On train back and calming down a bit.
Overall, think we maybe just about edged it but a draw would probably have been a fair result. Those first 30 mins were some of the best I’ve seen an Oxford team play in years. Totally dominant. We then let them back into the game a bit, and on the basis of the second half they deserved to be level. The game changed when Kane went off. We just didn’t have that control in the centre of the field anymore. Also, I would need to see them again, but it felt like one of those days where the key decisions went our way. There was a Brannagan handball first half in the penalty area after a corner which looked borderline, you’ve seen fouls given for the challenge that led to our first, and some of those pen shouts for them at the very end i thought looked very like pens. Still, it all evens out I suppose. I’m a bit annoyed by the way we fell off. Is it a fitness thing? Seems to be happening with regularity.
On the players: I was wondering going into the game whether Stevens has had a bit of a free pass so far this season off the back of his form at the end of the last. Not done anything conspicuously bad, but not showing the kind of form that had Prem teams looking at him this summer by any means. Today seemed like a return to form. That save from Bannan right at the death will probably be forgotten but that saves us two points (as well as the unquantifiable feel good factor of a 90th min winner). Top performance. Very assured.
Defence a little suspect for me on the flanks. Thorniley and Moore both great (Thorniley was more dominant in the air than I’ve given him credit for, and superb on the ball), but Long looked rusty and Seddon looked like the weak link. More than once they switched the play quickly (through their impressive, I thought, #8), and the RW had half the field to run into. On another day that’s exploited more effectively. Love his energy and attacking intent though.
The midfield won us the game. It’s really nicely balanced in there at the moment. Kane and Brannagan both muck so well and have such good distribution (and no little skill - one little lane change from Kane right in front of the away fans first half was sublime) that we will (or at least should) dominate most midfields this season. Adding in Gorrin gives us extra grit, and adding in Henry instead gives us more threat on the ball. Looks promising going forward. I wonder where MacGuane fits in, if at all, when fit? It was slightly concerning how quickly we lost a foothold on the game when Kane went off, though. It’s always worrying being too reliant on one player. I also feel Brannagan’s form has dropped off slightly after his electric start to the season. He was involved in a lot of the good stuff we did going forward, and obviously scored a lovely goal (didn’t realise it had gone in from where I was sitting!), but he wasn’t running the game he was in the same way as he was against eg Charlton. Yes he was playing as a 10 but does that get the most out of him? It’s an interesting conundrum to have.
Taylor looks back to his best - though did miss that sitter at the start of the second half (with the caveat of a top save from BPF). Linked well with Bran. Forde did his job well without being electrifying and Holland too played well. Looked like he was running through sand second half, but then made the run through the middle that made the space that made the late goal. Also good defensively, which I like to see. Not ITK at all, but know someone who worked at West Han who questioned his attitude (as opposed to Browne, who he raved about). Obviously we don’t see the players every day in training but on the basis of the games this week, seems more than happy to track back and get stuck in, which doesn’t indicate bad attitude to me by any means.
Subs fine. Williams I though was just what we needed at that moment in the game. A bit of dark arts and energy. And Henry - I’ve said before he’s a moments player. He quite rarely runs games, but you just need him in the side because he has that capacity to pop up with the crucial moment in any game he plays. Today a prime example of that. What a finish.
Wednesday looked worse than the sum of their parts for me, which surprised me. I rate Moore as a manager. He has to be doing more with the talent he has there. I thought #8 was good and Bannan will tear teams apart this season if given space. Fun to see that Dunkley still heads it like his heads shaped like a 50 pence piece. Chatted to a few Wednesday fans over the course of the day and, while they all seemed sound, they all seem to be in that headspace of, we should be dominating this league. I fear for them a bit. They’ve got a good squad on paper, but they’re not the first ‘big’ side to come down to the third division without understanding quite how tough it is.
What a ground. Historic grounds like that will slowly die out over the next few decades, so we have to enjoy them while we can. A brilliant football day. A hint of aggro outside after too, which is always fun. Also made sure to pass by the memorial on the way out. Very moving.