Away Match Day Thread 8/1/2022 L1: Lincoln City v OUFC

[ECYellow]

Anyone who thinks Eastwood is better than Stevens needs their head checking imo.

With all the crosses due to come in our box next week at Wycombe. Stevens has to start

Are you having a laugh? Are you seriously digging out Eastwood after yesterday’s performance? He was arguably our best player! He made a stunning save first half and was decisive with his punching from set plays - I’ve been critical of Eastwood previously but yesterday he had a good game.

If we’re calling players out based on yesterday, take a look at Long, Seddon, Brannagan (before he went off), Sykes, Taylor and Whyte.

Sam Long - I firmly believe he gets away with far more mediocre performances because he is a local lad. I’m yet to be convinced that any other promotion aspiring league 1 team would have him in their starting 11.

 

[Followtheox1]

Amount of overreaction on here is immense. Literally two games everyone was saying 'something special is happening this season'.
First away loss since September. Get over yerselves!

Yes agree with this. I also think for various reasons Lincoln are a lot better than their league position implies for example, let's not forget that their manager, who we know is quality, has been dealing with cancer and it's treatment. I think they will finish comfortably above relegation this season and will trouble others too.

 

[ECYellow]

We had two above average chances in the first half, Matty Taylor clean through and a slide rule pass into either corner of the goal he would have scored and shortly after Williams shot straight at the keeper when yet again hit the keeper rather than making the keeper save.....
5 points lost over the last two games and Matty Taylor is to blame, if he scores the penalty against Cheltenham, we win the game, he scores the first goal this afternoon when clean through I really do believe we will go on and win the game.
Timing is everything, what more can the rest of the team do when your main striker is out of form..........!
I am gutted today,.

It wasn’t Taylor’s fault for the crap closing down of Scully 18 yards from goal when the first went in and it wasn’t Taylor’s fault when we didn’t clear our lines for the second.

Taylor is a league 1 striker for a reason - because occasionally, it just won’t happen for him. Absolutely he should have score the penalty and the chance yesterday but, name me another player in our squad that you’d rather have playing in that number 9 role?

 

[Followtheox1]

Are you having a laugh? Are you seriously digging out Eastwood after yesterday’s performance? He was arguably our best player! He made a stunning save first half and was decisive with his punching from set plays - I’ve been critical of Eastwood previously but yesterday he had a good game.

If we’re calling players out based on yesterday, take a look at Long, Seddon, Brannagan (before he went off), Sykes, Taylor and Whyte.

Sam Long - I firmly believe he gets away with far more mediocre performances because he is a local lad. I’m yet to be convinced that any other promotion aspiring league 1 team would have him in their starting 11.

I thought Eastwood did fine I think that save was one he should have made though. The angle the player shot from meant the keeper was favourite all day long. I do think that the keepers job is not just making saves but also organising the defenders. Eastwood does seem quite a quiet keeper. I would be interested to know (we never will) who instills the most confidence in the defence as well as who they think is the better communicator.

 

[Oxford1996]

Are you having a laugh? Are you seriously digging out Eastwood after yesterday’s performance? He was arguably our best player! He made a stunning save first half and was decisive with his punching from set plays - I’ve been critical of Eastwood previously but yesterday he had a good game.

If we’re calling players out based on yesterday, take a look at Long, Seddon, Brannagan (before he went off), Sykes, Taylor and Whyte.

Sam Long - I firmly believe he gets away with far more mediocre performances because he is a local lad. I’m yet to be convinced that any other promotion aspiring league 1 team would have him in their starting 11.

If you read further down you’ll see it wasn’t based on yesterday.
My argument is Stevens is a better keeper than Eastwood so I’d play him.

 

[WRox]

There are six wingers and about eight midfielders on the books. Even without Gorrin, Kane and Brannagan there is still Hanson, Henry, McGuane, Forde, Sykes and even the lad Davis available. There are nearly three players available for every position in midfield and up front. It is the biggest squad I remember seeing at the club for years.

Apart from in defence.

That’s fair, maybe imbalanced is a better word than small. Exacerbated by a lack of depth in quality some areas. We’re weakened at CM and one injury or suspension away to significantly weakening the team at LB, CB, CF, and arguably LW with only Holland a natural there of the quality needed.

 

[Scotchegg]

It's not the fact of the loss, but the manner in which we lost it again. Good managers like Appleton suss us out and KR does not seem to have the nous to figure out how to combat it.

Strange that a lot of good managers haven't sussed us out so far this season!

It was a bad day yesterday, nothing more. Taylor scores when one-on-one and its a different game. Williams also managed to hit the keeper when clean through when either side and its also a goal, or he slides it to Taylor for a tap in.

Appleton is a good manager of course, but if that was Wycombe playing that way we'd have been moaning about their cheating, time wasting and anti-football style. If Maguire hadn't played for us we'd be talking non-stop about his sly digs and dirty tackles.

It was our first away defeat since September, yet the knives are out for Robinson and, incredibly, Eastwood! People talk of consistency, but the only constant is the same posters spouting shite after every defeat!

