Home Match Build Up 18/4/2023 L1: OUFC v Portsmouth

[RyanioBirdio]

Astonishing, I feel the exact opposite. Browne has looked like a rabbit in headlights in the middle and his final ball was appalling at Port Vale especially. He's clearly uncomfortable there, he's not linking with Brannagan or Mcguane, he offers no protection or pressing in the centre of the pitch. Brannagan and Mcguane consistently pick the ball up and can't pick out Browne between the midfield and defensive lines, leading to all of our play going down the wings or playing direct balls to an isolated striker. The best we get from Browne in the middle is a quick skip round a player and foul in deep positions, or the occasional decent burst forward which always ends in hopeless efforts miles over the bar, sure there's a bit of potential there but it's ineffective at the moment and not something we can afford at this stage of the season.

We need him back on the left, his natural position, where he's played his best football for us. He can get at full backs and get dangerous balls into the box from the by line, something we are really struggling with currently. We need goals, which means we need finishers in those positions, that needs to be Brannagan if we stand any chance, not a player who flatters to deceive and can't finish or link play. Brannagan can pick up those crosses and clearances, he can press defences, he can play the correct final ball and he's far more likely to finish chances.

That formation is the current system we use, the one that actually prevents our full backs becoming horribly isolated. It's led to us conceding less and being rolled over, we currently have Brannagan and McGuane dropping deep with our full backs to offer more cover. That's worked sure, but we NEED goals right now and need to sacrifice a little defensive protection for goals further forward. We cannot afford to have both of them doing defensive donkey work for 90 minutes to see out draws and narrow defeats.

Whether it be Fleming, Brown, Long or Anderson at fullback, we need to get our best players into those forward positions to score more now and Smyth is more than capable of playing the covering role in defensive midfield to allow that to happen. We aren't sacrificing a player in there, it's the same system with a less experienced robust midfielder allowing our BEST player to venture forward when we need him. That's worth the adjustment in my opinion.

I think Browne looks at his best centrally but only when he’s drifted in from the left. It’s less congested when he gets the ball out wide and he often finds himself only needing to navigate one man to build up a head of steam, at which point it starts to cause the opposition a problem as they’re trying to stop him while simultaneously tracking runners. The main issues are that he won’t track back for the entire game (he will on occasion but not enough) and that he doesn’t have the vision or the inclination to pass the ball if anybody makes a run, so will often blindly smash the ball towards goal from 25 yards. For every one goal like the one at Charlton he will see dozens of efforts blaze hopelessly over the bar or see them blocked away before the ball has even travelled five yards.

He is the definition of a “hogger” to roll back the years. He’s the kid who everybody thinks is the best player in the school because he can dribble past people easily, but actually he’s no fun to play with because he would rather take everyone on and have 20 shots a game, and maybe score once from it, than pass the ball and have the team score two or three. I think too many people (including those who coach and manage him) get caught up in his ability to take on half a team, rather than wanting him to lift his head up and play a simple pass.

 

[Osleroad]

Very interesting point about Djvan on The Dub saying that we've done best when he's playing...think we thought he'd be a game changer for us but seems too little so

 

[brassmonkey]

0-1 89th min penalty from mousinho.

 

[Marked Ox]

Remember several people around me leave when it was 5-2!

My brother left when it was 3-0*.

*Tbf he had taken his now wife to her first game and she found she didn't particularly like football so they went to the pub.

 

[yellowbow]

My brother left when it was 3-0*.

*Tbf he had taken his now wife to her first game and she found she didn't particularly like football so they went to the pub.

And he still married her..?

 

[Theox07]

Eastwood
Anderson Moore long Brown
Mcguane Brannagan Browne
Joseph Odonkor Goodrham

 

[East Stand Fan]

Mousinho knows us too well and he will also know that we don't have much depth or flexibility so we will have that to contend with. We wont be able to pull the wool over his eyes and quite frankly the only time all season we mixed things up was when we beat Ipswich. The best we can hope for his that we simply get on top of them on the bat and convert what chances we can muster. The latter is a big ask but dropping Murphy and giving someone else a chance may spring some early confidence. If we get off to our usual slow start and have to chase the game then we'll be lucky to grab a point.

 

[WALLY OX]

Remember several people around me leave when it was 5-2!

Me too. It’s the reason I never leave early now. Limbs in the LR that night.

 

[Made-in-Jericho]

Even though it's a 250mile round trip tomorrow and we won't score I'm going to head over anyway and lend my support in hope of witnessing Manning's miraculous first win.

 

[SteMerritt]

Me too. It’s the reason I never leave early now. Limbs in the LR that night.

I don't think 'Limbs' was a thing back then, we merely went f*****g mental. (although for 88mins of the game the LRT was quite sombre.

 

[Swaby39]

Very interesting point about Djvan on The Dub saying that we've done best when he's playing...think we thought he'd be a game changer for us but seems too little so

He has to play now. Long isn’t playing well and we’re incredibly one dimensional at the back. Anderson is a risk we need to take now and shouldn’t be suppressed. Let him take the game to people and have a clear, rehearsed contingency plan for the inevitability that he will occasionally lose the ball or the ball will be lost with him up field. I’d put McGuane on that side (or Smyth who understands both positions) and encourage him to get forward as much as he can in search of a win. Take chances. Calculated risks. He also gives us another way of beating a press since we can’t pass our way out. He plays for me at the earliest availability.

 

[MiddleBartonYellow]

Our home record this season is truly shocking. That’s what’s done us to be honest.

 

[sideshowrob]

I wonder if we will see an appearance of the very rare lesser spotted Tyler Smith tomorrow, given the lack of finishing power? 24 shots and only 7 in target on Saturday.

 

[ECYellow]

I wonder if we will see an appearance of the very rare lesser spotted Tyler Smith tomorrow, given the lack of finishing power? 24 shots and only 7 in target on Saturday.

Yes.

 

[Peterdev]

I’m sure we will WIN tomorrow.
Long overdue and Long to score 1-0 3 points

 

[Swaby39]

We need a win.

 

[werthersoriginal]

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We need a win.

You’re dropping two of our best players from Saturday? I’m not talking about Murphy.

 

[Yellow There!]

View attachment 12904

We need a win.

Blimey. Attaaaack. Wouldn’t mind that.

 

[Swaby39]

You’re dropping two of our best players from Saturday? I’m not talking about Murphy.

Afraid so, but it’s a team view rather than being critical of the individuals. Like I say, we need a win and we’ve got to be a bit more positive with our selections to get one.

 

[Swaby39]

Blimey. Attaaaack. Wouldn’t mind that.

The conservative, pragmatic play isn’t working for us so it may be time to be the aggressor in the game and see if we can dominate for an hour and take it away from them.