Home Match Day Thread 01/02/25: Championship - OUFC v Bristol City
- Thread starter Northstandboy
- Start date
Holdsteady has said most of what needs to be said.
But while I'm not throwing in the towel on Tuesday - we have to accept that winning this game is unlikely.
Burnley's defense isn't just good. It's the best in the country (relative to its level) by an absolute mile. They've conceded 9 goals in 30 games (!?). The next best in the top six tiers is Birmingham's 19.
It's what's put them into this four team league of clubs at the top of the division (along with Leeds, Sheffield Utd & Sunderland) who are, and have been a level above everyone else this season. Our away games at the other three have not been pretty. I suspect this one will not be as one-sided because we're a much more solid team under Rowett, and Burnley are not the attacking force that the other three are. But it's clear that an away win is a long shot (and if we do, it will likely be a 1-0 smash and grab)
A '0-0' though? Very possible. Burnley have had 0-0 draws against plenty of worse sides than us this season.....
For balance, though, we go in to this game as the 6th best side in the division over ten games. When a side in that form goes anywhere, they should do so with some belief that they can win even if it has to be done slightly differently. Any fans there should also believe we can. Burnley have fired blanks a number of times - in over a third of their games, actually, despite being 3rd. A well organised rear guard should stand a really good chance of staying in the game as they haven’t demonstrated themselves to be a devastating attacking side.
If people thought we were pragmatic on Saturday, Tuesday could be a shock. Don’t be surprised if we commit to frustrating Burnley and condense the game to the last 10-15 minutes. That doesn’t mean we don’t want to win, but it would be one way to go about it.
Oh agree, nowhere am I suggesting that we're going to get curb stomped on Tuesday.
I do think it will be tight, and that we'll stay in it.
(And I would also play Matos instead of RR in the #10 role to make sure that we at the very least grind out a stalemate in the middle of the park).
Just, y'know, I hope people recognize that if we score a goal on Tuesday, we're doing really well because more than two thirds of teams don't against Burnley.
And if we score more than one goal, we're doing something that no-one has done against them in the league all season!
Morris Oxford
Level: Dave Roberts
(176 Apps, 8 Gls)
Interesting to see the negative pile on towards Harris from an a section of the fan base, ( I deliberately didn’t call it ‘support base’ ) but not surprising.
Collectively the team had a pretty frustrating afternoon, in particular from a creative point of view, especially when you consider we were playing against 10 players for over half the game and subsequently 9 players for the last 10 mins. Not a lot of creativity, perhaps we can blame Harris for the lack of chances created by his teammates.
Despite being a niggly, whinging bunch perhaps we need to give Bristol City some credit. I’ll put my tin hat on now and say I thought Manning got his tactics bang on after going down to 10 men, they scored an excellent goal and his players put in a real shift. Our ex players, Dickie, McNally and Sykes all had good games too.
Collectively the team had a pretty frustrating afternoon, in particular from a creative point of view, especially when you consider we were playing against 10 players for over half the game and subsequently 9 players for the last 10 mins. Not a lot of creativity, perhaps we can blame Harris for the lack of chances created by his teammates.
Despite being a niggly, whinging bunch perhaps we need to give Bristol City some credit. I’ll put my tin hat on now and say I thought Manning got his tactics bang on after going down to 10 men, they scored an excellent goal and his players put in a real shift. Our ex players, Dickie, McNally and Sykes all had good games too.
christenedinjericho
Level: Chris Maguire
(79 Apps, 22 Gls)
Hello Liam.
10 0-0s this season so far.
Had a look at what Burnley fans are saying online and they are growing increasingly tired at the amount of 0-0 draws especially against some lower teams which could ultimately haunt them at the end. As said above, their defence is the best in the football league but they seem very lackluster in front of goal aside from the drubbing away at Plymouth. Another 0-0 draw against them would be a fantastic result and I think this defence could achieve a clean sheet on Tuesday. The real challenge would be to score against them but after Saturday, I think it'll be another incredibly hard team to break down. When we played them at home, I think we only had one opportunity and that was in the last 5 minutes and aside from that, they were impossible to breach.
