Away Match Day Thread 29/03/24 - L1: Shrewsbury v OUFC

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tonyw said:
Absolutely this.

People need to go watch the 30 seconds before the equalizer again.

Yes, it was poor keeping, and there were some questionable defensive clearances, but before that we massively over-committed going forwards, and allowed them to waltz the entire length of the pitch without being challenged.....in the last ten minutes of a game we were winning by a single goal.

If we had actually sat back, kept possession and killed the game (as, for example, we did in the home game under Manning against the same opponents) then we're heading home with 3 points tonight.

There's never any control of the game under Des. It always feels frantic, always harum scarum, and you always feel like we have another mistake in us.
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But despite everything you said about the lead up to their goal, and yes Moore's first clearance was a bit clumsy and off balance, I thought Brown's clearing header under pressure was then half decent, the closing down on the edge of the box might have been a bit better as their player got a shot of sorts away, the actual shot that the team afforded the opposition given the previous 30 seconds of a bit of disarray became one as good as you can allow under the circumstances, and 99999 times out of 100,000 your keeper is saving. The shot is easily saved, panic over, the game keeps going, we win 1-0.

This is League 1 football, attackers at this level generally do have a moment in each game which you can do nothing about, and defenders or midfielders tend to not do their job properly all of the time. Shots from the opposition team happen. It is fine margins and often turns into what you can get away with in every game. We got away with it to give a chance that turned out to be of minimal probability of it going into the net. The liability that has become our goalkeeper turns this into a goal that should never have been. Goalkeeper errors happen too. But they have become too regular and absolutely horrific of late. You can say that we needed to score another goal to make the game safe. And ideally you would. But it is far more difficult for anyone to score a goal than it is for a keeper to save the shot that Cumming has just let in. We didn't need another goal today. We just needed a basic save to be made.
 
Nadi- said:
True but Moore and Bennett were both guilty of poor passes and nearly costing us today.
2 lost points because we shut off and haven’t the ability the ability to defend the Edge of our box.
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If our defenders could pass we would have a very good team I think. I wonder if that’s the major missing piece for the next transfer window?
 
Scrongo said:
Well it's a bit late now , it's the end of the season. You can't keep changing the manager. We chucking money away like confetti. He may come good next season.
Be careful what you wish for, it's sod's law if he gets the boot he'll be successful somewhere else.. not all great managers start off great . Fergie comes to mind , wasn't he one game away from the sack & the rest is history.. we've been in league 1 a long long time now . So what makes this season the exception...
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Manning had this side sitting second in the table and the team had a clear game plan. Missing out on the play offs after such a great start will be seen as a failure especially with our playing squad budget.

Des wasn't the right appointment considering he didn't even have an assistant to call upon. He is not learning from his mistakes even though he keeps banging on about learning from mistakes.
 
Sarge said:
southern softies?
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I remember noting at the time that we committed just 4 fouls against Derby too, in a game that consisted of them throwing wave after wave of attacks at us.
 
Coffin dodger said:
Long didn't just stand off he gave them the freedom of the city.
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Both Moore and Brown did their job, but we are so poor to 2nd ball.
Was watching Bodin being absolutely absent and then a token effort,
To be fair if he hadn’t scored, I’d ask if he was out there today.
 
Out of interest, was it *that* bad from Cumming today? The shot came through an absolute load of bodies, and he must have seen it late. (I hadn't really thought to blame him particularly before coming on here, but it's definitely making me wonder now.)
 
A very very frustrating game. One that we should have won by at least 3 or 4 goals. Even their fans walking back to the pub couldn’t believe we hadn’t won.
Still in the mix for the play offs with plenty more twists and turns. Do I think we will go up? Very doubtful as I just think we have a bit too much dead wood in this squad that needs clearing out.
 
