20/08/22 - L1: OUFC v Morecambe

[Northstandboy]

I was going to bring my boys to this one, as Mrs ESB is away on a hen this weekend, but I’m feeling crappy and tested positive for Covid (second time) so won’t be coming. Not that disappointed TBH.

I think the attendance will be low, i know 3 friends not coming due to the rail strike’s.

Will be interesting to see if Cole Stockton plays after his illness.

For Robbos sake, this is a must win. I think our season starts Saturday and I will regret not going

 

[Essexyellows]

Get well soon, I`m sure Mrs ESB will be on her best behaviour!

Low attendance - many reasons.

Just as many regretting not going as we "click" and scrape a 1-0 win.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

this is a must win

That’s answered the question as to when is the first ‘must win’ game of the season going to be claimed!

 

[Northstandboy]

That’s answered the question as to when is the first ‘must win’ game of the season going to be claimed!

For Robbos sake, not the team, so doesn’t count?

 

[OX14]

Let's hope it's not a draw, that would ultimately only give us more questions not answers.

A win and our season is somewhat back on track.

A loss and the pressure on Karl will ramp up even more and even the fans defending him might start to wake up and smell the coffee and realise we're going backwards.

 

[West Oxon U’s]

Morecambe lost full back Max Melbourne to what could be a serious injury at Bolton
and Cole Stockton is still ‘unwell’.

Morecambe are tight at the back but give the ball away in midfield and can’t score.

PS Stockton reportedly seen grabbing a coffee at a well known fast food establishment a couple of days ago.

Shrimpsvoices • View topic - Cole Stockton Generally?

 

[Jolteon]

Without the goals from Stockton I struggle to see how Morecambe will stay up this season. And yet I still feel like this could be a 0-0 bore draw where we fail to break down their defence and create very little again. With Browne's injury I'd go for a formation change to a diamond and bring Joseph in as a second striker. It won't happen, we'll go 4231 with Henry & Bodin out wide again, but this would be my team:

Easty
Long Moore Findlay Brown
McGuane
Henry CamBran
Bodin
Joseph Taylor

 

[MC Yellow]

0-0 bore draw..

Really struggling to feel particularly enthused at the moment.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Comfortable win by several goals. I’m going 3-0.

Robinson is in a corner taking a few hooks at the moment, and usually when that starts happening it provokes a response.

 

[DannyW]

I think they are going to need those of us who are going to be a good twelfth man.

 

[werthersoriginal]

I'm not looking forward to it now but I have to go! I agree that we often bounce back well from setbacks and I hope this is the time. I imagine there will be tweaks rather than a wholesale change of the team, not that we have the fit options to do that anyway.

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

Without the goals from Stockton I struggle to see how Morecambe will stay up this season. And yet I still feel like this could be a 0-0 bore draw where we fail to break down their defence and create very little again. With Browne's injury I'd go for a formation change to a diamond and bring Joseph in as a second striker. It won't happen, we'll go 4231 with Henry & Bodin out wide again, but this would be my team:

Easty
Long Moore Findlay Brown
McGuane
Henry CamBran
Bodin
Joseph Taylor

Like that formation but I'd drop Moore for Brown in the heart of the defence. Not sure if Bodin should start after Tuesday either. Is Murphy near fitness?

 

[Yellow River]

Comfortable win by several goals. I’m going 3-0.

Robinson is in a corner taking a few hooks at the moment, and usually when that starts happening it provokes a response.

My thinking too. Might even be 4 or 5 with the majority of goals in the last quarter of the game.

We‘ll all be euphoric about the result of course, but deep down know that player recruitment is all off kilter.

I can see this being a season of false dawns.

 

[MC Yellow]

My thinking too. Might even be 4 or 5 with the majority of goals in the last quarter of the game.

We‘ll all be euphoric about the result of course, but deep down know that player recruitment is all off kilter.

I can see this being a season of false dawns.

Staring with this predication

 

[DevilsAvocado]

Without the goals from Stockton I struggle to see how Morecambe will stay up this season. And yet I still feel like this could be a 0-0 bore draw where we fail to break down their defence and create very little again. With Browne's injury I'd go for a formation change to a diamond and bring Joseph in as a second striker. It won't happen, we'll go 4231 with Henry & Bodin out wide again, but this would be my team:

Easty
Long Moore Findlay Brown
McGuane
Henry CamBran
Bodin
Joseph Taylor

Used to be a big fan of the diamond but its too easily countered these days imo, the problem is that we gain the center ground but lose
control of the wings and its easier to defend centrally than it is to deal with crosses into the box, the Wimbledon away game where we
lost 3-1 sticks in the mind as a good example of this, Bolton away* where we lost 2-1 another, its like watching ping pong with the odds
slightly stacked against.
2-0 down with twenty to go fine, playing on the narrowest pitch in the league, ok, but at home on a large pitch, no thanks.

Ultimately i really want KR to switch to a 3-5-2, with the added CB he can play wingers as wing backs, got no problem with that tbh,
but we defo need another striker in before we try that unless KR thinks that Bodin can come off the bench to replace Taylor or Joseph.

* Not a 100% sure about this.

 

[Bath Yellow]

Got to put McGinty in on Saturday, thought Eastwood was poor against Lincoln

 

[Oxford1996]

Eastwood
Long Moore Findlay Brown
McGuane Gorrin Brannagan
Henry Taylor Goodrham

Subs: McGinty, Golding, Seddon, Bate, Bodin, Joseph​

 

[Mad Dog]

Not many options at the moment to be honest, which 4 games into the new season, is quite frankly, astounding.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Eastwood
Long Moore Findlay Brown
McGuane Gorrin Brannagan
Henry Taylor Goodrham

Subs: McGinty, Golding, Seddon, Bate, Bodin, Joseph​

I think that's a good team in the circumstances. I like one proper nippy winger and one harder-working 'wide midfielder' like this. If Gorrin is fit he could unchain our talented midfield two. Seddon was OK on Tuesday though.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Ultimately i really want KR to switch to a 3-5-2

I’m surprised that he doesn’t view Sam Long as a potential ball carrying centre half. Not only does he look comfortable every time he plays there but he’s also used to getting up and down the pitch with the ball. I have no doubts at all that Long could be tasked with bringing it out from the back if that’s something it’s felt is needed to make a back three work.