Colchester United defender Mandela Egbo targets win

The 26-year-old says Garner leaves no stone unturned in his preparation for games, working all the hours to give his U’s side the best possible chance of winning.

Colchester have managed just three wins in League Two so far this season and currently lie three points above the relegation zone, following their hugely disappointing 3-1 home defeat to Morecambe, last weekend.

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The U’s are aiming to bounce back against bottom side Forest Green Rovers this weekend and defender Egbo concedes they must put in a much-improved performance.

Egbo said: “We’re given everything we need to go out there and perform on the pitch.

“That’s why it’s so disappointing when we don’t and we can’t pay back the support that we’re given, from the fans, from the backroom staff, from everybody at the club up the ladder.

“I’ve worked with the gaffer before and he gives us every opportunity to go out on the pitch and know what’s coming at us.

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“Rarely are we surprised by what the opposition does and that’s because he doesn’t have days off.

“He’s always working, he’s always watching film or whatever it might be to give us the best chance.

“We want to pay back that support that we’re given and that starts against Forest Green.”

Colchester have lost three of their last four league games but Egbo insists they are capable of bouncing back.

“The Notts County game was only a few days ago and we can’t forget that we have the ability to blow teams away,” said the former Charlton Athletic and Swindon Town man.

“We’ve got it within the four walls of that dressing room to go out and put it right and we’ll do our best to do that.

“We’re struggling with that consistency, at the moment.

“We know it’s there, because we’ve beaten top of the league twice this season.

“But we never follow it up with another win and that’s what we need to get to, because in League Two there’s no easy games and at the minute, it’s like we can get ourselves up for the top ones and we need to do what we did against Tranmere for example and just blow them away.

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“Every single team is going to put up a fight and no-one is going to roll over and give us three points.

“We just need to have a long hard look at ourselves – not that long though, because we go again on Saturday and put it right and put in a performance we can be proud of.”

Egbo has made nine appearances for Colchester since joining them from Charlton, in August.

The average age of the U’s starting line-up this season has regularly been under the age of 23 and the ex-Crystal Palace youngster is one of the more experienced players in the squad.

Egbo said: “It’s a young squad and I’m one of the older lads and that just brings another side out of me.

“It means I’ve got to be a leader on the pitch but more importantly, off it.

“We play 90 minutes a week and everything else that we do is even more important.

“I’m definitely working on that and trying to be a voice around the dressing room.

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“I’m making sure that my standards are high and make sure I take pride in keeping myself fit and healthy, off the pitch and doing everything right.

“So I’ll keep doing that and I’ll keep getting the lads doing that as well and we’ll put it right.”

Colchester currently have six players out injured, with Tom Dallison and Owura Edwards nearing a return to full fitness.

Egbo added: “We’ve lost some really big characters, in the dressing room through injury.

“But that’s not an excuse, because we’ve also won games and played teams off the park without them.

“They will be a big, big help coming back though and we need a full squad, whether they’re experienced players or young talented players.

“We’ve got a great team and a great squad and we’re going to need everyone this season.

“They’ll be good coming back in – they’ll be a positive energy and a breath of fresh air.

“A couple of them being back in training and seeing them around has already been a breath of fresh air, so getting them back in the matchday squad will be positive for us.”