Home Match Day Thread 28/02/2026 - MDT: Oxford United v West Bromwich Albion

[SteMerritt]

 

[38yearsofpain]

Pushing Vaulks for a starting spot?!

If both are fit then there’s absolutely no way I want to see Vaulks starting over him next game. Konak is way more mobile and offers more energy, and is actually a little better on the ball.

And Konak will likely only get better. He has now adjusted to playing here and what is required. Think Konak, Donley and Cambran will the best midfield in the run in. All 3 have energy and want to get us on the front foot.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Michal Helik was fantastic today!

It was his kind of game, lots of high balls to head away and no one fast running at him

 

[RgYellows]

I thought a couple of the subs today was baffling. HTA on for Mills and playing at RW? Could only assume that was with one eye on playing a back 5 if we had to shut up shop or got a 3rd and decided to park the bus.

Also Vaulks for Konak? I thought Konak had his best game for us today and that sub wasn't needed.

Their goal game from us not being able to get out to their wide men quick enough. HTA was there to help Long do that. On the left, they continued to have men queueing up to put balls into the box until the end of the game.

Konak I think they felt was out of gas.

With the Makosso point, I initially felt the same as others. However, if you have a rule, and a player breaks it and gets a free pass, despite us having a vastly experienced and very influential member of the squad ready to step in, then your rules aren’t rules any more. Why would anyone else bother to be on time or do any other little thing the boss wants them to do? It was a gamble, but we aren’t going to get out of this without riding our luck through some gambles.

 

[Theox07]

So confused by Brown. He's clearly an effective defender, but when he gets on the ball he may as well be wearing the other team's shirt. So utterly wasteful with the ball. It's almost like 'my job is to get rid, then it's someone else's problem'.

Who’s he suppose to pass too the imaginery midfield players Virgil van dijk wouldn’t have any options to pass too in this team

 

[OX14]

Their goal game from us not being able to get out to their wide men quick enough. HTA was there to help Long do that. On the left, they continued to have men queueing up to put balls into the box until the end of the game.

Konak I think they felt was out of gas.

With the Makosso point, I initially felt the same as others. However, if you have a rule, and a player breaks it and gets a free pass, despite us having a vastly experienced and very influential member of the squad ready to step in, then your rules aren’t rules any more. Why would anyone else bother to be on time or do any other little thing the boss wants them to do? It was a gamble, but we aren’t going to get out of this without riding our luck through some gambles.

It was the same at Stoke, West Brom doubled up attacking our right hand side and for all the good Mills does going forward he is weak at defending. When Ter Avest came on that avenue for West Brom became less apparent.

We didn't really counter that tactic against West Brom due to MPH being overly shite all game. When Emakhu came on the balance was better and the game turned into more of even contest.

 

[ttg17]

Ok permanent for6 months more or less same as a loan

Not really, because he doesn’t have the safety net of a parent club to fall back on if this goes badly. He’s fighting for his footballing life and generally has been playing like it imo.

 

[Wicko]

I am so happy tonight but, now even more nervous than I was before kick off.
It really is the hope…..

 

[Toe knee]

Not really, because he doesn’t have the safety net of a parent club to fall back on if this goes badly. He’s fighting for his footballing life and generally has been playing like it imo.

VERY rare to get a 6 month contract,must be serious reasons why??

 

[uptheus]

I didn't see it was anything to do with set up but MPH on the pitch was like playing with 10 men amd handicapped us. We were much better when he went off.

I don’t mean the starting line up, I mean being too defensive/deep.

 

[OX14]

VERY rare to get a 6 month contract,must be serious reasons why??

He didn’t want to drop to league one level is the reason. He's got a long way to go before any championship club in the summer wants his signature especially as he is over the age of 21 and will count towards their squad cap.

 

[Symp59]

Emakhu is quietly getting better ,Prelec excellent again when he came on. MPH I wonder if you could play him back in midfield slightly further ,he certainly looked lost at times today. We just don't keep the ball but I suppose at the minute it's results that count but I would love us to keep hold of the ball a bit more if you've got it they aren't going to score. Maybe we are good enough. Anyway great result let's hope we really get at Preston Friday night
Well done to everyone

 

[Mateo Corbo's Tackle]

Dobbin is Preston’s danger man. He has tonnes of pace and plays both left and right. Would be good if Spencer is back for Friday; I worry that it’s the kind of game that could leave Long vulnerable.
Makosso should start ahead of Helik.

