Snow is quite beautiful. I can now officially not stand the stuff.
First it causes a load of postponements. Then it messes up my Christmas plans, then it melts in time to cause me to reinstate my Christmas trip, but moved to New Year. Rubbish.
But at last - a match to go to. Due to a sterling effort by groundstaff and supporters and a rise in daytime temperature to the nearly subtropical, we took on and beat Macclesfield today 2-1. The bare facts are that Heslop and Constable scored for us before a late and decidedly odd goal by Oxford old boy Ricky Stappleton made for a nervous finish. The reality is a bit more interesting.
The car parks were still very slushy (bad mistake to wear canvas topped DMs) but the stadium looked fine, and the pitch in reasonable condition considering what's been thrown at it. The major prematch surprise was the appearance of Jack Midson on the bench. Back from his loan at Southend - apparently they aren't going to extend it. He made no appearance in the game however. The other oddity was the total non-appearance on bench or pitch of Wotton. Does that signify that his time is up and that we will not extend his loan? If so then we need another combative ball winner somewhere on the park. We didn't have one today, and as a result, we weren't terribly combative and didn't win the ball very often!
Macc started like a train, very much carrying on from where they left off in our last encounter ( we were 2 up at the break, only to lose 3-2 if you recall). They have only one real mode of attack, which is to lob the ball out wide for their players to run onto and cross. Now I wouldn't have said that was a terribly complex tactic, but our players might as well have been trying to speak Chinese as hard as they found it to produce any effective counter measures. Time and again, our defence let them do it. They let them catch the ball, they let them look up, turn and cross the damned thing. Again and again and again. It's a good job they haven't got a decent striker, or we we have been behind quite early.
We hadn't really started, and it took a horrible tackle from the Macc number 14 on Beano to get us all going (team and support alike). The referee had already given some stupid decisions and not given other quite blatant fouls, but apparently a two footed tackle in the air with studs showing into the side of someone's ankle is a yellow card offence. Not in my book it isn't, you pink shirted little fool. Still, Beano was OK and it got the team fired up. The referee and his useless South Stand linesman were laughable all game. The lino didn't know the offside rule (but then again, does anyone?) and was constantly behind play. I hoped when we emerged from the wilderness that the standard of officiating would improve. Oh foolish, foolish me.
We then scored, a lovely move opening up the Macc defence for Heslop to slot home. Lovely. We needed to score and we did. The mist then started to turn into fog, getting thicker and thicker before half time - the architectural magnificence of the Bowlplex disappearing before our eyes. Half time came, and brought the crossbar challenge - blokes with a bald spot, this time - most of whom seemed to support Chelsea. Really. Then here's a suggestion. Go and support them. Or have the decency to say you support Oxford when asked. Otherwise - thanks for the entrance money - sit down, shut up. I hate people who 'apologise' for supporting Oxford by saying that they 'really' support Chelsea or Arsenal or some other prem team. I actually find that worse than someone who honestly supports Luton, or even the scum. The other halftime highlight was the brass band. Of which nobody in the East Stand could hear a single note. If only someone had invented some way of amplifying sound...
The fog lifted somewhat, revealing the neon paradise opposite, and the game restarted - carrying on much as it had previously. Macc were threatening down the flanks, we were threatening on the breakaway. Both teams looked fragile in defence, Macc were better in midfield. For long periods, we appeared to be playing basketball rules. If the opposition have the ball, we just let them have it. We might try to intercept, but tackling is out of the question. You have to let them have a shot, or a header. Batt and Kinniborough might as well have not been there - they just let the ball be crossed or for the Macc attacker to walk past them into the penalty area.
You got the feeling that the next goal might settle it, and so it proved. Down at the foggy end of the ground with about 20 minutes to go, Beano eventually got the ball in the net after a couple of attempts, having been aware enough to pick up on a loose ball resulting from a save. The Macc heads went down and both their supporters looked a little crestfallen. However a bizzare goal 12 minutes later gave them hope. Ricky Stappleton (who now looks like Ricky Stapple-several-tons) lumbered into Ryan Clarke, the ball bobbled up and into the net over Clarke's head. Every one in the east stand waited for the free kick. But apparently thats not a foul in Mr Pink Shirt's book, so the goal stood. However, Macc couldn't find a way though (and didn't really look like doing so) and we finished just about worthy winners.
So, the third game on the trot that I have ditched the blue stripey abomination for a proper yellow shirt, and the third game we have won 2-1. Spooky, huh?
What did we learn from today?
We need, need, need a tackling midfielder.
Futcher can't or won't jump. He is no improvement on Creights really. I just hope that when Jake is fit, he takes Futcher's place, not that of the excellent Worley.
Beano and Maclean are an excellent partnership - and getting better.
Maclean isn't necessarily going to score a hatful, but we are going to score a hatful more because of him.
Our left and right back positions are both still a bit problematic as far as defence goes (although Batt is excellent going forward at times).
League 2 is an oddly inconsistent league.
I'll miss the next two games - so you're on your own. May I take the opportunity to wish anyone reading this a very happy New Year, and to thank fellow supporters and all at the club for what has turned out to be a throughly entertaining and eventually successful year!
Oxford United, Stereo Photography, Old Amusement Machines, Odd Musical Instruments and more.
Tuesday 28 December 2010
Saturday 4 December 2010
Outwitting Jack Frost vs Barnet (League 2)
A herculean effort by the club and groundstaff got the match on today. One of only two to survive in League 2. Only one survived in League 1. So credit where it's due.
I set off early expecting a longer drive than usual, but that didn't happen. So I got a longer sit in the car park than usual instead. Forgetting the lessons of history, I succumbed to a portion of the catering van's chips. It is a marvel how they can make something that is so hot on the outside, yet so uncooked on the inside. Great if you are making a baked Alaska (reference for fans of 70's cooking), not so good for chips. They went mostly uneaten, and yet again I vow never to have them again.
The snow had mostly gone, being washed away by torrential rain which carried on for the majority of the match. Sitting in my car, picking though fried potato pieces in an attempt to find an edible bit, my thoughts turned to the match. Of course it would be just like Oxford to beat the League leaders away and then succumb to the bottom team at home, but surely we could beat Barnet?
