Home Match Day Thread 31/01/2026 - MDT: Oxford United v Birmingham City

[Carpy]

 

[uptheus]

A major problem for us is we can't pass the ball successfully. The stats at half time showed from memory 82% for them and 68% for us, so we are constantly giving the ball away even on short passes. Unless we can improve this we won't compete.

Not sure if this stat is our general play or just based upon yesterday’s game. If it’s on yesterday’s game, then we always struggle when teams press us high as our defenders don’t have great distribution.

 

[Billyox]

Not sure if this stat is our general play or just based upon yesterday’s game. If it’s on yesterday’s game, then we always struggle when teams press us high as our defenders don’t have great distribution.

Full game 66% pass competition
Leicester 47%
Qpr 75%
Bristol city 65%
Ipswich 77%
Swansea 68%

 

[uptheus]

Full game 66% pass competition
Leicester 47%
Qpr 75%
Bristol city 65%
Ipswich 77%
Swansea 68%

So with the Leicester stat, it just goes to prove the most important stat is goals!!

 

[werthersoriginal]

Somebody on RadOx after the game said that we tend to fire passes at knee height which are hard to control, whereas Birmingham and many of our opponents this season pass smoothly to feet. That basically means we’re playing teams who are better at football than us, and beating them is a hard ask but not impossible. Tactics, hard work, and pace are the key.

 

[Bretch Hill]

Yesterday was p**s poor tbh didn’t seem to be able to pass the ball and when we had possession the ball seemed to spend most of the time in the air. It’s not over yet for sure and hopefully Bloomfield will push this team into some consistency.i watched highlights of a couple of games last night boro played some great passing football. QPR looked a lot like us with the ball spending a lot of time floating through the air. The difference being they scored a couple of goals.

 

[ECYellow]

And on Charlton and Portsmouth, the latter always seem to do very well at home - Fratton Park is an amazing ground with a great atmosphere, and they make the most of that. (And there's nothing wrong with Mousinho - I still see him as the one that got away.)

As for Charlton, they aren't some tiny minnow, they're a historically fairly large club that gets almost double the crowds we do. Even so, I think of all those above the line, they stand the biggest chance of being dragged back into it.

I don’t really subscribe to the ‘luck’ theory, I think you end up where you deserve to end up after 46 games, but it has to be said that Charlton are having a fair chunk go their way atm. They played against 9 Sheff Utd players for over half a game a couple of weeks ago in a 1-0 win. Meanwhile they played against 10 at Leicester for 85 minutes yesterday. That can’t be bad for them.

 

[Billyox]

So with the Leicester stat, it just goes to prove the most important stat is goals!!

Always has been

 

[Billyox]

Somebody on RadOx after the game said that we tend to fire passes at knee height which are hard to control, whereas Birmingham and many of our opponents this season pass smoothly to feet. That basically means we’re playing teams who are better at football than us, and beating them is a hard ask but not impossible. Tactics, hard work, and pace are the key.

Or just go full on long ball and bypass what we are not good at

 

[ZeroTheHero]

I still maintain that Birmingham are an average Champ side. Look at the table - in 13th place, won 9 (before yesterday), drawn 9, lost 11. Goals for (before yesterday) 41, goals against 41. So average in every respect over the pretty significant stretch of the season so far.

So I think when we watch a games like yesterday and say that they were well- drilled, strong, organised, skillful, fast etc, we have to remember that we are judging that on how they played *against us*, and their performance might be highlighting some of our deficiencies rather than them suddenly improving from average into something special.

Sorry

 

[Oxford84]

Does it take a drummer to start the crowd now? Is that where our fan base is at?

It takes a performance from the players on the pitch, whos going to get excited and sing about the other team outplaying us and every time we get the ball we give it away.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

I still maintain that Birmingham are an average Champ side. Look at the table - in 13th place, won 9 (before yesterday), drawn 9, lost 11. Goals for (before yesterday) 41, goals against 41. So average in every respect over the pretty significant stretch of the season so far.

So I think when we watch a games like yesterday and say that they were well- drilled, strong, organised, skillful, fast etc, we have to remember that we are judging that on how they played *against us*, and their performance might be highlighting some of our deficiencies rather than them suddenly improving from average into something special.

Sorry

I agree Birmingham are an average Championship side, the issue is we are a below average Championship side.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

I agree Birmingham are an average Championship side, the issue is we are a below average Championship side.

