Home Match Day Thread +++ 10/02/18 OUFC V BRISTOL ROVERS MATCH THREAD +++

[PottersRightBoot]

Men against boys in second half. Didn’t rate Rovers over much but we just weren’t physical enough . Could have predicted that from the start. So a bit of a worry.

Mousinho can’t handle the bouncing high ball. His mistakes lead to goals. He is very decent technically though so there’s a case for him playing in midfield.

As Ruffels is too slow. The lads performance have tailed off since he signed his contract.

Thomas just wasn’t fit. Why not have a go with the false 9 system of last week?

Would have put Ricardinho on - he offers something different.

And what exactly is happening with Brannigan?

We really miss Hall.

It’s frustrating - we have talent and on our day can take anyone on.

Equally on our day we could lose to Brackley Town.

 

[OxfordBoy]

And what exactly is happening with Brannigan?

Probably not ready for coming weekend but should be back one after

 

[uptheus]

So are we back to getting relegated now?

Hopefully not.

 

[Oxfordpete]

So many things wrong with the performance - as there has been much of the season - we were lucky to be ahead at half time - second half Rovers missed chance after chance - I could see us losing this one 5 mins after we scored - Closing down... we dont do this quickly enough - second ball.... how many second balls do we win???? very few....... how many 50/50 balls do we win - hardly any in comparison with Rovers - in fact second ball and 50/50 ball all season is where we are always second best - the central defenders - they do the odd thing well - but then at 59 I could make the odd good tackle in a 90 min game.......... together they are not good enough....... our downturn does appear to coincide with Nelsons injury - Nelson was the movement and helped his partner - Surely Dickie and Raglan could do no worse than Mous and Martin - even if we changed one at at time......
Ruffles was poor today - his control was poor - his tackles weren't strong enough........ Thomas - he never looked a threat today.... no support for him - we were too slow going forward and supporting - the 2 new lads (ASB and IBR) both have pace...... they should use it - but they 'bought into the Oxford style' of stopping, cutting inside and passing across the park.......frustrating .........

 

[Shropshire U]

Agree with all the comments about Mousinho's poor form. The other big concern is that he doesn't seem to have any leadership qualities. We are seriously lacking in that department, whether it's leadership from the captain or from the sort of player who's willing to step up and inject more energy verbally and by example. All teams need those characters...we don't seem to have any right now.

 

[Manorlounger]

I don't know whether Thomas was fit or not, maybe not fit enough but, hoofing balls up to him and then expecting him to win a duel with a defender who towered above him and beat him to every ball ought to suggest changing tactics? Granted the defender used every trick to keep Wes on the ground, but it was clear to see that Wes was not going to have any joy.
Agree with comments made about the younger players being a little naive, a few more lay offs/passes would have had far better results. Nice to see some pace though. Defensively we are not inept but no where near good. The second Brizzle goal was a perfect reminder of how fragile our defense can be when not picking up runners.

I am encouraged though by some of the performance and it was a far better watch than under clothead. Relegation is still a worry, we need points and we need to get them soon to build confidence and stand a chance of retaining some players who may wish to remain with a team going upwards, not down.

 

[Marked Ox]

No point blaming this player or that, we weren’t set up right and didn’t take any control of the game. Did we have any chances apart from the one Agon missed after making a good run? The only player who I thought was any good was Rothwell

Whilst I get your point and agree, it is harsh to say Mehmeti missed a chance. He was wide in the box and at a pretty acute angle so would have been a cracking finish if he had scored.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Whilst I get your point and agree, it is harsh to say Mehmeti missed a chance. He was wide in the box and at a pretty acute angle so would have been a cracking finish if he had scored.

Yes he made the chance through his anticipation, it would have been difficult but possible to score

 

[Cass63]

Get that armband off mouse, can’t believe burton fans rated him so highly, he’s an accident waiting to happen every game.

 

[Irish terrier]

One thing is for sure it isn't going to be a smooth ride he rest of the season .It reminds me of the season we went out the league . To many loan players , to many kids , we are desperate for a new manager. I like faz but he just is not the man for the job .

 

[bazzer9461]

Get that armband off mouse, can’t believe burton fans rated him so highly, he’s an accident waiting to happen every game.

Drop him it’s the only way, start Dickie

 

[windmill]

I don't know whether Thomas was fit or not, maybe not fit enough but, hoofing balls up to him and then expecting him to win a duel with a defender who towered above him and beat him to every ball ought to suggest changing tactics? Granted the defender used every trick to keep Wes on the ground, but it was clear to see that Wes was not going to have any joy.
Agree with comments made about the younger players being a little naive, a few more lay offs/passes would have had far better results. Nice to see some pace though. Defensively we are not inept but no where near good. The second Brizzle goal was a perfect reminder of how fragile our defense can be when not picking up runners.

I am encouraged though by some of the performance and it was a far better watch than under clothead. Relegation is still a worry, we need points and we need to get them soon to build confidence and stand a chance of retaining some players who may wish to remain with a team going upwards, not down.

What on earth did you find encouraging about that performance? Hoofing the ball up to our only forward with his back to goal. A forward half a yard short. Torn apart down the flanks. Eastwood kicking the ball anywhere. On the backfoot for 75 minutes. There was no man of the match for me. Not one shot on goal in the second half. You were certainly watching a different match to me. No problem getting out, half the East stand had gone before the five added minutes. A truly dreadful performance all round.

 

[Deleted member 462]

The only highlight in the second half was the ball boy mugging smith off.

 

[bazzer9461]

The only highlight in the second half was the ball boy mugging smith off.

That was decent but god I felt like giving the keeper a slap for the way he treated the young lad by telling him to place the ball.

 

[ttg17]

That was decent but god I felt like giving the keeper a slap for the way he treated the young lad by telling him to place the ball.

He also turned to him after each Gas goal to rub it in his face a bit.

But then again. If you’re gonna dish it out, you have to take it when it gets dished back.

 

[Cass63]

Their goalie could have had a deck chair smoking a fag reading the paper for all the work he had to do in the second half. The ball boy just made work easier for him.

 

[makv]

We didn’t have to play him unfit. He had a slight tweak on his hamstring last weekend. That doesn’t mean he’s not fit. Also we had the option of a fit mehmeti on the bench or sticking with no striker which worked brilliantly at Charlton.

We needed a striker. All of them are injury prone.

Does Bazzer have 2 accounts on here? Is that allowed?

 

[bazzer9461]

He also turned to him after each Gas goal to rub it in his face a bit.

But then again. If you’re gonna dish it out, you have to take it when it gets dished back.

But the ball boy was a kid

 

[Manorlounger]

What on earth did you find encouraging about that performance? Hoofing the ball up to our only forward with his back to goal. A forward half a yard short. Torn apart down the flanks. Eastwood kicking the ball anywhere. On the backfoot for 75 minutes. There was no man of the match for me. Not one shot on goal in the second half. You were certainly watching a different match to me. No problem getting out, half the East stand had gone before the five added minutes. A truly dreadful performance all round.

What I found encouraging was the injection of pace, the use of youth, the return of Rothwell and an honest appraisal from Faz in his post match interview.
The result is still s**t but, signs are there to see some hope.

Tactics should, and I agree with you here, tactics should be changed to combat the prevailing opposition. As I said, hoofing the ball up to Thomas was never going to work.

 

[Anthomic]

I got it wrong they never spent the afternoon singing Goodnight Irene they were singing Goodnight Oirene.