Home Match Day Thread 19/04/2024: L1 - OUFC v Stevenage

[Northstandboy]

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[Eric Blair]

Not sure if this has been circulated today. Seems like a classy thing to do and also hats off to the role of the club (and Cam Bran) is all this.

"Kyle Andrews, he's one of our own"

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1781245053672804846

 

[NorthWestOx]

If Moore is fit he has to come in. If not I assume that the back 4 will be the same ( I do wonder whether Negru would be an option v the Stevenage bruisers).
I assume that Brannaghan will be in for McEachran ( who won't be able to start 3 games in a week).
At least we have 8 days off before Exeter so can go fully out today to try and get that win ( which will make tomorrow's games interesting)

Agreed, if Moore is fit, he has to play. We've missed him massively, not just in defence, but attacking set pieces too.
If Moore starts, I would play Long at RB and have Stevens on the bench, dropping McGuane from the squad rather than Smyth.
Brannagan too has to start, as you say, McEachran can't be expected to start 3 games in a week.

Other than that, same team as previous.

 

[Eric Blair]

Agreed, if Moore is fit, he has to play. We've missed him massively, not just in defence, but attacking set pieces too.
If Moore starts, I would play Long at RB and have Stevens on the bench, dropping McGuane from the squad rather than Smyth.
Brannagan too has to start, as you say, McEachran can't be expected to start 3 games in a week.

Other than that, same team as previous.

Agreed on that. Feel sorry for McGuane - he seems a bit lost at the moment and needs time to get himself back to form.

 

[MC Yellow]

Is this the first, actual, must-win game of the season?
If we lose does that mean the last regular game of the season at Exeter then also becomes must-win?
At least it’s for a much more positive reason unlike last year when we were fighting for our lives to stay up.
A win would be wonderful but we’re on telly and we never, ever make things easy for ourselves.

If we work on the basis that Barnsley and Lincoln will both win tomorrow, our final 2 games become both "must win" on the basis that whatever they do, matters not.

We need to put this to bed ourselves and not rely on others.

 

[MC Yellow]

Anyone else shitting it?

Have been sat on the toilet since 7am.... feeling a bit numb now

 

[Grumpy Git]

Win tonight and we’re in the playoffs. Massive game for everyone.

 

[McXal]

I’m not one who has written him off, but McGuane can have no complaints if he is dropped from the squad again tonight (to make room for Stevens or Long on the bench if Moore is back). He was abject in his cameo on Tuesday night. A really disappointingly poor showing from him when you’d expect him to be incredibly fired up to make a point that the manager was wrong to leave him out for the last month.

If Moore is fit it’s a big call because he needs to come back in (particularly against a team like Stevenage). But Long was excellent at CB in the last 2 games, and I thought Stevens was in with a shout for our MOTM on Tuesday.

 

[Eric Blair]

I’m not one who has written him off, but McGuane can have no complaints if he is dropped from the squad again tonight (to make room for Stevens or Long on the bench if Moore is back). He was abject in his cameo on Tuesday night. A really disappointingly poor showing from him when you’d expect him to be incredibly fired up to make a point that the manager was wrong to leave him out for the last month.

If Moore is fit it’s a big call because he needs to come back in (particularly against a team like Stevenage). But Long was excellent at CB in the last 2 games, and I thought Stevens was in with a shout for our MOTM on Tuesday.

There was one bit where McGuane received the ball with the opportunity to drive forward but went out of his way to turn back and play a negative pass. The stadium groaned when that happened. I have no factual basis for this but he looks to be struggling (rather than downing tools). Hope the club support him to reach his earlier form.

 

[WEYellow]

Fairly petrified ahead of this one, two taxing fixtures whilst Stevenage have rested since Saturday. A big, strong, horrible, 3 at the back team coming with a point to prove, an absolute recipe for disaster.

Hopefully Moore is fit enough to come in for Long at CB, he will be a big plus for set pieces and is our best defender in possession. Other than that I think the team picks itself, I'd be half tempted to drop Browne + Mcguane from the squad completely after their cameos on Tuesday but squad depth probably doesn't allow us to do that.

I think it'll be a draw or narrow defeat, win lose or draw it's not over either way. Just hope we can go into the Exeter game in pole position.

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

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[Yellow River]

It’s going to be a horrible watch.

I’d play Moore if available. We’re going to need some height and physical presence against Stevenage.

In fairness Long has played well, however on Tuesday we missed Moore in both penalty areas especially for dead ball situations.

If Stevenage do play 3 at the back I fancy our flying wingers to get beyond their wingbacks and create opportunities.

 

[MateoCorbo'sTackle]

Bloody massive game.
4-1 us.

 

[BrockBuster]

Yeah to echo a few of the other comments here, Moore is crucial against teams of this type. Very hopeful he's not just passed fit but is fully fit for this one.

 

[Mad Dog]

I'm in Tenerife so must find a local pub with Sky. Happy days....

And a pitch to invade…

 

[Foley]

Fairly petrified ahead of this one, two taxing fixtures whilst Stevenage have rested since Saturday. A big, strong, horrible, 3 at the back team coming with a point to prove, an absolute recipe for disaster.

Hopefully Moore is fit enough to come in for Long at CB, he will be a big plus for set pieces and is our best defender in possession. Other than that I think the team picks itself, I'd be half tempted to drop Browne + Mcguane from the squad completely after their cameos on Tuesday but squad depth probably doesn't allow us to do that.

I think it'll be a draw or narrow defeat, win lose or draw it's not over either way. Just hope we can go into the Exeter game in pole position.

Really?
I think that Browne has looked really dangerous when coming on.

 

[Mad Dog]

Anyone else shitting it?

Nah, we’re gonna win 5-0. Stevenage are right mugs

 

[MC Yellow]

Win tonight and we’re in the playoffs. Massive game for everyone.

Would be great for that to be the case, but we will not know what we need to do at Exeter until 5pm tomorrow.

Just win tonight and we can then turn our attention to tomorrow.

COYY's

 

[GRB]

Really?
I think that Browne has looked really dangerous when coming on.

I wouldn't drop him but his decision to shoot from about 30 yards near the end when he had plenty of options on was annoying.

 

[WEYellow]

I wouldn't drop him but his decision to shoot from about 30 yards near the end when he had plenty of options on was annoying.

Not his first time for doing that either, plus the unnecessary yellow for dissent

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

Hard-fought but ultimately comfortable home win.

Lincoln to scrap their way to a 1-0 lead at Whaddon Road. But then, in the 96th minute (of just 5 added minutes) a hopeful punt upfield from Cheltenham (attacking the away end) is met with a poor headed connection from a thug of a Lincoln CB, that somehow spins off his gigantic dome and behind him.

Suddenly, Matty Taylor (playing off said brute's shoulder), peels away and is bearing down on goal. The Keeper (fresh from the two minutes it just took him to take a goal kick) commits early, sliding to the ground as Taylor lifts it over him - whereby is takes an eternity but nestles cutely in the back of the net for a crucial equaliser.

Matty streams away running alongside the away end with his fore-finger to his lips. He comes to stop at the corner flag, rips off his Cheltenham shirt and reveals a t-shirt on which he has hand-scrawled 'UP THE F*CKING OX' in marker pen. He stands, arms out-stretched, mobbed by his team-mates, as the Lincoln fans clamber over each other to scream obscenities at him as their play-off hopes lie in ruins.