Brewers 1 Cambridge 3

Another reality check for the Brewers.
We over cooked our chances with to much passing the ball around. We where just not clinical enough in front of the goal.
They played very direct football with 3 or 4 passes and bang it in the net.
We just can not afford to not get a goal when we have a team under so much pressure.
Adkins worked his socks off and put in cross after cross, but no one was there to finish it off. This team needs to learn by now that when Adkins has the ball in the corner, there is 90% chance that the ball is going to be crossed into the box.
Beavon had 2 or 3 on him for most of the game and had zero space.
I think Cambridge did their homework on us with excellent results.
Are we just a one trick pony and have been found out ?
Teams have worked out that if the ruff us up a bit and take a gamble that the ref does not pull them up on it, they seem to be on for a winner.

A few new players are required as we need more options and the players we have need to fight to get into the first team.

Where you are going to finish on the table at the end of the season is not down to games such as this one, but about how consistent we are over the season.

It was all going so well only a few weeks ago and we must have been doing something right.

Now next Saturdays match has a lot more pressure on it for the players, so let's see if they have what it takes.

My diagnosis?

We got the midfield back to front. GR had sung Moose's praises last week and rightly so. How it had changed the team having some height in front of the back four.

So what did we do last night?

Robbie sitting deep and Moose supposedly pushing forward but largely anonymous. Only noticed him when he was mouthing off at the officials.

Agree that the ref effectively took Macdonald out of the game. Soft booking and a firm lecture, then two cards in as many minutes for Edwards and Moose. Right call to remove him as we could not afford to go to 10. How times have changed, because we did miss him.

Calls for midfielder and a striker? What about the back? Three goals shipped in four of our last five. Seems a higher priority to me.

As has already been said though. Still creating chances and the frustrating thing for me is that we should have won the game. Well on top when they took the lead. Camped in their half when they got the second. Still felt we could make a game of it when they broke for the third.

Macdonald had a shot deflected, Gurks turned into space but dragged his shot then doliied a free header into the keeper's hands, Robbie blasted well wide with space and Lucas beat half the Cambridge team before his shot was deflected wide. All before half time.

Another Gurks header pushed round the post, Beav slipping Blyth in only for him to miss the post, a strong penalty shout just before the third.

It could and should have been so different.

Cambridge looked ordinary but they can score goals. Look at the table, Joint top scorers now, with Northampton. Oh dear. Where are we next week?

Get the defence sorted. Now!

Games can hinge upon moments. Our pressure, possession and chances at 0-1 gave Blyth that easy chance. He missed it. You would have wanted that chance to fall to anyone on the pitch but him really. Conference player at best?

An equaliser then and we might have gone on to win it.

I actually thought Cambridge played very well. Neat incisive passing on the ground, well organised and they took their chances. Their second goal was extremely well worked.

4 defeats in 5 and conceding 12 in those 5 games is shocking.

Not commented on the Brewers performances so far this season but i feel i must now.
I do agree about the defending its garbage,no pace,no calm,and very little strength and that was exploited last night.
Lets be honest we were lucky to beat Cheltenham they were worth at least a point and shipping 9 goals in four league games isnt going to get you promotion.
I dont agree about Cambridge being average,they have pace all over the pitch are strong and attack with purpose and we cant cope with teams like that.
Loans it must be and very quickly Mr Rowett or its mid table or even worse.

To be honest i warned mid week in an earlier post that this game was a potential banana skin ,i was proved right comprehensively .Cambridge played the perfect away performance soaking up pressure then counter attacking on the break . Im sorry Gary but we still arent good enough , defensively i am reasonable happy , we were caught out on the break for two of their three goals last night , which happens . In midfield Weir had a poor game , Macdonald fustrates me immensely ,he runs about with energy admitted ,but with too much when going into tackles ,as a result he then gets himself booked ,on a regular basis , and the pair of them couldnt hit a barn door when presented with goal oportunities , and like last night he has to be substituted before getting sent off . McGurk is a fairy most of the time and gets shrugged off the ball far too easily . Blyth needs to be shipped off back to Leicester im afraid as he is well blow league two standard . Sorry if this sound a scathing attack , but we need players like Donaldson and Howells who destroyed us last night if we are going to get close to the play offs . Top priority is a midfielder ,and someone who can lead the line up front and convert what chances we create ,hopefully with some height .. I am fearful next week will be worse with a trip to Northampton ,i bet their rubbing their hands