Big pile of poo-sbury (not really)

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Kairdiff Exile
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Big pile of poo-sbury (not really)

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

What, no comment from anyone about the last two competitive games of Oxford United Football Club? Does anyone care anymore‽

Although we lost today, I’m more positive tonight than I was when walking into the ground. As with Scunny and Portsmouth, we were behind at half-time but looked a lot stronger in the second half once Robinson had adapted our play to what we were facing. Sadly, once again, we were already behind by then. But there were some good performances in the second half and some good fight. I can’t believe we won’t get four points from the three home games we have next, which should see us safe.

I feel like we’ve all learnt a lot recently. The Man City double-barrelleds don’t look up to the job, Mousinho is either struggling on confidence or irrevocably broken (or both), Ricardinho and Mowatt seem unlikely to appear again, and I think we can add Mehmeti to that list now (unless he’s covering for injury).

In the plus column, Dickie and CamBran look like they’ll develop into good players. Henry is now showing consistent form. Ledson and Rothwell seem to have the bit between their teeth, and Kane looks like he’d be a great signing if we can persuade him to stay.

For Robinson, the short honeymoon is over. He’s had chance to assess the squad and see what they can do. Nobody is expecting us to go unbeaten between now and May - but now is the time to use what he’s learnt and get this team to grind out some results.
Werthers Original
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Re: Big pile of poo-sbury (not really)

Post by Werthers Original »

I care! I go to home games but not away so am glad to read this. One thing I’d add is that we probably need more than 50 points as several teams are still showing signs of life.

After Scunny I confidently asserted we are too good to go down so I’d better stick with that, though I wish I knew why we have to go a goal down before we start playing.
OtmoorYellow
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Re: Big pile of poo-sbury (not really)

Post by OtmoorYellow »

We are improving.

The difference that KR is making is clear in the fighting spirit of the players.

We are getting nearer to a settled side now, and we are creating a lot more chances.

Stat of the week is that before the Shrews game, we had scored more goals than them this season, which is bizarre. Quite how they are maintaining a promotion push scoring so few compared to teams around them is unusual, and this also highlights that we ship too many goals (no shit Sherlock).

There is no shame in losing away by a single goal, to a team 14 places above us in the table. All the sides we have played against under KR have been very good sides. The Portsmouth result swayed on a single incident by a single player.

We shall have the opportunity on Saturday, playing against a poor Oldham side, to show that we deserve to be playing L1 again next season. And my feeling now is that we shall be OK. 3 home games in a row will help too and we shall need to beat both Oldham and Fleetwood as a minimum.

I'm liking how we are playing and we deserved more from the games we have played under KR. We are much more positive, without being too direct and without leaving ourselves totally open at the back. We are closing down more quickly (blimey Ledson has an engine) although we need to do this more.

If only we had a good centre back to partner Dickie, that would make a world of difference. And we looked a lot better with Ruffels at left back.

KR is getting close to what I would regard as our strongest line up with the players available.
Jimski
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Re: Big pile of poo-sbury (not really)

Post by Jimski »

Yeah, Oldham, Fleetwood and Rochdale are the crucial games now, I feel. Six points from those should hopefully just about do it. Anything less, and the other games look pretty tough...
recordmeister
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Re: Big pile of poo-sbury (not really)

Post by recordmeister »

Interestingly I watched the game on Good Friday with a friend of mine who has played over 350 professional games of football in the last 15 years. Watching the game with someone who has actually played it is amazing. There was a point where Ledson ran down the Scunny goalie and got a round of applause for it. The comment from my mate was "That got a round of applause from the fans, but it wasn't good football". And as he said that, the keeper cleared, the balls lands pretty much on the centre circle - exactly where Ledson should have been - we are over run in the middle of the park, Scunny attack and nearly score.

Goes to show how little we know. We like endeavour, footballers like positions and roles and jobs being done properly. it's actually quite a boring game when you look at it through their eyes...
Werthers Original
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Re: Big pile of poo-sbury (not really)

Post by Werthers Original »

That’s so interesting! I wonder who your friend is!
OtmoorYellow
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Re: Big pile of poo-sbury (not really)

Post by OtmoorYellow »

recordmeister wrote: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:50 pm Interestingly I watched the game on Good Friday with a friend of mine who has played over 350 professional games of football in the last 15 years. Watching the game with someone who has actually played it is amazing. There was a point where Ledson ran down the Scunny goalie and got a round of applause for it. The comment from my mate was "That got a round of applause from the fans, but it wasn't good football". And as he said that, the keeper cleared, the balls lands pretty much on the centre circle - exactly where Ledson should have been - we are over run in the middle of the park, Scunny attack and nearly score.

