+++ 13/07/20 L1 Play Off FINAL - OUFC v Wycombe+++

Status
Not open for further replies.
They are a dangerous side and seem the strongest of all the four playoff teams - they’re strong, pacy and direct. They could easily bulldoze us and brush us aside - having said that, we could get our passing game going and knock it around them.

We need to have confidence in our passing game and not just hit long balls forward or take long shots like we did at times against Portsmouth - when we instead had the confidence to trust our process and play our way it was much better. To me, that means Dickie bringing the ball forwards out of defence and committing midfielders, Brannigan dropping deep and pinging the ball about and Henry not just shooting long every time but playing short probing passes around the oppositions box. Get that going and not many teams can live with us...

I hear what you're saying but would argue that shooting from range has been a tactic all season and it's served us well at times.
 
was going to have day off on monday cos my back is fecked but think i’ll go in to take my mind off it. bloody nervous about this one.
we’re definitely the better footballing side but Wycombe have been doing well this season.
hopefully an early goal for us will settle the team down and see us playing something like we have been before lockdown.
drove past the stadium the other night and to think we could be playing championship football there next season is unbelievable when you think where we were 10 years ago
 
They're a very good, effective and efficient side that will cause us plenty of problems. Ainsworth has done a magnificent job and we all know they won't lack motivation.

Having said all that, if we play in the fashion that got us to third when the league stopped, we have plenty going for ourselves, too.

This stat from Opta was tweeted out the other day shows how stark the difference in styles is between the teams:

View attachment 4060

If we can repeat that style at Wembley and the back four can marshall their attacking threat, I think we have an exceptional chance to win.

But that's a big ask. We didn't see much of it in the semi-final games and we seemed rushed when in possession. Rustiness? Effectiveness of the opposition to nullify? Adapted tactics in the face of the opposition? Who knows, but to me it's imperative that we make every attempt to play our own style and impose it upon Wycombe. Any thought that we could get drawn in to a battle on their terms leaves me very nervous.

I think they have much more about them than Northampton, but watching how Northampton suffocated and bulldozed Exeter (a far superior passing side) in the League 2 final should serve as a reminder to us all that an expansive style is not guaranteed to win the day.

All that said, man-for-man I think we have the better players and I have total faith that their talent, experience and formidable spirit can overcome the opposition in front of us.

COYY!
Great post.
 
Against Fleetwood, Wycombe capitalised on mistakes made. Stray passes were quickly hoofed forward indeed, looking at how Pompey scored in the first leg, that goal came as a quickly hoofed forward ball with our defence still in attack mode and out of position. If we can play our passing game and make those passes stick, we will win. Equally, if we lose possession, players have got to cover from any position. Wycombe are not particularly inventive in their style but have the players to put a ball away, given the chance.
I would expect that Karl and the backroom boys have got plans. :sneaky:
Worryingly both Pompey goals came from route one football..
 
I'm not at all superstitious but lucky shorts, pants and 1996 OUFC t-shirt stored after the pens ready for the final. Not risking a haircut either. Cut the lawn and did a bit of housework last weekend so wife insists I keep build-up the same ready for Monday - really taking one for the team here.
 
A good interview with Karl on the Going Up Going Down podcast https://pca.st/episode/6af3b7eb-654d-419c-9e3e-533201d8131c?t=1884.0
Excellent interview with Karl. In the early days of Karl when I heard him being interviewed after the game I sometimes wondered if we had been at the same game but I’ve warmed to this guy now.
We must Not be drawn into a local derby sort of game by Wycombe. I’m sure that will be their plan. We will, I hope play our own open expansive type of game, build from the back, be prepared to wait and take our opportunities when they come. COYY.
 
We must play our natural game , and ignore Wycombe as much as possible, they will relish all this M40 rubbish and how hard life is for them, just impose our ability and go for it, none of the players should need motivation for this game.promotion would be a fitting end to this season ⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽
 
I reckon we will have to play very well to beat Wycombe and I'm surprised that we are strong favourites. I think they are in the right place mentally after reaching the playoffs in the manor (see what I did there) they did and they look very strong physically.
It will be about our quality in possession, how quickly we can move the ball around the Wembley turf, and being clinical when the chances present themselves.
 
I would consider playing Mousinho as the CDM as so much of the game revolves around an initial long ball need to also press high to stop their defenders getting their heads up. Apart from that the big pitch should allow for us to dominate possession and take their legs away. Going for us to win it in the last 20 with a Dan Aygei break
Good Job we've got Moore and Dickie, both have been excellent when intercepting high balls from deep, we tend to struggle more from crosses for some reason.
 
I think its good that there’s, quite rightly, no arrogance or bravado being displayed on this forum. Nobody is under any illusions about how tough a match its going to be. Lets hope that feeling of caution and the need to be bang on top of our game from the first minute to the last extends to Karl and the players.
 
The first 30 minutes or so against Pompey saw us getting overwhelmed down our right, with Sam Long constantly on the back foot. We quickly adapted and stopped that threat for the remaining 3 hours or so of the two games. Equally, one long ball was missed by Gorrin leaving Dickie and Moore too far apart, allowing Pompey to score in the second leg. After this we dealt with long balls really well and were rarely troubled.

So we can hopefully adapt just as quickly to whatever Wycombe throw at us and win ugly if needed. But we also know that few teams, especially Wycombe, can live with us when we play our A game. Get on the front foot from the off and put them to the sword!

Oxford 6 Wycombe 0!!!
 
The first 30 minutes or so against Pompey saw us getting overwhelmed down our right, with Sam Long constantly on the back foot. We quickly adapted and stopped that threat for the remaining 3 hours or so of the two games. Equally, one long ball was missed by Gorrin leaving Dickie and Moore too far apart, allowing Pompey to score in the second leg. After this we dealt with long balls really well and were rarely troubled.

So we can hopefully adapt just as quickly to whatever Wycombe throw at us and win ugly if needed. But we also know that few teams, especially Wycombe, can live with us when we play our A game. Get on the front foot from the off and put them to the sword!

Oxford 6 Wycombe 0!!!
Haha - impeccable timing.. ?
 
Good Job we've got Moore and Dickie, both have been excellent when intercepting high balls from deep, we tend to struggle more from crosses for some reason.
Yes absolutely just feel it helps to have a tall player in front of the attacker plus additional calm leadership on the pitch and extra height for set pieces. Happy either way as Gorrin is excellent
 
KR interview on Radox (around 8.20 this morning) was very good. Referring to the penalties he talked about not allowing excitement, nerves etc to affect technique. To me this if key for us on Monday. We have to deal well with the occasion and allow the talents we've shown this season to flow.
 
The other thing it`s almost a "free hit" for both teams.
Ask any supporter of either side if they would take being in the play off final at the end of the season and nobody would have said no.
Both us and them have grafted to reach the doorstep of what could be an impeccably timed arrival in the Championship as the entire structure of the game changes.
Almost like hitting the Premiershit when the first year of SKY money arrived.

And Boris is a FHC ! ? ? ?

BorisFHC.jpg
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom