Away Match Day Thread 09/12/2023 L1 : Peterborough United v OUFC

[Northstandboy]

The matches seem to be coming thick and fast now.

At time of writing this post, the weather is set to be a warm 12oC!

 

[Cowley Yellow]

We seem to think that possession counts for every thing even when we are behind as match stats show. Reality, as we all know, is that only goals matter and we have srikers that can't strike.
Can't fault the work rate of Harris but work rate alone is not enough, O'Donkor is big fast and strong but lacking in guile/anticipation, neither score at the goals per game required.

Harris's work rate isn't that good, half the time he is offside which for someone with his pace is shocking, he doesn't seem to look across the line.

Half the time when he does make runs then they are alongside the centre back and not into space so he can't actually get involved.

He does a fair few sprints to close down but i want a lot more from a striker

 

[West Oxon U’s]

Yes, we're stumbling, but can hardly blame a manager who has barely had time to stamp his mark at all. Fans are so impatient these days. Give him a bit of time.

Carlisle manager - and former U’s winger Paul Simpson - lays into Carlisle fans after the 3-0 loss at Blackpool.

 

[LeftSideLarry]

It was a horror show of a first half. After an initial period of sizing us up, Peterborough proceeded to outclass us. The contrast in their football to ours was so stark. Where we are slow, deliberate and ponderous, they are quick, relentless and energetic. I can’t remember the last time we offered as little as we did in that first half. I was angry, as were others, but I didn’t see that mirrored by the players. They looked resigned to it to me and that’s simply not good enough and certainly not the characteristic of a promotion winning side.

The second half was better, but only because they took their foot off the pedal. They knew that we could play for ten hours without scoring. Murphy injected some urgency and pace, but all too little and far too late.

DB has got some big problems to solve. Without some of the injured players back and some new faces to fill the gaps, I think he’s going to struggle to keep us in touch.

People around me at the match were losing faith, not because they’ve decided to not like DB, or because they have unreasonably high expectations, but because the football we are seeing is in rapid decline, with very little encouragement to think it will be arrested.

Tuesday is huge for OUFC. Win and it’s something to get behind and an injection of belief for players, staff and fans alike. Lose, well I think we’re going to see some fairly ugly scenes.

 

[Teacher]

He has featured in 32 league games for us and managed 4 assists and 0 goals.

I despised Murphy last season and think he’s been powder puff for a lot of this season.

However, he was our brightest spark yesterday and has been improving game on game lately.

I gave him a barrel load of abuse last season so only fair to mention how much better he’s getting this year.

If Bodin had converted his cross yesterday, he would start to have ‘numbers’.

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

Thing is, it doesn’t have to be anyone amazing. A sturdy youth who’s banged in a few for Cambridge or Accrington would improve us.

21 year old Will Goodwin could barely get a game for Cheltenham under Wade Elliott (a Cheltenham team that literally couldn't find a goal for the first two months of the season).

Darrell Clarke takes over, sticks Goodwin in the side - and this kid with a handful of Football League games to his name now has 5 goals and 2 assists in 8 starts.

So little Cheltenham Town found a goalscorer in the form of a kid knocking about on their bench, and yet big budget Oxford United consistently fail to find one with an impressive recruitment team and cash to spend?

It simply doesn't add up.

 

[Teacher]

We cannot continue to play Harris up front. He offers nothing. The idea that he works hard is a total fabrication.

Not that I think O’Donkor is necessarily the answer, it is time to give him a run of games. Harris has been afforded the luxury of a starting spot week in week out, despite being the worst centre forward we have signed since we have been in L1.

Time to give GOD a run of games (not 10 mins here or there) or try something else. I’m not against Perkins although there is clearly a reason why neither manager has selected him in many squads. Failing that, we could try Bodin or Rueben in some kind of false 9.

We cannot persist with Harris. It’s embarrassing.

 

[Horse]

I hope we’ve seen the last of the red and black kit , no reason not to wear yellow yesterday.

 

[Swaby39]

Yes, we're stumbling, but can hardly blame a manager who has barely had time to stamp his mark at all. Fans are so impatient these days. Give him a bit of time.

Absolutely. Only a few weeks ago the league was looking like a 2 or 3 horse race. Suddenly, 6 points separate 1st from 6th. All is not lost by a few dodgy performances but it does need rectifying before it becomes a rot.

It’s been a very turbulent few weeks for us but you can’t legislate for your manager leaving so prematurely and losing your match winning players all for several months. Even before Manning left, the rational fan was just looking to stay in the pack heading in to January and that was when we were settled. We’re now unsettled trying to do that and it’s more than likely Des won’t fancy a few of Manning’s signings for what he wants to do.

We need 8+ points really from the next 4 at an absolute minimum not only to keep our position but halt the idea that the wheels have come off before January recruitment. I don’t think that’s a big ask even in this transition period we’re in.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

I hope we’ve seen the last of the red and black kit , no reason not to wear yellow yesterday.

Agree with that. It looked awful. I think the only reason we wore it was because it was sold as the 'second' kit and we hadn't used it once. The 'third' kit is more attractive and that's what we've used in preference . We ought to wear yellow whenever we can though.

 

[Mad Dog]

Nothing's working right now, Harris is useless, we don't have enough quality in wide areas, and we don't control the ball enough in the middle of the pitch.

