Home Match Day Thread 23/01/2024 L1: OUFC vs Barnsley

[Carpy]

Should be our toughest test of recent times this evening if the form table is to be believed

 

[Dubai Yellow]

Looked naive 2nd half, stupid fouls, played into Barnsleys hands. No no cutting edge up top either (Albeit in horrendous conditions).

Draw would have been a fair result in the end but overall just a very frustrating night. I wouldn’t use this result as a benchmark to the rest of our season, but up until now I’d say we are just a good bet for the playoffs.

 

[battman]

Why does every defeat feel like a disaster on this forum? Frustrating game but we created enough chances to get something from a game against promotion/playoff rivals, and we were on top at the end. It was far from being ‘very poor’ and other semantics, especially in some bad conditions.

At the moment you feel this side needs to score relatively early to have a chance of winning the game, so I do feel we need to see a couple of attacking additions come in asap, ideally one before the weekend. But I don’t think we’re as far behind as some are suggesting.

 

[chromeyellow]

Goodrham was very poor this evening

P**s poor, Des Ball at its worst.

He is clearly a level below Liam. As I have said before, I don’t understand his appointment, a dreadful cv, managing New Zealand and Indian teams ffs. Must have been cheap.

there's an ignoramus on here

 

[WRox]

17 shots only 4 on target.

Barnsley only 1 on target from a header. How many headers at goal did we have from inside the box? None? In those conditions?

Say it every week, you need a plan B to get out this league. You need 2/3 big men in the box for crosses when the going gets tough. We never build a squad that can mix it up and do both, then we come a cropper against teams who can. That being Derby and Barnsley two home games in a row.

In fairness we have just spent the best part of half a mill on exactly the player we were missing tonight.

 

[Mad Dog]

We're just not very good. A shame really, after what seemed an exciting summer transfer window, but we're simply not good enough.

 

[Jster]

Certainly not cheap, but how much better would Manning have managed that?

Well, we did beat Barnsley under Manning, so...

 

[Osei Yaw]

That was crap. Both teams had the better of the half with the wind at their back, they scored, we didn't.

Don't really buy the point I've heard on RadOx that we couldn't compete with them, we absolutely could but it was a s**t game in s**t conditions.

 

[captainox]

That was woeful in every way.

 

[Scrongo]

20 minutes in and half this board had given up!

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[WRox]

Well, we did beat Barnsley under Manning, so...

It’s the lack of control I’m missing. The almost boring deduction of the game into a series of micromanaged moments.

Compare that to aimless diagonals to Tyler Goodrham up against someone twice the size and quicker than him.

 

[Oxfordpete]

Well Sam long comes straight back into team
Plays poorly
Scores own goal
Goes off injured
Ruben poor tonight
Tyler didn’t get going until 20 mins to go
Marcus poor, should have scored
Harris should have scored
Cam hit the crossbar deserved to score
Didn’t really work their goalie enough
Lots of shots most way off target

 

[WuTang]

In fairness we have just spent the best part of half a mill on exactly the player we were missing tonight.

He would have suited tonight but OUFC signing an injured player who can't help us straight away is typical. Let's hope he has an impact when he's back.

 

[MateoCorbo'sTackle]

Still in the play-offs, 19 games left, all is not lost!

Absolutely right. We matched them, and I think 1-0 flattered them, even through we really struggled with the conditions. It was crying out for a quick winger to get to the byline and sling in low crosses. We miss Mills and Edwards, and Burey not up to speed yet, unsurprisingly. Neither is Leigh. Goodrham anonymous, McEachran and Smyth did pretty well.
No way is this the dire situation some people are making it out to be.

 

[OxfordNondie]

Wrong starting 11.
No way should Long have started.

Second half why so tippy tappy at the back. Get the ball quicker especially when losing!

MM and RR, did they play ?

Hey ho at least Henry never came on

Anyhow still lots to play and look forward to, we can still go up@

 

[WEYellow]

We're just not very good. A shame really, after what seemed an exciting summer transfer window, but we're simply not good enough.

We’re not as good as our start was and even when around the top there was some cause for concern, this is no reason to lambast Des though (i know you haven’t) when it’s simply a decent squad returning to an expected position

 

[greatunclekip]

Certainly not cheap, but how much better would Manning have managed that?

Tactically and game plan wise, Des makes Liam Manning look like a mix of Pep, Klopp and Sir Alex.

It's Patto all over again.

 

[unification]

P**s poor, Des Ball at its worst.

He is clearly a level below Liam. As I have said before, I don’t understand his appointment, a dreadful cv, managing New Zealand and Indian teams ffs. Must have been cheap.

Look at the manager whose team beat us today.

Games managed in England prior to taking the Barnsley job: 0.

He joined from (checks notes) the Tampa Bay Rowdies, currently not even in the MLS.

Give your head a wobble.

 

[battman]

P**s poor, Des Ball at its worst.

He is clearly a level below Liam. As I have said before, I don’t understand his appointment, a dreadful cv, managing New Zealand and Indian teams ffs. Must have been cheap.

I can’t remember an Oxford manager who’s been at the club for as short a time as he has who cops this type of criticism after a defeat.

What’s happened to giving the new manager time, and also not questioning their entire credentials every time they don’t pick up three points?

 

[Swaby39]

Second half is hard to take credit for. OK, we improved, but Barnsley made big changes before a ball was kicked which allowed us to play a bit more. They nailed the conditions and essentially put out two different performances. 2nd half, they sat off 10/15 yards more, stop the ball flying over them and used the big fella to get back up the field. Textbook, basic, ugly, who cares, job done.

Top end of the field was far too lightweight and our players looked to be blowing away in the wind nevermind the ball. The squad shortages are agonising to endure when we don’t get away with it.

 

[NorthWestOx]

Des, you are putting out some of the most genuinely boring football I have seen in my 25 years support.

You don't go to matches though???