Look out! It's ****NOT the Foxtrot Report**** (Cambridge edition, long)

Well, a cracking day in Cambridge and a cracking day for Cambridge Utd as they found plenty to be optimistic about for the upcoming Conference season - IF they can secure the funding. And before I start, for a club with financial problems and a 9000-capacity stadium, the turnout was atrocious - I would say that Norwich fans provided half of the 2300 attendance. Long-suffering fans group CFU provided a ?20,000 loan to the club to pay player wages for this month, but looking at this I would say that the denziens of Cambridge have given it up as a bad job, which is a shame given the squad Rob Newman has assembled for about ?2.50 and a packet of pork scratchings.

Things were always going to be a little disjointed for Norwich given that they were not only fielding two different teams in each half, but that both were leavened with youngsters. What was more disturbing was that the youngsters gave the fans more to cheer about that the supposed senior pros.

Big Joe started in goal, with Mickey Spillane on the right (Presumably as the Captain was away on Scotland duty), Flem and Shackell in the middle, and Adam Drury captaining the side from the left. It looked like a 3-man midfield, with Etuhu and Safri alongside the youngster Andrew Fisk, and Huckerby and Ryan Jarvis on the left and right wings respectively. Peter Thorne led the line up front.

Two minutes in and Spillane, who had rampaged forward, gave an unfortunate Cambridge player a warm welcome with a crunching tackle which got the ball first but made absolutely sure the man got a going-over as well. Both teams kept the ball on the deck and sprayed it around, with Norwich going long for Huckerby on the left wing and hoping he?d pull a rabbit out of the hat ? pleasingly, the Huckster seems to be twice as fast as last season, but the achingly slow Thorne and the mono-paced Ryan Jarvis meant that there was seldom anyone attacking the box when Hucks got away. Cambridge looked the more threatening, carving through the midfield with ease and running at a disjointed back 4, so it wasn?t a huge surprise when Youssef Safri lunged in recklessly on a Cambridge player in the box and conceded a penalty. Big Joe went the right way and may have got a touch on it, but it was well-taken by scorer Carey-Bartram.

Things were starting rather alarmingly given the calibre of the opposition; Our Desmond didn?t look like he had a touch in the first 10 minutes, Safri looked a bit swamped, and while the youngster Fisk had some good touches, the formation left him badly lacking the direction from a senior head that he needed. The goal served as a wakeup call and City started to get their fingers out. While Thorne?s touch up front varied from good to appalling, Hucks was roaring down the left, Our Desmond got his act together, but the best moves seemed to come through Spillane thundering forward from right back and Ryan Jarvis. Jarvis in particular displayed a great touch, and some strength ? he finally seems to have filled out.

However one-nil down could easily have become two-nil on 25 minutes as an appalling mix-up between Shackell and Lewis presented a gilt-edged chance to the U?s; Big Joe came out to claim a floated cross about 15 yards out at the far post, but he either didn?t shout or Shackell ignored him and the two got in a horrible muddle, popping the ball back in front of the open goal for a Cambridge player. Luckily Shackell was up like lightning to block on the line.

Up at the business end, Huckerby was tormenting the Cambridge backline and Thorne probably should have scored when Hucks squirted the ball square, however Thorne got himself in a tangle and the ball appeared to run through his legs from 12 yards out. Thorne nearly made amends shortly after, first flinging himself in where it hurts at the back post and then curling a delicate shot onto the outside of the post after more good work by Huckerby.

City finally found an equaliser on 42 minutes when Ryan Jarvis burst through and won a free kick right on the edge of the box. From Safri?s free kick, Thorne again flung himself into the pile-up at the back post and touched home from about 1 yard out. The goal lifted City, and they could have added a couple more before the break, firstly with Darren Huckerby?s 40-yard run and shot which ran wide, and an absolute gift for Our Desmond when the ball was squared along the top of a vacant penalty area and he produced an air swing, seemingly unable to make up his mind over which foot to use.

All change at the break, with Paul Gallacher replacing Lewis in goal, Colin on the right and Doherty and Rossi Jarvis in the middle, with youngster Patrick Bexfield at left back. Andy Hooves and Carl Robinson made up the midfield with Paul McVeigh and his atrocious hairclips, while Leon McKenzie took over the ?Huckerby Position? and Ian Henderson (Who, again, seems to have filled out over the summer) on the right wing. Robert ?Offside!? Earnshaw appeared to be on his own up front.

Norwich generally looked more assured after changes, although it was difficult to tell whether it was entirely due to the change of personnel or change of opposition. Andy Hooves in particular appeared to be constantly on his heels and off the pace. With Patrick Bexfield having a busy day at left back, what he really needed was some direction from players like Hooves and Rossi Jarvis. Instead he was hung out to dry and while he acquitted himself adequately, there were occasions where Hooves would drift in and create uncertainty as to whether he was picking a player up, and then ignore him and do nothing, leaving Bexfield with 2 players to deal with. Rossi Jarvis was assured but silent, however he appeared to have brought his ?Toblerone? forehead, with things squirting off at all angles. Gary Doherty was solid enough in defence but distinctly unimpressive in possession; given an available midfield option, he instead tended to opt for hopelessly optimistic punts in the direction of the corner flags.

