Home Match Day Thread 30/01/2021 L1 OUFC v Fleetwood Town

[unification]

What we don’t know is how much support KR gives Agyei behind the scenes. Sometimes a player needs an arm round their shoulders, sometimes they need telling it as it is. If KR has done all that with Agyei, and probably more than once, then it is up to Agyei to produce the goods on match day.
If, despite all the advice, cajoling, support etc Agyei performs like he did today then you have to wonder why that happens. You can also understand KR’s frustration and why he publicly criticises him.
Not saying that’s the right thing to do, but we don’t know the half of what goes on.

KR speaks proudly of the mental health initiatives here so I don’t think he would ever deliberately go out to upset anyone. There have been instances where he has been asked about our players and he has been much more of a closed shop despite his naturally motormouth style. Ivo Pekalski for one never saw too many comments (and Pekalski did have a history of mental health issues) and KR was very clipped in that regard. He does say that certain conversations stay internal too.

With Agyei and his comments today, I feel that he’s trying the ‘pull your socks up (and put your shin pads on)’ act. He’s trying a firmer approach because a soft one hasn’t worked. I guess all we can do is judge KR on whether it works with Agyei or not.

I said in the Dear Dan Agyei thread that what we are not seeing from him is improvement. He isn’t anticipating chances or using his strengths. The odd worldie is a lovely thing to watch but Taylor scores 6-7 scruffy tap ins, headers and one on ones for every goal he hits from 20 yards. Agyei has to become a better player for us and realise that this is not kids football any more.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Just watched the highlights on and bloody hell didn’t Henry give Agyei s**t for not scoring in an open goal.

Says more about Henry.

 

[West Oxon U’s]

The EIGHT match wining streak in 1982-83 under Jim Smith consisted of six league wins and two
FA Cup victories :

20-11-82 Folkestone FA Cup H 5-1
04-12-82 Leyton Orient A 5-1
11-12-82 Worthing FA Cup H 4-0
18-12-82 Wigan Athletic A 1-0
26-12-82 Bristol Rovers H 4-2
28-12-82 Newport County A 2-1 ( Roy Burton’s last U’s appearance )
01-01-83 Southend United H 1-0
03-01-83 Reading A 3-0

The winning sequence ended when fourth division Torquay United equalised through Jackie Gallagher in the second half of the third round
FA Cup tie at the Manor. The U’s then lost the replay 2-1 at Plainmoor four days later.

 

[West Oxon U’s]

The Current EIGHT match winning streak under Karl Robinson
has consisted of a club record SEVEN league wins and a Football League Trophy win :

15-12-20 Northampton Town H 4-0
26-12-20 AFC Wimbledon H 2-0
29-12-20 Plymouth Argyle A 3-2
02-01-21 Burton Albion A 5-1
12–01-21 Cambridge United FL Trophy H 1-0
23-01-21 Bristol Rovers H 2-0
26-01-21 Rochdale A 4-3
30-01-21 Fleetwood Town H 1-0

 

[Mad Dog]

Surely this run has co-incided with Jack Stevens taking over in goal. Credit where credit is due.

Indeed, after I, and others, had initial concerns Stevens was too inexperienced to replace Eastwood in an already inexperienced defence, he has been brilliant, a real breath of fresh air, displaying a level of maturity and confidence to match his ability, and is now our new number 1.

It's also coincided with Elliott Moore being made captain, and becoming the composed leader we so desperately needed. He was excellent again yesterday.

Gorrin also deserves a special mention. After feeling his way back into the side, he's been fantastic, putting out fires all over the place, and keeping us ticking over brilliantly.

And Sam Long has been a beast throughout the whole season, even when we were struggling, playing various roles across the backline, and getting even better since being able to settle in at RB, and has been the outstanding player of the season for me.

For me, it's the form and performances of these four that have made all the difference in our upturn in fortunes.

 

[West Oxon U’s]

 

[West Oxon U’s]

This is worth a watch - Yesterday’s Matchday LIVE show on You Tube with some good interviews.
The Fleetwood Town printed match programme was a complete sell out and is now a collectors item
after a club FL record of seven consecutive wins:

 

[Mad Dog]

Says more about Henry.

