Oxford 2-1 Saints - Match Thread

[Football Special]

Just now, Tanlee said:

Our bench is virtually a token gesture, don't affect the game for the better ever 

And yet we kept being told what a big squad we have! 

But you are absolutely right and probably explains our horrendous 2nd half record, our substitutions benefit the opposition 

[femalesaint]

11 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Stick to washing up love.

🥱

[Badger]

1 hour ago, Doctoroncall said:

You’re right, The manager (head coach), is the least of our problems. It will take another season at least to turn this around.
 

i Cannot see us making the playoffs unless there is a good window and injured players come back for all the second half of the season games. There is a need to change tactical elements rather than personnel. 

I know you were agreeing with an earlier point I made, so the next comments might undermine my earlier views. But, we can only hope Eckert is able to build something. To do this you wonder whether given his previous workings with Spors means Spors might listen if his head coach forcibly lists the positions or players he wants.

Does he have the experience or nous to change tactical elements? Or is it given to him as a mantra to follow ? I suspect the answer isn’t the one I’m hoping for, but that blame lies with those higher up. 

[Mboto Gorge]

11 minutes ago, Tanlee said:

Our bench is virtually a token gesture, don't affect the game for the better ever 

This is the issue and very worrying when you look at the bench and realise that 7 of the 8 are just really there to make up the numbers and be a like for like replacement incase of injuries or as a change for the sake of making a change for fresh legs. Barely any of them are there to actually make a positive impact. Robinson being the only one. The rest? Absolute waste of time as far as improving our chances of winning a game late on, which unsurprisingly we NEVER do, since the opening day.

[Gloucester Saint]

16 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Stick to washing up love.

That is what the lower East used to chant at Wendy Toms.

Actually, she was one of the better linos around and Durkin the best ref of that era. The mail sorting office at Dorchester (IIRC, before they all went full time) would have run llke clockwork. 

[saintstowin]

When there's an under performance this bad it's a team effort on and off the pitch.

But something isn't working with decisions from the sideline.

We can't take Scienza off with an eye on the next game and do badly in the one taking place at the moment! And Fellows was often ignored or not quite in the game, until he was well in it, and at that precise moment he's hooked. 

It was crystal clear that our total dominance (albeit ineffective) would suffer with those decisions.

[Andy Hill]

Has Armstrong got lead in his boots today ??

Watching that was soul destroying. No pace no urgency just trying to bore the other team to submission.

[OneMrsWallace]

1 hour ago, Give it to Ron said:

Fellows was very quiet then started being a danger yet gets subbed for Fraser absolutely shocking management on subs again why do all our managers do this? 
we should have gone 4 at back extra player in centre midfield it was wide open and got miles away from Armstrong. Azaz was abysmal yet stayed on and Archer got 5 mins to do what?

I think we can pretty much confirm TE doesn't know what's he doing and just got lucky in those first games. I hoped that wouldn't prove the case but sadly we've reverted to how it was under Still. So pissed off with everything about the club. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

2 hours ago, badgerx16 said:

Why didn't SR appoint an experienced manager who knows his own mind ?

Because an experienced manager wouldn’t need breaking?

[tdmickey3]

1 hour ago, stfrancisofbenali said:

It was only moments ago that people like you were singing ‘Tonda at the wheel’. What a pathetically fickle lot we are. 

I certainly was not singing that

[die Mannyschaft]

34 minutes ago, Football Special said:

And yet we kept being told what a big squad we have! 

But you are absolutely right and probably explains our horrendous 2nd half record, our substitutions benefit the opposition 

All managers are obsessed with this its a squad game and insisting taking players off even if it means no chance of scoring from 40mis or earlier. That means

Sub 1 playing with 10

Sub 2 playing with 9

We cant compete at any level when doing subs, no one has noticed which is a big concern if you don't want to end up backing bottom 6.

 

[Mboto Gorge]

37 minutes ago, femalesaint said:

🥱

Maybe don’t make such clueless posts and actually think about what you’re posting first then? If you can’t link today’s defeat with the ineptitude of several of the in-game managerial decisions made today , then probably best to follow another sport.