We lined up in a 4-4-2, with Maclean and Craddock taking the strikers positions. Batt, Worley, Futcher and Kinniborough were the defence and Heslop, Wotton, Clist and Hall made up the midfield. The truth is that for the first half we didn't really get out of first gear at all. We were slow and passive, and made few chances. There were good saves from both Clarke and the ex-Oxford Jake Cole in the Barnet goal before Barnet went ahead after half an hour or so. The goal was actually fairly embarassing. Barnet went down the right, beating Kinnibrough fairly easily (not for the first or last time in the afternoon), and it was simply passed across the face of goal and then into the net. Like a hot knife through butter. Although it was too cold for a hot knife and the butter would have been frozen solid, but still... We struggled to the half time break and looked very poor. So why didn't the 4-4-2 work as well as it did at Chesterfield? Well at Chesterfield we went on the attack, as we were already a goal down. Today both sides looked petrified to concede a goal - understandable given their situation in the league table, but a completely different circumstance. Half time came and 1-0 down was probably fair.
The half time entertainment was the hoary old crossbar challenge. This time for 'anyone wearing glasses'. It was as disorganised as the team had been for the previous 45 minutes. Either organise something reasonably interesting or just leave it out altogether. Can't we have five people from the North Stand vs five people from the East Stand perhaps? It would give us something to cheer, maybe. Or maybe not.
We switched back to a 4-3-3 for the second half, with Potter replacing Hall. Alfie added some much needed speed into what was a fairly ponderous attack, and Barnet were soon being pushed back. That became much more apparent when Beano came on for Craddock after about 10 minutes. Some of the invective being directed towards Craddock from the East Stand was fairly laughable. He isn't Beano, he is a completely different type of player who has scored some important goals already this season. He didn't have the best of games, but chanting 'Beano, Beano' when Craddock did something wrong is fairly dense. Probably the same people that were chanting for the departed Midson, when Green missed the other day.
But Beano made a huge difference. The first thing he did was to foul the big Barnet center half, and from then on he was in the action at both ends of the pitch. He harried the defenders, almost scored (it went in anyway), scored, cleared a ball off our line and ran about like the Beano of old. It was great to see and I hope that the current rumours of him going to pastures new are just Chinese whispers. They must be.
Beano and the excellent Maclean were again linking up well, and apart from Beano's goals (lets be generous and credit him with both!) Maclean hit the post and the bar. At the other end, Clarke made a few good (one excellent) saves and we ran out worthy winners in the end.
Best players on the pitch? Clarke, Clist, Maclean and Beano.
Points of concern? As always, rubbish free kicks and corners. Throw ins that a team of 12 year olds could defend. Lack of challenging for 50/50s. Letting the opposition get down the flanks and cross the ball far, far too easily.
But six points from 2 games is good. To come back from a goal down both times shows character. If the team would just get the ball on the floor and play as they did at times in the second half then we would be even higher than the 12th place in the table we now occupy (I'd like to put on record that my prediction on the Yellows forum before the season startred was that we would finish up between 10th and 12th in the table. Let's see if that pans out). It would be good if we could play two decent halves of football in the same game!
Next - Lincoln. I'm intending to be there.
I set off early expecting a longer drive than usual, but that didn't happen. So I got a longer sit in the car park than usual instead. Forgetting the lessons of history, I succumbed to a portion of the catering van's chips. It is a marvel how they can make something that is so hot on the outside, yet so uncooked on the inside. Great if you are making a baked Alaska (reference for fans of 70's cooking), not so good for chips. They went mostly uneaten, and yet again I vow never to have them again.
The snow had mostly gone, being washed away by torrential rain which carried on for the majority of the match. Sitting in my car, picking though fried potato pieces in an attempt to find an edible bit, my thoughts turned to the match. Of course it would be just like Oxford to beat the League leaders away and then succumb to the bottom team at home, but surely we could beat Barnet?
We lined up in a 4-4-2, with Maclean and Craddock taking the strikers positions. Batt, Worley, Futcher and Kinniborough were the defence and Heslop, Wotton, Clist and Hall made up the midfield. The truth is that for the first half we didn't really get out of first gear at all. We were slow and passive, and made few chances. There were good saves from both Clarke and the ex-Oxford Jake Cole in the Barnet goal before Barnet went ahead after half an hour or so. The goal was actually fairly embarassing. Barnet went down the right, beating Kinnibrough fairly easily (not for the first or last time in the afternoon), and it was simply passed across the face of goal and then into the net. Like a hot knife through butter. Although it was too cold for a hot knife and the butter would have been frozen solid, but still... We struggled to the half time break and looked very poor. So why didn't the 4-4-2 work as well as it did at Chesterfield? Well at Chesterfield we went on the attack, as we were already a goal down. Today both sides looked petrified to concede a goal - understandable given their situation in the league table, but a completely different circumstance. Half time came and 1-0 down was probably fair.
The half time entertainment was the hoary old crossbar challenge. This time for 'anyone wearing glasses'. It was as disorganised as the team had been for the previous 45 minutes. Either organise something reasonably interesting or just leave it out altogether. Can't we have five people from the North Stand vs five people from the East Stand perhaps? It would give us something to cheer, maybe. Or maybe not.
We switched back to a 4-3-3 for the second half, with Potter replacing Hall. Alfie added some much needed speed into what was a fairly ponderous attack, and Barnet were soon being pushed back. That became much more apparent when Beano came on for Craddock after about 10 minutes. Some of the invective being directed towards Craddock from the East Stand was fairly laughable. He isn't Beano, he is a completely different type of player who has scored some important goals already this season. He didn't have the best of games, but chanting 'Beano, Beano' when Craddock did something wrong is fairly dense. Probably the same people that were chanting for the departed Midson, when Green missed the other day.
But Beano made a huge difference. The first thing he did was to foul the big Barnet center half, and from then on he was in the action at both ends of the pitch. He harried the defenders, almost scored (it went in anyway), scored, cleared a ball off our line and ran about like the Beano of old. It was great to see and I hope that the current rumours of him going to pastures new are just Chinese whispers. They must be.
Beano and the excellent Maclean were again linking up well, and apart from Beano's goals (lets be generous and credit him with both!) Maclean hit the post and the bar. At the other end, Clarke made a few good (one excellent) saves and we ran out worthy winners in the end.
Best players on the pitch? Clarke, Clist, Maclean and Beano.
