Away Match Day Thread 29/03/24 - L1: Shrewsbury v OUFC

[Carpy]

POST MATCH PACK:

Post Match Discussion

Interview - Des Buckingham

Interview - Billy Bodin

Interview - Paul Hurst

Match Highlights

Match Report

Ref Watch

Fans View

 

[ECYellow]

Eastwood didn’t play today. Has he even played a league game under Des?

Des picked Long over Stevens.

Brannagan is a quality midfielder.

Des picked Brown over Negru or Thorniley.

Browne? Not sure he’s been to blame for the last 24 games.

Bodin. Des selected him over numerous others.

Murphy. Probably our best performer under Des.

Unsure what your point is?

How can you be so vocally against KR yet DB gets a free passage for 24 games of shite.

Simple question, has every single player quoted been a part of a side that fallen short at OUFC during their time here?

 

[Mad Dog]

Buckingham?

How about the players that have been on lucrative, multi year contracts and who’ve failed every year??

Eastwood
Long
Brannagan
Brown
Browne
Bodin
Murphy

Blame the manager as much as you like, but there is a culture shift needed in this group and I for one am here for it.

In the summer, CB has 12 months left. If somebody offers a reasonable 6 figure price I’d be taking it and making him the first of a number of senior changes at playing level.

I agree. We need an entire squad rebuild, and an entire management and backroom staff change as well.

But that's obviously gonna take time, and won't be a summer fix...

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

Simple question, has every single player quoted been a part of a side that fallen short at OUFC during their time here?

You’d be correct but our current manager has also fallen short.

I’m all for a re-build but from a different manager.

 

[ECYellow]

You’d be correct but our current manager has also fallen short.

I’m all for a re-build but from a different manager.

So you’re not willing to give the manager an opportunity to build his own squad of players in the summer?

 

[QuietYeller]

Eastwood didn’t play today. Has he even played a league game under Des?

Des picked Long over Stevens.

Brannagan is a quality midfielder.

Des picked Brown over Negru or Thorniley.

Browne? Not sure he’s been to blame for the last 24 games.

Bodin. Des selected him over numerous others.

Murphy. Probably our best performer under Des.

Unsure what your point is?

How can you be so vocally against KR yet DB gets a free passage for 24 games of shite.

Re stevens, he was subbed off at half time against Bolton and not been seen since as he’s clearly got an attitude problem as much as long is past it, to suggest stevens is a better option is questionable. Def agree on Bodin, not good enough but who plays instead? Not mcguane, goodrham maybe but he’s not 100%. Re Brown I don’t think Negru or Thornily are better. A lot of dead wood in this squad imo

 

[Chippy]

Well Des isn’t fairing too well over the marathon, would you say? He’s had two thirds of a season and now boasts the fullest squad we’ve had all season and i can only give you one positive about the team at the moment and that’s that our wingers can go past the typical full back at will. Beyond that I’m stumped, and is that even anything to do with the coach?

I’d suggest that either Manning was very, very good or Des is very, very not. But don’t worry I’m realistic about the chances of many people facing up to either.

Yep, the problem is we have wingers who can go past the opposition at will, the problem is those wingers aren’t available week in and week out. The bigger problem is we have no centre forwards to capitalise on that wing play, no midfielders busting a gut and with positional sense to capitalise on that wing play, no solid midfielders to then repell breakaways when we lose possession and no defenders who can keep the opposition at bay for 90 mins whilst our wingers are trying to create chances for the invisible attackers.

The style, system (or lack of one) and weak fragile players just don’t and can’t consistently deliver what the rigours of League One demands. We are miles off a serious and worthy promotion and Championship team/squad, absolutely miles off it.

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

So you’re not willing to give the manager an opportunity to build his own squad of players in the summer?

No because he’s shown nothing since November to justify it. I can’t see any plan? No style?

He’s had 24 League One games, that’ll be 30 League One games by the time this season is over.

That’s enough time to get across some kind of style, a system. How many players has he improved? Murphy.. who else?

 

[Chippy]

So you’re not willing to give the manager an opportunity to build his own squad of players in the summer?

For someone who absolutely kept giving the previous manager some of biggest pelters on this forum, I’m surprised you are willing to give the current manager another window. For me he doesn’t have a clue about League One football and the type of players that are needed.

Both he and the recruitment team have had a January window that can only be described as shocking!! 400k on Goodwin is becoming an embarrassment, not to mention the appalling loans!!

Sorry but I wouldn’t trust Des, Ed or anyone involved in the running of our great club with another transfer window.

 

[ttg17]

7. Devise sessions without the ball. Small, medium and large exercises. We are f*****g pathetic thru the lines.

Think there’s a lot in this. In the last game I was able to attend, Leyton, their two CAMs were getting the ball in the middle of the park, turning with it and running at our back line so easily, and the one chance Shrews had in that first half today was exactly the same. Flanagan just walked forward and one pass got their LW in between Long and Moore. He then put it on a plate for their striker who should have scored. That I’m afraid is a team construction and shape problem, which lies at the feet of the manager. The team has to be set up to be harder to play through.

It’s also made very conspicuous by how laboured our own play through the middle seems to be in contrast.

 

[WRox]

Another directionless second half. Really struggling with the idea that it’d be difficult to sack someone recruited from the Indian league. That contract should be as lopsided in the clubs favour as KR’s wasn’t.

There is a massive opportunity this summer and it feels like we could be headed towards a classic-KR window where we end up with the good old pros willing to stay or sign. I’ve got no real idea what system we’re trying to play - not one that appears to make any sense in any case - so it’s unfathomable to me that we could have a summer transfer plan aligned to one.

