Matches Pre-Season Friendly v Southampton (31/07/2024)

[Yellow River]

Our style of play is going to frustrate a lot of teams. Even with the Southampton first teamers against our mainly squad players we managed to keep them out. Bit like the Peterborough away game we were soaking up pressure and putting the work in paid off. Also as in the Bolton final game as somebody mentioned we looked good in stopping the opposition playing. My only issue with that style is what happens when we concede the first goal?

The workrate was absolutely brilliant and even with the changes in personnel in the second half we kept the same shape and the same plan. That has to be a good sign that the players are all singing from the same hymn sheet. We were patient in waiting for mistakes to happen and those will often come along as teams lose concentration when trying to keep the ball. Both goals were scored as a result of speed of thought and it won't work every week. But I think it will work enough to get the points we need to stay up.

Do what we did at Peterborough, go up the other end and score the equaliser

In all seriousness though, we will be under the cosh a fair bit this season, and yes we will concede but it will be about staying in those games, don’t concede another, there’s always a chance when you’re trailing just by one goal.

The important thing is that the players understand and believe in the system, and the way Des wants us to go about things on the pitch. We all saw the rewards it brought at the end of last season, and it sounds as if we did a pretty decent job against Southampton last night, albeit in a pre season friendly.

The team is going to need our support this season especially when we’ve got our backs to the wall, which is going to happen far more than last season.

 

[MarkG]

Martin upset as Southampton beaten by Oxford - TribalFootball.com

Southampton manager Russell Martin has laid into his team after a preseason game.

www.tribalfootball.com

 

[curransleftboot]

"We played a ball over the top three or four times and we were in."

Which makes me believe that another CB is needed or Golding is being expected to be used along with Long (who is quite rapid).
As soon as teams work us out, over the top, will be the counter - I just hope we have (or will get it in) enough speed at the heart of defence to be able to cope with it.

 

[Marked Ox]

"We played a ball over the top three or four times and we were in."

Which makes me believe that another CB is needed or Golding is being expected to be used along with Long (who is quite rapid).
As soon as teams work us out, over the top, will be the counter - I just hope we have (or will get it in) enough speed at the heart of defence to be able to cope with it.

When were these 3 or 4 occasions when they were 'in'?

They got wide occasionally but they weren't in as they still had a full back in front of them. They had 2 down the middle but they weren't from balls over the top.

Not a question aimed at you personally but a general question.

 

[Foley]

"We played a ball over the top three or four times and we were in."

Which makes me believe that another CB is needed or Golding is being expected to be used along with Long (who is quite rapid).
As soon as teams work us out, over the top, will be the counter - I just hope we have (or will get it in) enough speed at the heart of defence to be able to cope with it.

Not sure necessary that a losing managers comments are a reason to buy a player!
I thought that they were more dangerous wide and Armstrong is a top Championship striker we won't face every week

 

[Jaxon]

When were these 3 or 4 occasions when they were 'in'?

They got wide occasionally but they weren't in as they still had a full back in front of them. They had 2 down the middle but they weren't from balls over the top.

Not a question aimed at you personally but a general question.

Southampton attacked down the wings
I didn’t see one occasion when they put a ball over the top
CB’s strong as usual

 

[SSO]

I didn't really see them threatening at all. From 70 minutes onwards we weathered the pressure they put on us trying to pass through us. We had them sussed because everyone was on their game and played to a plan. It would have been nicer had Martin said how impressed he was with Oxford but he is a serial moaner. He will be very much out of his depth in the PL and he knows it.

They created nothing as clinical as our first goal which was a cracking move against any opposition.

 

[curransleftboot]

Well I certainly do remember a few times there were balls over the top; which admittedly didn’t materialise (but only just). There will be teams playing that way naturally and others who will use that tactic a lot, if they see or believe that that’s the best way to deal with us.

I just hope we have enough pace as well as experience at the heart of defence to deal with it and I’m not sure we do currently. I’d be more than pleased to be proven wrong.