Away Match Day Thread 21/5/2021 Playoff L1 Blackpool FC V OUFC

[Malc]

Not sure if we can get to Wembley now, but for me just more fight this evening will round of a good season. COYY

 

[Another Melbourne Ox]

We are 90 minutes (or maybe 120 minutes plus pens) away from Wemberleee. Two wins away from promotion. For the last two seasons we have shown that we can score goals, come from behind and do the unexpected. I felt as down as anyone after Tuesday, but my passion is back and I'm going to be cheering the boys on right to the last (albeit from the other side of the world in the early hours of Saturday morning!). We've played a 46-game season, come from the bottom of the league all the way up to win six games out of seven to get into the playoffs, and we still have a chance of returning to the championship for the first time in 23 years. Are we really giving this thing up now? No fracking way! Now is not the time to give up, but the time to be brave and bold and to give this thing a fracking good go. Blackpool are a good team, but they are not fracking Barcelona. This can be done! Come on you yellows. Oxford till I die. Let's get into them!

 

[tonto]

Got to start with Shodipo and Agyei Ive noticed how they like to link up on the few occasions they have been on the pitch together.Will give blackpool some different problems to solve,we cannot start with the same attack again.

 

[Oxford1996]

Early goal for us and everything changes.

 

[Canadian_Yellow]

As others have said, the most disappointing thing about Tuesday for me (other than the result and performance) was KR’s seeming failure to learn anything from the 2-0 League defeat in March.

We knew they would employ a high press and be strong at set pieces. Both goals in March came from corners....the second corner courtesy of a ridiculous pass by Kelly towards Hanson, which went nowhere near him and Kelly barely has played for us since). The first goal on Tuesday came from a set piece given away needlessly.

Hanson has no confidence to make a pass or take on a player or perhaps he was instructed not to. He and high presses don’t mix. He just played backwards or sideways or hoofs the ball up the line. Forde simply has to play tonight. Our entire right side was a disaster on Tuesday and it makes us easy to defend against when Blackpool only have to worry about Barker.

As others have commented, one would hope KR spent some time in the 10 days after the Burton game looking at how teams like Ipswich comfortably beat Blackpool twice or how Rochdale beat them in the run-in but there was little to no evidence of that on Tuesday. It seemed to be that we’ve won 6 of the last 7 so let them worry about us which is strange given our record against the top 6 this year.

I don’t expect a 3-0 win, obviously, but I do expect KR to change something to give Blackpool something new to think about because employing the same tactics and formation for a third straight game and expecting a different result would be insanity. Three at the back or straight 442 is never going to happen under KR and you can’t play a brand new formation for the first time in the second leg of a playoff semi!! Could we see 4231 or the diamond formation that we occasionally used this year with two up front? They were clearly troubled by pace so let’s put some more pace on the field and try something different and perhaps we can get an early goal or one of them sent off early. Agyei has to start! I would play something like:

Stevens
Forde Moore Atkinson Ruffels
Gorrin Sykes
Agyei Henry Barker
Taylor

As North Melbourne Ox says, the one thing that gives me a little hope is that this team never knows when it is beaten. Let’s see that spirit tonight. COYY!

 

[Junior_1]

Who knows.

Play offs were, and even more so now, a free hit.

Score first, keep it tight till HT.

Score again after HT will set up a interesting last 20 or so with Ageyi in the mood!


Stevens
Hanson
Ruffs
Moore
Atkinson
Gorrin
Brannagan
Henry
Shodipo
Sykes
Taylor

 

[dickwalton1964]

Who knows.

Play offs were, and even more so now, a free hit.

Score first, keep it tight till HT.

Score again after HT will set up a interesting last 20 or so with Ageyi in the mood!


Stevens
Hanson
Ruffs
Moore
Atkinson
Gorrin
Brannagan
Henry
Shodipo
Sykes
Taylor

Blackpool’s approach will be interesting. With the crowd behind them I can see them starting really fast and wanting to put this game to bed in the first 20 minutes. They might see it as a risk worth taking as we just cannot concede at any point.

 

[Big Ronaldo]

Ride out their obvious first onslaught and try to clog up the midfield.
Dan has to start. His hold up play and strength will be needed if we are to exert pressure on them.
No question, it’s a huge ask, but an early goal for us might just put the skids under them.
COYY.

 

[uptheus]

As others have said, the most disappointing thing about Tuesday for me (other than the result and performance) was KR’s seeming failure to learn anything from the 2-0 League defeat in March.

We knew they would employ a high press and be strong at set pieces. Both goals in March came from corners....the second corner courtesy of a ridiculous pass by Kelly towards Hanson, which went nowhere near him and Kelly barely has played for us since). The first goal on Tuesday came from a set piece given away needlessly.

