Home Match Day Thread 24/04/2021 L1 OUFC v Plymouth Argyle

[bazzer9461]

I have to confess, I had thrown in the towel after the Accrington match. I was calling for starting for starting the youth v Crewe and looking to next season, and I don't think I was alone in that. But thank god KR and the team don't quit as easily as I apparently do! I know we're in a 'false' position in terms of the teams below us having games in hand, and only being there on GD, but it's very, very difficult not to look at the table and get excited seeing OUFC up in 5th with 44 games played.

We had to work for it today, but I think we were good value for that win. Plymouth had the first half of the second half, but we 'won' the other three quarters of the match, making the 3-1 scoreline strangely fitting. Some of our play was lovely, and some individual performances were just too good for Plymouth. Agyei was on fire. Possibly his best overall performance in an Oxford shirt. I really do think he has a lot to offer as a winger. When he can turn on the ball and isolate a defender in a bit of space, he has that ability to breeze past them that noone else on the team, with Barker out, has. Among a lot of other good performances, I wanted to highlight Brannagan's crossfield balls, too. I don't think we've had a central midfielder pulling out passes like that since Lunny. It's not a part of his game that I've ever really seen before, and I think that, while he likes pushing forward, he's really made that deep #6 role his own in the last few matches. (Although, that said, it was good to see Gorrin back in his brief cameo, too).

Fair play to Plymouth, look a decent side who I'm sure will push on next year. Got some very good players, a strong core to build a team around.

Well done to Hull. I said, after I was lucky enough to see us play them in the flesh in December, that they would go straight back up, and so it's proved. A strong, physical but well-organised side, with that sprinkling of attacking flair in the likes of Honeyman, just what you need to be a success in this league. Other big-time clubs who come down and consider themselves 'too good for this league' would do well to follow their example. It's also worth giving credit to Posh, who are all but up after today. Everyone laughed at 'Operation Vengeance' and their chairman making a bit of a tit of himself on twitter last summer, but they've responded to that disappointment, and the loss of Ivan Toney, in ideal fashion and are well worth their promotion.

A week's break now until Shrews, by which time we could be down in 8th. Today's results should give everyone so much cause for optimism, though. Charlton losing to Posh is understandable, but nobody, surely, had Blackpool down to drop points at home to Shrewsbury, let alone lose. The teams around us are around us because they're just as inconsistent as us. So long as it's still mathematically possible, it's definitely on.

And finally... 147 days after Swindon scored twice in the last 5 minutes to leapfrog us in the table and leave us level on points with Bristol Rovers in the relegation spots, we're sitting in fifth, while they're on their way to League 2 (and below). Delicious.

Saved me a job in writing something similar

 

[bazzer9461]

WELL DESERVED !

Without a doubt now come on Oxford give him a new contract

 

[Carpy]

When you see @RyanioBirdio taking his shorts off

 

[uptheus]

I have to confess, I had thrown in the towel after the Accrington match. I was calling for starting for starting the youth v Crewe and looking to next season, and I don't think I was alone in that. But thank god KR and the team don't quit as easily as I apparently do! I know we're in a 'false' position in terms of the teams below us having games in hand, and only being there on GD, but it's very, very difficult not to look at the table and get excited seeing OUFC up in 5th with 44 games played.

We had to work for it today, but I think we were good value for that win. Plymouth had the first half of the second half, but we 'won' the other three quarters of the match, making the 3-1 scoreline strangely fitting. Some of our play was lovely, and some individual performances were just too good for Plymouth. Agyei was on fire. Possibly his best overall performance in an Oxford shirt. I really do think he has a lot to offer as a winger. When he can turn on the ball and isolate a defender in a bit of space, he has that ability to breeze past them that noone else on the team, with Barker out, has. Among a lot of other good performances, I wanted to highlight Brannagan's crossfield balls, too. I don't think we've had a central midfielder pulling out passes like that since Lunny. It's not a part of his game that I've ever really seen before, and I think that, while he likes pushing forward, he's really made that deep #6 role his own in the last few matches. (Although, that said, it was good to see Gorrin back in his brief cameo, too).

Fair play to Plymouth, look a decent side who I'm sure will push on next year. Got some very good players, a strong core to build a team around.

Well done to Hull. I said, after I was lucky enough to see us play them in the flesh in December, that they would go straight back up, and so it's proved. A strong, physical but well-organised side, with that sprinkling of attacking flair in the likes of Honeyman, just what you need to be a success in this league. Other big-time clubs who come down and consider themselves 'too good for this league' would do well to follow their example. It's also worth giving credit to Posh, who are all but up after today. Everyone laughed at 'Operation Vengeance' and their chairman making a bit of a tit of himself on twitter last summer, but they've responded to that disappointment, and the loss of Ivan Toney, in ideal fashion and are well worth their promotion.

