Home Match Day Thread 15/02/25: Championship - OUFC v Portsmouth

[Joey]

That was absolutely horrendous and as bad as pretty much anything under Des when you consider how poor the opposition were too. The last 15 minutes showed how they could be got stand really we should have a point, Phillips's and in particular Mills' misses were shocking

We picked up points early on under Rowett but generally against crap teams and we relied on some screamers and defenders for our goals. I still think we'll stay up because there are a lot of teams below us who'll be taking points off each other every week but we've got next to no goal threat about us and are going to come up against teams who will put us under a lot more pressure defensively across the run in. One goal scored in five now, and that was a cross and now it looks like Leigh, our joint top scorer, is injured. I'd still take 21st now.

On the plus side on the pitch Mills and Romeny contributed and should start next match.

Really pleased to hear that the fan in the North Stand is stable, puts football into perspective.

 

[ubermeistervonmeat]

We ain’t scoring and we’ve got nobody to put away the chances we are making.

We didn’t sign a striker in January and we are going to pay for it.

Well technically did as we brought in Gary's old mate for a last hurrah - worked out pretty predictably

Whoever made the decision not to strengthen up front ( Board Gary or both) may rue that decision in May if it comes back to bite them on the ass

 

[Oxymoron]

You can see why Portsmouth have such a poor away record. We were pants and yet we should have won that game (whether we deserved to is a different topic).

 

[ttg17]

No getting around it - 1 point from this week’s two games is a terrible return.

It’s hard not to think today looked, until we went to two up top, a lot like the worst of latter day Des. CBs hoofing the ball up to a Harris who was getting gobbled up by their defenders, and no width or invention anywhere on the pitch. Agree with those saying it’s been iffy since Stoke - we’ve become pretty joyless to watch and pretty unclear what we’re trying to do. Hopefully this result and performance act as a bit of a shot in the arm to the squad and manager, because this feels like a low point.

That said, I thought in the main there were more positives to take from this than Bristol City the other day. At least here we showed some invention (in the end) and actually created some clear cut chances. Romeny for me was also a revelation. His touch and ball to set up the PP chance were genuinely a level above, and his quality with the ball fashioned some really good openings. People will focus on the missed headers, but his fizzed ball across goal that nobody gambled on was just as good a chance, criminal nobody gambled. Must start v Baggies. Maybe his slow start has been about building match fitness?

Mills also inventive and dangerous. Brannagan also had his best game in a while for me. I think it’s also a positive that we can change formation - we looked really good with two up top. Phillips, bar the obvious miss, and PP played their roles in that system quite well.

I’m resigned to the fact we’re not getting a penalty all season. That handball second half was clear as day and in full view of the Lino.

That’s not to make excuses at all. Pompey the better side and deserved their win. I’ve said it before I’ll say it again, consistently the most impressive fanbase in the country for me. Fratton Park gets louder than any other ground I’ve been at, and they were vocal again today. Also joined the minutes applause for Joey brilliantly and recognised the anger with the cameraman immediately. Fair play to them today.

A good result needed next week to settle the nerves. I fear we’ve been figured out, and Rowett needs to find a way to change it. Still a long way to go, and the final 20 mins have me faith we have something more in the tank in the next few games. COYY

 

[OX14]

He’s not had us fired up for Derby or Pompey, but definitely will for West Brom?

Rowett is 100 percent to blame for that today, negative tactics, persisting with players not performing, and choosing not to strengthen.

I like him, I rate him, but he has fucked up the last fortnight.,

Seems to be a common theme occuring of being ultra negative from the start of games. At home against a team below us is bloody daft and today his tactics were punished.

I go to football to be entertained and today was anything but. I've heard people quote "we would of lost that game under Des" well I'm spinning it this time around, we would of won that game today under Des.

It's just a shame under Des he had so many injuries to key players and also didn't have another transfer window to strengthen as who knows he may of well turned it around.

One thing I did notice today was the lack of urgency and fitness from players, Pompey were far superior in that aspect of players willing to run.

 

[ttg17]

I had a hunch this was going to happen today, this morning whacked a tenner on Oxford to be relegated at 7-1. Reckoned that would probably be as good as it got. Won't obviously make up for it if we go down. (I like to try to hedge in this way - it never makes me feel better though...)