If we don’t win on Monday, there’s no excuse not to sack him and give someone the last few games to assess what’s here.

 

[Symp59]

Can anyone really see us making the play offs ,week in week out it just doesn't seem to happen, how we are really still in with a shout is amazing, once again a late goal really oh no that doesn't happen very often. Play offs no chance ,but iam so looking forward to the new look team for next season it should be a cracker.

 

[Chippy]

Can anyone really see us making the play offs ,week in week out it just doesn't seem to happen, how we are really still in with a shout is amazing, once again a late goal really oh no that doesn't happen very often. Play offs no chance ,but iam so looking forward to the new look team for next season it should be a cracker.

Do u mean a crocker?

 

[QuietYeller]

But did Des sign Goodwin, or was it forced on him by the recruitment team?

Back in the day Jim Smith, Denis Smith, etc would identify a player, tell the board and if the fee was right sign him.
Nowadays it seems the recruitment team do all this and the head coach, not manager, works with what he is given.
Reason I ask my first question goes right back to when Hanson signed on massive money and was s**t/ injured, KR said on radio Oxford "wasn't my signing" which I found a bit strange at the time

I also thought he passed the medical but something came up after that?
In fairness tho the window wasn’t great all in all. Dale excellent, but so far Goodwin, cumming, matete, burey not so much…
I don’t know who is to blame because as you say there’s a recruitment staff but it may also reflect DBs lack of knowledge of the league, but we knew that would be the case when we hired him.

 

[QuietYeller]

Yep, the problem is we have wingers who can go past the opposition at will, the problem is those wingers aren’t available week in and week out. The bigger problem is we have no centre forwards to capitalise on that wing play, no midfielders busting a gut and with positional sense to capitalise on that wing play, no solid midfielders to then repell breakaways when we lose possession and no defenders who can keep the opposition at bay for 90 mins whilst our wingers are trying to create chances for the invisible attackers.

The style, system (or lack of one) and weak fragile players just don’t and can’t consistently deliver what the rigours of League One demands. We are miles off a serious and worthy promotion and Championship team/squad, absolutely miles off it.

Exactly. While I’ve personally come to the opinion des is not the right man, I find it bizarre that people on here rip our players to pieces every game but dump all the blame on des.
It’s pretty obvious both aren’t up to it!!!

 

[ChamonixOx]

While I agree Des isn’t the answer, the squad isn’t good enough either. Too many are past it or injury prone. That’s why Manning got out when he got the chance, he knew we wouldn’t be up to it for 46 games. We are still a couple of windows away at least

I think that sums it up pretty well. It was always probably a step too far to get into the playoffs with this squad, but not helped by a manager that seems stuck on chapter one of the MCG football managers manual! I.e. Chapter One: Pass it out from the back! If only he’d read the rest of the manual about movement, ball playing centre halves and full backs, mixing the pace and angles of attack, set up and how to press, etc. I rate Moore, but how many times did it go back to him and Brown, one passes it to the other, who inevitably pass it to the full back on their side (I only saw 40 mins and felt like they did this half the game I saw). Talk about predictable and subsequently easy to defend. The rare occasions the centre halves went forward it ended up in their keepers hands after a poor pass and or running out of ideas and options!

Buckingham is sadly carrying on from Robinson in terms of taking this club downwards at a frightening rate, due in his case to a lack of managerial ability. I hate watching his team, the football is a dreadful snorefest (notwithstanding his points tally), and I’m coming to the conclusion he has to go sooner rather than later. That’s before others start to feel the same way as I do and can’t be bothered to waste their time watching this s**t!

 

[LowerSouth]

 

[Andy1505]

Yes we may have been second when The Snake left, but truthfully no one in their right mind would have thought we'd have a shot at autos after last seasons's shambles. So to be in and around the play offs is about a bit below par I reckon....the problem is that Des doesn't seem to be learning, or he just doesn't have the ability and know how to be able to get this talented group of players to perform week in and week out.

Is it his tactics they are employing that means we sit on a goal lead for so long? Is he not able to motivate the players? Do they not respect him? I do like him and his story but if it's not going to work then maybe we do need to look elsewhere, tho I suspect we can't afford to pay him off at the moment, so he'll get the summer and the window but come Oct/Nov if they are not performing then he'll be under a lot more pressure than he may be currently.

 

[QuietYeller]

Yes we may have been second when The Snake left, but truthfully no one in their right mind would have thought we'd have a shot at autos after last seasons's shambles. So to be in and around the play offs is about a bit below par I reckon....the problem is that Des doesn't seem to be learning, or he just doesn't have the ability and know how to be able to get this talented group of players to perform week in and week out.

Is it his tactics they are employing that means we sit on a goal lead for so long? Is he not able to motivate the players? Do they not respect him? I do like him and his story but if it's not going to work then maybe we do need to look elsewhere, tho I suspect we can't afford to pay him off at the moment, so he'll get the summer and the window but come Oct/Nov if they are not performing then he'll be under a lot more pressure than he may be currently.

Brannagan, Murphy, Goodrham, Dale, Moore, Rodrigues… all talented.

The rest are past it or bang average at best at this level imo.

 

[Yellowmania]

So what’s happened with Stevens & McGuane? Are they injured?

I felt McGuane needed to be rested along with Rodrigues a number of games ago, but for McGuane and Stevens to not even make the bench is odd.

I happen to think that Stevens is crap but after watching Long’s charade today I’d definitely play him Monday.

 

[QuietYeller]

I happen to think that Stevens is crap but after watching Long’s charade today I’d definitely play him Monday.

I’m thinking he’s been bombed out. Was taken off at half time v Bolton and not been included since.