Away Match Day Thread 24/01/2026 - MDT: Leicester City v Oxford United

[Northstandboy]

 

[SteMerritt]

View attachment 33156

Think whoever wrote this has been listening to the doom-mongers on here too much…

Yeah I posted the same thing on the Manager Sack Watch thread. Thinking about it, have they mixed us up with Pompey? They were pretty quiet over the summer weren't they?

 

[McXal]

Having sat through a fair chunk of their post-match content, and extended highlights etc - one thing that has made me a little sad. As a kid in the 90’s Matt Elliott is an absolute hero of mine. I loved him.

Aware that all of his work is on Leicester media now. But hearing someone childhood me had SO revered talk about us so dispassionately, in a tone which felt, at times, needlessly condescending and ill-informed has made me a little sad.

I am actually an adult man now, so am fully aware he’s just doing his job and focusing on what he’s being paid to talk about. But it’s weirdly hurtful when confronted with the reality that THAT period of time was in fact far more seminal and meaningful to me than it ever was to one of my heroes

 

[isibuko]

Having sat through a fair chunk of their post-match content, and extended highlights etc - one thing that has made me a little sad. As a kid in the 90’s Matt Elliott is an absolute hero of mine. I loved him.

Aware that all of his work is on Leicester media now. But hearing someone childhood me had SO revered talk about us so dispassionately, in a tone which felt, at times, needlessly condescending and ill-informed has made me a little sad.

I am actually an adult man now, so am fully aware he’s just doing his job and focusing on what he’s being paid to talk about. But it’s weirdly hurtful when confronted with the reality that THAT period of time was in fact far more seminal and meaningful to me than it ever was to one of my heroes

You should listen to him on Behind the Badge - great chat and he clearly feels strongly about the club. Note that he's being paid to be on Leicester media so it would probably be quite weird for him to be anything but dispassionate about the opposition.

 

[McXal]

You should listen to him on Behind the Badge - great chat and he clearly feels strongly about the club. Note that he's being paid to be on Leicester media so it would probably be quite weird for him to be anything but dispassionate about the opposition.

Yeah I loved his appearance on that. I’m aware I’m being over sensitive. Just a part of me is a little sad that one of the sounds of what was a hugely momentous away victory for us is one of our greatest ever players sounding completely cheesed off and annoyed about it

 

[Berliner]

Having sat through a fair chunk of their post-match content, and extended highlights etc - one thing that has made me a little sad. As a kid in the 90’s Matt Elliott is an absolute hero of mine. I loved him.

Aware that all of his work is on Leicester media now. But hearing someone childhood me had SO revered talk about us so dispassionately, in a tone which felt, at times, needlessly condescending and ill-informed has made me a little sad.

I am actually an adult man now, so am fully aware he’s just doing his job and focusing on what he’s being paid to talk about. But it’s weirdly hurtful when confronted with the reality that THAT period of time was in fact far more seminal and meaningful to me than it ever was to one of my heroes

I wrote to him after he had been at Leicester and in the Scotland team for a while and got a lovely letter and signed photo back...good lad is Matty.

 

[Oxford84]

Having sat through a fair chunk of their post-match content, and extended highlights etc - one thing that has made me a little sad. As a kid in the 90’s Matt Elliott is an absolute hero of mine. I loved him.

Aware that all of his work is on Leicester media now. But hearing someone childhood me had SO revered talk about us so dispassionately, in a tone which felt, at times, needlessly condescending and ill-informed has made me a little sad.

I am actually an adult man now, so am fully aware he’s just doing his job and focusing on what he’s being paid to talk about. But it’s weirdly hurtful when confronted with the reality that THAT period of time was in fact far more seminal and meaningful to me than it ever was to one of my heroes

Yep i agree so went on Wiki after seeing Matt Elliott on the Leicester video yesterday to see who hed played for most. He played around 100 games more for them and stayed with Leicester twice as long as us. Still a bit weird he didnt give us more credit though.

 

[brokeandobscure]

A good effort I thought. Pretty balanced.

This one is good for an alternative view for the highlights from directly behind the goal at the opposite end from our fans. Highlights start after about 12 minutes and they do waffle a fair bit:



Absolutely love his pronunciation of Bodleian Library in the match intro just before the highlights. Vibes of Joey Beauchamp's name being said by opposition match announcers.

I quite enjoyed the waffling!

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Instead of watching the ball, the lino was looking at the players in the corner for any afters.
Agree that it was poor officiating, but for me not a patch on the disgraceful conduct of the referee throughout the game. It was perhaps the most one sided refereeing performance I’ve ever seen and it very nearly cheated us out of three points. Perhaps launching an official complaint might get taken more seriously when as the underdog we won and can’t be accused of sour grapes.

Think he was very lenient until they scored and then he gave them everything.

 

[DanC]

We discuss the best win since we returned to the Champ, and a day I won't forget.

 

[ECYellow]

Late to the party on this one, having nursed a hangover all day yesterday!

What a performance that was. We were good value for the win and the shape and tactical nous shown by Bloomfield/Dodds was exactly what we needed against that opposition.

Hard to single players out, but a word for Sam Long. I’ve been critical in the past but he was outstanding. Give me Sam over Helik EVERY day of the week. His ability to read the game at CB is far better. Davies looked composed, too.

MPH, for the first time, looked a serious player! If he plays like that until the end of the season, he’ll get a very good contract for the coming years at a big club.

