Away Match Day Thread 12/03/25: Championship - Hull City v OUFC

[Carpy]

 

[holdsteady]

With Phillips, I think his cameo at Norwich and the fans ott reaction to his cameo made his selection into last nights squad a GR shoe - in. I believe that GR must peruse this forum for his team selection - is practically all I can say atm.

A bit pitiful though, if his 28 minute (we did play in purple) patch got him a starting place in last nights starting 11. Yes, from his corner we scored but otherwise a lot to agree on re - above. Ffs, I'd probably still get a game then at clickety click.

Watford Saturday wat the f*ck...3pts will have to be delivered somehow.

Got back at 2.15 am and out working by 7.45 am. Wat the f*ck. Wat sort of cheese was that!

COYY'S.

His performance against Norwich was a rearguard action at left wing back to secure the point though, how that gets you picked at left wing against a struggling Hull is beyond me, how it gets you kept on for the second half after being near non existent is very, very questionable. At times Ciaron Brown, a centre back really, wasn't just overlapping him he was actually just overtaking him as he is so slow now. I don't think an attacking 3 behind a lone forward with Phillips and Rodrigues has anywhere near the pace to trouble teams at this level, far to easy to defend against.

 

[BicesterU]

For the first goal Matos is possibly too high and he gets the wrong side of Palmer allowing Palmer to run centrally at the heart of our defence and slide the ball into Gelhardt.

Agree then that Helik or Nelson have to step out and engage but Matos’ job is to protect that area in front of the centre of our defence.

In fairness to Matos he did well for 70 minutes likewise Norwich too. He was subbed off at WBA after an hour and the same at Derby.
He was rested for the Portsmouth and Coventry home defeats.

But after the first goal Matos then got easily beaten by Puerta on the touchline. He may have been tiring but it wasn’t good enough.I reckon Rowett is kicking himself for not replacing him earlier.

I harp on about the soft goals we are conceding - the two Portsmouth goals, WBA’s first goal where again we vacate space in front of the back four, two or three against Coventry, two again last night. Norwich opened us up inside five minutes

It’s killing us. Even in Rowett’s first game v Cardiff we let in two really soft goals late on. The league is brutal but you have to do the basics.

Completely agree. I was thinking about the goals we've gifted teams and the number of points it's cost us this season on the way in to work. One in each of the games against Coventry, those you mention. They all add up.

We're still capable of avoiding the drop and it's still in our hands, but one of the areas in which we've come up short so far this season is the mental side. We've cost ourselves points on numerous occasions this year because we've just switched off at key moments and made bad decisions at key moments, and we've been heavily punished for them.

Looking at the highlights you're right about Matos being the wrong side of Palmer, but I still think that Vaulks needs to be deeper too; it's Vaulks's space that Palmer strides into unchallenged. But then I guess that's what I mean about switching off; Matos and Vaulks both being slightly out of position combines to leave us wide open. Helik even gets a half decent challenge in that could go anywhere on the rebound, but it ends up staying at Geldhart's feet.

 

[Village-Yellow]

I don't know what happens from here and I am worried. There are a few chinks of light - Watford and QPR are winnable, we are four points ahead, some of the big teams we are playing may need to rest players ahead of a playoff campaign or teams like Wednesday may be dead rubbers for them by the time we play). This is thin gruel though. We need more structure and more outlets and smarter in game management.

Hate to state the obvious, but last night fell into this category too and we slipped up.

But as you say, we need to stop being conservative because it isn't working.

Roll the dice and live or die by the sword. I would much rather we threw everything at it for the last 9 games rather than carry on as we are doing.

We are already rolling the dice with the stadium and the amount of debt we are accumulating, so may as well go all in.

Not surviving this league will be a calamity.

 

[The Mighty Aldo]

Do we expect Rowatt to be sacked when we get relegated?

 

[Joey]

while I’m not sure about him being our centre forward, I was saying last night something similar about his defending. For me, when all are fit it’s Nelson and Brown in a 4 and Nelson, Brown and Moore in a 3.

It’s a shame Moore is now likely to be out a while, although I’m not sure Rowett is a particularly huge fan of his, anyway.

Helik is a good goal threat from set plays, but im really not sure he is technically a championship level defender. His distribution is not up to it for starters. There was one occasion last night where he literally John Smith esq “ave ittt’d” the ball about 15 rows into touch. He wasn’t under any pressure at all.

Agree, I've long been unconvinced that he's a step up on Moore and I think his goals mask the fact his defending isn't all that good and he's likely to give away a good chance every game with a poor pass. When fit I wouldn't have him in our strongest line up, although unfortunately we're not really in a position to discount his goal threat which is a sorry state of affairs.

