Ref Watch +++ 13/07/20 L1 Play Off FINAL - OUFC v Wycombe+++

[OUFCwaffle]

I'll admit I was a bit rash with some of my posting last night, just needed to vent out my frustration.

 

[m]

I'll admit I was a bit rash with some of my posting last night, just needed to vent out my frustration.

That's okay, it's what we're here for.

 

[amershamdave]

As a WWFC fan, happy to admit we got lucky not just in last night's match but also by reaching the playoffs to begin with as we were in freefall pre-lockdown. I'd be spitting feathers if was an OUFC fan. Obviously I'm ecstatic to make The Championship but think you can probably take comfort in the fact we'll come straight back down. As regards our style of football, I think it's a necessary evil - we can't afford the best players so have to find a more pragmatic way to stay competitive. Good luck next season - let's hope we can all go to watch our teams in person regardless of which league we're playing in.

Just out of interest.......you don't happen to live in Dorset, somewhere, near Weymouth, like? Do you??

 

[Chairboy in Exile]

Thanks for a pleasant post, unlike some of your mates. One question about your budget - your full back Grimmer who kept our supposed star player Browne quiet was signed from Coventry, reportedly after competition from us. He must be on a fair whack. Are your American owners really so poor?

I think we signed him before the new owners came in. As I understand it, we're not expecting endless millions to be ploughed into the club but they have given us some financial stability. I hope that the owners remember that we ARE a little club and don't cause us problems further down the road.

 

[Chairboy in Exile]

Just out of interest.......you don't happen to live in Dorset, somewhere, near Weymouth, like? Do you?

I live in Watchet in Somerset

 

[amershamdave]

I live in Watchet in Somerset

No probs.....just wondering......ooh arr! Cider! I actually live about 9 miles away from Wycombe.....but follow the Yellows

 

[Chairboy in Exile]

That must make today that bit more difficult for you.....I know what it feels like to lose big games that should have been won but when you live close to the bad guys as well........

 

[Upthecowboys]

Probably not adding anything new here but..

Play off games - we fell short, end of. We probably played well for about 90 minutes across the 3 games, that is not good enough. We did look good after we equalised last night, but why did we not sustain more pressure for a greater part of the game.

Stewart / Set piece delivery - good to see that there is still a place for proper defending and set piece delivery. Thought Stewart for them was immense, also fair play to Wycombe for having such good set piece delivery.

Areas to improve - Eastwood looks to have lost a little to me since his injury. He has been a fantastic goalie for us but I think we could improve in that area. It's the harsh reality of pro football but I think we could do better. Still think Long is a solid right back but doesn't offer enough for a team that is challenging towards the top end of Div 1. We lacked a bit of dynamism in the middle of the park, not sure why and would liked to have seen Brannagan in a more advanced role.

Baptiste / Fosu - I think if Baptiste had been involved last night then we'd have won. He would have been the one driving from centre midfield making things happen. I don't blame the club for selling, they probably did not have much choice (particularly with Fosu) but you can't expect to sell that amount of talent mid season and not miss it for the rest of the campaign.

Talented players - there is some real talent in that team. Yes we may sell some, but we have a track record of buying well so players can be replaced. Dickie is a class act, Brannagan will play higher, Sykes is really coming on. Moore will easily be a championship player, ignore what happened last night because he is developing well.

Matt Taylor - we do need to sign him. He is the best natural finisher we have had for years, and his goals would be really hard to replace. Keep him for the league games, manage his appearances if needs be but I think we'll struggle to do better than him.

The season - we shouldn't lose sight of the season as a whole. Yes we are all gutted but overall that was a fantastic effort. Sometimes I wonder if we need to sack off a cup competition to keep players fresh, but I understand the money cup runs bring.