I haven't go a problem with Henry giving him a bollocking, it's nothing more than Agyei, or Henry himself would've got from us fans in the stands for that pathetic miss!

Do you think Roy Keane would not have gone mental at Andy Cole or Van Nistelrooy if they'd have missed a chance like that?!?

It's professional mens football, not kids Sunday morning football, and a player needs to take responsibility in those situations, and if he doesn't, he's gonna know about it from his team mates.
It's what the young inexperienced players need, an experienced pro putting a rocket up their backside if they're making awful mistakes, and as long as it didn't continue after the game, and was addressed in a constructive way, I've got no problem with it.

 

[oldabingdonian]

The EIGHT match wining streak in 1982-83 under Jim Smith consisted of six league wins and two
FA Cup victories :

Interesting to compare the two sides. The 1982/3 side was very much a work in progress. On the positive side, it included the incomparable Trevor Hebberd. Ray Train was very much in the Gorrin mould. George Lawrence had a lot in common with Mide Shodipo. I was never a great fan of Peter Foley, and would say that Taylor is a markedly better player.

Curiously, for most of these fixtures, we seem to have been playing David Grant alongside Malcolm Shotton in the centre of defence. From memory(!), Grant was no great shakes, and I would much prefer to have Sam Long deputising than Grant.

 

[Shaun Rice]

Brilliantly put and more articulate than I could be, but I agree with all of that. For a club which apparently prioritises players mental health so highly, you do wonder how he will be dealt with when he was apparently in pieces sat on the pitch after the game. He’s just a human like anyone else, and it clearly means something to him.

If there’s one thing KR is good at it’s man management. Agyei will be a better player from this performance. There are a few players who it would seem don’t quite get KR and that’s life. But a man who is that upset about his performance will always come back stronger. It’s the ones who don’t give a crap who will fall by the wayside eventually. Let’s see what sort of man Agyei really is.

 

[mooro]

Indeed, after I, and others, had initial concerns Stevens was too inexperienced to replace Eastwood in an already inexperienced defence, he has been brilliant, a real breath of fresh air, displaying a level of maturity and confidence to match his ability, and is now our new number 1.

It's also coincided with Elliott Moore being made captain, and becoming the composed leader we so desperately needed. He was excellent again yesterday.

Gorrin also deserves a special mention. After feeling his way back into the side, he's been fantastic, putting out fires all over the place, and keeping us ticking over brilliantly.

And Sam Long has been a beast throughout the whole season, even when we were struggling, playing various roles across the backline, and getting even better since being able to settle in at RB, and has been the outstanding player of the season for me.

For me, it's the form and performances of these four that have made all the difference in our upturn in fortunes.

Let us not forget that out of our first choice back six, two (Atkinson, gorrin) were injured more or less from the off and two (Eastwood, ruffels) were very slow out of the blocks.
Long and Elliott put in sterling performances holding the fort, but as we added, replaced and revived the others all six of the current incumbents are all making the difference

 

[mooro]

Personally, I feel we've spent quite a bit of time trying to find a role for agyei - is he a striker that lacks composure in the box, is he a winger that doesn't track back, is he a heskey that doesn't know when or where to lay the ball off ? He does some of each well, but appears to have a lot to learn about each as well and doesn't necessarily seem that quick at picking these things up.

I know the squad rules have prevented this but I have to wonder whether we'd have more of a player in one of these roles by now if we'd been able to give Osei Yaw the same amount of on the job development time.

 

[Shaun Rice]

Surely this run has co-incided with Jack Stevens taking over in goal. Credit where credit is due.

I think the real run started way back in November 2020.

21 Nov 2020 beat Wigan 2-1
Pompey, Ipswich and Hull draws sandwiched between the Scumdon game which let’s be fair we should’ve won!
12 Dec 2020 Blackpool 0-0 D
Then from Northampton we know!
So that’s one league defeat in 14 games!

