Home Match Day Thread 21/10/2023 L1: OUFC v Blackpool

[OX14]

The Fylde Coast is wonderful. Just about to go for a walk from Lytham to St.Annes via the beautiful coastline. What you up to? Stuck in traffic trying to get to a place 5 minutes down the road or maybe watching egg heads?

I agree the Fylde coast is lovely (some of it) but you support Blackpool not AfC Fylde. Blackpool and Fleetwood are a complete dive compared to the rest of the area.

Oxford on the other hand is a picturesque city and the county has some great beauty spots.

I live 5 miles south of Oxford in the oldest town in England which not only has medieval buildings it has the river Thames flowing through it. Yes there is traffic but you get that with historic towns and cities because of narrow streets dating back to the Romans. I wouldn't change it for the world.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

I thought a draw was probably a fair reflection of the game when all's said and done.

The first half started out pretty even, then we took control and played some lovely football. Apart from our beautifully worked goal, we really didn't create much though (which does worry me). Blackpool created nothing at all in the first half.

Second half started rather as the first half finished, until Bodin went off on about 60 minutes. Whether coincidentally or not, that signalled a sea change in the game. Blackpool woke up and were the better team until the end of the game, creating a number of very scorable chances. We didn't get anywhere near their goal and apart from one Bodin shot miles over the bar shortly after half time I don't remember us creating anything at all.

As has been said, our substitutes added absolutely nothing, not even any extra energy really (which is the least you'd hope for), probably making us quite a lot worse, and if the 'we are in front, so let's defend for the last half hour' tactic really *is* a deliberate ploy, then LM has to rethink it pronto. It cost us yesterday, and might have cost us in previous games - doing it when only one goal up is simply idiotic.

I think that game showed us that we have some way to go. Light up front, not creating chances when we are on top (something our clinical finishing has rather masked so far this season) and too passive in the later part of games. I don't know if 90+ minute fitness is an issue or if more players had been affected by the 'bug' then we know, I hope the latter!

 

[Followtheox1]

Nah. The difference in talent in that second half was very apparent. The first half was like a chess match and pretty boring to watch. It's something to build on, that's about it. Been a slow start but once Critchley works out his best team, can't see many teams competing with us at this level.

I'm not sure it was apparent. Our team has been impacted by an illness all week. We looked knackered in the second half. First half was like a chess game, yes agree, a one sided one, we completely controlled the game. That is how we play. We don't create a huge amount of chances. We just control teams, waiting for chances and then normally take them. I think once we get Browne, Edwards and Brannigan back from illness and injury our ability to counter attack will be enhanced even more. We had Rovers fans saying the same thing as you about pushing up the league , not many teams will compete with them, we are in a false position etc after we beat them in the last match. Look what happened to them yesterday! Blackpool looked decent enough in the second half but rather than sounding arrogant show a bit of humility and wait for your team to gain a bit of consistency as we head into Saturday, Tuesday fixtures before getting overly excited.

 

[holdsteady]

I agree the Fylde coast is lovely (some of it) but you support Blackpool not AfC Fylde. Blackpool and Fleetwood are a complete dive compared to the rest of the area.

Oxford on the other hand is a picturesque city and the county has some great beauty spots.

I live 5 miles south of Oxford in the oldest town in England which not only has medieval buildings it has the river Thames flowing through it. Yes there is traffic but you get that with historic towns and cities because of narrow streets dating back to the Romans. I wouldn't change it for the world.

Abingdon does have s**t traffic though.

 

[OX14]

Abingdon does have s**t traffic though.

Yes but atleast sat in traffic in Abingdon you can admire the beautiful old buildings, ancient trees and some decent eye candy. Not like the Blackpool promenade where it's hookers,crack heads and derelict buildings with chavy led lights trying to spruce it up.

 

[Marked Ox]

I'm not sure it was apparent. Our team has been impacted by an illness all week. We looked knackered in the second half. First half was like a chess game, yes agree, a one sided one, we completely controlled the game. That is how we play. We don't create a huge amount of chances. We just control teams, waiting for chances and then normally take them. I think once we get Browne, Edwards and Brannigan back from illness and injury our ability to counter attack will be enhanced even more. We had Rovers fans saying the same thing as you about pushing up the league , not many teams will compete with them, we are in a false position etc after we beat them in the last match. Look what happened to them yesterday! Blackpool looked decent enough in the second half but rather than sounding arrogant show a bit of humility and wait for your team to gain a bit of consistency as we head into Saturday, Tuesday fixtures before getting overly excited.