Finally, I would like to know what happened with their goal. Did Eastwood shout for it, did the Wycombe player shout anything? I've played in a couple of Sunday League games where a forward has deliberately shouted 'leave it' and he has been cautioned as a result. I think the ref can let it go if he thinks a player's shout of 'mine' etc is not deliberate attempt to mislead but if the ref thinks it is deliberately shouted then that is an offence and should be penalised. I'm guessing if the Wycombe player had shouted, Moore or Eastwood would have complained?

 

[Oxford Aesthete]

As a WWFC fan, happy to admit we got lucky not just in last night's match but also by reaching the playoffs to begin with as we were in freefall pre-lockdown. I'd be spitting feathers if was an OUFC fan. Obviously I'm ecstatic to make The Championship but think you can probably take comfort in the fact we'll come straight back down. As regards our style of football, I think it's a necessary evil - we can't afford the best players so have to find a more pragmatic way to stay competitive. Good luck next season - let's hope we can all go to watch our teams in person regardless of which league we're playing in.

Fair play to you, spitting feathers means thirsty by the way

 

[uptheus]

I actually thought Wycombe looked poorer when Akinfenwa came on. Absolutely zero speed or agility. I think we’d have benefited with him starting the game to be honest.

We were poor though, as we have been in all of the play off matches. The first goal was an absolute howler and goalkeeping error. Im not sure why Eastwood even contemplated going for the ball for their second one. He was so far away that it was going to be tough to get to it.

Disappointed and I’d have loved to have seen us in the Championship but one consolation is that I’m not sure I could watch OUFC week in week out on the TV in an empty ground. For that to be possibly our only time in the Championship would have been rubbish.

Concern moves to the playing squad now haha which is going to need a rebuild after players are sold or returned to their parent clubs. Also surrounding the future of Robinson. We need an experienced manager to steer the ship in a competitive league next season.

I think in 12 months we will reflect and see that defeat as being so much more important than just Championship football.

You cannot say that as you‘ll have Sky Sports having a go at you.

They were getting so excited about him playing as to whether he’d make the difference in getting them promoted that they kept panning in on him during the bloody game. Their coverage was bloody embarrassing. And as for that Lee Hendrie as the co-commentator, f**k me he’s as thick as f**k when it comes to understanding the game. Sky wanted that story sooo much they were almost masturbating about it from the off.

Oh, and Akinfenwa was embarrassing on the pitch as he was off it, especially that post match interview!!

 

[MC Yellow]

Fair play to you, spitting feathers means thirsty by the way

Also angry, foaming at the mouth.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

We utterly blew it unfortunately. No other word for it.

That, for me, is the worst part. If we'd been beaten by a superb bit of skill, or even thrashed by a much superior team that would have been one thing.

But to gift another team two goals while not really making anything like the best of our own abilities is a bitter pill to swallow. We were the authors of our own fate.

I don't agree with those who said there was any lack of effort - I don't think there was. A lack of quality in the attacking midfield and in goal (unfortunately) maybe, with full backs who are probably not quite right for what we are trying to do. But that second goal completely knocked the stuffing out of us.

 

[bazzer9461]

cold light of day on the morning after the night(mare) before

Still not best pleased we lost, at wembley, again

Wycombe's tactics, basic, agricultural & overloaded with 'dark arts', worked for them

Our players gave their all in a surreal , empty Wembley, cliched it may be , but the narrowest of narrow margins
defined the result. Desperate defending throughout the 2nd half from Wycombe kept us from getting a deserved 2nd goal
during the 2nd half

Re watched that pen situation several times ... the body language of Moore ducking out really does seem
like 'someone' shouted 'Leave it', & I dont think it was Eastwood!

Jones, the referee, was hoodwinked many a time by Wycombe's utilisation of 'gamesmanship', generally for petty
incidents, nonetheless Ainsworth did a job on us

if that match had been played in front of a huge crowd Im certain the result wouldve been different,
It wasnt though, the U's lost 2-1

Keep KR as manager, and the majority of the squad together , with incoming wage cap for league 1 , itll be a bit of a leveller, I really do feel OUFC will be up there in the autos come the end of the forthcoming season

I hope this wage cap will be monitored very carefully as with most clubs finding there way round FFP

 

[Sheik djibouti]

That, for me, is the worst part. If we'd been beaten by a superb bit of skill, or even thrashed by a much superior team that would have been one thing.

