Home Match Day Thread +++ 20/08/2019 L1: OUFC vs Burton Albion+++

Just thinking about the team for Saturday and what Robinson could do to change things and realised we do have a problem at right wing. Who can he put in who has pace and an attacking threat? Henry is doing ok but lacks pace. The same with Forde. Hall unfortunately shouldn’t be considered at the moment..

Hopefully Fosu can stay fit on the left. As others have said, without him there’s a serious lack of pace unless Berkoe is played in that position.

Agree with the general consensus, Moore has to play CB alongside Dickie, with Mouse in for Gorrin. I like Gorrin but he was targeted by Burton, possibly because they saw the yellows he’s racking up? He did seem to have a problem though and might need resting.
 
Really bad night all round. Poor crowd, poor performances from back to front and poor management.

That said, I’ve seen OUFC teams in the past who just give up. This lot do keep working IMO which is positive.

Was CB having words with someone in the North Stand at the end?
Some clown shouting no end of abuse towards him & Brannagan didn't hold back telling him what he thought of that. Reminded me of Jake Wrights passion for the club.
 
Lots of criticism flying around for Mous & Dickie’s performances last night - and whilst I agree they didn’t cover themselves in glory, I do think the impressive Burton gameplan was as much to do with it as underperformance on the part of our CB’s. They identified how we play with combative but diminutive midfielders alongside progressive full backs and continually nailed us with quick switches of play which went in behind our full backs (particularly Ruffels with big Aikens). It meant Dickie and Mousinho were constantly getting pulled apart into wider areas than they’d like. Mous wasn’t great and made a lot of errors. But well into his 30’s, on his weaker side, and with the muscular Aikens (plus the rest of their impressive and energetic attacking line-up) running at him...it wasn’t a game which played to Mousinho’s strengths and he had a tough time - but we should’ve done more to protect him.

Lots of calls to get Moore in too - and FWIW I agree. However, had Moore been playing I’m not convinced the pattern of play or result would’ve been any different. Burton had a brilliant game plan for the way we are set up to play. We showed for 20 minutes at the start of the second half how to counteract them (by moving it quickly and accurately, retaining possession to prevent them getting in behind our full backs and by matching them for energy and endeavour in the press)...but couldn’t maintain it. Even into the 95th minute their front players were steaming around the pitch and making it difficult. I thought they were very impressive.

Our CB’s weren’t the best and Mousinho did have a poor game. But they were very exposed and got no protection at all due to the performances of players higher up the pitch, and the fact that we were tactically out-manoeuvred by a very good team. I did think it was a good game of football though. Even when not at our best I thought we looked dangerous going forward and some of our play when we did ‘get it right’ was good. I still feel very positive - but last night we got set a benchmark and a warning sign for how teams will look to beat us. Over to KR and the players to work out how to play ‘our game’ against teams who play like Burton
 
Hmmm not great but not one to lose our minds over.

A few points:

- Henry didn’t stay wide enough and didn’t fancy running into the space behind the LB (we scored vs Peterborough this way). The pattern of play became too predictable - Henry inside, Cadden outside, play the one two

- Cadden has acres of space most of the match and was our most advanced a wide player...we simply didn’t get the ball to him soon enough taking too many touches

- Cadden needs to add some end product...9 crosses only 1 making it to an oxford player. Still, cut backs to the penalty spot are the one.

- Gorrin is getting criticised - defensively he was good, on the ball he was pressed into errors.

- I think we look more secure with three in midfield. Adding Baptiste in who can beat a press will be crucial but does mean losing the #10 or even adding Hanson in.

- Mousinho was shakey but has kept McNulty/Grigg/Toney/Eisa quiet in previous matches - however he was again pressed into errors

- playing with Taylor added a different dimesnsion. He stays between the CB and makes runs behind. He was doing it all match we just need Woodburn etc to learn his runs (like the first goal).

- we scored two very good goals

- after we scored the second we failed to manage the game. Can see below from 60mins onwards we lost our hold on the game:

BC9CEF8B-CD92-40A2-B069-D75B53D3262F.png

We have a pretty stacked squad now and almost have too many options. KR will have a load of decisions to make which possibly means dropping some big players.
 
