Home Match Build Up 11/9/2021 L1: OUFC V Wycombe Wanderers

[Yellowlab]

Porkie V Pikey

 

[Sarge]

Popped down to the ticket office late morning to buy my ticket for Saturday, the helpful lady in the ticket office told me tickets are selling exceptionally well for Saturday's match.

A428/ Watlington Road Greenoble road roundabout has ongoing roadworks, with 3 way traffic lights, causing a 5-6 min delay from each direction. I don't know if the road works will be in place on Saturday ?( works will hopefully be suspended over the weekend), but if they are ongoing, anyone who drives to (and from) the Breeze Block on matchday might want to be mindful and add extra travelling time getting there

 

[WuTang]

If Longy starts I'll have a little more confidence. This really feels like a potential defeat on the cards, we are so poor at defending set pieces and Wycombe are a team that put everything into scoring from them.

We need to make sure we control possession and don't give cheap fouls away in our half, because every free kick will be coming into our box. Ainsworth will have done his homework and their players will go down easily and win as many free-kicks as possible. I hope we're clever enough to avoid this being an issue.

Take our chances early and keep the ball and we can take the 3 points. I'm still not sure of my favourite team but I'd go for (not what Robbo will go for!)

Stevens
Long Moore Thorniley Seddon
Henry Gorrin Brannagan
Sykes Agyei Whyte

 

[Sarge]

If Longy starts I'll have a little more confidence. This really feels like a potential defeat on the cards, we are so poor at defending set pieces and Wycombe are a team that put everything into scoring from them.

We need to make sure we control possession and don't give cheap fouls away in our half, because every free kick will be coming into our box. Ainsworth will have done his homework and their players will go down easily and win as many free-kicks as possible. I hope we're clever enough to avoid this being an issue.

Take our chances early and keep the ball and we can take the 3 points. I'm still not sure of my favourite team but I'd go for (not what Robbo will go for!)

Stevens
Long Moore Thorniley Seddon
Henry Gorrin Brannagan
Sykes Agyei Whyte

need a strong referee for saturdays match ... one who can nip Ainsworths anti football in the bud very early

 

[Berliner]

Anyone else slightly worried about shooting Long straight in there after injury? His repeated niggles are getting more and more frequent it seems and I think he needs to be handled carefully.

This notwithstanding I saw enough on last Saturday going forward to suggest we will do OK against Wycombe. Will we still wobble at the back under the barrage is the big question. Might be a draw this one I feel...

 

[Sarge]

Football special buses are back or Saturday ....

Buses Back for Wycombe on Saturday

A reminder that there is an easy way to get to Saturday's home game against Wycombe Wanderers

www.oufc.co.uk

 

[Colin B]

Popped down to the ticket office late morning to buy my ticket for Saturday, the helpful lady in the ticket office told me tickets are selling exceptionally well for Saturday's match.

A428/ Watlington Road Greenoble road roundabout has ongoing roadworks, with 3 way traffic lights, causing a 5-6 min delay from each direction. I don't know if the road works will be in place on Saturday ?( works will hopefully be suspended over the weekend), but if they are ongoing, anyone who drives to (and from) the Breeze Block on matchday might want to be mindful and add extra travelling time getting there

Yes, I'd agree with that.

Although the % sales per block feature has now disappeared from the online ticket site, making it a much slower process (and a return to dot counting!) to check sales, I have us at about 400 above the Charlton game, for the same time before the game. We sold just over 7,000 home tickets for Charlton, so I'd expect 7,500+ home fans and whatever Wycombe bring.

Hopefully will total 9,000+.

 

[bazzer9461]

need a strong referee for saturdays match ... one who can nip Ainsworths anti football in the bud very early

As long as it’s not Kettle as we’ve just had Huxtable so it only leaves him as a possibility

 

[Junior_1]

Apparently Wycombe have been given a singing section!! All tickets of which are very close to the segregation line!!


Fun!

 

[Horse]

As long as they don’t have a drummer…..

 

[Junior_1]

It’s Wycombe, that ^^^ is guaranteed

 

[Sarge]

It’s Wycombe, that ^^^ is guaranteed

tin drum for a tinpot outfit

 

[Mad Dog]

I don't think Long should be starting for a few games yet, he's been struggling with injuries since the 2nd half of last season, and hasn't featured at all this season, so in my opinion he needs to be eased back in.

