Home Match Day Thread 10/02/2026 - MDT: Oxford United v Norwich City

[Carpy]

 

[Oufccraig45]

I’m sorry, that was unacceptable from start to finish.

How on earth can the manager believe that Long at LCB and Makosso at RB is the right thing to do? It’s so utterly ridiculous, it’s almost unbelievable! For a bloke that talks a lot about detail and work ethic, I’m amazed at how wrong he got it.

Sam Long stepping into midfield, in the championship?? WTF?

Our best defensive shape this season was at Leicester away, with Davies starting. Yet he now can’t get a game in his natural position? I’m sorry Bloomfield, get back in your box and put round pegs in round holes, immediately!

As for talking about what fans want regarding wingers and intent, get to f**k!! We (supporters) pay to support the club, we don’t get paid to influence the team! He needs to find his backbone and back his principles, sharpish.

For all of the structure flaws, nothing can get away from the mindset of the players. They have consistently demonstrated that they are incapable of performing for 2 games running. When the team go away to the fancied teams, it’s easier to be up for it when there is no expectations. However, when they need to stand up and get a result at home, they fold like a pack of cards. That is on them. It’s not good enough, and that is entirely on their mentality.

Finally, the fans. If I hear one more time about the new stadium and how great the fan base will be then, I will combust! WHAT ABOUT NOW?? What about our survival at this level, NOW? The stadium is three seasons away. We could be a league 2 team by then, and if we are I can tell you now there will not be 16,000 there!

Tonight’s crowd was dire. 1500 empty home seats and (understandably) an atmosphere that was sh1t. Anyone that continues to choose to sit on their a**e at home when able to get to the ground, rather than coming to support our team needs to have a look at themselves. The club and the team need you! You’re not supporters, you’re a joke.

Credit to Erik. He continues to financially support a club that lacks leadership, championship know how, and a supporter base that is indifferent to its football club.

I agree with most of what you said but the leadership part is down to Erik for not sorting williams and co out until that happens we will be run as a shite show

 

[Oxford84]

The worrying thing is that we will go down this season and how will we cope in L1?. We need to get a winning mentality back in the club to survive in L1. Look at Rotherham last season, way out if their depth in the championship and this season struggling in L1. This season has been a total balls up from the top management here.

Im not happy, this club is better than this. Just hope the stadium gets the go ahead at least that will soften the blow of relegation this season.

Rotherham were not in championship last season. Cardiff, Luton and Plymouth were.

 

[Oxford84]

In all honestly Davies must have sh*t in the shoes of the entire backroom team, otherwise how is he not in the team in the current form we are in. He always seems to have a reasonable game and hasn’t let us down when he’s been selected. Baffling how he doesn’t get more game time under either manager this season.

They dont want to drop Brown or Helik do they? I think the best pair are Davies and Makosso.

 

[Littlemore Local]

That was the worst game of football I've ever seen. In the first half the most entertaining thing to happen was the linesman falling over right in front of us.

McDonnell was probably our most useful player. Mills and Jinwoo brightened things up in the second half but I was expecting it to be another 0-6.

Before the match I'd said my expectations would depend on 5 at the back or 4 at the back and when I heard 4 at the back I thought ok it's on. I didn't realise that meant four centre backs and we were doomed after the first thirty seconds.

And to find out afterwards that it was a system only introduced one day before was shocking. Alarm bells are ringing.

We don't have the luxury of trying experiments or taking risks with formations or personnel. We need to have our best players in their best positions in our best system all of the time until the last whistle goes. Then it would feel like we at least gave ourselves a chance. I don't know what this is but it isn't that.

We're below 1ppg since Bloomfield took over. Now relegation feels inevitable. It's been a season of weird teams and false dawns and dashed hopes. Changing the manager hasn't changed the situation.

I'm not going to say Bloomfield out but definitely feeling Bloomfield doubt.

 

[Oxford84]

Cummings was not committed from the start he had enough time to clear that ball but he dithered . He basically pulled out in case the Norwich player caught him after he cleared the ball. Totally down to Cummings .Time to give Ingram a chance .

