Home Match Day Thread 21/10/2023 L1: OUFC v Blackpool

[mooro]

Just a thought re: closing games out more effectively....

....start bodin up top, then bring Harris on to the harrying in the second half

 

[holdsteady]

On Harris, I thought he was consistently fouled by their number 20 all game long and a better ref books the centre back and puts a stop to it, he was all over him so much that in some cultures they are married now.

 

[Manorlounger]

On Harris, I thought he was consistently fouled by their number 20 all game long and a better ref books the centre back and puts a stop to it, he was all over him so much that in some cultures they are married now.

It was the constant shirt pulling that really got me (and Mrs L - she was quite vocal about the officials, in between yanking on my kiddie reins!)
It is almost as if this has become an accepted part of the game. So much is ignored or simply not seen because they are not looking.

 

[Eaststanding]

It was the constant shirt pulling that really got me (and Mrs L - she was quite vocal about the officials, in between yanking on my kiddie reins!)
It is almost as if this has become an accepted part of the game. So much is ignored or simply not seen because they are not looking.

Thing is though Harris has got to learn to deal with that better; he fell to the ground far too often, fouled or not, and spent most of the time appealing to the ref. Get on with the game and find a way to deal with that kind of provocation. Oh, and score a goal or two.

 

[OX18]

Interesting that despite this post yesterday about the mighty Wigan, you last posted on matchday threads after the Port Vale defeat with a couple of posts between them to dismiss the chances of us getting planning approval for the stadium.

Hopefully we will go on another winning run and we won't have to hear from you for several more weeks.

Maybe we have found Victor from Tackley.

 

[East Stand Fan]

Thing is though Harris has got to learn to deal with that better; he fell to the ground far too often, fouled or not, and spent most of the time appealing to the ref. Get on with the game and find a way to deal with that kind of provocation. Oh, and score a goal or two.

Yep and I also think he spent too much of the second half glued to their defender rather than trying to forge a run or make their defence work. Although he was isolated and didn't get the service, he carved out a good chance this way in the first half and also did this against the likes of Carlisle and Derby. There was just too much of a gap between him and the midfield especially after Bodin went off but even so, should've tried to shake up the defence a bit more. I expected better for GOD when he came on yet he couldn't get within 5 yards of the ball.

 

[Grumpy Git]

We have a sickness bug going round, I won if it’s this that effected the subs?

 

[OX14]

A few points after yesterday.

We need to

: Sign a proven striker in January.
: Sign another Right back ,the equivalent of a right sided Greg Leigh would be great.
: Send O'Donkor out on loan.
: Send Perkins back in January and bring in someone else to take his place in the squad.
: Send Smyth out on loan and look at bringing in another midfielder to replace him.

And finally Manning needs to let the handbrake off when we're in a winning position, remember attack is the best form of defense, sitting back and inviting pressure isn't.

Do all the following and we will go up.

 

[Followtheox1]

I agree with all of this.

Priorities for January for me are a right sided centre back/right back, a central midfielder who can get round the pitch (more McGuane/Brannagan than a McEachran) plus a centre forward or two. One who will sniff goals and the other who we could bang the ball into if needed.

I really like Harris, but he doesn't seem to have the instincts of a goalscorer. He does all his best work when we're in possession in our own half. His movement and pressing is very good and there were several moments in the first half yesterday where he just stopped Blackpool from clearing the ball and we won a throw in in their half, rather than a booted ball through to Beadle or one of the centre backs. If we could bring in that goalscorer who can run the channels then Harris would be an excellent player to bring on for the last 30 minutes or so. All the things he is good at would've been key towards the end of the game yesterday, but we just didn't really have an out ball at all.

A right sided CB, we have Moore and Negru (who was brilliant when in but can't get near the squad). A CB is not a position we need. A RB would be good although would imagine Stevens would need to go back for that to happen as can't see Long going anywhere. A striker would be good.

 

[Eaststanding]

We have a sickness bug going round, I won if it’s this that effected the subs?

It just has to be the reason for such lethargy; Goodhram was subdued and not his usual lively self, O’Donkor barely shuffled around let alone ran, Murphy and Stephens tried without success. Subs come on to impact a game, yesterday they pretty much made the situation worse.