 

[Morris Oxford]

while I’m not sure about him being our centre forward, I was saying last night something similar about his defending. For me, when all are fit it’s Nelson and Brown in a 4 and Nelson, Brown and Moore in a 3.

It’s a shame Moore is now likely to be out a while, although I’m not sure Rowett is a particularly huge fan of his, anyway.

Helik is a good goal threat from set plays, but im really not sure he is technically a championship level defender. His distribution is not up to it for starters. There was one occasion last night where he literally John Smith esq “ave ittt’d” the ball about 15 rows into touch. He wasn’t under any pressure at all.

My guess is Rowett is quite keen to have the option of 3 at the back and that is why we appear to have fast tracked Nelson back into the squad.

A back 3 of from Moore, Helik, Brown and Long is too slow for the majority of Championship attacks, Nelson enables us to go with 3.

If Moore is fit then it’s Moore, Nelson, Brown, if not Helik, Nelson, Brown.

As for the debate about Rowett, for me he’s a decent manager, he’s shown he is at other clubs, he’s also shown it at OUFC when he initially took over. However there’s no denying we’re on a horrible run of form, relegation looks a distinct possibility especially with the run in we have to the end of the season.

Rowett has inherited a squad that is lacking in Championship quality especially from a creative and attacking perspective.

Complacency appears to have transferred from some of the fans to the players, hopefully Rowett’s post match anger will be a kick up the backside. Points and matches have to be won on the pitch not on spreadsheets.

I said a couple of matches ago that we would need to go to the last match of the season at Swansea to see us safe. Now I’m not so sure. I’d absolutely bite your hand off right now for that senario.

 

[Gregortheox]

I think we are mentally abject.
So many farcical moments in so many matches that will ultimately see us relegated.

Oxford United are not ready for championship football. That hurts me to say that.

 

[BicesterU]

The squad we've got is the squad we've got. The players we signed in the Summer and January are the players who were available to us, and within our budget. There was - as there is with any transfer - an element of a gamble with a lot of them. Of the players already at the club, the majority were - by definition - League One players who we were hoping would be able to step up. Some have, some haven't.

I find it hard to imagine a world in which we were able to sign the kind of players we would've needed to stay up anything but the hard way.

There are myriad reasons why this season was always going to be really, really tough and so it has proven. Because of the way we came up, the transfer embargo, our budget, we were always likely to be a club that was reliant on players over-performing for us to be competitive.

We've seen flashes of quality from most of our players at times throughout the season, but the unfortunate truth is that we need the majority of our players to be close to their best to compete with a lot of sides in this division, and those occasions have been too few and far between.

But there is time, and there is hope. Despite what some are saying, we are not down already. Of course if we carry on not picking up points we will be. But if we'd carried on our form of Rowett's first 9 games, we would've been in the play-offs. Things change, momentum shifts, and nothing lasts forever.

What we mustn't do as fans as bring a defeatist attitude in the stadium with us, and start getting on the players' or manager's backs.

The time for reflection will come, but it is not now.

I am very much front and centre of @Scotchegg's positivity bus, but that doesn't mean I don't have some pretty strong thoughts about how and where we need to improve. What I think I do have, however, is a sense of when the time to do that is. And with 9 games left and a narrowing gap over the bottom three, I'm pretty sure that now is the time to get behind the club and get behind the players (even those we don't rate, or even don't like), not start singling anyone out, chucking in the towel, or throwing our toys out of the pram.

The players are much more likely to react positively to positivity from the stands than to grumbles, groans and booing.

 

[isibuko]

The squad we've got is the squad we've got. The players we signed in the Summer and January are the players who were available to us, and within our budget. There was - as there is with any transfer - an element of a gamble with a lot of them. Of the players already at the club, the majority were - by definition - League One players who we were hoping would be able to step up. Some have, some haven't.

I find it hard to imagine a world in which we were able to sign the kind of players we would've needed to stay up anything but the hard way.

There are myriad reasons why this season was always going to be really, really tough and so it has proven. Because of the way we came up, the transfer embargo, our budget, we were always likely to be a club that was reliant on players over-performing for us to be competitive.

We've seen flashes of quality from most of our players at times throughout the season, but the unfortunate truth is that we need the majority of our players to be close to their best to compete with a lot of sides in this division, and those occasions have been too few and far between.

But there is time, and there is hope. Despite what some are saying, we are not down already. Of course if we carry on not picking up points we will be. But if we'd carried on our form of Rowett's first 9 games, we would've been in the play-offs. Things change, momentum shifts, and nothing lasts forever.