I lost about £200 emotionally hedging against us against Posh and at Wembley. Worth every penny!

 

[TailsWeWin]

I think there are a few of our more realistic posters (ie the ones who didn’t spout about this being an easy win, Portsmouth are crap blah blah) who deserve an apology from those who arrogantly dismissed those more balanced comments before the match.

 

[The Mighty Aldo]

We are in big trouble

This was the game that we just couldn’t lose. Portsmouth were not good.Should have had 3 points

What happened to the team that played Blackburn off the park, where were the balls into space for Placheta and Dembele to run onto
Brannagan looked tired wasn’t buzzing around like normal.

Would say Cumming, Kioso and Brown were the only players to come out of that with any credit

The remainder of our home games are against teams in the promotion/playoff positions or just outside them.
We never look like getting more than one point away from home.
Our top scorer is injured
Can’t see where we will get the goals to stave off relegation

Josh Murphy is a top bloke, clapped on eleven minutes for Joey when the game was still being played. Got the attention of the ref for the incident in the stand.

 

[ttg17]

Have to say that Long was "not very good" today but then nor were several others.

Long up against Murphy that second half reminded me weirdly of Malik Wilks up against Josh Ruffels in that Covid game we were allowed into. Breezed past him every time like he simply wasn’t there. That said, thought we did pretty well overall to contain Murphy.

 

[JOHN BOY]

We have some absolute whoppers as fans.

Yes it was pathetic the worrying thing is that it was most of the east stand.

 

[Jster]

I lost about £200 emotionally hedging against us against Posh and at Wembley. Worth every penny!

Glad someone else has admitted to doing this, as I was starting to think maybe it was just me with this weakness!

 

[Joey]

Oh and one last point…who would have thought it, Josh Murphy isn’t unstoppable, rarely noticed that he was on the pitch.

I remember at least three excellent balls he put into the box that could have led to goals. He carried the ball several times, kept it and won free kicks plus him against Long wasn't really fair.

Just based on that performance he walks into our team. If you barely noticed him then god knows what you think of our wingers, even with no goals or assist I don't remember many times one of ours caused as many problems as he did today over the whole season.

 

[Tobytrotters]

Have to say that Long was "not very good" today but then nor were several others.

Long looked like someone who won a competition to play for Oxford. Shocking performance, never seen a player so scared of his left foot.

 

[werthersoriginal]

I remember at least three excellent balls he put into the box that could have led to goals. He carried the ball several times, kept it and won free kicks plus him against Long wasn't really fair.

Just based on that performance he walks into our team. If you barely noticed him then god knows what you think of our wingers, even with no goals or assist I don't remember many times one of ours caused as many problems as he did today over the whole season.

He looked merely good rather than unbeatable and didn’t directly set up a goal, I don’t think. Certainly more effective than our wingers but we knew he would be.

 

[Swinny]

The most depressing afternoon at the Kassam in a long time for lots of reasons.

We must make life so easy for opposition analysts/coaches. Always picking the same under-performing players in the same ineffective system. We’ve been poor for weeks now and to be so negative at home against a team below us in the league is a tough one to swallow.

I still think we’ll stay up, but we’re going to limp over the line and it’s not going to be pretty!

Fair play to Josh Murphy when they had that freekick in the 11th minute - he showed the Ref the screen with the Joey image, delayed taking it and joined in the clapping and I thought that was pretty classy. Of course it then all went odd as the medical emergency became obvious….

 

[Up The Manor]

A pathetic & wimpish performance, we deserved nothing.
To continue starting Harris up front is just complete stupidity when we've splurged over a million on a forward .

 

[TailsWeWin]

Can we please please please drop our completely ineffective number 9 now??

 

[Victor1986]

Harris must not start again. - he always looks to block the player and never has his eyes on the ball. Phillips? Costing us a lot of wages for very little return. What's happened to Dembele? Hopefully not fallen out with GR as he did before?
Romeny and Mills the only bright spots.
We needed this kick up the backside!!

 

[Up The Manor]

Can we please please please drop our completely ineffective number 9 now??