Yes I agree but when you have a opposition that have no threat up front us you can see why
Hopefully with dembale and Placheta now fit swop Harris and Rodrigues with Bradshaw Tyler or matos Romney we may have a surprise for them
notThisWayButThat
Level: Callum O'Dowda
(106 Apps, 14 Gls)
Just thinking about the ref, didn't we mostly think the ref performance would improve in the champ? 
we'll find out tuesday night
Carpy
Level: Dave Roberts
(176 Apps, 8 Gls)
- Year of First Game
- 1998
I think it has, but it's now a case of some being very good and others being really bloody poor. Most in League One were between terrible and distinctly average.Just thinking about the ref, didn't we mostly think the ref performance would improve in the champ?
I am useless on tactics and formations but I have often thought that at defensive set pieces we should leave a man upfront. Tyler or Shemmy are not going to win headers so why not have them hovering near the centre circle? It would mean 2 defenders having to stay back to mark them. Yesterday, would it have prevented that free kick across the area that lead to the City goal as it may have been intercepted, particularly against 10 men?
I remember KR giving some garbled reason a season or so ago why teams do not do this, that I never understood.
I remember KR giving some garbled reason a season or so ago why teams do not do this, that I never understood.
Yeah, Harris should probably have a real go at Kioso for that cross, it was only nearly perfect and did actually require Harris to move slightly to get something on the end of it, he should be entitled to just stand there and have the ball hit him and it go in…
Oldman159
Level: Chris Maguire
(79 Apps, 22 Gls)
FWIW- my view
The game was very entertaining. A great midfield battle in the first half which we won, 2nd half we took the foot off - seems we are still a 45minute team. A Wonderful set piece for their goal. Real Sukker punch for us but you can’t help but admire it. Yes we could see it building from the stands (Where it’s easy to manage) It’s a lesson hopefully we can learn.
That said, City were A bunch of thugs and they should have had several others sent off.
Mind you, we could have had lost at least one.
But, hey, a points a point and I’m happy with Ox4d right now.
COYYs
(Happy too that the B team won today - COYSs)
The game was very entertaining. A great midfield battle in the first half which we won, 2nd half we took the foot off - seems we are still a 45minute team. A Wonderful set piece for their goal. Real Sukker punch for us but you can’t help but admire it. Yes we could see it building from the stands (Where it’s easy to manage) It’s a lesson hopefully we can learn.
That said, City were A bunch of thugs and they should have had several others sent off.
Mind you, we could have had lost at least one.
But, hey, a points a point and I’m happy with Ox4d right now.
COYYs
(Happy too that the B team won today - COYSs)
Scotchegg
Level: James Constable
(280 Apps, 106 Gls)
The general consensus (not just from Robinson) is that the fewer people you have in the penalty box, the more space is available for those looking to attack the ball. Attackers have an advantage at set pieces as should in theory have preplanned routines and someone controlling the delivery. But a crowded penalty area means that runs get blocked and the ball in more equally contested.
Yesterday was different as we had two extra men due to the sending off and the one taking the free kick, so we should have been able to cover everyone and still have players spare. That said, it was still a well worked free kick and good finish. It was risky as the entire pitch was open behind Sykes if we'd blocked the shot or got out quick enough to nick it off him. I think on this occasion that more credit should go to Bristol City and Sykes than blame on us.
He’s starting to look like the week link
Not sure where else to post this, and apologies if it's been covered elsewhere, but trying to watch the full match replay on OUTV, and for the second week running it seems like the home and away commentaries are superimposed, so you hear both at once. Am I missing a setting that I can adjust to fix this, or is it a glitch? Used to be possible to select the home or away commentary, but I can't see that option now. Cheers.
Mojofilter
Level: Dave Langan
(136 Apps, 3 Gls)
Was a bit dodge the first ten mins or so but was brilliant after, I felt
Morris Oxford
Level: Dave Roberts
(176 Apps, 8 Gls)
Context. You forgot to quote the rest of my post.
The point I was making was for over half a game against 10 men and subsequently 9 for the final 10 minutes our creative players weren’t very creative. Is Harris to blame for that?
As I said before an unpopular view but I think we have to give Manning and Bristol City some credit even though it’s much easier to shout snake.
As for the Kioso cross which Harris couldn’t quite get to, a dangerous cross at pace but not an easy chance in my view, an awkward height, I suspect he had one eye on the post and was conscious of crashing into it if he went with his head.
There does seem to be a negative Harris pile on, personally I think supporting players is the better option between now and the rest of the season.
