Home Match Day Thread 12/02/2022 L1: OUFC v Bolton Wanderers

[werthersoriginal]

It’s not either/or though, is it? MApp’s 2015-16 promotion side proved that you can play easy on the eye football and have a ruthless streak. He made some superstars with that side too. He’s achieved as many promotions as KR has too despite picking some appallingly bad jobs in his career too.

I wouldn’t want us to lose the essence of what KR has achieved here but to add some muscle and above all balance to the squad. So many on here rightfully pointed out the issues the squad had in January and KR has done nothing to fix them, getting draw in to signing more forwards. It’s frustrating as it was surely fixable but was not regarded as priority.

Yes i agree, it’s a bit too ‘entertaining’ at the moment. And really it wasn’t such an exciting game yesterday, just sloppy and annoying. I was just taking issue with the guy who implied that winning was all that mattered.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Taylor has got a lot of goals this season but he’s also been poor and offered little in a lot of games, where in previous seasons his link up play and all round game has been much better. I’d argue he’s been off it for the last 5-10 games now. He’s still a poacher and a goalscorer but I think Baldock deserves a chance to show what he can do

Has been brilliant for most of the last 10 games, just a bit quiet in the last two or three.

 

[Andy1505]

Oh and one more gripe, Radio Oxford MUST ask him harder questions and not fear upsetting him, Nathan Cooper NEVER asks any awkward questions, it's all designed to let him off the hook!
Why not ask and press him as to why he didn't bring in a specialist LB or CDM, not if he's worried about our existing players being fatigued or making mistakes?! We know this! We can see it every week! We're paying our money!
Fans want to hear some honest answers Karl, and you'll risk alienating a chunk of our support if you keep going with your refusal to admit your errors.

 

[TailsWeWin]

Oh and one more gripe, Radio Oxford MUST ask him harder questions and not fear upsetting him, Nathan Cooper NEVER asks any awkward questions, it's all designed to let him off the hook!
Why not ask and press him as to why he didn't bring in a specialist LB or CDM, not if he's worried about our existing players being fatigued or making mistakes?! We know this! We can see it every week! We're paying our money!
Fans want to hear some honest answers Karl, and you'll risk alienating a chunk of our support if you keep going with your refusal to admit your errors.

KR admit his errors?!?!

 

[Daviddidcotexile]

No! Only way we can get round it is playing a 3,5,1 formation until Karl/or another man in charge gets the summer transfer window to recruit players we actually need and get rid of ones we don't.

Only 9 outfield players is a novel approach

 

[werthersoriginal]

Oh and one more gripe, Radio Oxford MUST ask him harder questions and not fear upsetting him, Nathan Cooper NEVER asks any awkward questions, it's all designed to let him off the hook!
Why not ask and press him as to why he didn't bring in a specialist LB or CDM, not if he's worried about our existing players being fatigued or making mistakes?! We know this! We can see it every week! We're paying our money!
Fans want to hear some honest answers Karl, and you'll risk alienating a chunk of our support if you keep going with your refusal to admit your errors.

I don’t imagine Karl sees them as errors, he’s had plenty of chances to sign those players. RadOx have to keep on good terms with him as they speak to him all the time.

 

[bazzer9461]

I don’t imagine Karl sees them as errors, he’s had plenty of chances to sign those players. RadOx have to keep on good terms with him as they speak to him all the time.

Then why didn’t he?

 

[The mighty Aldo]

Thank you

 

[OX14]

Only 9 outfield players is a novel approach

Missed out the other 1 being Bodin behind Taylor lol.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Everyone keeps on about our defensive frailties but if we took our chances today we would have won comfortably.

And if we only conceded one goal per game (a few clean sheets wouldn’t go amiss but let’s start small) instead of two or three as has been the case of late, the forwards would be able to afford to miss the odd chance rather than having to operate at 100% all the time. It goes both ways. You can’t just say “well if we had scored four then it wouldn’t have mattered that they scored three.” Top teams in any league shouldn’t be losing (or even failing to win) games that they score twice in, especially at home.

You can’t try to win every game 3-2. It is unsustainable over the course of a season.

 

[TailsWeWin]

KR is passionate, enthusiastic and loves the club. However, humility is not one of his attributes.

 

[ljs]

Taylor's first 'miss ' was a decent effort and very unlucky it just curled wide.

Their first goal Long does back off too much. Stevens could possibly have done better, but really no blame there.

Their second McNally was going backwards on the header so difficult to direct more than he did. Sykes had completely let his man go.

Third goal, Sykes again nowhere near his man and Seddon out of position. Moore in the centre could have covered the scorer better.

 

[Big Ronaldo]

Can’t see how Stevens can be at fault for not stopping their first. It’s come through our player and into the far corner.

 

[OX14]

Their second McNally was going backwards on the header so difficult to direct more than he did. Sykes had completely let his man go.

Third goal, Sykes again nowhere near his man and Seddon out of position. Moore in the centre could have covered the scorer better.

Taylor missed another one like that in the second half, needs to hit the target. Whyte was one and one with the keeper in first half but shot straight at him.

First goal Stevens was slighty too far to his near post and probably should of tipped round the post.

Yep spot on with the second goal, sykes was already in attacking mode and not marking his man.

Third goal thought mcguane and branagan could of stopped at source, but it came from a bad corner from kane, sykes and Seddon too far up the pitch, Stevens maybe could of flung himself at the cross looking at the replay now.

Small margins

 

[MiddleBartonYellow]

Even if Gorrin was fit and available I reckon they wouldn’t have started him anyway, not with Kane in the squad.
Its pretty obvious that defensively we make to many individual errors, especially the full backs. We concede a lot of goals from the flanks so a defensive midfielder won’t make much difference.

 

[OX14]

Can’t see how Stevens can be at fault for not stopping their first. It’s come through our player and into the far corner.

It was a straight shot from quite far out, Stevens position if he had been half a foot to his left he would of got to it. Not fully at blame but I bet if you asked Stevens he would of been annoyed not saving it.

 

[The mighty Aldo]

It was a straight shot from quite far out, Stevens position if he had been half a foot to his left he would of got to it. Not fully at blame but I bet if you asked Stevens he would of been annoyed not saving it.

Is it me or do both Stevens and Eastwood get beaten by long range shots too easily?

 

[headingtonoldboy]

Fossey the Fulham loanee on the right had a hugely influential game. I'm sure Seddon's best friends wouldn't laud his defensive attributes, but boy he had a challenge trying to keep that fella quiet!

Moving on, here's a daft suggestion. Given available players, does Anthony Forde have it in him to do a half decent job as a defensive midfielder? Told you it was a daft suggestion

No, it's not a daft suggestion. I was thinking just the same thing this morning.

 

[OX14]

Is it me or do both Stevens and Eastwood get beaten by long range shots too easily?

The Eastwood of 2 years ago didn't he was just a calamity at crosses, but not at the same level now unfortunately. We have Eastwood till the end of next season so can't really bring in another keeper. Stevens may improve with age and has only just come back from an illness.

 

[Manorlounger]

Our little group in the SSU were discussing the game and we all, independently, concurred that we could "tell" when we were about to concede a goal. The positioning of attackers and defenders, the lack of closing down, the ball watching and hesitancy of our players was all there to see. The times that we didn't concede were down to, more often than not, last gasp blocks or very good saves from the keeper.

The impression we have is of a team that lacks real direction in defending. It's been asked before, what do they prepare in training?