Home Match Day Thread +++ 29/02/20 OUFC V Southend Utd +++

[ZeroTheHero]

I'm still recovering from that terrible game yesterday. The one touch of real class was Taylor's winning goal. I am hoping very much that a week's rest will do our lot a world of good, because we were miles off it. I think I will choose to remember that goal and the three points and forget everything else about it!

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

Very ,very glad that we are not going to WBA tues night !!!

 

[ZeroTheHero]

Just watched the highlights to see what happened for the pen (as you couldn't see it from the Jim Smith Stand). What on earth was their keeper doing? Taylor had his back to goal, and really wasn't in much of a scoring position. Not only that but how do some of their players then have the cheek to throw up their hands as if they can't believe the ref's decision!

 

[Sarge]

Just watched the highlights to see what happened for the pen (as you couldn't see it from the Jim Smith Stand). What on earth was their keeper doing? Taylor had his back to goal, and really wasn't in much of a scoring position. Not only that but how do some of their players then have the cheek to throw up their hands as if they can't believe the ref's decision!

comment from my 11 y.o. granddaughter " if their goalie really wanted Matty's shirt, couldnt he have waited till after the match and asked him to swap shirts ?"

 

[Marked Ox]

Just watched the highlights to see what happened for the pen (as you couldn't see it from the Jim Smith Stand). What on earth was their keeper doing? Taylor had his back to goal, and really wasn't in much of a scoring position. Not only that but how do some of their players then have the cheek to throw up their hands as if they can't believe the ref's decision!

Tbf fair to Matty Taylor, even being fouled he still hit the crossbar with the shot so may have scored.

 

[nige01ox]

I also don’t think Gorrin should have played that game, at home against a team low on confidence and struggling at the bottom of the table I’d have preferred to have seen Thorne spray the ball around and actually pass it forwards. Gorrin is a brilliant player when the chips are down and we need someone to battle and rat around in midfield, but he does sometimes look to go backwards too much, and slow our play down.

I can see the point you're trying to make but it's really not that simple as far as Thorne is concerned I'm afraid. Tuesday night was the first time he had started a league game since 30/03/18, so the best part of 2 years. Giving him 60 minutes Tues night was perfect, but his body would not have been up to starting another game so soon. A player can build up their fitness in training as much as they like but the intensity of a proper game is a different kettle of fish. Had Kelly or Woodburn been further along in their recovery then maybe they could have played instead of Gorrin in a rejigged midfield, but Thorne wasn't really a viable option yesterday. As much as I'm sure Thorne would've been champing at the bit to play again after making his first start in what must have felt like forever, I think KR is looking at the bigger picture and giving the lad every chance to prolong his career. I wouldn't bet against him being involved against MK in a couple of weeks though.

 

[uptheus]

I can see the point you're trying to make but it's really not that simple as far as Thorne is concerned I'm afraid. Tuesday night was the first time he had started a league game since 30/03/18, so the best part of 2 years. Giving him 60 minutes Tues night was perfect, but his body would not have been up to starting another game so soon. A player can build up their fitness in training as much as they like but the intensity of a proper game is a different kettle of fish. Had Kelly or Woodburn been further along in their recovery then maybe they could have played instead of Gorrin in a rejigged midfield, but Thorne wasn't really a viable option yesterday. As much as I'm sure Thorne would've been champing at the bit to play again after making his first start in what must have felt like forever, I think KR is looking at the bigger picture and giving the lad every chance to prolong his career. I wouldn't bet against him being involved against MK in a couple of weeks though.

I thought Brannagan has a poor game (2nd one in a row), so if any of the midfielders to be rested it should have been him, but I’d have 50% on form Brannagan over Thorne any day of the week. When Holland/Woodburn are back then that’s a different kettle of fish though.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

I thought Brannagan has a poor game (2nd one in a row), so if any of the midfielders to be rested it should have been him, but I’d have 50% on firm Brannagan over Thorne any day of the week. When Holland/Woodburn are back then that’s a different kettle of fish.

We get it, you hate Thorne. Luckily it’s not based in any form of reality, so he probably will play again before the end of the season.

 

[Mellowyellow]

Matty Taylor is a free agent this summer. His agent can use that and his record this season to get him a very good deal. It will depend on whether Tiger et al are willing to spend maybe £100k on a signing on fee and offer a 2-3 year contract. I think Matt is nearly 30. I hope the club competes on this one. Better Championship sides may be wary as he will be seen to have failed at Bristol City. We do have an advantage in that he seems to love it at Oxford, rates KR and is a home town boy who started with us.

