Away Match Day Thread 08/05/2024: L1 Play-Off SF 2nd Leg - Peterborough vs OUFC

[Carpy]

Hope we win of course, but their outright arrogance about thinking they'll roll us over makes you want it even more

 

[werthersoriginal]

Interesting replies as I was getting angry at the commentary during the game. I'll admit I was wound up but still thought a lot of it was one sided.

I don't think we endeared ourselves to the neutrals!

 

[dickwalton1964]

I'm sure he must feel a bit of a closeness to Oxford, especially now the season has ended, and it sounds like he's heaping the pressure on Bolton. We can't call it a free hit but there's no doubt about it that Bolton go in to this game carrying all the expectation. I'd also suggest that Evatt's job will come under scrutiny if they lose to us. He's done well there but they did fade away towards the end and let Derby in.

 

[Sheik djibouti]

Interesting replies as I was getting angry at the commentary during the game. I'll admit I was wound up but still thought a lot of it was one sided.

Yeah but we should embrace our role as unfashionable, unfancied underdogs. It has worked pretty well for us so far, and it would not be the first time in our history it has worked extremely well for us either. In fact I would go as far as to say some of the very best moments in the entire clubs history have come about from us being exactly that.

So let the pundits and football hobbyists croon and coo over the prowess of our opponents. Let them wax lyrical about the quality on display for our adversaries.

We are Oxford United, we know different and we relish their disdain.

Fuckit . . . I'm setting off for Wembley now!!!!

 

[MC Yellow]

Fair play, you deserved it over the two legs.

Proud of our kids, they've been fantastic to watch this season, but they've been knackered for weeks now, just didn't have anything left in the tank tonight. Tried hard but couldn't create much against a well organised defence.

I'm not that gutted, I'd have taken mid table at the start of the season, and I can live without another season of seeing us get destroyed in the Championship every week.

Enjoy Wembley

It was a complete onslaught … the stats look horrific, but we did what we needed to do and dare I say, what we set out to do.

Over 3 games it’s a 7-1 aggregate so I certainly don’t see this as a lucky result, albeit, it was a very tough evening to watch.

If we get there (big IF) I expect it will be a similar story for us (who knows)… but it’s been so long, it would be great to face bigger and better opposition each week, even if it is just for a season.

 

[GRB]

I don't think we endeared ourselves to the neutrals!

I was quite surprised how we played but it worked.

 

[dickwalton1964]

I don't think we endeared ourselves to the neutrals!

Good!!! I'd never want us to be a constant team doing the dark arts, ala Lincoln, but the odd game and occasion I'm delighted to see it. We've lacked some street wisdom for a while now but last night was a match for any of those past teams that took gamesmanship and spoiling to another level. Loved it and loved even more the negative reactions from those not associated with Oxford United!

 

[chuckbert]

Yeah but we should embrace our role as unfashionable, unfancied underdogs. It has worked pretty well for us so far, and it would not be the first time in our history it has worked extremely well for us either. In fact I would go as far as to say some of the very best moments in the entire clubs history have come about from us being exactly that.

So let the pundits and football hobbyists croon and coo over the prowess of our opponents. Let them wax lyrical about the quality on display for our adversaries.

We are Oxford United, we know different and we relish their disdain.

Fuckit . . . I'm setting off for Wembley now!!!!

100% this

 

[MC Yellow]

I don't think we endeared ourselves to the neutrals!

Great!!

We’re getting nasty

 

[Marked Ox]

Yeah, I didn't think they were biased at all. They were complimentary about our defensive resilience throughout.

The studio guests absolutely rubbished Ferguson's claims for a 'blatant' penalty.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

It was a complete onslaught … the stats look horrific, but we did what we needed to do and dare I say, what we set out to do.

Over 3 games it’s a 7-1 aggregate so I certainly don’t see this as a lucky result, albeit, it was a very tough evening to watch.

If we get there (big IF) I expect it will be a similar story for us (who knows)… but it’s been so long, it would be great to face bigger and better opposition each week, even if it is just for a season.

After seeing us get shithoused so many times it was nice to see us shithouse another team.

Under KR there was no plan B. Plan B isn't pretty for us but it got us over the line.

I'd be fuming if I was a Posh fan but we have been there so many times ourselves.

 

[werthersoriginal]

After seeing us get shithoused so many times it was nice to see us shithouse another team.

Under KR there was no plan B. Plan B isn't pretty for us but it got us over the line.

I'd be fuming if I was a Posh fan but we have been there so many times ourselves.

Manning didn't have a plan B either, it's great to have a manager who does now.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

Manning didn't have a plan B either, it's great to have a manager who does now.

Maybe when we were getting angry at always throwing away leads, that was him trying to make a plan B but it not working?

