A Cut Above (vs Sheffield Utd FA Cup)

Hi all,

After the ridiculous match in the much-derided JPT on Tuesday evening (which I didn't attend) it was time for a more serious cup match today. Away at Sheffield Utd, who are at the top end of League One. It was always going to be a stern test, but even more so with the roll call of Oxford's injured and suspended. Duberry was certainly out, Potter, Davis and Batt were doubtful. Craddock was suspended and will be for two matches after this one. Idiot.

Now as far as I am concerned, Duberry, Batt, Davis and Potter have been some of the better performers this season. Without them, it looked like a 'big ask'. But ever hopeful, I set out. This time by train (Bedford > Leicester > Sheffield). As far as I can remember, I haven't been to Sheffield before and certainly not to Bramall Lane. So it was a new experience. The trains were remarkable for two things. For being punctual (take a bow East Midland Trains) and for having no other obvious football supporters on them. I guess that's a result of there being no Prem or Championship games today due to the international matches and friendlies. Unusual to see no other shirts though.

Bramall Lane isn't too far from the train station, and is an easy walk. I got there fairly early, in time to see the players warming up. Uh-oh. No Duberry (expected), no Potter, no Davis. Batt at least had made it though. There were hundreds of Oxford fans already there and seemigly hundreds of players on the pitch. Then I remembered that it was seven subs on the bench for FA Cup matches.

Bramall Lane itself is an impressive stadium, a relic of the Blades foray into the higher leagues. Appparently they get good crowds there normally, but it didn't look like they were expecting a bumper attendance today. We were housed in the bottom tier of the stand behind one goal, the steeply banked kop stand opposite us was completely empty, closed for the match. Our stand filled up impressively, the two remaining home stands didn't. I realise that for them, it wasn't a glamour tie - but at only £10 to get in I'm surprised that more hadn't made the effort. There was a big monitor showing replays, team news etc but unfortunately it was in the corner next to us and was obsured by a load of netting, the overhang of the top tier and the inability of Oxford supporters to twist their necks around like Meercats.

But the teams ran out to a rousing welcome from us, followed by a well observed Remembrance Day minutes silence. There was a bit of a stunned silence from the Yellow hordes as the team became obvious.

Clarke , Batt - Whing - Wright - Kinniburgh at the back, with McLaren in front.
Franks, Asa Hall, Heslop and Leven in the middle with Smalley up front. No Constable, no Worley.

Agruably either a 4-4-2 if Franks was up front and McLaren was in midfield, or a 4-1-4-1 if not. Very defensive. A striker or pair of strikers with one goal between them this season. Hmm. Never mind. Smalley might surpise me, although playing as the lone striker isn't what he supposed to be good at. Other worries were Kinniburgh (arguably our fourth choice left back) and a lack of heading ability in central defence. The bench was noteworthy as well with both Tonkin and James (who were I thought injured) on it as well as Constable, Worley, Payne and youth teamers Tyrone Marsh and Max Crocombe (gk). I think we could count Tonkin, James and Crocombe as bench warmers. Marsh might get a run out I suppose, but unlikely.

The half kicked off with us kicking away from the supporters towards the vacant stand. It was oddly like playing at home, with nobody behind the far goal. As usual, the travelling fans were getting behond the team. The home fans were quiet.

It has to be said that I would prefer to draw a bit of a veil over the first half, but in the pursuit of accuracy, here goes.

We were awful. On the back foot from the kick off, we took that back foot and added two left feet to it. Passes were overhit, underhit, not hit at all. The ball was hoofed into the air whenever we got it. Which wasn't often. Sheffield just had to wait for us to make a mistake, which we did all too often. They closed us down quickly, we dithered on the ball. Off the ball movement is obviously an old fashioned concept, although Sheffield were still doing it. Get with the times, Blades. Standing still is the new running.

Sheffield looked threatening every time they went forward, we didn't go forward. It was absolutely no surprise when we went one down after about 10 minutes. The ball was crossed into our penalty area, bobbled about a bit, our defenders stood on too much ceremony and a Sheffield player banged it past Clarke from reasonably close range. All over the pitch, yellow shoulders went down. They were bring given a bit of a footballing lesson and having been set up very defensively to start with it was going to be hard to get back into it. The goal spurred Sheffield on (as if they needed it) and didn't give our players a boot up the arse they needed. After about 20 minutes Clarke made a good save, but then Whing pushed a Sheffield player rather unneccessarily close to the penalty area. The ball seemed to go through the wall from the free kick and we were two down.

