Home Match Day Thread 29/12/23: L1 - OUFC v Derby County

[Northstandboy]

Huge game today, COYY!

Let’s leave 2023 on a high!

 

[Theox07]

I wouldn’t disagree. However, only by virtue by what is available.

If James Henry is having to start League games for us, you know how many injuries we have. That should be the wake up call to any fan that are in a rough place right now with personnel and that even being in the playoff mix is credible still.

Literally have no team that’s literally the best team des can put out at the minute people blaming the manager is crazy we done well to even compete tonight with our team

 

[RgYellows]

I wouldn’t disagree. However, only by virtue by what is available.

If James Henry is having to start League games for us, you know how many injuries we have. That should be the wake up call to any fan that are in a rough place right now with personnel and that even being in the playoff mix is credible still.

Wake up call?

We can just say “Des got it wrong starting Henry” and offer “I wouldn’t start Henry” as an alternative when asked for specifics.

 

[Osei Yaw]

Paul Warne’s teams have won every match they’ve ever played at the Kassam Stadium.

You know exactly what they’re about and it’s damn hard to stop it.

I actually don't think it is that hard. Warne has obviously got a talent for getting teams up from this level but we were well in control at the start of that game tonight. The problem was that we had played all our cards right at the start and had nothing left we could do to change it up.

It became a bit embarrassing really. We seem to be stuck in a rut and accepting that we are inferior to our opponents. And that may well be the case, I have no problem with bigger teams having better players so having more quality and ability, that is football. And we have seen in recent weeks that Bolton, Peterborough and Derby are miles ahead of us and we saw the same from Blackpool earlier too. The problem is that these teams also seem to have more desire and significant fitness advantages than us too, something that doesn't need to be the case. Add into that they seem to have better tactical nous as well and we are well short of the top teams and are falling into the also rans in mid table. And off the back of that we are playing like a plucky minnow down on their luck thinking trying hard will be good enough.

The mindset doesn't allow for progressive football. We might just get away with it against a Burton or a Cambridge, even Exeter and Carlisle but we are well short in just about every department including mentality to be anywhere near a play off candidate. That was a very embarrassing night to be an Oxford fan, it was a miracle that we actually came so close to taking something out of the game. The managerial appointment is probably sound from a long term point of view, but it was never going to give us the best chance of promotion this season. A major rebuild is needed, there are some players that can contribute in the building already but maybe we need to give this time and build towards next season and become a team like Bolton or Derby this time next year. The blueprint for success has been seen, we need to emulate it.

I think what I saw tonight was a contrast between what Buckingham wanted to do and what we ended up stuck with.

The first 25 - 30 minutes were very good from us. It was a huge change from the opening 45 minutes against Cambridge. The intention was clearly there to be more direct and Harris got in behind their defence immediately and forced their keeper into an error for the penalty. The second goal came from a quick and direct breakaway where Mills was fouled (looked a bit of a dive to me). There was another chance where we transitioned quickly and Rodrigues tried to lob the keeper when he really needed to wait 1 second and play Brannagan in for his hat trick. To me that was all progress from rolling the ball round the back like we did at Cambridge and Reading.

You have to give credit to Warne for changing things up. He's experienced at getting teams out of this league and it's essentially built on being fit, getting bodies forward and spamming crosses into the box. The problem we had is that we had pretty much nothing off the bench to counter it. Their defenders could easily wander well into our half in the second half and keep the pressure up on our goal, safe in the knowledge that James Henry is never running in behind them. A fully fit Edwards on one side and Murphy on the other (or Browne, if we ever see him again) and that second half is very very different. Or better still, we're now in a position where we could sign wingers who are both quick AND available, rather than be haunted by the ghost of 12 Karl Robinson transfer windows.

 

[Eric Blair]

Literally have no team that’s literally the best team des can put out at the minute people blaming the manager is crazy we done well to even compete tonight with our team

And the work rate from our lads tonight. Whatever else you can’t accuse them of being lazy.

 

[uptheus]

Imagine we had a squad of non injury prone players...