 

[werthersoriginal]

It's not the fact of the loss, but the manner in which we lost it again. Good managers like Appleton suss us out and KR does not seem to have the nous to figure out how to combat it.

There was a bit of that but the players need to be able to reorganise themselves on the pitch. The manager can’t be blamed for so many players performing so poorly.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

It wasn’t Taylor’s fault for the crap closing down of Scully 18 yards from goal when the first went in and it wasn’t Taylor’s fault when we didn’t clear our lines for the second.

Taylor is a league 1 striker for a reason - because occasionally, it just won’t happen for him. Absolutely he should have score the penalty and the chance yesterday but, name me another player in our squad that you’d rather have playing in that number 9 role?

All true points but that doesn’t change the fact that Taylor was poor against Cheltenham and absolutely shocking against Lincoln. Yesterday he could barely pass the ball to another Oxford player. Seems like his confidence is massively shaken/there’s something wrong with him. It’s a shame there’s not an alternative option to give him a game off.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

The main problem yesterday (first among many!) was our wide defence. Both Seddon and Long were far too far up the pitch far too much of the time, without their respective midfielders covering them. That left bloody great holes for Lincoln's players to take advantage of, and gave Moore and McNally (who were certainly among our better players) a hell of a lot to do. I know that attacking full backs are the modern way, but when all is said and done they are *defenders* not extra wide midfielders.

As a whole though, we are just too one-paced. Retaining the ball is fine, but at some point you need to be able to accelerate to make use of the spaces you are trying to create. I have to admit after the recent run of curates-egg results I am nowhere near as confident that this season is going to end up with a play off place as I was.

 

[Nadi-]

It's not the fact of the loss, but the manner in which we lost it again. Good managers like Appleton suss us out and KR does not seem to have the nous to figure out how to combat it.

Have mentioned it before.
Appleton pointed out are tactics and fullback frailties during a live match on sky a couple of seasons ago.

 

[werthersoriginal]

The main problem yesterday (first among many!) was our wide defence. Both Seddon and Long were far too far up the pitch far too much of the time, without their respective midfielders covering them. That left bloody great holes for Lincoln's players to take advantage of, and gave Moore and McNally (who were certainly among our better players) a hell of a lot to do. I know that attacking full backs are the modern way, but when all is said and done they are *defenders* not extra wide midfielders.

As a whole though, we are just too one-paced. Retaining the ball is fine, but at some point you need to be able to accelerate to make use of the spaces you are trying to create. I have to admit after the recent run of curates-egg results I am nowhere near as confident that this season is going to end up with a play off place as I was.

Stepping up a gear suddenly and moving the ball quickly often results in a goal for us. We can do it but for some reason have been sluggish in the last two games.

 

[bazzer9461]

There are six wingers and about eight midfielders on the books. Even without Gorrin, Kane and Brannagan there is still Hanson, Henry, McGuane, Forde, Sykes and even the lad Davis available. There are nearly three players available for every position in midfield and up front. It is the biggest squad I remember seeing at the club for years.

Apart from in defence.

Up front i door you’re not addressing the no 9 roll in saying there are 3 for up front?.

 

[bazzer9461]

We are now playing the reverse fixtures from earlier in the season.
If most teams are like Lincoln they will do their homework and know if they press us and don’t sit back we tend to lump it forward but that is no good to Taylor.
Not every team will be able to do this but be prepared for more of the same especially away from home and until KR comes up with plan C we may not see the fluid football we have seen of late.

I’ve been saying that since Lincoln at home last season we jus t don’t seem to cope when being pressed especially high up the field. At Lincoln home last season we pressed high and we’re an absolute joy to watch, but since then we seem to struggle when others press us high.

 

[windmill]

Up front i door you’re not addressing the no 9 roll in saying there are 3 for up front?.

Would you say that again.

 

[westyorkshireexile]

Would you say that again.

Bazzerese at it's best

 

[TailsWeWin]

Strange that a lot of good managers haven't sussed us out so far this season!

It was a bad day yesterday, nothing more. Taylor scores when one-on-one and its a different game. Williams also managed to hit the keeper when clean through when either side and its also a goal, or he slides it to Taylor for a tap in.

Appleton is a good manager of course, but if that was Wycombe playing that way we'd have been moaning about their cheating, time wasting and anti-football style. If Maguire hadn't played for us we'd be talking non-stop about his sly digs and dirty tackles.

It was our first away defeat since September, yet the knives are out for Robinson and, incredibly, Eastwood! People talk of consistency, but the only constant is the same posters spouting shite after every defeat!

Were you at the match?

 

[Scotchegg]

Were you at the match?

No, at home with poorly children. Watched on iPlayer.

 

[bazzer9461]

Would you say that again.

Should have been assume

 

[Yellowmania]

For those that went what was our support like in terms of getting behind the team? My son read on Twitter that some sections of our end were singing derogatory song(s) about us? Not sure if true or not so just wanted to find out.