Ex-rated

Anything yellow and blue
Radley Rambler
Grumpy old git
Posts: 2249
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:36 pm

Ex-rated

Post by Radley Rambler »

Still seething so I'll be brief......

It all seemed to go wrong when Turley went off and Tardif came on. I don't want to blame Tardif solely because it was the defence panicking in front of him that caused the main problem but why did they panic? I can point to two main things:

1) Tardif will not leave his goalline to clear the ball, Turley punches effectively and also catches a number of crosses. This either ceases the attack or at least takes it 25 yards away from goal again - for the last 30 minutes last night, Exeter were crossing it from side to side just waiting to score.

2) Turley shouts at his defence and organises them - it's strange that a 'professional' football defence can not organise itself but clearly it can't. As soon as Tardif came on, they lost all shape and we saw the consequences.

Above is probably harsh on one individual but the change in attitude/confidence was clear after the substitution.


Other main problem was that we could not keep the ball, for the last 15 minutes, we gave it away cheaply every time we had won it back which piled the pressure on.


Only real positives for me tonight were Shaw who looks like he'll be an asset if we keep him when he is match fit and Duffy who converted the penalties well and linked up the forward play well. (Mally - over to you to berate our joint top scorer).


Right - I'm off to find Snake's cat and give it a severe beating.
Radley Rambler
Grumpy old git
Posts: 2249
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:36 pm

Post by Radley Rambler »

And another thing - Jerome and others were complaining that the goal was scored in the fifth minute of injury time when the board said '4'. Correct, it is a minimium of 4 minutes injury time thus 4 minutes and 40 seconds is perfectly reasonable (especially as any time wasting within the stoppage time could also be added).

Let's not blame the ref, with the exception of only booking their defender who handled the ball, he did ok, it was our inability to hold onto the ball that cost us.
recordmeister
Middle-Aged Spread
Posts: 1808
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 11:34 am
Location: London

Post by recordmeister »

Thanks for this thread. i love my house mate but what a day to have your 30th birthday! some people are so inconsiderate!! in summary, i'm in the local curry house and all around me are enjoying themselves. but i'm sat here (with a cast on my arm) in a low mood. would it be better if i'd been at the match, as i hear we looked okay for 75 mins? all in, i'm glad i wasn't there. another cobra, please
Jimski
Mid-life Crisis
Posts: 734
Joined: Fri May 12, 2006 6:50 pm
Location: Oxford

Post by Jimski »

Bizarre final substitution from Jim... we are getting completely over-run in midfield and have three strikers on the pitch. Pettefer might well have brought some much-needed stability and ball-winning, but who does Jim bring on instead? The worst striker in the world, that's who.

But I also think Exeter deserved something out of this game. I reckon overall they were the better side, playing with width and verve and skill. We basically spent half our time fouling them.
Baboo
Grumpy old git
Posts: 3539
Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 5:31 pm

Post by Baboo »

First post spot on Radley. I knew we would be weaker defensively with this enforced change so thought it was substition madness again for Jim to continue with the planned change of Standing for Yemi. Absolutely no time to weaken the midfield when the back line and goalie needed greater protection. Of course if we had gome on to take them apart this would have been a master stroke on Jim’s part. The Marv substitution too was baffling. What was needed IMHO was Petts energy in midfield.
Even if Duffy was knackered he was winning a lot of balls defensively from Exeter free kicks and corners. Shaw was knackered too and was not doing this. Getting knackered – what the **** is that all about, we’ve got a fitness coach ffs. Exeter didn’t look knackered. They saw we were and knew we were there for the taking. When it came down to it we had no one with any balls or nous to take the team by the scruff of the neck and force them over the finishing line. Our inability to hang on to the ball when they came at us was shocking. Nearly every player was guilty, particularly Anaclet – he was pretty crap today. Panic panic panic.

Fair play to Exeter they never lost belief even at 2 down. We never believed even at 2 up. We did not deserve the 3 points. But if the referee had played fair I think we would have got them. The hand ball culprit should have been sent off. Compared to a lot of what we see at the Kass from away teams any time wasting we carried out was of a very minor nature so I can’t see where the extra 45 secs came from. It did seem that he was just waiting for them to score (but so were our defence). Also the ref appeared to be giving them free kick after free kick as the game wore on.

I’m still seething too – almost more so than after the play – off fiasco if that is possible.

Seven games played. Goals scored from open play 6.
Goals scored by Torquay tonight 4.
OUFC goal difference a pitiful 2. Torquay’s goal difference 12.
Torquay top of the league five points ahead of us already.
How many Oxford rejects do they have in their ranks? What is it with us ? How come other clubs can get these guys to perform?

