Very poor performance from Oxford yesterday, particularly in defence.
The players didn't wake up to the fact that they were playing against one of the top teams in this division, until it was far too late to do anything about it.
Ref was very poor, as was the lino at the away end, but they diddn't cause our defeat.
Poor team selection and formation, and it appears that Philliskirk is another to add to the list of poor signings this season.
If the manager sets up the team to play in a specific formation, and one which requires particular types of player and becomes difficult to adapt due to lack of wingers for example, the manager has to stick with that formation come hell or high water, or the team is instantly weakened. If Wilder is confident in what he has done with the team, he should not be tinkering with the formation.
I want to see the highlights (lowlights) before I comment on individual performances for their goals, but based on the live view, there are a few players who let themselves down badly yesterday.
Creeping out early
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Radley Rambler
- Grumpy old git
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We were totally outclassed and the stats show that (59% to Crawley and many more attempts). The ref was poor particularly in the build up to their 2nd goal but that is no excuse.
Boy do we miss Duberry when he isn't playing.
The Midfield was totally overrun.
Up front, only Beano really got going although Robbie H did ok. As for Philliskirk - can someone explain to me what he does that is of benefit? Smalley's shot on the run was the sign of a player with little confidence.
Looks like Crawley & Southend are getting the automatic spots imho so that leaves one place to fight for or the play-offs (which still would be progress).
Boy do we miss Duberry when he isn't playing.
The Midfield was totally overrun.
Up front, only Beano really got going although Robbie H did ok. As for Philliskirk - can someone explain to me what he does that is of benefit? Smalley's shot on the run was the sign of a player with little confidence.
Looks like Crawley & Southend are getting the automatic spots imho so that leaves one place to fight for or the play-offs (which still would be progress).
Crawley were better organised, better disciplined, their players seemed settled in the formation and were 'up for it'. We were lacking in confidence after the last few games, and I've a feeling that Philliskirk is being played simply to justify the loan. Losing against the top 2 teams in League 2, and a play-off level League 1 side in the last fortnight is not the disaster that played 4, lost 4 could be. But I think it shows that at present the team will struggle to get into the auto-promotion places.
Annoyingly, we next play in an in-form Cheltenham, although that is at home.
What is starting to wind me up even more is after the match a Crawley fan was praising our players, skill and workrate. I'm losing count of the number of games we've lost where their manager says afterwards how we are the best team to play them all season.
Annoyingly, we next play in an in-form Cheltenham, although that is at home.
What is starting to wind me up even more is after the match a Crawley fan was praising our players, skill and workrate. I'm losing count of the number of games we've lost where their manager says afterwards how we are the best team to play them all season.
"The midfield was totally overrun". I can well believe this.
To play "wingbacks" to make up the 4 in midfield was insanity, especially against a good team.
Inevitably, they get pushed back into being full backs, leaving the so-called four as a two. No game was ever won playing 5-2-3.
Injuries haven't helped, but I wish we'd stuck to the system that was working so well.
Rather than creating systems to suit the opposition (or not, as the case has proved over recent weeks), we'd be better sticking to they system that suits us and let the opponents worry about us.
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I feel sorry for Smalley. He may or may not be any good, but I don't think Wilder's constant delving into the loan market is good for team morale.
Strikers need confidence. If you are constantly in and out of the team, constantly being replaced by players who probably wont be around in a month or two's time, it will do your self esteem no good at all.
A case in point: The game after Smalley's (fabulous) goal at Aldershot, he was back on the bench, replaced by Andy Howarth. Yep, a loanee. Smalley came on in the last minute, and was given no real chance to build on any confidence he would have gained from scoring earlier in the week.
So far, Smalley has been shunted aside by Guy, Howarth, Franks, Philliskirk and Hall. Only Hall has been any better. What does that tell him? Effectively that the manager doesn't rate him, again, not great for his confidence.
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My criticism of Wilder remains the same as it's ever been. He thinks problems can be solved by simply signing a new player, rather than working with the players he's got. He's signed a couple of good'uns, but there have been a lot of stinkers too.
To play "wingbacks" to make up the 4 in midfield was insanity, especially against a good team.
Inevitably, they get pushed back into being full backs, leaving the so-called four as a two. No game was ever won playing 5-2-3.
Injuries haven't helped, but I wish we'd stuck to the system that was working so well.
Rather than creating systems to suit the opposition (or not, as the case has proved over recent weeks), we'd be better sticking to they system that suits us and let the opponents worry about us.