On the whole I agree, although have to disagree about Eastwood. He had zero chance with any of the goals. The first was awful defending and a free header from a corner. The second was a Fabulous strike from the edge of the are right into the top corner after the defenders failed to clear. The third took a massive deflection and eastwood couldn't adjust his feet fast enough. The fourth was a brilliant strike that hit the post and went in again Eastwood didn't have a chance.


You may well be right re Eastwood but any keeper will be disappointed to concede three from distance. He doesn't have to have been directly at fault to be disappointed in himself though, any keeper will always feel a bit bruised that three from a way out have beaten him. Yes, there was a deflection for one but they are still saveable.

It's an irritation of mine with pundits when you hear them say 'no keeper is saving that' or 'keeper had no chance' and then you look at the slo mo replay and see that his finger tips were within millimetres of the ball - in other words plenty of keepers would have saved it ! A finger tip an inch from the ball requires a split second of foot movement to make the save and when a shot is hit from 25 yards out a goakeeper does have that split second to set himself right.
 
Yes, we can slag off individual players who failed to find the heights of last week, but that would be at the expense of realising that Burton to a man worked their f*****g nuts off to stop us from playing and imposed their game on us.
They were physically stronger and sharper than us for large parts of that game, and scrapped for everything.

We often had no free outlet such was their hard marking and our possession was quickly lost if you dwelled on it too long.
We weren’t crap, but we weren’t great either and bang average just didn’t cut it tonight.
Sometimes you just have to acknowledge that you were not quite ‘on it’ and this was one of those nights.

We have to rest, recover and look to Saturday where we have the chance to shine again.
This
 
Hmmm not great but not one to lose our minds over.

A few points:

- Henry didn’t stay wide enough and didn’t fancy running into the space behind the LB (we scored vs Peterborough this way). The pattern of play became too predictable - Henry inside, Cadden outside, play the one two

- Cadden has acres of space most of the match and was our most advanced a wide player...we simply didn’t get the ball to him soon enough taking too many touches

- Cadden needs to add some end product...9 crosses only 1 making it to an oxford player. Still, cut backs to the penalty spot are the one.

- Gorrin is getting criticised - defensively he was good, on the ball he was pressed into errors.

- I think we look more secure with three in midfield. Adding Baptiste in who can beat a press will be crucial but does mean losing the #10 or even adding Hanson in.

- Mousinho was shakey but has kept McNulty/Grigg/Toney/Eisa quiet in previous matches - however he was again pressed into errors

- playing with Taylor added a different dimesnsion. He stays between the CB and makes runs behind. He was doing it all match we just need Woodburn etc to learn his runs (like the first goal).

- we scored two very good goals

- after we scored the second we failed to manage the game. Can see below from 60mins onwards we lost our hold on the game:

View attachment 2062

We have a pretty stacked squad now and almost have too many options. KR will have a load of decisions to make which possibly means dropping some big players.

We did seem to run out of energy on the hour mark. You can carry one or two players, but we seem to have 5 or 6 who look leggy. Woodburn, Henry, Taylor, Forde, Gorrin, Hall and even Brannagan in the latter stages, but not sure if that was him just dropping his head. He needs to rise above this (I know it’s because he hates losing), especially if you’re the captain.
 
Hmmm not great but not one to lose our minds over.

A few points:

- Henry didn’t stay wide enough and didn’t fancy running into the space behind the LB (we scored vs Peterborough this way). The pattern of play became too predictable - Henry inside, Cadden outside, play the one two

- Cadden has acres of space most of the match and was our most advanced a wide player...we simply didn’t get the ball to him soon enough taking too many touches

- Cadden needs to add some end product...9 crosses only 1 making it to an oxford player. Still, cut backs to the penalty spot are the one.

- Gorrin is getting criticised - defensively he was good, on the ball he was pressed into errors.

- I think we look more secure with three in midfield. Adding Baptiste in who can beat a press will be crucial but does mean losing the #10 or even adding Hanson in.

- Mousinho was shakey but has kept McNulty/Grigg/Toney/Eisa quiet in previous matches - however he was again pressed into errors

- playing with Taylor added a different dimesnsion. He stays between the CB and makes runs behind. He was doing it all match we just need Woodburn etc to learn his runs (like the first goal).