But to gift another team two goals while not really making anything like the best of our own abilities is a bitter pill to swallow. We were the authors of our own fate.

I don't agree with those who said there was any lack of effort - I don't think there was. A lack of quality in the attacking midfield and in goal (unfortunately) maybe, with full backs who are probably not quite right for what we are trying to do. But that second goal completely knocked the stuffing out of us.

Should've been over before the 2nd half drinks break. That really took the wind out of our sails (for the period of the game we looked dangerous, that is). Like I said earlier, that was effectively a standing 8 count for Wycombe.

 

[crashbang]

Just out of interest.......you don't happen to live in Dorset, somewhere, near Weymouth, like? Do you??

No that's me. And no I am not revelling in a Wycombe win but in despair at the defeat.
After the hounding I said I would not return and will now disappear.

 

[bazzer9461]

Pissing me off to, the blokes everywhere, yet didn’t do anything in the match. I’d be pissed if if I was a Wycombe player watching him get all the plaudits.

Ok sure he will be released from playing for Wycombe

 

[Sheik djibouti]

Ok sure he will be released from playing for Wycombe

Either that or he will end up backroom at Wycombe.

And with an ego that big, it will surely cause plenty of unrest behind the scenes...especially now he believes his own hype.

The only chance he has of being effective as a player in the Champ is by creating his own gravitational field that opposition players can't escape, thus creating space for his team mates...

 

[amershamdave]

This message goes to crashbang.
Actually, old bean.....that was just a f*****g joke. I'd already looked up his details on this OUFC forum, and found out that he lives near Minehead. I was only trying to see if you would post on here again. I was right....you did! Now.....be a man. Say.....f**k off Cuddy, I'm an Oxford fan! I can take it.....come on!

 

[Made-in-Jericho]

I've held off posting anything until now, to at least sleep on it and help the pain fade a little.

**eery silence, wind blowing, tumbleweed tumbling...***

Nope, nothing, no improvement whatsoever. Feeling utterly gutted and dejected. We should've easily gone on to win that when we were on top but there were so many things, small deflections, keeper making a worldy, not shooting, Henry ffs?? that all added up to a devastating way to lose by a sucker-punch, nausea-inducing penalty.

That was such an absolutely amazing opportunity to win promotion, a once in a lifetime chance and we blew it.

Well done to Wycombe, very hard to watch that every week but you got the job done.

Sky can do one with that coverage and fawning over Akinfenwa (and his praying at the end) sorry that was puke inducing.

The feeling is down there with 2006 and v Exeter 2007.

But, we move on.

I love this club so much and so proud of our team and the fans.

 

[outsidethebox]

I said in the build up thread that I thought Mackie should start. Sure, he has many faults but we really needed someone constantly in the refs ear and niggling the opposition. He also provides additional defensive cover at set pieces. Not saying we wouldn't have conceded the first had he been on the pitch but he does tend to clear a fair bit or use his experience to block players.

It seemed like Taylor was running out of steam. Mackie doing the first 45 takes the pressure off Taylor trying to pace himself. The Covid break favoured Wycombe. Their style of play hits the ground running where ours takes half a dozen games or more to really flow again.

Looking back, the loss of Baptiste and Fosu in January hit us hard although I suspect it was financial necessity - and in Fosu's case the release was triggered. Holland was key in plugging the gap left by the latter and his loss compounded things.

So many things went well this season and I did enjoy it but it's probably going to remembered as what might have been.

What happens now continues to be tied to Tiger's ability to solve the stadium issue (and fund the club in the meantime) as that, more than anything, determines our future.