He was rushed back and thrown straight into the starting lineup 2-3 times last season, and broke down again after a couple of games every time, so I'd hope KR will be a bit more sensible this time around, and give him time to regain full match fitness, as we need Long fit and firing on all cylinders for the entire season, not in and out of the treatment room, due to being carelessly thrown straight back in at the deep end, again.

We've got Forde and Williams, who have done well in Long's absence, and regardless of the unfair criticism thrown Forde's way in recent days, he's done ok, and although we'd all like to see specialist cover in both full back positions, I would be comfortable for another few games with one of those guys filling in while Long gets 20-30mins each game, to get back up to speed.

In the meantime, KR needs to make sure we tighten up on the set pieces, and gets our strikers firing.

 

[Kamal]

It's almost like we should have signed another RB...

 

[Oxford1996]

Stevens
Long Moore Thorniley Seddon
Henry Gorrin Brannagan
Sykes Winnall Whyte

 

[tonyw]

So I agree with you to an extent Mad Dog - in that, yes, Sam Long is now such a crucial player for us that we can't risk knackering him again and so should be easing him back.

But (and apologies in advance for another rant coming), I keeping reading and hearing all over the place that we need to 'tighten up our defending of set pieces' or 'work harder on the training ground on our defending' or that 'our problems at the back are tactical not personnel'. Whereas at the same time, we all agree that we're looking really good going forwards (ignoring the frequently wayward final ball or finishing).

And I'm not sure I buy it. I don't think that you can just teach someone to be a good defender (at set pieces or anywhere). Yes, you can teach them where to stand, or who to look for - but ultimately good defensive play is as much about innate physical skills (mostly size & strength), defensive instincts and natural aggression as it is a learned behaviour. Every bit as much as good attacking play.
Matt Elliott wasn't a great defender purely because he was taught - yes, training helped him realize his potential no doubt, but he also happened to be 6 ft 3, built like a tank, with a natural sense of positioning and an almost psychotic desire to get on the end of crosses and get the ball out of his area at all costs.

So I think the problem we're facing is that Karl has put together his most lop-sided squad ever (and I though the squad was lopsided in the last two years already!). He just hasn't signed enough players that instinctively and practically know how to defend at League One level. Which is why Sam Long is so important, because outside of our CBs and Gorrin (most of the time), he's just about the only player in our squad that can (I think Seddon looks absolutely terrific going forwards - but I'm not yet convinced by him in defense).

Doesn't mean I think we'll lose against Wycombe (or anyone). Our collective attacking talents are such that we can score three goals against anybody.
But against an Ainsworth side that is basically exclusively made up of players who know how to defend and attack set pieces, we may have to score three to win.......

 

[NottsYellow]

need a strong referee for saturdays match ... one who can nip Ainsworths anti football in the bud very early

It is Martin Coy
Last time he officiated our game was Blackpool (A) 0-0 draw and season before was Accrington (A) 2-2.
He seems to be a northern based ref.
Can't see he has reffed Wycombe in last two years so it might take him 89 minutes 59 seconds to get use to Wycombe's devious anti-football tactics.

 

[NottsYellow]

As long as it’s not Kettle as we’ve just had Huxtable so it only leaves him as a possibility

Mr Trevor Kettle seems to be slowly being relegated to League 2. Out of 5 league games this season only 1 has been in league 1 the other 4 in league 2.

 

[NottsYellow]

Yes, I'd agree with that.

Although the % sales per block feature has now disappeared from the online ticket site, making it a much slower process (and a return to dot counting!) to check sales, I have us at about 400 above the Charlton game, for the same time before the game. We sold just over 7,000 home tickets for Charlton, so I'd expect 7,500+ home fans and whatever Wycombe bring.

Hopefully will total 9,000+.

The % sales per block disappearing - damn it ........ I had set up a nice spreadsheet specifically tailored to the %, whereby just simply entering 25 % figures gave me the answer. I will leave the dot counting to you, Sir CB.

 

[Oxymoron]

Just purchased one extra, not many left in the East Stand unless you want to be down the front or at the ends, but what an f'ing palaver it is to login with the new streamlined system.....