Away Match Day Thread 16/09/2023 L1: Fleetwood v OUFC

[Northstandboy]

It’s felt like ages since that loss to Port Vale.

Fleetwood seem to be a bogey team and with the suspensions (Harris and Leigh) and international player injuries (Brown and Goodrham), it’s going to be tough!

 

[Manorlounger]

Was the match available to buy yesterday I logging in but could only get the audio

Not in the UK. I popped over to Spain for the afternoon and watched it there.

 

[Golden Dr Otto]

Our "static, univentive" fullbacks did what they are paid to do. They defended and kept a clean sheet. And by doing this they gave Edwards and Mills the freedom to play the way they did upfront.

Ask Liam Manning about the performances of Long and Brown and he'll be completely made up as they played as he wanted them too. There will be games where we'll set up differently but yesterday was very much about keeping a clean sheet and building from there. Our strength at the back completely nullified Fleetwoods attack and allowed us to control the game going forward. It was a very good TEAM performance and its bordering on the pathetic to keep singling out individuals for completely unnecessary criticism.

It’s bordering on pathetic to deliberately miss the point he was making and try to create emotional tripwires that weren’t even there

 

[Golden Dr Otto]

There were points last season where getting a win felt impossible. But if you look at us now, and the performance yesterday, we're making winning look easy and seem relatively effortless. There's a confidence around the team, especially with the players but also crucially with the fans too, and what's more there's potential to get even better in a division where there doesn't seem to be a stand-out team - yet. Because the stand out team could be us, if we keep doing what we're doing.

And by my reckoning we had six outfield players starting who were playing on last years team

 

[Symp59]

Great coaching job .Good result grinding out wins next 2 games will be different so would take 4 points now .7 games in 39 to go but like every game you have good moments and bad but yesterday was our day well done to everyone.

 

[Marked Ox]

Harsh for me.

I saw Long get forwards, overlap and put crosses in - particularly during the first half.

Even for the first goal, he gives the ball to Mills and then takes a defender away with his run, means Mills only has one man to beat with his cut inside.

We might argue that his crosses didn’t amount to much, but no one’s did - we didn’t have anyone who looked like a striker, so the full backs were on a hiding to nothing in that regard.

Also, I'm certain I saw Ciaron Brown hit the post. Nothing wrong with more defensive minded full backs playing that way when it allows the wingers to be wingers and be on the front foot confident that they are covered behind.

 

[Theox07]

Also, I'm certain I saw Ciaron Brown hit the post. Nothing wrong with more defensive minded full backs playing that way when it allows the wingers to be wingers and be on the front foot confident that they are covered behind.

Kyle edwards could do what ever he wanted as brown would be behind him to cover if Leigh played I believe it leaves a massive hole at the back whenever the full back goes forward like yesterday long went forward and no one covered him and the guy should of scored easily

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

Long was very lucky not to give away a penalty for handball, looking at the highlights…

 

[Swaby39]

Kyle edwards could do what ever he wanted as brown would be behind him to cover if Leigh played I believe it leaves a massive hole at the back whenever the full back goes forward like yesterday long went forward and no one covered him and the guy should of scored easily

On days like yesterday, it works beautifully. It all felt nice and balanced and Fleetwood, rather stupidly, continued to leave Edwards 1 vs 1 and didn’t throw their own full backs forward. They looked like a team who’d had a change in coach because other sides (as basic as Carlisle) really targeted this area. A better side will double up vs Edwards and Mills and then you might question whether these two and the best options behind. We saw how different it could look at Cambridge so it isn’t that simple. Even at Barnsley, second half we were really exploited in wide areas.

It’s not out of the question to tell Leigh to sit a little deeper one week than the next where he might be asked to get forward more, depending on what we expect the opponent to do. With Leigh, you have that flexibility without changing personnel. You can’t so much with Brown and Long who are only really polished at half the role of being a full back which will have its days, but asks a huge amount more of the wingers.

 

[TailsWeWin]

It’s bordering on pathetic to deliberately miss the point he was making and try to create emotional tripwires that weren’t even there

Scotch likes to set himself up as the champion of everything and everyone at OUFC. Pragmatism and realism, even when clearly required, have no room in his contributions. No doubt he thinks this makes him admirable, but I actually enjoy comments that say it how it is.
It was a great win yesterday and a job well done. But it wasn’t perfect - and the weakness of our fullbacks compared to the rest of the team is clear.

 

[Mad Dog]

Hopefully Joey Barton's bogey man status is reserved for Karl Robinson.

Well they’re both a couple of snot a**e scousers

 

[Mad Dog]

Long was very lucky not to give away a penalty for handball, looking at the highlights…

Bastard! Drop him!

 

[Mad Dog]

Long and Brown were solid yesterday, and did everything that was asked of them, keeping a clean sheet, and giving the wingers the freedom to be wingers.

They also contributed well in forward areas, particularly Long.

This is what we want from our fullbacks, and that is what they are providing.

It contributed to a very comfortable win, and us sitting pretty in third place.

Well done lads

Enjoy it, for christ sake!

That is all.

 

[ECYellow]

Long and Brown were solid yesterday, and did everything that was asked of them, keeping a clean sheet, and giving the wingers the freedom to be wingers.

They also contributed well in forward areas, particularly Long.

This is what we want from our fullbacks, and that is what they are providing.

It contributed to a very comfortable win, and us sitting pretty in third place.

Well done lads

Enjoy it, for christ sake!

