Home Match Day Thread 5/10/2021 PJT: OUFC v Stevenage

[Berliner]

Mercy, the amount of people prophesying Ben Davis' future career based on 17 minutes on the pitch...

 

[ZeroTheHero]

We can at least add him to the illustrious list of internationals who have played for us, no matter how he turns out!

 

[oufc1991]

So am I right in thinking the e need Cambridge to beat Stevenage .. us to beat Spurs u13s and we need a four goal swing to progress to the next stage
If so I suppose it makes the Spurs u13s match abit more interesting

 

[bazzer9461]

So am I right in thinking the e need Cambridge to beat Stevenage .. us to beat Spurs u13s and we need a four goal swing to progress to the next stage
If so I suppose it makes the Spurs u13s match abit more interesting

We’ll probably lose anyway

 

[oufc1991]

We’ll probably lose anyway

That’s the spirit

 

[holdsteady]

Mercy, the amount of people prophesying Ben Davis' future career based on 17 minutes on the pitch...

Lucky to get that long, a few on here would rip up players contract if they haven’t got a hat trick in the first 5 minutes.

 

[Swaby39]

Lucky to get that long, a few on here would rip up players contract if they haven’t got a hat trick in the first 5 minutes.

Ironically the same people will also call for KR to use players that have been sh*te for a lot longer than 17 mins!!

 

[5aside]

Don’t care about this cup but I do care about the performance . That was our first team defence out there barring Easty and maybe long if u prefer him to forde and at times we looked all over the place . They broke out of there defence far quicker than us and from our own set pieces which has been a problem in a few of our games this season so far . Horrible performance seemed like everyone was expecting someone else to do something that no one did .Yuk

 

[Marked Ox]

Don't know what Seddon was up to yesterday. He seemed to play as a winger, taking the same space as Cooper and Holland, for most of the game rather than as a full back. When he played as a full back we were far the better team but after he turned himself into a winger we looked awful.

 

[DannyW]

After sleeping on it I'm still in disbelief at how inept our attack was yesterday. People are constantly clamouring for Agyei to get more minutes, me included, but goal aside (which Winnall and Taylor both would've scored as well as one or two other chances he had) he was really quite poor. Every single time the ball went into his feet we lost possession, and he made no attempt to run in behind despite this wicked pace and strength he's supposed to have. After tonight I'm firmly in the "new striker needed" camp for January, whereas in the summer I thought Agyei was good enough backup. A real shame because in his purple patch at the end of last season he looked like he was about to become a beast of a player. I don't know if it's a case of trying too hard or letting the want to do well get to him mentally, but I'm genuinely gutted with how he's performed this season because he seems a lovely bloke and the talent is in there deep down somewhere.

Cooper tried really hard. You could see how badly he wanted to do well and impress. And I think the occasion got to him quite badly and the resultant performance was conference level at best. For a tricky winger, I don't recall him successfully beating his full back once the entire game. Consistent misplaced passes and positionally took up some weird positions and at times you could see Seddon stop in his tracks on the ball because the wing option was nowhere to be seen.

As much as I really want Cooper and Agyei to come good, they aren't young prospects with a bright future anymore. Agyei is 24 and Cooper is 25, at this age they should be impacting games at this level. Our squad is full of players around the same age - Moore, Thornily, Seddon, McNally, CamBran, Sykes, Holland, Whyte, Stevens, Kane and McGuane are all in the 22-25 age range and all bar McGuane have had big impacts on games this season. That's the level that Agyei and Cooper should be at ability and consistency wise, and neither are there. Get them both out on a League 2 loan in January, give them a few months to try and show what they can do, if they do well throw a contract in front of them and hope, if they don't then let them go end of the season so they can try and make a playing career for themselves elsewhere. I so want both to do well here - but the target is the Championship and I don't think either has shown enough to suggest they can be options when we get there.

For some balance so it doesn't look like I'm just targeting those two (really not my intention!), I thought the link ups on both sides were really poor. Seddon/Cooper just seemed to have no chemistry and Seddon gave the ball away a lot, and on the other side I never want to see Forde and Williams link up on the wing again. I think both are really good players and will play big parts this season, but bloody hell they were rubbish last night and gave the ball away consistently. Maybe they're too similar of a player and got in each others way? Whatever the issue, Whyte and Sykes ahead of Williams for now please.

I also think that the midfield didn't seem to know what positions they were playing. Given his positioning against Wednesday, I didn't really question how often CamBran was attacking the opposition box, but with a midfield three of him, Sykes and Henry, surely CamBran was supposed to be in the holding role? Whatever the midfield setup, it meant the CBs weren't protected enough for the two goals by the midfield and that's on all of them. Maybe the dominance in the opening 30 meant they were all chasing the attacking prospects too much and forgetting that, despite being a L2 side, Stevenage could still attack us.