Poor attendance again = bigger financial loss on the season = further cut backs next time budgets are set.
Shoobedoo
Puberty
Posts: 393
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:34 am
Location: Behind the bike shed

Post by Shoobedoo »

We lost it when Standing was replaced by Yemi. Suddenly there was a yawning chasm where our midfield was, Shaw went wide left and disappeared out of the game, and Anaclet was left in utter no mans land trying to fire hopeful balls through the Exeter defence for Yemi to run on to (and failing).

It was the most idiotic substitution I've seen yet.

The capitulation gets more shameful with every passing game.

Well that does it. I have to say it:

Smith.

Out.

PS - Please can we play like Exeter do?
Ascension Ox
Middle-Aged Spread
Posts: 1044
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:28 am

Re:

Post by Ascension Ox »

&quotShoobedoo&quot wrote:We lost it when Standing was replaced by Yemi. Suddenly there was a yawning chasm where our midfield was, Shaw went wide left and disappeared out of the game, and Anaclet was left in utter no mans land trying to fire hopeful balls through the Exeter defence for Yemi to run on to (and failing).

It was the most idiotic substitution I've seen yet.

The capitulation gets more shameful with every passing game.

Well that does it. I have to say it:

Smith.

Out.

PS - Please can we play like Exeter do?
Your call is quite wrong. Standing was totally out on his feet. He can't manage 45 minutes - let alone an hour of football. Yemi did well when he came on. Tardif does not control his area or defence like Turley. That was far more of a problem.

Calm down Baboo. We'll all be back for Aldershot.

NB - I admit it. Duffy played very well. Rose agin flattered to deceive. Hutchinson is needed pronto!
GodalmingYellow
Senile
Posts: 5178
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 10:22 am

Re:

Post by GodalmingYellow »

&quotAscension Ox&quot wrote:
&quotShoobedoo&quot wrote:We lost it when Standing was replaced by Yemi. Suddenly there was a yawning chasm where our midfield was, Shaw went wide left and disappeared out of the game, and Anaclet was left in utter no mans land trying to fire hopeful balls through the Exeter defence for Yemi to run on to (and failing).

It was the most idiotic substitution I've seen yet.

The capitulation gets more shameful with every passing game.

Well that does it. I have to say it:

Smith.

Out.

PS - Please can we play like Exeter do?
Your call is quite wrong. Standing was totally out on his feet. He can't manage 45 minutes - let alone an hour of football. Yemi did well when he came on. Tardif does not control his area or defence like Turley. That was far more of a problem.

Calm down Baboo. We'll all be back for Aldershot.

NB - I admit it. Duffy played very well. Rose agin flattered to deceive. Hutchinson is needed pronto!
No you are quite wrong AO.

It was the switch to 3-4-3 because of the substituion of Yemi for Standing that caused our downfall. Sure Standing might have been out on his feet, but a like for like swap was needed.

Once we changed to 3-4-3, we suddenly had 7 defenders and midfielders whereas previously we'd had 8. Exeter bring on an attack minded midfielder and we then begin to be outnnumbered defensively. From that moments on Exeter had the run of the game.

I've just watched it back on disc and that is precisely where the problem lay.

Sure it was poor keeping for the first goal and poor defending for the second goal, but if we had kept our numbers defensively, we would not even have been in those positions.

Don't agree about the ref either (someone else posted he had a good game). He gave a stunning number of unnecessary free kicks to Exeter for next to nothing. Another ref would have sent off the Exeter player for the handball for the second penalty. He didn't keep up with play, and allowed far too many tackles from behind to go unpunished. Even Paul Parker commented on it.

It was a good game of football overall, but one that made me want to scream. All the same old trappings as last year, with a defence continuously sitting further and further back to cover up the weakness in the system.

Poor management again I'm afraid.

My MotM was Duffy who worked his socks off and produced some excellent link up play, as well as 2 very good penalties and several other scoring opportunities. I think it is playing alongside Shaw which is helping his game. I can hardly believe I'm writing this!!!
Jimski
Mid-life Crisis
Posts: 734
Joined: Fri May 12, 2006 6:50 pm
Location: Oxford

Post by Jimski »

PS - Please can we play like Exeter do?
I bet if Exeter's manager came to manage Oxford, he'd suddenly discover his need to experiment with three hoofing central defenders, and no width. Well that's how it seems - bloody Oxford managers...