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I feel sorry for Smalley. He may or may not be any good, but I don't think Wilder's constant delving into the loan market is good for team morale.
Strikers need confidence. If you are constantly in and out of the team, constantly being replaced by players who probably wont be around in a month or two's time, it will do your self esteem no good at all.
A case in point: The game after Smalley's (fabulous) goal at Aldershot, he was back on the bench, replaced by Andy Howarth. Yep, a loanee. Smalley came on in the last minute, and was given no real chance to build on any confidence he would have gained from scoring earlier in the week.
So far, Smalley has been shunted aside by Guy, Howarth, Franks, Philliskirk and Hall. Only Hall has been any better. What does that tell him? Effectively that the manager doesn't rate him, again, not great for his confidence.
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My criticism of Wilder remains the same as it's ever been. He thinks problems can be solved by simply signing a new player, rather than working with the players he's got. He's signed a couple of good'uns, but there have been a lot of stinkers too.
We've been outclassed recently by teams who are going up this season, disappointing, we're not as good as I thought we were.
Why o why did we let Bullman go. Gives bite to our midfield that we've been lacking - Southend and Crawley had too much time on the ball on Sat. 5-2-3 was a very odd formation to play on Sat, 5-3-2 worked ok at Southend but without Heslop there was no driving force from midfield - Leven had his worst game for us on Sat I thought and Clarke was at fault for 2 of the goals.
Don't think we're good enough for the top three but if we can arrest this run and get back to the 4-3-3 that was serving us so well we could sneak into the play offs.
Btw what's happened to the player that replaced Bullman Josh Payne, I really like him but he can't even get on the bench nowadays.
Why o why did we let Bullman go. Gives bite to our midfield that we've been lacking - Southend and Crawley had too much time on the ball on Sat. 5-2-3 was a very odd formation to play on Sat, 5-3-2 worked ok at Southend but without Heslop there was no driving force from midfield - Leven had his worst game for us on Sat I thought and Clarke was at fault for 2 of the goals.
Don't think we're good enough for the top three but if we can arrest this run and get back to the 4-3-3 that was serving us so well we could sneak into the play offs.
Btw what's happened to the player that replaced Bullman Josh Payne, I really like him but he can't even get on the bench nowadays.
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joepoolman
- Mid-life Crisis
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I think Dubes has a groin problem. I saw Crawley play at Cheltenham and what hurt them was when powerful direct players ran at their defence, Heslop is probably our best player at doing that (bar maybe Beano) and he was on the bench. Leven, our other midfield player who makes things happen going forward was never going to get much time on the ball up against Bulman, which was shown by the fact he only started spraying passes around towards the end, when Bulman was tiring a bit and the game (as a contest) was done.
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A-Ro
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We were bad on Saturday but not 4 - 1 bad. I still don't know how their third went in and the fourth should never have got through that easily. I'm not sure how bad a foul it was that led to their second (or fourth actually) and even the first should have been defended better.
As for the ref, I don't know how we keep on getting such bad ones. The one instance that irked me the most was the free kick that he made them take again because Beano nicked the ball off the keeper and was about to score. The ref was happy with the placement of the ball and was ready for the kick to be taken when the Crawley player back heeled the ball to the keeper, we all know damned well that if the keeper had hoofed it straight up the pitch the ref would not have made him take it again but because Beano nipped in, he did.
As for the ref, I don't know how we keep on getting such bad ones. The one instance that irked me the most was the free kick that he made them take again because Beano nicked the ball off the keeper and was about to score. The ref was happy with the placement of the ball and was ready for the kick to be taken when the Crawley player back heeled the ball to the keeper, we all know damned well that if the keeper had hoofed it straight up the pitch the ref would not have made him take it again but because Beano nipped in, he did.
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Kernow Yellow
- Grumpy old git
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4-1 was a pretty fair reflection of the game I reckon. There were large periods of the game when we failed to get out of our own half - how much action did we see down our end in the second half? Very little.
The most disappointing aspect was that we were outfought as well as outplayed. Crawley seemed to pass their way through our midfield at will. Whether this was down to our lack of numbers in the middle or just the fact they were much sharper than us I'm not sure, but they played a quick, direct passing game and we had no idea how to counter it. We tried using Robbie Hall as our outlet, but Crawley didn't give him any time on the ball and he was usually quickly disposessed. We missed Alfie quite badly I thought.
The ref didn't help, of course - I think that early on he misconstrued our players' and fans sense of injustice at his decisions as an attempt to get round him, and he gave us very little all game. But let's be fair to Crawley - they played extremely well and thoroughly deserved to win.