Not many goals conceded in that time either.

I don’t think it was just Eastwood being dropped though.

Atkinson came back to fitness,
Clare was dropped from the back line,
Gorrin came back to fitness,
Eastwood was dropped,
Sam long made right back his own.

I think McGuane and Taylor’s form should also be mentioned.

The main thing that messed us up was losing Atkinson and having no cover. Long had to play in the centre and Clare forced to left back in a new team where he struggled, to put it nicely!

I think that exposes Eastwood whereas Stevens has been better protected.

 

[Kamal]

KR speaks proudly of the mental health initiatives here so I don’t think he would ever deliberately go out to upset anyone. There have been instances where he has been asked about our players and he has been much more of a closed shop despite his naturally motormouth style. Ivo Pekalski for one never saw too many comments (and Pekalski did have a history of mental health issues) and KR was very clipped in that regard.

Didn't Robbo publicly slam Pekalski when he requested to go home for Christmas, and said if he didn't find himself a new club he would make him run all day in training?

For a player who suffers with Mental health issues, and suffered a very serious injury in a foreign country where he didn't know anyone, maybe that was a bit harsh from Karl.

 

[Oxford84]

Didn't Robbo publicly slam Pekalski when he requested to go home for Christmas, and said if he didn't find himself a new club he would make him run all day in training?

For a player who suffers with Mental health issues, and suffered a very serious injury in a foreign country where he didn't know anyone, maybe that was a bit harsh from Karl.

you dont know the whole story though.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Didn't Robbo publicly slam Pekalski when he requested to go home for Christmas, and said if he didn't find himself a new club he would make him run all day in training?

For a player who suffers with Mental health issues, and suffered a very serious injury in a foreign country where he didn't know anyone, maybe that was a bit harsh from Karl.

A manager has to be allowed to manage and no player should be beyond a tongue lashing, whatever his outside issues may be.

 

[38yearsofpain]

Indeed, after I, and others, had initial concerns Stevens was too inexperienced to replace Eastwood in an already inexperienced defence, he has been brilliant, a real breath of fresh air, displaying a level of maturity and confidence to match his ability, and is now our new number 1.

It's also coincided with Elliott Moore being made captain, and becoming the composed leader we so desperately needed. He was excellent again yesterday.

Gorrin also deserves a special mention. After feeling his way back into the side, he's been fantastic, putting out fires all over the place, and keeping us ticking over brilliantly.

And Sam Long has been a beast throughout the whole season, even when we were struggling, playing various roles across the backline, and getting even better since being able to settle in at RB, and has been the outstanding player of the season for me.

For me, it's the form and performances of these four that have made all the difference in our upturn in fortunes.

The aftermath of the Sw**don capitulation has certainly been the catalyst for an astonishing turnaround. A number of boys have turned into men and some true leaders have emerged. Playing professional football has always been a tough environment to survive in and mental toughness has always been a key attribute.
Compare and contrast the Swindon and Fleetwood matches, in both we were 1 nil up, in both we started to wobble in the second half. But against Swindon we crumbled and Fleetwood we survived. The margins between success and failure are small and therefore marginal gains are important.
KR has a particular style of toughing up his players, it appears hard and calculating but they are playing in a non forgiving environment. Ultimately to everybody involved, management, staff, players and fans the only thing that matters is results. He comes across almost as a parent rather than a football manager at times, wanting his players to learn and develop, maybe that is why he does develop so many of them. He has been hard on some at times in the public domain but most return toughened and better for it some don't. In some ways it would be far worse if he left them to their own coping strategies.

 

[West Oxon U’s]

Swindon and Wigan meet at the County Ground for a 6pm kick-off this Tuesday night.

A Swindon defeat would see John Sheridan sacked, apparently.

 

[Sarge]

Swindon and Wigan meet at the County Ground for a 6pm kick-off this Tuesday night.

A Swindon defeat would see John Sheridan sacked, apparently.

that'd be a shame , he is doing a great job

 

[Peterdev]

Says more about Henry.

Henry missed a sitter last week