Points of concern? As always, rubbish free kicks and corners. Throw ins that a team of 12 year olds could defend. Lack of challenging for 50/50s. Letting the opposition get down the flanks and cross the ball far, far too easily.
But six points from 2 games is good. To come back from a goal down both times shows character. If the team would just get the ball on the floor and play as they did at times in the second half then we would be even higher than the 12th place in the table we now occupy (I'd like to put on record that my prediction on the Yellows forum before the season startred was that we would finish up between 10th and 12th in the table. Let's see if that pans out). It would be good if we could play two decent halves of football in the same game!
Next - Lincoln. I'm intending to be there.
Wednesday 24 November 2010
I didn't see THAT coming vs Chesterfield (League 2)
It's a funny thing being an Oxford supporter. It either seems to be utter despair or unrestrained joy.
I must admit I wasn't expecting much joy as I thought about going to last night's game. Over 100 miles up the M1 in the rush hour, to play the top team in the league on a freezing cold Tuesday night, with us in a dreadful run of form. But it's when the team is struggling that they really need the support, so I left work half an hour early and made my way to the soon-to-be-frozen Northern wastelands.
I'd never been to Chesterfield before, and the twisted church tower after which their football team are nicknamed is quite a sight and, in my slightly pessimistic frame of mind, looked rather sinister - like something out of the Wicker Man. The locals kept up the 'alienate the strangers' theme by charging me a fiver to park the car for a couple of hours. Gee, thanks. I never knew Chesterfield was in central London. The clumsily named B2net Stadium however is a completely different kettle of fish. Modern and well designed, but with a bit of character. Very impressive. Not so impressive was that in the days that we can smash atoms together to produce fundamental particles, it is beyond the catering at Chesterfield to produce a black coffee. Surely not too much to ask.
The away end gradually filled until I'd estimate that we had somewhere around 300 there. Which I thought was pretty good, all things considered.
I think we started out in some sort of 4-1-4-1 with Maclean starting as the loan, lone striker, with Batt coming in for Purkiss and Hall and Heslop starting.
It didn't start terribly well. Chesterfield were quick and tricky, with lots of movement off the ball. Their quick one touch football, especially between their forwards, was very dangerous, and they carved out several openings that they failed to take, until a deflected shot after about a quarter of an hour finally beat the excellent Clarke. It looked to me as if we had been told to try and not conceed early, and as a result had fallen into a very defensive way of playing. There was quite a lot of hoofing up to Maclean, who was working his socks off but to little effect. He managed to get his head to quite a lot of them, producing lovely flick ons that never had a chance of being effective since there was nobody within 20 yards of him. I apologise to those near me for bellowing 'get two up front, Wilder' fairly loudly several times.
Anyway, once we had conceded we seemed to relax a bit, and actually started to play some football. It was still a bit jittery along the back line, with some pointless dithering on the ball at times, and we still looked fairly toothless in attack (although Maclean took a good free kick that tested Chesterfields keeper, 'wheres your caravan' Lee), but as the half went on the passing got better and, miracle of miracles, people started moving off the ball. Jake was subbed by Harry Worley due to injury just before the break.
Half time came with us one down and the U's fans in reasonably good heart. We were losing, but the performance was much improved. The formation was still a buggers muddle, Craddock was still playing in the wrong place and a few long passes were still a bit 'hopeful' (football supporter speak for useless), but the ball was on the floor more and we were keeping it for longer. I decided not to have another cup of instant coffee and milk powder (yum!). If I had done so I might have thought it had been spiked with something stronger than suger, as when we came out for the second half...
4-4-2.
Blimey.
TC moved up front with the tireless Maclean, Heslop and Hall went into the wide midfielder places. Only two full backs! Oddly enough (not) this formation worked much better than the Burton experiment. Now we were playing in a formation that gave us more solidity in midfield and more threat up front. Suddenly we looked like a different and much better team. Heslop had a good chance that he shot straight at some bloke selling lucky heather, but it was no surprise that we equalised about ten minutes into the second half. Some excellent work from Heslop, then Maclean crossed for his strike partner Craddock who headed the ball in beautifully. My intellectual musings on the value of having two strikers were rudely interrupted by 300 people going loopy.
We then took charge of the game. Against the team who were top of the division. Perhaps I did have a dodgy coffee after all and just couldn't remember. We kept possession, giving the Spireites the runaround. They still looked dangerous when they got the ball, we just didn't give it to them very often. Looking lively up front all game, Maclean got his just reward when after 70 minutes or so, some excellent play down the left (sorry I can't remember who it was) gave Maclean the chance he had been waiting for. More jubilation amoung the faithful.
I think the first thing we all did once we had settled back down was to have a quick look at the watch. Twenty minutes to go, plus some injury time. Could we hang on? For the first ten minutes for so, we actually looked as if we might score again, but as always happens to any team defending a lead away from home, we gradually got pushed back. Chesterfield slowly got back to the clever play they had started the match with, abandoning the high crosses they had been trying during our period of superiority. (Clarke had just gobbled all of those up, easily). Beano and Josh Payne came on for Heslop and Craddock - both of whom had played their part well. As time went on, all you could hear was the sound of 300 sets of nails being nibbled simultaneously. Not true, actually. We kept up a decent level of noise. Chesterfield pressed, and had one glorious chance to equalise right at the death. Once that hit the post and went away, we all sensed that it would be our night. The last couple of minutes seemed to take an hour, but eventually the (reasonably decent) ref ended it. Mass celebrations from players and supporters alike.
As I drove back, the spire looked less sinister, and more laughable. They need to build a nice new straight one. The journey seemed to take about ten minutes, as it always does when you've won. A ten day break, then a match at home against Barnet. I wish it was on Saturday.
My conclusions for the night:
We need to sign Maclean. At all costs. He works hard, and is very effective.
4-4-2 is the way to go. We looked so much better.
Clarke must be the best goalkeeper in the division.
The Oxford away support is magnificent.
I must admit I wasn't expecting much joy as I thought about going to last night's game. Over 100 miles up the M1 in the rush hour, to play the top team in the league on a freezing cold Tuesday night, with us in a dreadful run of form. But it's when the team is struggling that they really need the support, so I left work half an hour early and made my way to the soon-to-be-frozen Northern wastelands.
