POSITIVES (in my opinion)
4-4-2!
The first 32 minutes.
Foster and Corcoran making really decent debuts, Fast Eddie in midfield.
Fans still turning up in huge numbers to watch this non-league crap.
York losing to Tamworth and Stuart Beavon’s goal depriving Burton of 2 points in the last minute. Morecambe, Gravesend and Kidderminster (yes, even Kiddy are now a threat) drawing their games in the FAT, so they have other first team games to play that we don’t.
http://www.oddschecker.com/betting/mode ... sid/919398
Patto’s team scoring four at Slumdon.
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NEGATIVES (in my opinion)
Taking Rose off and letting the Duffer continue.
The last 58 minutes.
The Division V table tonight which shows there are still 16 games left – I wish we could just end the season now while we’re still in 2nd place.
Another example of excessive time wasting and physical stuff by an opposition team once they are happy with the score. Is it my imagination or is this kind of thing more prevalent in the Conference than in League II last year?
We only had 50% of the possession and 2 shots on target, which was the same as Them (copyright OUFC official website).
Lots of people going away thinking it was good news getting a home point against the third worst team in the Conference, when in reality it was simply considerably less shite than that debacle we witnessed last Monday night.
Today
(NB: Typed this up before reading the view of the Snake)
A marked improvement today. We played the ball on the floor and it was much more pleasing on the eye. (Cambridge on the other hand were anything but). However we have again failed to beat a poor team near the foot of the league and never stretched their keeper.
I thought it was going to be an open game with the opposition playing their part but once they went one up they morphed into the standard Conference lower table spoilers we have seen so often – fouling, niggling, slowing down the taking of free kicks, feigning injury, taking ages over throw ins etc. Although the ref dished out a few bookings and a late red card I bet Cambridge think it was well worth the sacrifice.
If this had been early season I would have been semi optimistic because the new guys looked like they could add something (but with the caveat – can’t fully judge on one performance) and given time …… but there is a lot less time than there was at the outset.
Corcoran did a decent defensive job and looked like he could play a bit of football too (my judgement might be a bit out here as I thought the same about Ashton when I first saw him).
Foster looked quite competitive, a half decent passer without being particularly creative and willing to have a shot – quality of which same as the rest of the team, unfortunately.
4-4-2 at last. Hurrah. Was this the telling factor in the ball being on the floor more? The full backs got the ball rolled to them from the keeper much more than under the old system. Poss the change of keeper might have something to do with this. Quinn was looking for the ball throughout. Brevett got it a lot too but he was terrible. I guess Jim persists with him because Johnson is equally as bad.
I thought Eddie had his best game for a while and looked much more comfortable with much less defensive responsibility. Worryingly JS thinks he is better as a wing back and said that we only played the system today because of the players available.
Burgess didn’t do much when he came on but I think all the criticism he seems to be getting is unfair. I know crowds look for scapegoats but at times now it seems to me that he is being blamed for our plummet down the league. He is a quality footballer we need to get the best out of him. I see a parallel with Lee Bradbury here and look what he is doing now. We have others who are not doing it – take a look at Duffy’s contribution today. Contrast his efforts with those of Simpson up front for Cambridge the guy ran and worked tirelessly throughout even if he was rather nasty at times.
And finally, a(nother) criticism of Jim – Grebis was fit but not even on the bench. Why? Jim says it was because he has not done as well as expected. How well did you expect him to do when you bought him without ever having seen him play just because you knew his agent well? The poor guy has come to a foreign land, doesn’t speak the language, has played one full game and two lots of 69 mins after having not played for a couple of months. And he didn’t look worse to me than Duffy did in that time. Not good on the motivational front – I wonder if he has any idea what is going on.
And really finally I’ll finish on a positive – with the defence playing well again, other than the goal, we never looked like conceding another.
A marked improvement today. We played the ball on the floor and it was much more pleasing on the eye. (Cambridge on the other hand were anything but). However we have again failed to beat a poor team near the foot of the league and never stretched their keeper.
I thought it was going to be an open game with the opposition playing their part but once they went one up they morphed into the standard Conference lower table spoilers we have seen so often – fouling, niggling, slowing down the taking of free kicks, feigning injury, taking ages over throw ins etc. Although the ref dished out a few bookings and a late red card I bet Cambridge think it was well worth the sacrifice.
If this had been early season I would have been semi optimistic because the new guys looked like they could add something (but with the caveat – can’t fully judge on one performance) and given time …… but there is a lot less time than there was at the outset.
Corcoran did a decent defensive job and looked like he could play a bit of football too (my judgement might be a bit out here as I thought the same about Ashton when I first saw him).
Foster looked quite competitive, a half decent passer without being particularly creative and willing to have a shot – quality of which same as the rest of the team, unfortunately.
4-4-2 at last. Hurrah. Was this the telling factor in the ball being on the floor more? The full backs got the ball rolled to them from the keeper much more than under the old system. Poss the change of keeper might have something to do with this. Quinn was looking for the ball throughout. Brevett got it a lot too but he was terrible. I guess Jim persists with him because Johnson is equally as bad.
