The U's-letter: Issue #17
Three defeats in a row? Perfect time for the return of the U's-letter
It’s been a long while since we managed to put a U’s-letter together. Life has very much been getting in the way, along with the swathe of emergency pods we’ve had to rattle out on what feels like quite a consistent basis over the last month or so. We’ll get back into a proper routine with these I’m sure, as we look to continue the newsletter feature into next season.
Speaking of routines, despite being under the leadership of Neil Harris for a second time, United have managed to swing effortlessly back into their routine of losing back-to-back (to-back) games. It’s not worth trying to sum up all of the drama that has taken place within the footballing hierarchy at the Abbey since we last came to you with a newsletter, but it’s safe to say that bounce and genuine hope we felt after Harris’ first two games in charge have been extinguished. Not just by the three losses in a row, but also by the successive wins of teams above the line.
Going into the derby on Saturday, that gap is now ten points - and Posh have a game in hand on us. To the team above them, Northampton, it’s 12. For all of us in the bottom four, as I think we’ve known all season, it looks like curtains. The fat lady might be getting her vocal chords warmed up, BUT you never know with this game…
📰 News From The U’s 📰
It’s not worth reiterating all the carnage as I’m sure everyone is well aware, and it’s been a few weeks since we’ve had Neil Harris back in the dugout - at least the pressers have improved.
One very big piece of news is the documentary: United will feature in a documentary series about the club, to air with US broadcaster CBS Sports. There’s not a lot of detail that accompanies it, but fair to say it’s a chance to grow the ‘brand’ and sponsorship potential of the club overseas, which could be a huge step towards putting big investments back into the squad. We’ll have to see.
This weekend is designated as Green Matchday weekend. Naturally, you’ve probably got other things on your mind this weekend though.
✍️ At The Match ✍️
Latics 1-0 U’s and Blackpool 2-1 U’s
These games are grouped together, and for good reason. Two long trips up to the North West in the space of four days, and zero points to show for it.
It felt like both games told the story of our whole season - moments of real promise, flashes of great attacking intent, but ultimately not enough quality to get anything from either game. Harris said after the Wigan game that we were excellent for 60 minutes (and we were), but we need to be excellent for 90 minutes. And he’s right. But as so often, it’s the lack of options on the bench to force a game in our favour that has been our downfall.
And it was the same story against Blackpool. That night Ballard managed to give us an early lead, a fine reward for some bright displays in both these games, but again we tired and couldn’t affect the game enough in the last half an hour.
Both afternoons were disastrous in terms of teams above the line winning (Saturday against Wigan especially, where no one in the relegation zone won and the four teams above it all did). While it’s still possible we have to maintain hope, but it just doesn’t feel like there’s enough available in this squad to make the Greatest of Great Escapes come true.
🧐 View From The Away End 🧐
Wigan
Progress With Unity Podcast
My worst fears were somewhat eased come 5pm Saturday, if there is one team that we struggle against it is Cambridge United. Our third meeting this season and for large parts of the game I thought we were decidedly second best.
We struggled to get any cohesion into our play and I thought we were outfought, especially in the midfield, the first half especially belonged to Cambridge and there’d have been no complaint if we had gone in a goal or two down at half time.
The second period saw us come into it a little more and we looked dangerous at times going up the flanks, but Sam Tickle was called upon to make a very decent save to stop us going behind and we were susceptible to Cambridge’s breaks.
Our goal when it did come was the product of our academy, Chris Sze, who has had a terrible time with off-field problems this season. He came on for our striker Dale Taylor on 70 minutes and 7 minutes later did excellently to firstly win the ball with a fierce challenge and then set it out to our right which created a shooting opportunity for Baba Adeeko, his strike was saved and pushed out by Bishop only for Luke Robinson, our left back, to turn up in the 6 yard box and fire home with his right foot for the first goal of his career. Three academy graduates involved there for us, emphasising the talent coming through.
A very important 3 points for the Latics which probably confirms our status as a League One club for next season. I feel worried for Cambridge though, but if you performed all season like you do against us each time we meet, I am sure you’d have been safe by now too.
FANCY BEATING US AT EFL FANTASY? LINK BELOW 👇
🔢 Stats Corner 🔢
It’s important to bare in mind how our catastrophic start to the season is the real underlying reason we are where we are. If we’d have picked up the average amount of points in those first 9 games as the other teams in the relegation zone did (the same three teams as now, by the way), which is 5 points, we’d be on 34 points and going into Saturday with a chance of cutting the deficit to Posh to 2 points. There’s plenty of other contributing factors, and we may well have gone down regardless, but those 9 games gave us a handicap we were just never going to come back from.
Charlton have won 9 of their last 12, with former U’s stopper Mannion keeping 4 clean sheets in their last 5 games. Form team.
🔮 Opposition Preview 🔮
P*sh (H) - 20th place - Saturday 15th March
Last 5 (all comps): DDWWD - Despite going on an atrocious run since they demolished us at their place, they’ve recently picked up some form to keep the relegation battle at arm’s length.
Last time out: Posh 6-1 U’s, 9th November 2024. Nothing to say.
Our H2H: P47, W15, D11, L21
Manager: Darren Ferguson. Again, less said about him the better.
One to watch: Kwame Poku. Back from injury, came off the bench last week in their 1-1 home draw to Wycombe, and we know all too well how dangerous he can be.
Former U’s players: Thankfully, no.
🏟️ Under The Other Stands 🏟️
In general, it’s been bad news for us when it comes to results of teams immediately around us. Exeter, Bristol Rovers and Northampton are all unbeaten in 3, with Exeter and Rovers having won their last two of those. Northampton are now 12 points ahead of us with 10 games to go.
In the relegation zone itself, no one else is putting up too much of a fight - conversely to the above, none of the four teams have won in their last three games.
And at the top, Birmingham continue marching on, and there’s a big game of 2nd vs 3rd as Wycombe play Wrexham this weekend. Charlton are the form team and have stormed into the play offs, and with the way they’re going they also have an outside shout at breaking into the automatics.
💻 On The Web 💻
Nathan Jones doing very Nathan Jones things in a post-match presser.
Absolute beauty in the Championship from Romaine Mundle.
🕺 What’s Spinning? 🕺
Cambridge locals ‘Black Country, New Road’ have a new album coming out in a few months, and the first singles that are out in the world already are great:
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