Home Match Day Thread 13/02/2024 L1: OUFC v Wigan Athletic

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Scrongo said:
Mmmmmm another denier.......
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I'm probably being dense but I don't know what this means?
But you seriously think that Moore (probably the first name on the team sheet along with CB for ability and consistency) is a donkey? Brilliant!
Even after a home win (albeit an ugly one) you can't keep your vitriol to yourself but need to spread your unique style of misery.
 
christenedinjericho said:
Tbf I'm still trying to work out what our playing style is under Desmond. Two home games ago we seemed to go for it 1st half and then revert 2nd half to trying to see out the game by sitting deep and lashing the ball just 10 yards from our penalty box and inviting more pressure than my shower taps. However, last night tbh I was f*cked to knowing what the heck we were trying to achieve 1st half and didn't just scratch my head but the geezers head next to me as it was so uninspiring and pedantic. Nevertheless, 2nd half it seemed to click somehow and I took it (the result) without actually knowing how we done it but we did.

Felt for Long from the North Stand as the criticism was wholesome and unadulterated and he must have heard ever single word sideways but he managed to park that at half time and put in a measured 2nd half to his credit.

Walking back to the car and in the journey back I couldn't quite get it (the tactical game plan) and I think a caller to radox basically said the same that they wasn't sure of our game plan but it sort of worked. Imho I'm not sure Des actually knows too but it worked and I'd take another 14 of these if it gets us the 3 points!

Outside of this loop CB talks the same as many Ox fans who want to win at all costs and I think this geezer knows that his maturing years are starting to call for him. Let's hope Des and his team mates can see this too and we can afford him the chance to play his next few years as a championship player with us.

Let's hope a performance worthy of his ambition kicks off at Adam's Park this weekend.

COYY'S.
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The guy is just taking the P**s.

He doesn’t like Des .
 
Chris on a Bike said:
I'm probably being dense but I don't know what this means?
But you seriously think that Moore (probably the first name on the team sheet along with CB for ability and consistency) is a donkey? Brilliant!
Even after a home win (albeit an ugly one) you can't keep your vitriol to yourself but need to spread your unique style of misery.
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Hahahaha on ya bike🚴
 
Davox said:
As many have said, the first half was just terrible. They psychologically beat us as we went from passing out the back to kicking long as they pushed up very high. I did think we capitulated there as we panicked on the ball and when we persisted with it we developed chances .
Second half totally different. We were measured in the passing and didn’t panic on the ball and when we didn’t have an option forward we went back and started again (nothing wrong with that despite many fans in the crowd who shout ‘don’t go back’) as sometimes you have to.
Murphy deserved his standing ovation when he came off and Goodhram is a phenomenal talent. Great on the ball and off it. He needs to start Saturday but he’s also devastating off the bench!! Great sub as Dale was useless first half. I think Mcguane needs a rest which may happen Saturday.

Well done Oxford for turning it around!! COYY
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No way Goodrham starts Saturday.
He will be out muscled by the Wycombe bully boys.
We need as many of our stronger and more physical players as possible in the starting eleven.
Pretty football doesn't beat sides like Wycombe, you have to match their physicality.
Something we haven't achieved for a good few seasons now.
 
Just watched the full match replay on iFollow after listening on the radio yesterday.
First half started quite well for us and Murphy put in a wicked cross that nobody got near. Both sides were guilty of giving the ball away cheaply, and the first half can really be summarised by the play just before CamBran hit the post, when possession changed hands a few times due to sloppy passes. I was expecting Long to have a shocker of a half but up till their goal he was steady. His distribution has never been his strong point and with their winger pressing him quickly and Dale also being marked closely, he didn't have much of an outlet so kept lumping it up the field. After the goal, Long was a bit all over the place for a few minutes. He and Dale reminded me of Stevens and Mills in the first half against Cambridge, where it just didn't click. McGuane didn't get into the game at all, either playing alongside Matete or further up when he swapped with CamBran. Otherwise, both teams kind of cancelled each other out, both closing down and earning lots of free kicks making it scrappy. Wigan just about shaded it on getting into advanced positions.