I'd never been to Chesterfield before, and the twisted church tower after which their football team are nicknamed is quite a sight and, in my slightly pessimistic frame of mind, looked rather sinister - like something out of the Wicker Man. The locals kept up the 'alienate the strangers' theme by charging me a fiver to park the car for a couple of hours. Gee, thanks. I never knew Chesterfield was in central London. The clumsily named B2net Stadium however is a completely different kettle of fish. Modern and well designed, but with a bit of character. Very impressive. Not so impressive was that in the days that we can smash atoms together to produce fundamental particles, it is beyond the catering at Chesterfield to produce a black coffee. Surely not too much to ask.
The away end gradually filled until I'd estimate that we had somewhere around 300 there. Which I thought was pretty good, all things considered.
I think we started out in some sort of 4-1-4-1 with Maclean starting as the loan, lone striker, with Batt coming in for Purkiss and Hall and Heslop starting.
It didn't start terribly well. Chesterfield were quick and tricky, with lots of movement off the ball. Their quick one touch football, especially between their forwards, was very dangerous, and they carved out several openings that they failed to take, until a deflected shot after about a quarter of an hour finally beat the excellent Clarke. It looked to me as if we had been told to try and not conceed early, and as a result had fallen into a very defensive way of playing. There was quite a lot of hoofing up to Maclean, who was working his socks off but to little effect. He managed to get his head to quite a lot of them, producing lovely flick ons that never had a chance of being effective since there was nobody within 20 yards of him. I apologise to those near me for bellowing 'get two up front, Wilder' fairly loudly several times.
Anyway, once we had conceded we seemed to relax a bit, and actually started to play some football. It was still a bit jittery along the back line, with some pointless dithering on the ball at times, and we still looked fairly toothless in attack (although Maclean took a good free kick that tested Chesterfields keeper, 'wheres your caravan' Lee), but as the half went on the passing got better and, miracle of miracles, people started moving off the ball. Jake was subbed by Harry Worley due to injury just before the break.
Half time came with us one down and the U's fans in reasonably good heart. We were losing, but the performance was much improved. The formation was still a buggers muddle, Craddock was still playing in the wrong place and a few long passes were still a bit 'hopeful' (football supporter speak for useless), but the ball was on the floor more and we were keeping it for longer. I decided not to have another cup of instant coffee and milk powder (yum!). If I had done so I might have thought it had been spiked with something stronger than suger, as when we came out for the second half...
4-4-2.
Blimey.
TC moved up front with the tireless Maclean, Heslop and Hall went into the wide midfielder places. Only two full backs! Oddly enough (not) this formation worked much better than the Burton experiment. Now we were playing in a formation that gave us more solidity in midfield and more threat up front. Suddenly we looked like a different and much better team. Heslop had a good chance that he shot straight at some bloke selling lucky heather, but it was no surprise that we equalised about ten minutes into the second half. Some excellent work from Heslop, then Maclean crossed for his strike partner Craddock who headed the ball in beautifully. My intellectual musings on the value of having two strikers were rudely interrupted by 300 people going loopy.
We then took charge of the game. Against the team who were top of the division. Perhaps I did have a dodgy coffee after all and just couldn't remember. We kept possession, giving the Spireites the runaround. They still looked dangerous when they got the ball, we just didn't give it to them very often. Looking lively up front all game, Maclean got his just reward when after 70 minutes or so, some excellent play down the left (sorry I can't remember who it was) gave Maclean the chance he had been waiting for. More jubilation amoung the faithful.
I think the first thing we all did once we had settled back down was to have a quick look at the watch. Twenty minutes to go, plus some injury time. Could we hang on? For the first ten minutes for so, we actually looked as if we might score again, but as always happens to any team defending a lead away from home, we gradually got pushed back. Chesterfield slowly got back to the clever play they had started the match with, abandoning the high crosses they had been trying during our period of superiority. (Clarke had just gobbled all of those up, easily). Beano and Josh Payne came on for Heslop and Craddock - both of whom had played their part well. As time went on, all you could hear was the sound of 300 sets of nails being nibbled simultaneously. Not true, actually. We kept up a decent level of noise. Chesterfield pressed, and had one glorious chance to equalise right at the death. Once that hit the post and went away, we all sensed that it would be our night. The last couple of minutes seemed to take an hour, but eventually the (reasonably decent) ref ended it. Mass celebrations from players and supporters alike.
As I drove back, the spire looked less sinister, and more laughable. They need to build a nice new straight one. The journey seemed to take about ten minutes, as it always does when you've won. A ten day break, then a match at home against Barnet. I wish it was on Saturday.
My conclusions for the night:
We need to sign Maclean. At all costs. He works hard, and is very effective.
4-4-2 is the way to go. We looked so much better.
Clarke must be the best goalkeeper in the division.
The Oxford away support is magnificent.
Saturday 20 November 2010
Wilders not thrilling 'em vs Gillingham (League 2)
The first home match for a few weeks. Last time out at home we managed to lose to a 10 man Torquay team. Many of us couldn't stand it and went to sit in our cars rather than watch the last few minutes.
This time we were playing a Gillingham team who hadn't won away for over 18 months and 30 games. As soon as I found that particular fact out I knew what was going to happen.
A very good crowd of over 7000 (bolstered by some excellent and fairly noisy Gilingham support) watched the inevitable unfold. We started with a 4-3-3 formation which as always mutated faily quickly into some sort of 4-5-1. In as far as we were playing any sort of recognisable system at all that is. Purkiss kept his place, Tonkin didn't. Kinniburgh took his place with Jake Wright back after his ban and Ben Futcher completing the back four. Wotton, Payne and Clist made up the midfield and Craddock, Potter and Maclean were up front. As at Rotherham (we didn't really bother 'em) Beano started on the bench. Apparently his virus has been diagnosed as Secondhalfitis, which means he has to sit down for a while before he is allowed to play. But we aren't allowed to say that he's been dropped to the bench.
Gillingham showed an illogical desire to break their record away streak, and were by far the best team in the first half. They managed to squander some decent chances (including a couple of headers where our defenders watched in awe as the dastardly attackers jumped into the air when not even having the decency to stay close to their markers) that they should probably have put away, before Jake Wright decided to end the uncertainty by making a hash of a back pass which the grateful Gillingham striker collected, went round the stranded Clarke and put the ball into the net. OK, so one down, but ages to score a couple and get back to winning ways, surely? Errm no.