I wouldn't take them seriously, they are as needy for attention as drought parched grass is for water.

 

[38yearsofpain]

I thought a draw was probably a fair reflection of the game when all's said and done.

The first half started out pretty even, then we took control and played some lovely football. Apart from our beautifully worked goal, we really didn't create much though (which does worry me). Blackpool created nothing at all in the first half.

Second half started rather as the first half finished, until Bodin went off on about 60 minutes. Whether coincidentally or not, that signalled a sea change in the game. Blackpool woke up and were the better team until the end of the game, creating a number of very scorable chances. We didn't get anywhere near their goal and apart from one Bodin shot miles over the bar shortly after half time I don't remember us creating anything at all.

As has been said, our substitutes added absolutely nothing, not even any extra energy really (which is the least you'd hope for), probably making us quite a lot worse, and if the 'we are in front, so let's defend for the last half hour' tactic really *is* a deliberate ploy, then LM has to rethink it pronto. It cost us yesterday, and might have cost us in previous games - doing it when only one goal up is simply idiotic.

I think that game showed us that we have some way to go. Light up front, not creating chances when we are on top (something our clinical finishing has rather masked so far this season) and too passive in the later part of games. I don't know if 90+ minute fitness is an issue or if more players had been affected by the 'bug' then we know, I hope the latter!

The difference is Blackpool pressed in the second half whilst in the first half they just let us play. If that had continued the game was over. As Blackpool brought on subs they improved whilst we mostly went backwards (exclude Tyler from that). We looked completely knackered after 60. McGuane was taking in fluids, Rodriguez was cramping up. Who knows if the sickness bug had an impact. But it's one game out of 46, yesterday defines nothing for either team. What it did do is identify weaknesses in both squads. January will be important for both teams.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

The difference is Blackpool pressed in the second half whilst in the first half they just let us play. If that had continued the game was over. As Blackpool brought on subs they improved whilst we mostly went backwards (exclude Tyler from that). We looked completely knackered after 60. McGuane was taking in fluids, Rodriguez was cramping up. Who knows if the sickness bug had an impact. But it's one game out of 46, yesterday defines nothing for either team. What it did do is identify weaknesses in both squads. January will be important for both teams.

I agree - I hope (and suspect) that Manning is a much more rational manager than the previous incumbent and will tweak and improve based on what he saw rather than just doing the same thing over and over and hoping for a different result! It certainly wasn't a disaster, but I do think it was a hiccup in our progress and (as I said) the bug we had might well be to blame. I hope Tuesday isn't too soon for those affected to have recovered somewhat.

 

[Yellows1]

We are actually disappointed we didn't take all three. As soon as Dembele came on, it was an absolute battering. Should have had a penalty as well. It's just a shame we set up too defensively to start with otherwise it would have been a very comfortable away win.

We were poor yesterday and not sure why we sat back in the last half an hour, we were also disappointed we didn’t get the 3 points!

 

[oufc1991]

Yes but atleast sat in traffic in Abingdon you can admire the beautiful old buildings, ancient trees and some decent eye candy. Not like the Blackpool promenade where it's hookers,crack heads and derelict buildings with chavy led lights trying to spruce it up.

Sorry decent eye candy in Abingdon

 

[Nadi-]

Is this the Manning way?

Remember when we played MK Dons when KR was manager two seasons ago , they totally played us off the park first half home and away and yet they ran out of steam and we won both games.

Also would add that is it me but Harris is certainly not the player we need up front. Yesterday we were crying out for a forward who could hold the ball up and bring others into the game.
Anyone else notice he never watches the ball he is always looking at the defender marking him.
Not impressed with him at all and if we are serious promotion contenders we need a new striker in January

Told you preseason he was a bigger version of Gavin Whyte. There was plenty of endeavour there yesterday. But better playing the channels or off the shoulder. more suited coming of the right, like Joseph.
The Blackpool sub yesterday, showed how to be a nuisance up there, and give Rhodes the support he hadn’t had.

 

[Oxford84]

We are actually disappointed we didn't take all three. As soon as Dembele came on, it was an absolute battering. Should have had a penalty as well. It's just a shame we set up too defensively to start with otherwise it would have been a very comfortable away win.

Just forget that we pissed all over you first half though.

 

[Nadi-]

Rhodes stole half a yard Brown inside the 6yd box for his goal at the death. It made all the difference and a striker in red hot form will always be favourite to capitalise in those situations. That said, they squandered numerous gilt-edged chances before that and the goal was coming for the last 40 or so minutes.