- we scored two very good goals

- after we scored the second we failed to manage the game. Can see below from 60mins onwards we lost our hold on the game:

View attachment 2062

We have a pretty stacked squad now and almost have too many options. KR will have a load of decisions to make which possibly means dropping some big players.

Good assessment. Their game plan seemed to be attack our mids and close them down, restricting them from dictating play.

One thing about our game plan that concerns me is our reliance on the right wing work of Cadden and Henry. I agree that if Henry does get dragged elsewhere on the pitch, it leaves Cadden with work to do, but he had space as you say, with no end product. My other concern her is that....he's gone in January. I can assume/hope that we are already considering alternatives, as if this IS going to be a regular tactic, losing a key part of that in Jan is going to cause issues.

That was probably the first time this season Gorrin has been shut down like that. I hope he can figure out a way of countering that, as other teams will see that as a way of keeping us quiet if he doesn't
 
Good assessment. Their game plan seemed to be attack our mids and close them down, restricting them from dictating play.

One thing about our game plan that concerns me is our reliance on the right wing work of Cadden and Henry. I agree that if Henry does get dragged elsewhere on the pitch, it leaves Cadden with work to do, but he had space as you say, with no end product. My other concern her is that....he's gone in January. I can assume/hope that we are already considering alternatives, as if this IS going to be a regular tactic, losing a key part of that in Jan is going to cause issues.

That was probably the first time this season Gorrin has been shut down like that. I hope he can figure out a way of countering that, as other teams will see that as a way of keeping us quiet if he doesn't

Cadden is just missing that final cross/key pass. He is the most advanced of any of our wide players but his play with Henry is a little predictable.

I tweeted about what we will do is Cadden leaves in January and folk asked if I always wake up and find things to worry about...but it’s pretty evident our reliance on him. Take him out of the team and who gets into advanced areas out wide in the current team?

There could be an argument for long at RB and push Cadden forwards, but not sure we need to tinker too much
 
I thought the ref did good......I think now we have a great,squad the dilemma can be who to play where.... thought our defence looked shaky .... thorne although not the fastest was cool as a cucumber to score ... but they had a game plan to press and muscle us off the ball and it worked .. very well
 
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Well they’ve done their homework on us , and turned us over! But he is a very good technical manager, as would expect his dad was a genius as a technical manager.
And put all the fanfare down bit for us, l think it’s the four goals we let slip is the biggest downside , that should never happen!
Makes Rovers a even bigger game then it was , don’t want to be three on the bounce with no points! So over to you KR.
 
It was a very disappointing performance. For me the worrying thing was that there were very few awful performances by Oxford players, but we didn't look at all coherent as a team. I was hoping for the free-flowing football as was described us playing at Blackpool, but with a striker added. What I saw was a slow team, passing in little tight triangles that didn't get very far much of the time (when the passes actually reached their target at all!), easily undone by Burton - who worked extremely hard to stifle us (they looked the fitter team), moved the ball quicker than us, could play the ball both short and long and who made a host of chances. I hope it was just a bad day at the office...
 
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IF we're going to play the way we did last night - as ZeroTheHero says, lots of little tight triangles in midfield - the player who we really could do with is a Baptiste, who can do that plus drive forwards and beat a man, thus opening up the game. Could really have done with (a fit) him in midfield last night, we lacked the ability to drive forwards and open them up
 
It’s not the end of the world, just need to pick ourselves up and sort the problems out and go away and win next Saturday..?
 
I can only echo the other Rob Hall comments - he just looks really off the pace at the moment. My heart says it's just a player who has had 2 long terms injuries not trusting themselves on the pitch and he will get better, my head says he's just had too many injuries in his career and his body is understandably slowing down.

In some respects, Burton did us a favour last night. With a bit of luck on their side, they made life hard. It's a nice template for other teams, but it's a great training point for our coaches too. We need to be a lot quicker with the ball if teams just sit deep like Burton did.

The issue with playing Taylor up front on his own is getting him into the game. Without some pace around him, he really got isolated and there was a reliance on him being engaged all the time (he was) to pick at the scraps.
 
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