Manager/Coach Des Buckingham

Peterdev said:
Here’s a nice thought. If we thump Lincoln on Tuesday 4-0, that would possibly guarantee a play off place and give Des Buckingham a chance of manager of the month scoring 17 without conceding
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I think a win would guarantee a playoff place, wouldn’t it? The only team that could catch us would be Blackpool, and any win for us v Lincoln would mean they’d have to overturn an at least 8 GD, while winning both their games (Barnsley H and Reading A) and us losing both of ours (against a Stevenage in relegation form and a mid table Exeter side who should be on the beach). Can’t see it.
 
Peterdev said:
Here’s a nice thought. If we thump Lincoln on Tuesday 4-0, that would possibly guarantee a play off place and give Des Buckingham a chance of manager of the month scoring 17 without conceding
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What? You mean that hopeless no-experience-of-real-football novice who just doesn’t know what he’s doing and should have been sacked after two games?? THAT Des Buckingham?
 
ttg17 said:
I think a win would guarantee a playoff place, wouldn’t it? The only team that could catch us would be Blackpool, and any win for us v Lincoln would mean they’d have to overturn an at least 8 GD, while winning both their games (Barnsley H and Reading A) and us losing both of ours (against a Stevenage in relegation form and a mid table Exeter side who should be on the beach). Can’t see it.
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Realistically yes.

If we lose the next 2 and Blackpool can win 2, in the process scoring 7 more goals than what we win by then they will go above us on goal differece
 
Followtheox1 said:
He seems to be very progressive with the way he wants to play. I don't think any game under Manning was quite like yesterday. Manning was all about possession, there was control even it was dull at times.
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This really isn’t true.

Derby, Barnsley, Exeter, Bristol Rovers etc all comfortably won the battle of possession against us under Manning.

We let the opposition have the ball for longer before we started closing them down than just about any other top ten side.

We were a counter attacking team.
Scotchegg said:
4 points from these next two home games guarantees the playoffs and also guarantees the outcome, live on Sky and more importantly, in the face of Fatty Evans and whoever is in the studio.
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Oh God, I’m going to be that guy.

Do we have to insult his weight/appearance?

Always bothered me.
 
RgYellows said:
This really isn’t true.

Derby, Barnsley, Exeter, Bristol Rovers etc all comfortably won the battle of possession against us under Manning.

We let the opposition have the ball for longer before we started closing them down than just about any other top ten side.

We were a counter attacking team.

Oh God, I’m going to be that guy.

Do we have to insult his weight/appearance?

Always bothered me.
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Yes fair enough, there were some teams we didn't dominate possession against.
 
Followtheox1 said:
Yes fair enough, there were some teams we didn't dominate possession against.
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I think the main standout difference during peak Manning and now peak Des is the degree of expression involved. Manning was encouraging control in every aspect whereas Des seems more happy to allow risk and encourage players be creative. There are other clear differences but most are as a result of this core change.

Like any way of playing it’ll have days it flies and days it looks horrendous, it was no different under Manning. But consistency and ability/willingness to adapt is what defines your season.
 
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Swaby39 said:
I think the main standout difference during peak Manning and now peak Des is the degree of expression involved. Manning was encouraging control in every aspect whereas Des seems more happy to allow risk and encourage players be creative. There are other clear differences but most are as a result of this core change.

Like any way of playing it’ll have days it flies and days it looks horrendous, it was no different under Manning. But consistency and ability/willingness to adapt is what defines your season.
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I know you have previously critiqued Buckingham's set ups for a lack of a plan (which I always thought was a fair point at the time) but it looks like a lot has moved on in that regard.

I thought there were a couple of real standouts from Saturday where we had improved and everything looked more cohesive. The first being that when we pressed it was coordinated and we repeatedly forced them into mistakes. The second being how much more switched on we looked at set pieces and dead balls. One thing that had been driving me nuts was how slow we were to do the basics, like take a quick throw in or mark up so the opposition couldn't. On Saturday, the 4th and 5th goals both came as a result of quick restarts. I guess that could be because of the personnel on the pitch rather than a deliberate tactic, but it was refreshing to see that we're looking much more organised.
 
