Home Match Day Thread 03/10/2023 L1: OUFC v Shrewsbury

[Malc]

Another 3 points today? I think so, 2-0 to the mighty Yellows.

 

[OUFCwaffle]

Agree. This has been worrying me for a little while. Hopefully we are giving him the coaching he needs to improve - otherwise he'll be playing for Oxford City before long.

Strongly disagree. He might not influence the game in terms of goals, but his physical presence up top makes a big difference when looking to see out a game. Without him chasing down their keeper, Leigh would never have been presented the open goal to shoot from distance. He definitely has a place in this team, you can see how much he has improved this season and is much more physical and athletic after the summer.

 

[BristolOx]

Strange reaction that, like you really want a row about an opinion you don’t like.
It’s an opinion share by others, like I said, read the thread, note the reactions..

Your opinion was that others opinions were 'ridiculous' whilst others were actually debating the issue. It's not the point you were making but how you were making it. We're all Oxford fans, I don't understand the lack of respect - hence continuing the most unnecessary argument this forum has ever seen.

 

[OUFCwaffle]

I'd much rather our squad conserved energy and reduced their risk of injury when winning comfortably against 10 men, given that we've got three games in (slightly less) than a week.

Yep, how many times under Robinson did we thrash a crap team by 4 or 5 goals, only to then f**k it up the next game against a more physical and athletic team.

 

[Golden Dr Otto]

Agree. This has been worrying me for a little while. Hopefully we are giving him the coaching he needs to improve - otherwise he'll be playing for Oxford City before long.

Should be resolved soon

 

[Eaststanding]

Your opinion was that others opinions were 'ridiculous' whilst others were actually debating the issue. It's not the point you were making but how you were making it. We're all Oxford fans, I don't understand the lack of respect - hence continuing the most unnecessary argument this forum has ever seen.

I’m afraid I offered an opinion and you took exception to it rather than discussing the point.
Here, have a big cuddle to start your day.

 

[Foley]

Agree. This has been worrying me for a little while. Hopefully we are giving him the coaching he needs to improve - otherwise he'll be playing for Oxford City before long.

Playing for Oxford City? Really?
I suspect that Manning, like most supporters, will be able to see the strengths GoD already has and the huge potential he has.
I am a little surprised that people are crticising a 19 year old, who has done pretty well with us so far.

 

[RgYellows]

O’Donkor is a year younger and a division higher than Carlton Morris was when he got recalled early from his loan at Oxford after 7 appearances and 0 goals.

 

[Eaststanding]

Strongly disagree. He might not influence the game in terms of goals, but his physical presence up top makes a big difference when looking to see out a game. Without him chasing down their keeper, Leigh would never have been presented the open goal to shoot from distance. He definitely has a place in this team, you can see how much he has improved this season and is much more physical and athletic after the summer.

He’s been effective in the role he’s been brought on to do but if we consider ourselves a promotion candidate then surely we need a forward that offers a goal threat as well, even when the goals are coming from all over the team?

 

[Brahma]

Whether we could've done better, or not, myself and the kids left with big smiles on our faces due to Greg Leighs goal. Everything before that was forgotten. Happy days. Onwards and upwards.

That'd be 94 minutes

 

[Bigfella72]

Re: GOD. I agree he doesn’t seem to have a striker’s “instinct”. I’ve said this for a while. He never seems to ANTICIPATE or read the game intelligently. He wants to wait for the right ball to come to him, rather than guessing where it might be going. Can this “instinct” be taught/coached??

You have to remember he’s about to turn 19, he’s a prospect not the finished article and if he progresses to quickly he’ll be sold on so be patient.

 

[Bigfella72]

Strongly disagree. He might not influence the game in terms of goals, but his physical presence up top makes a big difference when looking to see out a game. Without him chasing down their keeper, Leigh would never have been presented the open goal to shoot from distance. He definitely has a place in this team, you can see how much he has improved this season and is much more physical and athletic after the summer.

Leigh was pointing at GOD to show he deserved praise for basically his assist in that goal. Shows Leigh is a quality team player.

 

[Yellowecky]

Your opinion was that others opinions were 'ridiculous' whilst others were actually debating the issue. It's not the point you were making but how you were making it. We're all Oxford fans, I don't understand the lack of respect - hence continuing the most unnecessary argument this forum has ever seen.

Ooooh, there have been far more unnecessary arguments than this on the forum.

 

[BristolOx]

Ooooh, there have been far more unnecessary arguments than this on the forum.

You f*****g what?!????!!!

 

[Jonny G]

Well done everybody on finding such an utterly remarkable thing to argue about.

No its not. What the f*** does it have to do with you anyway! :O

 

[Followtheox1]

Did Manning miss a trick, clearly he does not think so but at 2 nil down playing against 10 men the pace of Murphy and Mills would have surely made for a better end 20.