Last word for Easty - weirdly I thought he had a pretty good game. Made some excellent stops in the first half and made sure we went in 1-0 up when a weaker keeper would've meant we went in potentially even behind. But his positioning for the first goal - I have no clue what he was doing so far out the goal. All the attacker had to do was hit the corner and Easty had no chance of saving it because the ball was past him before he could get down to save it. Bizarre positioning. I think giving him the long term contract was a good move - as a backup keeper he's more than adequate and it keeps our little group of keepers together to help Jack keep growing and learning. But I don't think he'll be unseating Jack any time soon - which if I'm honest is a good thing because Jack is a quality keeper who will only improve.

Blimey, didn't think I'd have so much to say after a meaningless Pizza trophy game, but that performance was proper crap and KR was rightly pissed off. If that was a league game I'd be seething - as it is it's a strong perturbed but not upset.

Spot on

 

[Sarge]

Bad day at the office performance that was .... for the first 30 minutes Stevenage defence was absolutely shredded, apart from the one goal, chances were squandered, not capatilising during that period of the game proved costly. Once Stevenage had worked out how to blunt the constant waves of attack they began to counter. In the second half especially the PJT Oxford team appeared to have no plan B, attempting to continue with cavilier waves of attack, leaving spaces for Stevenage to counter-attack into.... which they did, and nicked the win late on

Possibly a bit of a collective 'billy big bollox' attitude by the squad going into this game? , an Oxford squad who's apparent contemptuous disdain for low placed in league 2 Stevenage was contributory to their undoing...... the basics seemed to be forgotten about when defending.... especially during the 2nd half

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

People are constantly clamouring for Agyei to get more minutes, me included, but goal aside (which Winnall and Taylor both would've scored as well as one or two other chances he had)

That’s a ridiculous comment. So we’re writing off goals now because apparently our other strikers would also have scored it, so they don’t count as plus points for that striker? Madness.

Firstly, it wasn’t as easy a chance as all that, not like it was a tap in from a square ball rolled across (which the striker still has to be there to score) - it was a decent header. I’ve certainly seen Winnall miss easier chances than that for us - there’s no guarantee at all that he (or technically Taylor) would have scored that.

Secondly, is that how we’re judging things now? If Taylor gets 20+ goals for us this season (which I think he will) then a number of them can be written off because Winnall and Agyei would have scored them, so they don’t count?! And also chances missed - every time Taylor misses one, we say ah well Winnall or Agyei would have scored that?

Thirdly, I’ve seen Taylor have plenty of poor games this season where he didn’t even score. If he does get a goal, even if he does little else, people rightly say ‘Ah, well he’s a striker, his job is to score goals’. So why doesn’t the same count here?

Don’t get me wrong, Agyei was poor after his goal and anonymous in the second half - as was the whole team. I find it strange that after the team as a whole collapses, including several first team players who no-one is questioning, our backup striker who got a goal is the one who everyone is slagging off, rather than Forde, Seddon, Williams, Sykes, Henry etc who were all just as poor, but who get a free pass because… they didn’t score? Eastwood lets in two shocking goals but apparently had a good game and is a perfect backup according to some on here…?!

Agyei was poor, but got another goal from a start. He should have been taken off after about 60 mins, sure, but why are we writing him off after a start and a goal, when Taylor has had games this season where he was just as bad, but didn’t score? And Winnall doubly so.

 

[BigCrompy]

We can at least add him to the illustrious list of internationals who have played for us, no matter how he turns out!

Technically, in between 73 minutes and full-time, he's probably just leapfrogged Ivo Pękalski on that list .

 

[Oxford1996]

Cooper & Agyei need loans out in January

 

[Jolteon]

That’s a ridiculous comment. So we’re writing off goals now because apparently our other strikers would also have scored it, so they don’t count as plus points for that striker? Madness.

Firstly, it wasn’t as easy a chance as all that, not like it was a tap in from a square ball rolled across (which the striker still has to be there to score) - it was a decent header. I’ve certainly seen Winnall miss easier chances than that for us - there’s no guarantee at all that he (or technically Taylor) would have scored that.

Secondly, is that how we’re judging things now? If Taylor gets 20+ goals for us this season (which I think he will) then a number of them can be written off because Winnall and Agyei would have scored them, so they don’t count?! And also chances missed - every time Taylor misses one, we say ah well Winnall or Agyei would have scored that?

Thirdly, I’ve seen Taylor have plenty of poor games this season where he didn’t even score. If he does get a goal, even if he does little else, people rightly say ‘Ah, well he’s a striker, his job is to score goals’. So why doesn’t the same count here?

Don’t get me wrong, Agyei was poor after his goal and anonymous in the second half - as was the whole team. I find it strange that after the team as a whole collapses, including several first team players who no-one is questioning, our backup striker who got a goal is the one who everyone is slagging off, rather than Forde, Seddon, Williams, Sykes, Henry etc who were all just as poor, but who get a free pass because… they didn’t score? Eastwood lets in two shocking goals but apparently had a good game and is a perfect backup according to some on here…?!