It's no shame to have lost at Southend and Crawley, of course. But the manner of Saturday's defeat, and especially the lack of cutting edge up front, makes me fear for our promotion aspirations.
The most disappointing aspect was that we were outfought as well as outplayed. Crawley seemed to pass their way through our midfield at will. Whether this was down to our lack of numbers in the middle or just the fact they were much sharper than us I'm not sure, but they played a quick, direct passing game and we had no idea how to counter it. We tried using Robbie Hall as our outlet, but Crawley didn't give him any time on the ball and he was usually quickly disposessed. We missed Alfie quite badly I thought.
The ref didn't help, of course - I think that early on he misconstrued our players' and fans sense of injustice at his decisions as an attempt to get round him, and he gave us very little all game. But let's be fair to Crawley - they played extremely well and thoroughly deserved to win.
It's no shame to have lost at Southend and Crawley, of course. But the manner of Saturday's defeat, and especially the lack of cutting edge up front, makes me fear for our promotion aspirations.
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joepoolman
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I think the main reason this was so disappointing is that on other occasions when sides have tried to beat us by playing the ball on the floor we've done fairly well, or better: Cardiff, Shrewsbury, Bristol, Plymouth, Vale etc, whereas this time we were out played. We weren't helped by some shocking reffing and some injuries but this doesn't excuse the defeat. I still don't think that Crawley as a team overall are technically better, but they were way better on the day. I guess it helps that in Barnett they have "the best striker outside the Premier League" (I'm sick of big fat Steve's bull shit).
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GodalmingYellow
- Senile
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Very poor play from us. I've seen the highlights as well now and it doesn't look any better.
First goal no closing down after the tackle, and where was our midfield?
Second goal why was the goal scorer not tracked around? This is a fairly standard free kick routine at youth level.
Third goal why did McLaren not close down? Why did Clarke not close his legs? Very disappointing for a keeper to be beaten at his nearpost from an acute angle through his legs.
4th goal, Clarke's positioning was shocking.
We gave away far too many free kicks, although in fairness the ref gave some bizarre decisions:
Like when I think it was Leven who was tackled from behind by Barnett 10 yards outside our box centrally, taking Leven down without getting near the ball, and about 3 seconds later gave Crawley a free kick 5 yards outside our box, for a single footed sliding challenge by Batt from the side taking the ball cleanly.
Like Barnett scything through Clarke when Clarke had the ball under control, and not even a free kick given.
Like Robbie Hall being brought down 7 or 8 times unfairly, with no booking given, and almost any challenge form an Oxford layer resulting in a booking or dangerous free kick.
Not the ref's fault that we played very poorly, and I include Clarke, the entire back line, Leven, Philliskirk, Franks, virtually the whole team played poorly, save perhaps for Hall and Beano.
Not the ref's fault that we changed our formation for no good reason and weakened our side as a result.
Not the ref's fault that we still seem unable to defend set pieces.
Not the ref's fault that we were always second to the ball, or that we were unable to string 3 passes together.
But the ref certainly gets the assist.
First goal no closing down after the tackle, and where was our midfield?
Second goal why was the goal scorer not tracked around? This is a fairly standard free kick routine at youth level.
Third goal why did McLaren not close down? Why did Clarke not close his legs? Very disappointing for a keeper to be beaten at his nearpost from an acute angle through his legs.
4th goal, Clarke's positioning was shocking.
We gave away far too many free kicks, although in fairness the ref gave some bizarre decisions:
Like when I think it was Leven who was tackled from behind by Barnett 10 yards outside our box centrally, taking Leven down without getting near the ball, and about 3 seconds later gave Crawley a free kick 5 yards outside our box, for a single footed sliding challenge by Batt from the side taking the ball cleanly.
Like Barnett scything through Clarke when Clarke had the ball under control, and not even a free kick given.
Like Robbie Hall being brought down 7 or 8 times unfairly, with no booking given, and almost any challenge form an Oxford layer resulting in a booking or dangerous free kick.
Not the ref's fault that we played very poorly, and I include Clarke, the entire back line, Leven, Philliskirk, Franks, virtually the whole team played poorly, save perhaps for Hall and Beano.
Not the ref's fault that we changed our formation for no good reason and weakened our side as a result.
Not the ref's fault that we still seem unable to defend set pieces.
Not the ref's fault that we were always second to the ball, or that we were unable to string 3 passes together.
But the ref certainly gets the assist.