From an Oxford point of view the first half was a total shambles. It was the same old, same old. Lack of tackling in midfield, lack of quality on the ball or movement off it. Lack of passing was another old habit to come back - apparently the grass is electric and if the ball is allowed to run directly on the surface, all the players - and their loved ones in the stands - get a massive electric shock. But worst of all was the total lack of any plan. Any tactics. What were they trying to do? The main mode of defence was to hack the ball up in the air which was marginally better than the other way of doing so, the famous 'fanny about with it across the face of our own goal while the other teams players get closer' tactic, so beloved of pub teams up and down the country. The main mode of attack was to hack the ball up in the air a bit further and to hope that it would somehow bounce kindly or a Gillingham head would conveniently miss it. This isn't playing against St Albans in the middle of a park for God's sake. The midfield got a bit bored of watching the ball whistle over their heads. Some of them went back to join the defenders, others joined in the hoofing when they got the ball. Which wasn't often since when we got the ball we couldn't keep it, and when Gilingham got the ball we didn't bother to try to get it back. Half time came and it was some cause for comfort that we were only one down.
The half time 'entertainment' was rubbish, apart from PRB getting soaked by the sprinklers which was karma for his stupid 'Stay Positive' comment before the match started. Speaking of sprinklers, our players were slipping all over the place, including Jake when he gave away the goal. Should we not be a) watering the pitch a bit less just before kick off since it makes our players slip and we don't pass the ball on the floor anyway and b) wearing slightly longer studs so we don't wind up on our arses half the time.
Second half. Constable came on for Payne. What? Our midfield was getting overrun, so we take off our only vaguely attacking midfielder and replace him with a forward. 4-2-4? Okaaaaaaaaay. Well it was obvious fairly early on that the Gills had settled for the goal they had got and simply put bodies between us and the goal, although they did still look dangerous on the break. They did this by simply running forward with the ball when they got it and passing it to each other. They did NOT immediately hare off towards the wing with it before stopping dead, turning round, passing it to a team mate behind them who passed it across the pitch to someone else who then passed it back as they were being closed down, and then passed it back to the goalie on his wrong foot to hack it up the pitch in the air. Spot the difference? Constable seemed to strike up a decent understanding with Maclean (who must be praying for his loan month to end as soon as possible), Heslop came on for Wotton and finally the usual Potter for Green swap was made. None of it made much real difference. Perhaps we were maginally less rubbish than in the first half - mostly because Beano actually looked as if he wanted to be out there and tried bloody hard to make something happen. The ref put us out of our misery, sparking huge jubilation amoung the away support - a sound that has become all too common at the Kasstad this season.
So I walked back to my old clapped out car, fairly miserable. Only to turn the radio on and hear Chris 'My Lord' Wilder having a pop at the fans for 'not being positive' and forgetting whereabouts we were playing a couple of years ago. He also claimed that 'everyone knows what we are trying to do'. Well let's take these one at a time shall we, Chris?
Firstly, we are two points above the bottom of the bottom league. In the last 8 matches, we have managed one win and lost all the other seven. We have scored eight goals (three of those against Northampton in the one win, only one in the last five matches) and let in 17, without keeping a clean sheet. The team is now playing consistently worse than at any time this season, with no sign of improvement. Without improvement, we will be back playing in the godforsaken Conference - if the club actually manages to survive financially. Positive enough for you?
Secondly. Last time you lost the plot you claimed that 'history doesn't matter'. So stop banging on about where we were two years ago then. Concentrate on NOW.
Lastly, 'everyone knows what we are trying to do'. I don't. Really. We are playing Atkins style hoofing without the benefit of players who would be useful in that situation. We have a 'youth policy' that means we must get rid of Bulman and Crieghton. We then discover that we have a whole team of inexperienced youngsters. Who'd have thought. So we bring in Wotton and Futcher. Any better than the experienced players they have replaced? Not judging on current evidence, no. So what exactly are we trying to do? Get rid of all the team that played at Wembley? (Midson, Deering, Creighton, Day, Bulman) Please tell us. At the moment the only journey you are taking us on is up the garden path.
If you keep burning your bridges with the fans (who pay good money to watch the team home and away, year in year out, whatever division we are in, whoever is the manager) then you might find that you have alienated the very people you are relying on to keep you in a job, Chris.
Next up - Chesterfield on Tuesday night. They are top of the league, we are rubbish. I'll probably go.
This time we were playing a Gillingham team who hadn't won away for over 18 months and 30 games. As soon as I found that particular fact out I knew what was going to happen.
A very good crowd of over 7000 (bolstered by some excellent and fairly noisy Gilingham support) watched the inevitable unfold. We started with a 4-3-3 formation which as always mutated faily quickly into some sort of 4-5-1. In as far as we were playing any sort of recognisable system at all that is. Purkiss kept his place, Tonkin didn't. Kinniburgh took his place with Jake Wright back after his ban and Ben Futcher completing the back four. Wotton, Payne and Clist made up the midfield and Craddock, Potter and Maclean were up front. As at Rotherham (we didn't really bother 'em) Beano started on the bench. Apparently his virus has been diagnosed as Secondhalfitis, which means he has to sit down for a while before he is allowed to play. But we aren't allowed to say that he's been dropped to the bench.
Gillingham showed an illogical desire to break their record away streak, and were by far the best team in the first half. They managed to squander some decent chances (including a couple of headers where our defenders watched in awe as the dastardly attackers jumped into the air when not even having the decency to stay close to their markers) that they should probably have put away, before Jake Wright decided to end the uncertainty by making a hash of a back pass which the grateful Gillingham striker collected, went round the stranded Clarke and put the ball into the net. OK, so one down, but ages to score a couple and get back to winning ways, surely? Errm no.
