Home Match Day Thread 13/12/2025 - MDT: Oxford United vs Preston North End

[Carpy]

 

[Osleroad]

Cummimgs should have prevented the first goal. He does not come out to collect the ball rooted to the line. He might have saved a few shots this season that is his job. He has also cost us a few points this season as well. It cant give the defence any confidence when a ball comes into the area whatsoever with him behind them

Cumming not Cummings - we could try Ingram instead

 

[Mad Dog]

It's less about it being rough comparably, it's more about wasting such a brilliant opportunity to establish ourselves at this level.

It's like putting in the hard work to climb a mountain then falling off near the top because you decide to dick around and take a selfie hopping on one leg.

Exactly.

Even though so many have said this sooooo many times, still the same posters don't quite get the message, so I'll try one final time:

Nobody is asking for swashbuckling attacking football and to be aiming for the playoffs or something, just something that suggests we can actually remain at this level, and progress, something we're simply not doing, the results and performances are absolutely appalling, and have been for way too long now, and that's the reason why so many are calling for a change of manager.

The constant twisting of people's words to suggest they're asking for some kind of fantasy football, is bloody nauseating.

 

[90syeIlow]

Never mind the hopping on one leg. "Establishing ourselves at this level" needs wads of cash which the club does not have. It is so painfully obvious. Surely you can see that. Just stay out of the bottom three........... that is all we ask. Championship football is terrific.

You don't need 'wads of cash' to survive in the Championship, that's what you need for automatic promotion to the premier league.

You need everyone in all departments to work together like a well oiled machine and a head coach that knows how to get the best from the squad and to establish his best side, none of which we have done this season.

 

[werthersoriginal]

You don't need 'wads of cash' to survive in the Championship, that's what you need for automatic promotion to the premier league.

You need everyone in all departments to work together like a well oiled machine and a head coach that knows how to get the best from the squad and to establish his best side, none of which we have done this season.

You really do need wads of cash, by any normal standard. But I agree with your point otherwise.

 

[90syeIlow]

You really do need wads of cash, by any normal standard. But I agree with your point otherwise.

We survived last year with a new Championship manager for half the season and what I believe was a low-end budget.

 

[werthersoriginal]

We survived last year with a new Championship manager for half the season and what I believe was a low-end budget.

I just meant players at this level get paid ridiculous amounts, even at smaller clubs like ours

 

[90syeIlow]

I just meant players at this level get paid ridiculous amounts, even at smaller clubs like ours

I see - valid point.

 

[Oxford84]

On the long throws thing, I think we got a bit of joy with them last season because it was a bit unusual and caused some chaos…but now most teams are doing it so clearly defenses are being coached to deal with it better. We’re still a bit “give it to Vaulksy to chuck it” without any real variation or tactics around it…just an entirely random “lob and hope” every time.

I cant believe there isnt any movement off the ball from the long throws, maybe one of the defenders comes short by 10 yards to flick it on or give it back to the thrower so that theres an alternative.

 

[Big Ronaldo]

All we need to do is finish above third from bottom. That is it. It isn’t rocket science, Magic pokery, witchcraft or remotely beyond this team.
I look at us and I see a side that are by and large competing. The generally narrow margins of the games played so far this season surely means that we are close to finding a way to pick up more points.
Our place in this league will not be blown in December but we have to be less shot shy and harder to score against.
This is a dog fight people… and if you, the fans are not up for it, then how can you expect the players to be?
These players are the ones who we must entrust to put themselves on the line for the immediate time and get us the results we need.
This manager is the guy who saved us from a free fall into league 1 last year.
This is what we’ve got. It’s a task but it is not undoable. You’d think from some of the reactions on here that we have already been relegated. Just when we need heart and desire from fans, players and the manager we get this seeping defeatist attitude pouring out.

The all pervading stench of negativity and blind white flag waving is just… just so f*****g tinpot.
Put your f*****g man pants on and support the f*****g shirt you quitters. Either that or f**k off and support Arsenal or the f*****g Scum.
As for the rest of us, we’ll get on with digging in for the fight of our lives.
Rant over!

 

[JOHN BOY]

I cant believe there isnt any movement off the ball from the long throws, maybe one of the defenders comes short by 10 yards to flick it on or give it back to the thrower so that theres an alternative.

We've been saying this all season it's just basics.

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

The all pervading stench of negativity and blind white flag waving is just… just so f*****g tinpot.
Put your f*****g man pants on and support the f*****g shirt you quitters. Either that or f**k off and support Arsenal or the f*****g Scum.
As for the rest of us, we’ll get on with digging in for the fight of our lives.
Rant over!

I'm not a fan of the delivery, but I very much agree with the sentiment.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

I cant believe there isnt any movement off the ball from the long throws, maybe one of the defenders comes short by 10 yards to flick it on or give it back to the thrower so that theres an alternative.

They need to watch videos from when Matty Elliot used to flick the ball on at the near post from corners. Recreate that with the throw on and have Helik flicking the ball on.

 

[Oxford84]

A formation with two centre forwards and no one to cross to them? I don’t think we’ll see it again

Still better than when we play wingers who refuse to cross the ball anyway.

 

[m]

Exactly.

Even though so many have said this sooooo many times, still the same posters don't quite get the message, so I'll try one final time:

Nobody is asking for swashbuckling attacking football and to be aiming for the playoffs or something, just something that suggests we can actually remain at this level, and progress, something we're simply not doing, the results and performances are absolutely appalling, and have been for way too long now, and that's the reason why so many are calling for a change of manager.

