The Karl Robinson years at OUFC are difficult to analyse.

[Big Ronaldo]

It does seem as though we are flailing around searching for the right combination at the moment.
Taylor’s injury hasn’t helped and the gaps that have been exploited in our defence do need to be closed.
Continually shuffling the pack may not make everyone happy but you would like to think that at some point soon, we will hit on the right mix to enable us to be more resilient and more ruthless in front of goal. Then, and only then can we look forward to making a fist of this season.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Continually shuffling the pack may not make everyone happy but you would like to think that at some point soon, we will hit on the right mix to enable us to be more resilient and more ruthless in front of goal. Then, and only then can we look forward to making a fist of this season.

Mm, I think you've described why Robinson may be a splendid coach but is a poor manager; "shuffling the pack" is done to randomise the order in which cards appear, it's the opposite of taking a structured approach, selecting the cards you need and organising them in the pattern that wins whatever game you're playing.

Mr Robinson is an inveterate pack-shuffler because he's not organised. And he's got oddly fixed notions and a blinkered approach to building a squad, this season we don't have a proper centre-back pairing owing to mad recruitment (is that because he's doing it on his tod?), attempts to recruit a defensive midfielder to replace Kashi/Mousinhi have failed and he won't play Mousinho, the preferred right back is a liability unless he's got a winger / right midfield 'behind him' committed to defend.

I'm not saying he doesn't have a plan, I'm saying his plan is, like his team, massively unbalanced.

By the same token, it's easy to analyse his years at OUFC, it's just really hard to make a positive analysis (so far).

 

[horseman]

For years many football fans complain about their manager,we have a decent one for the league we are in and i've yet to see anyone suggest sensible options with sound reasoning as to why they would do better.
Fans of both Blackpool and Coventry have stated we are a good side and likely to be in and around the play offs yet we have some of our fans suggesting players are not trying..We have others saying we are shi*e yet then saying win our next 2 and we'll be fine without a thought seemingly that fans of our next opponents Tranmere are likely thinking the same thing about their team.
Some have questioned substitutions because we lost a game of football yet it's clear that substitutions kept us in the cup and can look forward to a full house against a decent premiershi*e side.

 

[Oufcrealist]

For years many football fans complain about their manager,we have a decent one for the league we are in and i've yet to see anyone suggest sensible options with sound reasoning as to why they would do better.
Fans of both Blackpool and Coventry have stated we are a good side and likely to be in and around the play offs yet we have some of our fans suggesting players are not trying..We have others saying we are shi*e yet then saying win our next 2 and we'll be fine without a thought seemingly that fans of our next opponents Tranmere are likely thinking the same thing about their team.
Some have questioned substitutions because we lost a game of football yet it's clear that substitutions kept us in the cup and can look forward to a full house against a decent premiershi*e side.

Hmmmmn. I haven't seen any Burton, Bristol or Fleetwood fans say we'll be up there, I may have missed some.
I think we look a decent side between both penalty areas. But we lack ideas, penetration and organisation in and around the penalty areas, mainly our own. We are leaking goals at an alarming rate. KR has to fix that NOW otherwise we'll be in this situation all season. If he keeps going with the same back four he has to shore it up in front of them, it's so obvious. There are ways of doing it he just has to be flexible with formations.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

For years many football fans complain about their manager,we have a decent one for the league we are in and i've yet to see anyone suggest sensible options with sound reasoning as to why they would do better.
Fans of both Blackpool and Coventry have stated we are a good side and likely to be in and around the play offs yet we have some of our fans suggesting players are not trying..We have others saying we are shi*e yet then saying win our next 2 and we'll be fine without a thought seemingly that fans of our next opponents Tranmere are likely thinking the same thing about their team.
Some have questioned substitutions because we lost a game of football yet it's clear that substitutions kept us in the cup and can look forward to a full house against a decent premiershi*e side.

I don't think any of that is surprising or even illogical!

Do we have a decent manager for the league we are in? I think the jury is out - at the very least he is alarmingly inconsistent (in the results we get and the quality with which we play) and alarmingly consistent at the same time (late and injured signings, insisting on sticking to a formation working or not, poor start to the season). If you'd asked me whether he was decent at Christmas I'd have laughed at you, by the end of the season I'd have mostly agreed with you - I thought he'd cracked it. And now I am hoping we are just going though a 'blip' - and we are already 10 points behind the leaders in this division! The inconsistency is actually evidenced by other clubs fans' views: Blackpool fans might say we were great (we still lost though) as might Coventry (we managed a draw eventually) - those from Burton or Fleetwood would probably look at us as relegation candidates. I'm not convinced about people saying the players aren't trying - I haven't heard anyone say that. I have heard people say that they are at times trying to play in a system on in a position they don't fully understand (Baptiste out wide?)

Never mind what Tranmere fans say - I am sure they want to win their next game every time - if we get six points from the next two games then that might be the start of at least some sort of recovery, and whether you think Robinson is great, mediocre or awful that is what we all want. I'm not sure that six points would BE a recovery, but it would be the start of one.