I agree, but some people were claiming that our loss yesterday was down to Birmingham being the best, fastest etc team we had played this season. I was just pointing out that they are in fact, average.

 

[SSO]

At this level you have to take a chance and we had 3 great crosses in the first 4 minutes and couldn’t convert anything from them. Most teams this level take 2 of those and we take none. I thought their full backs first half were the worst we have played this season.

This may well be true, but I'd suggest that we need to look at the 'why' more than the bare fact itself.

What passing options do our players have when they receive the ball?

Are our players without the ball working effectively together to create space? Do we have runners in behind, and/or others dropping short?

How many Oxford players are within 10-15 yards of the player with the ball v opposition players?

If we can't progress the ball beyond our deep lying midfielder without pumping it long and hoping to win a second ball (how many of those did we win yesterday?), then too many of our passes basically become 50/50s - can we win a header/hold up a long ball, and can we then somehow pick up that second ball?

We're too easy to press, and teams let our CBs have the ball, because they know that they aren't going to find a pass through the lines because a) we don't have a CB capable of that, and b) the movement isn't there to create the environment for that pass. We're too static in possession.

So Cam drops deep and looks for long diagonals to the wingers, but again that means we're hoping to win 50/50s.

Despite sometimes offering a really good outlet, I thought Shemmy was dire yesterday. Someone summed him up beautifully elsewhere - he drops deep and holds position when he should see there's a chance for him to run in behind, and runs in behind when there's no pass on. Late on yesterday. Cam picked it up between our LB and LCB, and their RB was out of positon. Instead of hugging the touchline, making himself available and dragging their LCB out of positions to cover him, Shemmy made a run inside and tried to go through the middle. He gave himself no space, and Cam no angle. And don't even get me started on him losing the ball trying to take on three of their players half way inside our half, resulting in possession lost and their second goal.

So many teams we play seem capable of quick little bursts of one touch passes and fluid movement to beat our press, but we so often seem so slow, ponderous and deliberative. Someone will spot the right pass, dwell a second too long, and it's gone.

Perfectly summed up there for me. Especially that last paragraph. Teams seem to be able to do the bare minimum to keep us out and then they can step it up when it matters. One thing I was impressed with yesterday was first half our starting position without the ball was 20 yards further forward than normal. Against some sides that is suicidal but Birmingham were simply not that good at that type of football. Then they scored and it was a different game altogether. They just waited it out like a lot of teams do against us and picked us off and 2-0 was game over.

 

[Smokey’s Chair]

I disagree.

Early on we were all over them, they didn’t get going at all.

The goal completely changed things, and it was a very lucky one which never should have happened because it was taken from the wrong place. Go in at half time 0-0 and I don’t think the rest of that game goes the way it does - their goal crushed us and buoyed them.

Their second goal was better, but still poor defending by us. It definitely felt like we were poor rather than they were anything special. And even with that in mind we created a few openings at the end.

That’s a game where I come away thinking we were poor rather than the opposition were anything special.

Completely agree - the ball was not in the position it should have been in.

It shows that there is naivety in the mindset of our players as none of them confronted the officials, not even Cam Bran was there to challenge it but instead simply let it slide.

If that would have been in the other end of the stadium in the North Stand/East Stand corner then it would've been hounded out by the fans - but instead it let Brum play some skilful dark arts and score - in which had it been taken in the correct place it would've probably, never gone in.

Sadly, we witnessed yet another back to back chance of 3 massive points in a game that had around 5 minutes of promise and 85 minutes of no cohesion.

Now the club has to go again at Sheffield United on Tuesday a game where lots of us travelled only for a seemingly clever 'flick' of the wrist in proceedings.
How many supporters will travel this time around is anyones guess but I'll be there (again) taking time off work and hoping for a improved performance and before anybody says I'll take a draw from the comfort of their armchair - think of the consequences that GR's mentality set the football club and the majority of it supporters to think we were onto a winner.

 

[Oldman159]

Atmosphere? Win a few home games and it will be great again. (MAGA? ) - simples!

However ….‘Atmosphere’ is not always a good thing… the groans at a missed placed pass or poor distribution must affect the players especially if there skills are ‘not the highest’

From my seat in the SSU I thought the bluenose support was poor. After 23 years of listening to 50 or so away fans benefiting from the megaphone effect of that corner of the NS, they were pretty quiet most of the time. I hope we sort out the acoustics in the Triangle (BTW whatever happened to 106?)

