Home Match Build Up 16/4/24 Oxford United v Lincoln City

[Foley]

PRE-MATCH PACK

Interview - Des Buckingham

Interview - Opposition Manager

OUFC Match Preview

Head to Head

Can we do it again?
For Lincoln- they have to win, so will have to go for it.
I like the idea that we have some tough games coming up. If we make the play offs , we will hopefully go in with some form against sine very good teams. Suddenly teams in the play offs won't be so keen on playing us.
If fully fit, I would play Cam and JM seems to struggle fitness wise playing full games.
A win and we are nearly there. Hopefully another near on 10k crowd. What an end to the season this could be.

 

[MateoCorbo'sTackle]

I haven't had the feeling that I have now, the day before the game, since Wycombe 2016.
For me, the spectre of Covid killed the anticipation in those two play-off seasons. This, right now, suddenly feels very, very different - in a very good way.

 

[tonyw]

If we played this game when it was originally scheduled, Lincoln's previous three results were three wins, with a combined 16-1 score; and we were a little more than a week on from being humiliated at Bolton

Now, our three previous results were three wins, with a combined score of 13-0; and Lincoln have had back-to-back poor results.

Big thank you to Northern Ireland, Jamaica and the Welsh U21s!


More generally, we need 4 points this week and then we can enjoy a relaxed day out at Exeter in the sunshine and rest everybody.
Obviously, if anyone is struggling physically, you give them a break, and Amy & co. will be the judge of that.....but otherwise, strongest team out for both games this week. Would be mad to do anything different.

 

[chromeyellow]

If we played this game when it was originally scheduled, Lincoln's previous three results were three wins, with a combined 16-1 score; and we were a little more than a week on from being humiliated at Bolton

Now, our three previous results were three wins, with a combined score of 13-0; and Lincoln have had back-to-back poor results.

Big thank you to Northern Ireland, Jamaica and the Welsh U21s!

A fair point.In the years to come people will look at this as the turning point in the start of the Buckingham era at Oxford.

More generally, we need 4 points this week and then we can enjoy a relaxed day out at Exeter in the sunshine and rest everybody.
Obviously, if anyone is struggling physically, you give them a break, and Amy & co. will be the judge of that.....but otherwise, strongest team out for both games this week. Would be mad to do anything different.

But what is our strongest team?

I'd put Brannagan on the bench for this one and start McEachran.

 

[tonyw]

But what is our strongest team?

I'd put Brannagan on the bench for this one and start McEachran.

Very tough to say in a couple of positions, and I can see the logic for mixing and matching between McEachran/Brannagan and Moore/Long/Stevens this week......I guess I'm just saying that Des needs to pick whatever he thinks is the strongest side for both games this week, and not get caught looking ahead......I'm sure he will.

 

[Sheik djibouti]

A fair point.In the years to come people will look at this as the turning point in the start of the Buckingham era at Oxford.

But what is our strongest team?

I'd put Brannagan on the bench for this one and start McEachran.

I agree on Brannagan for two main reasons. Firstly, don't rush him back as we will probably/possibly need him firing on all cylinders v Stevenage/Exeter and of course the playoff semi's. Secondly, if we're in any way chasing the game or in need of someone to grab it by the balls for the last half hour or so, I think Brannagan would be better at that than bringing on McEachran or McGaune in the centre to try and influence it.

 

[chromeyellow]

I agree on Brannagan for two main reasons. Firstly, don't rush him back as we will probably/possibly need him firing on all cylinders v Stevenage/Exeter and of course the playoff semi's. Secondly, if we're in any way chasing the game or in need of someone to grab it by the balls for the last half hour or so, I think Brannagan would be better at that than bringing on McEachran or McGaune in the centre to try and influence it.

yes. I also think there is something in Brannagan (and everyone else) now knowing that we aren't a one-man team, and that our best win this season was achieved without him. The system we played which blew Peterborough away needs discipline and won't work with Brannagan bombing forward or letting fly the Steven Gerrard shots from distance

 

[OxfordNondie]

Because we played fabulously against Peterborough let's not be fooled into NOW thinking it's our best line.

TBH I would not want to be DB.

CB or JM
CB or TG
TG or RR
EM or SL
SL or FS
ETC......

Plus let's not thinking of resting players until we secure a promotion spot.