It's pretty obvious we need to change something, with a bit of out of the box thinking.

So f**k it, try this:

 

[Swaby39]

We cannot continue to play Harris up front. He offers nothing. The idea that he works hard is a total fabrication.

Not that I think O’Donkor is necessarily the answer, it is time to give him a run of games. Harris has been afforded the luxury of a starting spot week in week out, despite being the worst centre forward we have signed since we have been in L1.

Time to give GOD a run of games (not 10 mins here or there) or try something else. I’m not against Perkins although there is clearly a reason why neither manager has selected him in many squads. Failing that, we could try Bodin or Rueben in some kind of false 9.

We cannot persist with Harris. It’s embarrassing.

The worst since entry in to L1? Crikey, that’s a bit much, but I agree he’s not visible enough on a consistent basis. Too often on the periphery for me and the obvious problem is he seems allergic to the ball in the box and more importantly the netting he’s meant to boot it towards.

Just not what we need at the moment. When you’re flying with confidence, fine, he will profit from the percentages. But when you’re lacking a bit, you need someone who will haul us in to things. Just not enough about him atm and we’re overly dependent on him to do things he never has been known for.

 

[Scotchegg]

Nothing's working right now, Harris is useless, we don't have enough quality in wide areas, and we don't control the ball enough in the middle of the pitch.

It's pretty obvious we need to change something, with a bit of out of the box thinking.

So f**k it, try this:

View attachment 17085

With respect, that line up is significantly worse than what we have right now!

 

[Steve Gilbert]

Did we at any point under Manning this season have a run of three league games where we didn’t win a game or score a goal?

Did we at any point in his tenure here?

Not this season but it did take him his 8th match in charge to get his 1st win for us.

 

[Essexyellows]

I'm going to try and offer an honest view. That was s**t, utter s**t, but there are mitigations and a few points of discussion.

1) I'm not Des out and I want him to do well, I advocated an experienced, solid manager to steer us through and I stand by that.

2) bring Steve Cotterill in as assistant.

3) our squad is nowhere near Posh, Bolton, Blackpool or Pompey. We can argue it is but it isn't. After one window you wouldn't expect it to be. They were always going to click at some point.

4) Get Negru back in.

5) we had a fantastic start to the season, some really decent performances, but in terms of goals, Greg Leigh had a brilliant purple patch, he's our second top scorer from left back. That's nuts.

6) going into a season with no proven striker was madness. Absolutely genuine unmitigated madness. It was always going to cost us, the question was how much, whilst the goals were coming from elsewhere (mainly left back).

4 eminently winnable games now.

He`s not far wrong you know.
Some of the "Des out" stuff is laughable.
Opinion may change after the next four games 9 points+ out of those and things will look better.
About time we had a wobble before Christmas, get back on track and then push on in the New Year.

 

[Symp59]

God is not the answer all those 10 minutes keep adding up and I don't think I've seen a shot or a header all season .We have done so well without a striker ,we played Blackpool they played 2 and brought 2 on ,Bolton were the same ,Peterborough yesterday were tremendous and yes but we've got to give Des time .However yesterday first 45 minutes were the worst all season end off .And Cheltenham was shocking completely out played. Reading is massive and the next 4 games will define the season get over 7 points and we will still be in touch a shocking run and then it will be a panic about staying up. Iam totally hoping for a win but not confident.

 

[Berliner]

Nothing's working right now, Harris is useless, we don't have enough quality in wide areas, and we don't control the ball enough in the middle of the pitch.

It's pretty obvious we need to change something, with a bit of out of the box thinking.

So f**k it, try this:

View attachment 17085

"Siri, name me an Oxford United team that is completely lopsided and has everyone playing out of position."

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

Or how about we’ve just possibly played the two best teams in the league?

And we’re about to play the two worst teams in the league (statistically 23rd and 24th I mean, rather than 2nd and 4th)

So far we have 0 points from the two worst… if that’s the same after Tuesday night then I think that will negate that argument.

 

[The mighty Aldo]

Des Buckingham would not have been my choice for manager however I have to say that I don’t think anyone could sort out the problems we have overnight.
It is obvious to me that when teams who can press us and do it well , we have no escape route. We tap it around and sooner or later a long ball is played hoping to find Harris who is outnumbered
The other way to stop us is to outmuscle us which is what Cambridge Cheltenham Wigan did.
Hopefully Des Buckingham can put things right we desperately need some more players in with some physicality like Leigh
We desperately need this in midfield and up front because that would give us more options

 

[Bicester Yellow]

With respect, that line up is significantly worse than what we have right now!

You are correct on that, but Harris is not and will never be a Centre Forward. He’s not making the runs in behind & is too busy wrestling with the defenders rather than trying to run beyond them. The difference between Jade Jones, Charles for Bolton & Harris is stark. The other two made runs down the side & stretched our defence. Harris gives opposition defenders their easiest game of the month atm. O’donkor isn’t the answer & I think he looks too heavy & has lost the pace he had last season but he did put himself about when he came on, we can’t simply keep picking Harris, because he’s not performing to the standard required & isn’t offering our midfielders or defenders any relief by running into the channels or even closing the ball down.

 

[Scrongo]

Wow!!!! Some people ,.on here. Can see , & predict & know the future ..
Amazing ......