Osei Yaw said:
I know you have previously critiqued Buckingham's set ups for a lack of a plan (which I always thought was a fair point at the time) but it looks like a lot has moved on in that regard.

I thought there were a couple of real standouts from Saturday where we had improved and everything looked more cohesive. The first being that when we pressed it was coordinated and we repeatedly forced them into mistakes. The second being how much more switched on we looked at set pieces and dead balls. One thing that had been driving me nuts was how slow we were to do the basics, like take a quick throw in or mark up so the opposition couldn't. On Saturday, the 4th and 5th goals both came as a result of quick restarts. I guess that could be because of the personnel on the pitch rather than a deliberate tactic, but it was refreshing to see that we're looking much more organised.
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I do like to see one of our players take a quick throw in which causes confusion to the opposition. Alex McDonald was particularly good at it,

Usually you see the midfielder pick the ball up, stand, wait for the fullback to arrive, throw ball to fb, fb drops the ball, fb eventually takes the throwin, all while the opposition get set and in position. There was a lovely moment on Saturday in the second half where Murphy (of all players!) surprised and panicked Peterborough’s defence by taking a quick throw in.

You do need players who can think quickly and are given the license by coaches to make these type of decisions.
 
Osei Yaw said:
I know you have previously critiqued Buckingham's set ups for a lack of a plan (which I always thought was a fair point at the time) but it looks like a lot has moved on in that regard.

I thought there were a couple of real standouts from Saturday where we had improved and everything looked more cohesive. The first being that when we pressed it was coordinated and we repeatedly forced them into mistakes. The second being how much more switched on we looked at set pieces and dead balls. One thing that had been driving me nuts was how slow we were to do the basics, like take a quick throw in or mark up so the opposition couldn't. On Saturday, the 4th and 5th goals both came as a result of quick restarts. I guess that could be because of the personnel on the pitch rather than a deliberate tactic, but it was refreshing to see that we're looking much more organised.
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Agree with all of this, I’m on the right side of the East and the start of each half were such an improvement from a defensive perspective.

In the first - everyone maintaining their shape, RR staying deep as an 8 on the right side to help with their overload, Dale and Stephens in constant conversation about who had which player, everyone putting bodies on the line to get a tackle or block in when needed. Peterborough have an awful lot about them going forwards and could have caused real problems but we rose to the challenge.

In the second, everything had changed as we gained the front foot, but then you could see us forcing Peterborough out to their right side of defence before pressing them. Like an actual plan! At one point their player on the ball had five Oxford players surrounding him, about 18 yards from his own goal. They were good enough to get out of it that time, but they’re the best footballing side in the division and we’d already scored two goals from catching them out in similar situations.

A third point Id add - far fewer long balls and head tennis. Getting Ty and RR on the ball is vital and it allows them to bring Murphy and Dale into play with passes along the ground, which is much more dangerous.
 
Osei Yaw said:
I know you have previously critiqued Buckingham's set ups for a lack of a plan (which I always thought was a fair point at the time) but it looks like a lot has moved on in that regard.

I thought there were a couple of real standouts from Saturday where we had improved and everything looked more cohesive. The first being that when we pressed it was coordinated and we repeatedly forced them into mistakes. The second being how much more switched on we looked at set pieces and dead balls. One thing that had been driving me nuts was how slow we were to do the basics, like take a quick throw in or mark up so the opposition couldn't. On Saturday, the 4th and 5th goals both came as a result of quick restarts. I guess that could be because of the personnel on the pitch rather than a deliberate tactic, but it was refreshing to see that we're looking much more organised.
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Great point and I think it was obvious from Saturday that the players are now far more tuned into each others thinking. The previous two results against "lesser" opposition have really helped in that regard. It was also good to see that players who wouldn't normally expect to start (ie Stevens and McEachran) were able to slot right in and enhance the teams overall performance. Great too that Long was able to shift inside and form a cohesive unit with Brown at the back, where we might've thought that was a potential weakness against a free-scoring team.

Players being on the same wavelength, coupled with form, momentum, confidence and belief is huge for us now. It's what makes a team performance greater than the sum of its parts and it was a sweet spot that Manning managed to find in August and September particularly. The difference now is that we really have the attacking cohesion to frighten the bejesus out of pretty much any defence in this league (when it clicks).
 