Robinson has already admitted himself that his substitutions were wrong in one game this season, costing us the points. And yes he did make some decent ones that at least helped us get through in the league cup. Although of course we could just as easily be playing a lower league team, that is just the luck of the draw.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

And here is an example of why people have problems with Robinson. From the OWS, published today in the Tranmere preview.

The first sentence reads
-----------------
"I probably sound like a broken record but we have been playing well and we haven’t conceded many goals” Karl Robinson told iFollow earlier today.
-----------------

Haven't conceded many goals? Haven't conceded many bloody goals? In the league we have conceded (working backwards) 2, 3, 3, 4, 2 in the last five games! In all competitions we have managed two clean sheets (the Peterborough games) all season.

Unless the OWS have misquoted their own manager, there's being optimistic and then there's talking rubbish.

 

[greatunclekip]

He just talks utter, utter guff! Theres always a new low when it comes to Robinson spouting bullshit but hes excelled himself here. Wow.

 

[Scotchegg]

And here is an example of why people have problems with Robinson. From the OWS, published today in the Tranmere preview.

The first sentence reads
-----------------
"I probably sound like a broken record but we have been playing well and we haven’t conceded many goals” Karl Robinson told iFollow earlier today.
-----------------

Haven't conceded many goals? Haven't conceded many bloody goals? In the league we have conceded (working backwards) 2, 3, 3, 4, 2 in the last five games! In all competitions we have managed two clean sheets (the Peterborough games) all season.

Unless the OWS have misquoted their own manager, there's being optimistic and then there's talking rubbish.

The exact quote was "we're not conceding many opportunities fot the opposition".

Against Coventry, they had 4 or 5 chances and scored 3. Bristol Rovers, 3 shots on target, 3 goals. Blackpool 3 chance, 2 goals.

So generally we're not getting overrun (Fleetwood aside) and therefore the point is that we're not fundamentally bad. The problem is that we're making poor mistakes and giving teams goals. Irradiation those problems and we've got a chance. Winning headers in the box, clearing our lines, not committing too early to tackle and leaving massive gaps behind etc. These are all areas that we can and must improve, and that was the point being made.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

So the OWS HAVE completely misquoted the manager! Because what I posted is cut and pasted from the actual website. Bloody hilarious.



And TBH trying to excuse the goals against because the opposition took their chances is pretty weak. 'If we could only cut out giving the opposition any chances, that would stop them scoring' - no sh!t Sherlock.

 

[Scotchegg]

If you allow the opposition 20 shots on goal a game then there are fundamental issues throughout the team. Conceding 3 or 4 is not so much of a problem, but the issue is where we concede these chances. Free headers, not clearing our lines etc are costing us dearly and I'd rather we work on those areas rather than making a big overhaul of the team.

 

[tonyw]

The exact quote was "we're not conceding many opportunities fot the opposition".

Against Coventry, they had 4 or 5 chances and scored 3. Bristol Rovers, 3 shots on target, 3 goals. Blackpool 3 chance, 2 goals.

So generally we're not getting overrun (Fleetwood aside) and therefore the point is that we're not fundamentally bad. The problem is that we're making poor mistakes and giving teams goals. Irradiation those problems and we've got a chance. Winning headers in the box, clearing our lines, not committing too early to tackle and leaving massive gaps behind etc. These are all areas that we can and must improve, and that was the point being made.

Surely when a team that is not giving up many scoring opportunities, but is giving up a lot of goals (and we are - more than two per game, worse than anyone other than Southend and the Bolton kids) - that's indicative of a team that has a good midfield and a bad defense? That would seem to summarise the first seven league games pretty reasonably for me.

Everything you're talking about - winning headers, clearing lines, tackling - is basic defending and yet we've been getting it wrong over and over.
And that's despite, I would suggest, Rob Dickie having played pretty damn well.

Because of KR's lopsided recruitment, we only have six senior defenders. I mentioned at the time that it was the one question mark over our summer shopping, but it's looking really worrying right now.
Because amongst them Mousinho has shown himself in the last year or so to be a bit of a liability at CB; Moore is 22 and has never played in the English leagues before; Cadden is exciting and effective going forwards but a real question mark as a defender at right back and Ruffels is a converted midfielder (albeit one who did play well at left back at the end of last season).

It's been said already.....but I think Long is our second best pure defender and therefore should be playing at RB and Mousinho would be best employed at DCM to provide more protection for the back four. Then we can provide a more solid platform for our talented forwards to do some damage.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

If you allow the opposition 20 shots on goal a game then there are fundamental issues throughout the team. Conceding 3 or 4 is not so much of a problem, but the issue is where we concede these chances. Free headers, not clearing our lines etc are costing us dearly and I'd rather we work on those areas rather than making a big overhaul of the team.

Well we can't make *that* big an overhaul of the team anyway - we only have the players we have. But let's protect the defence by putting a proper DM in front of them and putting a right back in who will actually be in position more times than he is in the opposition half.