That is all.

Who’s not enjoying it? I certainly did, despite the 10 hours in the car.

Supporters are allowed to debate and offer opinions on the players that played. That’s what a forum is.

Sam Long literally watched as their player nodded the ball against the bar in the first half and got too tight and turned within the first 15 minutes of the game. I’m sure, neither facet mentioned were asked of him.

People are allowed to have opinions and share their thoughts based on what they watched.

It doesn’t make Long the worst full back in history, neither does it make him Cafu.

 

[joshua]

I think Saturday matches are only available to watch if you are outside the UK. Maybe learn how to use VPN's?

I was on a VPN not in this country

 

[PottersRightBoot]

Our "static, univentive" fullbacks did what they are paid to do. They defended and kept a clean sheet. And by doing this they gave Edwards and Mills the freedom to play the way they did upfront.

Ask Liam Manning about the performances of Long and Brown and he'll be completely made up as they played as he wanted them too. There will be games where we'll set up differently but yesterday was very much about keeping a clean sheet and building from there. Our strength at the back completely nullified Fleetwoods attack and allowed us to control the game going forward. It was a very good TEAM performance and its bordering on the pathetic to keep singling out individuals for completely unnecessary criticism.

Partly agree.

However Brown didn’t look fully fit and was exposed on a number of occasions, particularly when
Stockley hit the bar. He stuck at it though and was better in second period.

Long was very sound throughout.Good passing and movement. He was the best of back 4 in bringing ball out from back.

 

[RgYellows]

On days like yesterday, it works beautifully. It all felt nice and balanced and Fleetwood, rather stupidly, continued to leave Edwards 1 vs 1 and didn’t throw their own full backs forward. They looked like a team who’d had a change in coach because other sides (as basic as Carlisle) really targeted this area. A better side will double up vs Edwards and Mills and then you might question whether these two and the best options behind. We saw how different it could look at Cambridge so it isn’t that simple. Even at Barnsley, second half we were really exploited in wide areas.

It’s not out of the question to tell Leigh to sit a little deeper one week than the next where he might be asked to get forward more, depending on what we expect the opponent to do. With Leigh, you have that flexibility without changing personnel. You can’t so much with Brown and Long who are only really polished at half the role of being a full back which will have its days, but asks a huge amount more of the wingers.

Don’t disagree with any of this. We might be able to improve on Long, but Fleetwood felt like the wrong performance to bring in a criticism of him (for me).

Sam Long literally watched as their player nodded the ball against the bar in the first half and got too tight and turned within the first 15 minutes of the game. I’m sure, neither facet mentioned were asked of him.

That’s pretty harsh.

Moore is marking no one. He lets a centre forward, who should be his responsibility, go unnoticed behind him. There is no other danger Moore is guarding against.

Long comes across, doing well to spot the above. He will obviously be the wrong side of the centre forward, because he’s a right back. But he’s in contact with the player, and can therefore reasonably claim he did enough to stop him getting a header on target. There are players further to our right, who have to remain Long’s responsibility.

I would say Long is the only Oxford player who didn’t just watch as Stockley did that.

 

[ECYellow]

Don’t disagree with any of this. We might be able to improve on Long, but Fleetwood felt like the wrong performance to bring in a criticism of him (for me).


That’s pretty harsh.

Moore is marking no one. He lets a centre forward, who should be his responsibility, go unnoticed behind him. There is no other danger Moore is guarding against.

Long comes across, doing well to spot the above. He will obviously be the wrong side of the centre forward, because he’s a right back. But he’s in contact with the player, and can therefore reasonably claim he did enough to stop him getting a header on target. There are players further to our right, who have to remain Long’s responsibility.

I would say Long is the only Oxford player who didn’t just watch as Stockley did that.

I wasn’t referring to Long being the wrong side for the header attempt. That was a separate occasion.

Not sure if you were there yesterday, but from my view behind the goal then Sam Long could/should have been more active when watching the attacker hit the bar.

 

[PottersRightBoot]

Don’t disagree with any of this. We might be able to improve on Long, but Fleetwood felt like the wrong performance to bring in a criticism of him (for me).


That’s pretty harsh.

Moore is marking no one. He lets a centre forward, who should be his responsibility, go unnoticed behind him. There is no other danger Moore is guarding against.

Long comes across, doing well to spot the above. He will obviously be the wrong side of the centre forward, because he’s a right back. But he’s in contact with the player, and can therefore reasonably claim he did enough to stop him getting a header on target. There are players further to our right, who have to remain Long’s responsibility.

I would say Long is the only Oxford player who didn’t just watch as Stockley did that.

Brown is the defender at fault here. He let the winger in for the cross after being comfortably outpaced.

No one else to ‘blame’.

 

[RgYellows]

I wasn’t referring to Long being the wrong side for the header attempt. That was a separate occasion.

Not sure if you were there yesterday, but from my view behind the goal then Sam Long could/should have been more active when watching the attacker hit the bar.

Yes I was. The header I’m referring to hit the bar and is on the main highlight clip.

When else did they hit the bar?

 

[RgYellows]

Brown is the defender at fault here. He let the winger in for the cross after being comfortably outpaced.

No one else to ‘blame’.

I’d say Brown had the weakest game of our back line, and agree he was the main one to get beaten here.

There are multiple opportunities to stop pretty much any chance in any game of football, so I think it’s still fair to discuss what else could have been done. I don’t think that’s ‘blaming’ someone.