Now wouldn’t that be nice, but I guess we’re still living off of Robinson’s legacy

 

[OX14]

Not sure that’s even fair, especially as we all know January is notoriously difficult to do good deals, and we still have a number of injury prone highly paid players who are regularly not available/who can be replaced e.g. Henry, Browne, Murphy, Bodin (to a certain extent),

Edwards is returning, Perkins is returning, O'Donkor is going out on loan. There is 3 spaces already we can fill up and I'm pretty sure we aren't even at maximum of players permitted in a squad.

 

[Eric Blair]

Now wouldn’t that be nice, but I guess we’re still living off of Robinson’s legacy

Exactly- it will take time.

 

[Theox07]

And the work rate from our lads tonight. Whatever else you can’t accuse them of being lazy.

We actually defended well there goals are just crosses they just had too many crosses and corners and are team is so small for crosses

 

[ChamonixOx]

Apparently Derby almost had a full squad to choose from, and their subs didn’t weaken them at all.
You can‘t compete at this level without a deep squad and they showed why. They were relentless and full of belief and our resistance just ebbed away under the constant onslaught.

Criticism of this manager is a bit misplaced at the moment I think, if anything I would applaud him for being brave enough to change the system like he does. The time to judge him will be in the next few months when he can pick from a full squad and able to bring his own players in. Whatever anybody thinks he is here for the long term anyway.

I think you can applaud the manager changing the system when it makes sense and ideally works, but today’s changes seemed ill thought through! It is early days still, and he obviously needs more time and a transfer window. This said, on the evidence thus far, it’s a very poor and worrying start to his tenure. Even ignoring the poor points tally, he sadly seems tactically naive and inept. By now (circa ten games in charge) he should at least have them playing ‘his way’, although what his way is is no clearer to me today than it was in his first game in charge! The lack of shape and press since he has been in charge is palpable and that in itself sends alarm bells ringing.

Prove my significant doubts and concerns wrong Des, PDQ please!

 

[Its only me]

You all know he is out of his depth right.

 

[uptheus]

You all know he is out of his depth right.

Too early to judge, so until then I will back Des.

 

[Osei Yaw]

You all know he is out of his depth right.

So was Manning after we lost to Cambridge and Bristol City.

 

[Foley]

That’s fair but that’s a Karl Robinson issue though. It will take time to sort out that mess

That's not a KR issue.
Leigh, Edwards, Goodrham, Mills?
How in earth are they Robinson issues,

 

[Foley]

Gotta play this team Monday if Goodrham is out

Beadle
Stevens Moore Brown Bennett
Mceachran Mcguane Brannagan
Henry
Harris Rodrigues

Henry does not look match fit. No way can he start a game

 

[OX14]

That's not a KR issue.
Leigh, Edwards, Goodrham, Mills?
How in earth are they Robinson issues,.

They aren't. Same as us only having one decent striker isn't either.

 

[Foley]

I actually don't think it is that hard. Warne has obviously got a talent for getting teams up from this level but we were well in control at the start of that game tonight. The problem was that we had played all our cards right at the start and had nothing left we could do to change it up.



I think what I saw tonight was a contrast between what Buckingham wanted to do and what we ended up stuck with.

The first 25 - 30 minutes were very good from us. It was a huge change from the opening 45 minutes against Cambridge. The intention was clearly there to be more direct and Harris got in behind their defence immediately and forced their keeper into an error for the penalty. The second goal came from a quick and direct breakaway where Mills was fouled (looked a bit of a dive to me). There was another chance where we transitioned quickly and Rodrigues tried to lob the keeper when he really needed to wait 1 second and play Brannagan in for his hat trick. To me that was all progress from rolling the ball round the back like we did at Cambridge and Reading.

You have to give credit to Warne for changing things up. He's experienced at getting teams out of this league and it's essentially built on being fit, getting bodies forward and spamming crosses into the box. The problem we had is that we had pretty much nothing off the bench to counter it. Their defenders could easily wander well into our half in the second half and keep the pressure up on our goal, safe in the knowledge that James Henry is never running in behind them. A fully fit Edwards on one side and Murphy on the other (or Browne, if we ever see him again) and that second half is very very different. Or better still, we're now in a position where we could sign wingers who are both quick AND available, rather than be haunted by the ghost of 12 Karl Robinson transfer windows.