From an Oxford point of view the first half was a total shambles. It was the same old, same old. Lack of tackling in midfield, lack of quality on the ball or movement off it. Lack of passing was another old habit to come back - apparently the grass is electric and if the ball is allowed to run directly on the surface, all the players - and their loved ones in the stands - get a massive electric shock. But worst of all was the total lack of any plan. Any tactics. What were they trying to do? The main mode of defence was to hack the ball up in the air which was marginally better than the other way of doing so, the famous 'fanny about with it across the face of our own goal while the other teams players get closer' tactic, so beloved of pub teams up and down the country. The main mode of attack was to hack the ball up in the air a bit further and to hope that it would somehow bounce kindly or a Gillingham head would conveniently miss it. This isn't playing against St Albans in the middle of a park for God's sake. The midfield got a bit bored of watching the ball whistle over their heads. Some of them went back to join the defenders, others joined in the hoofing when they got the ball. Which wasn't often since when we got the ball we couldn't keep it, and when Gilingham got the ball we didn't bother to try to get it back. Half time came and it was some cause for comfort that we were only one down.
The half time 'entertainment' was rubbish, apart from PRB getting soaked by the sprinklers which was karma for his stupid 'Stay Positive' comment before the match started. Speaking of sprinklers, our players were slipping all over the place, including Jake when he gave away the goal. Should we not be a) watering the pitch a bit less just before kick off since it makes our players slip and we don't pass the ball on the floor anyway and b) wearing slightly longer studs so we don't wind up on our arses half the time.
Second half. Constable came on for Payne. What? Our midfield was getting overrun, so we take off our only vaguely attacking midfielder and replace him with a forward. 4-2-4? Okaaaaaaaaay. Well it was obvious fairly early on that the Gills had settled for the goal they had got and simply put bodies between us and the goal, although they did still look dangerous on the break. They did this by simply running forward with the ball when they got it and passing it to each other. They did NOT immediately hare off towards the wing with it before stopping dead, turning round, passing it to a team mate behind them who passed it across the pitch to someone else who then passed it back as they were being closed down, and then passed it back to the goalie on his wrong foot to hack it up the pitch in the air. Spot the difference? Constable seemed to strike up a decent understanding with Maclean (who must be praying for his loan month to end as soon as possible), Heslop came on for Wotton and finally the usual Potter for Green swap was made. None of it made much real difference. Perhaps we were maginally less rubbish than in the first half - mostly because Beano actually looked as if he wanted to be out there and tried bloody hard to make something happen. The ref put us out of our misery, sparking huge jubilation amoung the away support - a sound that has become all too common at the Kasstad this season.
So I walked back to my old clapped out car, fairly miserable. Only to turn the radio on and hear Chris 'My Lord' Wilder having a pop at the fans for 'not being positive' and forgetting whereabouts we were playing a couple of years ago. He also claimed that 'everyone knows what we are trying to do'. Well let's take these one at a time shall we, Chris?
Firstly, we are two points above the bottom of the bottom league. In the last 8 matches, we have managed one win and lost all the other seven. We have scored eight goals (three of those against Northampton in the one win, only one in the last five matches) and let in 17, without keeping a clean sheet. The team is now playing consistently worse than at any time this season, with no sign of improvement. Without improvement, we will be back playing in the godforsaken Conference - if the club actually manages to survive financially. Positive enough for you?
Secondly. Last time you lost the plot you claimed that 'history doesn't matter'. So stop banging on about where we were two years ago then. Concentrate on NOW.
Lastly, 'everyone knows what we are trying to do'. I don't. Really. We are playing Atkins style hoofing without the benefit of players who would be useful in that situation. We have a 'youth policy' that means we must get rid of Bulman and Crieghton. We then discover that we have a whole team of inexperienced youngsters. Who'd have thought. So we bring in Wotton and Futcher. Any better than the experienced players they have replaced? Not judging on current evidence, no. So what exactly are we trying to do? Get rid of all the team that played at Wembley? (Midson, Deering, Creighton, Day, Bulman) Please tell us. At the moment the only journey you are taking us on is up the garden path.
If you keep burning your bridges with the fans (who pay good money to watch the team home and away, year in year out, whatever division we are in, whoever is the manager) then you might find that you have alienated the very people you are relying on to keep you in a job, Chris.
Next up - Chesterfield on Tuesday night. They are top of the league, we are rubbish. I'll probably go.
Sunday 14 November 2010
A bit of light relief (musical interlude)
Here's a traditional English tune played by me on a 4-stop one row Hohner melodeon tuned in C.
Saturday 13 November 2010
Grim up North Vs Rotherham (League 2)
Ok , lets have a show of hands. Who is disappointed that we only started with one left back and one right back?
Oh, right then.
It's quite a long way to Rotherham. Almost as far as it is to Sheffield, which is where Rotherham play. In an athletics stadium rather than a football ground. An athletics stadium that they only use one side of.
As footballing experiences go, it's pants. Us yellows ended up sitting high up in one corner, with a load of empty seats, some concrete, an eight lane running track and a bit of grass in between us and the pitch. I joked to someone as I sat down that I should have brought binoculars. Once the teams ran out, that little quip was ringing a bit hollow. It was hard enough to read the numbers on the back on the players shirts, never mind trying to identify which player was doing what at certain times. The only stand to be used is along the side of the pitch, so no fans behind either goal. I promise never to moan about the lack of atmosphere in the Kassam again. The Don Valley Stadium made our little three sided lovenest look and sound like Rio on carnival day. It was really difficult to get hugely involved in the game - it was like watching ants running around on a picnic blanket; our paticular ants were for some reason wearing the blue away kit, when we could have worn the not-quite-as-blue home kit and not clashed - I am starting to really get fed us with us not wearing yellow.
The match. Well our three new boys started with Beano on the bench. Worley partnered Futcher in central defence, with Tonkin (somehow) and Purkiss preferred to Kinni and Batt. Wotton had Clist and Payne for company, while Mclean was in a front three (sometimes) along with Alfie and TC. We started quite well, and pushed the Millers back for the first half of the first half. We were then undone by a nasty deflection that fell to (of all people) Le Fondre. Who accepted his slice of luck gratefully. There looked to be a suspicion of offside - but being 50 yards above and half a mile away from the action it's hard to tell. We then started flapping a bit, and looked fairly deflated. It wasn't a real surprise when Rotherham scored another- even though it was only their second shot on target. Le Fondre again. 16 goals already this season. I'm amazed the bloke is still playing for this team in this division. There are three possibilities.
1) He has no ambition
2) They are paying him a huge amount of money
3) They've got hold of some photos he doesn't want the world to see!
