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

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

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

Let's hope so!

 

[dickwalton1964]

Sibley didn't do enough on Saturday to earn a start tomorrow. He was tentative in everything he did, it was one of the most unconvincing performances I've seen from one of our players all season.

 

[uptheus]

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

Agree with most of that, but I’d keep Dale over Ebiowei. Also, possibly El Mizouni for McEachran too as I think he’s carry an injury.

And at a push, Leigh over Sibley, but hopefully if Sibley started on the left he might be more productive. Having said that, he won’t take a lot for him to be more productive based upon Saturday’s performance. Was very poor.

 

[90syeIlow]

There's lots of talk about which formation is best, what players need to start etc, but the main problem we've had over the last few games is the inability to make simple passes to teammates. I don't know what's happened to the team of late, but we lose so much possession from making inaccurate simple passes and overhit balls that go out for throw-ins

 

[LeftSideBoy]

Cumming
Moore Nelson Brown
Ter-Avest Josh Mc El-Miz Leigh
Tyler
Scarlett Harris

 

[Oufcrealist]

With so many players out we are suffering from a lack of quality in the squad at the moment.
For me Dale just isn't Championship standard and neither is Sibley, although I'll give Sibley a bit more time. But it was 9 against 11 with those two in the first half Saturday.
With the players available I think 3-5-2 suits us better.
If he persists with 4-1-4-1 then you have to start with Ebiowei and El Miz. I like Tyler in the middle but I don't see any alternative for the other wing.

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

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?

Fair suggestion, but my concern with this would be getting steamrolled through the middle.

Tyler offers nothing defensively (not saying he should, but if he is one of three midfielders...) and Josh is not very mobile and is in there purely (rightly) to find those passes as the QuarterBack. That leaves a lot on El Miz.

All well and good trying to give us width in midfield, but it could leave us very light through the centre.

One variation could be to drop Tyler and reinstate Vaulks (or even Sibley) to at least give three genuine midfielders.

If you really wanted to get Tyler in (or Ruben for that matter) you play them as a second striker instead of Harris or Scarlett.

Not very exciting perhaps, but should at least make us solid and competitive again rather than the current system/personnel that just invites pressure.

 

[Mad Dog]

If the fans who want to be brave and abuse players behind a keyboard because we aren’t picking up points constantly this season might want to go and support a team like Man City!

The hard times make the good times feel so much better! Every win will be vital this season but as a fan base we can’t throw our toys out the pram as soon as we get into a bit of a bad run!

I would also remind those fans who are giving out the abuse that the club is currently running a campaign all to do with mental health, might be worth remembering that before sending an abusive message to one of our players or to another fan.

On to Tuesday…3-0 win.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with constructively criticising a players performance, form, and questioning whether they should be in the team for the next game, for whatever reason, that is a normal process, and is part of mature debate, before and after games.

However, if the constructive criticism descends into mindless personal abuse of individual players, then it's utterly disgraceful and those responsible should be ashamed of themselves. I'd even go so far as to say if they can be identified via their sad little social media accounts, then they should be banned from attending any further games, and have their daft little social media accounts closed.

There is also another option, which is the players staying away from social media in the immediate aftermath of games, which they shouldn't have to do, but they know full well there will be loads of braindead morons on there, spitting venom, because they're too thick and immature to control their emotions after a game. Just wait for them to tire themselves out and for mummy and daddy to send them to bed, then log on when the more mature people are on there. If there are any on social media that is!

I must say though, I'm so glad I've never lowered myself to languishing around on such braindead swamps like twitter and Facebook. Only ever gonna find halfwits on there I'm afraid. The kind of morons who can't think for themselves, and would probably set fire to their own faces if it suddenly became fashionable amongst their fellow dum dums.

Don't get me started!

 

[Foley]

“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…

If only it was that simple.
Kioso is a right back and not a flying right wing back.
All of our success has come with a particular set up.
Maybe 3 at the back wouod work, but to me there are no guarantees.
Depending on how we set up, we could be more vulnerable down the flanks, and wouod be pretty reliant on Leigh and Kioso (?) to get forward ( but also get back when Hull hit us)

Until we have some of the wide men fit, we will need to grind out a couple of results and there is not an ideal formation/ set up in my view.

 

[Foley]

There's lots of talk about which formation is best, what players need to start etc, but the main problem we've had over the last few games is the inability to make simple passes to teammates. I don't know what's happened to the team of late, but we lose so much possession from making inaccurate simple passes and overhit balls that go out for throw-ins

Our press and energy seem to have gone as well.
We started the season with huge energy, pressing the other team and getting at them.
Are the players tired ( Des was suggesting that this league is far more intense?).
Agree that the passing needs to improve a lot as well

 

[Trevor L]

I don't know what the data say, but the games certainly look more intense than L1 to me, and we have this ridiculous (imho) scheduling where 2 week international breaks for meaningless matches are interspersed with periods of 3 games in a week. Same for everyone, of course, but any team with a few injuries out of a 25 player squad and a requirement to put out 11 players plus a bench is going to end up with every available player involved. Personal opinion, but I think the quality of the product is being compromised by the demands of television, and injuries become more likely the more the demands are on the players.

Rant over.

