Home Match Day Thread 7/4/2023 L1: OUFC v Sheffield Wednesday

[uptheus]

Much better today. Christ if we had even another month with Manning we wouldn't be in this mess, the difference in performance has been night and day from the previous manager.

Either Browne or Brown MOTM for me, although McGuane also had a decent game. I'd still like him to be more positive though, there's too many three yard passes between the centre backs for me.

Hopefully Moore isn't too bad but if he misses out it might force us into a wingback formation which would be no bad thing. Fleming when he came on made a fantastic block and also had a great run that nearly led to something. Also means we don't play wingers so can bin off Murphy and Wildschut who were both awful today and contributed nothing, they could have both been off at half time with no complaints.

Also Eastwood was brilliant in the second half after an incredibly shaky opening, much more commanding from crosses and the save from the header was too drawer.

Results have gone against us elsewhere today but I've said since Manning came in we'll be safe and I stand by it, very confident that we'll be clear before the final game of the season despite the mess he was left.

Browne was never MOTM. Gave the ball away too cheaply on a few occasions and didn’t really do that much throughout the game. He did deliver a couple of dead balls into the box, but again didn’t do a great deal.

Re; Manning, I’ll hold my thoughts at the moment, so won’t just join the sheep just yet.

 

[uptheus]

Monday's game is so critical.

Port Vale have just lost back-to-back to Cambridge and Accrington; they'll be missing their holding central midfielder because he got sent off today and missing their striker because he's ours. Plus, we're all of a sudden organized and competent again. It's the game that should be the end of our winless run.

Win it, and I think we'll stay up relatively comfortably.

Don't win it, then we're facing three more tough games back-to-back, and I reckon it'll all end up coming down to the final day........

All our games are critical

 

[Joey]

Aston Villa tried to buy him and Arsenal scouted him for a full year, so not sure it’s just a few Oxford fans thinking he was better than he was.

You're more ITK than me for sure but how come we kept hold of him? Were Aston Villa not able to offer enough money to prise him away from us? I'm sure if they'd really, really wanted him they'd have had him.

Whatever the truth of it is, I'm sure they're not too disappointed to have a World Cup winner in goal rather than a guy who's spent two years being in and out of bang average League One teams, regularly getting beaten by shots across his body and booting the ball straight into touch a few times a game. If he was nothing to do with the club already no one would be calling for us to sign him.

 

[06russ]

Don’t really blame Eastwood for the goal, it was a good finish but I can’t understand why Yanic I believe showed him inside and basically invited him to shoot.

Would definitely start O’Donkor Monday, we looked much better with him up top.

We really need to beat Port Vale and drag them in. I know Stevens and Taylor can’t play against us but it doesn’t sit well with me that we’ve loaned a direct rival 2 players so are actively helping them to finish above us and possibly send us down with them playing in all their other games.

 

[uptheus]

I heard one comment from a fan behind me in the first half shouting something along the lines of should have stayed in the kitchen, only said it and obviously realised his error or was told to shut up by his mates. She may have made mistakes but we've seen many male referees who were far worse on multiple occasions.

Also I thought Murphy did okay today, first half we were clearly doing a containment job and thought he helped out defensively very well which obviously meant he wasn't always the outlet many expected. I think he's an easy target given his history this season but think he deserves a clean start and judge him on the here and now.

I believe comment was a joke, so completely misread by yourself if that’s how your saw/heard it.

 

[nick68]

I believe comment was a joke, so completely misread by yourself if that’s how your saw/heard it.

How very funny, clearly humour is lost on me. Is that you saying it was you or someone you know as if not how can you possibly declare it was said as a joke?

 

[uptheus]

Well, I think it was a very entertaining game. 2nd half more so than the first. Great effort by all. Nobody went into hiding. Well pleased.

As for the ref?

Good to see equality on show. But it was Confirmation that poor decisions can be made by any gender…no matter how one ‘identifies’ IMHO a mid table performance from the lady/she/her/woteva.

I think she got the Browne penalty decision wrong, but think it was amends for getting the Findlay one wrong.

 

[uptheus]

How very funny, clearly humour is lost on me. Is that you saying it was you or someone you know as if not how can you possibly declare it was said as a joke?

Someone I know. It was said as a joke e.g. insinuating some fans that actually used to say it in the past and mean it, but it was said in humour amongst friends.

 

[Joey]

And lastly, I actually think it’s very much the same in out overall okay. Yes, we look more structured, but we still lack anything in the final third. Joseph still runs around a lot, and you certainly cannot question his effort, but lacks any kind of finesse/cuteness or the ability to read the flight/bounce of the ball.

Disagree with this, we look an absolute mile better than we were under Robinson, you can tell there's some sort of plan in place and the players know what they're meant to be doing which is a huge step up. We don't have much cutting edge but we do look more dangerous and he can only work with the players he's got.

Was disappointed with Murphy yet again, and how he gets ahead of Goodrham is beyond me too.

Agreed, crap again today. That was a decent opportunity to square to Joseph that he absolutely leathered across goal, no striker was getting on the end of that.