Whatever. Oddly enough the goal sparked us into life, and we went close(ish) a couple of times before just about all of our outfield players had a go until Clist managed to get the ball in the net. That was a great relief as it had been just let's say 'some time' since we had last scored.
Half time came with us on top. We were unlucky to be down after a much better perfomance than recently. More about that later.
With the Rotherham Millerette cheerleaders stirring the crowd into a frenzy and the mini-football on the pitch between two unidentified teams of eight year olds hacking the ball about an unmissable spectacle, half time just flew by. Honest.
It got colder. The second half passed with Heslop coming on for Payne, Green for Potter and Beano for Craddock. We set up a couple of decent efforts just outside the box (row z shooting), Wotton had a good shot well saved. Our defence gave the ball away in dangerous situations, and as we got more desperate, the ball went in the air more. Rotherham kept coming forward - they had to as their defence didn't look as if it was made for shutting up shop. I honestly thought we might get something out of the game as the second half started, but it was not to be, and the final whistle went just before my feet actually froze to the concrete. Which was nice.
So, overall? Better. Despite not marking Le Fondre a couple of times (doh!), the defence looked a little more solid. Jake will be back on Saturday next, so that should help. I'd like to mention one glorious cross that Tonks put in later in the second half - credit where it's due. The midfield were more combative, actually tackling a few times - the forwards helped here as well, doing their tackling back duties fairly well. The strikers looked a bit more threatening - although the official stats seem to say that we had two shots on goal, that simply isn't correct. I can remember three. But probably a bit better than the one shot we managed against Burton. Treble it again on Satuday and that will be acceptable.
There's a lot to work on in training though. The corners and free kicks were generally laughable still. One amazing free kick we managed to stub five yards to the nearest (far too close) Rotherham player who then galloped straight towards our goal with all our players (who had been standing in their penalty area) running about like the Anthill Mob they looked like. We gave the ball away time after time when under no pressure, and seemed to think that the ball over the top was the one that was going to catch Rotherham out. It never vaguely looked like working.
Rotherham have one good player (they gave the MOM award to someone else though - I mean it must just get embarassing giving it to the same player week after week!) and one tactic. Pass the ball on the floor past the opposition defence for him to run on to. I do wonder if we ought to adopt a similar strategy - have a simple plan that all the players can understand. At times our players were treating the ball like a hot potato, trying to get rid of it as soon as possible - usually straight back to the poor bugger who'd given it to them and was now marked by two men.
If you're wondering why I haven't commented in detail on how the new boys did, it's because I couldn't see which ones they were! That will have to wait until the home match against Gillingham next week, which is now looking just a little bit important. Don't Panic Captain Mainwaring!
Oh, right then.
It's quite a long way to Rotherham. Almost as far as it is to Sheffield, which is where Rotherham play. In an athletics stadium rather than a football ground. An athletics stadium that they only use one side of.
As footballing experiences go, it's pants. Us yellows ended up sitting high up in one corner, with a load of empty seats, some concrete, an eight lane running track and a bit of grass in between us and the pitch. I joked to someone as I sat down that I should have brought binoculars. Once the teams ran out, that little quip was ringing a bit hollow. It was hard enough to read the numbers on the back on the players shirts, never mind trying to identify which player was doing what at certain times. The only stand to be used is along the side of the pitch, so no fans behind either goal. I promise never to moan about the lack of atmosphere in the Kassam again. The Don Valley Stadium made our little three sided lovenest look and sound like Rio on carnival day. It was really difficult to get hugely involved in the game - it was like watching ants running around on a picnic blanket; our paticular ants were for some reason wearing the blue away kit, when we could have worn the not-quite-as-blue home kit and not clashed - I am starting to really get fed us with us not wearing yellow.
The match. Well our three new boys started with Beano on the bench. Worley partnered Futcher in central defence, with Tonkin (somehow) and Purkiss preferred to Kinni and Batt. Wotton had Clist and Payne for company, while Mclean was in a front three (sometimes) along with Alfie and TC. We started quite well, and pushed the Millers back for the first half of the first half. We were then undone by a nasty deflection that fell to (of all people) Le Fondre. Who accepted his slice of luck gratefully. There looked to be a suspicion of offside - but being 50 yards above and half a mile away from the action it's hard to tell. We then started flapping a bit, and looked fairly deflated. It wasn't a real surprise when Rotherham scored another- even though it was only their second shot on target. Le Fondre again. 16 goals already this season. I'm amazed the bloke is still playing for this team in this division. There are three possibilities.
1) He has no ambition
2) They are paying him a huge amount of money
3) They've got hold of some photos he doesn't want the world to see!
Whatever. Oddly enough the goal sparked us into life, and we went close(ish) a couple of times before just about all of our outfield players had a go until Clist managed to get the ball in the net. That was a great relief as it had been just let's say 'some time' since we had last scored.
Half time came with us on top. We were unlucky to be down after a much better perfomance than recently. More about that later.
With the Rotherham Millerette cheerleaders stirring the crowd into a frenzy and the mini-football on the pitch between two unidentified teams of eight year olds hacking the ball about an unmissable spectacle, half time just flew by. Honest.
It got colder. The second half passed with Heslop coming on for Payne, Green for Potter and Beano for Craddock. We set up a couple of decent efforts just outside the box (row z shooting), Wotton had a good shot well saved. Our defence gave the ball away in dangerous situations, and as we got more desperate, the ball went in the air more. Rotherham kept coming forward - they had to as their defence didn't look as if it was made for shutting up shop. I honestly thought we might get something out of the game as the second half started, but it was not to be, and the final whistle went just before my feet actually froze to the concrete. Which was nice.
So, overall? Better. Despite not marking Le Fondre a couple of times (doh!), the defence looked a little more solid. Jake will be back on Saturday next, so that should help. I'd like to mention one glorious cross that Tonks put in later in the second half - credit where it's due. The midfield were more combative, actually tackling a few times - the forwards helped here as well, doing their tackling back duties fairly well. The strikers looked a bit more threatening - although the official stats seem to say that we had two shots on goal, that simply isn't correct. I can remember three. But probably a bit better than the one shot we managed against Burton. Treble it again on Satuday and that will be acceptable.