I thought Eddie had his best game for a while and looked much more comfortable with much less defensive responsibility. Worryingly JS thinks he is better as a wing back and said that we only played the system today because of the players available.
Burgess didn’t do much when he came on but I think all the criticism he seems to be getting is unfair. I know crowds look for scapegoats but at times now it seems to me that he is being blamed for our plummet down the league. He is a quality footballer we need to get the best out of him. I see a parallel with Lee Bradbury here and look what he is doing now. We have others who are not doing it – take a look at Duffy’s contribution today. Contrast his efforts with those of Simpson up front for Cambridge the guy ran and worked tirelessly throughout even if he was rather nasty at times.
And finally, a(nother) criticism of Jim – Grebis was fit but not even on the bench. Why? Jim says it was because he has not done as well as expected. How well did you expect him to do when you bought him without ever having seen him play just because you knew his agent well? The poor guy has come to a foreign land, doesn’t speak the language, has played one full game and two lots of 69 mins after having not played for a couple of months. And he didn’t look worse to me than Duffy did in that time. Not good on the motivational front – I wonder if he has any idea what is going on.
And really finally I’ll finish on a positive – with the defence playing well again, other than the goal, we never looked like conceding another.
Agree with most of the above.
There are two of you who agree with me and my more vocal neighbour that Duffy was poor. I don't understand why my fellow exiles think he is above criticism.
With 4-4-2 you need someone to lead the line. His lack of movement and commitment when the ball is there to be won on the floor was dire. OK he won a few headers and flicked a few on for Yemi but Grebis could not have been worse and I would have liked him on for Duffy in the second half. Even Marvin showed more speed, movement and commitment when he came on.
First 20 goal a season striker since whenever - how many goals from open play?
Rant over.
There are two of you who agree with me and my more vocal neighbour that Duffy was poor. I don't understand why my fellow exiles think he is above criticism.
With 4-4-2 you need someone to lead the line. His lack of movement and commitment when the ball is there to be won on the floor was dire. OK he won a few headers and flicked a few on for Yemi but Grebis could not have been worse and I would have liked him on for Duffy in the second half. Even Marvin showed more speed, movement and commitment when he came on.
First 20 goal a season striker since whenever - how many goals from open play?
Rant over.
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Resurrection Ox
- Puberty
- Posts: 445
- Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 9:45 pm
Re:
Agreed. Duffy was a total liability yesterday. We needed a focus for the improved formation. He poodled around like an ageing Thames tugboat. Crap."Boogie" wrote:Agree with most of the above.
There are two of you who agree with me and my more vocal neighbour that Duffy was poor. I don't understand why my fellow exiles think he is above criticism.
With 4-4-2 you need someone to lead the line. His lack of movement and commitment when the ball is there to be won on the floor was dire. OK he won a few headers and flicked a few on for Yemi but Grebis could not have been worse and I would have liked him on for Duffy in the second half. Even Marvin showed more speed, movement and commitment when he came on.
First 20 goal a season striker since whenever - how many goals from open play?
Rant over.
I thought you had given up on OUFC after Woking Boogie?
Corcoran will be a far better player than Ashton. I'll make an early prediction that he'll be an international one day.
Agree pretty much with everything that's been said but I think Baboo is damning Foster with faint praise. It was his creative run and pass that created the goal and he looked very active and competent in midfield. Corcoran is small for a centre back but seems to be able to make up for this with agility and confidence on the ball. Could we have found a centre back who can pass?
I also thought Quinn played really well as a full back and was prepared (and able) to get up and down the line a lot more than the rapidly deteriorating Brevett who rarely gets past half way and almost always passes back or sideways.
Agree about Smith being harsh on Grebis - hopefully he can make an impact for the reserves and change his mind. I think it will take an injury for Duffer to be dropped as he seems to be Jim's first choice striker regardless of form.
In summary, the patient (team) is showing signs of improvement but still on the critical list.
I also thought Quinn played really well as a full back and was prepared (and able) to get up and down the line a lot more than the rapidly deteriorating Brevett who rarely gets past half way and almost always passes back or sideways.
Agree about Smith being harsh on Grebis - hopefully he can make an impact for the reserves and change his mind. I think it will take an injury for Duffer to be dropped as he seems to be Jim's first choice striker regardless of form.
In summary, the patient (team) is showing signs of improvement but still on the critical list.
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Ancient Colin
- Grumpy old git
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- Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 12:23 pm
- Location: Nowhere near Treviso
No Boogie, it wasn't that we were saying at all that Duffy is good or unassailable (although, as another neighbour of yours said "he's what we've got") ... it was just that the mouths on your right were shrieking abuse at him for everything he did, blaming him for every breakdown ... whereas the same mistakes made by others went without comment. Also, once again, he got little service (other than balls whacked at or over him) ... but I agree he doesn't help himself by not moving into places where he could get the ball, you said "he should lead the line".
Blaming Burgess ... well, not "blaming" but noting how in the early part of the season he was the creative driving force, whether in open play or from set pieces, whereas now he's just a shadow of that. How much of a threat do his corners and free kicks look now? When he gets the ball, do you half expect a sudden long range shot or transforming pass anymore? And when was the last time that we put in a free kick as hard to defend as Pitt's for their goal?
