It's that time of the year when we all look back with that most accurate of vision - hindsight. I'm not immune from this so I'll have a go as well. Before we start, I'd like to point out that my predictions before Christmas (after I'd had a look at a few matches) was that we'd finish up somewhere around 10th to 12th and that the two to go down would be Stockport and Barnet. Well, two out of three ain't bad!
Two hours later....
I've just deleted a whole load of old drivel. I was going though the season month by month, but suffice it to say that the highest we got in the table was 7th, the lowest was 21st.
Let's just do some bullet points! I could always turn it into a PowerPoint ;)
We took four points off Chesterfield and none off Stockport.
Wycombe couldn't beat us, Lincoln could.
At times the passing was excellent, at times it was aimless.
Not enough goals from the midfield or defence.
Set pieces (attacking) - awful.
Set pieces (defending) - awful.
Movement off the ball - poor.
Goalkeeping - shot stopping (especially penalties!) excellent, decision making variable, catching and kicking poor.
Defence - wobbly. Often only three at the back as a fullback was far too far upfield. Need to stand their ground sometimes rather tahn falling back and back and back.
Midfield - strengthened by the arrival of McLaren, but unable to retain or distribute the ball when challenged by a combative opponent.
Attack - didn't score enough goals. Mainly as a result of the midfield shortcomings, but also a reluctance to shoot at times!
Formation - a bit too much of a rigid 4-3-3. I'd like us to have the confidence to switch formations in a game if required. Often we were out thought when an oppostion manager made a change (Macclesfield away, Wycombe at home for example).
Players - we went through a lot of them! No point in signing wingers if we aren't going to play that system.
Discipline - not bad. A bit too quick to talk ourselves into the book sometimes.
Home crowd - a bit quiet at times, but impressive increase in numbers.
Away travel - brilliant. Supportive, loud and lots of us!
Home kit - too blue. Shirts would have been OK if the blue and yellow were switched.
Away kit - too blue! Think about it. There's no point in having an away kit that is the same colour as the home kit. Evidenced by the fact that we ended up wearing the white 'third' kit as much as the blue. Or some horrible mixture of the two.
For next season, I would like:
Defenders who defend as their primary responsibility.
A midfield that can win, retain and distribute the ball better.
An attack that will show more movement.
Passing in front of players so they can run onto the ball, rather than to them (so they have to stop) or behind them (so they get the ball with backs to goal).
Quicker movement of the ball - not hoofing, just less sideways stuff. Especially in front of our own goal with opposition attackers bearing down on us!
Less passing to a colleague who is already surrounded by three opposition players.
Less short free kicks and corners. We always lose the ball, especially when it just gets passed back to the person who took the kick and is still standing in the same place. We haven't gained anything at all from that, except that the defenders are three yards away rather than 10.
More practice of attacking and defending set pieces.
More shooting from a reasonable distance as well as the intricate stuff. That way defences have to try to close down quicker, leaving more space for the tricky stuff.
Flexibility in formation and tactics. I think we have found out this year that what works against the Chesterfields of this world doesn't work against the Stockports!
A predominantly yellow shirt that we wear home and away as much as possible. A second kit (not an 'away' kit) that is different enough from the primary kit so that we wear that when we have kit clashes.
Who would I keep?
GK: Clarke
Defence: Worley, Wright, maybe Batt and Tonkin (although both of them are borderline)
Midfield: McLaren, Payne, maybe Heslop (borderline).
Attack: Beano, TC, Alfie
I wouldn't keep:
MacLean - has dipped alarmingly, and is probably expensive. The way he's been recently, I'm not sure I'd sign him if he was cheap!
Hall - hasn't provided the goals or the creativity needed from midfield.
Most of the others (Purkiss, Kinniborough, Green, Deering, Clist, Midson) have been told they can go. Sangare looked OK in the few matches he played though.
I wouldn't mind seeing Burge and Doble back. Woodley? Doesn't look like a world beater on the little I've seen of him at first team level.