 

[OX14]

A right sided CB, we have Moore and Negru (who was brilliant when in but can't get near the squad). A CB is not a position we need. A RB would be good although would imagine Stevens would need to go back for that to happen as can't see Long going anywhere. A striker would be good.

Stevens is a good player but I don't see him good enough to be a right back in a back four at this level, right wing back in a back 5 is more his position. So many goals against us (including yesterday) have come from the area where our right back should be. Long needs some decent competition like Brown and Leigh on the other side to keep his level up.

 

[werthersoriginal]

It just has to be the reason for such lethargy; Goodhram was subdued and not his usual lively self, O’Donkor barely shuffled around let alone ran, Murphy and Stephens tried without success. Subs come on to impact a game, yesterday they pretty much made the situation worse.

Wasn’t it more that we had lost the midfield and they couldn’t get the ball?

 

[Eric Blair]

A few points after yesterday.

We need to

: Sign a proven striker in January.
: Sign another Right back ,the equivalent of a right sided Greg Leigh would be great.
: Send O'Donkor out on loan.
: Send Perkins back in January and bring in someone else to take his place in the squad.
: Send Smyth out on loan and look at bringing in another midfielder to replace him.

And finally Manning needs to let the handbrake off when we're in a winning position, remember attack is the best form of defense, sitting back and inviting pressure isn't.

Do all the following and we will go up.

I think these are all good points. The start of the season has been incredible and a real success. That said we need to build our own momentum and not be passive in January. The above is a good wish list. Also - I’m a big fan usually - but GO’D was really flat yesterday and needed to close down from the front (to be fair like he did the other week which led to the goal from Leigh - was it against Port Vale? My memory is like Swiss Cheese). Rodriguez is the League One Jari Litmanen.

 

[Marked Ox]

Just a thought re: closing games out more effectively....

....start bodin up top, then bring Harris on to the harrying in the second half

I'd argue for Bodin on the bench so that he can replace Ruben when he tires. We lost the link when Rubes went off and it showed.

On the game overall, a fair result imo. We were the far better team for the 1st hour whereas they were for the last half hour or so.

I wonder if the sickness bug affected far more players out there in that last half hour as a number seemed to be running in treacle.

We definitely missed Cam Bran's energy in the middle.

 

[Eric Blair]

Stevens is a good player but I don't see him good enough to be a right back in a back four at this level, right wing back in a back 5 is more his position. So many goals against us (including yesterday) have come from the area where our right back should be. Long needs some decent competition like Brown and Leigh on the other side to keep his level up.

OX14 again talking sense

 

[Swaby39]

A right sided CB, we have Moore and Negru (who was brilliant when in but can't get near the squad). A CB is not a position we need. A RB would be good although would imagine Stevens would need to go back for that to happen as can't see Long going anywhere. A striker would be good.

That right-hand channel is so vulnerable. I’m not sure where Negru is but that’s the obvious thing to try in an attempt to forge a working partnership down that side. Brown and Leigh have really settled down and affecting games.

I wouldn’t move Moore away from the centre. He was excellent again yesterday until the last 10 minutes and suddenly all 3 centre backs and Beadle completely lost their bearings.

 

[Seasider53]

We are actually disappointed we didn't take all three. As soon as Dembele came on, it was an absolute battering. Should have had a penalty as well. It's just a shame we set up too defensively to start with otherwise it would have been a very comfortable away win.

Blackpool fans waking up with sore heads this morning after a famous point at Oxford

 

[Johnf]

Really enjoyable Game to watch yesterday, we bossed the first half and well deserved our half time lead. The last 20 Minutes Blackpool were very much on top and unfortunately probably deserved their equaliser. Two very good sides that will be challenging for promotion at the end of the season in my opinion. We are not going to win every game but getting a point against one of the better sides in the league keeps our great start to the season going.
Now let’s go and get 3 points at Wigan.
COYY

 

[OX14]

We are actually disappointed

I'm not surprised waking up in that s**t hole every morning.

 

[East Stand Fan]

I'm not surprised waking up in that s**t hole every morning.

Even the Job Centre staff are on the dole it’s that bad in Blackpool