Away Match Day Thread 09/12/2023 L1 : Peterborough United v OUFC

[Northstandboy]

The matches seem to be coming thick and fast now.

At time of writing this post, the weather is set to be a warm 12oC!

 

[Followtheox1]

Des not having an assistant to bring in with him from day one was a mistake. The whole point of a manager going in to a job is to put their stamp on the squad and keep the players on their toes to perform. It seems to me it's been way too laid back and the players have got away with underperforming.

I think there is possibly something in this. Losing the analyst and not having one is not great either. Des will
have to build a relationship with whoever comes in too. It's interesting that Shorty is not becoming the no 2.

 

[tim lane]

I have never rated Thorniley Browne must move tp centre back.

I presume you mean Brown? Even when fit, I can't envisage Browne as a centre back!

 

[jambon46]

I'm not sure we did try to press them high, at least not collectively or consistently. Individuals at times for sure but that was part of the issue.

Agree, we had this conversation on the way back yesterday you have to press in numbers otherwise it's pointless.

 

[OX14]

I think there is possibly something in this. Losing the analyst and not having one is not great either. Des will
have to build a relationship with whoever comes in too. It's interesting that Shorty is not becoming the no 2.

Agree about the analyst going being a problem too but Des coming in with no right hand man to lean on or another brain on par with him to have an input is a massive loss.

It probably wouldn't of been so much or a problem in the summer as he would of had time to sort this but coming into a job a third through the season with no backroom staff of his own in place has cost us.

 

[Teacher]

There were lots of ‘forward’ shouts yesterday, but in fairness to the defenders they can’t do that if the attackers aren’t looking for the ball. It’s easy to blame those at the back but what else are they meant to do?

I thought Stevens defensively wasn’t too bad against tricky opposition yesterday but was getting annoyed at him giving the ball away.


The forwards were non existent in terms of runs or looking for the ball in the first half especially.

 

[RgYellows]

Des not having an assistant to bring in with him from day one was a mistake. The whole point of a manager going in to a job is to put their stamp on the squad and keep the players on their toes to perform. It seems to me it's been way too laid back and the players have got away with underperforming.

My take on his post-match comments was that Des knew his approach - in terms of not disrupting a side that was doing well - had to change.

I don’t know that players will get away with underperforming. Most agree that RR was being called out for his ill discipline by being so heavily involved at FGR and he’s already told us that changes are coming on Tues.

 

[Paul Cannell]

We’ll win.

How'd we get on then?

 

[jambon46]

I think there is possibly something in this. Losing the analyst and not having one is not great either. Des will
have to build a relationship with whoever comes in too. It's interesting that Shorty is not becoming the no 2.

Which analyst has left?

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

Poor. Make a statement, it gets pointed out that it may not be entirely accurate and then move the goal posts. Since Beano we have had Roofe who was not too shabby too by the way. Hylton got few too although not as prolific as Taylor! What have the Romans ever done for us hey!

How have I moved the goal posts? Saying signing a top striker is something we consistently struggle with, is not undone by one example where we did.

Blackpool sold Yates this summer. They immediately replaced with Joseph, who was injured, and no-one else was stepping up. They recruited accordingly to fill the void. They didn't persist with what they had because of some arrogance that their system would render a striker superfluous.

We simply haven't replaced Matty Taylor, and some people are content with that. One quality centre forward signing every 5 years - at most - is not sufficient. No-one else around us in the table is that lackadaisical when it comes to signing strikers. We never used to be - Paul Moody, Nigel Jemson, James Constable - even Rob Duffy. Not world beaters, but all proper centre forwards that made a real difference.

Other clubs seemingly have a conveyor belt of strikers. It's why the likes of Blackpool and Peterborough continue to get promoted from this level - at our expense. We only ever came close when we had Matty Taylor, and yet some seem to be content for his calibre to be a luxury for us.

 

[Followtheox1]

Manning took James Krause, the first team analyst with him. At least I think he did.

 

[jambon46]

Manning took James Krause, the first team analyst with him. At least I think he did.

Okay, yes sorry he has gone, I was thinking one of a non coaching analyst

 

[Followtheox1]

How have I moved the goal posts? Saying signing a top striker is something we consistently struggle with, is not undone by one example where we did.

Blackpool sold Yates this summer. They immediately replaced with Joseph, who was injured, and no-one else was stepping up. They recruited accordingly to fill the void. They didn't persist with what they had because of some arrogance that their system would render a striker superfluous.

We simply haven't replaced Matty Taylor, and some people are content with that. One quality centre forward signing every 5 years - at most - is not sufficient. No-one else around us in the table is that lackadaisical when it comes to signing strikers. We never used to be - Paul Moody, Nigel Jemson, James Constable - even Rob Duffy. Not world beaters, but all proper centre forwards that made a real difference.

Other clubs seemingly have a conveyor belt of strikers. It's why the likes of Blackpool and Peterborough continue to get promoted from this level - at our expense. We only ever came close when we had Matty Taylor, and yet some seem to be content for his calibre to be a luxury for us.

Specifically you said in reference to a goal scorer: 'Oxford United consistently fail to find one with an impressive recruitment team and cash to spend?'

I pointed out Matty Taylor and you essentially said he was an exception so you changed the goal posts i.e what have the Romans ever done for us! It's a fairly common thing to do, to be fair and we have all done it! You then said he was the first since Beano. I pointed out Roofe etc.

I'm not sure anyone is saying we should be content with the caliber of Matty Taylor being a luxury by the way. At least I haven't seen or heard many say that! I'm hoping we can get someone in January although you hear managers saying that is an even harder time to find one than the summer. Personally feel we need two strikers not one.

