Home Match Build-Up 11/04/2026 - Build-Up: Oxford United v Watford

[Carpy]

@Northstandboy hi when this goes to MDT rather than freeze it and start again can't you just change title so conversation continues

We actually spoke about this. It would be easier for us too if they lived together but we felt there would be push back against it.

 

[RgYellows]

I wonder whether Will Vaulks and Cam Brannagan could work as a midfield two.

 

[Foley]

Will be minimal changes I think. I am slightly concerned about the wing-backs though. Long cannot stand off his man otherwise we are toast. Likewise who plays on the left? Currie but is he fully fit? Otherwise Spencer, but is he a red card waiting to happen. Ter Avest...most accomplished of all but similarly not great in the one on one.

Rest of the team picks itself. It's a shame we don't have much on the bench to change things up.

I doubt if we will play wingbacks.
I don't think that Brodie Spencer has ever been sent off in over 100 games in his career?

 

[ThatSlopesATwelfthMan]

On the subject of buses, I caught the 600 on Good Friday. It is certainly now the quickest way to the stadium from town, I'd say it's the quickest from the train station too if you don't mind walking to Westgate. Limited stop up the Abingdon Road and doesn't go through Littlemore or Sandford either. 20 minute journey if traffic doesn't get in the way. Leaves Westgate at 11 and 41 past on Saturdays.

Also stops at Redbridge Park & Ride for easy parking then 10 mins to the ground.

 

[OUFCGav]

Referee appointments: 10-16 April

The Official home of the English Football League

www.efl.com

Oxford United v Watford (15:00)
Ref: Stephen Martin
Assistants: Mark Scholes and Bhupinder Singh Gill
Fourth Official : Craig Hicks

Ref'd us this season at home to Birmingham. Last season home to Wednesday and Luton, away at Derby.
Overall this season 26 games, 117 yellow cards a 2 reds, 6 penalties.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Also stops at Redbridge Park & Ride for easy parking then 10 mins to the ground.

This sounds like a wonder bus! So it goes round the ring road from Redbridge? Why didn't they introduce that years ago?

 

[ECYellow]

I wonder whether Will Vaulks and Cam Brannagan could work as a midfield two.

No.

 

[Nadi-]

Cumming
Spencer Helik Brown Currie
Konak Brannagan
Mills Donley Placheta
Lankshear

Pace and deliver

 

[Mad Dog]

I do not rate Woo!

Nobody has seen enough of him yet to make a fair judgement.

But he did start one game at the Kassam, and looked pretty good, until he faded early in the 2nd half.

He’s got good energy, and we know Placheta will offer very little, and MPH doesn’t strike me as bothered either way by what happens to us, so give Jin Woo a go from the start, hit em hard and try to get an early lead, then make some changes.

We’ve got Mills doing a great job on the right, but we’re falling a bit short on our left side going forward, and we need to take the game to Watford and score goals.

Worth a roll of the dice on this one I reckon…

 

[RgYellows]

No.

Well not with that attitude.

 

[uptheus]

Nobody has seen enough of him yet to make a fair judgement.

But he did start one game at the Kassam, and looked pretty good, until he faded early in the 2nd half.

He’s got good energy, and we know Placheta will offer very little, and MPH doesn’t strike me as bothered either way by what happens to us, so give Jin Woo a go from the start, hit em hard and try to get an early lead, then make some changes.

We’ve got Mills doing a great job on the right, but we’re falling a bit short on our left side going forward, and we need to take the game to Watford and score goals.

Worth a roll of the dice on this one I reckon…

Placheta in the left will offer more I believe if he’s just focuses on beating the defender and whipping in the cross, but if he has to think, then that’s where the issues lie!


I remember having this debate about Romeny!! And when he missed the target at Stoke I had my doubts, but gave him the benefit of the doubt.

ps, watch Woo go and get a hattrick tomorrow now. I guess we’d all be happy, that’s unless grown men start singing Woooooo!

 

[dickwalton1964]

Placheta in the left will offer more I believe if he’s just focuses on beating the defender and whipping in the cross, but if he has to think, then that’s where the issues lie!


