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

[Carpy]

 

[Oldman159]

FWIW…

I went into shock after 58 seconds last night and didn’t recover until 3 hours later. A bit like the ‘team’ I guess.

I’ve seen some bad performances over my 30 years or so watching Oxford but that 45 minutes last night is up there with the worst of them. As I said…shocking.

Got home and watched the lowlights of my B teams game at the lane. Lots of similarities in the performances there. Perhaps our board will act in a similar manner? I HOPE NOT! MB deserves more time and respect….

What more can I say?

At least Spurs scored…that’s about it

 

[90syeIlow]

I wasn't really a fan of his - he lost the ball too much. We need someone like McClean for Norwich, who lurked at the back to take the ball from the defence and set up attacks. We just don't pass the ball in midfield, it's all long balls.

It’s because our players don’t position effectively to receive the ball in midfield and that’s because some of them aren’t clever enough, but also because we don’t have a championship level head coach.

 

[m]

FWIW…

I went into shock after 58 seconds last night and didn’t recover until 3 hours later. A bit like the ‘team’ I guess.

I’ve seen some bad performances over my 30 years or so watching Oxford but that 45 minutes last night is up there with the worst of them. As I said…shocking.

Got home and watched the lowlights of my B teams game at the lane. Lots of similarities in the performances there. Perhaps our board will act in a similar manner? I HOPE NOT! MB deserves more time and respect….

What more can I say?

At least Spurs scored…that’s about it

MB deserves more time.

Respect?

That has to be earned.

 

[Oldman159]

MB deserves more time.

Respect?

That has to be earned.

 

[Oldman159]

Perhaps he will earn some…given more time.

 

[greatunclekip]

But Rowett wanted to sign Allan Campbell, so maybe he wasn't the best judge either.

I kinda get that. And not saying AC is a world beater, but if it’s a choice of a player with over 200 professional appearances including 70 at the level you’re at, who you have managed before, in a key position, or a kid from Brentford B with a few reserve appearances, it’s not a tough choice.

You bring in Konak “as well as” a more safe option, as we did with McDonnell.

At the point he was turned down for Campbell, Rowett should have walked himself.

 

[yellow mess]

what worries me is .... that s**t selection last night...total madness ...where were the backroom staff? did no one say wtf you doing? if they didnt then we really up s**t creek from top to bottom

We have been saying the same thing tonight !? Why didn't I e if the other coaches say come on Matt that's a stupid idea ?

 

[Osei Yaw]

I kinda get that. And not saying AC is a world beater, but if it’s a choice of a player with over 200 professional appearances including 70 at the level you’re at, who you have managed before, in a key position, or a kid from Brentford B with a few reserve appearances, it’s not a tough choice.

You bring in Konak “as well as” a more safe option, as we did with McDonnell.

At the point he was turned down for Campbell, Rowett should have walked himself.

I think you are correct in your reference to Campbell. Him hanging around the squad, as well as Rowett's clear dissatisfaction with the Indonesia debacle were two clear signs of a disconnect between Rowett and those above him.

To steal a Tim Williams phrase "Allan Campbell is the poster boy of an absolute fucking shambles of a summer".

 

[ThatSlopesATwelfthMan]

But Rowett wanted to sign Allan Campbell, so maybe he wasn't the best judge either.

When told zero transfer budget available and limited wage wriggle room while trying to explain that we were terminally short in midfield . Fwiw Campbell wouldn't have been a solution but...

 

[uptheus]

Charlton winning 1-0!!

 

[Symp59]

Even Charlton are better now ,winning tonight just stretching away another great day in the championship for us.

 

[90syeIlow]

Charlton are basically us last season.

Started well then dropped alot of points and became abysmal, but will have enough in the end.

 

[holdsteady]

On the same points as Sheff U, so don’t see them dropping. If you were an outsider looking at the table you would say bottom 2 down and last place between a falling to pieces Leicester and Blackburn.

 

[LowerSouth]

Charlton are basically us last season.

Started well then dropped alot of points and became abysmal, but will have enough in the end.

Charlton were preparing for promotion for the best part of 2 seasons .
As a result there squad has more all round capability than ours and so has there management.
They have only scored 2 more goals than us, but have four more wins.

