Home Match Day Thread 06/03/2021 L1 OUFC v Charlton Athletic

[wolvercoteyellow]

View attachment 5747

Is that a pointy hat, or just the shape of his head?

 

[West Oxon U’s]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1368474996041998337

 

[RgYellows]

Does KR think Gorrin can't play in a 2? Or does he just prefer 3 in the middle so we don't get overrun (which still happens quite often!)?

If we want to get support up to the striker then we've either got to try 4-4-2 or instead make one of the 3 get forward beyond the striker which rarely happens.

If our full backs were always getting forward then three in the middle seems right - Long does go forward but Ruffs doesn't as much....

It's frustrating as we have a more than decent squad on paper but it's not quite working atm.

Wasn't so much KR. A few on here, myself included, thought Gorrin did really well sat behind two others. So this change, to solve problems elsewhere, would need him to do something a bit different and I guess that always creates a question.
Agreed about the risk of two in the middle but also agree that the central three no longer seem to run games anyway. Plus a RM could drift inwards if needed, whilst the LM would be more of a traditional winger based on what we have.
It's perfectly reasonable to say that one of the midfield three needs to get forwards but it seems we are really struggling to do that without McGuane so alternatives need to be considered.
I actually think fast wingers can get behind Ruffles and cause problems. Nudging the wingers back a bit would help more here although I didn't lead with that cuz I'm not really sure how much Barker would do regardless of where he stands

Could we not go 4-3-3 but instead of barker and shodipo playing as wide wingers could we not get them closer to the cf so we could say have a team abit like this
Stevens
Forde Moore Atkinson ruffles
Brannagan gorrin ?
barker/shodipo/agyei taylor barker/shodipo/agyei
But instead of RW it could be RF and vice versa on the left that could also give Taylor some support
But I dunno all I know at the moment is none of are strikers know where the goal is

If the wingers play centrally then you have two options:

• Ruff and Forde need to be responsible for that entire side of the pitch - impossible with the fixture congestion and asking to be overloaded.
• Gorrin and Brannagan drift to the side lines and have to track full backs. Gorrin gets enough cards doing this when it isn't his main job so I wouldn't go for it myself.

 

[DevilsAvocado]

Thought that overall we were better than a fairly ordinary Charlton team, performances are on the up
but we are going to have to create more if we are in with a realistic shot at the play offs, so 2 points
dropped but hardly the end of the world, lots of games to go.

On some of the players, thought Hanson had a good game, he looks commited to the cause and thats
pleasing to see, bit worried about his passing, i think he is quite inconsistent and is as capable of opening up
a defence as he is of a wayward pass that puts us on the back foot, still, i think he can do a job and he looks
up for it and thats a plus.

Talking about players that look up for it i have been impressed with Forde, i had him down as an ok squad
player but he has grabbed this challenge by the horns and has to be one of the first names in the front six
on current performances, looking like a player that with a bit of help could drag us into the playoffs.
When Henry returns from injury i would quite like to see a front 4 of
Henry - Forde - Lee
Taylor

 

[Oufcrealist]

Interesting point.

The way I'm looking at it after today is this: if you're choosing our best midfield, it's probably a three with Gorrin at the base and Brannagan in one of the two positions in front of him. That means the final spot should go to whoever best fills that final position and complements the other two. Given the options in our squad (assuming everyone other than MacGuane is fully fit), that means it's one of Kelly, Sykes, Henry, Hanson, Forde and maybe Lee. Of those, Hanson obviously isn't really trusted there, Henry isn't really dynamic enough to play a full 90 minutes in that engine room, Lee is preferred out wide (and might have the same issue over 90 mins as Henry). Sykes I think has been great there individually recently, but as more of a midfield collective, today we just seemed to have more control of that midfield than in other games recently. I think if him and Brannagan play together, you sacrifice a lot of control of that central area, together they're not positionally disciplined enough. Which leaves Kelly and Forde. As the poster above says, we did just seem to pick up more second balls and have more space in the middle today. That can't just be chance.

Different opponents and situations will demand different combinations, obviously. But it seemed today like Kelly brings out the best in both Brannagan and Gorrin, which can only be a good thing for the team. And given the way Brannagan seemed so liberated playing alongside Kelly, it's not unreasonable to conclude that playing alongside him also released MacGuane in the same way.

If Henry was fit and on form like he was before the first lockdown and not what we have seen since, it would be Gorrin, Brannagan, Henry in McGuanes absence. I have said many times if Cam and Henry are fit and on form we are one of the best teams in this league without doubt. At the moment because they're not we are above average but not one of the best. Wish I could wave a magic wand and get them both back to their best!!

 

[behindthegoal]

Was watching quest.....who is the Oxford fan commenting on the lg 1 and 2 games?...George....?

 

[curransleftboot]

I reckon we got more chance of Tiger turning up at Radio Oxford and announcing we are building a 20k stadium plus leisure facilities in Oxford than we have of us making the playoffs.

There are atleast 7 teams better than us in this league and unless our players play out their skin and start banging in the goals this won't change.

We are a good mid table side, nothing more.

