Home Match Day Thread 30/11/2024 - Championship: Oxford United vs Millwall

[Northstandboy]

Rate the players:

 

[ECYellow]

A decent point against in-form opposition.

I thought we showed good endeavour to keep plugging away, despite us not looking likely to score for large parts.

I didn’t boo the Scarlett change, but I can understand those that did. For me, it’s not necessarily the change itself, it’s for the apparent pre-planned, predictable nature of it. It seems to be the exact change every game, roughly on an hour, every time.

I really liked the look of Goodwin and he really needs to be afforded some of the chances Des continues to give to Harris. He gives us something different to the other options that we have.

I thought we were second best for large parts and our lack of championship level options is really hurting us. I appreciate that we can’t do it for 90 minutes, but we look so much better when we play with tenacity, and press intently as we did when Dale came on. We looked a different team and much better for it.

Ter Avest or Kioso at RB next week, El Miz for Vaulkes and CB in the quarterback role.

We can go and do a number on Plymouth, they look shot to bits. Would be lovely to have a sold out away end for that one…

 

[Foley]

Although Tyler scored the goal, Dale was man of the match for me. Without his input we'd have lost. Also, Goodwin's physicality definitely gave their centre-backs a new challenge which they didn't like.

Loved the tantrum by their keeper after Tyler's goal.

I don't think either team deserved a win from that game.

Moore was man of the match to me. And Brown.
To concede very few chances/ shots despite the onslaught, suggests that the CBs had very very good first halves.

 

[chuckbert]

Hey

Having issues with the player ratings data.

I have reported this to our provider.

Working for me now

 

[Oxymoron]

I think Oxford fans wanted Dane to stay on and bring Harris on with him, well I did lol

But Scarlett had done little to warrant staying on. He was being monstered by the Millwall midfield - we never got the ball forward for him to see if he could best their defenders. The match had developed into one where he couldn't utilise his skills.

I'd have hooked him at half time as Harris has a bit more physicality and his off the shoulder runs would at least have given them something different to defend.

Hopefully with Goodwin at last getting a go, Des can think about using all three in his match day plans rather than simply rotating the two current incumbents.

 

[Matt W]

Millwall looked very much the established Championship side that they are, some real experience in their ranks and they looked calm on the ball, and were working our lefthand side very hard in the first half, and for me no surprise when they went 1 up.

At halftime I had zero hope we would get anything from the game - We just seem to have been a bit battered and bruised from these past few weeks of injuries/draws/defeats.

My hope is that after that last 20 minutes or so the boys begin to believe in themselves, and remember that we're a Championship side on merit. Millwall looked imperious for most of the game and were certainly rocking by the end of it.

I liked the awkwardness of Will Goodwin once he arrived on the scene, many sides in our division play with a single striker so defenders know patterns and are drilled on what to do with that. Millwall were very much in control at the back against both Dane Scarlett and Mark Harris, but once Goodwin arrived it caused some real confusion. Food for thought.

Matt Phillips looked way off of being ready for a return - How I would love to see Kyle Edwards back, I think he is more effective than Dembele in my opinion.

As others have said Brannagan should stay in that deeper role, He will be firing on all cylinders very soon I'm sure.

I thought Ciaron Brown was excellent he is a master of 'getting a toe in'

Tyler Goodrham - what a strike, so so good to see that smash in and lift the stadium

 

[Swaby39]

Odd comment. I totally disagree. Millwall hardly caused Cumming any problems in the first half despite the long throws, corners and free kicks.
I thought that Millwall tired whereas our substitutions gave us energy ( a little surprising as we played midweek and they didn't)

It’s open to interpretation I suppose but I saw a side that didn’t think we would make a dent in them and felt they could get out at 1-0 fairly comfortably. Can’t say I disagree with them if that was the case.

Bradshaw wasn’t as difficult to deal with as Coburn, but they had plenty of runners in midfield.

Azeez had the freedom of the wing and I think if they’d just continued to feed him like the first half, we were there for the taking.

Agree our substitutions brought some life to us that proved critical in getting a point which is a positive we can take, but on another day (similar to Hull), the game would already be gone by then against decent opposition. See Shef Utd, see Boro, see Sunderland and so on. It’s not right to say ‘well yeah but their team is loads better’… we are where we are on merit, as are they, and the teams that stay up are the ones who can give those sides a game and get unlikely points even if not able to tiki-taka for them.

Yet to win away all season and we’re in dire form which doesn’t give me much hope for Plymouth who will rightly come at us for a win.

