16/08/22 - L1: OUFC v Lincoln City

[bdodwell]

I actually think Findlay is poor with the ball at his feet, and even more so when he’s under the slightest bit of pressure.

We’re lacking that central defender (Dickie/McNally etc) who would at times bring the ball out of defence, thus creating space in the midfield when the opposition finally went to shut them down. Moore seems off it so far this season for some reason. I thought he’d turned a corner in the Rovers game as he started to show some urgency, but last night he seemed his laboured self again e.g. taking too long on the ball meaning his eventual pass either puts the receiving player in a tight situation or he hits a long hopeful ball to no one!!

I agree. I don't rate Findlay. He is like a poor man's Anton Rogan 'L2 at best but probably Nat League is his level. Moore needs someone comfortable on the ball with him. I would drop Findlay for Brown. If we keep this defence we are gonna struggle to stay up. None of thd back 5 look good enough for a promotion pushing team. Moore rould be ok with hood players around him. I like Long but worried he is past his best. Eastwood no way as good as Steven's.

 

[arthurturner]

That's true and understandable, but you have to bring in a balance of those drawbacks. Only bringing in players who's drawbacks are a lack of games and injury issues is insanely risky. If you look at all of our new signings, I think only Wildschutt played more than 30 games the previous season. At least last season we could rely on Williams.

And in addition, as we’ve all been saying since the Blackpool playoff games, we need players with pace and power. Not just that they can play injury free.

 

[arthurturner]

With KR virtually running the entire show at OUFC, who would step up to cover while the recruitment process found a new manager? Would it be even possible that the board, where ever they are, would already have thoughts on a replacement? What infrastructure is in place to set up a recruitment process? There is no DoF to offer direction. Would Mous and/or Shorty be able to run the team in the interim period? Robinson has constructed a very secure position for himself.

KR would probably take charge of the recruitment process to find a new manager and appoint himself on improved terms.

 

[Wallop]

Not going to comment on PRB (as I didn’t hear the comments alluded to) but Jerome really is a class act. He strikes a good balance between being supportive of the club and making clear, suitably subtly for an official club broadcaster, where things are working.

PRB is a terrible commentator - he never provides any real insight and just toes the official club line. This is understandable given his position but doesn't make for good listening. Kinniburgh's views are far more informative and objective.

 

[arthurturner]

Because we didn’t take our chances and gave away 2 sloppy goals. I’d also say we didn’t create enough good chances, but we were the better team.

I’m sorry but that’s nonsense. If we were the better team we wouldnt have lost.I also question whether we’re a “team”at all. Seems to me at present we are a random collection of individuals who don’t have much idea of what the plan is or their role in it. If this continues much longer a top 2 finish is a fairy tale.

 

[Mad Dog]

KR would probably take charge of the recruitment process to find a new manager and appoint himself on improved terms.

And then get injured

 

[MiddleBartonYellow]

I don’t know what people expect from PRB, the guy works for the club so he is hardly likely to slag them off,
pointless having him on in my opinion.

 

[The mighty Aldo]

I’m sorry but that’s nonsense. If we were the better team we wouldnt have lost.I also question whether we’re a “team”at all. Seems to me at present we are a random collection of individuals who don’t have much idea of what the plan is or their role in it. If this continues much longer a top 2 finish is a fairy tale.

Depends which way you look at it
If you go strictly by results then yes the team that scores more goals is the better team

 

[CCYellow]

Depends which way you look at it
If you go strictly by results then yes the team that scores more goals is the better team

Exactly.
A team that pisses about with the ball on the halfway line when they're losing instead of going forwards will be worse than a team that goes forwards and puts the ball in the net.

 

[BrockBuster]

Deep breath.

I'll say it again for those at the back - it's the sheer number of risks.

It's also a complete and utter myth that decent players at this level must have obvious drawbacks. Why are players in our 'recruitment pool' more susceptiple to injuries for example? Players are where they are for a variety of reasons - ability is one. You can (hear me out here) get players with decent League One ability who are also (bare with me) fully fit and not injury prone. It's true! I gave you an example earlier - Ryan Williams! We signed him having played plenty of recent football to a high standard at this level and beyond with sides either promoted or challenging for promotion. Lo and behold - he was fit and available for selection for the majority of the season!

You've completely swallowed the KR nonsense (often perpetuated by his strongest supporters here) that our options are binary - either sign decent players with dodgy pasts or else we end up with poor quality sub-standard players.

I absolutely accept that to get players of potentially upper Championship quality (Browne, Murphy) these will often come with risk - but there are also plenty of players available who are good (or even excellent) at this level without any baggage. Particularly now we have an increased budget.

