Home Match Day Thread 28/10/2023 L1: OUFC v Wycombe Wanderers

[Northstandboy]

Come on, let's beat the Chairboys!

 

[Golden Dr Otto]

Did anyone notice there was a Wycombe player who stood alone stretching during the minutes silence before the game?

The lad at the end of the line with the bandage around his right hand?

It irked me somewhat

 

[Manorlounger]

Almost

We heard that clear as a bell and so did everyone in the studio, they were sniggering in the background for some time!!

 

[ECYellow]

Stockbridge was terrible, there is no doubt about that from me, but he was NOT the reason for us not winning the game today.
Our players were.

Harris has missed 2 guilt edged chances. One in the first half when put through and the header at point blank range in the 2nd, where the keeper doesn’t even have to make a save.

Bodin has put a header over from 5 yards first half - keeper doesn’t have to make a save.

Our inaccuracy in front of goal is becoming an increasing problem and I’m not altogether sure what the answer is. It certainly isn’t G’OD, who has looked laboured since the Stevenage game.

Sam Long had another game that confirmed to me that he is not the answer at CB or full back, in a team that would like to be promoted. Now is the time to introduce Negru once again in the right CB position of a 3 (although I’d play 4 at the back).

I’m not altogether sure that our squad depth is quite as robust as we’d like to think it is. The subs were ineffective at Wigan and they were again today, albeit they were made too late - perhaps that’s telling in itself? Rome wasn’t built in a day and Manning has done an excellent job in his first window, but this squad currently looks to be lacking a cutting edge from the bench.

Today isn’t a disaster but a win on Tuesday really is needed.

Final word goes for that cretin, Phillips (#22). Stood for the minutes silence away from his team mates and proceeded to stretch, wave his arms and generally not respect those that sacrificed so much for us. Irish or not, the bloke is a disgrace.

 

[Northernyellow]

Hmm. Better than Tuesday. But still not great. I worry that teams have worked us out. Harris is actually ok, but he's more of a wide player who drifts inside than a proper centre forward. We need at least one proper forward in January. Long is an obvious weak link and needs replacing. Not so sure we'll be top two at the end of the season, but top six should be do-able.

 

[Andy1505]

Agree we are making our own problems lately. Our strikers are not really strikers (Harris and Bodin), Gats clearly doesn't have any confidence at the mo.

Too many sloppy defensive errors and then sitting back at 1-0 and not building on our leads and good starts.

Squad strength is looking a bit suspect now, without Browne and Edwards, are Murphy and Mills able to produce more, will Tyler prove to have what it takes, will Stevens usurp Long, will Negru come back in sometime?

Manning needs to earn his money now and solve these problems. And quickly please, Lincoln is a big game now if we want to keep Pompey in our sights and start clear of the chasing pack.

 

[christenedinjericho]

Must really start believing there are two 45 minute periods. 9k paid to see 90 minutes but for some reason it seems our management can't? However, it does seem we are having a mini blip and if we are to have one during the season let's hope it is now and get over the week we've had and push on.

Wycombe Wankerers are exactly that and promotion this season should see us rid of these types of uncomfortable afternoons against let's face it a non league team in all but name.

Next stop Lincoln.

COYY'S

 

[OX14]

Too many sloppy defensive errors and then sitting back at 1-0 and not building on our leads and good starts.

Disagree with that. We weren't sitting back at all like last week, we just was wasteful in front of goal.

 

[Oldman159]

Must have been nice for Wyscum to see a crowd….

As for the ref? Well, looks like he went straight to ref the wolves v toon game straight after…

 

[Tobytrotters]

Longs distribution today was awful, so I think it’s time for a change. We have good defenders not kicking a ball at the moment, who now deserve a chance.

Today? Always, week point of the team.

 

[JOHN BOY]

I found Bodin really frustrating today.How many times did he have the chance to shoot ? Never seen such a one footed player as him.

 

[Followtheox1]

Every game our right side is being targeted. I'm not singling Long out but it's clear whatever formation and whoever plays down the right side (defence and midfield), teams are steaming through that side and easily getting behind. That is clearly an area we need to improve.

Ref, no point in commenting on him but just atrocious.

Do Rodriguez and Bodin work together? When Harris was suspended and Bodin was up top it worked better but when both behind the striker they are very similar. Both do great things but also very frustrating things. Both can be too slow to release the ball.

With the starting formation, we really lack pace. Stevens positioning as a wing back is suspect at times and unlike Leigh never looks close to taking on/getting behind his opposite number to trouble teams. However, Mills generally has been better from the bench. I may be going against the grain but would like to see Murphy have a start. Last two games he has come on far too late.

Hopefully Brannigan coming back will really put some energy into the team.

Lastly, it amazes me how much Wycombe and their fans see us as their cup final (to any Wycombe fans reading, I really don't think we are a big team so am not being arrogant in anyway). I mean fireworks at their place when they win 1-0 and today you could see how much the game means to their players and fans. I don't really get it.