Harris needed that goal, and he took it very well! Maybe he will be a useful squad option for the rest of the season. I’d still like to see another one come in, mind.

The fans - it was the best away atmosphere we’ve produced since being back in the Champ in my opinion. It felt very much like the Boro cup game. Noise throughout and a recognition of when the team needed a bit more from us. Utterly superb!

Opportunity knocks in the next few weeks. None of us can allow next Saturday to be an ‘after the Lord Mayors show’ event. Like the players, fans have got to get that ground full and make it as loud and uncomfortable as possible for Brum.

We were discussing in the car on the way home, if you were offered 40 points on April 1st, would you take it?

April:

Hull (H)
Pompey (A)
Watford (H)
Derby (A)
Disney (H)
Sheff Weds (H)
Millwall (A)

 

[McXal]

We discuss the best win since we returned to the Champ, and a day I won't forget.

Listened during my long run last night (hate having to squeeze my long run in at nights in bloody January so it was a welcome pod drop!). Hope the arm heals quick

 

[foghorn]

We were discussing in the car on the way home, if you were offered 40 points on April 1st, would you take it?

April:

Hull (H)
Pompey (A)
Watford (H)
Derby (A)
Disney (H)
Sheff Weds (H)
Millwall (A)

Interesting question. By my calculation that requires us to get 13 points from the next 11 games, right? I think we can do better, so I'm not going to accept the 40 points (thank you).

 

[uptheus]

Has anyone seen a photo of the Oxford fans from the pitch e.g. the whole corner?

 

[OUFCGav]

Has anyone seen a photo of the Oxford fans from the pitch e.g. the whole corner?

 

[southlondonyellow]

Has anyone seen a photo of the Oxford fans from the pitch e.g. the whole corner?

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

 

[Made-in-Jericho]

Still haven’t seen a clip of the MPH disallowed goal. Anyone have it?

 

[TailsWeWin]

Still haven’t seen a clip of the MPH disallowed goal. Anyone have it?

No need to watch. There was no offence. Stop.

Pathetic “big team” refereeing.
Again.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

No need to watch. There was no offence. Stop.

Pathetic “big team” refereeing.
Again.

Personally think Harris made it easy for the ref to give it, I don’t think it was a foul in all honestly but he made contact with the keeper and the referee bought it, the ironic thing was that I think the goal happens whether Harris engages with the keeper or not.

Ah well, we won so it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things

 

[SteMerritt]

Still haven’t seen a clip of the MPH disallowed goal. Anyone have it?

It was on the Sky highlights...



Only possible reason for it being disallowed was Harris tussling with their keeper.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

It was on the Sky highlights...



Only possible reason for it being disallowed was Harris tussling with their keeper.

Which I think he honestly made it easy to give as he does nudge him. I don’t think it was needed either tbh.

Made up for it with the goal though, was an excellent finish.

 

[Made-in-Jericho]

Yeah by Harris being near the keeper and using his arms then the ref’s decision is made easier.
Still absolutely appalling refereeing though, it must happen in almost any goalmouth scramble when 99 out of 100 goals are given.

 

[NorthWestOx]

Here's a photo of the ball being out of play at the end, you can see the lino is not even looking.
The full video is from the Leicester City extended highlights on YouTube.

 

[Sarge]

Yeah by Harris being near the keeper and using his arms then the ref’s decision is made easier.
Still absolutely appalling refereeing though, it must happen in almost any goalmouth scramble when 99 out of 100 goals are given.

their keeper was doing 85% of the holding, pulling and pushing ( Harris is more or less thrown into the net at the same time the MPH shot goes in).

If the referee was unsighted and really didnt see all the manhandling of Harris, what was his assistant referee ( lino) doing ? He wasnt assisting, thats for sure. Yet another substandard match official, with poor assistants too

 

[SSO]

Hardly a push even by Harris standards. But before that there is a push on him before the ball comes into play. There seems to be a reluctance for referees to give penalties at corners and one way of doing it is to sort all the pushing and shoving out before the kick is taken. If the attacking side just gets on with corners and there is a 50/50 that the ref can make a decision on we might see more penalties given.

The keepers are either protected far too much or not enough. In this one it is 1v1 and the ref has disallowed a goal having seen “something” happen before the kick is taken.

 

[Common Villager]

It was on the Sky highlights...



Only possible reason for it being disallowed was Harris tussling with their keeper.

It's minimal (and I don't think it would've been given if it was the other way around, especially with that officiating team), but Harris is quite evidently trying to obstruct/impede their keeper. I don't know why players/teams do this as I'm not sure it really gains anything and yet gives the ref an easy opportunity to blow for a foul.

 

[JOHN BOY]

Here's a photo of the ball being out of play at the end, you can see the lino is not even looking.
The full video is from the Leicester City extended highlights on YouTube.

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I thought that linesman was very poor also missed a couple of offsides.

 

[MarkG]

Any experts out there to explain the offside rule to me re BDK's pass to Harris.

Is it that you can't be offside if the ball was played whilst the potentially offside player is still in his own half?

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Any experts out there to explain the offside rule to me re BDK's pass to Harris.

Is it that you can't be offside if the ball was played whilst the potentially offside player is still in his own half?

Correct.

 

[WE Yellow]

I thought that linesman was very poor also missed a couple of offsides.

There was a couple that he got spot on in the first half, was eye line with all of them. I thought barring the last 5 minutes, the officials had a good game.