I’ll leave it at that, no point labouring the point.
1. No, Harris isn’t to blame for that - but he is to blame for often missing chances / not getting on the end of crosses, and his general build up play hasn’t been great either. For this game specifically he was rated 4.7 on the YF player rater, and apart from Rodrigues every other starter was over 6, with three managing over a 7 - you know, because they actually managed to play well…
2. Given that we were totally bossing the game until we made three separate mistakes in a row which led to Bristol City scoring, then I’m not sure how much credit Manning should actually get. They literally couldn’t lay a glove on us until their equaliser, which changed the game. Even with our lack of chances, I saw it as very much us moving the ball too slowly and with a lack of invention rather than anything amazing tactically Manning did. Watch back from 45-60 mins and I don’t think he’s affecting the game in the slightest.
3. Yes, it wasn’t anywhere near the worst miss Harris has had this season, or the easiest cross which he’s failed to connect with, but given people are saying things like ‘Prime Harry Kane wouldn’t get a single goal in this team as we don’t create any chances!’ then I think it’s fair to say I’m pretty sure that plenty of strikers in history would have thrown themselves at that and got something on it… It was a chance, at the very least.
4. I agree that supporting players when you’re actually at games and on social media is absolutely the way to go, but this is a forum to discuss performances and players should be nowhere near it, so I think discussing positives and negatives are absolutely fine. Demanding unconditional support on here is to me akin to saying the same when sat in a living room or the pub and chatting with fellow fans - it doesn’t really make any difference. As for the infamous ‘pile ons’, maybe if a large number of people are saying the same thing then maybe there’s some truth in it? But it’s easier to close your ears and cry that the world is unfairly against you than listen to the slightest bit of criticism.
I may be wrong but I'm guessing it's a percentage risk judgement. Sykes converting that chance was far from a given, good player but we see those go over the stand every week.
Someone will be along in a minute to say it had an xG of 0.8 and I'll shut up!
Oxymoron
Level: Dave Roberts
(176 Apps, 8 Gls)
Try this one for size
www.skysports.com
Blackburn vs Preston: Blackburn's unique corner routine
Blackburn Rovers came up with one of the most unique corner routines in the history of English football in their match against Preston.
Watched that at the time - couldn't believe it! But I think they cocked up the delivery.Try this one for size
Blackburn vs Preston: Blackburn's unique corner routine
Blackburn Rovers came up with one of the most unique corner routines in the history of English football in their match against Preston.
My only issue with this is that it'll give him enough time to get booked twice!
I think it’s the sky commentary overlayed with RO commentary - either way we wanted commentary on match replays and now we have two different commentaries at the same time!
Morris Oxford
Level: Dave Roberts
(176 Apps, 8 Gls)
So it would appear you do agree me that when playing against 10 and then 9 players we didn’t create much, which was the main point of my original post.
As for Manning and Bristol City we’ll have to disagree, I get why some are desperate to see him fail but on the day I thought they did well considering they played for an hour with fewer players on the pitch than us.
The guy they brought on at half time caused Helick all sorts of problems and it was the free kick conceded by Helick that led to Sykes goal.
Fair points about this being a forum for debate of player’s performances. Hopefully fans will still support Harris and the rest of the team at the actual games for the rest of the season, it’s counter productive otherwise.
I really will leave it at that!
NorthWestOx
Level: Callum O'Dowda
(106 Apps, 14 Gls)
Does that include (or exclude) points deductions for FFP breaches?
Surprised no clubs are breaching FFP this year, must be a while since that happened in the Championship?
RyanioBirdio
Level: Les Phillips
(224 Apps, 15 Gls)
Admittedly, I’m unsure of that, so it could be slightly skewed. It’s a good question and might paint a slightly different picture. I’ll have a look tonight as you’ve made me curious now.
NorthWestOx
Level: Callum O'Dowda
(106 Apps, 14 Gls)
You may have a point, but you must have the most ironic username, not one of your posts exudes happiness!
notThisWayButThat
Level: Callum O'Dowda
(106 Apps, 14 Gls)
Another frustrating thing is that it seems EFL provide a audio template when listening to the game live that during half time always plays some sort of jingle. It happens a few times and interrupts RO since they either dont know about it or dont care. I guess it's to provide some sort of short intermission.