 

[Foley]

We're still outside the relegation zone, due to the points we accumulated at the start of the season, when all other teams were finding their feet, and we had momentum with a very much settled side from last season.

Ironically, we did it largely with the side that got us promoted from league one, but we hit the ground running, and got some fantastic results in that period.

Since everything has settled down, the realities of the level we're now at, and the shortcomings of the players who came up with us, and the players we brought in over the summer has been exposed, and we've barely had a sniff since.

If you think 1 win in 15 is competitive, then yes, your definition of competitive is indeed different to mine.

Get your head out the sand, too many players in our squad are not up to this level, and as the season goes on, it's becoming clear just how far off this level they are.

Now that's fine, if we improve on what we've got in January, because what we've got now, as hard as they've worked, and as well as they've done up until now, won't be enough to keep us up.

Most people thought that it would be a tough old season and 21st will be successful.
I reckon that generally we have been competitive.
You mention the last 15 games. In my view we have definitely been competitive against Millwall, Watford, WBA Hull, Burnley, Luton, Pompey Swansea, Derby, Bristol C.
We have been outplayed against Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Sheff U undoubtedly- but this is not a huge surprise.
Players are coming back ( although we will still miss Dembelee/ Nelson/ Bennett).
The next few games and January transfer window are really important of course.

 

[Mad Dog]

Main observation today was just how cockney Millwall are.

I mean, walking round the South Stand to the open end after the game it was so obvious who was an away fan wasn't it?

All of their fans over the age of 40 looked like this...

View attachment 23805

(you'll see fewer flatcaps at a Peaky Blinders convention).

...and all of their fans under the age of 40 looked like this...

View attachment 23802

I must say, the Millwall fans seemed like the biggest bunch of twats that have visited Grenoble Road this season.

Taking this P**s out of our stadium ( we've heard it all before, you dullards)
Singing "let him die" when Sam was clearly badly injured
And that incessant drone

And booing their manager at the end, even though they're sat just outside the playoffs, unbeaten in 9 games

s**t club. s**t fans.

 

[MiddleBartonYellow]

They didnt play, they hoof and they were absolute s**t.

I don’t know what that makes us then. Complete no hopers I suppose.

 

[Made-in-Jericho]

It’s open to interpretation I suppose but I saw a side that didn’t think we would make a dent in them and felt they could get out at 1-0 fairly comfortably. Can’t say I disagree with them if that was the case.

Bradshaw wasn’t as difficult to deal with as Coburn, but they had plenty of runners in midfield.

Azeez had the freedom of the wing and I think if they’d just continued to feed him like the first half, we were there for the taking.

Agree our substitutions brought some life to us that proved critical in getting a point which is a positive we can take, but on another day (similar to Hull), the game would already be gone by then against decent opposition. See Shef Utd, see Boro, see Sunderland and so on. It’s not right to say ‘well yeah but their team is loads better’… we are where we are on merit, as are they, and the teams that stay up are the ones who can give those sides a game and get unlikely points even if not able to tiki-taka for them.

Yet to win away all season and we’re in dire form which doesn’t give me much hope for Plymouth who will rightly come at us for a win.

You may have some valid points but the constant negativity is getting tedious and boring. We are all aware it will be a struggle this season and no surprise after 25 years away and FFP rules applying. Maybe just try to enjoy the ride and what will be, will be.

 

[chromeyellow]

It’s open to interpretation I suppose but I saw a side that didn’t think we would make a dent in them and felt they could get out at 1-0 fairly comfortably. Can’t say I disagree with them if that was the case.

Bradshaw wasn’t as difficult to deal with as Coburn, but they had plenty of runners in midfield.

Azeez had the freedom of the wing and I think if they’d just continued to feed him like the first half, we were there for the taking.

Agree our substitutions brought some life to us that proved critical in getting a point which is a positive we can take, but on another day (similar to Hull), the game would already be gone by then against decent opposition. See Shef Utd, see Boro, see Sunderland and so on. It’s not right to say ‘well yeah but their team is loads better’… we are where we are on merit, as are they, and the teams that stay up are the ones who can give those sides a game and get unlikely points even if not able to tiki-taka for them.

Yet to win away all season and we’re in dire form which doesn’t give me much hope for Plymouth who will rightly come at us for a win.

The teams that stay up are those that get more points than three other teams. There are no restrictions on who those points are scored against. you don't get more for scrabbling a point against Sunderland or Boro. Indeed arguanbly points against teams around us in the table are most important since as well as counting for us they take potential points away from competitiors.

