Away Match Day Thread 01/03/22 L1: Portsmouth v OUFC

[WEYellow]

That was a strange game, I didn't think Portsmouth were that good neither were we that bad. Draw would have been a fair result. Completely lost our heads for 5 minutes and that was it, got in plenty of good positions in the 2nd half but on the whole our final ball was poor. Pompey were terrified of our direct running through the middle, so it was frustrating to see us constantly play it wide so many times later on.

Stevens - 5 - I was right behind the 3rd goal, and it was a bad mistake, he shifted to the left and got it all wrong, it was obvious where the strike was going as soon as it left his foot. His kicking has improved massively recently though.

Mcnally - 7 - Some of his runs were great and his defending was good. He's bloody good for his age and a much better defender than Atkinson was, and a goal to boot!

Long - 5 - Struggled with the physicality of their front 2, I personally thought his high foot challenge in the second half was a red card and it came from his own mistake.

Brown - 6.5 - Did alright, some good challenges and has got a great left foot, always looks like he has a mistake in him but he's been solid so far.

Williams - 7 - Had a great start to the game then Pompey double up on him, he had no support and I felt sorry for him, moved to LWB in 2nd half and looked more comfortable.

Kane - 6 - First 30, good! Middle 30, rubbish! Last 30, good! He's a top top player in a 3 but I'm not sure if our 3-5-2 suits him, he gets his foot on the ball and dictates play, you can't really do that in a midfield 2. Mistake for the 2nd goal.

Brannagan - 6 - Not his best game for sure, looked tired but he still has an influence on the game. Our best player in the final 20 minutes

Seddon - 4 - His confidence is down the drain, hid away, took the easy option and got outmuscled. I'm not too sure what has contributed to this (tired?) but let's hope he can get back to his best because at the moment he's looking a worst defender than Ruffels was (some achievement!)

Holland - 6 - I actually thought he did alright and a lot of our openings came from him, assist for the first, no protection from the ref (more on him later)

Browne - 6.5 - Awesome first 30 but noticeably tired, that direct running at defenders is such a weapon we need to use more and I'm excited to see him back fully fit, hope his injury isn't too bad!

Taylor - 5.5 - He's winning nothing against their back 3 but he had no help from his teammates or ref in that aspect, thought he got better as the game went on.




Baldock - 7 - Clever player, some great touches and dropped deep in the holes to give us an option in the middle, noticeably improved the team when he came on. Starts Saturday.

Whyte - 6 - Did well at RWB but it's too deep for him to have a meaningful impact on the game

Forde - 6 - Not really a chance to influence things but did provide two of the best crosses of the game.

The ref - No words to describe how bad that performance was, guessed everything, got everything wrong. You could tell in 10 minutes he was out of his depth, it's such a shame his performance will get talked about more than a decent L1 game.

The supporters - Good atmosphere overall and certainly no racist chanting, but these "Oxford boys on a bender, ________ is a sex offender" chants , what are they about? seriously? Leave it to the likes of MK and Wycombe to chant these. Notice they come from a younger generation so the likelihood of it stopping is slim.

 

[Upthecowboys]

That game just summed up everything we knew!

We are a good side but with frailties at the back. I'm sure we'll outscore enough teams to secure a playoff spot, but we are nowhere near solid enough to be a top 2 challenge.

Kane & Stevens are great players, but for me they are just not doing it at the moment. We are missing a proper holding player in front of the defence, and that's a gamble KR has gone with. I was behind the goal for Stevens reaction save at 3-1 and it was a brilliant save, but we're not seeing him make enough above average saves. I reckon any team needs a keeper who can nick their team points when they don't deserve it, Stevens did that for us last year but isn't doing it at the moment. No-one I know seriously doubts Stevens ability, but it's just not happening for him currently.

I chatted to a Pompey mate afterwards and he thinks this is a poor Pompey side and I agree. They weren't as physical last night as they were at the Kassam, but they are a typical Crowley side i.e. direct. If they carry on in that style I can't see them making the playoffs or even doing anything much next season; that style will keep you in a division but it won't get you up. My mate thought out interplay was impressive, but he said he thought Ryan Williams was quiet and he was expecting more from Matty Taylor. I can't really disagree with that, I did point out that Matty is due to a quiet game because he has been sensational for us.

Re last night's away following, I didn't hear any dodgy chants. I'm not a fan of some of the current songs like the ones all fans seem to sing e.g. 'Pompey's a S***t**le I want to go home', whenever I hear that at Ox I think it's cringeworthy. I love the old school song directed at the keeper for goal kicks, you know the one! Maybe that is the inner child in me but that just takes me back to the London Road. The 'Brannagan is magic' song is great, let's work on more songs like that and get behind individual players / our team rather than rely on the generic songs that all clubs sing.

