16/08/22 - L1: OUFC v Lincoln City

[Oxford1996]

Player ratings.

Eastwood 5/10 - Couldn’t do anything with either goal but awful distribution throughout. McGinty in for me Saturday if we want to play out.

Long 4/10 - Some decent crosses but completely bottled a challenge for the second goal.

Moore 6/10 - Wasn’t at fault for either goal. Didn’t have much else to do.

Findlay 4/10 - Lost Hopper for the first goal by getting drawn out.

Seddon 4/10 - Should’ve been sent off. Persistent fouls. Good going forward but defensively poor. Brown an improvement when he came on.

McGuane 8/10 - Outstanding. Best player on the pitch. Think he can go up another level with a defensive midfielder behind him.

Brannagan 7/10 - Drove us forward 2nd half with McGuane. Quiet again first half.

Bate 3/10 - Did anyone tell him we play in yellow?

Browne 6/10 - Electric when he got on the ball at times. Shame about the end product. ACL injury?

Bodin 4/10 - 2 easy chances missed. He’s got obvious quality but he’s not a winger. Goodrham in v Morecambe.

Taylor 3/10 - Not involved in the game. Could’ve seen red for a kick out. Offered nothing but service was poor to be fair.

 

[Oufcrealist]

I thought when Nathan asked the probing questions he sounded like he was being a bit flustered.

He doesn't like being put under pressure, worrying!!

 

[tonto]

There is no doubt we are missing Sykes energy. We are also missing Gorrin at his best which could free up CB and MM to be more attacking. We really should have scored more goals in the second half we had plenty of opportunities.. Why we always take throwins backwards really started to annoy me. Brannagan and Mcguane are two of the best midfielders in this league KR needs to sit down with them and let them tell him how to set the team up. Goodrham needs to replace Browne and be given a run in the team where he is allowed to play on the front foot and be direct,we desperately need a bit of flair up front which I am sure even at such a young age he could provide. And he will probably stay fit! Some sort of positive result against morecambe is absolutely essential for KR I think.

 

[Mellowyellow]

WEYellow, and scotchegg will tell us all is fine, every team has a blip, just that we are having ours early, and then we will have an onslaught towards the playoffs.

I cant see either being able to put up a defence of kr following tonights display and his post match interview.

 

[Mellowyellow]

Paul, I actually think we played better tonight compared to the other performances. May be your initial judgement is based on the expectancy that we would beat Lincoln at home, and obviously the end result.

Did you actually see the game?

 

[Mellowyellow]

He did say that yes, not sure if he mentioned when or what positions. He also mentioned what bad luck we have with injuries, which I agree with. I'm quite sure there's no way at all anyone could have foreseen Browne getting injured from something innocuous looking, Baldock breaking down, Jones not being trusted to play many minutes yet or Murphy needing to get an injury treated that he had when he signed. If only there had been some sort of warning in their history. Such rotten luck.

Not bad luck, a gamble that back fired. These are players with a history of injury.

 

[Big Ronaldo]

So, here we sit. 3 piddling points, 4 games in.
The flying start that we all hoped for has certainly not happened. In fact, it does feel a little like we are still in the low of our late and disappointing finale of last season.
The much vaunted ‘get our transfer business done early’ waffle was just that. Waffle! Again!!

The frustration of our prep for this season has been widely discussed and while not all of it is down to Karl, he certainly has to carry the Lions portion of blame for the way it has panned out.

The kinder fixtures in this opening month offered us an opportunity to put points on the board but for whatever reason, the team were clearly undercooked.
Players unfit, out-muscled and tactically outsmarted, it looks like we are all over the place.
Let’s not talk about the injuries or form or recruitment.
He is charged with bringing all these factors together and shaking the magic bag, but this team at the present time are not collectively playing anywhere near their abilities and that is down to him.
The frailties of this team have been glaringly obvious from before the end of last season. We all knew what was required and yet here are…!
He needs to sort this malaise quickly, or it won’t just be our season kicked down the road!
After all, this is not the first (or second) time that he has overseen a dreadful start here.

 

[OxfordYankee]

At least Nathan was pushing him a bit in the RO interview, but we know CW will give him an easy ride tomorrow when he speaks....

in all fairness to CW, he is a club employee. You can hardly expect him to go the full Paxman on KR.

 

[Scrongo]

I said weeks ago I would get rid of 9 of the squad, because they were to old , not good enough& injury prone. I got slated by a couple of people, mmmm well he's only added a couple of more crocks to the team. So that makes it a full team & subs out of a squad in of 24. Unbelievable!!

 

[arthurturner]

As for PRB tonight, what a disgrace he was with his comments about the fans. Radio Oxford - give him the boot and bring back Kinningburgh pdq.

I have long thought that PRB does not contribute an independent unbiased and critical commentary on RadOx coverage of games. How can he when he is employed by the club? I have the greatest respect for his contribution at the club over many years but no man can be the servant of two masters.

 

[Andy1505]

in all fairness to CW, he is a club employee. You can hardly expect him to go the full Paxman on KR.

Agreed but they must know the fans want and demand honest, proper answers not the continuous rambling waffle he always offers up, maybe even an acknowledgment from him that he has got it wrong so far, and he must accept and take responsibility for the fact that our recruitment has not been good, and that most fans will be asking questions of him now.

Nathan clearly had him a bit rattled yesterday, as from the start he was on the defensive ('this is football') as he knew there have been glaring mistakes in the squad building, as there has been for season after season now. And that is down to him.