But, hell, it WAS better than Monday.
Blaming Burgess ... well, not "blaming" but noting how in the early part of the season he was the creative driving force, whether in open play or from set pieces, whereas now he's just a shadow of that. How much of a threat do his corners and free kicks look now? When he gets the ball, do you half expect a sudden long range shot or transforming pass anymore? And when was the last time that we put in a free kick as hard to defend as Pitt's for their goal?
But, hell, it WAS better than Monday.
Re:
Possibly, but I've long ago learned not to get carried away by one (half) decent performance."Mally" wrote:Agree pretty much with everything that's been said but I think Baboo is damning Foster with faint praise. It was his creative run and pass that created the goal and he looked very active and competent in midfield.
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Kernow Yellow
- Grumpy old git
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- Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 5:16 pm
Re:
Would be interested to hear more reports of Foster. From the radio commentary I gleaned that he touched the ball far more than any other Oxford player (at least during the first half hour), and I don't think I ever heard that he had put a pass astray or given it away. Was he really as good as it sounded?"Mally" wrote:Agree pretty much with everything that's been said but I think Baboo is damning Foster with faint praise. It was his creative run and pass that created the goal and he looked very active and competent in midfield.
Also, about an hour into the game the BBC live match stats said we'd had 70% of the possession, but by the end it agreed with OUFC stats that it was 50/50. Was the last half hour really such one way traffic? If so that's very disappointing, especially given that we had numerical superiority for the last bit.
Re:
Would have been rather silly to attempt a pass when around the six yard box with the ball in the air and just asking to be buried in the back of the net. Those of us who remained for the second half (& the bloke sat in front of me during the first half did not return either) will have known it was a header Dave."DLT" wrote: Have to say I was slightly surprised to get a text saying Eddie had scored. Did he have nobody he could pass to?
Re:
"Baboo" wrote:I would guess that for a good 10 minutes of the second half Cambridge had posession of a dead ball to waste time. If the % posession stats are for the full 45 minutes rather than just in-play time that could account for it."Kernow YellowWas the last half hour really such one way traffic? [/quote wrote:
No.
Just proves what a load of old those stats can be at times.
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GodalmingYellow
- Senile
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- Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 10:22 am
Much better football. Passing for lengthy spells. Movement off the ball (Brevett and Duffer excepted). Players looking like they wanted the ball.
The reasons we didn't win today were twofold. Firstly the selection. I would have started with Yemi on the right wing and Eddie at full back. They way Eddie and Yemi work together has been seen before.
Quinn CB with Corcoran. Not sure Gilly is quite worth his place at the moment.
Then we have Grebis and Duffer up front.
Corcoran I thought looked very accomplished and was MotM.
Foster has a good game too.
Duffer needs to learn to run into space, anticipate, take risks. At the moment he wants everything on a sixpence, and he isn't prepared to move his feet to get to the ball. That accounts for a significant degree of the problem with our firepower, or rather lack of.
Burgess isn't worth his place in the side at the moment either, similar to Brevett and Johnson. These senior players need to remember that they have to earn the right. God that sounds horribly like Atkins. Like a caller to RadOx, I would prefer a reserve player than Brevett or Johnson.
Generally it was much more enjoyable, but still some distance from where we need to be.
Overall it was 5/10, rather than the 1/10 from Monday.
The reasons we didn't win today were twofold. Firstly the selection. I would have started with Yemi on the right wing and Eddie at full back. They way Eddie and Yemi work together has been seen before.
Quinn CB with Corcoran. Not sure Gilly is quite worth his place at the moment.
Then we have Grebis and Duffer up front.
Corcoran I thought looked very accomplished and was MotM.
Foster has a good game too.
Duffer needs to learn to run into space, anticipate, take risks. At the moment he wants everything on a sixpence, and he isn't prepared to move his feet to get to the ball. That accounts for a significant degree of the problem with our firepower, or rather lack of.
Burgess isn't worth his place in the side at the moment either, similar to Brevett and Johnson. These senior players need to remember that they have to earn the right. God that sounds horribly like Atkins. Like a caller to RadOx, I would prefer a reserve player than Brevett or Johnson.
Generally it was much more enjoyable, but still some distance from where we need to be.
Overall it was 5/10, rather than the 1/10 from Monday.
Re:
"Baboo" wrote:Does anyone know how these stats get put together? Surely PTV or the FA or RadOx or whoever don’t employ someone to sit there with a stopwatch in order the obtain the possession stats, do they?"Kernow YellowWas the last half hour really such one way traffic? [/quote wrote:
No.
Just proves what a load of old those stats can be at times.
Re:
"Snake" wrote:Looking for another job, Snake?"Baboo" wrote:Does anyone know how these stats get put together? Surely PTV or the FA or RadOx or whoever don’t employ someone to sit there with a stopwatch in order the obtain the possession stats, do they?"Kernow YellowWas the last half hour really such one way traffic? [/quote wrote:
No.
Just proves what a load of old those stats can be at times.