It was down to the 2 centre backs, you cant let one ball over the top take both of them out.

 

[Oxford84]

And before people say the lack of home fans was down to the weather, school night etc, well
Norwich fans managed it from Norwich! so what’s your excuse?

Because no one wants to see us play like s**t and not score any goals, theres no fun in that.

 

[Oxford84]

Like BDK and Spencer?

We’ll never know. He may have tried that. I genuinely don’t think the Head Coach has too much sway in the players we sign.

Just as I don’t believe MPH, McDonnell, Donley or Konak were necessarily Bloomfield signings. I suspect maybe Makosso was (who’s been perfectly fine when played in his correct position).

Rowett wouldn’t have started Brown at LB and Long at LCB tonight. Regardless of how p!ssed he was.

Like Campbell. They didnt want a manager that wants players that you cant sell on for a profit Rowett was brought in to keep us up then stayed too long.

 

[chuckbert]

The problem in this game vs the one against Coventry was that we had more possession, and we are a liability when in possession. How many terrible defence splitting hospital passes did we make today? Apart from the ones that led to goals I can think of romeny, placheta and one other (forgot who).
Last season Vaulks and Cam got pelters for individual ones. Now we’ve got a whole team doing it.

 

[Yellowoptimist]

Tonight is all on the manager. Woeful team selection and set up.

Please tell me why our mightily impressive giant of a centre back was parked out at right back while our right footed right back was told to play at left centre back. When we have two other left footed centre backs ready to play.

We’re toast.

Bloomfield may give a good interview. Woopy doo, But 5 home games without a goal is the real story. He’s made things worse.

And what’s even worse is there some reasonable talent in our squad. Best players were the 2 attacking subs. JJ Woo looked useful.

We’ll probably beat Sunderland now. But won’t forget tonight in a hurry.

Agree. We undoubtedly have a stronger squad and more depth than we had in December but the manager’s input has taken the team backwards

 

[Billyox]

Matt bloomfield

“we wanted to try something we saw another team do, and started work on it yesterday”

I bet that team didn't try playing
a left cb at left back
a right back at left cb
A right cb at right back tho eh matt

 

[uptheus]

Because no one wants to see us play like s**t and not score any goals, theres no fun in that.

But you don’t know that before you go, and more importantly, that why we need to fans there, to support, but if that’s the reason, then may be best they don’t go!

 

[Billyox]

But you don’t know that before you go, and more importantly, that why we need to fans there, to support, but if that’s the reason, then may be best they don’t go!

I think you do know before you go promotion seasons there's a high chance it will be good
relegation season high chance its going to be poor

Couple in we have scored just 28 goals in 32 games not scored a goal at home since boxing day it dont inspire anyone to go

 

[Jster]

I’m enjoying the away trips to full houses, the enjoyment of gaining points at bigger clubs than us and ticking off grounds that I’d never been able to with Oxford before. I love the Championship, it’s the purest and best league in world football. It’s a shame it’s been taken for granted by our chairman, CEO and a large number of fans.

Careful what you wish for, there is no guarantee you’ll be enjoying it next season with the clown show in charge.

I didn't take it as wishing for league one, but rather being resigned to it, and hoping that at least that means we have a greater chance of winning games. I agree totally with the first para btw - it's been great, but it's pretty much over for now.

 

[uptheus]

Roosken is a fit and available LB.

But he was dead on his feet Saturday, could hardly walk off of the pitch!

Like I said after Saturday’s game, we’re playing a system (wingbacks) that puts too much on the players physically because we don’t have the personnel to play that system.

 

[Ox4Eva]

But you don’t know that before you go, and more importantly, that why we need to fans there, to support, but if that’s the reason, then may be best they don’t go!

Let's face it, Oxfordshire is not a passionate football area so apart from our hard-core 6k, the extra attendance comes from fair weather take it or leave types.

That's not having a go at them, its just the reality of OUFC.

 

[AssHead]

Would we have been better off with Rooney?

No, but we would still be better with will still had will still still be interested in applying his brill skill with our nil-skill players.

