Away Match Day Thread 6/2/2021 L1 Doncaster Rovers v OUFC

[OX14]

Eastwood was not even a good shot stopper this season. As you say, Stevens commands his box better, also much better with the high ball and crosses, a better and quicker distributer, more vocal, much better at coming out for the ball. Not really a contest based on both their performances this season.

Agree on this season. I meant Eastwood was a good shot stopper before though. I don't think Jack will automatically be our number 1 next season though it all depends who comes in to replace Eastwood.

 

[brassmonkey]

Stevens will be dissapointed he got beat at the near post but it happens especially on wet surface. I think we missed a trick yesterday by not shooting more from the edge of the box. Low hard shots skidding off the surface. This was probably down to doncasters excellent defensive work.. Their game plan off stick everyone behind the ball, defend their box and hit us on the break worked unfortunately.

 

[joshua]

Goodness only knows what KR will do once McGuane is also available.

Totally agree.

And Donny looking good for a top 2 position once they have played their games in hand.

Nothing about today said to me that we are way off the pace for a play off push or that our 9 game winning streak was a fluke.

Better to have points than games in hand

 

[bazzer9461]

An interesting article

Our highest point was fairly short lived, a few years in the 80s. This current side compares pretty well with most of what we’ve had since. Football fans tend to be negative, I wonder if we’re worse than most? You need to enjoy the players we have because they probably won’t be here for long.

You ought to read some of the other forums

 

[ljs]

Stevens will be dissapointed he got beat at the near post but it happens especially on wet surface. I think we missed a trick yesterday by not shooting more from the edge of the box. Low hard shots skidding off the surface. This was probably down to doncasters excellent defensive work.. Their game plan off stick everyone behind the ball, defend their box and hit us on the break worked unfortunately.

Very disappointed that Henry didn't do that with the free kick he had from the left just outside the box. Absolutely terrible to have hit the two man wall.

 

[OX14]

An interesting article


You ought to read some of the other forums

Sunderland and Ipswich everytime they lose is a good read. They haven't even been to the hell of the conference either. Oxford players get off lightly after a bad performance compared to some other teams, plus maybe alot of the negative views on here and Facebook is because we can't voice our disaffection at the game. Normally a few boos after the game after a bad performance will suffice.

 

[werthersoriginal]

An interesting article


You ought to read some of the other forums

Yeah I’m sure you’re right. This one seems much more intelligent and articulate than most but still has people who only focus on negatives

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

Looking again at their 3 goals the first was a tremendous ball inside Ruffs for the winger to run onto unfortunate not to block the shot which zipped in , 2nd was a lucky break which left Atkinson wrong side , 3rd was Gorrin fault fir me , two chances to stop the attack but because of earlier booking left them to run .
Both 2nd goals came from long balls by us which they won easily to start attacks .
Stevens not at fault for any of them as great finishes , I'm sure he would have wanted to get closer to two of them but to blame him is looking to find fault rather than admit great finishes on a wet surface .

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

I think it’s crazy that fans, having seen some of the goals Simon Eastwood was at fault for, as in completely, totally and utterly at fault, want to suddenly blame Jack Stevens for goals which maybe he might have done a bit better for - there’s a massive difference between those two scenarios!

Stevens also, in that game, claimed a couple of high balls well and quickly kicked a great long kick to Barker.

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

Bristol Rovers and Wigan next in the league, let's hope our recent form against teams below us continue. Both will be scrapping though.

 

[LeftSideBoy]

We have lost one game since Jack Stevens has been in goal. We were losing twice a week while Eastwood was in goal...

Can’t believe I’m seeing people questioning whether he is better than Eastwood. Due to what? Nothing.

Ill remind you of what Eastwood did at Wembley, his popadom hands at Charlton, his clanger against Swindon etc etc. Ridiculous.

 

[OX14]

I think it’s crazy that fans, having seen some of the goals Simon Eastwood was at fault for, as in completely, totally and utterly at fault, want to suddenly blame Jack Stevens for goals which maybe he might have done a bit better for - there’s a massive difference between those two scenarios!

Stevens also, in that game, claimed a couple of high balls well and quickly kicked a great long kick to Barker.

Didn't us fans give Eastwood stick for his mistakes then? The play of final he got loads of stick, then the scum mistake topped it and Robbo had no choice but to drop him.

I only think the first goal Stevens would of been frustrated that he got beat at his near post, not that he cost us the game. Gorrin, Henry and to an extent Kelly off par performances did..

 

[dickwalton1964]

Amazed how some find it necessary to criticise any of our players after that performance, we were excellent. Every player did well, some - as in any match - a bit better than others but not one of our players had an average game. They were all better than average.

Stevens probably the most culpable but they weren’t glaring errors and the rest of his game was pretty good. You can dissect every single goal in the entire history of football and find a way it could have been prevented. Momentary lapses in concentration are part of the package of lower league football.

