Home Match Day Thread 16/4/24 Oxford United v Lincoln City

[Northstandboy]

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Interview - Des Buckingham

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Let’s do this!

 

[jfp]

Despite all his shithousery last night, I thought their number 6 Ethan Erhahon was the best player on the pitch. His first instinct when Murphy got the ball was to cover up behind the full back so if Murphy got past him he was a second cover. No other teams have done that in recent weeks. He broke down play at every opportunity. Would be a great addition to our midfield on that performance.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Despite all his shithousery last night, I thought their number 6 Ethan Erhahon was the best player on the pitch. His first instinct when Murphy got the ball was to cover up behind the full back so if Murphy got past him he was a second cover. No other teams have done that in recent weeks. He broke down play at every opportunity. Would be a great addition to our midfield on that performance.

He was very effective yes. I think we were said to be after him at some point? However he's a c*** so it's a no from me.

 

[Big Ron]

Despite all his shithousery last night, I thought their number 6 Ethan Erhahon was the best player on the pitch. His first instinct when Murphy got the ball was to cover up behind the full back so if Murphy got past him he was a second cover. No other teams have done that in recent weeks. He broke down play at every opportunity. Would be a great addition to our midfield on that performance.

I agree he was effective and worked hard but he was also lucky to be on the pitch at the end - a handful of deliberate professional fouls should have lead to a red card, along with the constant attempts to provoke Oxford players. How many times did he put his head into a players chest, at least three time on Brannagan, to see if could get a player to raise his hands or react?

 

[chuckbert]

I only saw from about 40th minute. My take home was that regardless of the ref and shithousing, we simply failed to put away goals. I only saw Sparks’s miss live - didn’t see Goodrham’s efforts - but our problem is not putting them away. The ball in to sparky from Dale (presumably?) was outstanding, perfectly weighted and placed and on a plate for a centre forward. Every one of those we don’t convert is a reason we’ll miss out on playoffs. We have the cutting edge, we just don’t apply it correctly!

 

[Swaby39]

You guess they’ve got something else,I bet they’ve got nothing else,totally limited one way of playing cheat ball team.

Well one loss since New Year’s Day, 11 wins from 18 games (I think?), suggests they probably do know a thing or two about finding solutions in games. I doubt they’ve had their way in all of those games but haven’t lost them. We needed to not lose yesterday.

We were just a tad entitled yesterday. On another day maybe we go ahead but just like the play offs, there’s isn’t another day and you have to go ahead in those scenarios. Lessons to be learned.

 

[38yearsofpain]

I thought that was a game of fine margins really. On Saturday, Peterborough played into our hands and everything we did came off. Tonight it didn't. I think Lincoln were clearly well organised and to score so early into the second half really set things up perfectly for them. I thought Erhahon was very good for them, the exact sort of player I'd like to see at the base of our midfield in this set up.

Marcus Browne's appearance reminded me why he's so frustrating - both the yellow card and the half volley attempt from 30 yards were the very worst of him.

Stevens' distribution was exceptionally good I thought.

I agree with others that a big lad up top was an option we badly needed tonight. They had worked out the out ball to Murphy and he regularly had 3 or 4 round him. We struggled to play through them but really lacked an alternative.

I think a major problem with this system is that it requires that the midfield and front three, have high energy and great stamina. That we did against Posh. Last night we could not match the energy levels particularly in the second half. If players stop running and tracking back the system turns into 505. We then cannot create anything going forward. This is particularly true of teams like Lincoln, who are well drilled, very physical and very patient.
Most of the front 5 looked tired from early in the game.
If we had taken those chances it would have obviously been a different game.But this will happen, we need to be able to cope.
Looking forward, we need to bring in players who can play this system, because the likelyhood is many of the front five will struggle to play 2 games in a week throughout the season. Currently we have few viable replacements from the starting line up. Browne is still struggling for fitness, Gladwin is injured, Henry is injured. The system is not for McGuane. We need more options, if this is our new DNA.

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

Despite all his shithousery last night, I thought their number 6 Ethan Erhahon was the best player on the pitch. His first instinct when Murphy got the ball was to cover up behind the full back so if Murphy got past him he was a second cover. No other teams have done that in recent weeks. He broke down play at every opportunity. Would be a great addition to our midfield on that performance.