How did Rotherham go up? or Wigan? Did they get lucky that all of their injury-prone players or those plagued by personal issues just happened to be ok last season? What luck for them! Of course not - they signed players like Tom Naylor from Pompey with a cosnsistent track record at this level of both regular game time and playing well. Not a croc, yet still a good footballer capable of winning promotion at this level.

They do exist. At every level. Chris Wilder found plenty of them in the Conference. We need a manager who can find plenty of them in League One.

Appreciate your points, but if we'd signed Tom Naylor at that point, he'd have become our highest paid player (excluding loanees) given his wages last season at Wigan.

If Ryan 'one season then off to Oz' Williams is your best test case, I'm not sure that's great for our long term continuity.

There are more than enough players in our current squad decent enough for the level, even with all our injuries. It's just about getting them to play together which appears to be the unsolved mystery.

 

[ChamonixOx]

I don’t know what people expect from PRB, the guy works for the club so he is hardly likely to slag them off,
pointless having him on in my opinion.

And if we apply this logic, I.e. He works for the club, not being disparaging towards the fan base should be the least we can expect!

 

[Scrongo]

The whole of radio Oxford commentary is awful, everyone of them.
The big banana on jack FM ,with Selfy & co was better..

 

[East Stand Fan]

I think Moore and Findlay are OK obviously the full backs are the problem, most people can see this but not Roinson.

We've got nobody with any forward drive such as McNally and Dickie - they could collect the ball and really run forward. Now teams can see we have a one-footed and cumbersome back line and we are getting pressed hard. Eastwood last night was even kept busy with back-passes because our defence was slow out of the blocks and our midfield wasn't providing enough options.

Ciaron Brown is the best defender we have - he can play CB or LB yet he's on the bench. It doesn't make sense. I'm still trying to fathom how Seddon got back in the team...

 

[Symp59]

Any news on Marcus

 

[Scrongo]

Any news on Marcus

What like Murphy??

 

[JOHN BOY]

I actually think Findlay is poor with the ball at his feet, and even more so when he’s out under the slightest bit of pressure.

We’re lacking that central defender (Dickie/McNally etc) who would at times bring the ball out of defence, thus creating space in the midfield when the opposition finally went to shut them down. Moore seems off it this season for some reason. I thought he’d turned a corner in the Rovers game as he started to show some urgency, but last night he seemed his laboured self again e.g. taking too long on the ball meaning his eventual pass either puts the receiving player in a tight situation or he hits a long hopeful ball to no

What like Murphy??

You know the saying no news is good news but I think it's the opposite at our club.

 

[Scrongo]

You know the saying no news is good news but I think it's the opposite at our club.

It's all a mystery to me.

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

Appreciate your points, but if we'd signed Tom Naylor at that point, he'd have become our highest paid player (excluding loanees) given his wages last season at Wigan.

If Ryan 'one season then off to Oz' Williams is your best test case, I'm not sure that's great for our long term continuity.

There are more than enough players in our current squad decent enough for the level, even with all our injuries. It's just about getting them to play together which appears to be the unsolved mystery.

Unfortunately Williams is our best example, yes - because we sign so few players of that nature - that's the point! And you can mock him swanning off after a year, but he still contributed more than the likes of Hanson or Winnall.

Naylor was just an example from last Summer, there are plenty of others that may well be more affordable this Summer - I don't work as a scout so not for me to present a list of options. Besides, how much are we spending on the likes of Murphy? The argument is that we can now afford top end L1 wages and hefty transfer fees - let's use some on top L1 players rather than players who've potentially been top Championship players but haven't played much football recently.

You either buy into the rhetoric that signing players with historic pedigree from a higher level but with serious character flaws/injuries is as good as it gets at this level - or you don't. You appear to have been seduced by that tactic - much as KR himself has.

There's a fair few of us that are questioning this approach and would like to see a few more trusted bodies in the box.

In 2014-6 terms - think Will Hoskins (large career fees, injury problems but good once upon a time) vs Ryan Taylor (regular game time at said level, playing well, reliable) or perhaps Brian Howard vs Alex MacDonald, same vibes.

 

[arthurturner]

I don’t know what people expect from PRB, the guy works for the club so he is hardly likely to slag them off,
pointless having him on in my opinion.

I don’t think RadOx guys are so unprofessional as to stoop to slagging anyone off. They are though expected to be professional and offer up a true picture of what they see before them in an unbiased and constructively critical way which they invariably do. In many peoples view that is compromised with PRB on the commentary team as by virtue of his employment by the club he is and cannot be unbiased or critical.

 

[arthurturner]

Exactly.
A team that pisses about with the ball on the halfway line when they're losing instead of going forwards will be worse than a team that goes forwards and puts the ball in the net.

QED