Home Match Build-Up 05/11/2024 - Championship: Oxford United vs Hull City

[TeamOX]

For me I’d ask Des to step down. Who knew we had so many technical geniuses amongst our fan base.

Surely the point and intrigue in football as a fan is discussing it and having your own thoughts and opinions? Not sure anyone is suggesting they know better?

 

[Joey]

We haven't won a game since Des split up the Moore & Brown CB partnership, and Kioso doesn't look like a natural FB. I'd definitely play Long, Moore, Brown & Leigh as the back 4.

Then perhaps try Kioso, McEachran, Goodrham and El Miz in midfield?

Kioso has performed at a level above what Long can do for most of this season. If we're dropping him then Ter Avest will come in, Long should be third choice. It was Ter Avest who got the minutes against Sunderland, I have a feeling when he gets a run he'll make the spot his own.

 

[OxfordNondie]

Defensively our back 5 has been very good this year so why a clamour for change ?

We are being exposed in the middle of the park for pace, need TG to play there.

Harris been poor of late. Scarlett to start.

 

[uptheus]

Not through the middle, but he has more pace than most and is direct which hopefully means we can get something out of him on the left. But more importantly, it brings Tyler inside where he is most influential.

Who would you rest?

 

[Scotchegg]

Who would you rest?

From the starting line up on Saturday;

Vaulks in for Ruben (playing as a 6)
Sibley from centre mid to left wing
Tyler from left wing to centre mid (no.10)
Ebiowei for Dale on the right
Scarlett for Harris upfront

 

[Eric Blair]

From the starting line up on Saturday;

Vaulks in for Ruben (playing as a 6)
Sibley from centre mid to left wing
Tyler from left wing to centre mid (no.10)
Ebiowei for Dale on the right
Scarlett for Harris upfront

Yep, I agree with that. Am I right in saying that Sibley's favoured position is on the left or was that a cheese dream?

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

We haven't won a game since Des split up the Moore & Brown CB partnership, and Kioso doesn't look like a natural FB. I'd definitely play Long, Moore, Brown & Leigh as the back 4.

Then perhaps try Kioso, McEachran, Goodrham and El Miz in midfield?

Think Long would be great back in the side, a bloke who would run through walls for OUFC. Very much needed this season.

 

[Scotchegg]

Think Long would be great back in the side, a bloke who would run through walls for OUFC. Very much needed this season.

I'm a fully paid up member of the Sam Long fan club, but I'm not sure that he offers us anything more right now. Kioso has generally been very good, and if he doesn't play you would assume that ter Avest would come in to replace him.

Moore and Nelson have also been very good in the middle and whilst Long is an able replacement if either can't play, he doesn't force his way ahead of either of them.

And whilst Sam Long is more than capable of playing on the left, I think that Ciaron Brown has also looked good since moving over. He was caught for pace a little on Saturday, but I'm not sure that Longy would have been any quicker.

 

[Manorlounger]

I can see it now, the office at the training ground buzzing with all reading the forum. "Gaffer! here's another good idea, play Easty, no, play Longy or put Ingram on the wing. . . . "

The confusion becomes too much for Doris and the tea ladies and they withdraw to the kitchen. In the confusion they leave the biscuits behind and Harris dives in to gorge himself. (3 attempts as he missed the first 2)
Eventually it all works out. Olly will start up top.

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

I can see it now, the office at the training ground buzzing with all reading the forum. "Gaffer! here's another good idea, play Easty, no, play Longy or put Ingram on the wing. . . . "

The confusion becomes too much for Doris and the tea ladies and they withdraw to the kitchen. In the confusion they leave the biscuits behind and Harris dives in to gorge himself. (3 attempts as he missed the first 2)
Eventually it all works out. Olly will start up top.

Predictably, he was caught offside as he made a break for the biscuits.

 

[Snoopsnoop]

Oxford win by 1 goal margin.
Hull arrive expecting this to be a turnaround match for them and a good result.
Manic 90mins with both teams wanting it. Oxford players (annoyed with themselves, wanting to prove and fired up) just edge.
Fingers. Crossed.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

Albert Einstein probably didn’t say that but if he’d watched Oxford’s last few games, and then saw us line up against Hull in the same 4-1-4-1 formation then he just might have done…

Even forgetting the fact that our current squad looks absolutely tailor made for a 3-5-2, it still makes sense to make the change. Let’s say we change to a back three, and still lose - at least we tried something, did something different. But if we keep everything the same, did the old ‘Plan A but better’, and still lose?… That starts to look like arrogance, like ignorance, like intransigence. And I don’t think Des has any of those traits. Not really.