We tried to sign him about 3 windows in a row if I remember correctly.

One on the Mark Thomas list.

 

[Mike_H]

We could do with Agent Taylor doing us a favour on Saturday.

Yes, and agents Mousinho and Whyte on Saturday week.

 

[38yearsofpain]

We tried to sign him about 3 windows in a row if I remember correctly.

One on the Mark Thomas list.

The change in the way football is played in England has made him a bit of a dinosaur. He defends well to be fair, but is uncomfortable on the ball and lacks pace and that makes him a potential liability. He was obviously shot away whilst he was here, I hope for him and us he tries to find a club that apprciates his style of play. Looks like Scotland is the likely answer. But if highest pay is his want, then he will be on loan somewhere for the next 2 years being paid by us.

 

[SteMerritt]

The change in the way football is played in England has made him a bit of a dinosaur. He defends well to be fair, but is uncomfortable on the ball and lacks pace and that makes him a potential liability. He was obviously shot away whilst he was here, I hope for him and us he tries to find a club that apprciates his style of play. Looks like Scotland is the likely answer. But if highest pay is his want, then he will be on loan somewhere for the next 2 years being paid by us.

I think you are talking about Stuart Findlay, not Ethan Erhahon with that comment?

 

[MC Yellow]

I was in line and it looked to me as if the foul clearly continued into the area?

I certainly thought it continued into the area.

I just didn't realise it was a penalty in that circumstance.... I stand corrected.

 

[MC Yellow]

The worst part of yesterday evening, all aside from the result, was the lack of entertainment. A result of the spoiling tactics of the opposition, the lack of an authoritive official who, it is clear, did not interpret the rules of the game to the correct levels, and our own inability to play around such obstacles.
We had several set piece opportunities and squandered all of them. Corners, free kicks all need work. If playing with skill is being thwarted by constant fouling, bullying and play acting then we need to be that bit cuter and have a few set piece routines to take advantage of any chance of scoring.
To come away with nothing from the game knowing that at least a point would have served us well is just not on. Everybody knows that the officials at this level are fallible (some are downright useless) so any team, such as Lincoln, can take advantage, and they did.
Come Friday we'll have another side who will seek to take advantage in anyway possible. They have no chance of making the play-offs and really have little left but their own pride and, possibly, the chance to get some revenge for us having beaten them at their place, to play for.
It won't be pretty but, let's get the job done anyway we can.

One thing I struggled to understand was why the corners were being floated in for a keeper, who seemed quite good in the air, to just come and take.

Against Posh they seemed to be whipped in with some venom.

 

[OX14]

One thing I struggled to understand was why the corners were being floated in for a keeper, who seemed quite good in the air, to just come and take.

Against Posh they seemed to be whipped in with some venom.

Yep some poor set pieces last night.

Hopefully come the summer we can replace Mcguane with a capable midfielder who isn't scared of carrying the ball or passing forwards who also can take a wicked corner or free kick. Cam can then sit on the edge of the box for the second ball.

 

[Barbadosyellow]

At least we didn't pick up any major new injuries last night (hopefully)

 

[Mad Dog]

I suspect if we’d found the first goal or an equaliser they’d have changed things around

That’s why it’s so important that we go for the throat and get an early goal against these anti football/spoiler sides, because once we do, they will have to change tactics and come at us more, and in doing so, open themselves up more.

 

[BrockBuster]

View attachment 18946

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct

IFAB Laws of the Game

www.thefa.com

Thought the player had let go by the time Harris entered the box, or at least any kind of 'holding' that would be determined a foul. It was just momentium and Harris looking for a pen.

Don't think it was a pen and would have been raging if something like that was given against us.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

The diagonal balls look fantastic… but in practice what you then have is a winger quite isolated 1vs1 with a lot of work to do. I could understand it more if Cam striking the ball triggered the full back to make a lung-buster to get beyond the winger to make a 2vs1 but we didn’t attempt that.

I don’t really agree with this.

A feature of how we now play under Des is we look to get our wingers 1vs1 with their fullback and attempt to run at them. It’s something we aim to do.

