Home Match Day Thread 13/09/2025 - MDT: OUFC V Leicester City

[Northstandboy]

 

[ubermeistervonmeat]

We will find it tough to win games this season, you have to take advantage against 10 men.

They are an effective side, don’t get me wrong but 3 points after the red was necessary today.

A former Prem team rammed with players earning huge money - almost all of us would have taken that before the game

 

[Eric Blair]

Pre-season I said that Matt Phillips would come good. He could be vital for us this season. I hope his injury is just a niggle.

Of course I also said Bradshaw would come good this season.

 

[holdsteady]

Pre-season I said that Matt Phillips would come good. He could be vital for us this season. I hope his injury is just a niggle.

Of course I also said Bradshaw would come good this season.

You look like you could be right about Phillips, doubt we will see Bradshaw again though, 4th choice and we play one up top.

 

[tonyw]

Mostly repeating what's already been said, but thought we were excellent right up until the point when Phillips went off. By far his best ever game in yellow, and there was a massive drop-off in our level of control after he departed.

Thought most of our starting XI were excellent, although Sam Long showed once again that although he's got a Premier League attitude, he doesn't have Championship level physical abilities. He's a great servant and he never lets us down, but he does struggle against elite athletes. Jack Currie also showed off the size of the gap between League One and Championship - he's young and he'll improve, but right now he's not a smooth Championship-quality operator. Suspect Greg will be back in there once he's recovered from his travels (also not necessarily Championship-level smooth, but the better athlete)

By contrast, none of the subs were very effective.

Brannagan's now given away as many goals with dodgy back passes as Vaulks did last season. Which is not me saying that Cam deserves constant pelters, but maybe that people need to ease off the 'Vaulks makes too many mistakes' narrative......

Cifuentes is getting a lot of credit for his halftime changes.....but I'd be asking what the hell he was doing not playing Winks and Ricardo from the start - those two were way better than some of his starting XI. And seriously, Nelson's not getting a look in because of that donkey Okoli?!?? Maybe send him on loan to someone who will appreciate him next time!!

 

[90syeIlow]

One thing I forgot to mention. I wish Currie would mix it up a bit when in a position to cross as too often he doesn't and turns back. I'm not suggesting he cross all the time but he seemed to turn back and pass backwards a lot.

I’m willing to be wrong, but I feel Currie has lots more to show.

For the second season in a row, he’s playing a higher level than the one before, and it’s hard to fault him for being pragmatic rather than trying things out and potentially making errors.

 

[RgYellows]

Not the first time he has done that this season though which has cost us a goal.
If that was Vaulks this place would be calling for him never to wear a yellow shirt again.

Yes but it isn’t, and the fact some supporters would be overreacting if it was Will Vaulks doesn’t mean the Manager has to either. What do you achieve by giving Brannagan a bollocking for an accidental mistake, that he knows led to a goal? He’s a senior pro. He doesn’t need to be told what he already knows. Coach him and improve his game instead.

 

[uptheus]

Too much agreement on this thread. I’ll throw in some hand grenades for y’all:

1. Jack Currie just ain’t good enough for the Championship.
2. Prelec looked really really heavy when he came on.
3. Matt Phillips may not be over the hill after all.
4. Stan Mills should always start if available. He’s twice the player Cheese is.
5. Lankshear should always start if available. He’s ten times the player Mark Harris is.
6. The spine of the team is great. The full backs and wingers are not.

Agree with most of this, but not sure about the Prelec bit!

Thought Mills was good with the crossing bit, but had some very poor touches at good places/opportunities which was frustrating.

We missed Philips when he went off as he was caused a barrier for them to play from their defence to midfield etc, once he went off they started to find these passes which cut through us too easily.

Yeah, Currie looked out of his depth today, but having said that Fatawu was a handful!

 

[EastStandKieran]

I’m willing to be wrong, but I feel Currie has lots more to show.

For the second season in a row, he’s playing a higher level than the one before, and it’s hard to fault him for being pragmatic rather than trying things out and potentially making errors.

I agree I think once he has had a run of games in the team we will start to see the player Orient fans loved

He's also fairly young still so lots of room to work with

 

[Under The Cuckoo Lane]

My key observations:
BDK very comfortable at this level looks like a great addition
Davies gave balance and much needed defense assurance, but playing out and looking for passes he only seemed to look right. So, especially in 2nd half, we looked unbalanced and predictable going forward. Maybe it was strategic because Leicester looked strong defensively on their right?
Longy was OK in 1st half but took too many chances when they got level, and looked like a weak link in 2nd.
Krastev looked better in 1st than 2nd but I guess we all did.
We're definitely improving and not many teams will relish coming here, Pompy got lucky I think we'd beat them now.
Canny wait til next game now, the 1st 45 perhaps the best at this level since the promotion to L1 (Prem) season.
So I'm astounded we still get negative comments it's hard against 10 let alone to a team of that quality.
Happy days.

