Home Match Day Thread +++ 07/04/2018 OUFC v Oldham Athletic Match Day Thread +++

[Marked Ox]

Which game did you go to.

Oxford Vs Oldham. You?

He was chasing shadows a lot of the time and caught ahead of the ball but didn't create much. I would consider switching him with Brannagan so Lego focuses on the defensive role, freeing up Brannagan to be creative.

I like Lego but imo he was a bit anonymous yesterday.

 

[Oldham]

I felt so angry coming away from that today - even though in truth I had absolutely nothing to direct my anger at.

The officials were appalling, but in the bigger picture we profited from their ineptitude more than we lost (didn’t think the 1st half one was a certain pen - but that Henry rugby tackle in the second looked nailed on).

We failed to win one of our most winnable games left - but in truth I can’t argue we deserved much more than a point. Plenty of endeavour but zero end product.

The game was an exceptionally poor watch for a neutral - but full of effort and workrate and desire. Can I really be angry at a lack of quality from a group of players we all know don’t possess enough of it to get us where we want to be in this league?

IBR’s cameo was abysmal - but in all honesty him getting hooked at HT then being completely (and deservedly) buried by Robbo post-match was as entertaining as any of the football I’ve witnessed today. I suspect our reputation as a good club to send your young players to in order to develop just took a hit though...

I suppose I’m angry at just how poor we are, and just how much Eales and Clotet destroyed what Ashton and Appleton put in place for them. That was a horrible reality check at just how low we’ve sunk - in terms of confidence, quality, strength in depth. We are in a bad place and, although I still think (or is that hope now?) we’ll scrape survival - if we go down I honestly couldn’t have a complaint to make. We are not good in enough in so many departments.

Focusing on the positives. Dickie was utterly superb. Not just in a ‘wins tackles, and heads it’ manner that most people credit him for. But he was outstanding in all aspects of CB play. Positionally excellent, covering Kane and Mousinho ably, distributing the ball well, moving forward in possession with purpose, more of a threat in their box than Obika. Whether it’s a good thing that Dickie was clear MOTM in a relegation 6-pointer against one of the few teams below us in the table is up for argument - but he was great today.

I thought the effort put forth by Ledson, Brannagan and Rothwell was exemplerary. They ran their socks off, challenged well, and showed the kind of passion we’ll need if we are to get out of this mess. Not a whole lot of quality from any of them (as usual, Roth moved well with the ball at his feet without ANY end product) - but they showed the guts for the fight which I appreciated.

Robinson’s interview after the game was also, again, excellent. There’s no way he goes home to his Mrs tonight genuinely thinking ‘well at least we have something to build on’. One look at him will tell you he’s as frustrated as us at how bad we are. But he has to guide them to 4-6 more points so gains nothing from slamming them to the press endlessly. Focus on the positives, comment realistically on the game we’ve all witnessed, and find a way to cobble together something better on Tuesday...somehow

Lengthy rant? I come away more fearful of the drop than I was this morning. But also more confident that we have at least some players with the bottle for the challenge, and a manager who may be able to eek enough out of this shambles of a squad to get over the line.

I didn’t see that as a rant mate, more a good detailed report on what we saw yesterday and how most of us feel I reckon?

 

[Osei Yaw]

Just a little unfair? Did you see Thomas go in for that ball at the end of the game where he was almost certainly going to get injured (which he duly did?)

Yeah fair enough on that point but what I meant is that he lacks the aggression to challenge defenders, in the same way Obika does. I just want someone up there who can consistently force defenders into mistakes by being aggressive, in the same way Hylton and Maguire did, or before them Barnett. Our midfield have to do so much more work because of our strikers.

 

[Osei Yaw]

Oxford Vs Oldham. You?

He was chasing shadows a lot of the time and caught ahead of the ball but didn't create much. I would consider switching him with Brannagan so Lego focuses on the defensive role, freeing up Brannagan to be creative.

I like Lego but imo he was a bit anonymous yesterday.

