Home Match Day Thread +++ 10/02/18 OUFC V BRISTOL ROVERS MATCH THREAD +++

The highlights are so bad for the defending. Not making him a scapegoat, but just to highlight the point I was making about mous’s positioning as much as his clearing. Watch him, in nearly all the balls into the box he loses his man, they drift away from him into space and he doesn’t notice. Especially the winner, a token push on the no9 then totally forgets about him leaving him open for a tap in.He does this all the time and it’s costing us far more than when he has the ball at his feet.
 
The central midfield is a wasteland at the moment. Ledson spends a lot of time running around like a headless chicken, at times leaving gaping holes behind him that the opposition exploit. Ruffels is so slow getting around and too ponderous on the ball - if only he could get some confidence in his game. We ached for a ball player in the middle today, but they are still in the physios room. A better central midfield will make this team look remarkably different and the CBs less like fools.

I thought Smith-Brown was ok, but drifted badly as the game went on. Not what I would call an improvement on Ricardinho from that viewing. IBR has moments of sparkle, but drifts out of the game far too much and doesn't remain switched on. Why oh why does this team not manage the officials better? It's embarrassing to see how passive we've become with all the little things. We just ain't naughty enough.

We didn't play much better than Clotet's team today. We were ok at best, but removing the manager hasn't improved things much. Different ingredients, same recent recipe. I did laugh at some of the fans today. If only they could listen to themselves week on week.
 
So Rothwell thinks it might have been better to not go one up in the second minute. What is he on? Either I am mad or he is. Tried to defend for eighty eighty minutes. A truly dreadful performance all round. It even spread to Eastwood with his clearances. I am still in shock.
He needs to talk to his family then. They all had money on him to score with the bookie at the ground. 11-1 they got, right pissed off bookie again. Also a couple, at least, took his offer of 22-1 for OUFC to win first half and Brizzle to win second.

Might have a few quid on that kind of result myself next weekend. At least it would pay for the drinks after.
 
Having to play Thomas unfit up front shows the lunacy of not bringing a front man in. Lunacy when your two strikers have track records of injuries.
 
The central midfield is a wasteland at the moment. Ledson spends a lot of time running around like a headless chicken, at times leaving gaping holes behind him that the opposition exploit. Ruffels is so slow getting around and too ponderous on the ball - if only he could get some confidence in his game. We ached for a ball player in the middle today, but they are still in the physios room. A better central midfield will make this team look remarkably different and the CBs less like fools.

I thought Smith-Brown was ok, but drifted badly as the game went on. Not what I would call an improvement on Ricardinho from that viewing. IBR has moments of sparkle, but drifts out of the game far too much and doesn't remain switched on. Why oh why does this team not manage the officials better? It's embarrassing to see how passive we've become with all the little things. We just ain't naughty enough.

We didn't play much better than Clotet's team today. We were ok at best, but removing the manager hasn't improved things much. Different ingredients, same recent recipe. I did laugh at some of the fans today. If only they could listen to themselves week on week.
Perhaps we could listen to you.
 
It bloody frustrates me, how we can be so Jackel an Hyde! We put in an excellent display at Charlton, and showed amazing character to come from behind late on, and get ourselves three superb points. Yet today we played for about 5 - 10 minutes at a push, and then switched off, and allowed a mediocre team look class. We are so inconsistent, and it needs an experienced head to come in and give them a kick up the a**e, and put fire in there bellies, and put in the effort like we the fans do week in week out.

God I miss Michael Appleton.
 
We didn’t have to play him unfit. He had a slight tweak on his hamstring last weekend. That doesn’t mean he’s not fit. Also we had the option of a fit mehmeti on the bench or sticking with no striker which worked brilliantly at Charlton.

It worked at Charlton with Napa, not today he had no chance with their defenders they are proper old school big lads, also their left back for a big old unit he got down the wing and put some good balls in.

IBR should have stayed on assuming he was fit, the lad can not only add pace he is also strong with his pace, although Brown who got in some great positions which often overlooked by Mousinho who played infield instead, needs to have more confidence to go forward.

I would like to say we would be better with Dickie in defence but at the end of the day I've never seen him play! some said Raglan was the answer, Vale lost 5-1 today doubt he was their man of the match today.

Anyway New York for me Tuesday (Rotherham that is)
 
It worked at Charlton with Napa, not today he had no chance with their defenders they are proper old school big lads, also their left back for a big old unit he got down the wing and put some good balls in.

IBR should have stayed on assuming he was fit, the lad can not only add pace he is also strong with his pace, although Brown who got in some great positions which often overlooked by Mousinho who played infield instead, needs to have more confidence to go forward.