 

[Scotchegg]

Our press and energy seem to have gone as well.
We started the season with huge energy, pressing the other team and getting at them.
Are the players tired ( Des was suggesting that this league is far more intense?).
Agree that the passing needs to improve a lot as well

I think our passing is a byproduct of our movement and energy. Look at Ruben out of possession. He barely moves. When the ball is played beyond him towards Harris, he's an absolute menace at getting second balls or nipping it off a defender. But when the keeper or centre back are looking to play into midfield you have someone standing and staring back at them. McEachran was the only one in our midfield looking to take the ball off the back 5 on Saturday, and Swansea man marked the s**t out of him. On the occasions where he did get the ball and turn into space, he found the same static players as before.

That's why I prefer Tyler in the middle. He's always busy, always looking to get the ball. He's also got quick feet so is more able to take a touch and draw a foul or forces the opposition to commit which then frees up space for others.

Yes, our passing has been poor. But I've seen better movement in the fielders on the old Test Match game!

 

[RyanioBirdio]

I'm so glad I've never lowered myself to languishing around on such braindead swamps like twitter and Facebook. Only ever gonna find halfwits on there I'm afraid. The kind of morons who can't think for themselves, and would probably set fire to their own faces if it suddenly became fashionable amongst their fellow dum dums.

Yes, best stick to Yellows Forum.

 

[TailsWeWin]

I think our passing is a byproduct of our movement and energy. Look at Ruben out of possession. He barely moves. When the ball is played beyond him towards Harris, he's an absolute menace at getting second balls or nipping it off a defender. But when the keeper or centre back are looking to play into midfield you have someone standing and staring back at them. McEachran was the only one in our midfield looking to take the ball off the back 5 on Saturday, and Swansea man marked the s**t out of him. On the occasions where he did get the ball and turn into space, he found the same static players as before.

That's why I prefer Tyler in the middle. He's always busy, always looking to get the ball. He's also got quick feet so is more able to take a touch and draw a foul or forces the opposition to commit which then frees up space for others.

Yes, our passing has been poor. But I've seen better movement in the fielders on the old Test Match game!

I think we’ll have to get used to McE being man-marked
It’s currently easy to identify him as the pivot which we depend on for attacking movement.

 

[Foley]

The Dub: An Oxford United podcast - Embrace the mayhem - BBC Sounds

On this week’s edition of The Dub, Des pulls no punches after Swansea loss.

www.bbc.co.uk

Loving the Hull managers interview.
Interesting views on 3 at the back by GE and BP

 

[Joey]

Fair suggestion, but my concern with this would be getting steamrolled through the middle.

Tyler offers nothing defensively (not saying he should, but if he is one of three midfielders...) and Josh is not very mobile and is in there purely (rightly) to find those passes as the QuarterBack. That leaves a lot on El Miz.

All well and good trying to give us width in midfield, but it could leave us very light through the centre.

One variation could be to drop Tyler and reinstate Vaulks (or even Sibley) to at least give three genuine midfielders.

If you really wanted to get Tyler in (or Ruben for that matter) you play them as a second striker instead of Harris or Scarlett.

Not very exciting perhaps, but should at least make us solid and competitive again rather than the current system/personnel that just invites pressure.

I think it was Stevenage away when Manning said he was going to play a "box" formation, if memory serves me we didn't because Edwards was injured. 3 at the back, wingers/wingbacks, 2 more defence minded midfielders and a 2 more attack minded and a striker ahead of them. Probably too complex to have worked on just today but we Tyler is far and away our brightest attacking spark, there's no way he can be dropped. On the other hand it's very hard to find a justification for Harris starting on current form so it would solve that problem.

 

[maidenheadox]

There isn't really a good solution to our current injury woes. I think 3-5-2 is pretty risky and could go badly wrong, plus I'm not sure Harris merits a start at the moment. I'd think I'd play both McE and Vaulks to hopefuly get a bit more control, with El Miz completing the midfield three. Tyler on the left (if he's wide then he's better on that side) and Ebiowei on the right which is definitely a risk. Scarlett up front, goalie and back 4 no change.

 

[Joey]

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.

I think the difference in the pressing between Harris and Scarlett has been very exaggerated. I didn't see any of the Sunderland game but when Scarlett got a start against Derby he made just as much of a nuisance of himself as Harris does while also being able to link play and actually score a goal. It does seem as if there's a lingering doubt about Scarlett based on him not running round like a madman trying to win a ball that was never there in some of his sub appearances.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

I think it was Stevenage away when Manning said he was going to play a "box" formation, if memory serves me we didn't because Edwards was injured. 3 at the back, wingers/wingbacks, 2 more defence minded midfielders and a 2 more attack minded and a striker ahead of them. Probably too complex to have worked on just today but we Tyler is far and away our brightest attacking spark, there's no way he can be dropped. On the other hand it's very hard to find a justification for Harris starting on current form so it would solve that problem.

We did play a box that day. It was a 3421 with two narrow wingers (basically two 10s) behind a striker forming a box with the two centre mids, and wing backs getting forward in Leigh and Stevens. Goodrham stepped in and played “top of the box” next to Ruben as it was described by Manning post-match.

 

[Joey]

We did play a box that day. It was a 3421 with two narrow wingers (basically two 10s) behind a striker forming a box with the two centre mids, and wing backs getting forward in Leigh and Stevens. Goodrham stepped in and played “top of the box” next to Ruben as it was described by Manning post-match.

There we are then, do that Des. Goodrham has to play as our most potent goal threat and if we can rely on Leigh and the right sided wing back to get forwards it could bear fruit.

Also allows us to get Sam Long in the team as one of the holding midfielders.