 

[holdsteady]

If you allow the opposition 20 shots on goal a game then there are fundamental issues throughout the team. Conceding 3 or 4 is not so much of a problem, but the issue is where we concede these chances. Free headers, not clearing our lines etc are costing us dearly and I'd rather we work on those areas rather than making a big overhaul of the team.

I agree, it’s how easy the chances that we are giving up that is the problem, no other professional team can have given up as many free headers right in front of goal this season, it’s especially annoying when you have a 6 ft 4 and a 6 ft 5 centre half playing.

It’s the shape of our team when we get hit on the counter that costs us these, we are very open, can’t help thinking that dropping Long for Cadden has cost us shape and balance.

Cadden is a decent player but he isn’t a right back, push him further forward and put Long behind him.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

Cadden is a decent player but he isn’t a right back, push him further forward and put Long behind him.

I think that is now the general opinion on here (it is mine as well).

I'd be interested if there is anyone who thinks we ought to persist with Cadden as RB?

 

[Scotchegg]

Surely when a team that is not giving up many scoring opportunities, but is giving up a lot of goals (and we are - more than two per game, worse than anyone other than Southend and the Bolton kids) - that's indicative of a team that has a good midfield and a bad defense? That would seem to summarise the first seven league games pretty reasonably for me.

Everything you're talking about - winning headers, clearing lines, tackling - is basic defending and yet we've been getting it wrong over and over.
And that's despite, I would suggest, Rob Dickie having played pretty damn well.

Because of KR's lopsided recruitment, we only have six senior defenders. I mentioned at the time that it was the one question mark over our summer shopping, but it's looking really worrying right now.
Because amongst them Mousinho has shown himself in the last year or so to be a bit of a liability at CB; Moore is 22 and has never played in the English leagues before; Cadden is exciting and effective going forwards but a real question mark as a defender at right back and Ruffels is a converted midfielder (albeit one who did play well at left back at the end of last season).

It's been said already.....but I think Long is our second best pure defender and therefore should be playing at RB and Mousinho would be best employed at DCM to provide more protection for the back four. Then we can provide a more solid platform for our talented forwards to do some damage.

I wouldn't disagree with much of that. The problem we have is that Cadden and Brannagan have arguably been our best two attacking outlets this year, but as a consequence we're looking weaker at the back and in the middle. At the end of last season Sam Long played really well and gave us a far more solid defence. Also Brannagan sat a little deeper alongside Kashi, hunting in packs and handling the opposition. I'm not sure that Gorrin is any worse than Kashi, and actually think he's a more rounded player, but he's doing it all by himself at times.

As for the centre backs, we just need to go back to basics. Dickie and Moore and both big units. They need to dominate the box and clear everything that comes in the air. We then need discipline from everyone to win the second ball. We need a wise head in there at times to make sure everyone knows who they're picking up, when to press, when to play it short and when to put it in row z. Mous gives that composure, but I also think Brannagan can also do that. I'd make him captain and give him more ownership. I think he'll step up and be the leader our team really needs.

 

[greatunclekip]

We need to try something different thats for certain, but in denying theres a problem, im not expecting Robbo to do so any time soon.

 

[guyellow]

In his interview in the Preview Show, Nico Jones was asked about being with the Ireland squad. He said how much harder they worked on set pieces which he wasn't used to. Set pieces have so far been an area of defensive weakness and attacking missed opportunity (50+ corners so far this season!!!). Sounds like much more could be done on the training pitch.

 

[Scotchegg]

In his interview in the Preview Show, Nico Jones was asked about being with the Ireland squad. He said how much harder they worked on set pieces which he wasn't used to. Set pieces have so far been an area of defensive weakness and attacking missed opportunity (50+ corners so far this season!!!). Sounds like much more could be done on the training pitch.

We saw with England in the last World Cup (and our promotion team in '96) how valuable it can be to get the set pieces right. I'm surprised more teams haven't looked at this as a way to significantly increase goal scoring opportunities. Plus if you start looking more dangerous at corners, then teams have to look at ways to restrict the number they give away. This is often done by looking to challenge higher up the pitch which forces the defenders to commit early, giving space in behind them. We've actually got a fairly tall team for once with Dickie, Moore, Cadden, Gorrin and Henry all being 6ft + and Ruffels and Taylor are both also good in the air. Give Woodburn or Brannagan delivering the ball and we should be far more effective then we are.

 

[Manorlounger]

It was always a standing joke for myself and Mrs Lounger, we'd turn to each other and say "oh good, a corner, we're good at corners" invariably we would get nothing from the set piece. That has improved a little with some free kick scenarios but it's still far too little.
Like wise, defending set pieces sees the team almost switch off. Example, free kick recently where the wall is set up, Easty moves away, the wall are not watching the kicker who moves the ball a foot to one side thus opening up a gap into which the ball flew - goal. Surely, that's on the basic side of football? - Be alert -

 

[Essexyellows]

The only way for a team to learn all the nuances is to work (play) together against opponents.
You can`t replicate that on the training ground, you can only do so much preparation.
If the players "switch off" in training nothing much lost, if it happens in a match we get punished.
KR can only do so much, once the players step over the line its down to them.