Away Match Day Thread 13/09/22: L1 - Plymouth Argyle v OUFC

[RyanioBirdio]

That's as maybe, but I wouldn't expect a DoF and Team Manager to be at loggerheads with each other - it wouldn't work.

It still doesn't explain why there isn't someone officially in the role - I cant imagine that "the owners" are petrified that he will walk way should they chose to appoint one...

Becoming less so, certainly.

 

[Sarge]

I am new to this group but have been a supporter for over 70 years, last night I watched the match on Ifollow, my main gripe was that we didnt wear our yellow shirts it was very difficult to distinguish the teams on television. I thought we are the yellows and were possible should wear our colours with pride. Rogies

welcome aboard @Rogies .... you'll find theres quite a few on here who share the view that 2nd (or 3rd) kits should only be worn at away games when there's a colour clash with the home team


KR, its said, 'prefers' a white away kit to be worn .... an open fans forum, which we've not had since pre pandemic, would allow the question on that to be asked directly

OUFC owners obviously are looking at selling kits ( Home, 1st & 2nd) as an avenue of raising income ( which to me in L1 wont really be that much, Championship it may be different?) - though this season it would've helped selling (home ) kits if the said home kit was actually ready BEFORE the season began

Fair comment re it not being that good distinguishing the two teams on last night's ifollow coverage of the game
And, personally, I agree that unless there's a clash of colours, I d prefer OUFC to play in yellow shirts for away games as well as home games

 

[Sarge]

He wants specific people who he deems non-threatening.

.... has anyone got Big Ron's number? ..... best Manager we never had, best team captain we ever had .... although in his twilight years, would IMO ,make a decent DoF

 

[Manorlounger]

The Supporters Panel apparently removed any need for fans forums. This has been covered numerous times.

I don't recall that being part of the remit of the panel. Utter nonsense.

 

[SteMerritt]

.... has anyone got Big Ron's number? ..... best Manager we never had, best team captain we ever had .... although in his twilight years, would IMO ,make a decent DoF

No, but I can tag him in here. @Big Ron, fancy the DoF gig?

 

[Shosho]

Plymouth are what Oxford should have been if they’d capitalised on the successful recruitment a few years back. Now, others in the league have gotten smart…big budget =/= good recruitment and promotion.

Plymouth have Jimmy Dickenson as Head of recruitment. They also use a third party agency for scouting and opposition analysis whilst also having a DoF in place. There was a podcast this summer about the recruitment process. The Plymouth owner is heavily into data and analytics and is looking to apply this to football…so has surrounded himself with people who can perform the roles. We may have a bigger budget, however with that comes more complacency. Limited resources demands smart thinking to maximise your investment.

Anyway, let’s hope these injured players hit the ground running - KRs excuses are about to evaporate if the injured players return and we don’t see an improvement on the pitch

 

[bazzer9461]

I know they wanted Championship football asap but they have bigger fish to fry. I was tongue in cheek to say he could still be here if we get relegated but I stand by what I said for this season. He will still be here for another transfer window but when it looks like we can’t get promoted March time he could be on his way.
Still feel the Stadium is the be all and end all for these guys and we should all hope for a good outcome because if not there is no club

But as @Manorlounger says relegation or even lower regions of L1 won’t even fill half the stadium

 

[bazzer9461]

Interesting how people see it differently. I actually think that Findlay, with McGuane and Cam Bran, is the spine of a decent side at this level.

The main problems last night were:
1. The lack of Wing-Backs. If you're playing 3-5-2/5-3-2 the Wing-Backs are crucial. They are an outlet for the defenders (instead Brown had to force things himself) and for the midfield (instead McGuane/Cam Bran has to drive it on themselves). They need to have pace, and to be able to beat a man, and cross. All things desperately lacking last night.
2. The waste of a midfield spot with Bate. Simple really, you either have a Gorrin to protect the defence, or you need an attack-minded option playing behind the front 2.
3. Joseph effectively playing up top on his own.

I think those that put in a shift, but we perhaps expect more of them, have received some unfair criticism (Findlay, Cam Bran, Joseph) but for me the fact that we had 2 or 3 absolute passengers was more painful. If you at least had 11 players all putting in a shift you may get a result in that game.

