Home Match Build-Up 05/04/25: Championship - OUFC v Sheffield United

[Northstandboy]

Match Referee: James Linington - STATS
Kassam Stadium
Saturday 5th April 2025 @ 15:00

 

[Ox4Eva]

3.1 victory for the U's!

 

[Northstand Grandad]

Hopefully it stays warm, those northerners can't handle heat
Hopefully they will be knackered after 20 minutes

 

[Northstandboy]

A draw would be a amazing, then 3 points v QPR!

 

[Sarge]

home win from an adventerous, expansive and attacking Oxford United team - 2-1 Romeny and Shemmy

 

[Northstandboy]

home win from an adventerous, expansive and attacking Oxford United team - 2-1 Romeny and Shemmy

We live in hope!

 

[Peterdev]

A draw would be an amazing, then 3 points v QPR!

Rather three points against Sheffield than a draw against QPR. Make the others around us concerned

 

[Foley]

Rather three points against Sheffield than a draw against QPR. Make the others around us concerned

Sheffield United are the best team in the league and their record against the bottom half away is fantastic.
It is far more likely than we beat QPR than Sheff United and QPR are not out of it yet.

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

Need to cause a shock either against Sheffield United or Leeds to stay up I reckon.

Any plans for displays at the upcoming huge home games? @Yellow Division Official

 

[BTCW]

Cumming
Nelson Helik Brown
Ter-Avest Vaulks Brannagan Leigh
Goodrham
Harris Romeny

With decent sub options of Matos/Placheta/Dembele/Bradshaw​

 

[Eric Blair]

3-0 Phillips hatrick

 

[Sarge]

we're coming for you n your team Chippy

 

[Eric Blair]

Has anyone heard if there will be any tributes to George Baldock?

 

[Sarge]

Has anyone heard if there will be any tributes to George Baldock?

I was wondering if Yellow division had something planned

 

[Foley]

Need to cause a shock either against Sheffield United or Leeds to stay up I reckon.

Any plans for displays at the upcoming huge home games? @Yellow Division Official

Not necessarily
Beat QPR and Cardiff and I reckon we are likely to stay up
Having said that Sunderland at home, resting players as they will be guaranteed 4th will be possibly easier than most games.

 

[Essexyellows]

Home win to upset the apple cart.

Cagey 1 nil job that has folk gnawing their knuckle bones....

 

[holdsteady]

Home win to upset the apple cart.

Cagey 1 nil job that has folk gnawing their knuckle bones....

I would like to believe that could happen but hell if a gap between the teams in terms of quality. We got a point at home to Burnley though so you never know.

 

[Eric Blair]

Home win to upset the apple cart.

Cagey 1 nil job that has folk gnawing their knuckle bones....

Despite my 3-0 Phillips hattrick post earlier I have a feeling it will go as you say but with a Brannagan (who I think is scheduled to be back) piledriver with five minutes to go to put us 2-0 up, settle nerves and to create similar scenes to those last five minutes against Watford.

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

Interesting (to me, at least) that Leeds seem to get the plaudits in this division, but Sheffield United have won 4 more points than them this this season and are deservedly top.

However, with a bit of digging you can kind of see why - Sheffield United are flat-track bullies (and very good at it too).

They've lost as many games as Leeds and Burnley combined - but they don't drop anywhere near as many unnecessary points. Their defeats are against Leeds x2, Burnley, Middlesbrough, Sunderland and (anomaly) Hull. Their draws vs WBA x2, Coventry, Bristol City, Norwich, Pompey and QPR.

That's just 9 points dropped against anyone outside the Top 8. For comparison Burnley have dropped 21 to the same sides (too much tippy tappy) and Leeds 23 (dodgy Keeper).

That said, they're not destroying teams left, right and centre. In fact, their win against us is their only one all season (of a whopping 26 wins) by more than two goals.

With our ability to be 'in' games under Rowett (we've only been two goals behind in the depths of injury time v Pompey and West Brom) we should again be competitive.

So whilst Sheffield United look like the most ruthless and efficient winning machine in The Championship, a pragmatic Rowett side is (as ever) capable of nicking an unlikely result...

 

[holdsteady]

Interesting (to me, at least) that Leeds seem to get the plaudits in this division, but Sheffield United have won 4 more points than them this this season and are deservedly top.

However, with a bit of digging you can kind of see why - Sheffield United are flat-track bullies (and very good at it too).

They've lost as many games as Leeds and Burnley combined - but they don't drop anywhere near as many unnecessary points. Their defeats are against Leeds x2, Burnley, Middlesbrough, Sunderland and (anomaly) Hull. Their draws vs WBA x2, Coventry, Bristol City, Norwich, Pompey and QPR.