What we mustn't do as fans as bring a defeatist attitude in the stadium with us, and start getting on the players' or manager's backs.

The time for reflection will come, but it is not now.

I am very much front and centre of @Scotchegg's positivity bus, but that doesn't mean I don't have some pretty strong thoughts about how and where we need to improve. What I think I do have, however, is a sense of when the time to do that is. And with 9 games left and a narrowing gap over the bottom three, I'm pretty sure that now is the time to get behind the club and get behind the players (even those we don't rate, or even don't like), not start singling anyone out, chucking in the towel, or throwing our toys out of the pram.

The players are much more likely to react positively to positivity from the stands than to grumbles, groans and booing.

bang on

 

[dickwalton1964]

Disappointing last night, mainly because Hull really aren’t very good. We lacked energy from the off and were so careless in possession, it looked like a L2 game. Harris, despite his goal at Norwich, is Harris and he’s desperately out of his depth at this level - it’s a thankless task up there at times but we are getting nothing from him. I can’t understand why we persevere with him but bench Romeny who just looks a yard sharper all round compared to Harris.

We need something from Saturday.

 

[Victor1986]

Do we expect Rowatt to be sacked when we get relegated?

No - he will "leave by mutual consent" to resume his pundit slot on Sky., where he will likely be involved with the play-offs.

 

[38yearsofpain]

I’m just glad Rowett had a go at the players afterwards….the first time we’ve accepted reality.

Hopefully wakes the f*****g players up, plus Rowett to actually attack and have a go at other teams

We scored the goal and then just had 5 minutes where we defended like clowns. Hull were dreadful and beaten. We literally gave the game to them.
We simply lack the concistent creative ability to compete as an attacking force at this level.
Cam missing and Moore going off meant we were leaderless and rudderless. I understand Rowett plays a boring style but the game plan had the game won and we just mentally collapsed.
Worrying thing is whoever we current play the lack of creativity and clinical finishing is there for all to see every game.
I honestly think if went gung ho with any formation we can put out we would lose every game.
This is the stage in the season when those with ambitions to survive fight like dogs, they do not win by playing an expansive style. I am not sure many of our players have come out of the kennel yet!

 

[Joey]

What I think I do have, however, is a sense of when the time to do that is. And with 9 games left and a narrowing gap over the bottom three, I'm pretty sure that now is the time to get behind the club and get behind the players (even those we don't rate, or even don't like), not start singling anyone out, chucking in the towel, or throwing our toys out of the pram.

I agree with most of your point but just want to pick this bit out as it always comes out in moments like this, usually from the posters on the positive side of the spectrum.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with discussing what's going wrong and where we can get better and there's nothing gained by kicking that conversation down the road, at which point it's likely met with a response of "it's happened now, we need to look forwards". If things are wrong, and blatantly so, then a supporter should be shining a light on them, there's some (not aimed at you) who seem to think being a fan is about blind faith and shooting down people with concerns. That sort of attitude doesn't help anyone.

Of course if negativity creeps into the stands at games it's a whole different question. I'll say what I think on here but won't be booing players or slating them during a match, it's not difficult to separate the two.

 

[holdsteady]

I agree with most of your point but just want to pick this bit out as it always comes out in moments like this, usually from the posters on the positive side of the spectrum.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with discussing what's going wrong and where we can get better and there's nothing gained by kicking that conversation down the road, at which point it's likely met with a response of "it's happened now, we need to look forwards". If things are wrong, and blatantly so, then a supporter should be shining a light on them, there's some (not aimed at you) who seem to think being a fan is about blind faith and shooting down people with concerns. That sort of attitude doesn't help anyone.

Of course if negativity creeps into the stands at games it's a whole different question. I'll say what I think on here but won't be booing players or slating them during a match, it's not difficult to separate the two.

This is the point, its fine to discuss on here whether Phillips should be anywhere near the pitch (for me he shouldn't) but I won't boo him when he plays. Its a discussion forum so people will give their opinions, you just have to suck it up if someone disagrees with you.

 

[Up The Manor]

We deserved to lose last night ,shocking team selection and negative 11 men behind the ball tactics .
I imagine the board and owners are getting twitchy with what's being delivered on the pitch .Relegation will cost us £12 million .

 

[JOHN BOY]

The only player to escape criticism is Mills.lets be honest he looked miles off.little boy lost.

 

[WRox]

Appalling last night, totally confused tactics and needed to take the sting out of the game as soon as we scored but left it until we were losing.

Need to get to the international break, decide on a system and stick to it. I hate this 4-2-3-1 where the 10 is a passenger. If it’s 3 at the back with Nelson back and Leigh LWB that’s fine, if it’s 4-3-3 with Matos/Cam/Vaulks as a set three great.