 

[holdsteady]

Mostly repeating what's already been said, but thought we were excellent right up until the point when Phillips went off. By far his best ever game in yellow, and there was a massive drop-off in our level of control after he departed.

Thought most of our starting XI were excellent, although Sam Long showed once again that although he's got a Premier League attitude, he doesn't have Championship level physical abilities. He's a great servant and he never lets us down, but he does struggle against elite athletes. Jack Currie also showed off the size of the gap between League One and Championship - he's young and he'll improve, but right now he's not a smooth Championship-quality operator. Suspect Greg will be back in there once he's recovered from his travels (also not necessarily Championship-level smooth, but the better athlete)

By contrast, none of the subs were very effective.

Brannagan's now given away as many goals with dodgy back passes as Vaulks did last season. Which is not me saying that Cam deserves constant pelters, but maybe that people need to ease off the 'Vaulks makes too many mistakes' narrative......

Cifuentes is getting a lot of credit for his halftime changes.....but I'd be asking what the hell he was doing not playing Winks and Ricardo from the start - those two were way better than some of his starting XI. And seriously, Nelson's not getting a look in because of that donkey Okoli?!?? Maybe send him on loan to someone who will appreciate him next time!!

Going by Davies performance today I reckon Brown will be left back once he is fit, Leigh will play till then, but we let to many goals in and that will tighten us up at the back.

 

[Mad Dog]

Brannagan deserves a massive bollocking for that error.

I was watching him for a while after that mistake, and he was giving himself enough of a hard time over it.

It will no doubt be discussed at training on Monday morning when they rewatch the game, but I don't think he needs to be dragged over the coals any further for it, he'll be beating himself up enough, just to learn from it will do.

If he does it again though, smash his knees in with a sledgehammer

 

[Oxfordpete]

Before the game would have been very happy with a point after the game just slightly disappointed
I was also quite disappointed with shots on target
Dembele very very poor
But at times thought that this team could move us up the table, Will scores where sparky may have missed
Against cov Phillips had one good half, today he was my mom gutted when he came off
You look at the Leicester team and for long periods, even before the sending off we looked as good as if not better. Passing was fast and crisp
Feeling a lot better for the weeks ahead

 

[PottersRightBoot]

Yes but it isn’t, and the fact some supporters would be overreacting if it was Will Vaulks doesn’t mean the Manager has to either. What do you achieve by giving Brannagan a bollocking for an accidental mistake, that he knows led to a goal? He’s a senior pro. He doesn’t need to be told what he already knows. Coach him and improve his game instead.

‘Accidental mistake’? It’s happened twice now and cost us three points.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

A former Prem team rammed with players earning huge money - almost all of us would have taken that before the game

Not when they were down to 10 men for 70 minutes & there to attack.

You have to win your home games when teams go down to 10 men for near enough the whole match.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

I was watching him for a while after that mistake, and he was giving himself enough of a hard time over it.

It will no doubt be discussed at training on Monday morning when they rewatch the game, but I don't think he needs to be dragged over the coals any further for it, he'll be beating himself up enough, just to learn from it will do.

If he does it again though, smash his knees in with a sledgehammer

A good lesson to pass the ball forward and not backwards.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

‘Accidental mistake’? It’s happened twice now and cost us three points.

And if it was Vaulks, he’d be getting dogs abuse here and on X etc.

He’s untouchable with some, not with me. They are costly mistakes & both were poor decisions when he didn’t need to pass it backwards.

 

[RgYellows]

‘Accidental mistake’? It’s happened twice now and cost us three points.

Thanks for keeping a running total. Do you want to answer my question instead of repeating things that everyone knows?

And if it was Vaulks, he’d be getting dogs abuse here and on X etc.

He’s untouchable with some, not with me. They are costly mistakes.

I think people giving Will Vaulks dogs abuse aren’t helping anyone either, if that helps you sleep easy.

 

[Daviddidcotexile]

Currie struggled throughout. He looked slow reacting as well as being outpaced. Long plays with so much passion but it's just about good enough if we are stuck for options. If Vaulks had made the same errors as Brannagan then this forum would be in meltdown.
However my overriding feeling was a big step in the right direction. We have quality in loads of key areas. Fingers crossed Phillips injury isn't huge as he was immense today.

 

[Daviddidcotexile]

And Dembele is a waste of a salary unless he discovers a team ethos!

 

[werthersoriginal]

Bit of a different formation today I think, can any of the many soccerball experts describe it? The wingers and particularly Krasev were very narrow with Currie frequently the wider player.