The constant twisting of people's words to suggest they're asking for some kind of fantasy football, is bloody nauseating.

This is half-true at best.

Plenty of people are grumbling about 'Rowetball', and are commenting directly on the style of play.

Fwiw, I totally agree about wanting to see something that suggests we're capable of remaining at this level.

 

[NottsYellow]

How the hell are Preston 3rd?
They were no better than us on Saturday, equally poor.

 

[werthersoriginal]

How the hell are Preston 3rd?
They were no better than us on Saturday, equally poor.

They were a more effective version of Rowettball. Didn't look like they had better players or more money.

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

They were a more effective version of Rowettball. Didn't look like they had better players or more money.

Or more fans! Honestly, if we were 4th in The Championship I'd expect us to take far more than 1,029 to the reverse fixture.

Which all makes further mockery of the inferiority complex pervading our fanbase.

 

[WuTang]

We had 24 shots, and according to a few stats and live text websites, only 1 shot after Harris and Bradshaw were subbed on in the 77th minute.

I remember the pressure we were putting them under at the time was immense, and those subs were like flicking off a light switch, we had nothing after it.

 

[Bretch Hill]

We had 24 shots, and according to a few stats and live text websites, only 1 shot after Harris and Bradshaw were subbed on in the 77th minute.

I remember the pressure we were putting them under at the time was immense, and those subs were like flicking off a light switch, we had nothing after it.

Those substitutions caused a mixture of reactions in the stand. I just felt utterly deflated.

 

[Ewes]

I was interested to see if the theory that Oxford are hard to beat was a myth, so looked at all the Championship games so far this season and picked out the teams where any side was beaten by 2 or more goals.

I was really surprised to see that only one team - Preston - haven’t had a 2+ goal defeat yet. We’ve suffered 2 x 2 goal defeats but there are 14 teams in the division with more heavy defeats than Us. Millwall & Sheff Weds ‘lead the way’ with 6 (and yet Millwall are joint 3rd in the ‘real table’), with Charlton behind them in 5. If there was a league table showing the fewest number of 2+ goal defeats then we’d be 6th. Coventry & Watford would top the table.

To me, this shows that we are competing well and have become difficult to beat easily, but need to do more to turn a high number of draws (7, 3rd highest) into wins (4, 2nd lowest).

 

[Carpy]

We had 24 shots, and according to a few stats and live text websites, only 1 shot after Harris and Bradshaw were subbed on in the 77th minute.

I remember the pressure we were putting them under at the time was immense, and those subs were like flicking off a light switch, we had nothing after it.

I think everyone in the stands knew we wouldn't score once they came on. I would also add TG to that too, he was much less effective than Ole was.

 

[WuTang]

I think everyone in the stands knew we wouldn't score once they came on. I would also add TG to that too, he was much less effective than Ole was.

Rowett has a system and it works to an extent, but fast wingers is pivotal to it working. I don't think they're bad footballers, but Krastev and L. Harris were ridiculous signings based on the system we're now playing and what we're lacking. They should have been 2 fast wingers to rotate with Dembele and Placheta.

 

[Mike_H]

Vaulks long throws were mostly ineffective, most were headed away without much bother, no plan B

No-one seemed to go short enough for them and they were just headed away by the first line of Preston's defence from the little bit I saw on TV. Our positioning in the box looked brainless. Surely you want someone before the near post who can head it on - if nothing else it creates more space in the box.

 

[Mike_H]

Cumming not Cummings - we could try Ingram instead

Ingram has looked awful every game he has played.

 

[RgYellows]

I think everyone in the stands knew we wouldn't score once they came on. I would also add TG to that too, he was much less effective than Ole was.

Ty was infuriating on Saturday - if a PNE player had a cheap free kick to sell then Tyler was their man - but there is still a player in there who can glide past a man or hit a 25-yarder into the bottom corner. No part of me thought Harris or Bradshaw were going to provide the answer.

If Harris has any role at this level, it’s leading a very targeted, coordinated press and ground-based counter attack. It’s not leading the line in a game we are dominating and it’s not leading the line for a team that want to play in the air. I can’t see any role for Bradshaw on the pitch at this level.

 

[holdsteady]

Ty was infuriating on Saturday - if a PNE player had a cheap free kick to sell then Tyler was their man - but there is still a player in there who can glide past a man or hit a 25-yarder into the bottom corner. No part of me thought Harris or Bradshaw were going to provide the answer.

If Harris has any role at this level, it’s leading a very targeted, coordinated press and ground-based counter attack. It’s not leading the line in a game we are dominating and it’s not leading the line for a team that want to play in the air. I can’t see any role for Bradshaw on the pitch at this level.

I thought that it might have been his moment Saturday, but he never really got on the ball around the box. We are getting his weaknesses rather than his strengths at the moment, its getting harder to not conclude that he just doesn't have the physicality for this level.

Agree about Harris and Bradshaw, if either have a role its not chasing a deficit.

 

[Jster]

Yep, strange as it might seem, I'd far rather Harris started than came on as a sub.

 

[Coffin Dodger]

At one of the set pieces we had 5 players and Cumming in the 6 yard box there was only 2 Preston players in it the rest were all on the edge of the penalty area mostly unmarked. A tactical problem surely

 

[PottersRightBoot]

I’d rather have O’Donkor coming on than either of those two. Harris seems to be working his notice period out.

 

[TailsWeWin]

I think everyone in the stands knew we wouldn't score once they came on. I would also add TG to that too, he was much less effective than Ole was.

Staggeringly incompetent substitutions.
So bad I suspect Rowett was making a point.