Only one way round that - change the tactics. But KR won't do that. Much like he wouldn't drop Eastwood or move Clare until his position was starting to come under scrutiny. Playing out from the back like Barcelona won't bring you success with these players in L1. Players like we have available are capable of playing direct and fast counter-attacking thru balls and getting men up to support. Alternatively, it's going to be sign more than one McGuane/Baptiste type player in the summer, players who are creative and can make things happen. Expecting penetrating runs and regular goals from inconsistent wingers is not happening and sides know what to do against them. Observation: one day soon Atkinson is going to give a goal away when he loses the ball from one of his (I'll beat 3 players runs) and leaves the back door wide open. Beat a player and pass it - and get back into position.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Only one way round that - change the tactics. But KR won't do that. Much like he wouldn't drop Eastwood or move Clare until his position was starting to come under scrutiny. Playing out from the back like Barcelona won't bring you success with these players in L1. Players like we have available are capable of playing direct and fast counter-attacking thru balls and getting men up to support. Alternatively, it's going to be sign more than one McGuane/Baptiste type player in the summer, players who are creative and can make things happen. Expecting penetrating runs and regular goals from inconsistent wingers is not happening and sides know what to do against them. Observation: one day soon Atkinson is going to give a goal away when he loses the ball from one of his (I'll beat 3 players runs) and leaves the back door wide open. Beat a player and pass it - and get back into position.

Well we won nine in a row playing out from the back, without switching to wingbacks or 4-4-2 or whatever .

 

[OX14]

Well we won nine in a row playing out from the back, without switching to wingbacks or 4-4-2 or whatever .

9 in a row against teams that aren't in the top half of the table. We are a decent mid table side, changing formation won't be enough for me.

 

[Oufcad30]

Was watching quest.....who is the Oxford fan commenting on the lg 1 and 2 games?...George....?

Simon Watts I believe?

 

[bazzer9461]

Well we won nine in a row playing out from the back, without switching to wingbacks or 4-4-2 or whatever .

And since our last win we’ve had 4 draws and a defeat, so KR has to start to look at what we can do whether it’s 4-2-4-1 or 4-4-2 or 5-3-2 or
4-1-4-1or 3-5-2 or even 4-2-4 so many permutations. We know his favourite is 4-2-3-1 and Agyei proved on Saturday his pace could be a game changer, so whether he starts 2 up front with Dan and Mat up top utilising Agyei’s pace to trouble the defence with Matty being in amongst it in their 6 yard box.

 

[SteMerritt]

And since our last win we’ve had 4 draws and a defeat, so KR has to start to look at what we can do whether it’s 4-2-4-1 or 4-4-2 or 5-3-2 or
4-1-4-1or 3-5-2 or even 4-2-4 so many permutations.

I'd go 4-2-4-1 if we can get away with it, but I think the opposition might complain about that...

 

[tonyw]

Observation: one day soon Atkinson is going to give a goal away when he loses the ball from one of his (I'll beat 3 players runs) and leaves the back door wide open. Beat a player and pass it - and get back into position.

This is true - but at the same time, his marauding runs can freak out the opposition and lead to goals themselves - for example, the first game against Pompey.

In our last five games, we've scored one goal (and that was in the 97th minute) and conceded only 2! It's great that we're so solid, but if we're going to stand a chance of the playoffs, we're going to have to get back to scoring some goals, and that may have to mean taking some more risks. Not taking away one of the only risks that our side already takes!

Agree with the rest of your posts. As the table currently stands, we've won exactly one game against any team in the top thirteen (13) in the table!?! And that was back in September against Accrington. Our other twelve wins have come against sides in the bottom eleven, including seven wins against the bottom four.

Which is good news for Tuesday.....but has to change in a hurry if we're going to have anything to play for by the second half of April.......

 

[West Oxon U’s]

Another excellent Charlton Live Podcast:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1368647966622425089

 

[Marked Ox]

Simon Watts I believe?

George Elek:

https://twitter.com/georgeelek?lang=en

 

[Oufcad30]

George Elek:

https://twitter.com/georgeelek?lang=en

Oh sorry

 

[m]

Thought that overall we were better than a fairly ordinary Charlton team, performances are on the up
but we are going to have to create more if we are in with a realistic shot at the play offs, so 2 points
dropped but hardly the end of the world, lots of games to go.

On some of the players, thought Hanson had a good game, he looks commited to the cause and thats
pleasing to see, bit worried about his passing, i think he is quite inconsistent and is as capable of opening up
a defence as he is of a wayward pass that puts us on the back foot, still, i think he can do a job and he looks
up for it and thats a plus.

Talking about players that look up for it i have been impressed with Forde, i had him down as an ok squad
player but he has grabbed this challenge by the horns and has to be one of the first names in the front six
on current performances, looking like a player that with a bit of help could drag us into the playoffs.
When Henry returns from injury i would quite like to see a front 4 of
Henry - Forde - Lee
Taylor

Interesting point on Forde, I'd always had hime down as an average and competent league 1 player with above average dead ball ability.

He showed pretty much the opposite on Saturday!

 

[Followtheox1]

Interesting point on Forde, I'd always had hime down as an average and competent league 1 player with above average dead ball ability.

He showed pretty much the opposite on Saturday!

He played well on Saturday. I thought he put some decent corners in too, they were defended pretty well.

 

[m]

He played well on Saturday. I thought he put some decent corners in too, they were defended pretty well.

Yeah, to be clear I meant that he looked very good on Sat while his dead balls were decidedly average!

Charlton did defend them well though as you point out.

 

[Foley]

Yeah, to be clear I meant that he looked very good on Sat while his dead balls were decidedly average!

Charlton did defend them well though as you point out.

His delivery was, as you suggested, average on Saturday.
One of the reason why we are not scoring now is that the corner and free kick delivery/ routines seem to be nowhere near as good as they were earlier in the season.