 

[Byrne Baby Byrne]

Cummings was not committed from the start he had enough time to clear that ball but he dithered . He basically pulled out in case the Norwich player caught him after he cleared the ball. Totally down to Cummings .Time to give Ingram a chance .

Cummings was poor but if he gets there, it’s by a split second. The bigger question is why did we have such a high defensive line with half the pitch behind, making us so vulnerable to a hoof down the middle.
In minute one, we say to Norwich “let’s see if their old defender can outrun Toure”. Smash it down the middle. Job done. It was a long way back from that moment, given our fragile confidence.
Inexplicable defensive tactics at any level.

 

[Swinny]

Roosken is a fit and available LB.

Indeed, but the consensus seems to be that he was too knackered after Saturday to play again.

 

[Teddydee1980]

Have slept (badly) on it and have concluded -

Matt Bloomfield last managed a team that was failing in L1, and that performance last night looked like a team that would fail in L1.

I've seen nothing in his 6/7 games in charge that show a real style of play, tactical nouse, the ability to raise performances from any individuals etc.

What I have seen is no goals, odd selections, a manager who doesnt know how he wants to play, questionable player management and transfer business.

For all the intro talk when he took over, of a man who has learned from his mistakes and saw this as an opportunity to right them, its going about as bad as that could possibly go.

The club have dropped a ball with how we handled Rowett and in appointing Bloomfield. Doomed.

 

[uptheus]

Agree. We undoubtedly have a stronger squad and more depth than we had in December but the manager’s input has taken the team backwards

Yeah, but where do you play them?

Where does MPH, Donley, Spencer, Long, Roosken, Emakhu, Makosso, McDonnell (if BDK is available or vice versa) play?

What is our best 11 and who’s going to score goals/create them?

Yes, individually the squad might be better, but what about as a team.

e.g. do you drop Helik to play Makosso or drop Brown for Davies or Spencer for Long or Long for Spencer or BDK for Brannagan or McDonnell for BDK or Vaulks for McDonnel or Emakhu for whoever’s on the left or Roosken for Currie or Currie for Roosken or MPH for Lankshear or Lankshear for Harris or Placheta for Mills or Mills for Placheta, and whilst we’re at it, Ingram for Cumming!

And where are you goals and creativity going to come from, apart from long throws!!

Bloomfield keeps changing the players and the system, so it’s no wonder the players don’t know what they’re doing e.g. am I a wingback, right back a right centre back, a winger or wingback, a midfielder or number 10, a striker, but never played there. Are we just sitting in two banks of 5 and 4 or are we a high press attacking team!

Rowett was the same, he didn’t know what his best 11 was, but he never tinkered as much as Bloomfield has. It started off okay because he came if the moto to play for the shirt, but like I said at the time, if a player had a poor game and was then replaced, but then the player who replaced him then had a poor game, then what do you do!! Add to that, injuries!

Just get back to basics e.g. defenders primary role is to defend in their rightful positions. When you lose the ball you are all defenders, when you win the ball you are all attackers, have strength through the spine, have wingers on their stronger side who beat fullbacks and deliver the ball, when we have the ball get width on the pitch, when we lose the ball make the pitch tight/narrow, have a target man up front who can hold the ball to enable support/and get up the pitch, and one that actually goes for the ball and not the man!

Football’s an easy game, but it’s players, coaches, analysts and bloody head’s of recruitment that make it hard. Oh and shite CEO’s and Chairman’s!

 

[Billyox]

Have slept (badly) on it and have concluded -

Matt Bloomfield last managed a team that was failing in L1, and that performance last night looked like a team that would fail in L1.

I've seen nothing in his 6/7 games in charge that show a real style of play, tactical nouse, the ability to raise performances from any individuals etc.

What I have seen is no goals, odd selections, a manager who doesnt know how he wants to play, questionable player management and transfer business.

For all the intro talk when he took over, of a man who has learned from his mistakes and saw this as an opportunity to right them, its going about as bad as that could possibly go.

The club have dropped a ball with how we handled Rowett and in appointing Bloomfield. Doomed.