 

[Followtheox1]

Can't help feeling GR'S half time team talk may have had something to do with a slightly sh*tty second half display.

What did GR say in his half time team talk?

 

[greatunclekip]

Come on then @greatunclekip , you’ve laughed at one post, liked a negative one, what’s your view on the game?

Brilliant first half as I posted. Unfortunately at half time I had a feeling we couldn’t keep it up and so it transpired.

We are going down this season as it stands, our points total is woeful and, yes, we play well sometimes, but we don’t have the strength. In depth to turn the screw or hold the lead. Today was a prime example of that.

We have 3-4 players at this level who get into other teams.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Thanks for keeping a running total. Do you want to answer my question instead of repeating things that everyone knows?

I think people giving Will Vaulks dogs abuse aren’t helping anyone either, if that helps you sleep easy.

No, I’m just making a point that he’s been given dogs abuse for doing the exact same has Brannagan has this season.

It’s what most fans do though, Phillips has had it for nigh on a year, even still some today couldn’t bring themselves to admit he was playing well around me.

Certain players get a free pass, it shouldn’t be the case.

 

[RgYellows]

No, I’m just making a point that he’s been given dogs abuse for doing the exact same has Brannagan has this season.

It’s what most fans do though, Phillips has had it for nigh on a year, even still some today couldn’t bring themselves to admit he was playing well around me.

Certain players get a free pass, it shouldn’t be the case.

Yes, fair enough. My view is that it doesn’t help anyone, and especially isn’t needed from the manager as was advocated. It doesn’t altogether surprise me that fans save their anger for players who aren’t their favourites.

 

[Mad Dog]

And if it was Vaulks, he’d be getting dogs abuse here and on X etc.

He’s untouchable with some, not with me. They are costly mistakes & both were poor decisions when he didn’t need to pass it backwards.

Look, Cam will know full well that he fucked up and cost us a goal, just like Vaulks would've been aware as well when he did it.

No amount of bollockings and dogs abuse will make it any clearer to him that it's not good enough, and mistakes like that can't keep happening, he'll know that, just as Vaulks did, and just as Vaulks had enough about him to put those mistakes behind him and improve, Cam will do the same.

 

[Yellowarmy]

Currie struggled throughout. He looked slow reacting as well as being outpaced. Long plays with so much passion but it's just about good enough if we are stuck for options. If Vaulks had made the same errors as Brannagan then this forum would be in meltdown.
However my overriding feeling was a big step in the right direction. We have quality in loads of key areas. Fingers crossed Phillips injury isn't huge as he was immense today.

Curries 1st game of the season and what I like about him is his attacking intent. He wants to get forward and is comfortable overlapping. He will only improve every game.

 

[Yellowarmy]

Brilliant first half as I posted. Unfortunately at half time I had a feeling we couldn’t keep it up and so it transpired.

We are going down this season as it stands, our points total is woeful and, yes, we play well sometimes, but we don’t have the strength. In depth to turn the screw or hold the lead. Today was a prime example of that.

We have 3-4 players at this level who get into other teams.

If we play like we did today, we won't go down. We had 3 new players in the starting 11 and still played excellent 1st half. Very encouraging today.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Yes, fair enough. My view is that it doesn’t help anyone, and especially isn’t needed from the manager as was advocated. It doesn’t altogether surprise me that fans save their anger for players who aren’t their favourites.

I’ll always say it as it is, if I think they have been poor I’ll say it, I don’t give anyone any special treatment.

I try not to make it personal or resorting to name calling with them either.

That will never change, whatever the manager wants.

Vaulks cost us a few points last season, Brannagan has cost us 4 this season. I’m sure there’s other examples but those two are the ones off the top of my head.

Point being, if you are going to criticise, do it to all or not at all.

First half minus about 10 mins when they scored where we sat back we played really well. Second half we let the game pass us by instead of grabbing it by the scruff of the neck.

 

[Scotchegg]

We are going down this season as it stands

Get a grip.

There are 123 points still to play for and there was plenty out there today to show that we'll give a lot of teams a game. And we've got big players still to return and others to get up to speed.

No guarantees, but equally no justification in this constant misery

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Look, Cam will know full well that he fucked up and cost us a goal, just like Vaulks would've been aware as well when he did it.

No amount of bollockings and dogs abuse will make it any clearer to him that it's not good enough, and mistakes like that can't keep happening, he'll know that, just as Vaulks did, and just as Vaulks had enough about him to put those mistakes behind him and improve, Cam will do the same.

Hopefully so, but I haven’t seen the same reaction on here or social media as I did to Vaulks mistakes last season.

Had that been Vaulks doing that today we know what would have happened.