That's just 9 points dropped against anyone outside the Top 8. For comparison Burnley have dropped 21 to the same sides (too much tippy tappy) and Leeds 23 (dodgy Keeper).

That said, they're not destroying teams left, right and centre. In fact, their win against us is their only one all season (of a whopping 26 wins) by more than two goals.

With our ability to be 'in' games under Rowett (we've only been two goals behind in the depths of injury time v Pompey and West Brom) we should again be competitive.

So whilst Sheffield United look like the most ruthless and efficient winning machine in The Championship, a pragmatic Rowett side is (as ever) capable of nicking an unlikely result...

Good stats.

They look like they will go up and come straight back down again, no one for them to flat track bully in the premier league. Still well worth it for the money that keeps you at the top of the Championship.

We were terrible up there, looked like a conference team vs a top 4 prem team though, we will need to be a lot, lot better to get anything.

 

[vcool]

I hope GR will try / give Marselino Ferdinand more minutes, he is young etc etc etc, but one thing for sure...he is full of international matches experiences. He only need chances and more minutes to proof himself. I didn't see his name in Youth team that played in Youth Alliance Cup Semifinal against Bromley ( too bad lost in penalty shoot-out,0-0 (4-5)),maybe he will be in main squad list this weekend

He showed what he can do in International level, even in Asian Zone, but still...in crucial round that will determine the fate of country who will play in WC2026, the highest level in football. And we can see his stats in WCQ Round 3 also not bad, 2 goals, 1 assist, 1 MOTM.

I read lot comments in Boro-OU thread, this squad not GR choice from beginning etc etc etc...well it's true, but we hired you, you accepted the role, and when you accept that role, you knew the situation...it's your duty to maximize team performances with available players. As simple as that.

Don't stick with "text book" when the results not too good for weeks. Try other formations, try you available players. I am kinda confuse with GR, rarely try other players in his available squad, late reaction that cost lost momentum, happened in many matches.

Every points now are very precious for us...so lets play in our last 7 matches like crazy Ox that will break any obstacles. 7 more finals to go.

All the best for OU's !!!

 

[Symp59]

7 games 7 points come on Oxford.

 

[West Oxon U’s]

REF WATCH

Experienced James Linington from Newport, Isle of Wight is Saturday’s referee.

 

[West Oxon U’s]

 

[Joey]

Interesting (to me, at least) that Leeds seem to get the plaudits in this division, but Sheffield United have won 4 more points than them this this season and are deservedly top.

You finish where you deserve to but, slightly contradictorily, I don't always think the best team takes the title. I certainly thought Ipswich were better than Plymouth when they both went up a few years back but Plymouth ground out results where Ipswich sometimes dropped them where you wouldn't expect, to go with your point about Sheffield United being ruthless against the weaker teams.

Likewise I thought we were generally a better side, certainly with a higher ceiling, than Northampton when we both got promoted. I think that's a good comparison to Sheffield United and Leeds, our team was incredible for League 2 whereas they were brilliantly organised and had the occasional moment of magic from Ricky Holmes, then when we both got promoted we finished just outside of the playoffs and they were lower mid table. The main similarity is there keepers though, they had Adam Smith who was excellent while we flip flopped between Slocombe and Buchel, who weren't. Cooper is one of the best at this level whereas Meslier is a liability. Every chance if you simply swapped keepers there's a 10 point swing right there.

 

[yellowbow]

2-1 Oxford. Sheffield score first but we storm back in the second half, backed by a vociferous crowd. Brannagan equalises from the penalty spot (at last!) and Brown pops up with the winner with 5 minutes to go, knocking it in after a goalmouth scramble from a corner, followed by rapturous scenes

 

[Under The Cuckoo Lane]

Sheffield Utd once went 50 games without a penalty, I think only surpassed by England who went 53. We've gone 39 so far surely it will come soon, I just hope Cam is playing when it does.

 

[tonyw]

Love everyone's enthusiasm, but can't say I share it!

These guys are a level above Middlesborough, and after the first 15 minutes we didn't really lay a finger on them last week, bar the occasional set piece.

We'll keep it close because Rowett knows how to keep things tight, and Wilder tends to be content to shut up shop when they're ahead (they've won their last six away games by the scores of 2-1, 2-1, 1-0, 1-0, 2-1 & 1-0!)

But it'll take a performance above anything we've produced this year to get anything from this one. Hope I'm wrong!

 

[pommy80]

Will be my first game of the season so hopefully the result ends up positive. Looking forward to it.

 

[Daviddidcotexile]

Fingers crossed as can't get to this one. Hopefully set us up for Wednesday