Hanson has no confidence to make a pass or take on a player or perhaps he was instructed not to. He and high presses don’t mix. He just played backwards or sideways or hoofs the ball up the line. Forde simply has to play tonight. Our entire right side was a disaster on Tuesday and it makes us easy to defend against when Blackpool only have to worry about Barker.

As others have commented, one would hope KR spent some time in the 10 days after the Burton game looking at how teams like Ipswich comfortably beat Blackpool twice or how Rochdale beat them in the run-in but there was little to no evidence of that on Tuesday. It seemed to be that we’ve won 6 of the last 7 so let them worry about us which is strange given our record against the top 6 this year.

I don’t expect a 3-0 win, obviously, but I do expect KR to change something to give Blackpool something new to think about because employing the same tactics and formation for a third straight game and expecting a different result would be insanity. Three at the back or straight 442 is never going to happen under KR and you can’t play a brand new formation for the first time in the second leg of a playoff semi!! Could we see 4231 or the diamond formation that we occasionally used this year with two up front? They were clearly troubled by pace so let’s put some more pace on the field and try something different and perhaps we can get an early goal or one of them sent off early. Agyei has to start! I would play something like:

Stevens
Forde Moore Atkinson Ruffels
Gorrin Sykes
Agyei Henry Barker
Taylor

As North Melbourne Ox says, the one thing that gives me a little hope is that this team never knows when it is beaten. Let’s see that spirit tonight. COYY!

When teams press high our fullbacks need to drop, but stay wide to give further outlet options, but KR seems to set them up to push up, thus leaving us no options and having to hoof the ball forward to a loan striker who’s up against 2 or 3 burly defenders.

 

[uptheus]

Blackpool’s approach will be interesting. With the crowd behind them I can see them starting really fast and wanting to put this game to bed in the first 20 minutes. They might see it as a risk worth taking as we just cannot concede at any point.

And this is what I think will happen.

 

[uptheus]

I think the weather (high winds) will spoil the game.

 

[Oslernorth]

If Blackpool set themselves up to hold onto their lead (and why wouldn’t they?) then we’ll have 90+ minutes to Attack Attack Attack!
If we could nick a goal early on then we’d have a real chance.
Come on Oxford!!

 

[Oslernorth]

I think the weather (high winds) will spoil the game.

It’s much easier to spoil a 3-0 lead than a 0-3 deficit. Weather? I’m all for for it!!

 

[Scotchegg]

I once heard someone say that they don't buy a lottery ticket expecting to win, but it does buy them the dream.

Supporting Oxford feels the same. We have no right to win, but why the hell should we give up on the dream when anything can still happen?

I wouldn't look to make wholesale changes straight away. Forde for Hanson, Gorrin for Brannagan if not fit. Agyei is probably most likely to be our game winner, but I'd worry that he'd fade too quickly if starting. We don't need to rush. Keep it tight and get a goal before half time, then a second before the hour mark, and Dangerous Dan will kill them in the last 30 mins!!!

Believe in the impossible!

 

[oufc1991]

The front 3 imo should be agyei who Blackpool didn’t like the other night Taylor who needs to do better tonight and barker who needs to show who he is and what he can do get those 3 bang on it and we will be going to Wembley

 

[Yellow There!]

Had a dream last night it was 1-1 with both goals in the last few mins. Yikes.

 

[oufc1991]

All join in now you know you want
Wembley Wembley were the famous Oxford united and were going to Wembley

 

[Pooleox]

I presume it’s on sky, which I haven’t got. Is there any other way I can watch it?

 

[TailsWeWin]

We are 90 minutes (or maybe 120 minutes plus pens) away from Wemberleee. Two wins away from promotion. For the last two seasons we have shown that we can score goals, come from behind and do the unexpected. I felt as down as anyone after Tuesday, but my passion is back and I'm going to be cheering the boys on right to the last (albeit from the other side of the world in the early hours of Saturday morning!). We've played a 46-game season, come from the bottom of the league all the way up to win six games out of seven to get into the playoffs, and we still have a chance of returning to the championship for the first time in 23 years. Are we really giving this thing up now? No fracking way! Now is not the time to give up, but the time to be brave and bold and to give this thing a fracking good go. Blackpool are a good team, but they are not fracking Barcelona. This can be done! Come on you yellows. Oxford till I die. Let's get into them!

Without wishing to dampen your enthusiasm about our ability to score goals, the reality is that the vast majority were scored against the poorer teams, and not those pushing for promotion. Entertaining certainly, but often just flat-track bullies. But no, let’s not give up yet.

 

[Ox4Eva]

Let's get stuck into them, we have nothing to lose!

Up the U's!