Hooves was intimately involved in City?s second goal, first spraying the ball forward for Earnsham to run onto, then receiving a return ball on the edge of an empty penalty area, but instead of shooting he laid off to Ian Henderson who made absolutely sure of his touch and flayed the ball inside Crichton?s far post, a cracking finish.

Leon was getting plenty of joy down the left-hand side, and being on his correct foot improved his crossing no end. He won several corners and delivered a fine ball for Henderson to catch on the volley, but this time the shot was blocked. With 5 minutes to go, McKenzie presented Earnshaw with a seemingly unmissable chance; 6 yards out with all the time in the world and only the keeper to beat, Earnie lashed the ball high over the goal and out into Newmarket Road. Not to be outdone, Ian Henderson was attacking with purpose down the right and his cross found Carl Robinson 6 yards out, but his weak header was straight at the goalkeeper who tipped over.
The final goal arrived with about the last kick of the game, with the ball ballooning up off a defender leaving McKenzie to out-jump the goalkeeper and head home from around 2 yards out.

In summary, not a particularly encouraging outing, but a win nonetheless. One thing that was apparent was the total lack of leadership within the side; in the first half Shackell and Lewis, and in the second Gallacher and McVeigh were the only ones to actually open their mouths and help their team-mates.

Lewis looked at home; I?d have no worries about him at the back this season ? 6

Spillane looked useful but rather mono-paced, attacking well ? 6
Shackell was dominant at the back ? 7
Fleming less so but didn?t do a lot wrong. Caught out by a porous midfield a couple of times ? 6
Drury was neat and tidy but hardly inspirational, particularly for someone who is supposed to be leading the side. ? 6

Safri looked a bit out of it to begin with but gradually came into the game. Gave away a very stupid penalty ? 6
Andrew Fisk did well for a lad ? and that?s all he is, a lad ? but needed more direction from the senior players and a more friendly formation ? 6
Our Desmond was a bit of an enigma, drifting into and out of the game. He had some good powerful runs and should have scored, and yet? - 5/6

Ryan Jarvis has really come on since I saw him, physically and football-wise. Superb touch, intelligent with the ball, probably our best player in the first half - 8
Peter Thorne showed willing to throw himself in when boots are flying, but had a suspect touch and is far too leaden-footed. Should have scored more than just the tap-in.
Huckerby has his pace back! Much quicker than last season, given a relatively easy time against his marker ? 7

And in the second half

Gallacher was hesitant under the high ball and his kicking was atrocious ? 5

Colin was rather isolated and hesitant, but linked well with Henderson on occasion ? 5/6
Doherty was OK defensively, but with the ball at his feet his only idea was HOOOOOOF! Far too much ball-watching, leaving his man unmarked ? 6
Rossi Jarvis got in a muddle a couple of times, not helped by Andy Hooves. Had a bit of a nightmare heading the ball, but looked assured enough ? 6
Patrick Bexfield was given a hell of a job. Like Andrew Fisk he?s just a lad and it shows, and he really, really needed some help from the players around him which he singularly failed to get. Hooves? half-arsed approach to tracking back put him under needless pressure but he showed good pace and a decent brain. Not ready for the first team, but not bad all things considered - 6

Carl Robinson, oh dear. Other than a weak header, he didn?t do much of note. He didn?t do much wrong though. Basically, he didn?t do much ? 5
Andy Hooves, oh dear. Ranges from half-respectable to total donkey on the ball, spent most of the match back on his heels and consistently second to the ball. Did well for the second goal, but then nearly gave another one away. Sold Bexfield down the river several times by half-heartedly tracking a player and then drifting off and losing interest ? 5
Paul McVeigh looks chubby to me. He was vocal and made himself available (Notably for Doherty, who then humped the ball as far as possible), but other than a few flicks and tricks contributed very little ? 5

Ian Henderson has bulked up and looks a decent proposition down the right wing. He was intelligent, kept the ball very well, beat his man and delivered some fine crosses. Scored an absolute gem of a goal and could have had another ? 8
Robert Earnshaw ? OFFSIDE! Had a few nice touches, but what a half-arsed decision to make him lead the line. Needs someone to work off. Shocking miss after an hour ? 5
Leon was busy and got some fine crosses in, but left wing isn?t really his bag. Scored an easy tap-in - 7

Nigel Worthington ? 5. The formation was a failure and unsuited to the personnel available, in both halves. But what else is new?

Posted By: Iwan Husarmi, Jul 16, 19:37:52