Everything is crossed for sure and we can actually push this one over the line

 

[chromeyellow]

unless there are any injuries from Saturday I would pick an unchanged team with Moore and Brannagan on the bench to replace Thornily and Oisin Smyth

 

[West Oxon U’s]

 

[TailsWeWin]

Very tough to say in a couple of positions, and I can see the logic for mixing and matching between McEachran/Brannagan and Moore/Long/Stevens this week......I guess I'm just saying that Des needs to pick whatever he thinks is the strongest side for both games this week, and not get caught looking ahead......I'm sure he will.

“Strongest” always means “most appropriate.”
Surely Moore is the better pick than Long against a big strong tall centre forward, for instance ? (So what sort of forwards/system do Lincoln have?)

 

[West Oxon U’s]

REF WATCH

Devon official Lee Swabey is tomorrow night’s referee for the big match with Lincoln City at OX4.
Plymouth based Swabey was appointed to the EFL in 2017 and this season has refereed 25 matches issuing 112 yellow cards and four reds.

 

[Jster]

Perhaps it's my cautious nature, but I'm quite worried about this game. Lincoln are still a form side, and will want to get back to winning ways after their first defeat in ages. Meanwhile there seems to be an expectation that we simply have to turn up and we'll score loads of goals. Football is seldom so simple, and I can see this being very tight.

 

[tonyw]

“Strongest” always means “most appropriate.”
Surely Moore is the better pick than Long against a big strong tall centre forward, for instance ? (So what sort of forwards/system do Lincoln have?)

Lincoln's leading scorer - even though they only brought him in in January - is Joe Taylor. He's 21 years old and tiny!

They've been playing him up front alongside Ben House in recent weeks......who isn't much bigger (5' 9'' according to his Wiki)

So height in the centre is not going to be essential. Their wing backs are pretty tall though, so maybe you want the extra height at full-back? (meaning Long opposite Leigh).

Course this is only a conversation worth having if Moore is fit.....if not, it's as you were.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

Is Goodwin back for this one?

I feel like if we win we become the team no one wants to face in the play offs.

 

[uptheus]

unless there are any injuries from Saturday I would pick an unchanged team with Moore and Brannagan on the bench to replace Thornily and Oisin Smyth

Henry! Went off injured.

 

[uptheus]

Is Goodwin back for this one?

I feel like if we win we become the team no one wants to face in the play offs.

Apparently not.

 

[Foley]

Is Goodwin back for this one?

I feel like if we win we become the team no one wants to face in the play offs.

Back for the play offs according to Des

 

[Scotchegg]

The other thing I’m concerned about is our fitness. We seemed dead on our feet in the last 15-20mins on Saturday which was fully understandable, so just hoping we can recover for tomorrow’s game, plus Friday’s! If we can win both then that gives us 8 days for the players to have a good rest/recovery

Did we? I felt like the substitutions and the fact that we were 4 nil up meant that we just eased off a little.

Even then we still created several chances, Marcus Browne one on one, Greg Leigh hitting the post, Billy Bodin scoring plus 2 or 3 other opportunities.

I'm not sure that CV fitness is much of an issue. It is more about getting knocks at this stage, but these hurt a lot less when you're winning.

I'm sure everyone will be biting at the chomp (to quote Cam I think?!) to play tomorrow night and we just need to give them the freedom to play.

 

[tonyw]

Did we? I felt like the substitutions and the fact that we were 4 nil up meant that we just eased off a little.

Even then we still created several chances, Marcus Browne one on one, Greg Leigh hitting the post, Billy Bodin scoring plus 2 or 3 other opportunities.

I'm not sure that CV fitness is much of an issue. It is more about getting knocks at this stage, but these hurt a lot less when you're winning.

I'm sure everyone will be biting at the chomp (to quote Cam I think?!) to play tomorrow night and we just need to give them the freedom to play.

Agree - I'm sure the fact we slowed down was because we brought off four of our five best attacking players not because we were collectively knackered.

The exception to that was Sparky, who I think was out on his feet by the last ten.....not unreasonably so, because he worked like an absolute nutter all game up to that point - as he has done all season. He's the one that we might need to be conscious of not hammering into the ground - either Murphy or Dale will likely need to do 90 tomorrow, with Browne or Bodin playing the last 20-30 up front, so that Harris can get a breather......

 

[Chippy]

What a refreshing change that we can discuss who should be left out of the team depending on who’s available fitness wise. Until recent weeks most of the conversation was who do we actually pick, as we were very much out of sorts all over the park.

It’s suddenly feeling very positive and the problems of who do we play or leave out are the right sort of problems to have at last, and at just the right time of the season.

Suddenly I can’t wait for the next home game, not felt like this for quite a while and it seems the excitement is really back across the fan base, and with that comes expectation and the feel good factor.