Let's hope that Wigan and Rotherham keep taking points off the other play off contenders, and fingers crossed we finish the season in form with a fully fit squad.

 

[MarkG]

Hmm. Letting off flares and chanting 'You Black B*****d' at the ref. No wonder the Pompey fans sang 'You're an embarrassment'. Not our finest hour.

I heard Fat B******d chants but not any racist chants. Imagination running away with you there.

Though they did also start the "sex offender" chant about "Mr Pompey" for a couple of rounds but it didn't catch on. As above, calling someone a sex offender in jest or not is not on.

 

[Hackney Jack]

Sorry, this is really serious. I know you are concerned about the flares which is fair enough but I'm very concerned about the allegation of racist chanting. You have made a serious allegation that does not seem to have been picked up by others, surely you should be reporting this to the police?

Agreed. If there was any racist chanting, as you had said in a previous post, this is absolutely unacceptable and people would be arrested for this. I was in the middle and heard no racist chanting. Seems an odd thing to post if it didn't happen?

 

[werthersoriginal]

Agreed. If there was any racist chanting, as you had said in a previous post, this is absolutely unacceptable and people would be arrested for this. I was in the middle and heard no racist chanting. Seems an odd thing to post if it didn't happen?

Maybe best to leave this then. 'Fat' and 'black' sound similar in the context of a chant and I often have trouble working out what's being sung.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

My biggest worry is if we do make the play-offs it feels likely to me another Blackpool game could happen.

Needing to score 3 or 4 most games to win lately isn't sustainable.

Seddon needs a rest.

 

[Sheik djibouti]

Seddon needs a rest.

Don't we all.

It's bloody exhausting watching OUFC at the moment[emoji1787]

 

[TailsWeWin]

We're not going to win every game tonight was a blip let's put it behind us and move on to Burton roll on Saturday

Look at the goals we’ve conceded recently. Last night was not “a blip”!
McNally: “We can’t concede three goals and expect to win. It needs sorting out if we expect to get out of this league.” Exactly.

 

[oufc1991]

Look at the goals we’ve conceded recently. Last night was not “a blip”!
McNally: “We can’t concede three goals and expect to win. It needs sorting out if we expect to get out of this league.” Exactly.

I meant losing was a blip not the conceding goals we've been conceding goals all season so it's nothing new

 

[dickwalton1964]

Big disappointment for me was not taking the game by the scruff of the neck once we had gone ahead. Pompey are in some fragile form and having conceded three at home to Fleetwood on Saturday the last thing they wanted was to concede at home in the next match after 3 minutes. We should have swarmed all over them after the goal but just seemed to conceded possession too easily and lacked a bit of desire to effectively finish it before half time. You could see them growing as the half went on and the crowd stuck with them too. A poor night but one that reinforced the view we are nowhere near an automatic team but one who might just pinch a play off spot. Only reaching the play offs and seeing how we handled a two legged semi final would tell us if the team is really any better than last seasons.

 

[Daviddidcotexile]

Big disappointment for me was not taking the game by the scruff of the neck once we had gone ahead. Pompey are in some fragile form and having conceded three at home to Fleetwood on Saturday the last thing they wanted was to concede at home in the next match after 3 minutes. We should have swarmed all over them after the goal but just seemed to conceded possession too easily and lacked a bit of desire to effectively finish it before half time. You could see them growing as the half went on and the crowd stuck with them too. A poor night but one that reinforced the view we are nowhere near an automatic team but one who might just pinch a play off spot. Only reaching the play offs and seeing how we handled a two legged semi final would tell us if the team is really any better than last seasons.

I agree that we seemed to think 1 goal was enough. Our timewasting annoyed their fans which in turn motivated the Pompey team. Great header to equalise but those mad 5 mins turned the game on its head.

Gorrin was subjected to criticism earlier in the season so interesting that his return would solve the defensive mid field. Gorrin was forever passing backwards so our positive play of late would be curtailed

 

[dickwalton1964]

Stevens 5 - The goals just keep on coming. Needs to do more.
Williams 6 - Patchy performance but emerged with a bit of credit.
Long 6 - Can't fault his effort and there were worse than him.
McNally 8 - Assured and confident and took his goal really well.
Brown 7 - He's a good footballer but unsettled defence not helping.
Seddon 5 - Continual struggle to make his mark.
Brannagan 7 - Tried his best to get us going but wasn't to be.
Kane 5 - Sloppy pass to give goal away sums him up recently.
Holland 5 - Set Browne up but little else.
Browne 6 - Took his goal brilliantly. Didn't see enough of ball.
Taylor 5 - One of those nights where defenders had the better of him.

