Home Match Day Thread +++ 21/12/19 OUFC v Wycombe Wanderers +++

[Scotchegg]

I agree. Mackie wasn’t great in a footballing sense, ‘immense’ is definitely over stretching it but he has a value in terms of the bigger picture of achieving the result. Cadden saw loads of the ball and in some fantastic areas but I’m scratching my head as to whether our lack of end product is down to the movement in the box or his delivery. We were over loading down that right flank constantly and there has to be more to show from it than a solitary goal.

Wycombe sat really deep yesterday with at least 6 in the box every time the ball was delivered. In addition, we were a little one dimensional with our running which meant that we rarely found much space in the box. So getting the ball to Cadden looked great, but in reality we created very little from something we should have exploited.

We did enough yesterday, against the team who are top of the league and came to spoil the game. So we don't need any knee jerk reactions. However, we might want to think about how we break these stubborn sides down better. I've rarely seen our wide players switch flanks, but that could have been an option. We also need to move the ball quicker. Our goal came from Baptiste getting the ball out to Fosu quickly which left a little space inside for Brannagan to shoot. Also, the goal came from Henry moving from right to left across the keeper to pick up the loose ball. We need to make smarter runs in the box to create half a yard. Earlier in the season it seemed everything hit from outside the box was going in, now we're snatching at them. Fosu and Brannagan need a goal or two to get that confidence back and to trouble the keeper more often.

But, we've just given Man City a run for their money and only lost 1 of the last 13 in the league with a squad that has suffered horrendous injuries. We're a very good side right now and a tweak or two will make us unplayable!

 

[Finlandia]

Three points is all it’s about. I don’t care if we can’t play like we did against Man City every week. A win is a win - the sign of a good side is grinding out wins. Now Lincoln please

 

[arthurturner]

God some of the views on Radio Oxford are so negative, someone phoned or texted in we were three points away from 11 place. That may be true but reflects a very Oxfordshire view which always seems a glass half empty. I find it very annoying, the commentary team gets into that mood occasionally as well.

I always switch off before the phone-ins start.

 

[Concretebob]

As for the red card, this shows there was some contact

https://twitter.com/x/status/1208480224717033477

Merely an argument according to the beeb https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50879710

FWIW I actually like Akinfenwa - but that was stupid

 

[Fourthstand]

Ainsworth has no class. Talking about Oxford time wasting! My god... you could see that was a legit comment from the mammoth 3 extra minutes the ref added on ?. As for goading Big A, man of his experience should know better. Overall we were worth the win by miles. Wycombe were a one trick pony - lame at that.

 

[arthurturner]

Can’t be bothered to go through the whole thread but didnt Mackie win us the game by winding up the fat lad? Deserved his win bonus.?
Imagine having to watch Wycombe every week. Fit, well drilled, fast, and yes, successful , but where’s the joy in watching that style?

Thought we did well to hold them off in last 20 as we were running on fumes. Excellent well timed substitutions by Robbo. Cadden was exceptional today; so calm in possession, we are going to miss him.
COYY.

I don't think the sending off helped us. We found it much more difficult to play our game against a team of 10 which reorganised to play more defensively.

 

[Roge]

Another great performance.

The Jim Smith flag was magnificent. Must come out again, Portsmouth at home?

Our passing game is suburb admired by two Wycombe fans who I know well, they thought we played the most attractive football of any league one team they have seen this season.

I thought Shandon Baptiste followed on from where he left off against Man City with a very mature display.

Can we hold on to Dickie and Baptiste who are destined to be Premiership players until the end of the season?

 

[North Wales Yellow]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1208416117594742785

You’d fancy Pompey to turn them over next week at Fratton Park.

They’ve then got Coventry and Ipswich back to back at home. I think this could be the beginning of their slide down the table.

 

[arthurturner]

Another great performance.

The Jim Smith flag was magnificent. Must come out again, Portsmouth at home?

Our passing game is suburb admired by two Wycombe fans who I know well, they thought we played the most attractive football of any league one team they have seen this season.

I thought Shandon Baptiste followed on from where he left off against Man City with a very mature display.

Can we hold on to Dickie and Baptiste who are destined to be Premiership players until the end of the season?