Look, we have three really good centre backs. But rather than forcing Ciaron Brown to uncomfortably impersonate a left back, it would allow him to be a strong, high quality left centre back. Greg Leigh is a good player, who is fresh and hasn’t played many minutes. Don’t trust him at left back, because he’s not the best defensively? Fine, play him left wing back. Tyler Goodrham is a great player, tricky, good feet, can shoot, but maybe lacks the pure pace of a Championship winger. Fine, play him more centrally. Dane Scarlett is in form, but we want to find a place for Mark Harris, one of our best players. Fine; play them both. It starts to solve issues all over the pitch.

A back three of Brown, Moore, Nelson using the extra freedom to dribble and bring the ball out? Leigh and Ter Avest/Kioso rampaging down the wings? McEachran holding, with El-Mizouni and Goodrham ahead of him offering energy, work rate and quick feet? Harris and Scarlett constantly running in behind?

It. Just. Makes. So. Much. Sense.

Or, you can stick to what we’ve been doing, have Brown being exposed at left back, Dale and/or Ebiowei huffing and puffing on the wings and failing to beat their man, and Scarlett or Harris ploughing online furrow up front, with little to no support. Maybe we’ll even scrape a draw against Hull, at home, and our form will read LDDDDDLLD. Wow.

Do it, Des. Make the change. You know you want to…

 

[Followtheox1]

From the starting line up on Saturday;

Vaulks in for Ruben (playing as a 6)
Sibley from centre mid to left wing
Tyler from left wing to centre mid (no.10)
Ebiowei for Dale on the right
Scarlett for Harris upfront

Sibley has looked awful, other than the goal at Pompey. He also looks like he is trying his hardest to get a red card. I suspect a combination of the above made DBs decision to sub him very easy at half time on Saturday. He is no left winger either in my view (granted he comes from not far from the old mining communities so may have a bit of Arthur Scargill in him). I think he is a no 10 or even no 8, just not making a good job of showing it so far. I would rather we stick Leigh on the left wing than him currently. In fact why not play with wing backs?

 

[Scotchegg]

If only football was as easy as some think.

Look at the video from Wembley with Des showing how we countered Bolton's Wing backs by playing through the space they create. The idea that your full backs suddenly become out and out wingers, and one of your centre backs becomes a ball playing Beckenbauer is the stuff of 90's fifa games.

I'm sure we'll get lots of energy from Kioso and Leigh, but are we convinced that we will get the distribution we need. And a front four of Harris, Scarlett, Goodrham and El Mizouni would likely see them getting in each other's way more than overwhelming any defence.

I'm not saying that a change of formation isn't possible or needed, but we are in danger of just exposing weaknesses elsewhere.

 

[Lost Marbles]

Sibley must frustrate Buckingham because Des has a policy of avoiding unnecessary cards to avoid suspensions, while Sibley seemingly has a policy of taking the man not the ball (get into 'em, etc). I'm not surprised he was hooked at half time.

Unless we do switch to wingbacks, Ebiowei has to start. His end product was hugely frustrating on Saturday, especially his shot where his lack of confidence was palpable, but he at least got in behind multiple times - we have to have pace out wide or the system doesn't work.

 

[Manorlounger]

Whoever plays, and in whichever formation, it would be very welcome to see some confidence returning. Accurate passing, accurate shooting, and cohesive play. Saturday was just embarrassing to watch.

 

[Victor1986]

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

Albert Einstein probably didn’t say that but if he’d watched Oxford’s last few games, and then saw us line up against Hull in the same 4-1-4-1 formation then he just might have done…

Even forgetting the fact that our current squad looks absolutely tailor made for a 3-5-2, it still makes sense to make the change. Let’s say we change to a back three, and still lose - at least we tried something, did something different. But if we keep everything the same, did the old ‘Plan A but better’, and still lose?… That starts to look like arrogance, like ignorance, like intransigence. And I don’t think Des has any of those traits. Not really.

Look, we have three really good centre backs. But rather than forcing Ciaron Brown to uncomfortably impersonate a left back, it would allow him to be a strong, high quality left centre back. Greg Leigh is a good player, who is fresh and hasn’t played many minutes. Don’t trust him at left back, because he’s not the best defensively? Fine, play him left wing back. Tyler Goodrham is a great player, tricky, good feet, can shoot, but maybe lacks the pure pace of a Championship winger. Fine, play him more centrally. Dane Scarlett is in form, but we want to find a place for Mark Harris, one of our best players. Fine; play them both. It starts to solve issues all over the pitch.