Whyte 5 - Offered nothing really.
Baldock 7 - Looked a bit more threatening with him out there.
Ford 5 - Bit like Whyte, didn't really notice him on the pitch.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

Gorrin was subjected to criticism earlier in the season so interesting that his return would solve the defensive mid field. Gorrin was forever passing backwards so our positive play of late would be curtailed

There’s an element of horses for courses though.

Away at Portsmouth or Accrington on a stormy, wet evening, in for a real scrappy battle - Gorrin.

But, at home, sunny afternoon, against Crewe or Morecambe, where they’re going to sit deep and make you break them down - maybe not.

 

[Northernyellow]

Pompey were good last night; we seem to have problems with teams bigger and stronger than us. I agree with an earlier poster; it’s not so much the back 3 that was at fault but the softness and lack of pace in the middle of the pitch.

Taylor should have been benched; he’s run out of gas. Holland was lamentable; can’t knock the skin off a rice pudding. I do not want to see him in a starting 11.

Missed Sykes a lot. Missed Moore even more.

On the plus side we have a lot of talent . McNally looks like a real star.

Wouldn’t get too cut up about tonight though; Pompey are decent.

I thought within ten minutes of McNally’s debut that he was the real deal. He’s still got to learn. He can be too casual. But he’s a fantastic athlete. He’ll be better than Rob Dickie in another 12 months. Potentially best centre half we’ve had since Matt Elliott IMO.

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

I thought within ten minutes of McNally’s debut that he was the real deal. He’s still got to learn. He can be too casual. But he’s a fantastic athlete. He’ll be better than Rob Dickie in another 12 months. Potentially best centre half we’ve had since Matt Elliott IMO.

Tremendous potential, he has the lot.

 

[Sheik djibouti]

McNally is a great player and all he needs is experience. I think one thing that really enhances his performance is that Robinson obviously doesn't constrain him too much.

Hence why he turns up in attack and carries the ball.out so we'll. Obviously he scored last night and he also won the corner for Longs shot, which could easily have been a goal of only hit inches to the right of the keeper.

 

[ttg17]

I agree that we seemed to think 1 goal was enough. Our timewasting annoyed their fans which in turn motivated the Pompey team. Great header to equalise but those mad 5 mins turned the game on its head.

Gorrin was subjected to criticism earlier in the season so interesting that his return would solve the defensive mid field. Gorrin was forever passing backwards so our positive play of late would be curtailed

Interesting observation on the time wasting and their fans. Makes a lot of sense. It gave them a pantomime villain on our side to attack, rather than slowly turning on their side as passes were misplaced and touches went astray - as they probably would have done. As a result, the atmosphere was building all the way through the first half, the ref lost his head, and you really felt their goals were coming.

One to learn from for the players and KR you feel, after our gradual adoption this season of shithousing techniques.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

Interesting observation on the time wasting and their fans. Makes a lot of sense. It gave them a pantomime villain on our side to attack, rather than slowly turning on their side as passes were misplaced and touches went astray - as they probably would have done. As a result, the atmosphere was building all the way through the first half, the ref lost his head, and you really felt their goals were coming.

One to learn from for the players and KR you feel, after our gradual adoption this season of shithousing techniques.

Must admit, I didn't understand why we resorted to that in a half we had started so well and were in the lead! I was yelling at the iFollow screen for us to NOT slow the game down, but to press home our advantage (especially given the likelihood that we would concede at least once eventually!) and keep going as we'd started. I think we handed the initiative straight back to them. 'Game management' maybe - but in that situation, that early in the game?

 

[Yello]

Really dont understand us as a team doing the whole game management stuff early doors?
Our biggest asset is attacking ( of which we are great at ) we dont have the make up to try and shut up shop and hold out for 60-70 mins. We not only put undue pressure on our back line, we also give the opposition a head of steam. We seem to do it fairly often against the so called bigger sides . I totally get it 15-20 to go , not early doors.

 

[bazzer9461]

Certainly nothing came through on iFollow.

Given the reaction to homophobic chanting at Wycombe - the reaction from our own support - I'd like to think that racist chanting would be similarly publicly condemned.

Maybe Pompey fans trying to throw mud and hoping some sticks?

Off course they are. Why would anyone sing that when we have black players. A load of old cobblers.