There's a lot to work on in training though. The corners and free kicks were generally laughable still. One amazing free kick we managed to stub five yards to the nearest (far too close) Rotherham player who then galloped straight towards our goal with all our players (who had been standing in their penalty area) running about like the Anthill Mob they looked like. We gave the ball away time after time when under no pressure, and seemed to think that the ball over the top was the one that was going to catch Rotherham out. It never vaguely looked like working.
Rotherham have one good player (they gave the MOM award to someone else though - I mean it must just get embarassing giving it to the same player week after week!) and one tactic. Pass the ball on the floor past the opposition defence for him to run on to. I do wonder if we ought to adopt a similar strategy - have a simple plan that all the players can understand. At times our players were treating the ball like a hot potato, trying to get rid of it as soon as possible - usually straight back to the poor bugger who'd given it to them and was now marked by two men.
If you're wondering why I haven't commented in detail on how the new boys did, it's because I couldn't see which ones they were! That will have to wait until the home match against Gillingham next week, which is now looking just a little bit important. Don't Panic Captain Mainwaring!
Tuesday 9 November 2010
Just Back ... vs Burton (FA Cup round 1)
I have taken to posting match reviews of OUFC matches that I go to on http://www.yellowsforum.co.uk/. Mostly I only bother with away matches, as I don't like to clog the forum up and most people go to the home matches. But I enjoy doing it so might review home matches as well and put them here. Here's my most recent attempt...
--------------------------------
Haven't read any other comments, or listened to any radio, so this all me!
Team selection. Bizzare, to say the least. Beano apparently 'ill', two left backs, two rightbacks.
We started in some sort of 4-4-1-1 (I think). Batt and Tonkin playing as wingers. What a surprise, it didn't work. So they then swap with their respective full back after about 10 minutes , so Kinniburgh and Purkiss are now 'wingers'. Well blow me down, that doesn't work either so Kinni is hauled off and Potter brought on. During the whole of that first twenty minuted this sparkly new formation managed one cross (Batt to Craddock).
Meanwhile, Burton were cheating. They kept passing the ball without taking what I thought was the required three or four touches, and kept making it hard for us to mark them by moving into the spaces between our players and running about. I'm pleased to report that our lot resolutely stayed where they were put and weren't at any point impolite enough to try and get the ball off the Burton players or run into space, or indeed to keep the ball when they had it.
Really though - we couldn't do the basics right, in fact at all. It was an abject first half. The worst I have seen us play for a long long time. We were very lucky to go in level, and if I am honest, Burton looked as if they were a league or two above us rather than just a few points. They were quicker, more inventive and had a game plan - something we were totally missing. Our sole method of attack was to boot the ball up to our star target man - Matt Green. Who was on his own, Craddock playing as some sort of third left back half the time. It looked like eleven blokes who had never played together before.
Second half, we improved from laughably bad to not quite as good as mediocre. But we all knew which way the game was going to end. Burton got in behind us time and again. It was only a matter of time and probably a bit cruel that it happened so late. Good luck to Burton, they were the better team and we deserved what we got. Nothing.
While I am at it, could the brains trust who thought it was a good idea to start chanting songs about Jack Midson as soon as one of our strikers misses one, please just SHUT UP. You might be right about it being a poor decision to let him go, but support the players on the pitch during the game you numpties!
So apart from a poor display from the manager, players and sections of our crowd, were there any positives? Well it used up one of Jake's suspensions. Clarkey was good, Payne and Creighton weren't absolutely terrible, and the drive home wasn't too bad.
We desperately need some steel in the middle of the pitch and up front (not Zola - if we get a great tall striker, we'll just lump it up front even more). We need a ball-winner somewhere. We need someone else to help with or even take the training sessions, as there is no improvement in any area of the team's performance (in fact it is getting worse). Fail to improve, and we'll be checking the distances to Bath and Grimsby next season.
--------------------------------
Haven't read any other comments, or listened to any radio, so this all me!
Team selection. Bizzare, to say the least. Beano apparently 'ill', two left backs, two rightbacks.
We started in some sort of 4-4-1-1 (I think). Batt and Tonkin playing as wingers. What a surprise, it didn't work. So they then swap with their respective full back after about 10 minutes , so Kinniburgh and Purkiss are now 'wingers'. Well blow me down, that doesn't work either so Kinni is hauled off and Potter brought on. During the whole of that first twenty minuted this sparkly new formation managed one cross (Batt to Craddock).
Meanwhile, Burton were cheating. They kept passing the ball without taking what I thought was the required three or four touches, and kept making it hard for us to mark them by moving into the spaces between our players and running about. I'm pleased to report that our lot resolutely stayed where they were put and weren't at any point impolite enough to try and get the ball off the Burton players or run into space, or indeed to keep the ball when they had it.
Really though - we couldn't do the basics right, in fact at all. It was an abject first half. The worst I have seen us play for a long long time. We were very lucky to go in level, and if I am honest, Burton looked as if they were a league or two above us rather than just a few points. They were quicker, more inventive and had a game plan - something we were totally missing. Our sole method of attack was to boot the ball up to our star target man - Matt Green. Who was on his own, Craddock playing as some sort of third left back half the time. It looked like eleven blokes who had never played together before.
Second half, we improved from laughably bad to not quite as good as mediocre. But we all knew which way the game was going to end. Burton got in behind us time and again. It was only a matter of time and probably a bit cruel that it happened so late. Good luck to Burton, they were the better team and we deserved what we got. Nothing.
While I am at it, could the brains trust who thought it was a good idea to start chanting songs about Jack Midson as soon as one of our strikers misses one, please just SHUT UP. You might be right about it being a poor decision to let him go, but support the players on the pitch during the game you numpties!
So apart from a poor display from the manager, players and sections of our crowd, were there any positives? Well it used up one of Jake's suspensions. Clarkey was good, Payne and Creighton weren't absolutely terrible, and the drive home wasn't too bad.
We desperately need some steel in the middle of the pitch and up front (not Zola - if we get a great tall striker, we'll just lump it up front even more). We need a ball-winner somewhere. We need someone else to help with or even take the training sessions, as there is no improvement in any area of the team's performance (in fact it is getting worse). Fail to improve, and we'll be checking the distances to Bath and Grimsby next season.
OK - here goes
Thought I'd start a blog, just for fun. Subjects will include the highs and lows of supporting Oxford United, music (both listening and playing), stereo "3D" photography, amusement machines and much more.
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