I'd actually put the players in 3 brackets last night:

1. Decent performers who we have come to expect a lot of and typically deliver, even if they're not at their best every week - Findlay, Brown, McGuane, Cam Bran, Joseph.
2. Players who lack quality, shouldn't be starting for us, but at least put a shift in - Eastwood, Long, Seddon.
3. Players who were way off the pace - Henry, Bate, Bodin.

My ratings, with ‘5’ as a standard (turning up and putting in a basic shift):

Eastwood – 4. Not good enough. Shot stopper yes – but distribution awful as always. Could have done better with goal. Compare and contrast with Cooper.
Henry – 2. Awful. Not a wing back. No pace, no ability to beat a man. Crossing also poor.
Long – 4. Seems to get some favourable comments here, not sure why? Would have been better putting him at RWB and bringing in Mous.
Findlay – 6. Reaction to Findlay has surprised me, I thought he put in a really good shift once again and stood up well physically. Not a ‘footballer’ maybe but does what is required of him.
Brown – 6. Some misplaced passes for sure, but he was trying to force something as his outlet at LWB was hopeless.
Seddon – 4. Bambi on ice. Energy levels good (more than can be said for Henry) but couldn’t even trap a football.
Bate – 3. Don’t know what he brings to the party. Physically off it, supposedly here for his technical ability but thought he was poor on the ball also. Waste of a midfield space. At this point would rather stick in Gorrin which would hopefully allow McGuane and Bran to get further up the pitch.
McGuane – 7. Keeps the ball so well under pressure, unfortunately for him there was a complete lack of movement and options to pass the ball to when he did keep the ball.
Brannagan – 6. Unfair criticism here. Hardly his best game, but even a poor game for Cam is still better than most.
Joseph – 6. Again, don’t get the criticism here (apart from the miss). Don’t want to play the ‘were you there’ card but his running and work-rate off the ball is good which may not be picked up by the ifollow crowd. He was effectively playing up front on his own with balls being lumped forward in his direction. Feeding off absolute scraps.
Bodin – 1. Appalling. Lightweight, no movement, looked unfit and seemingly disinterested. Looked almost like he was hiding at times (you may say it’s ‘playing off the defenders shoulder’ but there were times when the likes of McGuane or Brown could have done with an outlet and Bodin was usually to be found hiding behind a defender). Absolute stinker and should have been hooked a lot earlier.

Browne – 6. A bit of spark. How we need him to stay fit. Ideally would have been on earlier but understand we may need to ease him in.
Anderson/Spasov/Goodhrham – 5. No real impact.

Robinson - 2. Clear that Henry and Bodin in particular were not at the races. Unwilling to change it.

KR is now (as they say north of the border) on a 'shoogly peg'. Need at least 3 wins from the next 5 games for me.

Findlay a decent performer? Do me a favour

 

[Wallop]

That's as maybe, but I wouldn't expect a DoF and Team Manager to be at loggerheads with each other - it wouldn't work.

It still doesn't explain why there isn't someone officially in the role - I cant imagine that "the owners" are petrified that he will walk way should they chose to appoint one...

It's not as simple as that but I can't divulge why - sorry if that makes me seem like an a*se. Read between the lines though.

 

[TailsWeWin]

I am new to this group but have been a supporter for over 70 years, last night I watched the match on Ifollow, my main gripe was that we didnt wear our yellow shirts it was very difficult to distinguish the teams on television. I thought we are the yellows and were possible should wear our colours with pride. Rogies

I would say you not being able to distinguish the teams put you in an enviable position.
PS. We were the team being battered.

 

[Horse]

I don't recall that being part of the remit of the panel. Utter nonsense.

Read the July OUSP minutes. It says that by meeting OUSP the club is fulfilling its EFL obligations regarding meeting supporters. OUSP do say this isn’t ideal but as long as they continue to meet with the club there is no EFL requirement to meet supporters.

 

[Big Ron]

No, but I can tag him in here. @Big Ron, fancy the DoF gig?

That's very kind but I'm busy dusting the paperweights and I then have a diversity and inclusion training course.

 

[Manorlounger]

Read the July OUSP minutes. It says that by meeting OUSP the club is fulfilling its EFL obligations regarding meeting supporters. OUSP do say this isn’t ideal but as long as they continue to meet with the club there is no EFL requirement to meet supporters.