 

[holdsteady]

We got a bit lucky in getting Taylor though, he wanted to play for us mainly as he was from here, unless their happens to be a goalscorer out there who that applies to that we have all missed then we will have to work a bit harder to get the next one in. His legs were gone last season though, we have had ages to find a replacement and we haven’t. Given the age of our forward line over the last few years it’s a bit unforgivable that this seems to have caught us on the hop, they are all retired or very nearly retired now so that we would need a complete refresh in that position shouldn’t of come as a shock.

Do agree we need two in, no other club at the top of the division seems to treat having one forward as ideal and then have a kid/crock/has been on the bench, seems to be a throwback from the Robinson squad building book.

 

[Big Ronaldo]

In fairness to Manning. He did his best to fill a few of the yawning gaps in our squad in the summer.
We have mostly agreed that it would take 3 transfer windows to correct the mess we were in after ol Barley water was binned.
We have had 1.
I don’t think that anyone believed that we would be so competitive this season, and in a way, that is our problem. Unexpected success with a squad less than half built.
Yes, it is not ideal but I believe that we plugged a fair few gaps in that first window.

We have the chance to bring In more of what we need in January but even that is only our 2nd transfer window since our dice with relegation.

Buckingham is no fool. He will have a pretty good idea of what is required. I expect him to be well backed by the board to bring in a striker and whoever else to make us better.

 

[holdsteady]

In fairness to Manning. He did his best to fill a few of the yawning gaps in our squad in the summer.
We have mostly agreed that it would take 3 transfer windows to correct the mess we were in after ol Barley water was binned.
We have had 1.
I don’t think that anyone believed that we would be so competitive this season, and in a way, that is our problem. Unexpected success with a squad less than half built.
Yes, it is not ideal but I believe that we plugged a fair few gaps in that first window.

We have the chance to bring In more of what we need in January but even that is only our 2nd transfer window since our dice with relegation.

Buckingham is no fool. He will have a pretty good idea of what is required. I expect him to be well backed by the board to bring in a striker and whoever else to make us better.

This is it for me, the big improvements made in the summer were great but I never really felt we were actually going to up this season after the mess Robinson left, the set back of most of our management team buggering off a few months in has just exposed the weaknesses we still had a bit quicker, that coupled with a couple of tougher fixtures has seen a bit of an implosion.

We have still made improvements but it’s a bit of a case of two steps forward and one back with Manning etc leaving at the first sniff of interest from elsewhere, we were probably 5 steps from promotion when Robinson left though so still plenty of work for Buckingham to do.

 

[greatunclekip]

And before that? Beano?

Matty Taylor was f**king class. Love the guy. But he's the exception that proves the rule.

It's not an allowance of one striker per generation. You can have one every season!

Blackpool, one of our promotion rivals (and much like Peterborough, a club that regularly achieves it) scored just 2 goals in their first 5 League games this season. So they identified the loan availability of one of the most prolific strikers the 3rd tier has ever seen, signed him - and lo and behold he's gone on to score 13 (thirteen) goals in 16 starts.

And yet we're still saying 'we had Matty Taylor' - as if we're being greedy for thinking he could be replaced...

They may have signed a 20 goal a season striker but did they offer 400k? No.

But did they disrupt their super dooper goal scoring machine of a system?

Also no.

Alas, we win.

 

[uptheus]

Until he’s given the run in the team which he needs we won’t know

But Barry, he hasn’t wanted to play in the past, just glad he seems interested now.

 

[bazzer9461]

But Barry, he hasn’t wanted to play in the past, just glad he seems interested now.

Apparently he had issues mental health and so fourth so we have to give him some time, although I would have thought the then head of recruitment and Robbo may have picked up on this and come to a clearer decision non asnto whether we sign him or not. But he’s ours and he’s starting to show the fine we know he has and if that can be replicated every time he plays then that will be a bonus for us.

 

[Eric Blair]

Apparently he had issues mental health and so fourth so we have to give him some time, although I would have thought the then head of recruitment and Robbo may have picked up on this and come to a clearer decision non asnto whether we sign him or not. But he’s ours and he’s starting to show the fine we know he has and if that can be replicated every time he plays then that will be a bonus for us.

I am basing this on nothing but the idea of Murphy having some mental health problems (and no shame there whatsoever - most of us have experienced something akin to it) is something that did occur to me so what you say makes sense. If this is the case, having a manager like Des who seems a bit more progressive and "arm round the shoulder" will be a big plus. I'm a big fan of Josh and I hope he's in a better place.

 

[Swaby39]

I am basing this on nothing but the idea of Murphy having some mental health problems (and no shame there whatsoever - most of us have experienced something akin to it) is something that did occur to me so what you say makes sense. If this is the case, having a manager like Des who seems a bit more progressive and "arm round the shoulder" will be a big plus. I'm a big fan of Josh and I hope he's in a better place.

There’s been a lot of guesswork over his time here as we’ve had very little to go on, but it showed all the signs of difficulties between the ears.

It’s great to see him come to the forefront of things recently. I have always enjoyed watching a Josh Murphy that looks like he wants to be here and play football. That version of him gets you out of your seat. Frustrating that it’s so late on and probably only 6 months from being unemployed as I can’t see us footing those wages long term - might he lower his demands if Des gets through to him? Who knows.

The past is the past, he epitomised times gone by but he was not to blame for the season we had. He’s still nowhere close to repaying the club or it’s fans for what they’ve given him but there is a calling now he can answer with our current squad shortages and lack of goals recently. Do that and maybe there is a happy ever after. Might he fancy sticking one to Reading after they turned him down as a free agent?