Home Match Day Thread +++ 21/08/18 OUFC v Accrington Stanley +++

[Foley]

So that's four sides (Barnsley, Fleetwood, Portsmouth and Accrington i.e. everyone we'll have played so far) that are apparently too good for us and that we shouldn't be too worried if we capitulate to? I hate that way of thinking. We should be able to compete with every team in the same division - we might lose, but we should be able to compete. So far, we haven't.

I would argue that we competed with Fleetwood especially in the first half but take your point.
The thing that puzzles me is how we have been do uncompetitive at Barnsley and Pompey.
Last season when he came in KR made us far more competitive almost overnight. Anybody who went to Wigan and Blackburn could see that we were very hard to beat and had a system in place to thwart them.
That seems to have gone with arguably much better players.
Hopefully we will see more of the disciplined and aggressive side this evening.

 

[Oufcad30]

Not making a prediction for this as the last 2 we lost!

Just want the boys to play well!

COYY

 

[Sarge]

5-0 home win beeks with a hat trick and Lopez off the bench to grab a brace.....back in the real world, I went to Accrington on a freezing cold Feb eve (under MApp) and witnessed a last min 0-1 defeat against a poor Stanley side, and an even poorer Appleton U's team . It was probably the lowest point (for me) under MApp.... after this season's abysmal start along with arrogant proclamations from the head coach (who since his bag man Derry has come in....'irrelevant ' cup game excepted. ..has not put out a team capable of competing against the opposition in the league), I'll take a draw as a good result

 

[TailsWeWin]

Very rarely does a team lose 4-1 then win the next match. Low-scoring draw followed by a draw against Burton. Still bottom of the league. Will be intimidated out of sight at Sunderland.

 

[Shosho]

Need a performance tonight.

Would just like to see a formation starting players that are fit.

 

[Berliner]

Fark knows results wise...just hoping for a bit of positivity.

 

[PottersRightBoot]

We’ll squeak a win tonight. Need to start Mousinho Henry and Whyte though.

What a terrible start we’ve had. Still COYY.

 

[Paul Cannell]

It’s a funny old world, ain’t it? I didn’t think it possible when I was posting last season that our team was spiritless, leaderless and the manager was clueless that I’d be posting the same thing less than 9 months later.

But I will be if we have another performance like Fleetwood or the ones I heard on the radio. I would like Mr Robinson to play Long or give Garbutt some protection in front of him, put Mousinho in front of the defence and implement an attacking formation that carried even a whisper of threat.

Can’t claim to be bursting with hope.

 

[windmill]

It’s a funny old world, ain’t it? I didn’t think it possible when I was posting last season that our team was spiritless, leaderless and the manager was clueless that I’d be posting the same thing less than 9 months later.

But I will be if we have another performance like Fleetwood or the ones I heard on the radio. I would like Mr Robinson to play Long or give Garbutt some protection in front of him, put Mousinho in front of the defence and implement an attacking formation that carried even a whisper of threat.

Can’t claim to be bursting with hope.

Play Long when he has not played at this level for some time. No way. As for giving Garbutt some protection.........well the rest of them cannot protect themselves let alone anyone else. Garbutt needs to be dropped, he is just not at the races at present. Admittedly we do not have many other options , but that is the manager's problem.. Accrington will be streetwise, its a game for old heads.

 

[Johnf]

Hopefully we will get our season up and running tonight.
Don’t care who scores or how many we win by just as long as we win.

COYY

 

[Thecurraghofkildare]

Play Long when he has not played at this level for some time. No way. As for giving Garbutt some protection.........well the rest of them cannot protect themselves let alone anyone else. Garbutt needs to be dropped, he is just not at the races at present. Admittedly we do not have many other options , but that is the manager's problem.. Accrington will be streetwise, its a game for old heads.

Agree with you totally about Garbutt but I really can't see why Sam Long wouldn't be worth a shot at the left back position. He looked very sharp in pre season and has always done a job for us when called on in the past. Not sure what the point was in extending his contract if he isn't now given the chance to earn the position - especially given the paucity of other options. Have always felt Josh Ruffels has been under rated but he's undoubtedly much better in a midfield role than at left back. Baptiste has never played at this level but has been the one moderately shining light in the wilderness that has been our midfield.

The bigger problem is that we have so many problems to solve at the moment - new rookie goalkeeper (too early to judge but Eastwood is a big loss), horribly underperforming full backs, a central defensive pair lacking in confidence, no holding midfield player (hopefully Henson will grow into the role quickly given our long-term contractual commitment to him), the lack of pace (and energy) in the team in general and isolated strikers who haven't by and large been able to compete with a lack of support.

Our two best attacking players by a mile have been Holmes and Henry (plus Hall's cameo in the Barnsley match) and it will be a real blow if no Henry tonight.

I'd go with:

Mitchell
Norman-Dickie-Mousinho-Long (we need Mousinho's organisational skills and two young attacking full backs with energy)
Hanson-Ruffles (two holding midfielders to protect the back four)
Whyte-Henry-Browne (Brannagan to play if Henry is out - he needs to play further forward)
Obika (has been more effective as the sole front man than Smith to date)

Holmes would come in for Whyte or Browne once fit again, Baptiste as back up holding midfielder, Smith to come on after 60 minutes or so, think Brannagan would be more effective as a sub also when more space to operate.