But I agree, Exeter played the way I like a team to play.
Ascension Ox
Middle-Aged Spread
Posts: 1044
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:28 am

Re:

Post by Ascension Ox »

&quotGodalmingYellow&quot wrote:
&quotAscension Ox&quot wrote:
&quotShoobedoo&quot wrote:We lost it when Standing was replaced by Yemi. Suddenly there was a yawning chasm where our midfield was, Shaw went wide left and disappeared out of the game, and Anaclet was left in utter no mans land trying to fire hopeful balls through the Exeter defence for Yemi to run on to (and failing).

It was the most idiotic substitution I've seen yet.

The capitulation gets more shameful with every passing game.

Well that does it. I have to say it:

Smith.

Out.

PS - Please can we play like Exeter do?
Your call is quite wrong. Standing was totally out on his feet. He can't manage 45 minutes - let alone an hour of football. Yemi did well when he came on. Tardif does not control his area or defence like Turley. That was far more of a problem.

Calm down Baboo. We'll all be back for Aldershot.

NB - I admit it. Duffy played very well. Rose agin flattered to deceive. Hutchinson is needed pronto!
No you are quite wrong AO.

It was the switch to 3-4-3 because of the substituion of Yemi for Standing that caused our downfall. Sure Standing might have been out on his feet, but a like for like swap was needed.

Once we changed to 3-4-3, we suddenly had 7 defenders and midfielders whereas previously we'd had 8. Exeter bring on an attack minded midfielder and we then begin to be outnnumbered defensively. From that moments on Exeter had the run of the game.

I've just watched it back on disc and that is precisely where the problem lay.

Sure it was poor keeping for the first goal and poor defending for the second goal, but if we had kept our numbers defensively, we would not even have been in those positions.

Don't agree about the ref either (someone else posted he had a good game). He gave a stunning number of unnecessary free kicks to Exeter for next to nothing. Another ref would have sent off the Exeter player for the handball for the second penalty. He didn't keep up with play, and allowed far too many tackles from behind to go unpunished. Even Paul Parker commented on it.

It was a good game of football overall, but one that made me want to scream. All the same old trappings as last year, with a defence continuously sitting further and further back to cover up the weakness in the system.

Poor management again I'm afraid.

My MotM was Duffy who worked his socks off and produced some excellent link up play, as well as 2 very good penalties and several other scoring opportunities. I think it is playing alongside Shaw which is helping his game. I can hardly believe I'm writing this!!!

You were at a different game to me.

It was NOTHING to do with poor management. It was lack of bottle and experience from the PLAYERS that cost us. Additionally, Hutchinson was an awful miss. And he's injured so we can hardly blame the management for that.

Pettefer is too similar too Standing - ie lightweight.

Yemi being put on was a good shout. Exeter were weak defensively all night long. If Tardif and Quinn had used their experience and organised the defence properly and balls had been properly channnelled up to Yemi rather than the panic stricken hoofing we saw we would have been fine. And we would have likely scored on the break.

Turley's 'shouting' was badly badly missed.

Looking above the playground argument aspect of things this is a young side who are still developing. They have to learn and learn quickly from setbacks like this though.

Exeter were again impressively marshalled and will be up there at the end of the season.

As I said a couple of weeks ago 18 points from first 10 will be par for the course. Less than that is unacceptable.
ty cobb
Middle-Aged Spread
Posts: 1121
Joined: Sun May 14, 2006 6:55 pm

Post by ty cobb »

We were under the cosh before Yemi came on, putting 3 up front changed the game and enabled us to score again to go 2-0 up. However, Exeter then really went for it (much like the play off last season) pushing our wing backs back meaning we were playing 5-2-3, this meant we were totally overun in midfield and the second goal was expected although very late.

The last 10 minutes was just panic stations, we've got 5 at the back lets knock it around a bit and take the sting out of the game instead of just hoofing it clear all the time which gave it straight back to them as Shaw and Yemi were effectivly playing as wingers.

Robinson actually did well when he came on but I agree we should have stuck Petts on and tried to get hold of the ball.

The most worrying thing was we do not look like a promotion winning team, other teams go 2-0 up and push on for more they don't go into a panic and let the other team back into it.