Lastly, we’re a long way from looking like we’ll avoid relegation. In fact, due to our lack of ability to create good open chances or ever really looking like we’ll score in open play makes me think we’ll get relegated, but I hope I’m wrong.

We won't go down. We've managed to get the shitshow we were left into some sort of semi coherent team and despite the glaring errors in our squad building for the last 18 months it's a better squad than any of the teams below us, and this is from someone who has money on us going down.

Has much changed, not really, but I guess Manning can only play with the hand he’s been dealt.

As you say he can only play the hand he's been dealt. If you can't see the massive improvement since he took over then we'll have to agree to disagree. We look marginally more dangerous and a hell of a lot better at the back, plus there's clearly a plan in place rather than sticking 11 players on the pitch and hoping for the best.

 

[Scotchegg]

Not sure what game you were watching, but Eastwood had a great game today. Yes, one dodgy kick in the first half, but the ball bobbled just in front of him, plus a very poor back pass by Long on another occasion which he did the right thing. Other than that his handling was excellent, took crossed and made 2 world class saves.

Oh, and how McGuane got MOTM is beyond me. I actually thought it was either Eastwood or Brown.

And lastly, I actually think it’s very much the same in out overall okay. Yes, we look more structured, but we still lack anything in the final third. Joseph still runs around a lot, and you certainly cannot question his effort, but lacks any kind of finesse/cuteness or the ability to read the flight/bounce of the ball.

Was disappointed with Murphy yet again, and how he gets ahead of Goodrham is beyond me too.

Lastly, we’re a long way from looking like we’ll avoid relegation. In fact, due to our lack of ability to create good open chances or ever really looking like we’ll score in open play makes me think we’ll get relegated, but I hope I’m wrong.

Has much changed, not really, but I guess Manning can only play with the hand he’s been dealt.

Based on that, I'd actually question what game you were watching. Easty made 2 dodgy clearances, the first may well have bobbled a little, but looked more like he took his eye off the ball. The second came at him hard from Long, but having controlled it with his right he then shinned it with his left when it needed more composure. He then flapped at and missed a cross that fortunately hit the Sheff Weds forward and Easty was able to collect following a little scramble. He failed to take a fairly tame shot from distance but fortunately claimed the loose ball before others could get to it, and was scampering away from goal to see a ball out that was kept in and nearly created a chance once the ball came back in. And the goal was fantastically placed, but Easty struggled to get his feet moving leaving him too much to do with the dive. By any standards that was a pretty poor first half and I'm sure he'd say the same. Second half was different gravy, and I acknowledged that.

As for looking the same upfront, I can only assume that you haven't seen many games this calender year? The hold up play from Gat and Joseph to a lesser degree was excellent. Browne and Murphy created more decent balls into the box today than we saw through February and March combined. Yes we need to make these opportunities count, but a blind man could see the improvements that have been made, especially against a team that were top of the league at kickoff.

Finally, I have no ideal how you can say that we are a team looking a long way from avoiding relegation. Remaining unbeaten from here give us 46 points with a better goal difference than most teams in the bottom half. We've just taken points against Peterborough and Sheffield Wednesday. We play Port Vale next who just got dicked and have a minimum of 3 enforced changes to their starting line up. We also have Cheltenham, Forest Green and Accrington Stanley to play. Have you honestly not seen anything over the last few games that gives you hope that we can get a couple of wins from these games?

I know that I come across as overly positive, but this defeatist thinking is beyond me.

 

[Joey]

Browne was never MOTM. Gave the ball away too cheaply on a few occasions and didn’t really do that much throughout the game. He did deliver a couple of dead balls into the box, but again didn’t do a great deal.

Re; Manning, I’ll hold my thoughts at the moment, so won’t just join the sheep just yet.

Browne was excellent today, either him or Ciaron for MOTM. You say he didn't deliver but he won the penalty, probably a little softly, created our two best chances for Moore and with a different ref gets Vaulks sent off in the first half. Still did some silly stuff like give up on the ball in the corner and that shot on his left when he was off balance but for most the game Sheffield Wednesday couldn't deal with him.

 

[uptheus]

Disagree with this, we look an absolute mile better than we were under Robinson, you can tell there's some sort of plan in place and the players know what they're meant to be doing which is a huge step up. We don't have much cutting edge but we do look more dangerous and he can only work with the players he's got.

Agreed, crap again today. That was a decent opportunity to square to Joseph that he absolutely leathered across goal, no striker was getting on the end of that.

We won't go down. We've managed to get the shitshow we were left into some sort of semi coherent team and despite the glaring errors in our squad building for the last 18 months it's a better squad than any of the teams below us, and this is from someone who has money on us going down.

As you say he can only play the hand he's been dealt. If you can't see the massive improvement since he took over then we'll have to agree to disagree. We look marginally more dangerous and a hell of a lot better at the back, plus there's clearly a plan in place rather than sticking 11 players on the pitch and hoping for the best.

Wouldn’t say massive improvement, more like a slight improvement with basic coaching/management e.g. players knowing their roles on and off the ball and working as a unit.

 

[Joey]

Wouldn’t say massive improvement, more like a slight improvement with basic coaching/management e.g. players knowing their roles on and off the ball and working as a unit.