Long, long way to go but we need three points to restore confidence tonight. COYY

 

[ZeroTheHero]

I'd go:

Mitchell
Norman Dickie Nelson Ruffels
Whyte Hanson Mousinho Browne
Henry Smith

But Robinson won't!

The idea would be to put a bit of steel in front of the defence, add some pace (Norman and Whyte especially), and try to get some sort of partnership going up front. (Sorry, but I really have seen enough of Obika!). Mackie, Hall and Garbutt shouldn't be anywhere near the team, Holmes won't be available I suppose.

 

[Deleted member 222]

I've said it before and i'll say it again. These days a flat 442 isn't the answer. Its far too easy to break the lines. If you play 442 it needs to be a diamond in the middle which we don't have the players for IMO. We have the players for either 433 or 352.

433:

Mitchell
Norman, Nelson, Mous, Ruffles
Brannagan, Hanson, Baptiste
Henry, Smith, Holmes/Whyte/Browne​

352:

Mitchell
Mous, Nelson, Dickie
Norman, Brannagan, Hanson, Ruffles, Garbutt
Henry, Smith
​

If you went with a 442 diamond I'd play:

Mitchell
Norman, Nelson, Mous, Ruffles
Hanson
Brannagan Browne
Henry,
Smith, Obika
​

The formation of 4231 works well and we have the players to fit into it well. What we need is the players to stick to the plan and believe in their ability and the system itself. It says more about the player's lack of confidence if they don't think they have the ability to play in a certain formation.

Robinson is completely right to stick to the system he believes in and has had so much success from in the past. I once heard a manager say that once you go away from your original plan due to a few bad results and panicking then that's when results get even worse as you start doubting your original plans. Their moto was if plan A isn't working then plan B is to make plan A better. A certain Michael Appleton had the same outlook. Hence his comment of not having a plan B.

 

[Davox]

I've said it before and i'll say it again. These days a flat 442 isn't the answer. Its far too easy to break the lines. If you play 442 it needs to be a diamond in the middle which we don't have the players for IMO. We have the players for either 433 or 352.

433:

Mitchell
Norman, Nelson, Mous, Ruffles
Brannagan, Hanson, Baptiste
Henry, Smith, Holmes/Whyte/Browne​

352:

Mitchell
Mous, Nelson, Dickie
Norman, Brannagan, Hanson, Ruffles, Garbutt
Henry, Smith
​

If you went with a 442 diamond I'd play:

Mitchell
Norman, Nelson, Mous, Ruffles
Hanson
Brannagan Browne
Henry,
Smith, Obika
​

The formation of 4231 works well and we have the players to fit into it well. What we need is the players to stick to the plan and believe in their ability and the system itself. It says more about the player's lack of confidence if they don't think they have the ability to play in a certain formation.

Robinson is completely right to stick to the system he believes in and has had so much success from in the past. I once heard a manager say that once you go away from your original plan due to a few bad results and panicking then that's when results get even worse as you start doubting your original plans. Their moto was if plan A isn't working then plan B is to make plan A better. A certain Michael Appleton had the same outlook. Hence his comment of not having a plan B.

I disagree that our players fit into 4-2-3-1 and it hasn’t proved to work well so far, which is the basis for your whole argument. Holmes, Henry, Browne and even Hall when he’s fit aren’t out and out wingers and I think you need them to play 4-2-3-1 in this league. . Whyte is the only actual winger and he’s unproven at present.

The system that suits us better is 4-3-1-2. We need an extra body in midfield, can derive the width from full backs who are quick (Norman and Garbutt when he gets going) and 2 up top gives us us more options in attack as Smith and Obika aren’t good enough to play a sole striker role.

 

[Common Villager]

Personally, I think people can get too wrapped up in formations. I think it's more about the style of play, which comes down to instructions given to players and then how those players carry those instructions out.

Thus far we don't seem to have a clear idea of how we want to play. If we're going to be direct then fair enough (I suppose), but make sure the striker is supported and we fill the box when the ball is out wide.

At Portsmouth our players genuinely didn't seem to know what was expected of them. Were the full backs supposed to overlap? Which of the midfielders was supposed to be sitting? Should the centre backs be looking to play through the lines or should they be aiming balls up to Smith to contend? Do we cross early or look to work the ball across the box until an opportunity to play an incisive through ball presents itself?

As long as it's clear tonight what our intended style of play is, I'll take it as an improvement. Oh, and a bit more f*****g desire won't go amiss.

 

[Manorlounger]

If the players don't have the desire, lack fitness, are injured or just aren't good enough, then they could all stand in a line in front of the goal for all the difference it would make.

So far I have not seen anything that gives encouragement. And, all we hear are not dissimilar excuses.

Another loss tonight is expected. A decent game of football would be nice.

 

[Concretebob]

I'm already getting the sense that if we dare lose tonight, this place will be in meltdown.

 

[Victor1986]

Agree Common Villager - talking formations is often a load of bo****s - when what is needed is more 'balls' to be shown by each member of the team that's picked.
Concretebob - you're right. A lot of fans have already had enough - particularly if KR persists with Garbutt tonight.

 

[Paul Cannell]

I'm already getting the sense that if we dare lose tonight, this place will be in meltdown.

If we look hapless and static then fall apart, it will be a little warm. If we play a set of players that makes sense (e.g. no Mackie, some support for Smith up-front) and the players look like they know what they are doing and give a s**t, but we lose unfortunately, perhaps no.

We are not beasts on this forum.

 

[Shosho]

Baptiste, Long, Norman, Whyte not involved with the U23s this afternoon