Yellow River said:
I do like to see one of our players take a quick throw in which causes confusion to the opposition. Alex McDonald was particularly good at it,

Usually you see the midfielder pick the ball up, stand, wait for the fullback to arrive, throw ball to fb, fb drops the ball, fb eventually takes the throwin, all while the opposition get set and in position. There was a lovely moment on Saturday in the second half where Murphy (of all players!) surprised and panicked Peterborough’s defence by taking a quick throw in.

You do need players who can think quickly and are given the license by coaches to make these type of decisions.
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MacDonald was the champion of the quick throw. I used to love seeing him rush to gather the ball up and then lob it behind a defender for someone like Hylton to tear after. It helped that he had a decent arm on him as well so could hoist it a good distance.

Some players just have that instinct in them, others may need to be told. That said, I can't imagine McGuane trying the pass that McEachran hit for Dale in the build up to the 4th and it's refreshing to see us mix it up, rather than take it short and move it round the back 4. Good teams manage games by keeping it on their terms throughout, which is exactly what we were doing up until the 90th minute.

I also thought it was nice to see us put a team to the sword as well, not like that Shrewsbury result where we were 2-0 up against 10 men and then just insisted on keeping the ball. I'd far rather keep going forward and pile the goals up.
 
Yellow River said:
Usually you see the midfielder pick the ball up, stand, wait for the fullback to arrive, throw ball to fb, fb drops the ball, fb eventually takes the throwin, all while the opposition get set and in position.
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Or (worse) - we'd win a hard-earned throw-in midway through the opposition half, take it quickly, but simply throw it back to full back/centre-half to stroke around again - back to square one.

Whilst doing things quickly was imperative to our success on Saturday - it was more important that we did so whilst always look to advance.

It's that magic combination of speed and forward drive. Summed up by the one word that epitomised Saturday's performance - intensity.
 
Swaby39 said:
I think the main standout difference during peak Manning and now peak Des is the degree of expression involved. Manning was encouraging control in every aspect whereas Des seems more happy to allow risk and encourage players be creative. There are other clear differences but most are as a result of this core change.

Like any way of playing it’ll have days it flies and days it looks horrendous, it was no different under Manning. But consistency and ability/willingness to adapt is what defines your season.
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I'd far rather watch football like the last few weeks than how we played under Manning. I know it was very successful, but it was also very boring to watch.
 
Osei Yaw said:
I know you have previously critiqued Buckingham's set ups for a lack of a plan (which I always thought was a fair point at the time) but it looks like a lot has moved on in that regard.

I thought there were a couple of real standouts from Saturday where we had improved and everything looked more cohesive. The first being that when we pressed it was coordinated and we repeatedly forced them into mistakes. The second being how much more switched on we looked at set pieces and dead balls. One thing that had been driving me nuts was how slow we were to do the basics, like take a quick throw in or mark up so the opposition couldn't. On Saturday, the 4th and 5th goals both came as a result of quick restarts. I guess that could be because of the personnel on the pitch rather than a deliberate tactic, but it was refreshing to see that we're looking much more organised.
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Yes, very critical but never unreasonably in my mind. I never expected us to play like we did on Saturday when making those comments. But at no point did we even threaten to play like that or show signs that this was what we were trying to do and you could pick holes in just about everything we did. We were also very mistake-heavy. Everything smacked of a lack of belief, confidence and clear understanding of a strategy.

Fast forward to Saturday and none of that was evident. Everything was crisp and looked rehearsed both on and off the ball. That performance never threatened to break out at Bolton and it shows what can be achieved in a small timeframe - look at the progress made in 5 matches compared with the 30 or so previous. For that reason I still to now feel the points I made were more than legitimate and take none of them back, I’m just pleased to see it change.
 
Northernyellow said:
I'd far rather watch football like the last few weeks than how we played under Manning. I know it was very successful, but it was also very boring to watch.
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There’s a place in my football life for both. Ultimately I just want to believe we can go anywhere and win. We had that with Manning for the first time in some time. Nice to feel that way again, I just hope it carries on a bit longer this time.
 
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