Which they weren't doing before, meaning we looked awful and lost eight games in a row. It's a game of opinions but I'm surprised that people aren't seeing far better performances, even if they've only come about by making small tweaks, or in this case actually bothering with some tactics and coaching. Under previous management we'd have lost today and last weekend almost certainly and be right in the brown stuff

 

[holdsteady]

Port Vale is massive on Monday, the following Saturday we are at home to Bolton while Accrington are at home to Fleetwood, we follow up against Portsmouth and Barnsley so given we haven’t won in 13 we really need to end that run before a tricky little run of fixtures and hopefully stay ahead of the chasing Accrington and Cambridge (Forest Green and Morecambe look done for), also a win and MK Dons loss would bring them back into it.

Monday looks pivotal to our season, we are not going to just draw our way out of this, no way does this side not lose a few games before the end of the season, time to get a win.

 

[Theox07]

Yanic wildschut has not one good attribute
Can’t run not even that quick
Not a great passer
Doesn’t work hard
Never tracks back
Has literally 0 skill

Dreadful player

 

[uptheus]

Based on that, I'd actually question what game you were watching. Easty made 2 dodgy clearances, the first may well have bobbled a little, but looked more like he took his eye off the ball. The second came at him hard from Long, but having controlled it with his right he then shinned it with his left when it needed more composure. He then flapped at and missed a cross that fortunately hit the Sheff Weds forward and Easty was able to collect following a little scramble. He failed to take a fairly tame shot from distance but fortunately claimed the loose ball before others could get to it, and was scampering away from goal to see a ball out that was kept in and nearly created a chance once the ball came back in. And the goal was fantastically placed, but Easty struggled to get his feet moving leaving him too much to do with the dive. By any standards that was a pretty poor first half and I'm sure he'd say the same. Second half was different gravy, and I acknowledged that.

As for looking the same upfront, I can only assume that you haven't seen many games this calender year? The hold up play from Gat and Joseph to a lesser degree was excellent. Browne and Murphy created more decent balls into the box today than we saw through February and March combined. Yes we need to make these opportunities count, but a blind man could see the improvements that have been made, especially against a team that were top of the league at kickoff.

Finally, I have no ideal how you can say that we are a team looking a long way from avoiding relegation. Remaining unbeaten from here give us 46 points with a better goal difference than most teams in the bottom half. We've just taken points against Peterborough and Sheffield Wednesday. We play Port Vale next who just got dicked and have a minimum of 3 enforced changes to their starting line up. We also have Cheltenham, Forest Green and Accrington Stanley to play. Have you honestly not seen anything over the last few games that gives you hope that we can get a couple of wins from these games?

I know that I come across as overly positive, but this defeatist thinking is beyond me.

Not much different to the performances under Short.

I’m just concerned that we don’t look like scoring a goal in open play, so if we concede we’ll probably end up losing or drawing at best.

ps that back pass by Long was woeful, and I actually felt Eastwood was more assured in his catching/crosses, so coupled with the world class save(s) I’d say he wasn’t far off of MOTM, so don’t even know why we’re talking about him.

As fir Murphy, well he can’t be any worse than he was in Feb/March as we hardly seen him, but when we have he might as well not be on the pitch.

If we get a win at Port Vale on Monday then we might just turn the corner to avoid relegation e.g. give a bit more belief, but I think we’ll either draw (again) or lose, but hope I’m wrong.

 

[Scotchegg]

Not much different to the performances under Short.

I’m just concerned that we don’t look like scoring a goal in open play, so if we concede we’ll probably end up losing or drawing at best.

ps that back pass by Long was woeful, and I actually felt Eastwood was more assured in his catching/crosses, so coupled with the world class save(s) I’d say he wasn’t far off of MOTM, so don’t even know why we’re talking about him.

As fir Murphy, well he can’t be any worse than he was in Feb/March as we hardly seen him, but when we have he might as well not be on the pitch.

If we get a win at Port Vale on Monday then we might just turn the corner to avoid relegation e.g. give a bit more belief, but I think we’ll either draw (again) or lose, but hope I’m wrong.

You seem to be wrong about so much so let's hope that continues!

 

[Foley]

I am sure that we all hoped that JS would develop further. He was a teriffic prospect.
He definitely dropped his standards though.
It looked like a very poor performance today against Accrington.
I really hope that he regains his MOJO, but he needs to really up his game

 

[uptheus]

Browne was excellent today, either him or Ciaron for MOTM. You say he didn't deliver but he won the penalty, probably a little softly, created our two best chances for Moore and with a different ref gets Vaulks sent off in the first half. Still did some silly stuff like give up on the ball in the corner and that shot on his left when he was off balance but for most the game Sheffield Wednesday couldn't deal with him.

And gave away the ball again cheaply on the left side (2nd half). I’d like to see him deliver those kind of balls into the danger area he did today in open play.

Like I said, my MOTM was with Brown or Eastwood.

 

[uptheus]

You seem to be wrong about so much so let's hope that continues!

Jesus, that’s cheap coming from you.