When we first defended deep under Des I just felt the other team scoring was inevitable.

Where this team has got this steel and resilience from seemingly out of nowhere I've been amazed by.

What a rollercoaster season it's been.

 

[tonto]

Well my lucky socks have now played 4 won 4. Got to say that RR was a bit of an unsung hero last night. Very disciplined performance from him.

 

[Followtheox1]

After seeing us get shithoused so many times it was nice to see us shithouse another team.

Under KR there was no plan B. Plan B isn't pretty for us but it got us over the line.

I'd be fuming if I was a Posh fan but we have been there so many times ourselves.

If we played like that every week then I would hate it but we don't. As we showed during the 5-0 spanking of them a couple of weeks ago, we also play expansive progressive football. Same with Lincoln who played like we did last night when at ours, some of our fans were fuming but on their run they have also spanked teams 5-0. We are just showing we also have some steel and grit and like you said a plan B. We have been missing that.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

If we played like that every week then I would hate it but we don't. As we showed during the 5-0 spanking of them a couple of weeks ago, we also play expansive progressive football. Same with Lincoln who played like we did last night when at ours, some of our fans were fuming but on their run they have also spanked teams 5-0. We are just showing we also have some steel and grit and like you said a plan B. We have been missing that.

I can barely remember the last time we had a plan B. It would certainly be before KR.

Moore on the Dub said sitting back wasn't the plan but we couldn't get up the pitch and get on the ball because their pressing was very good.

The defenders deserve a lot of the praise, all the lads worked hard but I thought Sparky and RR struggled to impact the game that much.

Over both legs, Moore Brown Bennett and Stevens (Long second leg) deserve so much credit.

Moore and Brown is now looking a very good CB parnership. Brown got stick at left back but looking on it with hindsight, he did a good job out of his natural position, Moores performances speak for themselves, but over both legs Bennett absolutely first class. What a signing he has been. My standout player over the two legs.

If we are to get a result v Bolton, that defence is going to need to produce again. But maybe we do need to also get up the pitch more.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

Who was Man of the Match? It’s an interesting question…

Sky gave it to Cameron Brannagan, I think mainly due to the extreme calmness he showed in taking the penalty under huge pressure (not saying he didn’t play well but only 9% of forum members agreed)

I heard Jerome Sale saying after the game that he thought it should have been Joe Bennett, he certainly put in one hell of a shift and our left side of defence probably did better than our right side, Poku was broadly anonymous while their left winger had a field day at times

The winner on the forum poll is Jamie Cumming, he certainly culled off some vital saves

All worthy winners, but my personal MOTM was Ciaron Brown, I just thought he was an an absolute colossus, headed everything away, fouled when he needed to and basically just said Peterborough were not getting past him no matter what.

Honourable mentions to Elliott Moore and Sam Long for that goalline clearance as well.

 

[Jster]

I hadn't realised until I listened to the Dub that we played out the closing seconds with 10 players, as Browne didn't come back on after going down (and we'd used our sub windows). Apparently neither he nor Goodrham were out to celebrate at the end either.

 

[tonyw]

There is just a weird feeling that, despite not being as good as some of the KR OUFC sides, I think, and despite putting in some honking performances for what felt like months, things are just falling for us. Momentum and fate seems to be with us. Those scenes at full time were special. Bolton are, probably, a better side than us, but there is a growing feeling that this team has that intangible X factor of a team that is going up.

2020/21 - W22 D8 L16 F77 A56......then humped by a powerful Blackpool side the the playoff semis
2023/24 - W22 D11 L13 F79 A56.......then put in an extremely professional performance to knock off a talented Peterborough side and get to Wembley

Don't see how you can objectively say that KR's playoff team that year was any better than this one! In fact, from any statistical measure, the teams were pretty much identical only this side had the strength and determination to pull out a tough playoff semi-final victory, whereas that one meekly rolled over.

Maybe the team in the first half of 2019/20 was better, when Henry and Taylor were still near their primes, and we had Baptiste and Fosu up to January......but the season got ballsed up by Covid so it's tough to compare. And even then, the broken shell of Jamie Mackie still played in 43 games that year!!

 

[chuckbert]

Maybe the team in the first half of 2018/19 was better, when Henry and Taylor were still near their primes, and we had Baptiste and Fosu up to January......but the season got ballsed up by Covid so it's tough to compare.

19/20 season was covid

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

I hadn't realised until I listened to the Dub that we played out the closing seconds with 10 players, as Browne didn't come back on after going down (and we'd used our sub windows). Apparently neither he nor Goodrham were out to celebrate at the end either.

That’s not at all true, firstly Browne didn’t even go off after going down, and in fact played on immediately, and secondly in ‘Wasn’t at the Game’ Jerome namechecks Marcus Browne as celebrating with the fans afterwards?