Why would any of our players want to leave in January when there's a real possiblity of winning something this season? I accept that some will leave but won't they have a better pick of where to go during the Summer? We might be in the Championship by then!

 

[MJB]

Ainsworth has no class. Talking about Oxford time wasting! My god... you could see that was a legit comment from the mammoth 3 extra minutes the ref added on [emoji848]. As for goading Big A, man of his experience should know better. Overall we were worth the win by miles. Wycombe were a one trick pony - lame at that.

I thought he came out of his interview pretty well to be honest. I think the time wasting he is referring to was us getting it in the corner in the last few minutes which a fair enough description. We weren’t able to get the second goal to completely kill the game off so showed a little pragmatism at the end which was a credit to Wycombe’s gritty - albeit agricultural - second half display.

 

[uptheus]

Agree totally on Cadden. My comment on JM being immense was aimed more at his presence on the pitch rather than anything he did with the ball, he is a wind up merchant of the highest order and it won’t be long before a journeyman defender puts him out for a month or so, he does make me smile though...

Yeah, but that wind-up start of the 2nd half made us lose our momentum.

 

[brassmonkey]

Is there anywhere we could place the jim smith flag at the stadium.? Maybe between the jim smith and north stand?

 

[uptheus]

I don’t think we can truly judge Wycombe on their performance/tactics as they went down to 10 men early on, but having said that we outplayed them when it was 11 v 11.

 

[Oldham]

I thought he came out of his interview pretty well to be honest. I think the time wasting he is referring to was us getting it in the corner in the last few minutes which a fair enough description. We weren’t able to get the second goal to completely kill the game off so showed a little pragmatism at the end which was a credit to Wycombe’s gritty - albeit agricultural - second half display.

Agree, I listened to his interview on the way out of the stadium and thought he said the right things (considering his reputation).

 

[Big Ronaldo]

Tactically, why come were a tough nut to crack when they went down to ten.
They were tight and played deep where we were not able to find any space.
Too often the ball shimmied and shuffled along their 18 yard line and the killer pass never came and nor did enough shots.
Clearly though, we were so dominant in that first half that we should have been out of sight by half time.

They are a functional, physical unit though and you can see how they bully sides with that physicality.
They got a little more adventurous in the last ten but it would have been a complete injustice if they had somehow got a point from a game where they were largely second best.

 

[McXal]

I don’t think we can truly judge Wycombe on their performance/tactics as they went down to 10 men early on, but having said that we outplayed them when it was 11 v 11.

I sort of agree, but also sort of disagree with this.

On the one hand, you’re dead right that it’s hard to assess the qualities they possess as a team when they spent so much of the game with ten men.

But on the other hand, when it was 11 vs 11 there was PLENTY of sneaky kicking the ball away from our players when it was our throw in/corner/free kick. Lots of the keeper taking 39 years to take his kicks. Their lads were going down easily. Jombati had already committed a couple of his usual dirty fouls. The chip on Kashket’s shoulder was bigger than his ridiculous little socks. And let’s not forget they only went down to ten men because Kashket started a melee when he went down like an utter fool trying to get Gorrin booked/sent off for a tackle that was nowhere near even a foul. I saw enough at 11 vs 11 to make a pretty comfortable assertion as to what their mentality and approach was going to be

 

[NottsYellow]

The return game at their place is Sat 21 March, can see it now … a nice win for us and moving smoothly on to top of table.

 

[DannyW]

I don't think the sending off helped us. We found it much more difficult to play our game against a team of 10 which reorganised to play more defensively.

Just as we found it difficult against Burton previously. I'm not convinced playing against ten is as greater advantage as is thought. The opposition reorganise and your then playing a team you probably have not planned and trained for.

 

[Tomox]

The return game at their place is Sat 21 March, can see it now … a nice win for us and moving smoothly on to top of table.

Taylor races away to score and Brannagan hangs on the crossbar In front of the fans...

 

[Oxford Aesthete]

I was in the city centre before the game and 7/8 Burberry clad Wycscum boys were walking along Cornmarket singing 'Here coz its Wycombe, you're only here coz it's Wycombe'!! Tossers!!

I'm sure local Christmas shoppers were terrified if not a little confused, that song doesn't really work in the context of the city centre, maybe they should've waited until they got in the ground