It's a good job there was nobody in the far stand, they wouldn't have had anything to watch. The prospect of an embarrassing scoreline was now staring us in the face. Clarke made another good stop, and the Blades had another goal ruled out for offside a couple of minutes later. Looked OK to me actually, but thanks lino. Talking of the officials, the ref was having a good match - letting the game flow without being to picky. It wasn't a dirty game though, so I guess he had an easier job than sometimes. Nice to see a decent official - we've had some stinkers recently. Clarke saved us again, but Sheffield had taken their foot off the gas. Up the other end? Nothing. I'm not Smalley's biggest fan, but he was dealt a difficult hand today. The ball was hoofed up to him head high. Nobody near him most of the time, except for a host of decent defenders. We were still doing the basics badly. Passing wildly or too hard. Backing off and off and off at the back, not getting tight enough in midfield, moving the ball backwards (and across the face of our own goal all too often). It wasn't pretty.

Half time came (I'm glad that's over). We hadn't looked like winning the match from the very first kick, had made no chances, zero, zip, zilch. We were lucky not to be four or five down if we are honest. For me, it showed CW as being a bit inflexible - I'd have done something after the second goal. What? Well I'd have taken Franks off (he was doing little in his hybrid midfield/striker role) and brought Constable on up front to partner Smalley. At the very least he would have made a nuisance of himself, something that neither Smalley or Franks were. You could also have put Franks up front with Constable I guess. I would also have taken Kinniburgh off. Moved Wright to left back and put Worley in central defence. He'd played well against Southend and I was surprised he hadn't started. Alternatively I'd have strengthened the defence by adding Worley to make a back five (like at Southend) but allowed Whing to play in front of the defence with Mclaren to try and get hold of the ball in midfield. That might all be rubbish - but I think CW should have done something rather than nothing after the second goal went in. Although we were 'only' two down at half time I couldn't really see us getting back into it now.

No half time dancing girls, cross-bar challenges or anything. Can't say I missed it.

For the second half, CW made some changes. Constable on, Franks off. Worley on, McLaren off. To be honest, both McLaren and the usually reliable Leven had not been having the best of games. Immediately we looked better. No particularly threatening, but certainly better. Constable had what was really our first chance of the match within five minutes of the restart, but got no power on his header and the goalie had no problems with it. It hadn't really improved that much really, Clarke called upon again to keep the score down at the other end. For the first quarter of an hour we had some impetus, and for the first time looked like a half decent side though. Another weak header was all we had to show for it though and Sheffield ended the contest with twenty minutes to go. A weak punch by Clarke lead to all sorts of mayhem in the Oxford box, and despite some gallant attempts to block the ball by Jake Wright, it was eventually hit home. Three nil. Didn't really flatter Sheffield if we're telling the truth. Payne came on for Leven, made no difference.

As a contest the match fizzled out. In the Oxford stand though, the match was still well alive. "Let's pretend we've scored a goal!" Three - One! We were back in it. A couple of minutes later, blimey! It happened again. Three - Two and we were in with a chance. The crowd equaliser came just before full time - Three all. 'Four three, we're gonna win four three'. But the final whistle went before we could score the winner - guess it will have to be a replay then! :)

The final whistle went, and the 2,000 or so yellows gave the players a rousing send off. It hadn't been the best performance really, but the second half had been better and the players had worked hard. Although that is the minimum we should expect. My man of the match? Well surprisingly, Asa Hall. I thought he popped up everywhere on the pitch, had a decent far post header, made some tackles, ran about off the ball.

A quick walk back to the station, spent much of the journey back to Leicester talking to a couple of Leicester Yellows and a friendly Blade, who makes the trip to Sheffield from Telford for home matches. Hello to any of you who are reading this - made for an enjoyable journey home. Felt I had to drop into the supermarket for some alcohol supplies before I went home, got back to be greeted by Mrs ZtH with 'You got my text then.' 'What text?' ' The once where I asked you to buy milk, butter and cat litter on the way home.' 'Errm...' 'What's in this supermarket bag then?' 'Beer, cider and crisps.' Ooops.

Thoughts on the match...

Take three or four of the best players out of a league two side and ask them to play a top four league one side and it's too much.

Start in too defensive a mind-set and you can't just turn the attack on.

Oxford players - sometimes the simple ball is the best one.

A pity we didn't make more of a go at this - I wonder how much the lost revenue from no cup run will effect us be able to bring (back?) in loan players to help the faltering attack?

Next - another toughie, this time at Crawley. Hopefully we'll have some more players to choose from. See you there!