A few looked off the pace.today. I thought Mills faded badly and looked like he was under the weather just before he was subbed. How many other felt similar I wonder. And we really missed CamBran in the middle, who at least covers the ground and presses when out of possession, forcing the opposition into errors...a pretty fundamental requirement if you are to sit back at 1-0 and try to hit them on the break. I don't think that is really part of either McGuane or McEachran's game and part of the reason we got deeper and deeper as the half went on. Would ARod have made a difference? Hard to say but get the distinct impression he was only ever an "in case of emergency" option if one of those two got a an injury and couldn't continue.

As many have mentioned the three subs were disappointing anddid very little of effect. I would at least have hoped that they would've pressed a bit more to at least get Blackpool playing further back. As it was, we have them time on the ball and allowed them to pretty much pick their passes. As it was GO'D seemed to mostly occupy a small patch of pitch just inside our half for large parts, rather than the normal press/hold up expected of him.

I hope Rodriguez is OK... definitely clutching his hamstring at one point and went down with cramp too. We will miss him a lot, given his recent performances.

Finally, Greg Leigh has been a revelation. He took one square in the nuts yesterday and it obviously affected him for the next 10 minutes or so, coinciding with Blackpool's best patch of the game.

Let's hope we're fighting fit for Tuesday and that Wigan get the full force of the rebound from yesterday.

We worked a quality goal. With some very good movement off and on the ball.
To me their goal was a diagonal long ball, and a header across the box. We were sat deep with the the midfield sat infront, but once that leaves their midfielders foot. That should be a 50/50 ball. I’m afraid we didn’t want it as much as they did, at the end.

 

[Osei Yaw]

A right sided CB, we have Moore and Negru (who was brilliant when in but can't get near the squad). A CB is not a position we need. A RB would be good although would imagine Stevens would need to go back for that to happen as can't see Long going anywhere. A striker would be good.

By right sided centre back/right back I mean an upgrade on Long. Long generally does ok but his quality on the ball isn't that good and he regularly gets targeted with balls in behind. We could do better there for sure.

We don't need anyone to depart to make that signing either, we're well under the permitted squad cap and assuming the budget is there then I'd like to see it happen. 2 players for each position is the benchmark of any sensibly built squad and I'm not sure who else we'd turn to there. Sure, Negru would fill in there but I'm not sure I see him as the type to be bringing the ball out of defence, although there is plenty of time on his side.

 

[Oxford84]

Nah. The difference in talent in that second half was very apparent. The first half was like a chess match and pretty boring to watch. It's something to build on, that's about it. Been a slow start but once Critchley works out his best team, can't see many teams competing with us at this level.

The first half was us taking the absolute P**s out of your team and they didn’t know wtf to do,we should have easily been 2 up.

 

[uptheus]

It just has to be the reason for such lethargy; Goodhram was subdued and not his usual lively self, O’Donkor barely shuffled around let alone ran, Murphy and Stephens tried without success. Subs come on to impact a game, yesterday they pretty much made the situation worse.

What was the reason against Rovers, Port Vale, Carlisle etc?

 

[uptheus]

Nah. The difference in talent in that second half was very apparent. The first half was like a chess match and pretty boring to watch. It's something to build on, that's about it. Been a slow start but once Critchley works out his best team, can't see many teams competing with us at this level.

Personally I think you looked a poor team and won’t be in the top 6.

Shame we took our foot off the pedal 2nd half, rather than completely managing/controlling the game with relative ease like we did in the 1st half.

 

[Scotchegg]

What was the reason against Rovers, Port Vale, Carlisle etc?

Are you suggesting that the subs made things worse in those games, or are you just looking for a negative that doesn't exist?

Against Carlisle, Tyler immediately set up the goal, Mills looked a constant threat and GO'D closed the game out brilliantly.

Port Vale had nothing to do with the substitutes and everything to do with 5 minutes of losing composure from those who started the game.

Mills and Murphy were a real handful after coming on against Rovers and contributed to us putting the game to bed before a few crazy minutes.

But why let facts get in the way of a cheap dig?!

 

[Eaststanding]

Wasn’t it more that we had lost the midfield and they couldn’t get the ball?

We gave them the midfield…. they just passed around us and barely laid a glove on them until they reached our back four. There was no press from the top, no bite in midfield, just lethargy. Very, very frustrating to watch.

 

[Osei Yaw]

We gave them the midfield…. they just passed around us and barely laid a glove on them until they reached our back four. There was no press from the top, no bite in midfield, just lethargy. Very, very frustrating to watch.

Think this was largely down to a bout of the shits in our squad to be honest. We had completely ran out of steam.