A back three of Brown, Moore, Nelson using the extra freedom to dribble and bring the ball out? Leigh and Ter Avest/Kioso rampaging down the wings? McEachran holding, with El-Mizouni and Goodrham ahead of him offering energy, work rate and quick feet? Harris and Scarlett constantly running in behind?

It. Just. Makes. So. Much. Sense.

Or, you can stick to what we’ve been doing, have Brown being exposed at left back, Dale and/or Ebiowei huffing and puffing on the wings and failing to beat their man, and Scarlett or Harris ploughing online furrow up front, with little to no support. Maybe we’ll even scrape a draw against Hull, at home, and our form will read LDDDDDLLD. Wow.

Do it, Des. Make the change. You know you want to…

Spot on IOW - get in the dug-out!

 

[Big Ron]

I agree there is some debate as regards personnel and formation but however that resolves itself, I don't think Harris should be starting for now. I really like him and I hope he'll come good again, but on Saturday nothing went right for him. The ball constantly bounced off of him, he couldn't time his runs or make a pass and when those chances come in the Championship, they have to go in.

Scarlett is a different type of player but is showing glimpses of his potential. Sure, he doesn't run the channels or pressure the defenders and keeper as much, but his three goals were those of a finisher and he is stronger with his back to goal.

I'm not writing Harris off or rubbishing him, but he needs to be on the bench at best on Tuesday.

 

[Vancouver Yellow]

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

Albert Einstein probably didn’t say that but if he’d watched Oxford’s last few games, and then saw us line up against Hull in the same 4-1-4-1 formation then he just might have done…

Even forgetting the fact that our current squad looks absolutely tailor made for a 3-5-2, it still makes sense to make the change. Let’s say we change to a back three, and still lose - at least we tried something, did something different. But if we keep everything the same, did the old ‘Plan A but better’, and still lose?… That starts to look like arrogance, like ignorance, like intransigence. And I don’t think Des has any of those traits. Not really.

Look, we have three really good centre backs. But rather than forcing Ciaron Brown to uncomfortably impersonate a left back, it would allow him to be a strong, high quality left centre back. Greg Leigh is a good player, who is fresh and hasn’t played many minutes. Don’t trust him at left back, because he’s not the best defensively? Fine, play him left wing back. Tyler Goodrham is a great player, tricky, good feet, can shoot, but maybe lacks the pure pace of a Championship winger. Fine, play him more centrally. Dane Scarlett is in form, but we want to find a place for Mark Harris, one of our best players. Fine; play them both. It starts to solve issues all over the pitch.

A back three of Brown, Moore, Nelson using the extra freedom to dribble and bring the ball out? Leigh and Ter Avest/Kioso rampaging down the wings? McEachran holding, with El-Mizouni and Goodrham ahead of him offering energy, work rate and quick feet? Harris and Scarlett constantly running in behind?

It. Just. Makes. So. Much. Sense.

Or, you can stick to what we’ve been doing, have Brown being exposed at left back, Dale and/or Ebiowei huffing and puffing on the wings and failing to beat their man, and Scarlett or Harris ploughing online furrow up front, with little to no support. Maybe we’ll even scrape a draw against Hull, at home, and our form will read LDDDDDLLD. Wow.

Do it, Des. Make the change. You know you want to…

Totally agree and have thought this since Derby, hopefully we see some positive changes tomorrow!

 

[WE Yellow]

Playing a back 5 doesn't automatically mean we stop getting overrun in midfield. If anything, it creates more space in there and means you only have to bypass 1 midfielder to get a run at the back 3. Unless we are hoping Goodrham/El Miz do not drift wide and Kioso/Leigh can bomb on and take on multiple players themselves (unlikely). If you want to ensure you're solid in the middle, you stick Goodrham in the hole (ooer) and play narrow, which I also don't think is the best idea.

I'd stick with the 4-1-4-1 approach, but have Vaulks in Rodrigues' position. One thing he does bring is a lot of energy, and a more combative approach would certainly free up more space for Mceachran, who had barely any time on the ball on Saturday. The issue was Sibley/Rodrigues were pushed back, and Allen was man marking JMc, allowing the space for Grimes (their Mceachran mould) to dictate play. Assuming Hull come and play with a 3 in midfield, I wouldn't be against sticking Vaulks on their base player - if you can take the dictator out of the game, the 2 other midfielders become redundant, as we saw on Saturday.