I believe this is the section of the July meeting minutes to which you refer:

"Whilst the regular dialogue meetings with OUSP, as well as contact with OxVox, means that the club is nominally meeting its EFL requirement we all feel this is not sufficient. Even if the club doesn’t get anything out of a forum, the fans do. OUSP has already written to the club on the matter of communications and urges the club to give greater consideration the impact of its communications, especially with those supporters who do not use social media /smart phones. AT will organise a communications-specific meeting with Senior Management Team to discuss communications and having a united approach with more awareness of supporter/customer focus."

As can be read, the phrasing is "nominally meeting" and it is seen as not sufficient. Clearly, both the Supporters Panel and Oxvox (who have a representative on the panel) would encourage the club to participate in a Fans Forum and the club has agreed to the management team meeting to discuss that very option.
Whilst you say "OUSP do say this isn’t ideal" the actual phrasing is "not sufficient" - there is a difference.

 

[QR]

I would say you not being able to distinguish the teams put you in an enviable position.
PS. We were the team being battered.

If Joseph had put away the sitter we would have been 'battered' 1:1.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

If Joseph had put away the sitter we would have been 'battered' 1:1.

And Plymouth had taken all their decent chances as well, we'd have scraped a 5-1 loss...

Besides, if Joseph had scored that goal who is to say what would have happened? They might have gone on the attack and scored a winner anyway, we might have been so enthused that we scored another! Over the course of the match (whatever the score!) we were by far second best, unfortunately.

 

[TailsWeWin]

If Joseph had put away the sitter we would have been 'battered' 1:1.

Were you there?

 

[The mighty Aldo]

But as @Manorlounger says relegation or even lower regions of L1 won’t even fill half the stadium

Bazzer they are going to pump millions into the club if we get the green light. Fans will come and watch a winning team doesn’t matter what league. Swindon averaged 2500 more last year than they did when they last played in League 1 because they were winning games.
If we carry on like this our average gate will be much less than last year, however in the scheme of things that is chicken feed to these guys

I think they will really get serious when we get the go ahead.That will give us 2/3 years to get into the Championship, if we get there before that it is a bonus
My overwhelming concern is what happens if planning is refused. Promotion and Relegation talk become immaterial

 

[tonyw]

Can’t disagree with any of that. I would expect and hope that Henry, Bate and (definitely) Bodin are out of the team for Saturday, we carried them last night and we are not good enough to do that.

This Saturday I would like Mousinho in and Long shifted to right wing back, Gorrin in for Bate and push CamBran further up (allows McGuane to get further forward as well), Browne up front/Behind Joseph. Not an ideal team, relies on the above 3 players coming into be fit as well but at least it should have some shape and a bit more energy and impact. Would rather the youngsters come on than Bodin as well.

Agree 100% about Gorrin and Browne - if they can start, they should because they'd each be offering a lot more than the people they're replacing.

Long at RWB though, I just don't like. He's shown repeatedly over the last two seasons that he is a very decent bordering on good right-sided CB in a three. He's also best-suited, amongst our collection of CBs, to play the Dickie/Atkinson/McNally role and bring the ball out of central defense.
But he just doesn't have the pace, skill and attacking chops to be an effective wing back.

This is a massive problem for us. Even though we didn't have a specialist RWB last season, we had three players who could do it competently in Sykes, Williams & Forde. Right now, I don't think we have any (the charitable response to Anderson's debut last night would be to say he's not ready yet. Hopefully he will be one day but that day is not Saturday)

At this point in time, I'm inclined to just throw Goodrham in there. Yes, he'll likely be a bit of a liability defensively but so is Henry. Goodrham does have the pace and the energy you need at that position, and he can make things happen; right now he's more deserving of a shot than anyone else we could play at that position.

 

[bazzer9461]

K

Bazzer they are going to pump millions into the club if we get the green light. Fans will come and watch a winning team doesn’t matter what league. Swindon averaged 2500 more last year than they did when they last played in League 1 because they were winning games.
If we carry on like this our average gate will be much less than last year, however in the scheme of things that is chicken feed to these guys

I think they will really get serious when we get the go ahead.That will give us 2/3 years to get into the Championship, if we get there before that it is a bonus
My overwhelming concern is what happens if planning is refused. Promotion and Relegation talk become immaterial

With the budget that he has been given this year that does look like their aim but tragically he’s sounded the budget will they want him part of it? The team we have now will be lucky to finish top half……and before anyone jumps down my throat about being negative it’s not it’s honesty.

 

[Patch1262]

With the team that was out there tonight I get the feeling this massive budget might be bull, something doesn’t add up?