As for the particular criticisms of Henry and Gorrin, really ? Clueless is how I’d describe any fan signalling those two out for their over all performances. We controlled the game in the areas those two operated in.

Fantastic and can’t wait for the Rovers game after that. Can see us being right amongst it in a months time.

 

[Steve McAvoy]

It is too easy to get drawn into views about how particular individuals are doing in a team rather than combinations of individuals. The defensive team currently are developing well, in my view. I also wonder about the impact of changes in the team and how this might negatively impact on specific players? Has the loss of Dickie taken away from Henry’s game. Best not to lose sight of the important contributions of Easty and Henry over recent seasons.

 

[LeftSideBoy]

Amazed how some find it necessary to criticise any of our players after that performance, we were excellent. Every player did well, some - as in any match - a bit better than others but not one of our players had an average game. They were all better than average.

Stevens probably the most culpable but they weren’t glaring errors and the rest of his game was pretty good. You can dissect every single goal in the entire history of football and find a way it could have been prevented. Momentary lapses in concentration are part of the package of lower league football.

As for the particular criticisms of Henry and Gorrin, really ? Clueless is how I’d describe any fan signalling those two out for their over all performances. We controlled the game in the areas those two operated in.

Fantastic and can’t wait for the Rovers game after that. Can see us being right amongst it in a months time.

Henry was absolutely shocking yesterday. Are you kidding me? He must have given the ball away, at least 10 times. He was caught in possession a handful of times because he was too casual and ponderous on the ball. He played a pass out of play at least 3 times when Sam Long was on the overlap. His dead ball play was poor. As far as your clueless comment goes, I’m not sure you were watching the same game as the vast majority of us were..

 

[dickwalton1964]

Henry was absolutely shocking yesterday. Are you kidding me? He must have given the ball away, at least 10 times. He was caught in possession a handful of times because he was too casual and ponderous on the ball. He played a pass out of play at least 3 times when Sam Long was on the overlap. His dead ball play was poor. As far as your clueless comment goes, I’m not sure you were watching the same game as the vast majority of us were..

Watched the whole game and to call Henry’s performance ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING is the perfect example of clueless fan I was referring to.

 

[LeftSideBoy]

Watched the whole game and to call Henry’s performance ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING is the perfect example of clueless fan I was referring to.

- Hitting a 2 man wall from a free kick in a dangerous area.
- Putting a corner straight out for a goal kick.
- Giving away possession at least 5 times in the middle of the park.
- Overhit/misplaced cross field balls.
- Putting the ball out of play, several times, while Sam Long was in a good position on the overlap.

If I’m clueless, so is Steven Kinniburgh. All of the points above were mentioned by him, during the game.

If those are the standards you expect from a player in a team that’s chasing the play offs, you might be better following a certain team at the other end of the table...

 

[dickwalton1964]

- Hitting a 2 man wall from a free kick in a dangerous area.
- Putting a corner straight out for a goal kick.
- Giving away possession at least 5 times in the middle of the park.
- Overhit/misplaced cross field balls.
- Putting the ball out of play, several times, while Sam Long was in a good position on the overlap.

If I’m clueless, so is Steven Kinniburgh. All of the points above were mentioned by him, during the game.

If those are the standards you expect from a player in a team that’s chasing the play offs, you might be better following a certain team at the other end of the table...

In an excellent team performance you are describing one of our more influential players as having an ‘absolutely shocking’ game. We battered Doncaster and you’re saying we did it with 10 men. Nonsense.

 

[LeftSideBoy]

In an excellent team performance you are describing one of our more influential players as having an ‘absolutely shocking’ game. We battered Doncaster and you’re saying we did it with 10 men. Nonsense.

‘More influential players’ - And how exactly did he influence the game? For every one thing Henry did well, he did another 5 things wrong. You must fancy him or something because objectively speaking, he was shocking. I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking that..

 

[Marked Ox]

This is a very interesting (albeit theoretical!) discussion which I think mainly highlights how much the game has changed.

Let’s not forget that the very lovable, functional but limited Smudger Smith was an integral part of the 95/96 promotion team...but I don’t think anyone would say he’d get a sniff of KR’s team this year!

Matt Taylor is far more cultured then the (legendary) battering ram Paul Moody, an on-form Henry has Stuart Massey licked, and Cameron Brannagan is comparable to a young Bobby Ford in his first spell with us.

Only Whitehead, Elliott, Gilchrist and Beauchamp would be definites in a combined team, the others all the subject of a bloody good debate. Given how dominant Oxford were in the run-up to promotion in 1996, you’d have to say that speaks volumes for spirit and morale.

I wouldn't be so sure on Paul Moody and Stuart Massey. Paul Moody was a lot more than a battering ram as his goals vs Cardiff at Ninian Park proves:

Likewise, Stuart Massey was consistent, very good defensively and could put in one hell of a cross, it certainly isn't a foregone conclusion either way regardless of Henry being on form. Further, both did it for us at a higher level than both Matt Taylor and James Henry.