Home Match Day Thread 26/12/2025 - MDT: Oxford United v Southampton

[Northstandboy]

 

[90syeIlow]

First time on the pitch in months. Maybe cut him a little slack

No.

He's repeatedly run into danger and lost the ball in stupid positions instead of playing a simpler pass even when he's had a run of games, it's nothing new.

 

[McXal]

I agree Dembele was utterly infuriating at points during his cameo appearance. However, to find a positive contribution from Dembele yesterday (and for the record I do think it was a penalty on him too) - I actually thought his best stuff came after Mills’ goal. There were two or three situations where he helped us manage the game with his ability to hold the ball and tie players in knots in the far corner of the pitch near the fence.

Not to defend the multiple times he had chances to make positive contributions before the winning goal, and he spurned them to do his usual of attempting multiple tricks, ignoring team-mates and losing the ball rather than using it sensibly. But at 2-1 he did give us a game management capability that someone like Placheta doesn’t have and I did think it helped run the clock down…

 

[Osei Yaw]

The only downer on a brilliant boxing day match for me.... hey jude coming on the speakers at full volume as soon as the final whistle blew. There was riotous bouncing and chanting from the Oxford fans and then it immediately went dead as soon as the music went on. Let the fans sing to celebrate for a few minutes at least!

Agreed. I worry that these things are slowly eroding the spontaneity that makes football special. At least we don't play music after a goal.

I don't mind the song at the end of the game but as you say you've got the let all the natural emotions play out first. Hey Jude worked at Wembley because it was well after the full time whistle and there were 30k fans enjoying the trophy lift and lapping it up. Yesterday it felt like someone's finger was hovering over the play button from the moment the injury time elapsed. All well intentioned I'm sure, but totally unnecessary.

 

[tomoufc]

Can I out-pedant you and say he's been here for two years?

As long as you don’t say two year

 

[Golden Dr Otto]

Generally thought they were a pretty unimpressive fan base; it kind of matched my pre conceived perception of watching their televised games. Just no noise at all except for after the goal. And it’s not like they didn’t have loads of possession and some good chances. Perhaps they need to get over their surprise at seeing a car park for the first time near a sports venue / public arena

 

[38yearsofpain]

Never said I was.
But have previously seen enough of someone,. Who thinks his ability carries more weight in a team identity, than others who give everything out there.
Rewatch the games he’s involved in.
Yesterday and QPR at home last season. Were more than enough to say he just doesn’t care.

Very few have the ability to play at this level if they don't care. His attitude may be suspect and he may not be the greatest team player but not caring is just wrong. If he didn't care he just wouldn't bother coming to the ground.
I think he lets himself down because he rarely is capable of getting his head up and see if there are better options than just dribbling with the ball. He is one of those frustrating players who does some brilliant things instinctively but becomes a problem if he has time to think about it. Everybody is wired differently and trying to find what makes him tick on a consistent basis is I suspect beyond coaching.
To be fair this could be written about Placheta as well as Dembele, there in lies our problem in a nutshell.
Consistency of performance really is our achilles heel.

 

[Morris Oxford]

First time on the pitch in months. Maybe cut him a little slack

Just looked it up the last time we saw him on the pitch was on the 8th November against West Brom.

If we accept that Craig Short is telling the truth, it was Dembele who refused to do something in training/coaching, quite frankly he only has himself to blame for not being ‘on the pitch in months’

 

[londonyellow]

Just looked it up the last time we saw him on the pitch was on the 8th November against West Brom.

If we accept that Craig Short is telling the truth, it was Dembele who refused to do something in training/coaching, quite frankly he only has himself to blame for not being ‘on the pitch in months’

I don't disagree. All I'm saying is that we can't expect him to be 100% in his first minutes back. I also think he's been a big disappointment since he joined the club. That said, he can help us – he gets us up the pitch and has scored important goals for us in the past

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

One thing overlooked was just how committed Ciaran Browns header was that went out to Mills for our winner .
Him and Helik reminded me of a latter day Briggs and Shotton v the Saints .
110% into every challenge and while not the most technical done what was required

 

[Morris Oxford]

I don't disagree. All I'm saying is that we can't expect him to be 100% in his first minutes back. I also think he's been a big disappointment since he joined the club. That said, he can help us – he gets us up the pitch and has scored important goals for us in the past

Well let’s hope he’s been the consummate professional, setting a good example to younger players and training hard in the meantime to make sure he’s as close to 100% as he can be when called upon.