Goes to show how little we know. We like endeavour, footballers like positions and roles and jobs being done properly. it's actually quite a boring game when you look at it through their eyes...
Should your mate not have said something along the lines of:

The forwards should be doing the chasing down of the keeper, but if they don't and a midfielder does it, one of said forwards should drop back to cover.
Kernow Yellow
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Re: Big pile of poo-sbury (not really)

Post by Kernow Yellow »

Well I wasn't remotely reassured by what I saw on Monday I'm afraid. Were you lot watching a different game?

My thoughts on the performance concur strongly with Paul's Fans View. We played ok in the first half. Shaky at the back certainly, but fighting hard, putting bodies on the line, making important blocks and tackles. We conceded softly from a free-kick, but were still in it at the break.

But the second half was pretty abject. At two-nil down it looked like a massacre was on the cards. It was a surprise on both occasions that we got ourselves back within a goal of the Shrews, but the real frustration was that for the last 25 mins - when the home side had a little wobble - we showed ourselves absolutely clueless at exploiting it and getting back into the game. We had scored our first by getting the ball wide and putting a dangerous cross in. So, with wingers on the pitch, did we do that again? No, we tried to dribble through their packed midfield and defence, losing the ball when our little ineffectual flicks inevitably didn't come off. Every throw-in was played backwards and put us under pressure. Free-kicks in dangerous positions were floated in for their keeper to claim easily. Some of our most penetrating runs forward came from our centre backs, but when they inevitably lost the ball we were in even more trouble as the Shrews flowed forwards.

Eastwood played well - one world-class save from a deflected shot stood out - but he was sold short by appalling back passes not once but twice and took big hits for the team on both occasions. Ruffels looked good in the first half while Kane was being routinely skinned by various Shrews players, though the latter was one that did improve after the break. What does it say about the two left-backs at the club that we're playing a midfielder there instead? And what has happened to the much-maligned Tiendalli? He looked perfectly ok in the matches I saw.

Mousinho had a bit of a shocker all round. Dickie was better. I'm not particularly impressed by the two games I've seen Brannigan play (I missed the Scunthorpe match). Here he gave away the free-kick that led to their opener. Ledson battled but looked a bit lost at times. Rothwell looks good on the ball but doesn't get involved in games enough. Obika seemed to be playing as a winger and was completely lost, always trying to do too much himself. Napa was better, and at least Thomas knows where the goal is. Mehmeti provided some nice touches in the first half but faded badly before being subbed.

You expect a team at the top of the league to have a bit more skill about them, but ultimately we were out-thought and outfought. Shrewsbury played with so much more intensity than Us, which is very disappointing under a new manager.

I really want Robinson to be the man for Us - I like what he says, and you could see from his behaviour on the touchline that he was as frustrated by what was going on as I was. I appreciate that our three opponents in his games in charge have been relatively tough, but one point is not a good return. Indeed the only 'new manager bounce' I see is the one Charlton are enjoying since he left.

Is he really improving Us? This was no better than the 3-2 defeat at Bradford under Pep imo.

PS Have we won a game in our black away kit this season?
OtmoorYellow
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Re: Big pile of poo-sbury (not really)

Post by OtmoorYellow »

You are such a wind up merchant KY.
Kernow Yellow
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Re: Big pile of poo-sbury (not really)

Post by Kernow Yellow »

OtmoorYellow wrote: Fri Apr 06, 2018 10:36 am You are such a wind up merchant KY.
Not at all! Just saying it as I see it. With the caveat of course that I don't see as many games as others. But I know what I saw at Shrewsbury and it wasn't very good.
Werthers Original
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Re: Big pile of poo-sbury (not really)

Post by Werthers Original »

It wasn't very good against Oldham either, but my god did they battle! We'll be fine if they can carry that on
Kairdiff Exile
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Re: Big pile of poo-sbury (not really)

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

Werthers Original wrote: Mon Apr 09, 2018 12:45 pm It wasn't very good against Oldham either, but my god did they battle!
...with some not-so-honourable exceptions!

*cough* Rickety-Buckets *cough*
Old Abingdonian
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Re: Big pile of poo-sbury (not really)

Post by Old Abingdonian »

He was shocking... credit to Robinson for fishing him off.
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