Tinkerman tinkles

[DLT]

Again a change of formation and personnel.

It almost feels like clutching at straws.

Hargreaves' interview was interesting. 'We need to find a formula that works and stick to it into the play offs and through to Wembley'.

Big worry as it looks like Burgess's season is over. That puts even more pressure on Yemi as our only 'match winner'.

[Werthers Original]

Just said the same above! A real shame if Burgess is out for the season, and crazy that his last contribution was as some sort of full back.

[Snake]

Today was another valuable point on the road to Wembley, and thatÔÇÖs all IÔÇÖm going to say on the matter - apart from the fact that if that game was played again in my back garden tomorrow IÔÇÖd draw the curtains.

[Frank]

Today was another valuable point on the road to Wembley, and that’s all I’m going to say on the matter - apart from the fact that if that game was played again in my back garden tomorrow I’d draw the curtains.

Agreed, and I'd tell Smith not to bother to turn up either for all he did! Their manager - talking, geeing up the player, clapping etc, etc,..... ours standing - arms folded shouting at players - I was VERY pleased when Hargreaves shouted back at him - put him in his place.

Bore draw is an understatement even allowing for the wind. I do not intend to watch football like that for another season.

[Ancient Colin]

I thought the Hargreaves interview was pretty brave - particularly as Smith had, in effect, pinned a large amount of blame on him in the preceding interview (&quotsenior players in midfiled failing to control the game&quot) ... it was a pretty explicit criticism of Smith/Awfulford's tactics and meddling and a call for stability of system. For the Smith apostles, the respective impacts of the half time changes must be a pause for thought: we're being overrun in midfield, so let's take someone out of the midfield. May I have my rant about throws in? Slow Eddy can't throw the ball in. So why do they keep asking him to do it, and why does everyone disappear to distances that he can't reach? Smart. Why can't you train him to do it (it isn't rocket science, you just have to get your hands further behind the ball), why don't they practice? Why is it a cast iron article of faith that the fullback has to take the throws, why doesnt the first person there look to see if there is an opportunity? And so on and so forth. Oh and Boogie: OK, Duffer was awful. There you go.

[Baboo]

When I saw the starting line up I was not displeased.
When I saw the way we played I was very displeased.
We failed to win at home again and put in a very another poor performance. Great as we head for the play offs. Even we can't cock that up can we?
The blame must lie somewhere - players ? Management ? What planet is JS on - I believe that on the Radio he critisised all departments of the team, including the defence, ffs. They didn't let a goal in - bloody hell, what was he expecting Oxford 0 Burton minus 2. Plus the two players who looked most comfortable on the ball were Foster (L) &amp Corcoran.
Agree Duffy was awful today &amp Eddie had a stinker. And on that showing Marv would not have been a worse option than Zeb. With no one performing the only player Burton needed to worry about was Yemi and they were able to stick three or players on him most of the time.

[GodalmingYellow]

Well I sincerely hope we never see 3-4-3 again, ever. It became a defensive 4-3-3 almost immediately when it was obvious that Burge didn't have the pace to deal with Burton's right winger, so he had to drop 10 yards to cope. End of creativity down the left.

I'm sorry to say I was shocked by the starting line up and the formation.

Squad rotation to allow older players to rest is one thing which involves changing just one or two players each match. Changing for or five players each time is something else entirely. How are the players supposed to get used to playing alongside each other, or playing a particular system when it is changed every single game. Inconsistency of playing comes from (among other things) inconsistency in selection and tactics.

Burgess is not a left back and never will be. He's not even a left wing back. He is a midfielder or third striker in a three front line, or just between the two.

If Johnson was fit, he should have played. If Johnson wasn't fit he shouldn't have been on the bench. In any event, I would rather have Matt Day playing LB than Johnson or Brevett. And I would rather have Gunn playing.

In our terraces chats we agreed that if Johnson and Brevett had any honour, they would have retired and stopped drawing the cheques by now.

Three up front does not work as an attacking formation against a good side. The midfield gets overrun or we become short at the back. We end up with 2 of the strikers playing too wide oof the central striker so the ball is not held up and we end up with a hoofing match and pressure consistently on the defenders. Talbot stylee.

The midfield become in effective when the ball is hoofed over the top of them.

Having said all that, some of the players badly underperformed, with the exception of Corcoran, Luke Foster, and Rose. Perhaps also Burge whilst he was on and Zerba who was all but isolated again. No criticism of Turley either because he had very little to do.

The remaining players, and in particular Duffy, Anaclet, and Yemi were poor.

Burton weren't much better and whilst the weather didn't help, it was a poor match played out by two poor teams.