 

[bazzer9461]

We heard that clear as a bell and so did everyone in the studio, they were sniggering in the background for some time!!

I did hear Jerome and co laughing as was I

 

[werthersoriginal]

I don’t mind us being quite canny in the first half , and we created a couple of chances, but what was the plan in the second half? It was all so slow and Leigh was our only threat. I’d have liked to see the subs earlier and go for them, Wycombe were very mediocre though at least they didn’t annoy me like they used to. Their forward Taylor looked useful.

 

[oufc1991]

Every game our right side is being targeted. I'm not singling Long out but it's clear whatever formation and whoever plays down the right side (defence and midfield), teams are steaming through that side and easily getting behind. That is clearly an area we need to do improve.

Ref, no point in commenting on him but just atrocious.

Do Rodriguez and Bodin work together? When Harris was suspended and Bodin was up top it worked better but when both behind the striker they are very similar. Both do great things but also very frustrating things. Both can be too slow to release the ball.

With the starting formation, we really lack pace. Stevens positioning as a wing back is suspect at times and unlike Leigh never looks close to taking on/getting behind his opposite number to trouble teams. However, Mills generally has been better from the bench. I may be going against the grain but would like to see Murphy have a start. Last two games he has come on far too late.

Hopefully Brannigan coming back will really put some energy into the team.

Lastly, it amazes me how much Wycombe and their fans see us as their cup final (to any Wycombe fans reading, I really don't think we are a big team so am not being arrogant in anyway). I mean fireworks at their place when they win 1-0 and today you could see how much the game means to their players and fans. I don't really get it.

I agree about Wycombe fans I don't understand why they treat us like their big day out most Oxford fans couldn't give a s**t about Wycombe...

 

[bdodwell]

We've improved significantly but...
Still not got a suitable striker.
A few players are starting that are not really promo standard evident by their errors.
Negru is quality need him to start.
Another window away from sorting this abd overall its very promising.
The Womans Didn't Build Wome in a Day.

 

[Symp59]

I've been on the putting green at Conwy walked the dogs on the beech with the wife opened a lovely bottle of Red and calmed down. Let's be honest we had some good chances and really outplayed Wycombe for most of the game. And let's all be honest not many people would have put us where we are after one window and the rubbish Liam was left with. He's inherited players on big money I know he talks very highly of Henry equal biggest wage ,Murphy still not happening on another big wage 2 players if gone could fund 2 probably very good strikers .Long a solid squad player not 1st team player we are work in progress ,missing Browne and Edwards .Beadle, Moore,Brown ,Cam ,Mcguane ,Mills ,Mckearan all very solid. Rodriguez I really think if he can get fitter and keep learning we have a real star player in the making it doesn't always work for him but he keeps trying he's class ,same as Leigh excellent edition .I also like Harris he's never played really in the position he is in .But let's be honest compared to God and also Tyler they both are struggling. But we are in a great position, do I think we will finish second, no .Portsmouth are going up then probably Peterborough Fergie junior is very good at this level .But we could be close but we have missed a few opportunities recently so a win Tuesday really would be magic let's get back to winning ways and still a massive well done to Liam and everyone at the club. Oxford until I die.

 

[oufc1991]

I think today we take the point and move on the ref was awful but we didn't help ourselves at the beginning of the season we attacked teams with pace hitting teams on the counter now we play crab football. I'm not sure what they are doing in training but we are going backwards. We desperately need a striker but not much can do until January

 

[Yellowmania]

That formation doesn’t seem to suit our personnel, apart from Stevenage (I think) when have we looked that convincing playing that style?
And how the feck did Stevens stay on so long, a passenger virtually and in the last 30 mins how many times did him and Long double up on players and still get done.

 

[LeftSideLarry]

The ref was dreadful, but let’s not paper over the cracks.

We’re carrying too many very ordinary players to sustain a top-two finish and, I suspect, we won’t make the top-six, either. We can’t even sustain two consecutive halves of football at the level required, let alone a season.

We’re playing a 3-5-2 without the personnel to do it effectively, though I can see, in the absence of any pace and power out wide, why Manning has persevered.

Long, Brown, McEchran are fine if you want a mid-table position, but they’re just not going to be consistently good enough to get a promotion from this division. They’ll have good games, of course, but consistency to maintain a promotion charge? I think not. The youngsters may well have great careers, but right now it’s not happening for them.

I won’t pile on Harris. We knew what we were buying and he hasn’t disappointed.

Manning may well come in for some negativity, but I think he’s the victim of the team outperforming its capability. We need another transfer window or two to recruit the quality needed.

It’s not all doom and gloom. We’ve made a great deal of progress but I don’t believe that this is the year.

 

[OX14]

That formation doesn’t seem to suit our personnel, apart from Stevenage (I think) when have we looked that convincing?
And how the feck did Stevens stay on so long, a passenger virtually and in the last 30 mins how many times did him and Long double up on players and still get done.

Stevens is no right back that's for sure. I'm not actually sure what his best position is.