 

[Chrisox]

I actually thought he did try harder, but he’s so one dimensional that other players teams have sussed him out.

FFS play him on the left and get him to do the basics rather than this inverted bollox!

I agree if we have to play him put him on the left there was times last night when he didn't even try to help our right back out no effort to get back a tall. We moan that are strikers don't score goals but they need wingers who can deliver croses and this guy just don't cut in the Championship much rather have Mills down the right all ways gives 100% even when having a bad game.

 

[90syeIlow]

Charlton were preparing for promotion for the best part of 2 seasons .
As a result there squad has more all round capability than ours and so has there management.
They have only scored 2 more goals than us, but have four more wins.

Rubbish.

If you listen to their fans, they've complained about how poor their squad is and they're doing what we did last season with a poor squad.

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

If you were an outsider looking at the table you would say bottom 2 down and last place between a falling to pieces Leicester and Blackburn.

If you were an outsider you'd say there are a fair few awful sides down there and that whichever two of Oxford, Leicester, Blackburn, West Brom and Portsmouth goes down will have had to be spectacularly bad to do so.

It's not remotely tougher than last season. It's probably easier, for me.

We've just been appallingly managed for large chunks of it.

 

[ECYellow]

If you were an outsider you'd say there are a fair few awful sides down there and that whichever two of Oxford, Leicester, Blackburn, West Brom and Portsmouth goes down will have had to be spectacularly bad to do so.

It's not remotely tougher than last season. It's probably easier, for me.

We've just been appallingly managed for large chunks of it.

Bang on.

2 teams have had points deducted. How much more of a leg up did we need?

 

[dickwalton1964]

&

If you were an outsider you'd say there are a fair few awful sides down there and that whichever two of Oxford, Leicester, Blackburn, West Brom and Portsmouth goes down will have had to be spectacularly bad to do so.

It's not remotely tougher than last season. It's probably easier, for me.

We've just been appallingly managed for large chunks of it.

Cannot agree with that, I think the standard this season is way higher. I’ve not really seen a poor team - some better than others obviously but virtually every team looks to have something, especially up front. Norwich were decent but their firepower was on a different level. I felt last season we matched a lot of teams in midfield but we are getting steam rollered in the middle of the park. Last season Brannagan and Vaulks were our go to pairing, we’ve still got them and have added BDK and McDonnell but we are still being over run. Take the three promoted sides, we’ve played them a combined four times so far, lost every game and haven’t scored a goal. This season is tougher - in my opinion.

 

[m]

Perhaps he will earn some…given more time.

I hope so.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

Hi

Cannot agree with that, I think the standard this season is way higher. I’ve not really seen a poor team - some better than others obviously but virtually every team looks to have something, especially up front. Norwich were decent but their firepower was on a different level. I felt last season we matched a lot of teams in midfield but we are getting steam rollered in the middle of the park.

The reason the standard looks way higher is because you have seen the other teams play against *us*! And you have correctly identified why. We are so poor in midfield that other teams have all of the time, space and possession they want for much of any given game. So the defence is constantly under pressure and it is all hands to the pumps at the back. We have no outlet to even relieve the pressure, never mind actually threatening to score!

 

[Toe knee]

I think if it wasn't for Sheffield Wednesdays points deduction,we would be rock bottom. Loan players in my opinion are not gonna get you out of a relegation scrap... Deffo up for promotion but don't think their heart would for relegation....

 

[battman]

I think if it wasn't for Sheffield Wednesdays points deduction,we would be rock bottom. Loan players in my opinion are not gonna get you out of a relegation scrap... Deffo up for promotion but don't think their heart would for relegation....

If Wednesday didn’t have a points deduction, they’d still only be on 11 points. I know we’re not great, but we’re not that bad.