We certainly need (at least):
An experienced centre back. New LB and RB. Attacking midfielder. Nippy central striker. New GK to push Clarke.
So, first season back in the league. 'Satisfactory'? Just about. 12th is OK. Not terrible, not brilliant. We are almost exactly midtable, with the same number of wins as losses, and (near enough) the same amount of goals conceded as scored. Middling in every way.
It was nice to make the acquaintance of LincolnYellow, Leicester Yellow (who enjoyed meeting me so much he seems to have moved abroad!), Scoob and YellowHoods; none of whom I'd known before this season, all of whom I'd more than happily share a pint and/or a terrace with again next season.
So that's it. I'll try to update the blog with some stuff to keep you all amused over the football-less summer. See you all next season and....
COME ON YOU YELLOWS!!!
Oxford United, Stereo Photography, Old Amusement Machines, Odd Musical Instruments and more.
Monday 9 May 2011
Sunday 8 May 2011
Not very Shrewd (L2)
Hi everyone.
First just a quick apology for a few missing reports. I had other things to do.
Here's a quick round up.
Home vs Chesterfield. A good performance, but as so many times this season we couldn't turn our superiority into goals. Nice applause from our support to the Chesterfield lot, who seemed a decent bunch. Certainly the best team in the league, we have taken four points off them this season. 0-0
Away vs Barnet. Bizzare parking arrangements in the car park of the tube station. Bet that pisses of genuine tube users on match days! Pretty ordinary performance (to be kind). Barnet are fighting for their lives, our lot seemed to be waiting for the season to end. Lucky to draw 2-2.
Same sort of performance in the first half home against Lincoln. Dreadful. Obviously there was some teacup throwing at half time and we were better in the second half, coming back to win 2-1.
And so to the last match of the season, away at the new home of Shrewsbury, Glasshous, Xtension, Potting Shd, Consrtvatory, Greenhous Meadow. Apparently government cutbacks have created a lack of Es up in Shropshire.
Up the motorways, and into Shrewsbury. Now it's a bit odd that there's no parking at the Greenhous - or at least there is but it's permit only. Presumably you can buy a permit if you're a local. Very inconvenient for away fans though. So instead you park in the car park of the local government offices and get ferried to the ground in a fleet of old coaches. Hmm. Even odder when you get to the satdium and it is surrounded by green fields. A local farmer needs to diversify and offer parking in one of them. He'd clean up. Actually the fields need cleaning up. The smell was 'agricultural'.
The stadium is OK. Like many modern stadiums it is clean, efficient, modern and completely soulless. (That includes ours by the way, in case anyone thinks I'm having a pop!). Maybe they will all improve with time, with the accrued history and memories adding something to them all. The Oxford faithful travelled in numbers - as someone on the forum wisely remarked, its a RULE to go to the last away match of the season! Over 920 made the trip, which for a meaningless end of season match (for us) was a good showing. For the Shrews it wasn't meaningless though - if Wycombe tripped up they could have nipped into the automatic promotion places with a win against us.
With Jake Wright injured, Tonks moved into cental defence to partner Harry Worley and Steve Kinniborough (likely playing his last game for us) took the left back spot. Steve Maclean started in place of Alfie Potter.
It's difficult to find too much to say about the first half. It was generally pretty even, and pretty toothless from both sides. Actual shooting at goal was at a premium. There were a few things that stick in the memory. Firstly, after about a quarter of an hour news filtered through that Wycombe were a goal down, which jolted the quiet Shrews crowd into what passes for a frenzy up in Salop. They soon quietened down and about five minutes later Wycombe had equalised. Then a few of our lot had a bit of banter with one of the Shrews 'lads' in the stand closest to us. With a complete lack of humour, he went ballistic! Of course that just spurred our lot on, and he made a complete plonker of himself. He was then surpassed by other Shrews supporters in the same stand, who decided to fight amoung themselves. Pathetic. The referee was keeping interest alive by refusing to give us a decision. The most blatent of these happened just before half time when in full view of the ref, Constable was crudely shoved in the back in the Shrews penalty area. It was as obvious a penalty as you could see, the ref just waved it away. Bottle job.