It was another match which will wipe 1,500 or more off the gate next season if we do not get promoted. And lets not forget that the only reason the gate was inflated was because of the addition of a terrace full of kids.

Poor players, but most of the criticism is awarded to JS today for poor selections and tactics.

[Resurrection Ox]

When I saw the starting line up I was not displeased.
When I saw the way we played I was very displeased.
We failed to win at home again and put in a very another poor performance. Great as we head for the play offs. Even we can't cock that up can we?
The blame must lie somewhere - players ? Management ? What planet is JS on - I believe that on the Radio he critisised all departments of the team, including the defence, ffs. They didn't let a goal in - bloody hell, what was he expecting Oxford 0 Burton minus 2. Plus the two players who looked most comfortable on the ball were Foster (L) &amp Corcoran.
Agree Duffy was awful today &amp Eddie had a stinker. And on that showing Marv would not have been a worse option than Zeb. With no one performing the only player Burton needed to worry about was Yemi and they were able to stick three or players on him most of the time.

Yes no problem with all that. But the wind was terrible as well. You cannot play a decent game of football in wind like that. Yemi was dreadul btw. Did'nt seem interested.

[Resurrection Ox]

Well I sincerely hope we never see 3-4-3 again, ever. It became a defensive 4-3-3 almost immediately when it was obvious that Burge didn't have the pace to deal with Burton's right winger, so he had to drop 10 yards to cope. End of creativity down the left.

I'm sorry to say I was shocked by the starting line up and the formation.

Squad rotation to allow older players to rest is one thing which involves changing just one or two players each match. Changing for or five players each time is something else entirely. How are the players supposed to get used to playing alongside each other, or playing a particular system when it is changed every single game. Inconsistency of playing comes from (among other things) inconsistency in selection and tactics.

Burgess is not a left back and never will be. He's not even a left wing back. He is a midfielder or third striker in a three front line, or just between the two.

If Johnson was fit, he should have played. If Johnson wasn't fit he shouldn't have been on the bench. In any event, I would rather have Matt Day playing LB than Johnson or Brevett. And I would rather have Gunn playing.

In our terraces chats we agreed that if Johnson and Brevett had any honour, they would have retired and stopped drawing the cheques by now.

Three up front does not work as an attacking formation against a good side. The midfield gets overrun or we become short at the back. We end up with 2 of the strikers playing too wide oof the central striker so the ball is not held up and we end up with a hoofing match and pressure consistently on the defenders. Talbot stylee.

The midfield become in effective when the ball is hoofed over the top of them.

Having said all that, some of the players badly underperformed, with the exception of Corcoran, Luke Foster, and Rose. Perhaps also Burge whilst he was on and Zerba who was all but isolated again. No criticism of Turley either because he had very little to do.

The remaining players, and in particular Duffy, Anaclet, and Yemi were poor.

Burton weren't much better and whilst the weather didn't help, it was a poor match played out by two poor teams.

It was another match which will wipe 1,500 or more off the gate next season if we do not get promoted. And lets not forget that the only reason the gate was inflated was because of the addition of a terrace full of kids.

Poor players, but most of the criticism is awarded to JS today for poor selections and tactics.

Once again don't want to moan but have any of you chaps ewer played football? The weather was the main reason why the game was so poor. I reserve my venom for the players. Not Smith. They lacked application and constantly kept on losing the 50 50s.

Rose diid nothing when he was on.

Burgess was playing pretty effectively I thought. He was actually getting stuck in. Johnson was alright too. Two lads who get unnecessarily slagged in my view.

Duffy was a total disaster. No speed, no strenth, no determination. Nothing. Anaclet has his worst game in a yellow shirt. Ever.

Zebroski tried but shpould learn to look up and consider his passing options.

Ii do agree rthat 3 up front does not work.

4-4-2 !

4-4-2!

etc ad naus...

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

The weather was the main reason why the game was so poor. I reserve my venom for the players.

??

[Resurrection Ox]

The weather was the main reason why the game was so poor. I reserve my venom for the players.

??

They were also a reason, but not the MAIN reason, why the game was so poor.

What's with the 'six out of ten, see me' stuff?

[GodalmingYellow]

Well I sincerely hope we never see 3-4-3 again, ever. It became a defensive 4-3-3 almost immediately when it was obvious that Burge didn't have the pace to deal with Burton's right winger, so he had to drop 10 yards to cope. End of creativity down the left.

I'm sorry to say I was shocked by the starting line up and the formation.

Squad rotation to allow older players to rest is one thing which involves changing just one or two players each match. Changing for or five players each time is something else entirely. How are the players supposed to get used to playing alongside each other, or playing a particular system when it is changed every single game. Inconsistency of playing comes from (among other things) inconsistency in selection and tactics.