 

[Symp59]

Sheff wed have been in turmoil, we have just not recruited well ,there have been so many games where we have had 7 players from the league 1 days. Bloomfield now is trying to find the best combination of players and systems and at the minute it's not working. I think it shows how well Rowett did with the worst squad in the league. I know he wasnt every ones favorite bit it really has gone to s..t nice he's gone .It was probably the right decision but are at the minute going down with a whimper. But Bloomfield has a free hit Sunday so he's going to have nearly 2 weeks before we go to Middlesbrough after the absolute horror show of Tuesday night. But even with 2 weeks you can see nothing but a defeat. I hope he gets us at least playing well creating chances but at the minute it's like a headless chicken at the helm.

 

[Older Shotts]

Oh really? I just can't see this. Our midfield has been the main problem for years. We hardly ever put through a defence-splitting pass or get the ball to our wingers in a decent position. And if they do get the ball the wingers generally don't cross well. Only if they're getting good service and missing their chances are the strikers the issue.

I would've agreed until Tuesday. Jin Woo was making a lot of very good runs, taking defenders with him and giving our wingers and midfield options for through balls, playing to feet and crosses. unlike Harris who is bloody lazy, and is only interested in defenders. clever strikers can affect play without getting the ball.

 

[yellow mess]

I would've agreed until Tuesday. Jin Woo was making a lot of very good runs, taking defenders with him and giving our wingers and midfield options for through balls, playing to feet and crosses. unlike Harris who is bloody lazy, and is only interested in defenders. clever strikers can affect play without getting the ball.

Exactly what we have been needing, I hope he gets more game time

 

[werthersoriginal]

I would've agreed until Tuesday. Jin Woo was making a lot of very good runs, taking defenders with him and giving our wingers and midfield options for through balls, playing to feet and crosses. unlike Harris who is bloody lazy, and is only interested in defenders. clever strikers can affect play without getting the ball.

Yes absolutely. But I don't think striker is our biggest issue.

 

[Shaun Rice]

What an absolute shambles. I don’t even know where to start.
We have better players but look worse! We don’t need tinkering now MB we need stability, consistency and structure.

A high press with our team will work against two or three teams in the league. Everyone else will play through us. Keep it simple, mid block when out of possession, low if necessary.

How many times did they get down all the way down the channel to the bi line and the best option was to pass all the way back to their defence. Or have a throw in the final third and the best option was a long ish throw all the way back to their defence.

Harris is an absolute waste of space, running about aimlessly, fouling and giving away stupid free kicks. How many did Toure give away.

I think if 6000 to 7000 stalwart fans can’t get motivated to produce an atmosphere , relying and a few extra thousand floaters is really not going to help unless the performances are there to lift the whole crowd.

It’s a chicken and egg situation and we are in a huge hole at the moment.

It’s not chicken and egg. It is always football feeding the fans excitement. If the football is fantastic the fans will get behind the team. When the football is dull and the team doesn’t even look like scoring. The fans will be dragged down.

Looking at the team that finished the game I think we have a team that will get the fans going. Especially with players to come back in. Problem is we’re running out of games.

It doesn’t help conceding in the first minute.

 

[Ewes]

We have better players but look worse! We don’t need tinkering now MB we need stability, consistency and structure.

One of the most accurate better posts I’ve seen for a while. You’ve hit the nail on the head here. All I’d add is that we need to take a long hard look at the quality of our training sessions, and the coaching staff who oversee them.

We’ve introduced a new head coach. Actually 3 in 2 years.
We’ve introduced multiple new players. 37 in 18 months I read.
The end results are just the same - wrong tactics, wrong formations, no consistency and poor results.
The only ‘constant’ I can see is the backroom coaching staff who are probably not preparing the team well enough.

 

[Nadi-]

Don’t get this looking at other teams forums and saying, their fans are saying this and saying that.
Whatever’s going on at other clubs is their problem, I only care about 1 team.
At the moment, we defend poorly as a team, and likewise offensively. There’s a reason the strikers , have so many critics, as the support for them is inadequate for the championship. Likewise defensively we’re poor in the top 2/3rds.
There’s a reason we haven’t had a penalty for so long, we’re half hearted as a team, as most look like they are just looking after themselves.
McDonnell seems hungry. But need to get all the 1/3rds moreup for a fight,
Theres a good enough team there, play as a collective the results will improve.
The bases were there at Sheffield and Leicester, but some brainstorm dismantled that.