I remember having this debate about Romeny!! And when he missed the target at Stoke I had my doubts, but gave him the benefit of the doubt.

ps, watch Woo go and get a hattrick tomorrow now. I guess we’d all be happy, that’s unless grown men start singing Woooooo!

Placheta it seems offers about three or four decisive moments in a season and very, very, little else besides. One hell of a gamble to think one of those moments might be tomorrow. I wouldn't start with him, he cannot be relied upon in the same way that, say, Mills can. If Mills is off his game you know you'll still get a shift out of him. If Placheta is off the pace he disappears.

 

[Mad Dog]

Placheta in the left will offer more I believe if he’s just focuses on beating the defender and whipping in the cross, but if he has to think, then that’s where the issues lie!


I remember having this debate about Romeny!! And when he missed the target at Stoke I had my doubts, but gave him the benefit of the doubt.

ps, watch Woo go and get a hattrick tomorrow now. I guess we’d all be happy, that’s unless grown men start singing Woooooo!

The trouble with Placheta is that he never does beat his man and whip a cross in, he just seems to confuse himself, and can’t decide whether to cross, pull it back, cut inside or shoot, and often ends up doing nothing!

Except for the very, very rare occasion he spanks one from distance into the top corner, I’d happily take that version of Placheta tomorrow!

 

[uptheus]

Placheta it seems offers about three or four decisive moments in a season and very, very, little else besides. One hell of a gamble to think one of those moments might be tomorrow. I wouldn't start with him, he cannot be relied upon in the same way that, say, Mills can. If Mills is off his game you know you'll still get a shift out of him. If Placheta is off the pace he disappears.

Placheta on the left with Mills on the right, and I’d play them at the same time. I don’t think Placheta is good in the right as he has to check back inside, so loses his asset (pace), hence playing him on the left.

Would love the opposition to worry about us than us worry about them. Pace puts the fear into most defenders which tends to mean they hold back. I’d even have our fullbacks over lapping and whipping crosses in at the earliest opportunity rather than stopping it/playing it back again. Get the bloody ball into the box/danger area.

I’d also rest Donley tomorrow too, replacing him with Prelec in behind Lankshear. Oh, and the latter to keep his f*****g hands down!

 

[uptheus]

The trouble with Placheta is that he never does beat his man and whip a cross in, he just seems to confuse himself, and can’t decide whether to cross, pull it back, cut inside or shoot, and often ends up doing nothing!

Except for the very, very rare occasion he spanks one from distance into the top corner, I’d happily take that version of Placheta tomorrow!

That’s when he plays on the right, but Bloomfield should tell him to just beat his man for pace and cross the bloody thing, on the LEFT!

Woo can come on with 15mins to go with his flip flops on and slip and slide all over the place!! What’s that about, get the right boots man!

 

[uptheus]

The trouble with Placheta is that he never does beat his man and whip a cross in, he just seems to confuse himself, and can’t decide whether to cross, pull it back, cut inside or shoot, and often ends up doing nothing!

Except for the very, very rare occasion he spanks one from distance into the top corner, I’d happily take that version of Placheta tomorrow!

A bit like MPH! And don’t get me started on Emakhu!!

 

[holdsteady]

Our choices on the left are a steady Eddie who offers you a bit of physicality in MPH but doesn’t exactly hurt teams, a fast wild card in Placheta who doesn’t know what he will do himself, probably nothing good but might score from fourty yards or Woo, who none of us know what he can actually do, so it’s not exactly a murderers row of wingers. We will go with the safe choice of MPH to begin with but I hope Bloomfield is at least willing to get him off at half time if it isn’t happening.

Don’t think MPH and Spencer, if he has to play left back, offer much of an outlet as a pair down the left hand side given they both favour their right foot, we need to win so that needs to be taken into account.

 

[uptheus]

Not sure I’d say MPH is physical. Tends to lose most, if not all 50/50 duels, but I think you’re right, Bloomfield tends to go with him, but I think he needs to mix it up a bit!