Burgess is not a left back and never will be. He's not even a left wing back. He is a midfielder or third striker in a three front line, or just between the two.

If Johnson was fit, he should have played. If Johnson wasn't fit he shouldn't have been on the bench. In any event, I would rather have Matt Day playing LB than Johnson or Brevett. And I would rather have Gunn playing.

In our terraces chats we agreed that if Johnson and Brevett had any honour, they would have retired and stopped drawing the cheques by now.

Three up front does not work as an attacking formation against a good side. The midfield gets overrun or we become short at the back. We end up with 2 of the strikers playing too wide oof the central striker so the ball is not held up and we end up with a hoofing match and pressure consistently on the defenders. Talbot stylee.

The midfield become in effective when the ball is hoofed over the top of them.

Having said all that, some of the players badly underperformed, with the exception of Corcoran, Luke Foster, and Rose. Perhaps also Burge whilst he was on and Zerba who was all but isolated again. No criticism of Turley either because he had very little to do.

The remaining players, and in particular Duffy, Anaclet, and Yemi were poor.

Burton weren't much better and whilst the weather didn't help, it was a poor match played out by two poor teams.

It was another match which will wipe 1,500 or more off the gate next season if we do not get promoted. And lets not forget that the only reason the gate was inflated was because of the addition of a terrace full of kids.

Poor players, but most of the criticism is awarded to JS today for poor selections and tactics.

Once again don't want to moan but have any of you chaps ewer played football? The weather was the main reason why the game was so poor. I reserve my venom for the players. Not Smith. They lacked application and constantly kept on losing the 50 50s.

Rose diid nothing when he was on.

Burgess was playing pretty effectively I thought. He was actually getting stuck in. Johnson was alright too. Two lads who get unnecessarily slagged in my view.

Duffy was a total disaster. No speed, no strenth, no determination. Nothing. Anaclet has his worst game in a yellow shirt. Ever.

Zebroski tried but shpould learn to look up and consider his passing options.

Ii do agree rthat 3 up front does not work.

4-4-2 !

4-4-2!

etc ad naus...

Er yes, I've played football and to a reasonable standard. Have you?

It isn't difficult to play in windy conditions, you just have to learn to keep the ball down and pass it short, pass and move. As soon as you hoof it long, then the windy conditions become unplayable.
Rose made a big differenc ewhen he came on precisely because of that. He kept the ball down pass it and moved for the return, which too ofetn didn't arrive.

Burge did do OK.

Zebroski is a proper striker, he runs the line, drags defenders around, is strong on the ball and has quick feet. He has no one to play with up front though.

[Baboo]

[
Yes no problem with all that. But the wind was terrible as well. You cannot play a decent game of football in wind like that. Yemi was dreadul btw. Did'nt seem interested.

Agree the wind was a big factor - but we seem to be looking for reasons (or should that be excuses rather often). The wind would have been less of a problem if the ball had been kept on the floor.
The sooner the club get ownership of the ground and the 4th side built the sooner we should be able to progress. But as this appears to have gone cold (like the wind whistling thru the SSU). The money does not seem to be there to buy the ground so what chances of the missing stand ever being financed? The future is .???????

[Snake]

We had 3 up front and only 3 in midfield once Burgess had to drop back, so we were hoofing it in the wind and hoped that the Burton defenders made a mistake.

That was the actual game plan it seemed, so I’ve no idea why Smith is using it as the excuse of the day.

And besides, over the last 23 games our record reads W6 D10 L7 and it hasn’t been windy for that whole half a season, so it’s just one more excuse to add the whole shed load that have already been used this season.

[Resurrection Ox]

We had 3 up front and only 3 in midfield once Burgess had to drop back, so we were hoofing it in the wind and hoped the Burton defenders make a mistake.

That was the actual game plan it seemed, so I’ve no idea why Smith is using it as the excuse of the day.

And besides, over the last 23 game our record reads W6 D10 L7 and it hasn’t been windy for a whole half a season, so it’s just one more excuse to add the whole shed load that have already been used this season.

Look at yesterday as a one off and you'll all feel better. I repeat.The wind killed yesterday as a spectacle. It's not as simple as play ball to feet and you'll avoid wind being a factor. The wind would have impacted on that tactic as well GY. It was horrendous.

Our defence played well. But our midfield and the forwards did not fancy competing against committed opponents. Consequently we all experienced purgatory.

I suggest we all forget yesterday ASAP and move on.

ps from the bit I saw Bristol Rovers and Doncaster looked MILES better than the Conference today.

Trying to move away from being the resident Mr Happy of this forum for once I'd say our club has a long, long way to go on field on that comparison.