The U's-letter: Issue #10

All you need to know from the end of a nine-point week

That week got better and better. Three wins, three clean sheets, and nine points better off. After such a disastrous start, the league table really doesn’t look all that bad all of a sudden.

We said before this week, the first games after the statement from the board backing Monk, that there was a minimum points expectation on him. Probably around the 5 mark seemed the sentiment from most fans. He’s firmly put that conversation to rest, at least for now.

It might have been scrappy against Burton, but no one cares. Luck finally started falling our way last week, just like the ball fell at Jordan Cousins’ feet to smash it home. Now we’re looking at a cup game against a team two divisions below us to make it four on the bounce in all competitions, heading into a derby with Lavery and Stokes surely knocking on the door for a comeback. Even if they don’t make it for that game, there should be another week off for internationals with Barnsley, so we might feel like a completely different prospect come the big game at Northampton.

Isn’t it nice to feel so positive?

Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter. Make sure you’re subscribed by clicking the button below.

📰 News From The U’s 📰

• Lots of updates this week, firstly the release of our new badge and identity after months of consultation. It has naturally divided opinion but at least it’s put the debate to bed and we can all move on.

• There’s also an update on the stadium redevelopment project. TL;DR - the Habbin will increase to 3.3k all-seater, the NRE to a 3.5k terrace with safe standing conversion available, and the project is aimed to be submitted in summer 2025. So it’s all still a long way off spades in the ground.

• Adam Webb has decided to sell his minority share to Mark Green and Paul Barry and focus his efforts on St Johnstone where he is the majority owner. We wish him all the best.

• Liam O’Neil’s youth team managed to lose 3-2 to Hertford Town in the FA Youth Cup. A long way from the team that beat Chelsea a few years ago.

✍️ At The Match ✍️

U’s 1-0 Burton

Written by Owen Kiernan. Subscribe to The Antler to read the report in full and receive regular match reports in your inbox.

That wasn’t pretty was it? Okay we got there in the end, but we did it the hard way. I suppose the good thing is that a month ago we’d have lost that game, but we held on right until the end.

I’m going to talk a bit more about Okedina in a minute, but is it any coincidence our uptick in form has come since Michael Morrison returned to the starting XI? He’s not getting any younger, he’s not getting any quicker, but he has tonnes of experience and he’s United through and through. In an ideal world we wouldn’t need a 38 year old centre back at all, but Morro is here, and he’s playing out of his skin at the moment, and we’re reaping the rewards.

His defensive partner Jubril Okedina has also been here a while, one of only two veterans of the 2020-21 promotion squad, he’s racked up over 100 appearances for the U’s now and his last three especially have been some of his best. Okedina is a bit of an enigma - out of those 100 appearances I can’t remember many where he really excelled (Newcastle maybe?) but there’s also not been many where he had a real shocker. A couple in his early days, sure, but show me a young centreback that hasn’t had a bad game from time to time. Okedina is really showing the potential we know he has, and although he was transfer listed by Monk he dealt with it in a professional, mature way and fought his way back into the first team picture and the place is his to lose now.

United lined up with a three-pronged attack. Dan Nlundulu flanked by Njoku & Kachunga. The former two worked hard all game, and although Nlundulu didn’t have much luck up front (against some robust defenders it must be said) he did a lot of hard work defensively. Njoku ran and ran all game and caused problems for the Burton defence and was unlucky not to get more to show for it. Kachunga on the other hand… he’s another one who just can’t find that consistency. He tried on Saturday, or at least made it look like he was trying, but when it came to the crunch, to getting really stuck in he just came off second best every time. He seemed to just drift through the game and it’s frustrating to see a player of his quality, and one that does seem to care about the club, have such a minimal impact on the game.

Njoku & Brophy eventually made way for Longelo and Kaikai, and twenty minutes later Digby and Nlundulu went off for Gibbons and Cousins as United went 4-4-2. Just when it started to look like it was going to be one of those days, United got a free kick outside the area, Andrew delivered it, the goalkeeper spilled it and it fell at the feet of Cousins to lash home spectacularly in front of the Newmarket Road End.

Burton gave us a late scare, having been the better side in the second half, but a visibly tired United hung on for another massive three points and another clean sheet. The way we’ve been playing the last three games has really taken its toll on the players and we looked knackered after about fifty minutes. Again, our injuries and small squad meant we didn’t have a huge amount of options off the bench, but credit to Monk for making the subs at the right time to make an impact.

It’s the FA Cup up next and I’d expect a few changes to the side, but the ambition will still be to go as far as possible in the tournament so I don’t think it’ll be a completely different side. We’ll get a bit more of an idea of who’s in favour and who isn’t after we see the lineup, and those who don’t play will probably get a chance against Chelseas kids in the Whatever-the-hell-it’s-called-now Trophy. By the time we’ve played those two hopefully we’ll have made it through unscathed and there’s some fresh faces back ready for the derby. Two weeks ago I’d have been terrified at the prospect of facing that lot in the form we’re in, now I’m merely cautious. Up the U’s!

🧐 View From The Away End 🧐

Burton Albion

From Ed Walker

I’ll real with you. That game has been very quickly deleted from my memory.

That tells you everything you need to know about the quality of Saturday’s game. We don’t blame you, Ed.

FANCY BEATING US AT EFL FANTASY? LINK BELOW 👇

🔢 Stats Corner 🔢

• We went from 30% game control over the first 7 games to around 70% over the next 5 - a huge turnaround. If you’re interested in what game control is, you’ll have to read Ben Griffis always excellent stats round-up:

🔮 Opposition Preview 🔮

Woking (A) - Saturday 2nd November

• Last 5 (all comps): DLLWD - The only win coming in the cup fourth qualifying round against Slough Town to get themselves here.

• Last time out: Woking 0-3 U’s, 10th April 2014 - Over ten years ago this brilliant night as Chadwick and Hughes’ thunderbastard had us looking forward to Wembley and, eventually, promotion out of the Conference.

• Our H2H: P13, W9, L2, D2. According to aiscore.com.

• Manager: Michael Doyle. A top notch career including nearly 200 appearances for Sheffield United and 6 international caps for Ireland, this is his first management job where he took over in December 2023 and finished 17th last year.

• One to watch: William Jääskeläinen. For absolutely obvious reasons.

• Former U’s players: Not that I can see.

🏟️ Under The Other Stands 🏟️

• Saturday was a good day: obviously Burton lost, but so did Shrewsbury, Crawley, Bristol Rovers, Leyton Orient all lost without scoring. In the current bottom 8, only Blackpool and Wigan picked up a point (against each other) apart from the U’s.

• Tuesday was also decent: Stevenage lost 4-1 at home to Bolton and feel like a team who could slide into a relegation battle, and Northampton lost 2-1 at Lincoln to stop them picking up points and breaking away.

• Birmingham still lead the way only managing a point at Mansfield, which makes our result look a bit better you could say.

• There was quite an enjoyable 97th minute equaliser from the spot at the Valley to stop Wrexham winning again.

• Reading are playing remarkably well and are up to 6th as is stands. It’s even more remarkable when you look at their backline and realise their left back is 16 years old. 16.

💻 On The Web 💻

Brilliant chaotic last-minute winner for Bolton against Posh. And not just because it was against Posh.

🕺 What’s Spinning? 🕺

The U’s are back, and so are the Maccabees. Jordan, UTAS’ resident indie boy, is besides himself with joy. Let’s have a throwback:

Thanks for reading this week’s U’s-letter. Send us any comments or suggestions to include in next week’s issue to: hello@undertheabbeystand.com