His first 2 games was the way forward
3 in midfield made us secure 2 clean sheets all be it no goals we had more possession and had created a couple of decent chances it just needed tweaking to make us more of a threat attacking wise

Since then 3 at the back let in 9 goals 1clean sheet less possession and 2 real bad performances

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

First hatrick scored here against us since Nov 23 2024

Also my birthday !

 

[Sheik Djibouti]

Emakhu giving off big Buckley-Ricketts energy last night.

Rarely have I seen such an inept performance. Although most of the rest of the team and management weren't far behind him in the pile of shite. Makosso and Placheta on the right was an absolute calamity from a defensive point of view, but everything about last night was an embarrassing calamity.

Last 3 windows have absolutely done for us as a Champ team and we all know that the mentality of us being in the Champ was "ahead of schedule" as expressed by Tim Williams is an all pervasive mindset throughout the management structure. In the great scheme of things, I am not sure they care that much of we go down, so long as we get spades in the ground at the triangle

Bottom line is I don't think they actually care if we go down.

 

[Frustrated Yellow]

Emakhu giving off big Buckley-Ricketts energy last night.

Rarely have I seen such an inept performance. Although most of the rest of the team and management weren't far behind him in the pile of shite. Makosso and Placheta on the right was an absolute calamity from a defensive point of view, but everything about last night was an embarrassing calamity.

Last 3 windows have absolutely done for us as a Champ team and we all know that the mentality of us being in the Champ was "ahead of schedule" as expressed by Tim Williams is an all pervasive mindset throughout the management structure. In the great scheme of things, I am not sure they care that much of we go down, so long as we get spades in the ground at the triangle

Bottom line is I don't think they actually care if we go down.

Spot on

 

[uptheus]

Indeed, but the consensus seems to be that he was too knackered after Saturday to play again.

Or even worse, don’t register a player who can play in that role/act as cover (LB/LWB) in the hope that ter Avest will be back firing on all cylinders after being out for months and tends to pick up injuries like they’re going out of fashion!

 

[uptheus]

Let's face it, Oxfordshire is not a passionate football area so apart from our hard-core 6k, the extra attendance comes from fair weather take it or leave types.

That's not having a go at them, its just the reality of OUFC.

Then we’ll always be a league 1/2 team at best and definitely not a top 30!

 

[carefreeoufc]

Like Campbell. They didnt want a manager that wants players that you cant sell on for a profit Rowett was brought in to keep us up then stayed too long.

I suspect Rowett would have been quite happy with McDonnell or Konak. The Campbell situation looked like a manager desperate for the club to sign another CM/DM and was basically saying “look, I know you’ve turned the taps off. This one is free”.

 

[Billyox]

The problem with our transfer policy is not helped by changing manager every year and top of that changing at xmas and we have got to let the manager pick the players he wants not what the bloke on the computer has found

Clearly gr wanted midfielders so we got some lined up and got them in then we change manager and he wants a completely different set trying to sign wingbacks and wingers

 

[Village-Yellow]

And before people say the lack of home fans was down to the weather, school night etc, well
Norwich fans managed it from Norwich! so what’s your excuse?

Football is an easy game to follow, enjoy and get motivated for when you are on an excellent run.

The shite we are serving up is not going to encourage some people to leave the house.

Sadly, everyone who couldn’t be motivated will see that result and think, thank god I didn’t bother.

Had we turned in a performance to be proud of and ground out a fantastic result, it might have motivated more for the next game. Instead, I expect it will just get worse.

History will tell you we are not a club that has more than a hardcore following of 6000 to 7000 or so. As for the rest, they need extra incentive that we are just not providing. There is so much negativity around the club atm.

A new stadium will give a bounce, but until we deliver consistent performances that bring enjoyable entertaining football that make us look like we belong in the Championship, and a leadership that returns us to feeling more like a close knit family-club, it will trail off like it always does.

It’s frustrating, but not surprising.

 

[TailsWeWin]

Then we’ll always be a league 1/2 team at best and definitely not a top 30!

We’ve been recruiting for League One in the last two transfer windows. No wonder it’s the management’s expectation!