Colchester United boss Danny Cowley highlights key requirement for side
DANNY Cowley wants to see his Colchester United players perform at a more consistent level – both during games and in League Two overall.
The U’s were thrashed 4-0 at high-flying Walsall at the weekend, just seven days after sweeping aside Tranmere Rovers 3-0, in a dominant display.
Colchester were the better side for much of the first half against the Saddlers but failed to back that display up after the break, to slump to a heavy defeat.
READ MORE: Colchester United fans have their say on Walsall away defeat
Colchester sit 15th in the table, having won two, drawn three and lost three of their opening eight league games and boss Cowley admits his side must produce more stable form.
Cowley said: “At the moment, we’re too inconsistent, even in-game.
“Against a team that were top of the table, we were the better team and were in a good place in the game.
“But in the second half, our performance was nowhere near to that level so that was something that is disappointing.
“It’s something that we need to address and ultimately, we need to learn from.
“Good players, the best players, are really consistent in their actions.
“That gives you a platform to put a team performance together for 90 minutes.
“Good players manage the momentum and the energy and the context of the game and we just didn’t do that (at Walsall).
“Ultimately, I expect better from them and we have to find a more consistent level than that.”
READ MORE: Five observations from Colchester United's defeat at Walsall
Colchester’s performance went downhill at Walsall after the impressive Owura Edwards limped off injured in the opening minutes of the second half.
Edwards had been an impressive performer for the U’s in the first half and they missed his threat, after his departure.
Cowley added: “We thought we were in a good place and we were such a threat down the left, in the first half with Owura and Samson.
“But we have to have a bit more about us than just one injury disrupting our rhythm, as much as it did.”
Colchester will be aiming to immediately bounce back from their defeat at Walsall when they travel to play Port Vale tomorrow night, kick-off 7.45pm.
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