 

[ECYellow]

One other point that I don’t think has been raised is that Hull played 80 minutes with 10 men away at play off chasing Bristol City last Saturday.

It’s extremely disappointing that they were the team on the front foot and the ones largely looking likely to win it last night.

I think our style played into their hands with the lack of aggression to get in their face and press and force mistakes, especially first half.

 

[ECYellow]

So can I just clear something up?

Our club contacted Hull AFTER you’d contacted them today?

So, despite their ‘years of experience’ it didn’t cross their mind to contact Hull in advance of a volunteer group doing so, on the day of the game, to see if some of the 2000 unused seats in the away end could be used tonight?

It all seems rather reactionary from a set of staff with such expertise.

Hi @OUSP

Can you just confirm the above? The club didn’t think to contact Hull, until our volunteer group contacted our ‘experts’ in ticketing, to ask why tickets couldn’t be made available on the night.

Cheers,
EC

 

[Nadi-]

It’s pretty obvious we struggle with 2 in midfield, we were far more comfortable with Brannagan Vaulks and Matos. If that means playing 3 central defenders. Then so be it.
Pick the strength straight through the middle of the park.
It’s been evident since Des was here, but our back room don’t seem, to grasp it

 

[holdsteady]

It’s pretty obvious we struggle with 2 in midfield, we were far more comfortable with Brannagan Vaulks and Matos. If that means playing 3 central defenders. Then so be it.
Pick the strength straight through the middle of the park.
It’s been evident since Des was here, but our back room don’t seem, to grasp it

With four or 3 at the back behind them?

 

[Paul Cannell]

Des and Waldron brought in many of the players who are so clearly not up to it - Phillips, El Mizouni, Dembele, Sibley - the list goes on

Genuine question (by my standards, at least) - do you know what input Des had into the summer recruitment?

I have no info but I doubt whether a manager who wasn't permitted to choose his own assistant* had much input to player recruitment.



* I'm aware that Des was apparently not entirely innocent in the breakdown of his relationship with the management.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Ed Waldron must be pleased nobody's mentioned the complete planlessness of player recruitment or reliance on players who are known to be on their way down.

Or the fucking 'trinket' players like Dembele and Placeta who glisten but are far from gold.

 

[Eric Blair]

* I'm aware that Des was apparently not entirely innocent in the breakdown of his relationship with the management.

You might not feel able to share the info but can you expand on this? What do you mean?

 

[Paul Cannell]

Juast what's been on here. Not returning calls from the board, and I expect chasing the Wales job went down just splendidly with the totally un-arrogant management team here in socialist Britain.

 

[greatunclekip]

The only player to escape criticism is Mills.lets be honest he looked miles off.little boy lost.

Mills was a prime example of our January muddled thinking. A good player no doubt, but one coming back from long term injury who has never played in the Championship.

We’d convinced ourselves we were safe is the problem. Punts like Romeny and Mills who we could develop. They are summer signings alongside more certain experience. Leaving ourselves woefully exposed at fullback, going into the final
Weeks with a dependency on a centre back who has been injured for months. Harris still our starting striker. It’s just a catalog of errors.

 

[Northstand Grandad]

Or the f*****g 'trinket' players like Dembele and Placeta who glisten but are far from gold.

Couple of showboaters with no end product.
I swear Dembele...if beaten off defenders ....would turn around and try it again

 

[Up The Manor]

Do we expect Rowatt to be sacked when we get relegated?

Along with Tim ,Grant & recruitment team.
Cost cutting will be required immediately.

 

[oxfordfan1]

Reflecting on last nights game only players who can hold there heads high were matos and placeta once he came on. We have far too many passengers for this league and far too many players who heavily rely on using one foot only going forward from the wing back positions limits us alot. Ruben,Harris,Phillips,Mills did absolutely nothing last night and barely touched the ball. If and its now looking a big if we are going to stay up we need to show a bit more fight and heart thaj recent weeks otherwise league one again for us next season.

 

[MiddleBartonYellow]

Des worse run was no win in 8 and the football was no worse than what we've seen in the last few games under Rowett. Des didn't have an assistant, didn't have another transfer window to bring in enforcements as we played the majority of them games with no fit wingers.

The club haven't achieved anything by sacking Des and bringing in Rowett apart from annoying the majority of the fanbase. If we went down under Des I would of accepted it and gave him next season to build a team to get up out of league one next season.

If Rowett is still in charge next season in league one he will be in the ground but I won't be. He is just an Ian Atkins wannabe.

Bye then.