Jon Waldron: My views on the U's (From Gazette)

Jon Waldron: My views on the U's

11:07am Tuesday 21st February 2012 in Colchester Utd By Jonathan Waldron

Much has said and written about John Ward’s striker search over recent months.

But in capturing Freddie Sears on loan from West Ham United, the Colchester United manager may just have made the signing he and the club’s fans had been waiting for.

While the likes of Michail Antonio, Gavin Massey and Casey Thomas have all come and gone from the U’s with varying success this season, it is arguable as to whether any of them are out-and-out strikers.

Sears is similar to his predecessors in that he is a young and promising offensive player who is hungry for game time, having come from a higher-level club.

But perhaps the main difference is that he has played much of his fledgling career to date in a central forward role, as opposed to in the wide positions.

Sears made his debut in a position just behind main striker Steven Gillespie at Yeovil Town, as Colchester switched to a 4-4-1-1 formation.

The fact that U’s manager Ward took the unusual step of tweaking his tactics mainly in order to accommodate Sears in his line-up barely 24 hours after he had joined them from the Hammers said much about how highly he regards the youngster.

The partnership between Sears and Gillespie certainly showed plenty of promise at Huish Park and in the pair linked up well at times, particularly in the first half.

It is something that Ward will no doubt be keen to see flourish in the coming weeks, with plenty of games on the horizon.

Sears will want the same and is hoping that his latest temporary move away from Upton Park will bear more fruit in front of goal than his previous loan spells.

The 22-year-old has spent time at Crystal Palace, Coventry City and Scunthorpe United over the past two-and-a-half years without hitting the net.

But on the basis of his contribution against Yeovil, where his all-round play and running on and off the ball made an immediate impression, goals should surely be on the agenda, particularly given Colchester’s positive style of play.

If that is the case, Sears’ short time at the U’s could prove to be an extremely productive one for both parties.