Should of been sold in January or given away to free up another option .

 

[Leysboy]

Results in the main going our way.

 

[Teddydee1980]

For me a few today have played themselves out of the side.

Placheta has been dire this week and looks like the player he was at the start of the season. Dembele too was ineffective and doesn't deserve a start. Harris needs a few weeks away, show the fight needed.

My 11 for West Brom would be Cumming, Kioso, Helik, Brown, Bennett, Vaulks, Brannagan, Matos, Goodrham, Mills, Romney.

 

[OX14]

Should of been sold in January or given away to free up another option .

We didn't need to sell or give away anyone to add another option. We only have 24 players registered, we should of signed another striker to take us to the maximum of a 25 man squad. Not bringing in another striker could be the difference of staying up or going down.

 

[stokeu]

Results in the main going our way.

Indeed, love a bit of Anel to send Luton bottom.

 

[Wallop]

It didn’t have to be this way. Our scrimping in January plus Rowetts insanely negative tactics is unfortunately going to see us playing Lincoln next season.

Are Lincoln getting promoted then?

 

[Up The Manor]

We didn't need to sell or give away anyone to add another option. We only have 24 players registered, we should of signed another striker to take us to the maximum of a 25 man squad. Not bringing in another striker could be the difference of staying up or going down.

Pointless keeping a player that isn't delivering anymore .
Sometimes you have to be ruthless in football .
He's more suited to running marathons.

 

[QR]

Is it me or have we missed an incredibly high number of sitters this season compared to previous seasons.

 

[christenedinjericho]

I'm a win at home merchant every time but today that was a shocking watch.

At times the game today looked akin to Des's last few games and with GR rooted to the dug out seats for large spells I could only see one winner urging his side on and that was Mousinho aided with his poor footballing side.

Make no mistake Portsmouth were woeful and resorted to lots of gamesmanship but they hoovered up todays easy 3pts and left Portsmouth looking like they now have a chance to secure their status.

So, where does this leave us?

I've always said that we needed to get the required points quickly and we are stuttering and now finding it a challenge to even get over the 40 pts mark atm.

We, have, some very difficult home fixtures yet to play and I do believe we are probably, going to look at other clubs below messing up to help our plight. But, we are not scoring and we need somebody to step up and believe. Unfortunately, I believe Harris should not be picked as a starter again for the remainder of the season as he doesn't have anything to trouble anyone but himself.

The arrival of Romeny and Mills added some quality and I'm sure GR might through gritted teeth now give him a chance to start at WBA and Coventry because it was a little embarrassing hearing him choke on his words in giving the signing he obviously in my mind didn't want any recognition for his 24 minute cameo.

Why have we morphed into a shell of a side that only a few weeks ago slapped Blackburn silly. Why have we suddenly slowed the tempo at home especially to a poor sh*te side like pompey? It looked a league 1 game at best today which leads me to question GR 's tactics and I'm afraid that performance could lead into all sorts of scenarios that let's face it a front foot approach today would have seen us clean up. Today, the blame for that is all at GR's door.

COYY'S.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

The good news is that we are statistically more likely to stay up than we were 24 hours ago as the bottom three all lost this weekend, meaning they’ve failed to close the gap on us and now have one game less to do so.

The bad news is that there is no other good news. That was absolutely atrocious today and Tuesday wasn’t much better. We are currently banking on other people being unable to land punches on us while we shriek “NOT THE FACE, NOT THE FACE!”

 

[Old Man]

League position still 16 th , of course disappointed with the result but on the other hand who would you be more comfortable going away matches to Portsmouth or Plymouth? I know who I prefer !

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

Well, a kind-ish set of results mean we're still 16th and crucially 9 points above the drop zone.

That said, we can't have anymore performances like today and hope to stay up.

 

[Wallop]

For me a few today have played themselves out of the side.

Placheta has been dire this week and looks like the player he was at the start of the season. Dembele too was ineffective and doesn't deserve a start. Harris needs a few weeks away, show the fight needed.

My 11 for West Brom would be Cumming, Kioso, Helik, Brown, Bennett, Vaulks, Brannagan, Matos, Goodrham, Mills, Romney.

100% that team