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

[curransleftboot]

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

That was before players were lost to transfer or injury and other teams did their homework, wised up and changed their tactics to deal with it. One example, Appleton - 'we set traps for them'. A slow and backward build up brings you less chances than quick thru balls with or without counter-attacks. We manage one ponderous, predictable and at times poorly supported forward attacks (ask Taylor) which gives the opposition all the time they need to set up defensively until they break up play and counter with quick decisive and multiple attempts on goal to our one. That of course all changes when we are a goal or two down and trying to play catch up - why is that? I suggest it should start that way and then go defensive (if needs be).

 

[curransleftboot]

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.......

Agreed - but, don't you also think that the opposition now know what he can do and send 2 to 3 to him to win the ball (he hogs it too long) beat him and counter immediately. This happened at least twice against Charlton with one of those chances going very close - I'd say a risk too far - he is our centre-back not our centre forward. I'm wondering if this is linked with his recent OM comments about the defenders should be scoring more goals. In my view his goal attempts would be safer and more successful at set pieces.

 

[Foley]

Agreed - but, don't you also think that the opposition now know what he can do and send 2 to 3 to him to win the ball (he hogs it too long) beat him and counter immediately. This happened at least twice against Charlton with one of those chances going very close - I'd say a risk too far - he is our centre-back not our centre forward. I'm wondering if this is linked with his recent OM comments about the defenders should be scoring more goals. In my view his goal attempts would be safer and more successful at set pieces.

There will occasionally be goal scored against us through Atkinson being caught out (it even happens to Allison at Liverpool who adds a huge amount to Liverpool's attacking options)
I am not sure that we have conceded any goals all season through that happening?
I think that he adds something to us from an attacking perspective (has he won 2 penalties this season) especially when teams are sitting back against us

 

[Marked Ox]

There will occasionally be goal scored against us through Atkinson being caught out (it even happens to Allison at Liverpool who adds a huge amount to Liverpool's attacking options)
I am not sure that we have conceded any goals all season through that happening?
I think that he adds something to us from an attacking perspective (has he won 2 penalties this season) especially when teams are sitting back against us

He can break the press with his runs as they have to close him down creating space elsewhere.

 

[werthersoriginal]

He can break the press with his runs as they have to close him down creating space elsewhere.

I think that’s right, a strong player running through is a different way of attacking if our through balls are all being cut out. Ideally it wouldn’t be the centre half though

 

[Paul Cannell]

It's a bit much to expect Stevens to do it.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

What does Taylor actually contribute when he's not scoring?