I would like to say we would be better with Dickie in defence but at the end of the day I've never seen him play! some said Raglan was the answer, Vale lost 5-1 today doubt he was their man of the match today.

Anyway New York for me Tuesday (Rotherham that is)
There Left back was the one who Canice Carroll dominated against Millwall away last season. Maybe if we brought him on, the left back would've had flash backs of being subbed at half time after being exploited by Canice. If i remember correctly he couldn't cope with long balls, Faz should've done something to test him, got Henry up against him and play the long ball.
 
There Left back was the one who Canice Carroll dominated against Millwall away last season. Maybe if we brought him on, the left back would've had flash backs of being subbed at half time after being exploited by Canice. If i remember correctly he couldn't cope with long balls, Faz should've done something to test him, got Henry up against him and play the long ball.

What the Henry who walked straight off the pitch without even applauding the fans?
 
Disappointing game today, in many ways. On the terraces the atmosphere was much better, the flags were out and I felt that we were much more vocal than we have been for some time.
On the pitch though, The sad fact Is that we summarily failed to build on a solid start and never really put the pedal down on a pretty ordinary Rovers side with more puff than huff.
They created much more than us, especially second half where we rarely threatened at all. We just kept on welting it up to Thomas where, with his back to goal was neither able to flick it on or bring it down and lay it off. Not that he was terrible, just one ineffective player among many others.
We seem to be unable to sustain pressure on opposition defences. With one up top, I guess that is obvious, but we have to get forward in numbers, otherwise we cannot hope to put teams like Rovers to bed.
We are not nearly aggressive enough to swat these teams aside, but I do believe that we have enough quality to avoid a relegation scrap. That is the priority now. Just to get ourselves safe for a push next season.
 
Nor do I, but I’m struggling to remember a game where mous did much better. He’s made the same basic errors in every game. And that’s not just him getting rid of it, but basic marking, u watch him on crosses and corners he losses his man everytime. Their no 9 did it to him countless times today. Let mous get close, drop the shoulder , turn and u have lost him. Basic defending. I thought to start with we had a great signing, but u can see why burton got rid. There’s not much difference between him for pace with Jake wright. But Wright’s positioning, tackling and general ability under pressure is way above both of them.

I think you’ll find that Mousinho marked his man for Rovers 2nd, but Smith Brown and Martin didn’t pick up anyone!
 
No point blaming this player or that, we weren’t set up right and didn’t take any control of the game. Did we have any chances apart from the one Agon missed after making a good run? The only player who I thought was any good was Rothwell
 
The highlights are so bad for the defending. Not making him a scapegoat, but just to highlight the point I was making about mous’s positioning as much as his clearing. Watch him, in nearly all the balls into the box he loses his man, they drift away from him into space and he doesn’t notice. Especially the winner, a token push on the no9 then totally forgets about him leaving him open for a tap in.He does this all the time and it’s costing us far more than when he has the ball at his feet.

He’s the only defender who actually tracks a Rovers players. Take another look and you’ll see that Martin & Smith Brown haven’t picked up anyone. If it’s anyone fault it was Smith Brown.
 
We didn’t have to play him unfit. He had a slight tweak on his hamstring last weekend. That doesn’t mean he’s not fit. Also we had the option of a fit mehmeti on the bench or sticking with no striker which worked brilliantly at Charlton.

We needed a striker. All of them are injury prone.
 
Today's performance epitomised the difference between a coach and a manager. I am sure Faz is a very good coach and so he should be after 50 years in the role. However, he's no tactician. He got lucky last week with injuries to Thomas and Obika and played a formation that was forced upon him but which worked. Today he reverted to one up front, Thomas, who was completely ineffective at either winning the ball or holding it up. He had no abuility to change things in the second half when Rovers upped their game and frankly took us apart particularly in midfield. Stepping up from the players coach to their manager must also be tricky in that it requires a change in relationship and a more objective approach. Someone has to take things by the scruff of the neck and effect radical change. No Eales at the game today but the Tiger was crouching. Does anyone know what's going on?
 
These defenders are in L1 and not the Premier for a reason. If we never have a plan to deal with opponents who outnumber us in midfield then they will continuously bombard our penalty area. Eventually a defender will make an error. This has happened almost every time we faced a 5 man midfield this and last season.


Couldn't agree more.

Same old thing really. Our bunch come up against a committed, combatitive and physical side and we're found wanting. It's been going on since the Mapp days.

That we could improve our centre-back pairing is beyond doubt. That any league 1 centre-back pairing could have withstood yesterday's onslaught is less certain.


Down with this sort of thing.
 
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