 

[OX14]

I don’t mean the starting line up, I mean being too defensive/deep.

We were deep due to not really having an out ball. It did change when the triple change came though.

 

[TheDukeOfBanburyshire]

We were deep due to not really having an out ball. It did change when the triple change came though.

I really do wonder what some people are watching sometimes. It seems fairly obvious that we were happy to allow WBA to play in front of us in a low block, knowing that our best outlet would always be in a quick transition.

So the appearance of playing deep and defensively, I think, was entirely by design. Will Lankshear referenced this is his post-match interview, that the game plan was executed to a tee.

 

[werthersoriginal]

I really do wonder what some people are watching sometimes. It seems fairly obvious that we were happy to allow WBA to play in front of us in a low block, knowing that our best outlet would always be in a quick transition.

So the appearance of playing deep and defensively, I think, was entirely by design. Will Lankshear referenced this is his post-match interview, that the game plan was executed to a tee.

I think MPH is part of that - the ‘keep it tight’ winger

 

[Jaxon]

So confused by Brown. He's clearly an effective defender, but when he gets on the ball he may as well be wearing the other team's shirt. So utterly wasteful with the ball. It's almost like 'my job is to get rid, then it's someone else's problem'.

Who has he got to pass to? Or any of the back line
No movement up front or midfield
The defence at time gets it out of the danger area
Better safe than sorry

 

[Eric Blair]

Easily more than alright. Did a lot of the donkey work defensively, was always covering when defenders pushed forward and provided a link for the team to work through. Certainly no spectacular stuff but he can read the game based on some of his positioning.

Yep. Thought he was superb. In his first 45 minutes against Bristol City he looked understandably undercooked and maybe a bit nervous. Today having had a few games under his belt he was superb.

 

[Morris Oxford]

Their goal game from us not being able to get out to their wide men quick enough. HTA was there to help Long do that. On the left, they continued to have men queueing up to put balls into the box until the end of the game.

Konak I think they felt was out of gas.

With the Makosso point, I initially felt the same as others. However, if you have a rule, and a player breaks it and gets a free pass, despite us having a vastly experienced and very influential member of the squad ready to step in, then your rules aren’t rules any more. Why would anyone else bother to be on time or do any other little thing the boss wants them to do? It was a gamble, but we aren’t going to get out of this without riding our luck through some gambles.

Without knowing the full details my feelings are that Bloomfield got this one right, as did Rowett when he dropped Dembele from the squad.

Having said that I thought Bloomfield was wrong to throw BDK under a bus postmatch at Stoke.

 

[38yearsofpain]

I really do wonder what some people are watching sometimes. It seems fairly obvious that we were happy to allow WBA to play in front of us in a low block, knowing that our best outlet would always be in a quick transition.

So the appearance of playing deep and defensively, I think, was entirely by design. Will Lankshear referenced this is his post-match interview, that the game plan was executed to a tee.

I thought their goal came from the low block becoming a very very low block and we gave them too much space in our attacking half.
But the players and fans alike looked like they felt comfortable with the tactic as a way to win matches. It is always acceptable in February and later in the season in a relegation battle. Fans just won't put up with earlier in the season, hence Rowetts attempts at some more expansive formations, unfortunately we are currently ill equipped to play any other way.
Maybe just maybe Donley,Konak and Cambran may be able to get us more attack minded. We will certainly have more energy and a bit more creativity.

 

[Eric Blair]

A quick word about Sam Long. He had a great game and was really feeling the emotion. I make a point of standing by the tunnel and clapping the players off. You could see the players were pumped and happy (and hats off to Jack Currie for spending time with the younger fans). When Sam came off he went slightly mental and was repeatedly shouting “f*****g come on” as the veins were standing out on his forehead. That lad bleeds yellow and blue. It wasn’t a performance he was really feeling it. It was great to see.

 

[TheDukeOfBanburyshire]

I thought their goal came from the low block becoming a very very low block and we gave them too much space in our attacking half.
But the players and fans alike looked like they felt comfortable with the tactic as a way to win matches. It is always accetable in February and later in the season in a relegation battle. Fans just won't put up with earlier in the season, hence Rowetts attempts at some more expansive formations, unfortunately we are currently ill equipped to play any other way.
Maybe just maybe Donley,Konak and Cambran may be able to get us more attack minded. We will certainly have more energy and a bit more creativity.

