Home Match Day Thread 9/5/2021 L1 OUFC v Burton Albion

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Belgium Yellow said:
If getting into the playoffs wasn't enough to give you a stiffy:

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Brilliant photo!

We've all been a bit baffled by some of his decision making at times, and we've all had the occasional pop at Robbo, some more than others, but for all of his faults, that image shows just what a top bloke Robbo is, and how much he genuinely cares for our club
 
RyanioBirdio said:
We’ve just qualified for the playoffs against all odds. You’re the one being negative by making comments like this - today everyone is an Oxford fan. They always are, even if people disagree, but you get my point. No need for teams and camps or for people to be labelled anything. We can all squabble and then kiss each other passionately later on.

It’s been a great day. Let’s just enjoy it.
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Yeah, I’m not looking to argue . And may I say how entertaining your comments have been this season, even if I think you’re sometimes a bit hard on KR. Barnsley might be in the premiership anyway!
 
greatunclekip said:
We actually seem to have quite a decent group of lads. Curtis is an absolute A*****e.
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I think our team are generally nice sensible young men, yes. Matty seems the only one who’s a bit lairy and he’s got a lot more sense than that!
 
Some random thoughts I've had over the afternoon (that I'm sure have already been said and thought but I have nowhere else to vent):

I honestly think that first goal might be our goal of the season. Playing football that technically good and intricate while under pressure at the back and then building it into such a devastating counter is simply beyond League One level. Looking forward to watching it back properly on the extended highlights. Mide's movement in the box was superb, too - Matty Taylor-esque.

I think that was our best overall performance of the season. Given the circumstances, the level of opposition, all of it. Burton are no mugs, and we never gave them a sniff. We've had good periods in games - first half hour v Hull, first half v Donny home and away - but we've not completely dominated for a whole match in the way we did today. It was the epitome of what a KR side can be: a group of technically gifted players playing fluid and exciting attacking football. I know his sides take a while to get going, and we take risks on players who might not be fully fit, but when everything clicks it is just so good.

This side are anything but bottlers. Bottle isn't just about pushing to the end and getting stoppage time winners (although that is a big part of it, and we have done plenty of that this year). It's about putting in a performance over 90 minutes when the chips are down. Today, lesser teams could have crumbled - hell, look at Pompey - but we stuck four past one of the league's form sides. Against Crewe, KR and the players could have shrugged and said, 'Oh well - on to next year,' (as I did) - but they went and matched our record league away win. Against Lincoln, in front of the Sky cameras, having not beaten a top-8 side all year and coming off the dire Northampton result, we went behind - but still pulled off the win that ultimately set us up nicely for a favourable-looking run-in. I know it hasn't been uniformly great. A lot of the season was pretty bleak, turgid stuff. But when it really mattered - when nothing but a win would do - our players came up trumps. Compare that to Pompey over the last 7 games. Could Max Power saying we have 'soft underbellies' have been our latter-season Swindon moment? It really seems like the players took that to heart and showed how steely they really are following that. Classic 'stick that quote up in the dressing room for your team talk' stuff.

It does show too how good this side is at full fitness. Ever since we stopped playing twice a week and our players, understandably, looked like they were running through mud, and we've had a full complement of players, the side has really shone. That said - and I hate to be that guy - I really fear for us in the playoffs without Sam Long. It's incredible that a rightback is so integral to the way we play, but our good form all season has almost entirely coincided with his being in our starting XI. I really, really felt for him today. I've rarely seen a player look so devastated at any injury on a football pitch. He was absolutely distraught.

Off the field, the KR touchline ban is a joke. As someone I think pointed out above, it can't be a coincidence that the EFL have landed on a ban the length of which exactly corresponds to the maximum number of possible games left. They're looking to make a point. And given the whole he said / she said / inconsequential handbags nature of the fracas, it seems spectacularly unfair, if we were to make it to Wembley, to deny a lower-league manage the opportunity to be involved in what would be one of the proudest moments of his life (and, incidentally, handicap the football club in what would be one of the biggest fixtures in its history). The incident was over a month ago. He's already served a touchline ban for it. What's the point?

Finally, not ashamed I got a little emotional earlier watching the players celebrating on the field after news of the Pompey result came in. It's been a tough year, for us all. On a football level, people talk about rollercoaster seasons, but it surely can't come more rollercoaster than that. Some astonishing highs, but some dark lows. And I think I had sort of linked the season with being in lockdown in my head. Watching OUFC twice a week was such a core and essential part of my life for the last 5 months, in particular, that to win today - to make all the s**t worth it, all the losses and humiliations and tension mean something - just really hit me in a way football never really has before.