A game where clearly Shrewsbury made no attempt to win, was won and surely would have given these 2 justified minutes.

Don't get me wrong but GOD and Mc, to me are not game changers or match winners. Play out for the win without any risk taking. Yes.

Have I given myself my own answer? Maybe but a disappointing conclusion.

Well GOD was instrumental in the third goal. I can actually see the rationale for getting both GoD and Mc on to be honest. Both play in the two positions we have the least amount of cover in and both were short of minutes. It was a great opportunity to give them minutes and match time given an injury in CM or up top and they may have to step in at short notice.

 

[MG]

I was very impressed by Beadle last night, he is calm under pressure and seems to have all the tools. I think he more than anything might be the biggest difference from last season. It would be a problem if he was out for a period, but goalie injuries are pretty rare. McGuane or Brannigan being out for an extended period might also be difficult to manage, but we seem to have multiple good options just about everywhere else on the pitch.

At 2-0 and 10 men Shrewsbury pretty much gave up and moved to damage limitation. We then lost interest and got a bit sloppy, but had half an eye on Saturday at that point. I'm all for boring 3-0 victories.

I agree with you about McGuane or Brannagan getting injured but having Josh McEachran as back up is a pretty decent alternative.

 

[TailsWeWin]

You have to remember he’s about to turn 19, he’s a prospect not the finished article and if he progresses to quickly he’ll be sold on so be patient.

Yes, OK he’s young. Yes, he has “potential”. I was merely pointing out what seems to me his greatest failing; and that is his (current) inability to read the game sufficiently well. When you have players like Maguane, Ruben, Harris and Leigh on the pitch it’s easy to see how much more quickly they see moves/opportunities. GOD really does have to learn to think more about what might happen, rather than WAIT for it to happen, and then he WILL start scoring goals. Until then, he really doesn’t offer much of a threat. We don’t need another, younger, version of Jamie Mackie.

 

[Bazoufc]

i think the thing with GoD is that throughout the youth system has hasnt needed to make intelligent runs and read the game. Because he simply bullied players out of his way to create chances. Now he cant do that at men's level yet......(see the shoulder to shoulder with dunkley on tuesday as an example)....his lack of movement becomes much more apparent.

 

[Joey]

i think the thing with GoD is that throughout the youth system has hasnt needed to make intelligent runs and read the game. Because he simply bullied players out of his way to create chances. Now he cant do that at men's level yet......(see the shoulder to shoulder with dunkley on tuesday as an example)....his lack of movement becomes much more apparent.

The Lukaku of League 1. There's definitely something in it, if you're massively physically superior to your opponents in youth set ups it is easy to rely on this, in fact your teammates will to so you won't learn the nuances of the game as well. Why make things harder than they need to be?

He's physically an absolute unit and no slouch and he's not bad technically either, I've seen him roll plenty of defenders with a little touch and be on his way. It's the mental side of the game he needs to develop if he wants to make the most of his career. There are plenty of big lads who have good careers in League 1 and 2 but he's got enough about him to play much higher than that, he's only 18 so plenty of time to learn. This is why a loan move would have been ideal for him, short term him holding the ball in the corner is good for us but it does nothing for him and medium to long term if that's all he does then we'll regret it as well. Defending a lead compared to playing from the start trying to score is a completely different game and it's doing him a disservice if that's all we use him for this year.

 

[Eric Blair]

Hello. Long time reader, first time poster (and I realise this probably isn't the right thread to post this on). I'm actually a life long Crystal Palace fan but moved to Oxford about 15 years ago. My daughter - now 13 - is a big yellows fan and we go often (South Stand Lower) to most home games. The debates on here are really good and I've enjoyed reading about the passion of the fan base, the support for key players (Brannigan and McGuane have been a different class this season) and the progress on the new stadium.

Anyway, the reason for my post: you have an absolutely superb football club.

It might not have seemed like it during the latter months of the Karl Robinson era but the history of your club and the community around it is brilliant. It is now wonderful to see the progress you guys are making on and off the pitch and your fans totally deserve it. You have been through tough tough times (the stadium fiasco, the drop down to the national league) but there is something about your club and the resilience of the supporters which I think will see you good. This could well be a special season and you have some remarkable talent (there was a post the other day talking about Rodriguez and the skill he brings to the club and I couldn't agree more). Greg Leigh and Kyle Edwards have been immense (Kyle being unplayable in the first half against Exeter and his injury is a blow) and you're nurturing young talent so well (GO'D and the Cowley Road Messi himself, Tyler Goodrham). It is also really important to have a manager not only of talent and ability but one who also represents the club well. You've got that in Liam Manning.

Anyway, these are good times for a great football club.