Excellent points made.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

That was a sobering evening. We were good for about 20 minutes. For most of the other 70 we were played off the pitch. Hands up all those who thought a two goal lead would be enough after half an hour or so! Anyone?

Not only did Derby have the lion's share of possession, they were doing more with it than we do when we have the ball (in other games).

There are many reasons why we are struggling and we have discussed them to death. I don't think any of them will be solved without a significant influx of players and a reduction in the injury list. Add in an analyst and an assistant and we should be OK. I still think playoffs will be a stretch.

 

[Oxford84]

Another wonderful game plan. Absolute joke.

Honestly, and I don't say this lightly, Des is so far out of his depth he is making Patto look like Marcello Lippi. An absolute tactical horror show.

We haven’t got any f*****g forwards ffs!

 

[ttg17]

I actually don't think it is that hard. Warne has obviously got a talent for getting teams up from this level but we were well in control at the start of that game tonight. The problem was that we had played all our cards right at the start and had nothing left we could do to change it up.



I think what I saw tonight was a contrast between what Buckingham wanted to do and what we ended up stuck with.

The first 25 - 30 minutes were very good from us. It was a huge change from the opening 45 minutes against Cambridge. The intention was clearly there to be more direct and Harris got in behind their defence immediately and forced their keeper into an error for the penalty. The second goal came from a quick and direct breakaway where Mills was fouled (looked a bit of a dive to me). There was another chance where we transitioned quickly and Rodrigues tried to lob the keeper when he really needed to wait 1 second and play Brannagan in for his hat trick. To me that was all progress from rolling the ball round the back like we did at Cambridge and Reading.

You have to give credit to Warne for changing things up. He's experienced at getting teams out of this league and it's essentially built on being fit, getting bodies forward and spamming crosses into the box. The problem we had is that we had pretty much nothing off the bench to counter it. Their defenders could easily wander well into our half in the second half and keep the pressure up on our goal, safe in the knowledge that James Henry is never running in behind them. A fully fit Edwards on one side and Murphy on the other (or Browne, if we ever see him again) and that second half is very very different. Or better still, we're now in a position where we could sign wingers who are both quick AND available, rather than be haunted by the ghost of 12 Karl Robinson transfer windows.

Great post. Good point on the direct play. I thought early doors we were also very obviously targetting their left (our right) hand side for balls into the channel.

On the highlighted point, I would love to have an ITKer's perspective on whether our sports science / fitness regime is atypical, because, without knowing anything about the injury lists at other teams, it just seems too coincidental to be chance that (especially with Mills and Goodrham going off today) literally all of our explosive players now seem to have suffered muscular strain injuries. It might be recruitment, sure, and Browne (and to an extent Murphy) we should probably just write off at this point, but as far as I'm aware Leigh and Edwards didn't have bad injury histories before arriving here. Is it how we train players? Manage their minutes? If Edwards was deemed fit to play against Bolton, why is it that 45 minutes of game time has now seen him by all accounts written off for the season? Leigh admittedly suffered his knock while with Jamaica, but the initial time frame of absence was, I'm pretty sure, only a few weeks; why is it now months?

It's also concerning that every injury seems to be, being charitable, misdiagnosed in terms of severity at the moment. It seems like everything goes from 'a tight hammy, so taken off as a precaution', to 'a bit of a strain - he'll be out for a couple of weeks', to being out for months.

Maybe it'll all come out in the wash, and maybe it is just purely unlucky, but it would be great to get some insight either way.

 

[dickwalton1964]

One thing we should have learned from tonight is how to cross a football. Virtually every cross and dead ball carried a serious threat. The way they whip the ball in with pace only needs a touch or glancing header. They cross it in quick too, once their player has half a yard on his marker it’s whipped in, they don’t risk losing the ball in wide areas to try and make the perfect set up. I don’t know how many crosses they put in but must have been at least 30, sooner or later you’re finding the net with that sort of supply.