Their goal was a good bit of skill to get past Long but Moore should have been covering behind him. Our goal was actually a decent hoof by Long to Harris, who held it up well and passed it across to Murphy. Both defenders then moved to his left, expecting him to go outside and cross it in. This left a huge gap to the far post and he just passed it in really.

In the second half, swapping Murphy to the right made him less effective in an attacking sense but he provided some defensive help to Long and gave him more of an outlet. He also caused their left back to sit back a bit more due to the extra pace and skill compared to Dale, giving Long more space to pick out a pass. We started the half similarly to the first but managed to keep it going. We played with a bit more patience and moved it around in triangles more. This sort of play led to CamBran's goal via Matete's free kick. Lucky deflection but you don't score if you don't shoot. After our goal we either sat back or Wigan had to come forward, or perhaps a bit of both. We actually managed the game quite well by not letting Wigan get into any rhythm, although we got lucky with their header which came off the post, hit Cumming and went out for a corner. Again, I think Moore could have done better with the cross.

Our third goal was a delightful piece of skill by Goodrham to make some space for himself in the middle of their half, cut inside and almost score the same goal as at Cambridge. Rodrigues did well to follow it up and it was an easy finish for him. This all started with some very good pressing by Harris on their keeper, and then Leigh making a run outside of Tyler which created some space to cut back inside.

At 3-1 up Wigan just had to go for it but rather than sitting back and trying to control the game, we didn't really change our game and this didn't really change at 3-2 either, with plenty of our players committing forward. Wigan scored with a header from a lovely cross, although our players were out of position with Long in the area instead of at full back which allowed their player time and space to put in the cross. Leigh might be disappointed to have lost the header. A similar situation arose towards the end but fortunately the header went wide. After that we managed the game quite well and Wigan became desperate and sloppy. Our fourth was a result of some confusion in the Wigan midfield after what looked like a foul by Brown, resulting in Rodrigues having time and space to run forward and play a lovely reverse ball to Harris, who almost accidentally took it past the defender and then couldn't quite get the shot off as the defender put in a challenge. It came to Tyler who, like CamBran, took a shot which deflected into the top corner. I think the keeper would have saved it without that deflection.

Cumming looks like an upgraded Jack Stevens to me. Shorter than Beadle and not as comfortable on the ball, but very agile with good reflexes. He made a very good stop low down at 3-2.

The referee didn't really make any poor decisions, but his fussiness made the game very disjointed, especially in the first half and the start of the second. Once he started giving free kicks for very minor tussles, everyone was falling over at the slightest of touches. I'm just surprised nobody got sent off with so many yellow cards given out, especially comparing some of the yellow card fouls with Brown being clattered in the head.

Credit to Des for making the change at half time as well as sorting out how we were playing, and then bringing on the other subs at the right times. What a pleasure it must have been to have players of that quality on the bench, for the first time since he arrived as manager. As Nathan said afterwards, if we could put two good halves together in the same game we'd be unstoppable. Hopefully this win will give us the confidence to go on and have a successful end to the season. Let's not forget how poor we were away to Wigan under Liam Manning.
 
Foley said:
I think that is a pretty negative way of looking at things.
The first half was poor, but I enjoyed the second half. We pressed much higher, and gave them a lot of problems.
Goodrham made a big difference.
We scored some good goals, which ultimately win games!
Wigan were a decent side ( have had some good results against good sides).
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I can appreciate the positives. Goodrham was a really positive change - I think being the impact sub suits him for the time being. Wigan pushing on gave him the space that Murphy doesn’t really need as much as he’s got a bit more nouse and athleticism. I think Goodwin would’ve brought a lot to that game too.