Agyei was poor, but got another goal from a start. He should have been taken off after about 60 mins, sure, but why are we writing him off after a start and a goal, when Taylor has had games this season where he was just as bad, but didn’t score? And Winnall doubly so.

Firstly, you say other players get a free pass whilst omitting the rest of my post that literally talks about how crap they were too. And plenty of other people on this thread have spoken about how poor they were, especially Forde, Williams, Eastwood and Seddon - so to say "no-one is questioning" is just factually inaccurate. The difference is these players aren't used as a way to bash the manager when we lose because they "only get 5 minute cameos" - Agyei is. So naturally when he gets the nod as a striker - his apparent preferred and best position - for a full 90 minutes, people will be most frustrated with him when it's said on here most weeks he deserves more minutes. Similarly with Cooper although not to the same extent. What you've done by omitting the rest of my post then claiming "no-one is questioning" the rest of the team is purposely misquote me to back yourself and paint my comments as completely different to what they were.

Secondly, I specifically said aside from the goal - meaning the goal was a positive in Agyei's favour. I didn't write it off, I clarified that other than that goal, for the other 89 and a half minutes of the game he was very poor. It wasn't the easiest of chances, but it's still one you expect your striker to score - and I stand by what I said - I think both Winnall and Taylor score it too - but you're taking from that offhand comment something I didn't even say and using it to bash my opinion. I didn't say it invalidates the goal - it just means that I think if we'd been playing one of the others they'd have scored. It's as simple as that.

I'm not going to back Winnall over Agyei because the truth is neither are good enough as backup to Taylor. But the major difference between Agyei and Taylor is that even when playing badly, Taylor tries to affect the game. He pressures the CBs and tries to make things happen. Agyei showed up for a few minutes then went completely anonymous the rest of the game. Every ball into his feet resulted in Stevenage possession, he didn't win headers, he didn't press the CBs, he didn't run the channels. We may as well have been down to 10 men after the goal. Taylor isn't the perfect striker, and when he does have especially poor games he rightly gets criticised. If he was any better than he is he'd still be in the Championship. The difference is I have full confidence in Taylor to come back better the next game - which is exactly what he's done after his recent dip in form. With Agyei he's had a few chances this season and has not once made a claim for a starting spot.

I want Agyei (and Cooper) to come good as much as anyone. But you can't deny that at their age they HAVE to be doing more when they're given their chance to impress. You can't disappear for most the game. The best example I can give is McNally - he's 22 and has far less experience than Agyei especially at this level. He got his chance with Moore's injury and now you could argue that our two CBs need to be looking over their shoulder because he's fighting for that spot. Holland also the last couple games took his chance with both hands. Agyei hasn't done that this season.

 

[Foley]

Agyei was poor, but got another goal from a start. He should have been taken off after about 60 mins, sure, but why are we writing him off after a start and a goal, when Taylor has had games this season where he was just as bad, but didn’t score? And Winnall doubly so

From reading the posts on here most seem to think that Agyei just hadn't got what is required to be a good back up for Taylor.
I would have shipped him out on loan to a L2 club in January, but KR was still talking him up- I am sure that the coaching team can see that Agyei has the attributes to be a good player.
It seems that yesterday he was hardly busting a gut to prove himself and his hold up play was poor.
At 24, my suspicion is that he will be a lower league player for the rest of his career the question is, can he show himself good enough as back up for a promotion chasing team?

 

[Big Ronaldo]

What I will say about one of the best players in the squad (CamBran) all too often he came marauding forward (which is great) but then laid off a poor pass that was quickly intercepted and moved on.
As he was our sitting midfielder, he was then too advanced to help our back-pedalling defence reeling from their counter. No-one seemed to realise and you would have thought that Sykes would have sat in if he saw Cam was bombing on.
We got caught like this a lot second-half.
I agree that perhaps we showed a lack of respect for our opponents.
Man for man we should have been too much for them after all. But we showed an alarming lack of discipline and organisation last night and got punished for it.

 

[holdsteady]

Technically he's probably just leapfrogged Ivo Pękalski on the list in between 73 minutes and full-time.

Pekalski’s legendary status is still rock solid. Transfer fee, big wages, former international player, comes here and never plays a minute for us in a competitive game, take some beating that one.

 

[Eaststanding]

Completely disagree , after an obvious time to find his feet as a young player making his debut he showed , wanted the ball and looked to have a bit of skill about him .
Amazed he is singled out with Ageyi, Cooper , Williams, were poor .

I watched him closely, on and off the ball, and he looked like a boy in a mans game in more ways than one.
I’ll be very happy to see him develop into a first team player with us in League One / Championship but based on 15 minutes or so last night, the jury’s out for now.

 

[southcoastyellow]

Some big decisions for KR to make in Jan: if possible I think we need to loan/move on:
Ageyi
Hanson
Winnall
As they will be out of contract in summer, its an opportunity to gain a contract elsewhere.

Cooper out on loan to lge 2 side

Extend contract for Skyes and Moore (if possible).

Aim for another Striker (or two if possible) and LB cover

Try and sign Thorniley on a perm