You may not have disagreed with Millwall that "they could get out at 1-0 fairly comfortably". Fortunately Des and the players disagreed, which is why we got a point.

Also points scored at the beginning of the season don't count less than those at the end.

We are currently 17th. with a cluster of four clubs on 18 points. Coventry (lost 3-2 away) Luton (drew 2-2 away) and Preston (beat 3-1 at home) that suggests that we are comeptitive with the teams around us.

Millwall are in 10th place and have seven more points. They have been at this level for 8 years. i'd say a point is a good result.

 

[bazzer9461]

Wimp.
And what about...

Bertie Mee said to Bill Shankly
Have you heard of the lads from Highbury
Shanks said no I don't think so
But I've heard of the Oxford Agro.

Very old skool sir. I remeber us kids singing that so early in life and I though who the fcuk are they

 

[Gregortheox]

Thought we were sub standard for 70 mins yesterday. But maybe that was the idea…stay in the game and try and nick something.
I think we are better than this though and I was disappointed with the performance more than the result.

 

[maidenheadox]

I think the way teams play against us has changed over the course of the season. It seems that the division has figured out that we struggle against the high press, we are seeing it every week.

I was pleased to see Phillips and Placheta start, it has felt like we have been desperate to get some wingers back. However they offered nothing and I was starting to wonder what the answer is. We really offered nothing for 75 minutes.

I'd like to see El Miz starting as he is a bit more physical. RR was great when he came on, but he needs to find more consistency. Goodwin looked a handful for his brief cameo, would like to see more of him. I guess fair play to Des for changing things around.

Anyway Plymouth have looked awful lately. Bristol City could have beaten them 8-0 yesterday. A confidence boosting away win next week and on we go.

 

[Northstand grandad]

I watched Plymouth v Watford the other week....although Watford were dominant, Plymouth had resilience, the player that got their 2 brilliant goals has to be closely watched.

 

[RgYellows]

But Scarlett had done little to warrant staying on. He was being monstered by the Millwall midfield - we never got the ball forward for him to see if he could best their defenders. The match had developed into one where he couldn't utilise his skills.

I'd have hooked him at half time as Harris has a bit more physicality and his off the shoulder runs would at least have given them something different to defend.

Hopefully with Goodwin at last getting a go, Des can think about using all three in his match day plans rather than simply rotating the two current incumbents.

I think the point about Scarlett is that he doesn’t need more than a half chance to score - Boro, Derby etc.

At the time, it didn’t look like we could hope for more than half a chance, so people wanted it to fall to Scarlett.

I liked the awkwardness of Will Goodwin once he arrived on the scene, many sides in our division play with a single striker so defenders know patterns and are drilled on what to do with that. Millwall were very much in control at the back against both Dane Scarlett and Mark Harris, but once Goodwin arrived it caused some real confusion. Food for thought.

Agreed that the unexpected shift really worked for us.

If we were to do it more often, teams would be prepared for it, I have no doubt.

 

[Jster]

I wasn't at all surprised Scarlett was hooked either. He was finding no joy from our style of play, and we needed a change. (Harris did even less, of course, but still. Only when Goodwin came on did we carry a threat up front.)

 

[ZeroTheHero]

Of course, both Scarlett and Harris were given absolutely nothing to work with - there was literally no supply. Whether we'd had Maradona or Madonna up front would have made no difference at that point in the game.

 

[Yellow Mustard]

What struck me most was that nobody wanted the ball- everyone was hiding from throw ins! Reminds me of being 10 years old, playing CM and playing a team far better than mine and thinking 'f**k this, I don't want to be the one to be mugged for the 400th time in midfield'.

I was 10. And s**t.

That really pissed me off- nobody taking responsibility in possession and being brave. So give it to Brown/Long and punt it into a channel. Rubbish.

Thank god for TG. And well done El Miz and Dale.

 

[holdsteady]

I wasn't at all surprised Scarlett was hooked either. He was finding no joy from our style of play, and we needed a change. (Harris did even less, of course, but still. Only when Goodwin came on did we carry a threat up front.)

Did Harris do less? I realise he isn’t flavour of the month and Scarlett is (bit of a turnaround from the beginning of the season), and nothing he did a really came off, but after his one run and very hopeful shot in the first half I don’t think Scarlett really got involved in the game at all.

Not knocking Scarlett, it was a thankless task while he was on the pitch, but all of our subs did more than the players they replaced for me, that with the tactical changes got us further up the pitch and back into the game.