The second half was good but I think 3 goals was flattering that’s all, just as scoring at all was in the first. We were dreadful but it was refreshing to see Murphy of all people dig us out of a hole. It’s a completely different game if we go in a goal down, I think we’d have struggled to win it. But winning ugly is part of the game so I’m glad to see we can do that.

I just didn’t see much that convinced me we’ve clicked or found a recipe for success. Part of me hopes it’s just how we played to exploit that Wigan side which would be fine, but it was very similar to previous games where we’ve got what we deserved - not a lot. Last night I felt we probably edged it but it wasn’t as convincing as 4 goals would suggest.

Delighted to win, it’s a step in the right direction but we’ll need a lot more on Saturday. This game coming up is one of the toughest in the calendar, a great chance for Des to show he’s learned a thing or two about league one now.
 
Upthecowboys said:
If Murphy stays fits and contributes for the rest of the season then an interesting decision will need to be made. It seems he’s on great money here, would he be worth (or accept) a reduction in salary for a new contract offer
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Or, we keep him on the same salary, and give everyone else a raise, as we'll have much greater income in the Championship?
 
Swaby39 said:
I just didn’t see much that convinced me we’ve clicked or found a recipe for success. Part of me hopes it’s just how we played to exploit that Wigan side which would be fine, but it was very similar to previous games where we’ve got what we deserved - not a lot. Last night I felt we probably edged it but it wasn’t as convincing as 4 goals would suggest.

Delighted to win, it’s a step in the right direction but we’ll need a lot more on Saturday. This game coming up is one of the toughest in the calendar, a great chance for Des to show he’s learned a thing or two about league one now.
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Totally agree that it is just the start and over the next 3 games ( Wycombe , Northampton and L Orient), we need decent points.
No real excuses now. We have a really strong bench ( which should make a big difference) , and our attacking options have greatly improved.
Here's hoping....
 
Upthecowboys said:
Not so sure myself, I think he’s being eased back after a period of not playing much. He had a couple of initial early appearances for us when we really were bare bones. I think Dale started last night as he is match fit and had a decent amount of match time this year (= less likely to get injured?) and Murphy when fit & firing is a high quality player.

If Murphy stays fits and contributes for the rest of the season then an interesting decision will need to be made. It seems he’s on great money here, would he be worth (or accept) a reduction in salary for a new contract offer. We know we can’t carry as many players with poor injury records, but does he become the ‘one’ we take a risk on.

I thought it was a strange game last night. Can’t say it was that exciting but there were 6 goals and a tense finish. Wycombe apparently played OK last night, and their results over the last 3/4 weeks has been decent - they’ve beaten Posh and an improving Cheltenham. But a serious play off team (which I think we are) should be winning at Wycombe.
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Unless it was a pay as you play deal, I'd be saying thanks but no thanks to Josh Murphy.

He has had 18 months to prove himself. I'm not sure our recruitment policy should be based on a sample size of 14/15 games (not that he will roll himself out for all of them).
 
Foley said:
Totally agree that it is just the start and over the next 3 games ( Wycombe , Northampton and L Orient), we need decent points.
No real excuses now. We have a really strong bench ( which should make a big difference) , and our attacking options have greatly improved.
Here's hoping....
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Just need to sort the defence now.
Maybe a chance of keeping a clean sheet.
I have no faith that Buckingham has the coaching skills to solve it.
 
Nox said:
Just need to sort the defence now.
Maybe a chance of keeping a clean sheet.
I have no faith that Buckingham has the coaching skills to solve it.
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Agree. I can’t figure out why we can’t keep clean sheets. Defence is still struggling with setpieces for some reason. I wouldnt bet on a clean sheet happening away to Wycombe.
So its valid to question Des coaching skills but at the same time he’s a cookie cutter modern coach from the City sports group so shouldnt academically be any less informed than Manning or even Pep G!
Also, our back four, how many 1st team games have they played? Surely they are gonna have more than enough about them to do better?
 
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