A week's break now until Shrews, by which time we could be down in 8th. Today's results should give everyone so much cause for optimism, though. Charlton losing to Posh is understandable, but nobody, surely, had Blackpool down to drop points at home to Shrewsbury, let alone lose. The teams around us are around us because they're just as inconsistent as us. So long as it's still mathematically possible, it's definitely on.

And finally... 147 days after Swindon scored twice in the last 5 minutes to leapfrog us in the table and leave us level on points with Bristol Rovers in the relegation spots, we're sitting in fifth, while they're on their way to League 2 (and below). Delicious.

That’s why I responded by saying whilst there’s a chance, then keep going.

 

[Paul Cannell]

WELL DESERVED !

Aye. Even a homely lad can be lovely on his day.

 

[behindthegoal]

Far from a dull 0:0 like one or two said on here.

 

[bashamwonderland]

Nice that we're still in it with two games to go - well done to the team and those of you mad enough to have paid to watch it.

 

[Dubai Yellow]

Pretty sure that was the Wimbledon match.

Perhaps not...

 

[Dubai Yellow]

Good performance today. Great win.

 

[Blox21]

Nice that we're still in it with two games to go - well done to the team and those of you mad enough to have paid to watch it.

Well thank you sir

 

[OxfordYankee]

Good result, odd performance. Plymouth are good attacking and poor defending. Perhaps we made their attack look good and defence bad?

Probably Sykes best performance for us. Taylor showed he is a class above today.

Good stuff. Hope we get to play the imploding mackems again this season.

Yes of all the teams we could play, the encumbrance of their own delusion would weigh heavily on their slender shoulders.

Plus, they’re s**t.

 

[werthersoriginal]

It’s either triumph or disaster with us, but the good thing is that we don’t draw many, meaning we are able to recover well from setbacks. And we score a lot which helps the stats too. I don’t think we’re going to get into the playoffs , but we’re staying up there till the end

 

[unification]

It’s still on. Some favourable results aside from Pompey and a battling win. Not in our hands but it keeps the season interesting for a week or so longer.

Oh, and Swindon get relegated before Wycombe do. What a hopeless rabble they were this season.

 

[Canterburyexile]

We have been by turns both excellent and dreadful this season. Often in the same game. Sometimes in the same bloody half.

If we somehow manage to sneak into the playoffs at the end of the season then I think we might just do it. There’s something going on with us this year.

 

[Belgium Yellow]

Be nice if we could knock Sunderland out of the playoff places

 

[sideshowrob]

We have beaten s*****n four time away. On one occasion they went on to be promoted, on the other three they were relegated.

 

[Manorlounger]

Be nice if we could knock Sunderland out of the playoff places

More than nice, f*****g hilarious!

 

[Marked Ox]

Lovely result. Some good goals and a fair result in the end.

- I like the understated response to the win from KR and the team.

- We were as good in the 2nd half of the 2nd half as we were bad in the 1st half of it. I'll add Plymouth were the opposite.

- Hopefully Barker is back for Shrewsbury as he adds a dimension to our game and Mide is not in form. It would be interesting having Agyei on the right and Barker on the left as we'd have real pace both sides.

- Moore, Atkinson, Agyei, Sykes and Brannagan were all battling for motm but I have no problems at all with the sponsors picking Skyesy.

- So maybe KR was right with persevering with Agyei on the wing.

- Pleased that Matty Taylor got those goals. Hopefully he can get in a run and if a miracle happens he is on form going into the play offs.

- Very pleased today but I think the games in hand for the other clubs will ultimately make the play offs a step too far. But we can dream nonetheless.

- And of course, Swindon going down*.


*So Will Grigg did well for Oxford in the end this season then.

 

[BristolOx]

Brannagan's passing isn't great. Overrated player in my opinion.

This aged well lol

 

[Bodminyellow]

Still feeling guilty about what I said about Henry last week - was just feeling pissed off and frustrated so I take it back he is one of - if not our best player. Anyway today played well as we did for much of last week but looked so brittle at times. Sykes is great but if only he could finish - shows flashes of brilliance. I loved some of the diagonal passes today particularly to Ageyi in the first half and the way he bought them down and moved into threatening positions - although he did fade and understood the substitution. A bit like Sykes he can look so good but can also frustrate. Anyway I’m usually glass half full but think it looks unlikely but it is possible which is great. COYY