Our Carabao Cup campaign gets underway tonight with a trip down the A12 to take on Colchester United.
The U’s booked their spot in round two with a victory over rivals Ipswich Town while we are looking to reach the last 32 for the fourth time in five seasons.
The opposition
It’s eight years since we last faced Colchester United and it’s fair to say the two clubs have headed in different directions since that day in April 2014.
Colchester’s 4-1 win over an already promoted Brentford side helped to ensure their Sky Bet League One survival that season but they would eventually drop into the fourth tier two years later, where they have remained since.
The U’s finished eighth, 13th, eighth, and sixth in their first four League Two seasons, losing to Exeter City in the Play-Off semi-finals in 2019/20 – a year that also saw a run to the Carabao Cup quarter-final - before the effects of COVID-19 led to a tightening of the belts and a tumble down the league table.
The last two campaigns have resulted in 20th and 15th-placed finishes and this term has begun with three defeats in five to leave them 18th in the early table.
Colchester did enjoy a memorable first outing in this season’s Carabao Cup. Luke Hannant scoring the only goal as they beat fierce rivals Ipswich Town 1-0 at Portman Road.
United’s squad has plenty of ties to Brentford. Alan Judge, who spent five memorable years in West London, signed for the U’s in July 2021 and he’s joined in the Colchester squad by former Bees loanees Tommy Smith and John Akinde.
The gameplan
Jon Waldron, of The Daily Gazette, on Colchester’s dangermen: “Marley Marshall-Miranda and Al-Amin Kazeem are two young players that have hit the ground running this season, but I would say Noah Chilvers (above) is a standout player for Colchester. He has a really big influence on the team with his set-plays, but also in open play, so he is capable of scoring goals, setting them up and making things happen. If Chilvers plays well, generally, Colchester play well. He has got a big future.”
Team news
Thomas Frank confirmed that Mikkel Damsgaard will make his Brentford debut from the start tomorrow night in a strong starting XI. Kristoffer Ajer, Sergi Canos, (both hamstring) Ethan Pinnock and Charlie Goode (both knee) are the only absentees.
Colchester remain without club captain Tommy Smith (foot injury) and Emyr Huws (ankle) while Alan Judge and Cole Skuse could both return after recent injury issues.
The manager
Wayne Brown was named permanent head coach at Colchester United in May following a positive end to the 21/22 Sky Bet League Two season.
Brown returned to the U’s as interim boss in January 2022, helping the club maintain Football League status with 33 points from their final 22 matches, and was then rewarded with a permanent position.
The former defender learned his managerial trade at Maldon and Tiptree, as well as overseeing parts of the academy at Colchester, before he was given his first full-time league job with the club.
Brown played for Ipswich Town, Watford and Hull City, around three separate spells with Colchester. He played more than 100 games for the U’s and was part of the side that pipped Brentford to promotion from League One during the 2005/06 season.
Last time out
Match officials
Now at the end of his 14th year as an EFL referee, James Linington will be taking charge of his 23rd Brentford game tonight.
Stretching back to the 2008/09 season, Linington has overseen seven wins and five draws in that time. We’re unbeaten in our last six matches under the Isle of Wight official – the most recent of which was our 3-1 Sky Bet Championship win at Bristol City on the final day of the 2020/21 campaign.
Colchester United 22/23
61 fouls – fifth in League Two
6 yellow cards – fourth-fewest in League Two
0 red cards – joint-fewest in League Two
Tickets are available to buy at the JobServe Community Stadium this evening. More information can be found here.