Away Match Day Thread 18/9/21 L1: Cheltenham Town v OUFC

[greatunclekip]

I'd really like to see Kane and Brannagan in the same side, with Henry in a (false) 10 position off Taylor.

We need a new manager then Scotchers else that is never, ever going to happen.

 

[werthersoriginal]

We didn’t look big enough, strong enough or quick enough. Or fit enough Last 20 minutes was the most clueless performance since that home horror with Wigan. Players were trying( the minimum of course) but they couldn’t handle Cheltenham physicality.

Taylor can’t handle the sole striker role, we need to go to diamond.

Seddon was dreadful, Holland was worse. Gorrin has lost confidence.

Henry, Sykes and to a lesser extent Kane fine , but all three badly ran out of legs.

Stevens can’t kick straight.

I’d be calling in the whole squad for extra training ground porridge tomorrow.

Highly unamused by that rubbish.

A year or so back we were super fit and regularly getting late winners, what’s changed?

 

[ubermeistervonmeat]

I was there, and it was pretty rubbish. There are issues through the whole side, and despite KR's blustering it is his team, his squad that we all know is unbalanced and he has to accept full responsibility.
-Holland came on and made one run but other wise barely touched the ball (tho to be fair they never passed to him!)
-Sykes was far from the worst player on the pitch, I didn't hear our fans booing him, it wasn't at my side of the stand.
-Did anyone really think we looked dangerous from a set piece?! McNally is huge yet never gets his head on anything in the box and frankly the rest of the team can barely jump!
-Cheltenham were solid but very uninspiring, but at least they knew how to defend our terrible balls up front and our dire set pieces. I'm sure there will be worse teams than them in this league.

I hate football sometimes.

KR and accepting full responsibility are very alien concepts - for all his good points, he has never been man enough to own his mistakes - always somebody or something else to blame

 

[Scotchegg]

A year or so back we were super fit and regularly getting late winners, what’s changed?

That didn't happen so much until later in the season. It seems like we put the hard yards in early in the season which pays off for the long haul, but leaves us looking tired and more susceptible to injuries when the season starts.

Definitely need to look at adapting something as this is becoming too much of a theme.

 

[OX14]

KR and accepting full responsibility are very alien concepts - for all his good points, he has never been man enough to own his mistakes - always somebody or something else to blame

Accepting responsibility and changing your ways are two different things. Karl does neither.

 

[werthersoriginal]

I'd really like to see Kane and Brannagan in the same side, with Henry in a (false) 10 position off Taylor.

That sounds interesting, would Gorrin play too? I’d always try to fit in Henry as he’s the most likely to create a goal but we have all these wingers to fit in.

 

[uptheus]

That didn't happen so much until later in the season. It seems like we put the hard yards in early in the season which pays off for the long haul, but leaves us looking tired and more susceptible to injuries when the season starts.

Definitely need to look at adapting something as this is becoming too much of a theme.

That old positive bus must be struggling going up that hill!

 

[brassmonkey]

First half? Cheltenham barely had a kick!

48% possession suggests otherwise.

 

[Scotchegg]

That old positive bus must be struggling going up that hill!

It's spluttering a little but still ticking over!!

 

[Mellowyellow]

Would he though...? A bit threadbare in the fullback positions, possibly lacking a good strong centreforward and could do with a bit more power and control in MF.

Wingers though! Loads of wingers......

As individuals to the hand he has been dealt, I mean.

 

[Foley]

Sorry not impressed, Muzza was better and that was over 10 years ago!

Sorry but in my view that is nonsense.
Murray was playing at what L2?

 

[Mellowyellow]

Yes I do actually, considering he has taken us to the play offs twice. I believe the first time without the season being cut short we would have gone up automatically, we were flying if my memory serves me right

Play offs twice, at that point we couldn't deal with things such as the physicality of other teams, and he simply hasn't learnt that lesson. Plenty of midfielders/wingers, but the squad was calling out for greater defensive cover and an alternative up front during the window, but he also chose to ignore that.
He seems to run the race well, without ever getting as far as the finishing line.

 

[Foley]

A year or so back we were super fit and regularly getting late winners, what’s changed?

Didn't we get hardl any points in the first 8 games last season?

 

[Foley]

48% possession suggests otherwise.

Really?
Well over 50% first half ( and 5 shots on target).
BBC says 53% Oxford even after very poor second half

 

[uptheus]

Really?
Well over 50% first half ( and 5 shots on target).
BBC says 53% Oxford even after very poor second half

I guess the only stat that really matters is the goals for & against at the end of the day!

 

[ZeroTheHero]

Really?
Well over 50% first half ( and 5 shots on target).
BBC says 53% Oxford even after very poor second half

Does anyone really look at possession stats any more? Some teams fart about with the ball at the back for ages (thus putting the passing count up), others are happy for that to happen as they like to play on the counter-attack or are more direct and move the ball forward more quickly. It isn't really a reliable measure of much.

 

[PottersRightBoot]

Really?
Well over 50% first half ( and 5 shots on target).
BBC says 53% Oxford even after very poor second half

Teams can be dominated even though they have notionally more possession than opposition.

Discusss.

 

[bazzer9461]

Do you think the new owners will wait until the end of the season, considering budget wise he has been given what he wanted?

Don’t know apparently Erik Thihir rang KR and asked if he needed any more players…….the response should have been “ another striker “

 

[Oxford1996]

Player ratings.

Stevens 4. Learn to kick
Long 6
McNally 5
Thorniley 3 Shocking for the goal
Seddon 5
Gorrin 6
Henry 7 MOTM
Kane 5
Sykes 6
Taylor 3
Whyte 5

 

[BristolOx]

I don't feel like I'm as worried as some people here. But then again, the only away game I have been to this season was QPR.
I still think we have a better squad than we're giving credit for, however a number of players aren't on form.
We have 88 wingers, Whyte isn't on form (has never seemed to play well on the left). Sykes puts in great effort and seems to do everything except either score or play the right final ball. Cooper can't get a look in. Bodin, Williams and Holland all recovering from injuries, but Holland is yet to put in a good performance since coming back and is probably the worst in terms of form. Long is still getting up to speed from his injury. We're missing our captain and first choice centre back and today we missed our best player and probably best leader.
KR is definitely not faultless in this, but I must say I am a little surprised (probably naively) at the extent of the anger aimed towards him.

I've got faith in the boys, we've always been a bit patchy - just wait! We'll start our 20 game unbeaten run soon and start arguing about where the 'moaners' have gone vs people’s right to show dissatisfaction