+++ 18/12/2019 OUFC v Manchester City +++

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The fee paid for Man City’s second choice ‘keeper would buy the Kassam Stadium. Jeez.

I didn’t realise that Cancelo cost them so much as well. He’s only mustered six League appearances for them though. That’s three players costing £60m+ on the pitch for them last night.

Anyone think that we could be cosying up to Man City for future loanees? KR has nothing but nice words to say about PG and we play in a way that would benefit a few of their youngsters. If so, let’s hope we get a Phil Foden rather than an Ashley Smith-Brown!

Cancelo didn’t cost them that much, he went in a swap deal with Danilo and I think his fee was estimated at about £27m
 
There is a difference. I think Long is a very good player - defensively very good, a threat in the air and can get forwards. What let’s him down, as KR said in the week is what he does in the final 3rd. With Cadden we have reliable delivery - that’s not the case with long.

That’s not me writing long off, simply acknowledging they have different strengths.
To take it a step further, KE clearly relies on attacking full backs for our chance creation.

As an aside, our defence could see some upheaval in January with Cadden going plus dickie likely off also.

Thats aside, last night was remarkable - that will hopefully give belief that a performance like that in the league consistently will see us up.
That's a good point regarding Long in the air. When Archer couldn't find a player for a short pass, he always had Long to aim for and he normally won those balls in the air.
Both Ruffels and Long are good in the air.
 
Obviously you don’t go that often Ruffs has been immense and Long does his job, last night they played against the premier league champions, although I agree with @ljs they played a bit to narrow, but would am comfortable with both players.

I appreciate what you're saying about Ruffels playing well this season but when you need players to step up on a big occasion, they need to get the basics right and Josh had a nightmare last night. Caught out of position far too often in the first half; especially for their first goal - he was nowhere to be seen! Too much space given to Mahrez on the right hand side and that cost us.
 
Very enjoyable free hit last night. Would have loved to go into the last 10 mins just one goal down. Nothing can ever replace the Manor but at times when attacking the East Stand I had flashbacks to those great night of the 80s. Jim's comment about the London Road sucking the ball into the net sprang to mind.

Most important thing now is to win these next two home games. COYY.
 
I appreciate what you're saying about Ruffels playing well this season but when you need players to step up on a big occasion, they need to get the basics right and Josh had a nightmare last night. Caught out of position far too often in the first half; especially for their first goal - he was nowhere to be seen! Too much space given to Mahrez on the right hand side and that cost us.

Come on!

Ruffels did not have a nightmare, nor did any of our defence. They were playing against one of the best attacking line-ups in Europe!
 
Ruffs did not have a nightmare. He was facing a player several levels against anything he has come up against before playing in a team whose quick counter-attacking is their major weapon and some of the most admired in (at least) the country. The second and third Man City goals came down our left.
 
I appreciate what you're saying about Ruffels playing well this season but when you need players to step up on a big occasion, they need to get the basics right and Josh had a nightmare last night. Caught out of position far too often in the first half; especially for their first goal - he was nowhere to be seen! Too much space given to Mahrez on the right hand side and that cost us.

can i just ask should he have been tracking Mahrez whose run into the middle was sublime and made the space... or stayed on the wing and let Mahrez take the ball where he wanted? let's be realistic they played their way from their left corner with 4/5 quick passes with superb movement leading to a shot and subsequent goal.

That was a class goal with fantastic passing and movement that would have unlocked any defence
 
“Not quite sure why people were booing some of their players? Sterling (for example) can be a bit of a twonk, but no more than many other Prem luvvies and far less than some!”

What I didn’t get is why some of the Oxford fans, even some season ticket holders, applauded Sterling when he came off! He plays for an opposing team who happen to be 2 levels above us so did he do anything extraordinary to warrant that?
 
They will just be for the game last night.

I did like the OUFC related adverts, especially advertising Wycombe, Lincoln and half price ST's

So did we loan then just for one match? I would have thought they would be a worthy investment to purchase and would pay for themselves with an increase in advertising revenue. It made the stadium feel a little more modern.
 
So did we loan then just for one match? I would have thought they would be a worthy investment to purchase and would pay for themselves with an increase in advertising revenue. It made the stadium feel a little more modern.
All that money would go to Mr K...
 
Crowd of 11817. Capacity of 12500.

Seemed to be a lot more than 683 seats netted off for segregation plus front rows of north stand in away section and in front of disabled area?
 
“Not quite sure why people were booing some of their players? Sterling (for example) can be a bit of a twonk, but no more than many other Prem luvvies and far less than some!”

What I didn’t get is why some of the Oxford fans, even some season ticket holders, applauded Sterling when he came off! He plays for an opposing team who happen to be 2 levels above us so did he do anything extraordinary to warrant that?
I applauded him. Not because I thought he was brilliant (although he did score a couple - good job he wasn't extraordinary last night!) but because others were booing and I thought a bit of balance was required. If nobody had booed, I wouldn't have clapped.
 
City played that drilled pass inside our full back brilliantly. I wouldn’t blame Ruffels or Long if they occasionally got caught out by it, you simply don’t see that sort of vision and execution of pass at our level.

We defended manfully and considering the quality we were up against it wasn’t like Archer was having to have the game of his life. I wouldn’t be critical of any Oxford players last night, front to back we were magnificent and even the subs made telling contributions.

Replicate anywhere near that Saturday and Wycombe wont live with us.
 
Had a good game, but again his distribution / composure on the ball is poor.

I’d definitely keep Cadden over Long if given the choice.

I personally think Long and Ruffels are our weak links in terms of technical ability/ distribution, but are good covers from a defensive perspective.

Agree they are different type players so having an alternative is probably a good thing. Clearly at the moment Cadds is ahead of Long generally but think Long was the right pick last night.

In Long's defence, when he had the run of games at right back last season his attacking play/consistency improved considerably (from memory).
 
Got to hand it to Taylor, he is always capable of a goal out of the blue. Yes I know we lost but I’m calling that a promotion winning performance. Hats off to our midfield; all excellent.


City definitely going backwards though . Kompany leaving has been a massive factor.
Atmosphere also superb.

On City, the massive factor isn't Kompany, it is Laporte being out for so long. Laporte was one of the best in the world before his injury imo.
 
Long gave city far to much space and time on the ball, Dickie/Taylor/Baptiste different class and as for brannagan had he been in a sky blue shirt last night no one would argue he doesn't fit in what a player.....
Had we played anywhere near as attack minded in recent games we would of won comfortably.
Tbf to Ruffles he was trying to mark Marhrez and that’s a really tough ask for any defender let alone one who is used to marking league one players.
 
To be fair to both Ruffels and Long I don’t think anyone ever thinks they will be premier league full backs, let alone at Man City’s level. They are two local lads who are also converted into that position, both only made the change fairly recently. They do the job for us at league one level where we play nearly all of our games, it’s not much of a concern for me if the likes of Mahrez and Sterling give them a hard time as we don’t play against that sort of talent week in week out.

Considering what they are probably on wages wise I reckon we do alright with them both, we won’t be getting players as good with the level of commitment to the club that they have for the same money from outside that’s for sure.
 
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