellent.
Chester - Solid.
Samba - Dodgy first 20 but after that good.
Bjarnason - Excellent considering he was at LB.
Bree - Decent.
Hourihane - Very poor.
Adomah - Looked lively, needs more game time.
Onomah - Excellent feet, good movement but lacked final ball.
Green - Needs to do a lot better, poor.
O'Hare - Played really well but faded after 65/70.
Hogan - Hard worker, if only the others could play the ball earlier.
Davis - Didn't offer anything coming on.
RHM - Good movement and pacey.
De Laet - Got 9 mins under his belt.

I think that's a really good assessment. I would say Samba was poor all through the first half and I think excellent is pushing it with Bjarnasson but he was no where near as bad as many have suggested. He had a couple of really bad moments first half but otherwise defended and played the ball around as well as Taylor does. Otherwise virtually spot on for me.

[sirlordbaltimore]

Wasn't a stunning performance but we got the job done and i think we all learned a lot about some of the squad players. So all in all a good nights work

Steer 8 (excellent)
Birkir 5 (i'll let him off seeing as he was playing out of position though)
Chester 7 (steady)
Samba 5 (as i feared, useful heading away punts into the box, but will get torn a new arsehole by any nippy strikers this season)
Bree 6 (steady, still more to come from him)
Albert 6 (bit lacklustre, to be expected after being out so long i reckon)
Hourihane 5 (my biggest disappointment of the night, he can do so much more. an that's down to him to show not Bruce)
Onomah 8 (very promising)
Green 6 (another i felt slightly let down by)
Hogan 6.5 (did his job)
O'Hare 8 (highlight of the night)

[old man villa fan]

These days I don't think you can afford to play two players like Green and Adomah as wide midfield players. Also, it pushed Hourahan deeper where he is less effective. I think Green should be played as a 2nd striker so he gets into the positions where we scored the first goal from or a bit wider in a front three.

I felt that in making so many changes, Bruce was giving chances to players but in some cases didn't play players in their best positions so it turned into a bit of a negative.