Placheta hasn’t really played games on the left for any real period of note, but it’s his stringer foot, so use his bloody strengths e.g. pace and left foot as he doesn’t really need to think which as I said earlier and many times before IS his weakness. Most of his good work/goals has come about when he doesn’t have to think!

 

[Essexyellows]

Placheta - quick, great feet, natural player............ his problems start when he has to think about "what next".
He`ll roast 2 or 3 players gaining yards then look up and panic or forget what to do.
Then he`ll occasionally go for a wonder shot that ends up as sheer brilliance or clunking someone in Row T.

 

[uptheus]

Placheta - quick, great feet, natural player............ his problems start when he has to think about "what next".
He`ll roast 2 or 3 players gaining yards then look up and panic or forget what to do.
Then he`ll occasionally go for a wonder shot that ends up as sheer brilliance or clunking someone in Row T.

I think that tends to be when he’s played on the right as he’s in his weaker foot, hence checking back and the moment’s gone. But give him a few games on the left like Bloomfield’s done with MPH, tell him to do the basics (beat the man, deliver cross) and see what he’s like.

 

[Foley]

I would play MPH.

He is more physical and more competent defensively. Watford have 2 PL quality players and I am certainly not sure about Woo defensively.

MPH is better defensively than Shemmy in my view and just gives us a little more balance with Stan on the right side.

It does depend though on whether MPH has rediscovered the energy he had when he first came ( and made us a far better side). If not, then probably Shemmy.

Hopefully Donley also has got over his NI exploits and doesn't look tired! He adds quality and plays well with Lankshear so I reckon should start.

The big thing will be the 2 full back positions

 

[ECYellow]

Club still advertising that tickets are available for our biggest home game of the season so far….any dot counters able to establish how many are left?

We want our @Colin B back!

Unbelievable that the people of Oxfordshire haven’t been able to get this one sold out. Big game is an understatement.

 

[Stanford yellow]

Club still advertising that tickets are available for our biggest home game of the season so far….any dot counters able to establish how many are left?

We want our @Colin B back!

Unbelievable that the people of Oxfordshire haven’t been able to get this one sold out. Big game is an understatement.

It's not like the club have promoted the hell out of it really......

 

[WE Yellow]

MPH is the newest scapegoat it seems.

Dropping him for Placheta to play out of position? Jeez....

 

[Brahma]

MPH is the newest scapegoat it seems.

Dropping him for Placheta to play out of position? Jeez....

Yep. Distinct lack of end product, inability to cross or beat his man. I am going for MPH 2 assists tomorrow

 

[Amarillo88]

I think the reason for these players being unavailable is pretty obvious, they all play for Hull and not Watford (from the pre-match preview)

 

[werthersoriginal]

MPH is the newest scapegoat it seems.

Dropping him for Placheta to play out of position? Jeez....

People seem to expect MPH to fly down the wing and rain crosses in because he plays wide on the left, but he's not a winger, more an attacking midfielder playing there to give us more solidity. It's generally worked as we've been a lot better since he's been in the side but I wish he'd get rid of the ball quicker and get some shots away.

 

[OUFCGav]

Club still advertising that tickets are available for our biggest home game of the season so far….any dot counters able to establish how many are left?

We want our @Colin B back!

Unbelievable that the people of Oxfordshire haven’t been able to get this one sold out. Big game is an understatement.

17 singles in North
22 singles in East
123 in SSU
13 in all bar the outer 2 blocks of SSL, approx 170 left in 2 outer blocks

 

[ECYellow]

17 singles in North
22 singles in East
123 in SSU
13 in all bar the outer 2 blocks of SSL, approx 170 left in 2 outer blocks

Great work

 

[Stanford yellow]

Great work

Colin's son

 

[uptheus]

MPH is the newest scapegoat it seems.

Dropping him for Placheta to play out of position? Jeez....

Placheta IS left footed which tends to be a winger’s strongest side e.g. Mills on the right, but when he (Mills) plays in the left he wasn’t as effective in my eyes.

But I bow to you’re the expertise!!