Half time. There were continuing scuffles in the Shrewsbury stand. Did you know that that in Shopshirese, the words 'can you do me a black coffee please?' actually mean 'please can I have a cup of slurry with loads of milk in it?'.
We started the second half brightly, but a defensive mistake from Batt gifted a chance to Shrewsbury who gleefully accepted the chance, despite a decent effort at a save from Clarke. Craddock was crudely challenged in the Shrews area, not a penalty but he had to go off and was replaced by Alfie who immediately looked lively. But generally we were now looking second best with Shrewsbury coming close a couple of times. The we had our best chance of the match, with Beano putting Batt clear in the area. He had the whole goal to aim at. And missed. That was about it as far as chances for us were concerned. Worley had gone off to be replaced by Mich Hanson, who looks a decent prospect.
But the makeshift central defence was breeched easily by Shrewsbury in the last 20 minutes. They simply passed the ball into the space behind the defence to a man running onto the ball. (Note to Oxford: the ball was played in front of the man so he was running onto it. Not at him, so he he had to stop to collect it. And not behind him, so he had to stop AND had his back to goal. Worth considering?).
Two goals in that period made it 3-0 to the home side which was probably a fair result on the second half performance if a bit generous in the 'goals for' column. The Shrews goalie was a plonker for turning to the Oxford crowd and doing a stupid celebration when the third went in. Prat. As it happens, Wycombe had won anyway, so it made no difference. Serves him right, hope they don't win the playoffs.
Some of the home crowd didn't seem interested in watching the playoffs anyway, making a beeline over the hoardings towards us after the final whistle. One got thumped when he reached the yellows. Others got collared by the stewards and yet more decided to keep fighting each other! Is Shrewsbury some sort of overspill town for Milwall? Hopefully they'll miss not only the playoffs but also a few seasons.
Back on the bus to the car park, talking to some decent Shrews fans including one Liverpool season ticket holder who was a regular at Shrewsbury in preference to actually going to Anfield. Pretty bizzare!
A decent start to the journey home, although the battery warning light looked a bit ominous. Got close to home and broke down. Crap end to a fairly poor day. Ferried home by the AA, new battery and alternator looks like. Bugger.
I'll try to sum up my thoughts on the season in another post, although if the runours are right, any ideas on what players we need to sell/drop/buy might be pre-empted by events before I do so.
First just a quick apology for a few missing reports. I had other things to do.
Here's a quick round up.
Home vs Chesterfield. A good performance, but as so many times this season we couldn't turn our superiority into goals. Nice applause from our support to the Chesterfield lot, who seemed a decent bunch. Certainly the best team in the league, we have taken four points off them this season. 0-0
Away vs Barnet. Bizzare parking arrangements in the car park of the tube station. Bet that pisses of genuine tube users on match days! Pretty ordinary performance (to be kind). Barnet are fighting for their lives, our lot seemed to be waiting for the season to end. Lucky to draw 2-2.
Same sort of performance in the first half home against Lincoln. Dreadful. Obviously there was some teacup throwing at half time and we were better in the second half, coming back to win 2-1.
And so to the last match of the season, away at the new home of Shrewsbury, Glasshous, Xtension, Potting Shd, Consrtvatory, Greenhous Meadow. Apparently government cutbacks have created a lack of Es up in Shropshire.
Up the motorways, and into Shrewsbury. Now it's a bit odd that there's no parking at the Greenhous - or at least there is but it's permit only. Presumably you can buy a permit if you're a local. Very inconvenient for away fans though. So instead you park in the car park of the local government offices and get ferried to the ground in a fleet of old coaches. Hmm. Even odder when you get to the satdium and it is surrounded by green fields. A local farmer needs to diversify and offer parking in one of them. He'd clean up. Actually the fields need cleaning up. The smell was 'agricultural'.