DUH! put the away fans in the bottom corner of the FOSB stand? (the one adjacent to the ancient woodlands remaining tree…….) Simples II.

 

[PottersRightBoot]

You’re not going to be staying up in the Championship with Sparky starting as your centre forward.

The owner is spending big and we’re very lucky to have him but 1, he’s not spending enough - well not compared to the impressive, rather robotic Brum City, and 2, I doubt if he’s allowed to spend much more.

Dread to think what the wage bills are currently with the incredibly bloated squad .

We simply couldn’t live with the Blues yesterday. It was like a spirited pop gun against a panzer division.

Thought the subs were ok , even Romeny, who was put on show no doubt because Thohir was there. But the game was over as a contest as soon as they scored.

There’s no point screaming at the players or the manager or the board. We are up against it and it’s Wilder and Lampard next. We might get something against Cov, but not so sure on Tuesday.

 

[m]

I still maintain that Birmingham are an average Champ side. Look at the table - in 13th place, won 9 (before yesterday), drawn 9, lost 11. Goals for (before yesterday) 41, goals against 41. So average in every respect over the pretty significant stretch of the season so far.

So I think when we watch a games like yesterday and say that they were well- drilled, strong, organised, skillful, fast etc, we have to remember that we are judging that on how they played *against us*, and their performance might be highlighting some of our deficiencies rather than them suddenly improving from average into something special.

Sorry

100% this.

Birmingham were unremarkable and iirc on a pretty poor away run, and they absolutely coasted to victory.

It would have been naive to think there wouldn't have been performances like yesterday's under Bloomfield. It's the first for him. It's far from the first we've seen as supporters this season. I hope and pray that he works out a way of fixing it.

 

[MiddleBartonYellow]

The worst is, Birmingham are the worst team we’ve played, that’s the worry.

You see a completely different game to me then.

 

[PottersRightBoot]

I still maintain that Birmingham are an average Champ side. Look at the table - in 13th place, won 9 (before yesterday), drawn 9, lost 11. Goals for (before yesterday) 41, goals against 41. So average in every respect over the pretty significant stretch of the season so far.

So I think when we watch a games like yesterday and say that they were well- drilled, strong, organised, skillful, fast etc, we have to remember that we are judging that on how they played *against us*, and their performance might be highlighting some of our deficiencies rather than them suddenly improving from average into something special.

Sorry

Disagree. Birmingham will be in the playoffs. They’ve just strengthened their squad. We saw that strength yesterday. We were tonked.


They were massively better than say Leicester, Southampton and dare I say it Ipswich.

 

[MiddleBartonYellow]

I think this match more of less confirms relegation. If my maths is correct and at least 50 points is need to reach safety then we have to win the equivalent of eight of the remaining games.
does anybody really believe we are capable of that?

53 points to be sure, they won’t give up on it but they won’t do it will they.

 

[MiddleBartonYellow]

I do. Because I'd rather have hope than either moan about how sh!t we are for the next 4 months, or smugly declare that I called it in November or whenever.

I'd rather believe we can stay up until it's mathematically impossible and be wrong, than throw in the towel with 17 games left.

In all probability we'll go down, but I'll still believe we can stay up until it's impossible.

Hope the players have the same attitude.
I sometimes think that the confidence is bit thin.

 

[ECYellow]

I think this match more of less confirms relegation. If my maths is correct and at least 50 points is need to reach safety then we have to win the equivalent of eight of the remaining games.
does anybody really believe we are capable of that?

Wonder if I can get a refund on my season ticket if the season is already over with 8 games to spare.

Come on man, get a grip!

 

[SSO]

You’re not going to be staying up in the Championship with Sparky starting as your centre forward.

The owner is spending big and we’re very lucky to have him but 1, he’s not spending enough - well not compared to the impressive, rather robotic Brum City, and 2, I doubt if he’s allowed to spend much more.

Dread to think what the wage bills are currently with the incredibly bloated squad .

We simply couldn’t live with the Blues yesterday. It was like a spirited pop gun against a panzer division.

Thought the subs were ok , even Romeny, who was put on show no doubt because Thohir was there. But the game was over as a contest as soon as they scored.