His constant refusal to address the holes in the squad, his obsession with wingers, his obsession with signing players from higher up leagues who are injury worries and historically haven't played much - yes they may be good players but we need consistency, solidity, muscle and strength, and we have none.

-Easty is fine as a shot stopper but clearly not good enough to play this game out from the back we seem to think we can do!
-I think Moore and Findlay will be fine, but in the full back positions we need more options. Defending has been a problem for both and that should be their primary objective!
-We MUST get that midfield enforcer/tackler to enable Cam and MM to get forward and create and hurt teams more. Gorrin is too lightweight and timid.
-Jones needs to be given game time now to see what he can do (tho he's probably not fit either!) maybe with Tyler on the other side - I hate to say it but I don't think Bodin is up to it and much as I like Henry he is ageing now and his lack of pace will be an issue.
-Matty will come good, we know that but unfortunately time is not on his side and if we don't give him any service then it's a waste of time anyway! Where's this big money striker we were promised and definitely need - Joseph will be a good player for us but we need more strength and Baldock can not be relied on to stay fit.

KR must be able to see these things and yet he hasn't addressed any of them. His fault and his only. He's deluded if he thinks this is acceptable, and if he carries on like this he won't last past October/November.

 

[yellowbow]

My thoughts after sleeping on it.

As the old saying goes ‘While the cats away the mice will play’ Perfectly describes our situation here. While the owners are abroad leaving Karl to pretty much use the club as his play thing, the club has pretty much turned into ‘The Cult Of Karl’ He’s surrounded himself with what appears to be yes people, answers to no-one and has disappeared up his own backside with some sort of god complex. Hence the gobbledegook he spouts every time a mic is put under his nose. He’s used to everybody nodding and not questioning anything. I’m thoroughly pissed off with what has turned into a shambles. He has to start answering to someone and stop thinking that everything he does - like ignoring positions, such as frigging fullback!, that urgently need recruiting, and signing injured players - is a stroke of genius that, when they invariably bite him in the a**e, is all down to misfortune!

Rant over…

 

[Yellowlab]

WEYellow, and scotchegg will tell us all is fine, every team has a blip, just that we are having ours early, and then we will have an onslaught towards the playoffs.

Well, if they do, I hope they’re right.

 

[Chippy]

I’ve slept on it, and no it wasn’t just a bad dream!

I was depressed and thoroughly pi**ed off last night.

Unfortunately feeling worse this morning and completely fu**ed off now.

 

[uptheus]

Did you actually see the game?

Yes, and all the others and tonight we played a lot better. Look at the stats. Yes, I know the only real stat is goals scored, but we certainly didn’t deserve to lose.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Paul, I actually think we played better tonight compared to the other performances. May be your initial judgement is based on the expectancy that we would beat Lincoln at home, and obviously the end result.

Agree. I think I mentioned that we were OK up to the goal in the early post-match maelstrom.

 

[MC Yellow]

I am more concerned by my feeling of nonchalance this morning.

 

[Jaboysmith]

Lee bowyer anyone

 

[arthurturner]

Yes, and all the others and tonight we played a lot better. Look at the stats. Yes, I know the only real stat is goals scored, but we certainly didn’t deserve to lose.

Then why did we?

 

[uptheus]

I’d say the difference between what Robinson told RadOx and what he told the team in the dressing room post match was about as wide as the Grand Canyon. I’d have been livid to see my back
4 gift goals like that. A very worrying first half performance.

Problems tonight were pretty much defensive. The only defender to come out with any credit was Ciaron ‘where’s my towel’ Brown.


Bate physically inadequate, Bodin uninvolved and onepaced, Brannagan also peripheral.

Browne showed some positive signs but the injury didn’t look good.

Henry and Tyler good when they came on.

Lincoln bang ordinary. The positive bus still
sat in the

I’d say the difference between what Robinson told RadOx and what he told the team in the dressing room post match was about as wide as the Grand Canyon. I’d have been livid to see my back
4 gift goals like that. A very worrying first half performance.

Problems tonight were pretty much defensive. The only defender to come out with any credit was Ciaron ‘where’s my towel’ Brown.


Bate physically inadequate, Bodin uninvolved and onepaced, Brannagan also peripheral.

Browne showed some positive signs but the injury didn’t look good.

Henry and Tyler good when they came on.

Lincoln bang ordinary. The positive bus still
sat in the garage.

I don’t believe Karl had a go at them at the end of the game and believe what he told them was what he said in his post match interview.

The conversation at half time may have been different in terms of sloppy defending etc, but I think he would have told them that he knows they care and that they gave their all which I think they did last night in large parts, but the quality wasn’t good enough e.g. Bodin shooting into the side netting in the first half before they scored, Brannagan’s shot, Moore’s header etc. We lacked composure 2nd half which I think was mainly down to being 2-0 down/chasing the game.

After saying all this we are still lacking a lot as a squad (injuries mountain up) in terms of balance etc, but I thought this was the best we’ve played this season, (higher tempo/more desire - not that that’s saying a lot), but I think that was mainly down to the previous results/performances so far this season and how the game panned out e.g. going 2-0 down that instigated that. If we played like that against Derby away 2nd half, at home against Cambridge and away to Bristol then I think we would have come away with better results, but we didn’t and so this is where we sit which isn’t good enough overall.