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

🏳

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

 

[swolley]

One of my guilty pleasures is looking at so called big clubs' forums after we beat them to see how entitled their fans are. Saint's fans are right up there with the best (or is it the worst?) I paraphrase a few comments from their MDT:-
Oxford are running rings around us.
We are pinned in our half by Oxford
We will win 7-0
If we can not beat Oxford.........


I laugh out loud at some of the comments
#teamslikeoxford

 

[Andy Stroud]

I’m fairly sure the Southampton goal was offside.

 

[Essexyellows]

EY VAR intervenes........................

 

[TheDukeOfBanburyshire]

Generally thought they were a pretty unimpressive fan base; it kind of matched my pre conceived perception of watching their televised games. Just no noise at all except for after the goal. And it’s not like they didn’t have loads of possession and some good chances. Perhaps they need to get over their surprise at seeing a car park for the first time near a sports venue / public arena

Agreed. I'd truly love to see some original and entertaining content from away fans visiting the breeze block, to but I won't hold my breath.

 

[Marked Ox]

EY VAR intervenes........................

View attachment 32580

The Lino has had a bit of a shocker there as it isn't exactly close.

 

[Andy Stroud]

EY VAR intervenes........................

View attachment 32580

Goal scorer circled (badly)
I spotted it from my sofa sixty miles away

 

[bicesterox]

Can we stop talking like Short is a puzzle piece that needs to slot into our jigsaw and be our longer term head coach.

He stated he's not interested, so let that be the end of it.

So did Msurice Evans....... but I agree with you

 

[NorthWestOx]

The Lino has had a bit of a shocker there as it isn't exactly close.

Especially as they were even more offside to start with and were trying to get back onside! (and failed)

 

[Malc]

Goal scorer circled (badly)
I spotted it from my sofa sixty miles away

I even spotted it in Holland. I was furious.

 

[JerryL]

One of my guilty pleasures is looking at so called big clubs' forums after we beat them to see how entitled their fans are.

Same, genuinely a guilty pleasure, and the vlogs people do and everything
Their forum wasnt quite as bad as the ipswich forum from the other week, but they had one guy who posted early with something that made me think he was a bit of a t**t and then after they lost he resorted to a bit of sexism and telling a fellow Southampton supporter to get back into the kitchen w️
Love if when you can just tell someones a bit of a nob an then they prove you right a couple of minutes later, especially when its from an oufc induced meltdown

 

[Twiggy85]

The Lino has had a bit of a shocker there as it isn't exactly close.

Problem is the Southampton player closest to Lino completely obstructs his view of the line. It’s obvious from the camera side - guessing less obvious from the other side. It’s Lino’s job to get it right but reckon he has guessed and guessed wrong.

 

[Northstandboy]

Problem is the Southampton player closest to Lino completely obstructs his view of the line. It’s obvious from the camera side - guessing less obvious from the other side. It’s Lino’s job to get it right but reckon he has guessed and guessed wrong.

I still don’t know why we don’t have a lino on all 4 sides?

 

[TobyDavis34]

I still don’t know why we don’t have a lino on all 4 sides?

Staff. How many games would that be in a weekend, 40 in the EFL? So that would be 160 assistant referees.

Better off getting some sort of automated system on the go for offsides tbh.

 

[tonto]

Im watching the full match replay and for some reason Im getting the southampton commentary. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

Leicester, Ipswich & Southampton the three relegated teams.

Southampton fans by far the most arrogant entitled by quite a distance.

 

[Twiggy85]

Im watching the full match replay and for some reason Im getting the southampton commentary. Has anyone else had this problem?

Yep seems to be the saints in house commentary team for some reason

 

[tonto]

That’s a pity having not heard it live I was looking forward to Nathan and Jerome’s take on it. Strangely one of the commentators sounds just like nick Harris !

 

[Stranger]

Strangely one of the commentators sounds just like nick Harris

Every club has got one!