One is enough

Anything yellow and blue
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Snake
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One is enough

Post by Snake »

The official attendance at Minchery was more than at the County Ground today.
OUFC4eva
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Re: One is enough

Post by OUFC4eva »

Image

United earned a hard but well deserved three points against a Cambridge United side
buoyed for the appointment of new manager Shaun Derry.

The in form Ryan Taylor netted the winner from MacDonald's astute pull back following
a defence splitting pass from Roofe. Oxford should have been out of sight
but spurned some glorious openings and were left to hang on in the final minutes
as Cambridge forced a succession of dangerous flag kicks.

Oxford were not helped by a succession of baffling decisions from referee Keith HIll
who surely should have awarded United a spot kick after Cambs 'keeper Chris
Dunn pulled down Danny Hylton.

It was, though, a special day all round with United's Military Day proving a huge success
which was testament to the effort the whole club put in.The minutes silence for those
that were tragically murdered in Paris's terror attacks
on Friday night was impeccably observed by those in the ground.

I do have have to admit to being terrified before kick off
when in mid conversation, a military helicopter swooped
in fast and low behind the East stand towards me in the SSU !

Image
Sideshow Rob
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Re: One is enough

Post by Sideshow Rob »

Snake wrote:The official attendance at Minchery was more than at the County Ground today.
I would imagine the gap was far more than one considering the number of absentee season ticket holders at the County Ground.
Kairdiff Exile
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Re: One is enough

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

Well, I didn't go yesterday. I had planned to attend that fixture, but as soon as I saw it was going to be a 'Military Day', I made other plans. The club are within their rights to support whatever campaigns they wish, but they have to accept that they will alienate some supporters in doing so. I know I wasn't the only one who opted to miss yesterday for that reason.

On the pitch though, it sounds like another decent result. Looking at the table, I'm surprised we haven't pulled further away from the chasing pack (and, incidentally, fair play to Plymouth for having done so) after 17 games. It's going to be a tight division, and I think the next six weeks will be critical - whoever can get through the fixture congestion over the Winterval period and avoid too many cup distractions will be well-placed.

What's the consensus on Buchel? From what I've heard, he may be a better long-term option in goal than Slocombe; I guess he has to grab this current opportunity with both hands/gloves.
Geoff
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Re: One is enough

Post by Geoff »

At half time I thought the scoreline flattered us slightly. Cambridge could and should have taken the lead before we scored. In overall play they were more than matching us for the first half an hour, but the move which led to the goal was very slick. After that we played the better football to half time but kept over passing the ball instead of shooting. We were much improved in the second half and should have had a penalty. If anything we went to the other extreme and shot on sight occasionally where a pass would have been more effective. We were much better than Cambridge in the second half apart from the inevitable five minute bombardment at the end of the game, made more nerve wracking by the single goal lead.

Ryan Taylor and Danny Hylton were outstanding today. Credit to Michael Appleton for giving Benji Buchel his chance which, apart from one dropped cross, he took well.

If someone could explain which rule book the referee was using I will make sure I learn double dutch and read it before the next game.
Dr Bob
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Re: One is enough

Post by Dr Bob »

I have to disagree with Geoff on one or two points (and agree on others...). We could and arguably should have had two goals in the opening five minutes (although they had a good chance as well). I do not think the 1-0 lead flattered us, but there was no doubting Cambridge's threat. It did not help that our midfield played far too deep in that first half. Were they concerned about Chey's inability to play the ball confidently and accurately out of defence? Not sure, but it gave Cambridge the chance to pressure us time and again with possession regained in those spaces.

In the second half, Sercombe and Lundstram played further forward, ironically Chey looked more confident on the ball, Cambridge had less of the midfield and we looked more comfortable. Going forward, we have lots of ideas - if they were ever all to come off, we would absolutely slaughter somebody.

I was going to disagree with Geoff about whether or not Cambridge pressured us for five minutes at the end - or maybe it just felt like 15...One is enough - but it does not feel like it at the time.

The move that led to the goal, superb. Benji in goal over Sam - definitely. The referee - mystifying. The Sky highlights available online - how could they not include Taylor's disallowed 'goal' and the keeper's rugby tackle on Hylton?

At the end of the day, Brian, this was one of those games where the manner of victory was as important as the win itself. We played our football, scored a great goal although other moves came to nothing, but also managed to defend for our lives at the end and keep a clean sheet.
Old Abingdonian
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Re: One is enough

Post by Old Abingdonian »

Very much agree with Dr Bob. As others have said about Chey in previous games, he seems to start games hesitantly, and then grow into them. Certainly in the first half he looked nervous, clumsy in possession and always liable to a booking. I thought Büchel looked good - I would not rush to hand the gloves back to Slocombe, and that seemed to be the implication of MApp's comments on RadOx.

The refusal to give us a penalty was one of the most extraordinary refereeing decisions I have seen. I can only assume the referee played advantage, and then assumed that Hylton had simply wasted the advantage. Can anyone with a better knowledge of the rules enlighten me? Why did the nearside linesman not intervene? He would have seen both the foul, and the fact that the angle Hylton had for the shot was very tight indeed.

I think one major difference this season is that when some players have 'ordinary' games (Sercombe and Baldock yesterday), someone else comes to the fore - Taylor.

In terms of the Sky highlights, there seems to be a policy of not identifying questionable refereeing decisions. I cannot claim to have conducted a scientific analysis, but I have noticed it before. Perhaps an agreement with the league?
Geoff
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Re: One is enough

Post by Geoff »

Yes, I agree we created some chances ourselves early on, but felt for the first 30 minutes that Cambridge were winning the battle for the ball in midfield.
slappy
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Re: One is enough

Post by slappy »

The other 'odd' referring decision was with three minutes added time, a Cambridge player goes down injured. They have the ball but don't kick it off. We win the ball and once we are in decent attaking position, the ref blows up for the injury. We then don't get given the ball back, and the ref plays perhaps five added minutes.

Also I thought we could have tried a bit more time wasting at that point, at least use all of our substitutes.

Roofe I think is still trying too hard to showboat when a simple pass would be the better tactical move.
Jimski
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Re: One is enough

Post by Jimski »

I'm not sure the latter was so much a poor refereeing decision as much as poor sportsmanship from Cambridge. The game has to be restarted with a drop ball. Typically Cambridge would have given us the ball back, as we had been in possession, and it was their player injured. Instead they competed for the drop ball, won it, and set up a period of sustained pressure. Pragmatic, but left a bad taste in the mouth.
Myles Francis
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Re: One is enough

Post by Myles Francis »

Jimski wrote:I'm not sure the latter was so much a poor refereeing decision as much as poor sportsmanship from Cambridge.
Yes, it was poor sportsmanship by Cambridge not to give the ball back, but the point Slappy is making is that with the Cambridge player down injured, they had possession and continued to play. It wasn't until after we won the ball back that the referee then stopped the game. If Cambridge were happy to play on with their player down, the referee probably should have let play continue until a natural break.
Jimski
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Re: One is enough

Post by Jimski »

Ah I see, yes, good point.
SmileyMan
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Re: One is enough

Post by SmileyMan »

Have to say their keeper was pretty decent. Although with a defence like that he must get a lot of practice!
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