I know generally in football it’s seen as better to have the fullback or another player available for an overlap, and yes we do that too when we’ve built up and progressed more slowly down the pitch, but it’s definitely a tactic of ours under Des to hit quick ball to Murphy or Dale and say ‘Go on then, beat your man 1 vs 1’.

To be fair it often works as well, it’s just that last night both players seemed a bit tired and off it, and Lincoln defended well, doubled up on them and fouled them. And yet they still created opportunities, we just couldn’t put them away.

I thought Brannagan played well when he came on, that shot he hit was actually a good one and nearly made something happen if an Oxford player had got to the rebound. One superb big crossfield ball from left to right also set Dale 1vs1 with his fullback, which as I say I think Des wants us to do.

Where I agree with you is I thought McEachran was excellent in his own way, and in some ways is more effective than Brannagan, in that his short and medium range passing is quicker, better and more incisive. Having him as a deep lying playmaker with Cam as one of the two ahead of him with effectively a free role and licence to roam could be the way forward (or just rotate the two/sub one on in a game to keep them fresh)

 

[Mad Dog]

Us football fans are weird, fickle fuckers ain’t we?!?

Before Christmas, McGuane was god, and everyone was desperate for him to sign a new contract, and Murphy was a waste of space who everyone wanted out of the club ASAP.

Brannagan was also the bees knees, and could do no wrong, and McEachran was a crap player who’s legs had gone.

Now everyone is saying McGuane’s rubbish, and needs to go, and we’re all praying Murphy signs a new contract!

And Brannagan is now a hindrance to the team, and McEachran is the dogs bollox!

And that’s before I even mention Des’s meteoric rise from zero to hero in the space of three games!

We really are a bunch of plonkers ain’t we?!?

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

Us football fans are weird, fickle fuckers ain’t we?!?

Before Christmas, McGuane was god, and everyone was desperate for him to sign a new contract, and Murphy was a waste of space who everyone wanted out of the club ASAP.

Brannagan was also the bees knees, and could do no wrong, and McEachran was a crap player who’s legs had gone.

Now everyone is saying McGuane’s rubbish, and needs to go, and we’re all praying Murphy signs a new contract!

And Brannagan is now a hindrance to the team, and McEachran is the dogs bollox!

And that’s before I even mention Des’s meteoric rise from zero to hero in the space of three games!

We really are a bunch of plonkers ain’t we?!?

 

[Swaby39]

I don’t really agree with this.

A feature of how we now play under Des is we look to get our wingers 1vs1 with their fullback and attempt to run at them. It’s something we aim to do.

I know generally in football it’s seen as better to have the fullback or another player available for an overlap, and yes we do that too when we’ve built up and progressed more slowly down the pitch, but it’s definitely a tactic of ours under Des to hit quick ball to Murphy or Dale and say ‘Go on then, beat your man 1 vs 1’.

To be fair it often works as well, it’s just that last night both players seemed a bit tired and off it, and Lincoln defended well, doubled up on them and fouled them. And yet they still created opportunities, we just couldn’t put them away.

I thought Brannagan played well when he came on, that shot he hit was actually a good one and nearly made something happen if an Oxford player had got to the rebound. One superb big crossfield ball from left to right also set Dale 1vs1 with his fullback, which as I say I think Des wants us to do.

Where I agree with you is I thought McEachran was excellent in his own way, and in some ways is more effective than Brannagan, in that his short and medium range passing is quicker, better and more incisive. Having him as a deep lying playmaker with Cam as one of the two ahead of him with effectively a free role and licence to roam could be the way forward (or just rotate the two/sub one on in a game to keep them fresh)

Oh don’t get me wrong, I think that’s exactly what Des sent him out to do yesterday - “go collect it and find Murphy and Dale faster” and that’s absolutely fine, if your wingers aren’t completely spent, as you say. It was really just us banging our same head against the same wall and we need more answers that what we gave. Brannagan to me just brought down the professionalism and upped the chaos and panic which wasn’t what we needed. Never any question about his commitment, but is the team better off playing without his distraction?

It seems obvious that you deploy Brannagan further forward but then are we to accept that most of the attacks that currently see us go wide and get a good ball in would actually stop 2 phases sooner because Cam has had a shot? That’s the conundrum; is the gain of the odd wonder goal (have we had one this season from him? Genuinely can’t remember) worth compensating for? Are his set pieces good enough that he must play?