I agree re the goal, and I guess we have to understand how much concentration it takes to play in that defensive shape and allow your opponents the lion's share of the ball during the game. Given the levels to do that, then individual mistakes are likely. The fact the goal was a deflection probably suggests we were unlucky to concede at all.

Shout to the fans today. It's such a better feeling when the fans are, I'm the main, positive and behind the players and I'm convinced it makes a difference.

I thought Konak was excellent today and brings vital composure to the midfield unit.
As you suggest, maybe, just maybe, we've stumbled across our best chance of getting a run of results together between now and the end of the season.

It also sounds like McDonnell will be back sooner than anticipated which means we don't need to rely on Vaulks once Konak is spent.
The good news is that Donley, Konak, Prelec are all gaining valuable minutes and fitness, so SHOULD only get better.

There is still cause for optimism.

 

[derek]

Ok permanent for6 months more or less same as a loan

Trebling down

 

[Byrne Baby Byrne]

News - MPH actually doesn't give a s**t. He's a showman. If he applied himself he could be quite a player.

Disagree. CHampionship is his limit.
You get players like that - they start at premier clubs because they look the part but never come close to fulfilling their apparent potential because it was never really there.
Not knocking him as he has done okay for us, but he couldn’t be a premier league regular even if he gave everything..

 

[TheDukeOfBanburyshire]

A quick word about Sam Long. He had a great game and was really feeling the emotion. I make a point of standing by the tunnel and clapping the players off. You could see the players were pumped and happy (and hats off to Jack Currie for spending time with the younger fans). When Sam came off he went slightly mental and was repeatedly shouting “f*****g come on” as the veins were standing out on his forehead. That lad bleeds yellow and blue. It wasn’t a performance he was really feeling it. It was great to see.

Jack Currie is an absolutely top bloke. Another young player with an exceptional attitude.

 

[Morris Oxford]

A few random thoughts.

Delighted with the win.

For Championship level it was a poor quality game.

Lankshear works his socks off game after game, it was he who was fouled that led to the free kick for his goal, well deserved.

Konak did well, added energy and mobility to the midfield, was always looking to receive ball, he’s still young and relatively inexperienced but a lot of potential there I believe.

Back four did a really sound job. Brown’s distribution isn’t always great but he’s an absolute warrior.

We won through effort and spirit. WBA look to be in a spot of bother.

There’s a lot more to come from Emakhu, definitely some promising signs.

I don’t think we got enough quality to stay up, but I sincerely hope I’m wrong.

Atmosphere and support was a lot better than previous recent home matches.

 

[Eric Blair]

There was also a moment before Mark Harris came on and he had his top off for quite a while. The ladies where I was sitting seemed to be enjoying the view. Come on Mark. I know you’ve worked hard for that body but shirt up, fella. You’re putting the rest of us to shame a bit.

 

[ECYellow]

A much needed win and hopefully it provided the confidence to the players that this can still be done!

Credit to the manager, it’s a good three points. Fingers crossed we can build on it on Friday night.

 

[The Voice Of Reason]

A few random thoughts.

Delighted with the win.

For Championship level it was a poor quality game.

Lankshear works his socks off game after game, it was he who was fouled that led to the free kick for his goal, well deserved.

Konak did well, added energy and mobility to the midfield, was always looking to receive ball, he’s still young and relatively inexperienced but a lot of potential there I believe.

Back four did a really sound job. Brown’s distribution isn’t always great but he’s an absolute warrior.

We won through effort and spirit. WBA look to be in a spot of bother.

There’s a lot more to come from Emakhu, definitely some promising signs.

I don’t think we got enough quality to stay up, but I sincerely hope I’m wrong.

Atmosphere and support was a lot better than previous recent home matches.

Effort and team work/spirit over quality most days

 

[Upthecowboys]

Do the basics well and you’ve always got a chance.

The basics we did well:-

1) 2 fantastic crosses for the goals.
2) No defensive cock ups.

Thought we were quite disciplined out of possession.

It’s amazing how different everything looks after only 1 win

 

[Jimmycarterxi]

What a difference today’s results have made to us. Thought Konak was outstanding, when he received the ball he was confident enough to drive and play the ball forward.