There’s no point screaming at the players or the manager or the board. We are up against it and it’s Wilder and Lampard next. We might get something against Cov, but not so sure on Tuesday.

I don’t want to sound negative BUT I was just hoping we would get a point when I saw the line ups. We need BDK, Currie, Prelec, Donley all in and firing and not what we got yesterday.

Harris is the most ineffectual striker in this division. There were 4 moments in the first half where he had obviously read the brief about how heading the ball is bad for you and he even managed to miss an opportunity to head the ball when he was totally unchallenged in the middle of their half.

I am losing track of what we have or don’t have moving towards next season. I don’t think we will keep Donley (even though he has only had 15 mins) or Currie, MPH, Prelec or BDK. Those 5 alone would have us in the top 6 of L1. Without those 5 we will be a Plymouth next season.

 

[dickwalton1964]

I agree Birmingham are an average Championship side, the issue is we are a below average Championship side.

They’re better than average, a lot better than average. I can’t think of too many who have controlled a game and kept us at arms length as well as them. I think the crowd knew it too, we weren’t given a shred of hope from Birmingham hence the atmosphere never ramping up. I’m not saying I’d rush home expecting a classic if they were on the box but in terms of getting ahead, strangling the life out of a game and picking the right passes time after time after time then Birmingham put on a masterclass yesterday - quell the fast start from us, quieten the fans, get a foothold, go one up, gain total control, grab the second, see the game out, job done and the complete away performance.

 

[The Mighty Aldo]

You see a completely different game to me then.

Agree with you.
Derby must be the worst side we’ve played all season, followed by Portsmouth and Sheffield Utd
Followed by QPR and Bristol
There have been a lot of teams who have been similar to Birmingham. Swansea, Preston, Milwall who have held us at arms length once going ahead.

 

[dickwalton1964]

I don’t want to sound negative BUT I was just hoping we would get a point when I saw the line ups. We need BDK, Currie, Prelec, Donley all in and firing and not what we got yesterday.

Harris is the most ineffectual striker in this division. There were 4 moments in the first half where he had obviously read the brief about how heading the ball is bad for you and he even managed to miss an opportunity to head the ball when he was totally unchallenged in the middle of their half.

I am losing track of what we have or don’t have moving towards next season. I don’t think we will keep Donley (even though he has only had 15 mins) or Currie, MPH, Prelec or BDK. Those 5 alone would have us in the top 6 of L1. Without those 5 we will be a Plymouth next season.

Re Harris, well I predicted this last week in the aftermath of Leicester. I just couldn’t get carried away by him scoring, Harris is Harris and we’ve seen him revert to type on so many occasions. I wanted him gone or loaned out last Sunday and this Sunday is no different - a day and a bit to put him out of his misery and get him a loan back to L1 and his comfort zone.

 

[RgYellows]

I tried to get the singing going in the SSU which shows how poor it was today!!

Why does it? Atmosphere isn’t someone else’s job or responsibility. If you want it, you should be trying to create it.

You’re not going to be staying up in the Championship with Sparky starting as your centre forward.

What happened to us last year then

 

[uptheus]

Why does it? Atmosphere isn’t someone else’s job or responsibility. If you want it, you should be trying to create it.


What happened to us last year then

Because it’s generally not the singing/standing up section. You know,, like when we go away from home and you get those fans who insist on sitting right in the middle of the fans who tend to stand/sing because it’s the seat number on their ticket, even though they didn’t select that particular seat. Then spend all the game moaning because fans are stood up!!

The London Road never had a problem in the past!! But the East Stand was extremely poor/disappointing yesterday, especially as it’s generally known as the singing section, hence me trying to get the more senior section singing!!

 

[uptheus]

It takes a performance from the players on the pitch, whos going to get excited and sing about the other team outplaying us and every time we get the ball we give it away.

That’s the spirit!

 

[werthersoriginal]

Some very tearful complaints here. I thought we started well and the first goal was against the run of play, but after that we didn’t get a sniff. It’s hard to say whether the other team was good or we were bad but they were certainly very strong and professional and had a really dangerous fast left winger. They were well drilled whereas we were playing an unfamiliar system with new players and a veteran right winger as left wing back. This season Rowett tried various things and Bloomfield has used two formations, with the result that the players are confused and uncertain.