Tardiff is a excellent keeper, if the defence play like a bunch of headless chickens thats hardly Tards fault you should be able to organise yourself without someone shouting at you all game.
Ancient Colin
Grumpy old git
Posts: 2662
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 12:23 pm
Location: Nowhere near Treviso

Post by Ancient Colin »

I'm with GY and others in criticising the switch to 3-4-3 (even though we scored our second in it) - if only because Exeter obviously play like that a lot and know what they are doing, while we hideously clearly don't - the back three seemed uncomfortable, Corcoran and Day exposed, Jeanin and Anaclet didn't know where to go, Trainer dropped back and back to shore up gaps and so we got outrun in midfield and ... most criminal we had no counter to their tactic of firing the ball out wide and deep - um, deja vu anyone? Any chance of practicing for that? And let's take off Duffy, who, if nothing else (And there was much more), was marking and heading well, off leaving the completely knackered Shaw on, who could neither help the defence nor provide pressure on the break ... eh?

Out-thought and out-fought again. This is the squad we have assembled. If it isn't the management's responsibilty, who else do you blame?

All those sirens at the end ... was that the police off to arrest Anaclet for atempting to impersonate a footballer?

And yes, AscOx, we'll be back, watching and cursing and despairing. But there will be fewer and fewer others there with us.
Mally
Grumpy old git
Posts: 2564
Joined: Mon May 15, 2006 9:32 am
Location: Thame

Post by Mally »

All very depressing but you can't really blame the ref or the manager for our total capitulation in the last 15 minutes of a game where up to that point we had played well against a good side.

Duffy was excellent in the first half and at the start of the second half but he did tire as the game went on.

Standing and Rose were also good value, they got forward and linked up with Duffy and Shaw to create plenty of chances.

Anaclet was the weakest link though seems to be totally lacking in any confidence. Almost every time he got the ball with space to run into he checked, turned round and laid off a short pass and lost any momentum we had.

The Yemi substitution worked well - it was his movement and running that created the second penalty and plenty of other similar chances.

Turley going off was a big blow though. Tardiff made some great saves but then made a monumental error to give them their first goal after which the tide totally turned. That's when we &quotlost&quot (it certainly feels like we lost) the game. Fitness is a small part of the problem but Patto had it spot on in the post match interview (Jim too apoplectic to speak?). When asked if it was a fitness problem he said it was hearts and heads that had gone not our fitness. We needed some strong characters to steady the ship and they just weren't there. The players on the pitch who should have kept their nerve and the ball, bottled it and we missed the strength of characters such as Turley, Gilly and Hutchinson. Quinn should shoulder a big part of the blame he was the senior player who as captain had the job of holding the team together and playing the game out but he failed to do it.

Marvin for Duffy wasn't too bad a decision for me (although it should have been for Shaw who was even more spent) because we needed somebody to hold the ball up higher up the pitch. The problem was that he got almost no service and was forced to help out in defence for most of the time he was on.

Last night I felt totally deflated as I left the ground but in the colder and clearer light of day it's perhaps not so depressing. If we can play the way we did last night for 95 minutes instead of 75 then we'll score goals and win games. Time to release the Gnu and use the money on a good sports psychologist.
Isaac
Dashing young thing
Posts: 621
Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 9:32 am

Post by Isaac »

I thought bringing Yemi on was quite clever and given that we were 1 up at the time quite brave too. We hadn't started the 2nd half well at all but once Yemi came on we created 3 good chances down the right (one of which lead to the goal). Problem is, at 2-0 up I think they thought the game was won (I admit I did, but then I was sat on the sofa and what I think in that situation is irrelevant), subsequently they sat too deep and invited pressure as if it was the last 2 minutes rather than the last 20. Then Exeter genuinely looked like they would score whenever they had the ball.

I don't know if that attitude from our players is down to inexperience, over confidence or just being a bit dim but whatever, I thought for the first time this season we genuinely missed someone like Gilchrist. I suspect it was inexperience, of the defence/midfield only Quinn and Jeannin (who is a terrible defender) are what you could call experienced. The last 20 minutes was the performance of a relegation side, not one pushing for promotion and what makes it more galling is exactly the same thing happened at Cambridge. Jim could and probably should have changed it earlier, someone like Pettefer as others have said might have had the composure to do something other than desperately hump the ball into the south stand when things got difficult. I imagine Jims thinking was that keeping 3 up front would provide an outlet and a possible 3rd goal, but we never kept the ball. I don't think Exeter were a particularly good side at all, I thought we played generally more football - as ever on the odd occasions we got it down we looked a decent side.
Pe├▒a Oxford United
Middle-Aged Spread
Posts: 1760
Joined: Fri Sep 22, 2006 11:13 am

Post by Pe├▒a Oxford United »

Dear Jim

As a manager of vast experience, would you not agree with the proposition that sides that win titles do not let slip two-goal leads at home?
entirely disenchanted
Post Reply