The stadium is OK. Like many modern stadiums it is clean, efficient, modern and completely soulless. (That includes ours by the way, in case anyone thinks I'm having a pop!). Maybe they will all improve with time, with the accrued history and memories adding something to them all. The Oxford faithful travelled in numbers - as someone on the forum wisely remarked, its a RULE to go to the last away match of the season! Over 920 made the trip, which for a meaningless end of season match (for us) was a good showing. For the Shrews it wasn't meaningless though - if Wycombe tripped up they could have nipped into the automatic promotion places with a win against us.
With Jake Wright injured, Tonks moved into cental defence to partner Harry Worley and Steve Kinniborough (likely playing his last game for us) took the left back spot. Steve Maclean started in place of Alfie Potter.
It's difficult to find too much to say about the first half. It was generally pretty even, and pretty toothless from both sides. Actual shooting at goal was at a premium. There were a few things that stick in the memory. Firstly, after about a quarter of an hour news filtered through that Wycombe were a goal down, which jolted the quiet Shrews crowd into what passes for a frenzy up in Salop. They soon quietened down and about five minutes later Wycombe had equalised. Then a few of our lot had a bit of banter with one of the Shrews 'lads' in the stand closest to us. With a complete lack of humour, he went ballistic! Of course that just spurred our lot on, and he made a complete plonker of himself. He was then surpassed by other Shrews supporters in the same stand, who decided to fight amoung themselves. Pathetic. The referee was keeping interest alive by refusing to give us a decision. The most blatent of these happened just before half time when in full view of the ref, Constable was crudely shoved in the back in the Shrews penalty area. It was as obvious a penalty as you could see, the ref just waved it away. Bottle job.
Half time. There were continuing scuffles in the Shrewsbury stand. Did you know that that in Shopshirese, the words 'can you do me a black coffee please?' actually mean 'please can I have a cup of slurry with loads of milk in it?'.
We started the second half brightly, but a defensive mistake from Batt gifted a chance to Shrewsbury who gleefully accepted the chance, despite a decent effort at a save from Clarke. Craddock was crudely challenged in the Shrews area, not a penalty but he had to go off and was replaced by Alfie who immediately looked lively. But generally we were now looking second best with Shrewsbury coming close a couple of times. The we had our best chance of the match, with Beano putting Batt clear in the area. He had the whole goal to aim at. And missed. That was about it as far as chances for us were concerned. Worley had gone off to be replaced by Mich Hanson, who looks a decent prospect.
But the makeshift central defence was breeched easily by Shrewsbury in the last 20 minutes. They simply passed the ball into the space behind the defence to a man running onto the ball. (Note to Oxford: the ball was played in front of the man so he was running onto it. Not at him, so he he had to stop to collect it. And not behind him, so he had to stop AND had his back to goal. Worth considering?).
Two goals in that period made it 3-0 to the home side which was probably a fair result on the second half performance if a bit generous in the 'goals for' column. The Shrews goalie was a plonker for turning to the Oxford crowd and doing a stupid celebration when the third went in. Prat. As it happens, Wycombe had won anyway, so it made no difference. Serves him right, hope they don't win the playoffs.
Some of the home crowd didn't seem interested in watching the playoffs anyway, making a beeline over the hoardings towards us after the final whistle. One got thumped when he reached the yellows. Others got collared by the stewards and yet more decided to keep fighting each other! Is Shrewsbury some sort of overspill town for Milwall? Hopefully they'll miss not only the playoffs but also a few seasons.
Back on the bus to the car park, talking to some decent Shrews fans including one Liverpool season ticket holder who was a regular at Shrewsbury in preference to actually going to Anfield. Pretty bizzare!
A decent start to the journey home, although the battery warning light looked a bit ominous. Got close to home and broke down. Crap end to a fairly poor day. Ferried home by the AA, new battery and alternator looks like. Bugger.
I'll try to sum up my thoughts on the season in another post, although if the runours are right, any ideas on what players we need to sell/drop/buy might be pre-empted by events before I do so.
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