Away Match Day Thread 10-04-2021 L1 Crewe Alexandra v OUFC

[RyanioBirdio]

It's been said, but Long and Ruffels make such a difference to how we play. Their ability to defend solidly but then get forward constantly just changes the way we play.

It’s why we need proper backups / competition next season. The way an actual full back who knows the position properly plays versus someone filling in is like night and day. It’s similar to how Liverpool started dragging the likes of Fabinho and Henderson back to centre half earlier in the season, but all it did was weaken two areas of the pitch rather than one as the midfield went to pot as well as the back line. Nat Phillips isn’t half the footballer those two are, but he’s an actual centre half and it means you don’t have to start pulling players out of midfield to cover - suddenly Fabinho can go back to being one of the best in the division in his role and it makes things a bit better. If we have proper full backs who can step in, it isn’t just natural in terms of how they play (and how the team plays as a result) but it means the midfield remains free, and can be switched around. You don’t have to flog players in midfield for games on end and hamstring yourself tactically because your other options are tied up doing a job full back, which they’re not as good at as a pretty standard / average natural would be. It’s a real false economy.

The final few games of this season are all Saturday’s with proper rest weeks in between. Get through the next couple with everybody in one piece and give it hell on the final stretch

 

[Roge]

Cardiff September 1972. Chased me with Baseball bats outside of the ground. Mayhem in the ground

 

[Roge]

Cleared the Aston Villa fans from the London Road same season. Brilliant

 

[BeechRoadBokelberg]

View attachment 6088

I never knew/or maybe remembered that area was for away fans! Learn something new everyday. I remember the bit next to it as always laughed when the kids piped up with their squeaky voices...

‘OXFORD!!! clap, clap, clap, OXFORD!!’

 

[Manorlounger]

Cardiff September 1972. Chased me with Baseball bats outside of the ground. Mayhem in the ground

No worries:

 

[Bodminyellow]

Sykes seems a massive confidence player. Once he believed he could trust his close control he was just keeping the ball and knocking it past players with ease.

Just a shame he cannot finish

 

[SteMerritt]

Cardiff September 1972. Chased me with Baseball bats outside of the ground. Mayhem in the ground

All whilst managing the team, respect to you Mr. Summers. You wouldn't catch Bill Asprey chasing away fans from our stands.

 

[Roge]

All whilst managing the team, respect to you Mr. Summers. You wouldn't catch Bill Asprey chasing away fans from our stands.

I had all ready done my team talk. It was different in those days

 

[windmill]

Cardiff September 1972. Chased me with Baseball bats outside of the ground. Mayhem in the ground

Cardiff coach stops off in Headington one Sunday, early evening in the nineties for a " livener " and a bit of banter with the locals in The Royal Standard. Half an hour later they regretted that decision.

 

[behindthegoal]

There was an Osler Road away stand.

There was, I remember sitting there when me and Eaststand boy moved out of the beech road for some reason, we walked passed the London road and got rich by picking up all the coins on the pitch

 

[Mellowyellow]

Sorry Osler Road, had a brainfart!

He often does, doctors have said the penicillin should help.

 

[Foley]

I actually thought Jaaskelainen was most at fault for the opener.
Whatever the commentators said, Ruffels' header was neither hard nor into the corner and he should have done much better.
But his defense left him out to dry for the rest, and he made some good stops as well.

An excellent performance all round. It's been said, but Long and Ruffels make such a difference to how we play. Their ability to defend solidly but then get forward constantly just changes the way we play. Combine that with having the good version of James Henry back (and Mark Sykes playing the best he has all year) and we look a completely different team.

Still need to win at least 5 out of our last 6 most likely, but the dream's alive for at least another few days!

Agree with that Tony.
Of the faults that the team has, the suggestion that the full backs are not up to it over the last week has surprised me.
As you say an excellent overall performance

 

[Foley]

Just a shame he cannot finish

He is one of those players that at times you think 'what a player'
He has been up and down though and disappointingly, his finishing and final ball doesn't seem to have improved much.
Fortunately we won without needing him to take his chances today but has we lost 1 0....

 

[Mellowyellow]

It was so much better before that was put in.

It was a great area to goad away fans in the Cuckoo Lane and sometimes to exchange coins with them.

Southern teams 50p's, northern fans farthings and pennies.

 

[SteMerritt]

There was, I remember sitting there when me and Eaststand boy moved out of the beech road for some reason, we walked passed the London road and got rich by picking up all the coins on the pitch

I used to do similar with little brother, our bonanza game was clearing the Cuckoo Lane penalty area of coins after the Oxford-Leeds game in '84/5, the Leeds fans showered so much coinage at poor Steve Hardwick that day.

 

[Mellowyellow]

Millwall only had a fence separating fans in those days too so it was pretty up close and personal. Similar thing at Coventry. I remember a mid weeker there that we lost about 5-0. There was some s**t going through the fence that night. Very lively outside after too.....

Ah Coventry, there was the game when Oxford fans decided that there were too many seats in the stand and did a little re arranging for them, aka the 3-3 evening game at Charlton a few years later.

 

[Marked Ox]

I actually thought Jaaskelainen was most at fault for the opener.
Whatever the commentators said, Ruffels' header was neither hard nor into the corner and he should have done much better.
But his defense left him out to dry for the rest, and he made some good stops as well.

An excellent performance all round. It's been said, but Long and Ruffels make such a difference to how we play. Their ability to defend solidly but then get forward constantly just changes the way we play. Combine that with having the good version of James Henry back (and Mark Sykes playing the best he has all year) and we look a completely different team.

Still need to win at least 5 out of our last 6 most likely, but the dream's alive for at least another few days!

I just think the header was well placed considering the keeper had been covering the near post area from the cross plus the Keeper had a crowd of players to see through for part of it assuming my memory isn't playing tricks.

Edit: having seen the highlights and not using my memory I think you're right.

 

[Mellowyellow]

I used to do similar with little brother, our bonanza game was clearing the Cuckoo Lane penalty area of coins after the Oxford-Leeds game in '84/5, the Leeds fans showered so much coinage at poor Steve Hardwick that day.

You took the coins, but left the 4 by 2 and scaffolding??

 

[Marked Ox]

I used to do similar with little brother, our bonanza game was clearing the Cuckoo Lane penalty area of coins after the Oxford-Leeds game in '84/5, the Leeds fans showered so much coinage at poor Steve Hardwick that day.

Seeing the surprise on the Ref's face when he turns and sees Steve Hardwick standing by him on the halfway line still makes me chuckle.

 

[SteMerritt]

You took the coins, but left the 4 by 2 and scaffolding??

Didn't realise the value of it back then, not that it would have fitted into dad's Mini