COYY
 
ttg17 said:
Some random thoughts I've had over the afternoon (that I'm sure have already been said and thought but I have nowhere else to vent):

I honestly think that first goal might be our goal of the season. Playing football that technically good and intricate while under pressure at the back and then building it into such a devastating counter is simply beyond League One level. Looking forward to watching it back properly on the extended highlights. Mide's movement in the box was superb, too - Matty Taylor-esque.

I think that was our best overall performance of the season. Given the circumstances, the level of opposition, all of it. Burton are no mugs, and we never gave them a sniff. We've had good periods in games - first half hour v Hull, first half v Donny home and away - but we've not completely dominated for a whole match in the way we did today. It was the epitome of what a KR side can be: a group of technically gifted players playing fluid and exciting attacking football. I know his sides take a while to get going, and we take risks on players who might not be fully fit, but when everything clicks it is just so good.

This side are anything but bottlers. Bottle isn't just about pushing to the end and getting stoppage time winners (although that is a big part of it, and we have done plenty of that this year). It's about putting in a performance over 90 minutes when the chips are down. Today, lesser teams could have crumbled - hell, look at Pompey - but we stuck four past one of the league's form sides. Against Crewe, KR and the players could have shrugged and said, 'Oh well - on to next year,' (as I did) - but they went and matched our record league away win. Against Lincoln, in front of the Sky cameras, having not beaten a top-8 side all year and coming off the dire Northampton result, we went behind - but still pulled off the win that ultimately set us up nicely for a favourable-looking run-in. I know it hasn't been uniformly great. A lot of the season was pretty bleak, turgid stuff. But when it really mattered - when nothing but a win would do - our players came up trumps. Compare that to Pompey over the last 7 games. Could Max Power saying we have 'soft underbellies' have been our latter-season Swindon moment? It really seems like the players took that to heart and showed how steely they really are following that. Classic 'stick that quote up in the dressing room for your team talk' stuff.

It does show too how good this side is at full fitness. Ever since we stopped playing twice a week and our players, understandably, looked like they were running through mud, and we've had a full complement of players, the side has really shone. That said - and I hate to be that guy - I really fear for us in the playoffs without Sam Long. It's incredible that a rightback is so integral to the way we play, but our good form all season has almost entirely coincided with his being in our starting XI. I really, really felt for him today. I've rarely seen a player look so devastated at any injury on a football pitch. He was absolutely distraught.

Off the field, the KR touchline ban is a joke. As someone I think pointed out above, it can't be a coincidence that the EFL have landed on a ban the length of which exactly corresponds to the maximum number of possible games left. They're looking to make a point. And given the whole he said / she said / inconsequential handbags nature of the fracas, it seems spectacularly unfair, if we were to make it to Wembley, to deny a lower-league manage the opportunity to be involved in what would be one of the proudest moments of his life (and, incidentally, handicap the football club in what would be one of the biggest fixtures in its history). The incident was over a month ago. He's already served a touchline ban for it. What's the point?

Finally, not ashamed I got a little emotional earlier watching the players celebrating on the field after news of the Pompey result came in. It's been a tough year, for us all. On a football level, people talk about rollercoaster seasons, but it surely can't come more rollercoaster than that. Some astonishing highs, but some dark lows. And I think I had sort of linked the season with being in lockdown in my head. Watching OUFC twice a week was such a core and essential part of my life for the last 5 months, in particular, that to win today - to make all the s**t worth it, all the losses and humiliations and tension mean something - just really hit me in a way football never really has before.

COYY
Click to expand...
I know what you mean/feel.
I don’t know whether it’s a fallout of the pandemic etc, but today’s result felt oh so special.
Whatever happens now, I’m so proud of the club,Karl and the boys and my fellow supporters.
 
ttg17 said:
Could Max Power saying we have 'soft underbellies' have been our latter-season Swindon moment? It really seems like the players took that to heart and showed how steely they really are following that. Classic 'stick that quote up in the dressing room for your team talk' stuff.
Click to expand...
I really hope we get through to the final and play them, and use that as motivation. Would absolutely love it if we score a third to make it 3-0 in the 90th minute and as a team, slide in front of him. It would just be orgasmically sweet justice and revenge.
 
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