Away Match Day Thread +++6/04/2019 Walsall v OUFC match day thread+++

What annoyed me referee wise, was how walsall did at least 6 or 7 fouls with no yellow then kashi gets booked with our first foul (i think)
 
OUFCGav said:
Watching the extended highlights back, how on earth did their keeper get away with a head height studs up challenge on Mackie?
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Mackie: nails.

c9c2d34e0b27c6c9d040aea9eab2c2c6.jpg
 
brassmonkey said:
What annoyed me referee wise, was how walsall did at least 6 or 7 fouls with no yellow then kashi gets booked with our first foul (i think)
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The referee was very poor for both teams.
Pedantic, inconsistent...
 
Common Villager said:
I think Sam Long is a good utility player / backup for a number of positions and certainly think he has a place in the squad, but I don't think he's good enough (yet, at least) to be first choice right back for a team that will hopefully be pushing for the playoffs in League 1.

I don't think he's got enough quality on the ball in the final third and can still be quite erratic, such as his tendency to settle for lashing the ball clear / out of play rather than taking a touch and playing a pass.

Had he not suffered so many injuries I've no doubt he could quite comfortably have established himself as first choice by now, but until he gets more games under his belt and proves he can stay fit I think he should be considered backup. I'd be disappointed if we started the season with Sam as first choice RB.
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Sam is getting and taking his chance at RB and the more he does the more I like him and can count on him.
 
Common Villager said:
Had he not suffered so many injuries I've no doubt he could quite comfortably have established himself as first choice by now, but until he gets more games under his belt and proves he can stay fit I think he should be considered backup. I'd be disappointed if we started the season with Sam as first choice RB.
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I guess that it is a game of opinions.
If he stays fit he will continue to get better.
Our record since Long cane back into the team I believe is:
Won. 6
Drawn. 1
Lost. 1

I would be very happy if he keeps developing and stays fit if he starts next season as the first choice right back.

Both of our full backs are good defenders, very good in the air and have been important in our upturn in results
 
Common Villager said:
I think Sam Long is a good utility player / backup for a number of positions and certainly think he has a place in the squad, but I don't think he's good enough (yet, at least) to be first choice right back for a team that will hopefully be pushing for the playoffs in League 1.

I don't think he's got enough quality on the ball in the final third and can still be quite erratic, such as his tendency to settle for lashing the ball clear / out of play rather than taking a touch and playing a pass.

Had he not suffered so many injuries I've no doubt he could quite comfortably have established himself as first choice by now, but until he gets more games under his belt and proves he can stay fit I think he should be considered backup. I'd be disappointed if we started the season with Sam as first choice RB.
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How can we criticise Sam Long for not having enough quality on the ball in the final third, or for lashing the ball clear rather than taking a touch and playing a pass?

I expect our defenders to defend, and Long does the simple things right. It's no coincidence that our goals conceded have significantly reduced since he came into the side. Along with Ruffels, they are very solid and could easily deliver success for us next year if the key areas are strengthened. Successful sides are not made of occasionally overlapping full backs, and fancy footwork. They're made of solid defences and attacking from the right areas.
 
Scotchegg said:
How can we criticise Sam Long for not having enough quality on the ball in the final third, or for lashing the ball clear rather than taking a touch and playing a pass?

I expect our defenders to defend, and Long does the simple things right. It's no coincidence that our goals conceded have significantly reduced since he came into the side. Along with Ruffels, they are very solid and could easily deliver success for us next year if the key areas are strengthened. Successful sides are not made of occasionally overlapping full backs, and fancy footwork. They're made of solid defences and attacking from the right areas.
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Yes, Hanson and Garbutt are more well known players but both leave too much space and Hanson has a horrible knack of giving the ball away
 
I res
Common Villager said:
I think Sam Long is a good utility player / backup for a number of positions and certainly think he has a place in the squad, but I don't think he's good enough (yet, at least) to be first choice right back for a team that will hopefully be pushing for the playoffs in League 1.

I don't think he's got enough quality on the ball in the final third and can still be quite erratic, such as his tendency to settle for lashing the ball clear / out of play rather than taking a touch and playing a pass.

Had he not suffered so many injuries I've no doubt he could quite comfortably have established himself as first choice by now, but until he gets more games under his belt and proves he can stay fit I think he should be considered backup. I'd be disappointed if we started the season with Sam as first choice RB.
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I respect your point re the current flaws in Sam's game, CV, but my point was that the form he has shown since coming back into the side justifies his starting next season as first choice right back. Thus he will have the opportunity to grow, improve and fulfil his undoubted potential. 'Good utility player / backup' is more often than not shorthand for 'reserve / not good enough / only called upon in an injury crisis' and normally results in the EXIT sign out of the club shown at the end of the season. I think Sam deserves better than that.
 
Scotchegg said:
How can we criticise Sam Long for not having enough quality on the ball in the final third, or for lashing the ball clear rather than taking a touch and playing a pass?

I expect our defenders to defend, and Long does the simple things right. It's no coincidence that our goals conceded have significantly reduced since he came into the side. Along with Ruffels, they are very solid and could easily deliver success for us next year if the key areas are strengthened. Successful sides are not made of occasionally overlapping full backs, and fancy footwork. They're made of solid defences and attacking from the right areas.
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Christ you're a funny nugget.

I haven't criticised Sam, I presented a number of reasons why I don't think we should start the season with him as out first choice right back. He's had a decent run of games, definitely, but I still think he needs a bit more time to develop and prove his fitness, so bringing in another right back seems to me the sensible/logical thing to do.

Also, FWIW, I think that Kashi has had a far greater impact on our improved defensive record of late. His shielding of the defence has been brilliant. Nelson returning to his pre-injury form hasn't hurt either.
 
uptheus said:
Needs to be more than just one offs during a game, and I think you’ll find that the ball was laid BACK to Ruffels for his goal.
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Why does it ? Not getting forward until needed has resulted in our defence being a lot tighter, not conceding goals, and winning more games. Ruffs and long allow the wingers the confidence to attack more and when needed or the opportunity arises get forward and chip in with goals and assists. The ball might have been laid back, but u less they are getting forward he wouldn’t have been there to score. Wing backs can work, but not really in our system, as it leaves us way to exposed
 
Common Villager said:
Christ you're a funny nugget.

I haven't criticised Sam, I presented a number of reasons why I don't think we should start the season with him as out first choice right back. He's had a decent run of games, definitely, but I still think he needs a bit more time to develop and prove his fitness, so bringing in another right back seems to me the sensible/logical thing to do.

Also, FWIW, I think that Kashi has had a far greater impact on our improved defensive record of late. His shielding of the defence has been brilliant. Nelson returning to his pre-injury form hasn't hurt either.
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They're all parts of the same jigsaw. Kashi has been good at protecting the back 4, but that can only happen if they are more solid to begin with. Nelson (and Dickie) have been a lot more solid, but then they can focus on their jobs rather than being pulled wide to cover for one or both full backs. Which ever way we look at it, our defence and our results have been significantly better with Long at right back than without him there.

As for his fitness, he has been fit for over a year. He was out on loan at the end of last season and apparently had the best stats from pre-season training. He has been in and out of the squad due to selection not fitness, and no reason to think that (freak injury aside) he shouldn't continue to remain fit into the beginning of next season.

Of course, no one should be guaranteed a starting place in August, and we should be looking at improving every position where possible, however, I would be very happy to see Sam Long continue to play at rightback for as long as he continues to perform the way he has over the last 2 months.
 
Unless we can offload Hanson I doubt we will be signing a first team right back. Budget needed for other areas
 
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