That's a really good point, highlighted, but however much the board will offer, I really don't believe it will be enough, even on a 2 year contract. I think the money is there, but with the promises that KR wanted regarding budgets and way forward, it would take a big chunk of money from that budget.
There is no loyalty in football, and to Taylor it is his big final swansong. A championship club will come in for him, even Bristol City might reconsider a new contract for him. Upper Heyford, where I think he has moved to would not be too bad a commute for a footballer.

 

[uptheus]

We get it, you hate Thorne. Luckily it’s not based in any form of reality, so he probably will play again before the end of the season.

I don’t hate him, just don’t think he’s fit or has much mobility, so think we have wasted a player.

 

[MarkG]

In Kieran Maguire’s book The Price of Football, he makes an interesting point about free transfers. Although a club might think of transfer fees and wages as total cost of a player, it might upset the changing room if one player is on a bigger wage because they arrived on a free.

 

[uptheus]

That's a really good point, highlighted, but however much the board will offer, I really don't believe it will be enough, even on a 2 year contract. I think the money is there, but with the promises that KR wanted regarding budgets and way forward, it would take a big chunk of money from that budget.
There is no loyalty in football, and to Taylor it is his big final swansong. A championship club will come in for him, even Bristol City might reconsider a new contract for him. Upper Heyford, where I think he has moved to would not be too bad a commute for a footballer.

We wouldn’t have to pay a signing on fee as he’s a free agent unless you mean as a one off payment to him?

Just think we should use the proposed monies (£500k) we had set aside to buy Cadden towards getting him to sign. Would be well worth the money to get a 20+ goal a season striker who’s happy to live/play here and settled.

 

[beyondthefourth]

In Kieran Maguire’s book The Price of Football, he makes an interesting point about free transfers. Although a club might think of transfer fees and wages as total cost of a player, it might upset the changing room if one player is on a bigger wage because they arrived on a free.

Didn't someone at the club say, regarding the potential Grigg signing, that we were aware that bringing him in mean that our wage structure would need to be raised for the first team squad?

 

[Mellowyellow]

We wouldn’t have to pay a signing on fee as he’s a free agent unless you mean as a one off payment to him?

Just think we should use the proposed monies (£500k) we had set aside to buy Cadden towards getting him to sign. Would be well worth the money to get a 20+ goal a season striker who’s happy to live/play here and settled.

I agree with everything you say, I just think he knows his worth, and listening to his interview yesterday he enjoys being here, but has no sentimental tie to the club. He will take the highest offer, within a couple of hours of where he lives.
Even though we have the money to probably equal that, the board will not be willing to pay that, regardless of what assurances they give KR, as it may compromise bids for other players.

 

[bazzer9461]

Just watched the highlights to see what happened for the pen (as you couldn't see it from the Jim Smith Stand). What on earth was their keeper doing? Taylor had his back to goal, and really wasn't in much of a scoring position. Not only that but how do some of their players then have the cheek to throw up their hands as if they can't believe the ref's decision!

From the Jim Smith stand I don’t think any one had a clue, I think a majority of us thought it was a foul on one of their players, but as you say on the highlights definitely a tug of the shirt then the keeper doing the Rocky Balboa with his arms.

 

[West Oxon U’s]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1234140513537794049

 

[Big Ronaldo]

Funny as feck when the pen was awarded. Couldn’t see anything wrong from the East stand and I was just berating “that dickhead ref” when it slowly dawned on me and the rest of the stand that he had actually awarded us a penalty. ?We were laughing at the craziness of it.
It wasn’t until I watched the highlights that I saw the tug on Taylor’s shirt by their keeper.

 

[beyondthefourth]

Could have sworn they were misspeaking on RadOx, when they said the keeper was tugging Taylor's shirt. I thought "in what universe is that even a realistic situation?"

Still couldn't believe it seeing the highlights. Just the craziest, most stupid decision from the keeper.

 

[MJB]

Could have sworn they were misspeaking on RadOx, when they said the keeper was tugging Taylor's shirt. I thought "in what universe is that even a realistic situation?"

Still couldn't believe it seeing the highlights. Just the craziest, most stupid decision from the keeper.

Have we had final confirmation yet that it wasn’t in fact @RyanioBirdio grabbing at Taylor’s shirt for the penalty?

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Have we had final confirmation yet that it wasn’t in fact @RyanioBirdio grabbing at Taylor’s shirt for the penalty?

“He’s practically had his shirt off his back, ref!” cried one chap near me.

“Chance would be a fine thing...” I whispered to myself.