Away Match Day Thread 5/8/23 L1: Cambridge United v OUFC

[Northstandboy]

First game of the season. COYY!

 

[werthersoriginal]

Once again, everything hinges on Josh Murphy getting fit and turning it on ...

 

[Jster]

Agree that Browne was reasonable - at least he ran at them, unlike the rest of our team playing it backwards all the time...

 

[tonyw]

Yes, a poor lazy throw away comment that some managers come out with after an unpredictable loss. He expected to win that game but he had a job done on him by Bonner. A bit concerning for me. It was all a bit deja vu tbh.

Definitley deja vu for Manning - his MK Dons team lost at Cambridge in the first game of last season as well, after Bonner seemingly did a similar job on him that day too. Fingers crossed that's not an omen.

It's great to see that our manager has some kind of structured plan to his team construction after years of watching KR winging it; but now he's got to show that he also has tactical flexibility and can adjust on the fly, as well as identify and correct weaknesses.

 

[Symp59]

Has God touched the ball yet ,he needs to be out on loan . Iam just gutted I would love to see a striker who's a handful and causes problems please don't go down the small striker route it's league 1 .

 

[dickwalton1964]

I don't understand this "no striker" thing. Clearly Harris was signed as a striker. Now he may or may not turn out to be a good enough striker, but he's definitely been signed to play as one.

(And yeah we do need another one - I"m not disputing that.)

A lot are disputing it. I‘ve read on here in the last few days that no one will displace Harris, he‘s that good, that O’Donkor is a perfectly capable back up, that the likes of Browne, Bodin etc can provide the goals in the absence of a proper out and out number 9 and that haven‘t people seen a Manning team - strikers as such aren’t needed !

What a load of absolute tosh, I’d up the bid to £600,000 for Marriott. No team anywhere is going anywhere without a proven striker and if we leave this until the last days of August then 5 league games could have gone by and yet another season of catch up.

As for Cairon Brown, I’ve said all through last season he’s no where near good enough and people have been duped into believing he is just because he got POTY in the worst Oxford United team in the past decade. As for Long, well enough said - one and a half good seasons in the last four. Where’s the Brentford lad ?

 

[Jaxon]

They were very well organised. Their centre forward (on loan from Ipswich) was all over Moore, especially in the first half. Long hadn't got a clue how to control his winger. The Beadle save for the first goal was actually very good. But no one was covering. Thorniley was very poor. Rodriguez picked up the pace as the game went on. Cambridge took it in turns to kick him. We were over-run in midfield. As usual. And Ciaron Brown isn't a left back.

Who told you he was?

 

[arthurturner]

we will be better next week the weather didn’t help with our style of play

If that’s so, the long winter months are going to be a struggle

 

[Sir Winston]

Final result from Bloomfield Road
Blackpool 2-0 Burton

 

[Andy1505]

Hmm.....just forced myself to watch Manning's interview....and promptly started getting flash backs to KR....not good.

I really do sometimes wish managers (particularly it seems our managers!) would be honest and say we were crap, that the players didnt turn up, and have let the travelling fans down. Not tippy toe round and say '45 games left' or ' what we're trying to implement etc etc'....we can all see what is going on week in week out, don't try and fool us! Yes I know its only one game but there are some worrying signs already.

 

[QR]

What a load of absolute tosh, I’d up the bid to £600,000 for Marriott.

Well I must say, that's very generous of you.

 

[battman]

Hmm.....just forced myself to watch Manning's interview....and promptly started getting flash backs to KR....not good.

I really do sometimes wish managers (particularly it seems our managers!) would be honest and say we were crap, that the players didnt turn up, and have let the travelling fans down. Not tippy toe round and say '45 games left' or ' what we're trying to implement etc etc'....we can all see what is going on week in week out, don't try and fool us! Yes I know its only one game but there are some worrying signs already.

Perhaps Manning doesn’t want to dent the morale of the team one game into the season by throwing them under the bus?

He’s charged with getting the best out of the players, and that sometimes isn’t helped by constant negativity. I’d much prefer a level-headed manager who admits there are mistakes to rectify than a boss who gets the hairdryer out every time there’s a misplaced pass.

I know we as fans gets emotional after a defeat or win, but Manning isn’t paid to have extreme emotional reactions after any game, and hopefully it’s something the players react well to.

 

[lerekdilley]

Been looking forward to the new season so much i had totally forgot about the usual misery it brings most weeks, especially last season. Cambridge looked far more organised and motivated than we were. The sideways and backwards passing yawnfest is pointless if you’re toothless in the final third. It looks tidy and efficient but Cambridge just let them have it there. Bonner knew exactly how to play against a Liam Manning team and my worry is any other manager worth their salt will know how to also. The defensive frailties still seem to be there, but as others have pointed out nothing has changed other than Thorniley swapping with Findlay.

We have too many players still here from last season who have 1 good game every now and again and you hope the consistency will come, but they flatter to deceive the majority of the time.

 

[Grumpy Git]

You stop the opposition scoring if you have possession, but you only score when the ball goes forward. We were too scared to go forward. This was Cambridge for fks sake, not Man City. They deserved it, they fought.

 

[QR]

Perhaps Manning doesn’t want to dent the morale of the team one game into the season by throwing them under the bus?

He’s charged with getting the best out of the players, and that sometimes isn’t helped by constant negativity. I’d much prefer a level-headed manager who admits there are mistakes to rectify than a boss who gets the hairdryer out every time there’s a misplaced pass.

I know we as fans gets emotional after a defeat or win, but Manning isn’t paid to have extreme emotional reactions after any game, and hopefully it’s something the players react well to.

I don't see how telling them something they should already know is 'throwing them under the bus'. I definitely hope he said as much at half time.

 

[bashamwonderland]

That game meant nothing. And today showed we're not as good as we thought we were after the 5-0!

Yeah fair enough, more work needed but the QPR performance was really good and I don't think we need to panic.

 

[Scrongo]

Perhaps Manning doesn’t want to dent the morale of the team one game into the season by throwing them under the bus?

He’s charged with getting the best out of the players, and that sometimes isn’t helped by constant negativity. I’d much prefer a level-headed manager who admits there are mistakes to rectify than a boss who gets the hairdryer out every time there’s a misplaced pass.

I know we as fans gets emotional after a defeat or win, but Manning isn’t paid to have extreme emotional reactions after any game, and hopefully it’s something the players react well to.

Barton coach ???

 

[bazzer9461]

Superb first halfsecond half just toyed with them to be honest.
On paper Burton are probably a better side than Cambridge.
3or4 more signings before the window closes as well according to the club so we’ll be much stronger than we are now.
I see Cam is leading by example again what a leader.
Norburn was immense throughout today and showed just how a captain should lead my example.
Early days so keep your chins

Do you think we give a toss about you crackheads? Do we give a f**k about you beating Burton? No we do t so be a good little boy and get back to your pipe and smoke your crack.

 

[bazzer9461]

How much do I hate the 'maybe the best thing to happen to us' BS. This can never be the case. If that's all a manager has to say ,shut up, it does you no favours.

Well said

 

[Andy1505]

Yeah fair enough, more work needed but the QPR performance was really good and I don't think we need to panic.

I understand but the glaring deficiencies in the squad are still very much evident and today showed that we're really not the team we think we are. I hope we will become that team!

 

[battman]

I don't see how telling them something they should already know is 'throwing them under the bus'. I definitely hope he said as much at half time.

This bit is textbook throwing the players under the bus. And one game in too! How would Manning saying this help?

I really do sometimes wish managers (particularly it seems our managers!) would be honest and say we were crap, that the players didnt turn up, and have let the travelling fans down.