Jster said:
Out of interest, was it *that* bad from Cumming today? The shot came through an absolute load of bodies, and he must have seen it late. (I hadn't really thought to blame him particularly before coming on here, but it's definitely making me wonder now.)
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No but he is becoming an easy go to for some when it comes to blaming players.
 
dickwalton1964 said:
What did he do consistently over 90 minutes then ?
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He’s been our best player the last 6 or 7 games, and was as good as anyone today. Constantly causing problems for the fullback and delivered about 7 good crosses and brilliantly set up the goal.
No idea what game you’re watching mate, unless you just see what you want see.
 
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Jster said:
Out of interest, was it *that* bad from Cumming today? The shot came through an absolute load of bodies, and he must have seen it late. (I hadn't really thought to blame him particularly before coming on here, but it's definitely making me wonder now.)
Click to expand...
It didn’t look like a goalkeeping howler to me. People may also be forgetting the fine save he made in the first half.
 
Uncharacteristically wound up by that. Those more long in the tooth than me can probably think of other examples, but I can’t think of a season more frustrating than this one has been over the last few months. SO many points thrown away, normally from winning positions, against terrible teams. It’s utterly infuriating.

I don’t think the performance was, in the main, actually that bad. We played some neat stuff at times and got in behind more than once. Defensively we looked pretty solid and when we got it wide we got some threatening balls in. We also counterpressed well on more than one occasion. I don’t think you can say we clearly deserved to win - Shrews had their chances - but we really should have done.

We just KEEP giving away these stupidly soft goals. How on earth was there that much space down our right in the last 10 minutes of a game we were only one goal up in? I think Cumming will get pelters for their goal, but I have sympathy given how many people were in his eye line. The real crime was giving their (impressive, I thought) left back that much space that far forward that late on. It’s a real, real flaw in either team psyche or setup, or (most likely) both. It’s happened too many times this season to be ‘unlucky’.

I thought Browne looked dangerous when he came on, which was a plus. And I thought Bennett gave a solid account of himself again. Brannagan did about as well as could have been expected in a midfield that, I said before the game, just isn’t balanced enough to succeed at this level. Bodin I think has quietly been a really valuable player for us this season, popping up with some important goals, so I’m willing to forgive his being otherwise quiet. But Rodrigues is fast losing a lot of goodwill for me. The guy hasn’t really shown up since Leyton away in November, except for the pass to Stevens against Charlton on New Year’s Day. I’m not saying he’s downed tools - it’d be a stupid accusation given I don’t know him at all - but the timing of his drop off coinciding directly with Manning’s leaving is certainly noticeable.

Thought the ref had a good game. After that horror show v Vale, he’s impressed v both Bolton and Shrews now. Credit where it’s due.

I know I’m ranting, but I said before the game that today was a must win, and I’m now sticking by that. I don’t think we make playoffs from here. We’ve shown too many times we just don’t have the constitution to see out games and get results. It’s a real shame, given how much promise this season had, but, with the best will in the world, I just don’t think we have it in us.
 
AbsoluteZero said:
But despite everything you said about the lead up to their goal, and yes Moore's first clearance was a bit clumsy and off balance, I thought Brown's clearing header under pressure was then half decent, the closing down on the edge of the box might have been a bit better as their player got a shot of sorts away, the actual shot that the team afforded the opposition given the previous 30 seconds of a bit of disarray became one as good as you can allow under the circumstances, and 99999 times out of 100,000 your keeper is saving. The shot is easily saved, panic over, the game keeps going, we win 1-0.

This is League 1 football, attackers at this level generally do have a moment in each game which you can do nothing about, and defenders or midfielders tend to not do their job properly all of the time. Shots from the opposition team happen. It is fine margins and often turns into what you can get away with in every game. We got away with it to give a chance that turned out to be of minimal probability of it going into the net. The liability that has become our goalkeeper turns this into a goal that should never have been. Goalkeeper errors happen too. But they have become too regular and absolutely horrific of late. You can say that we needed to score another goal to make the game safe. And ideally you would. But it is far more difficult for anyone to score a goal than it is for a keeper to save the shot that Cumming has just let in. We didn't need another goal today. We just needed a basic save to be made.
Click to expand...
Beadle saves it!🤨
 
OX14 said:
The new stadium and the continue growth of the football club needs to come together. An exciting to watch team fighting for promotion will bring in higher attendances than a boring to watch mid table side.