I thought Lego ran his B*****s off yesterday, played a few good passes and on occasion, carried the ball really well. The only thing I could fault was when he made two big tackles when he was actually able to pass to a well placed teammate or touch it round the defender and run at goal.

 

[Osleroad]

I felt so angry coming away from that today - even though in truth I had absolutely nothing to direct my anger at.

The officials were appalling, but in the bigger picture we profited from their ineptitude more than we lost (didn’t think the 1st half one was a certain pen - but that Henry rugby tackle in the second looked nailed on).

We failed to win one of our most winnable games left - but in truth I can’t argue we deserved much more than a point. Plenty of endeavour but zero end product.

The game was an exceptionally poor watch for a neutral - but full of effort and workrate and desire. Can I really be angry at a lack of quality from a group of players we all know don’t possess enough of it to get us where we want to be in this league?

IBR’s cameo was abysmal - but in all honesty him getting hooked at HT then being completely (and deservedly) buried by Robbo post-match was as entertaining as any of the football I’ve witnessed today. I suspect our reputation as a good club to send your young players to in order to develop just took a hit though...

I suppose I’m angry at just how poor we are, and just how much Eales and Clotet destroyed what Ashton and Appleton put in place for them. That was a horrible reality check at just how low we’ve sunk - in terms of confidence, quality, strength in depth. We are in a bad place and, although I still think (or is that hope now?) we’ll scrape survival - if we go down I honestly couldn’t have a complaint to make. We are not good in enough in so many departments.

Focusing on the positives. Dickie was utterly superb. Not just in a ‘wins tackles, and heads it’ manner that most people credit him for. But he was outstanding in all aspects of CB play. Positionally excellent, covering Kane and Mousinho ably, distributing the ball well, moving forward in possession with purpose, more of a threat in their box than Obika. Whether it’s a good thing that Dickie was clear MOTM in a relegation 6-pointer against one of the few teams below us in the table is up for argument - but he was great today.

I thought the effort put forth by Ledson, Brannagan and Rothwell was exemplerary. They ran their socks off, challenged well, and showed the kind of passion we’ll need if we are to get out of this mess. Not a whole lot of quality from any of them (as usual, Roth moved well with the ball at his feet without ANY end product) - but they showed the guts for the fight which I appreciated.

Robinson’s interview after the game was also, again, excellent. There’s no way he goes home to his Mrs tonight genuinely thinking ‘well at least we have something to build on’. One look at him will tell you he’s as frustrated as us at how bad we are. But he has to guide them to 4-6 more points so gains nothing from slamming them to the press endlessly. Focus on the positives, comment realistically on the game we’ve all witnessed, and find a way to cobble together something better on Tuesday...somehow

Lengthy rant? I come away more fearful of the drop than I was this morning. But also more confident that we have at least some players with the bottle for the challenge, and a manager who may be able to eek enough out of this shambles of a squad to get over the line.

I didn’t see that as a rant mate, more a good detailed report on what we saw yesterday and how most of us feel I reckon[emoji106]

We sent that lad from Arsenal packing didn't we? The reason to come is to play.. contribute to lge/senior football not rest on your laurels..their credentials wld make you think they had more about them but not to be.

 

[Paul Cannell]

He has adopted a team where even the most able football manager would struggle to win with.

Decent keeper
One more-or-less League 1 right-back
A left back who's the best footballer on the team but has little pace, a loanee who can't tackle and gets lost
3 CBs, one of them competent and promising, one who's not a CB and fiddles about like a millionaire plus Martin, who might be decent but doesn't show it
4 central midfielders who are interchangable - Rothwell dribbles better than Ledson, Ledson tackles better than Ruffles, Ruffles is calmer than Brannagan - all competent-ish and not one of them a matchwinner
2 more central sloths - Henry who could just about play as long as he doesn't have to run and sometimes seems to care and Mowatt who can't and doesn't.
1 wide junior player who maybe good one day (Napa)
1 striker who's a poacher and wants it played in front of him or crossed for him or he struggles (watch how he struggles)
Obika, the dancing fellow.

Apart from the individual player quality (which is pretty f*****g poor) it's like Pep's shuffled a pack of Panini stickers and dealt them blind to Robinson. Looking at that shower of s**t, I doubt I'd want to keep more than 4 or 5 and two of those sneak in because of promise rather than achievement.

 

[Marked Ox]

I thought Lego ran his B*****s off yesterday, played a few good passes and on occasion, carried the ball really well. The only thing I could fault was when he made two big tackles when he was actually able to pass to a well placed teammate or touch it round the defender and run at goal.

Oh no doubt he ran his B*****s off.

 

[windmill]

When the ref added 5 extra minutes I was not happy! Around me they were saying "Just take the point". I was in agreement. We were on the back foot. The one point may be precious at the end of the day. A point gained.

 

[Phantompieman]

Where's the bounce factor a new manager usually inspires to players requiring new contracts?...

 

[windmill]

Where's the bounce factor a new manager usually inspires to players requiring new contracts?...

Perhaps we are just not good enough. As the saying goes, "you cant flog a dead horse". Its sad to say it, but, alas, it may be true.

 

[ttg17]

Decent keeper
One more-or-less League 1 right-back
A left back who's the best footballer on the team but has little pace, a loanee who can't tackle and gets lost
3 CBs, one of them competent and promising, one who's not a CB and fiddles about like a millionaire plus Martin, who might be decent but doesn't show it
4 central midfielders who are interchangable - Rothwell dribbles better than Ledson, Ledson tackles better than Ruffles, Ruffles is calmer than Brannagan - all competent-ish and not one of them a matchwinner
2 more central sloths - Henry who could just about play as long as he doesn't have to run and sometimes seems to care and Mowatt who can't and doesn't.
1 wide junior player who maybe good one day (Napa)
1 striker who's a poacher and wants it played in front of him or crossed for him or he struggles (watch how he struggles)
Obika, the dancing fellow.

Apart from the individual player quality (which is pretty f*****g poor) it's like Pep's shuffled a pack of Panini stickers and dealt them blind to Robinson. Looking at that shower of s**t, I doubt I'd want to keep more than 4 or 5 and two of those sneak in because of promise rather than achievement.

That's excellently put

 

[Paul Cannell]

Where's the bounce factor a new manager usually inspires to players requiring new contracts?...

This horse wasn't just dead, it was cremated and it's ashes were flung to the four winds.

 

[FalmouthOx]

....exactly PC re Panini. Rumour has it that the 4 top names on his list were either retired or dead.
.

 

[Maurice Earp]

A tackle at head height only warranted a yellow. Dickie got smacked in the head and he lets play go on. Thomas taken out and he does nothing. At the final whistle, does he check,on the two players lying on the ground. Appalling isn't a good enough description for his lack of the laws of the game and lack of care for injured players.

My thoughts exactly

 

[West Oxon U’s]

 

[Marked Ox]

So it was as much a penalty on Obika as their's in the 2nd half.

Disappointing that it didn't show the challenge on Kane that should have been a red card.

 

[MJB]

So it was as much a penalty on Obika as their's in the 2nd half.

Disappointing that it didn't show the challenge on Kane that should have been a red card.

I’ve yet to see the ‘challenge’ on Kane again since Saturday. Is there a video of it knocking around anywhere?

 

[Foley]

So it was as much a penalty on Obika as their's in the 2nd half.

Disappointing that it didn't show the challenge on Kane that should have been a red card.

Yes the draw was clearly a fair result. I see that in the Oldham supporter's report he suggested that the Oldham left back was lucky to get a yellow and not a red.

 

[m]

This horse wasn't just dead, it was cremated and it's ashes were flung to the four winds.

And this is absolutely key for me.

Despite what people say, you can flog a dead horse. Once the ashes are scattered to the wind it really is game over.

 

[Big Ronaldo]

And this is absolutely key for me.

Despite what people say, you can flog a dead horse. Once the ashes are scattered to the wind it really is game over.

... Unless...?