I don't have faith that Des can build a squad and have the management capability to continue the growth of the football team.
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Alternatively the owners can or might think WTF and just move on. The last 2 seasons we’ve had good budgets but looks like it could be wasted so will the owners stump up again.
 
ttg17 said:
Uncharacteristically wound up by that. Those more long in the tooth than me can probably think of other examples, but I can’t think of a season more frustrating than this one has been over the last few months. SO many points thrown away, normally from winning positions, against terrible teams. It’s utterly infuriating.

I don’t think the performance was, in the main, actually that bad. We played some neat stuff at times and got in behind more than once. Defensively we looked pretty solid and when we got it wide we got some threatening balls in. We also counterpressed well on more than one occasion. I don’t think you can say we clearly deserved to win - Shrews had their chances - but we really should have done.

We just KEEP giving away these stupidly soft goals. How on earth was there that much space down our right in the last 10 minutes of a game we were only one goal up in? I think Cumming will get pelters for their goal, but I have sympathy given how many people were in his eye line. The real crime was giving their (impressive, I thought) left back that much space that far forward that late on. It’s a real, real flaw in either team psyche or setup, or (most likely) both. It’s happened too many times this season to be ‘unlucky’.

I thought Browne looked dangerous when he came on, which was a plus. And I thought Bennett gave a solid account of himself again. Brannagan did about as well as could have been expected in a midfield that, I said before the game, just isn’t balanced enough to succeed at this level. Bodin I think has quietly been a really valuable player for us this season, popping up with some important goals, so I’m willing to forgive his being otherwise quiet. But Rodrigues is fast losing a lot of goodwill for me. The guy hasn’t really shown up since Leyton away in November, except for the pass to Stevens against Charlton on New Year’s Day. I’m not saying he’s downed tools - it’d be a stupid accusation given I don’t know him at all - but the timing of his drop off coinciding directly with Manning’s leaving is certainly noticeable.

Thought the ref had a good game. After that horror show v Vale, he’s impressed v both Bolton and Shrews now. Credit where it’s due.

I know I’m ranting, but I said before the game that today was a must win, and I’m now sticking by that. I don’t think we make playoffs from here. We’ve shown too many times we just don’t have the constitution to see out games and get results. It’s a real shame, given how much promise this season had, but, with the best will in the world, I just don’t think we have it in us.
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Accurate summary, also I’d add we missed about 5 really big chances in 2nd half
 
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tomoufc said:
If our defenders could pass we would have a very good team I think. I wonder if that’s the major missing piece for the next transfer window?
Click to expand...
We wouldn’t. The players are always part of the problem when you’re struggling to some degree but if you’re looking for the fundamental reason a team plays so poorly for so long, you have to stop excusing the man in the dugout.

We started both halves slowly and proceeded to give Shrewsbury breathers while we passed needlessly waiting to catapult a long ball in to the arms of the goalkeeper. We got there eventually with the goal but a league one centre back will not hit that pass often - how many times did we try it? You can’t build a game plan on Moore and Brown splitting defences from 50 yards away. I started to think our plan was actually to give them the ball and hunt down errors. Why on Earth, in 6th place, are we not up for this game? And why after a poor first half are we not flying out the traps aiming to put them away? He hasn’t got their attention.

The signs are ominous. Players must carry some of the weight but I can’t believe this force field that exists around Des on the forum - this is a spectacular failure that we’re seeing.
 
bazzer9461 said:
Alternatively the owners can or might think WTF and just move on. The last 2 seasons we’ve had good budgets but looks like it could be wasted so will the owners stump up again.
Click to expand...

The same applies to the majority of football league clubs. Not many run at a profit or even break even. While there still is a possibility of a new stadium our owners will fund us to challenge for promotion out of this league.
 
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