[die Mannyschaft]

2 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

I certainly was not singing that

Its only the lot at back of Northam from row X

[cambsaint]

1 hour ago, saintant said:

The spine of this team needs rebuilding in January - bring in a competent goalkeeper, a big strong centre back who actually marks opponents, a tall midfielder who doesn't get knocked off the ball and covers every blade of grass plus a big powerful centre forward who puts the fear of God up the opposition.  Stick with what we have and it's going to be a miserable second half of the season. Midgets are great in panto but few of them excel in the blood and thunder cauldron of a professional football match.  

I couldn't agree more, but two out of four CF and Midfield are the greatest need.

\\\\\\\someone for Armstrong to play off, and our wingers and wing backs to aim for..

[femalesaint]

6 minutes ago, Mboto Gorge said:

Maybe don’t make such clueless posts and actually think about what you’re posting first then? If you can’t link today’s defeat with the ineptitude of several of the in-game managerial decisions made today , then probably best to follow another sport.

Why, my opinion doesn't count cause I'm a woman? Grow up. I'm not the only person with that opinion. It's a forum. Some people will have differing opinions to yours. And using the female stereotype 'stick to the washing up' is unintelligent and boring, and makes you sound old. Woman follow football nowadays. Get over it 🙄

[Mboto Gorge]

Just now, femalesaint said:

Why, my opinion doesn't count cause I'm a woman? Grow up. I'm not the only person with that opinion. It's a forum. Some people will have differing opinions to yours. And using the female stereotype 'stick to the washing up' is unintelligent and boring, and makes you sound old. Woman follow football nowadays. Get over it 🙄

I didn’t say stick to the washing up, so at least criticise the person who said it. Look again at who said it, it wasn’t me. I’ve commented on what you actually said rather than the fact you’re a woman. I’ll await your apology on this 

[Badger]

I’ve only seen the highlights. Second goal certainly another one to add to the ‘ could have done better’ catalogue.

That’s not to pin the defeat on Bazunu alone. We looked wasteful in front of goal, and then there’s the piss poor defending to allow the bloke to run through. 

[Harry_SFC]

20 minutes ago, die Mannyschaft said:

All managers are obsessed with this its a squad game and insisting taking players off even if it means no chance of scoring from 40mis or earlier. That means

Sub 1 playing with 10

Sub 2 playing with 9

We cant compete at any level when doing subs, no one has noticed which is a big concern if you don't want to end up backing bottom 6.

 

Yet we've got Matsuki and Edozie sitting on their arses. Not saying they are world beaters by any stretch but surely worth a punt on the bench. 

[Badger]

1 minute ago, Harry_SFC said:

Yet we've got Matsuki and Edozie sitting on their arses. Not saying they are world beaters by any stretch but surely worth a punt on the bench. 

Good point. Almost forgot they existed 

[Gloucester Saint]

54 minutes ago, Andy Hill said:

Has Armstrong got lead in his boots today ??

Certainly wasn’t any in his pencil, finishing wise. Mrs Armstrong would be the only one who could comment on the other variety of lead and pencils.

[Harry_SFC]

17 minutes ago, Badger said:

I’ve only seen the highlights. Second goal certainly another one to add to the ‘ could have done better’ catalogue.

That’s not to pin the defeat on Bazunu alone. We looked wasteful in front of goal, and then there’s the piss poor defending to allow the bloke to run through. 

Bazunu is just part of the collective. He's way below average along with the majority of the defence. That along with decent but inconsistent forwards (barring Scienza) probably evens itself out into an average team. 

You look at that bench today and think who the **** is going to come on and change anything. 

The squad is large but still filled with dross. 

 

[Forester]

1 hour ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

I think he's listening to the sport science and medical guys too much. All this bollocks about managing minutes and pre-game decided subs. He wasn't at his best, but taking off Leo after 55 minutes was just fuckin ridiculous.

I give you Stewart three games in a week row at Derby as evidence, M’Lud

[Costa del Solent]

1 hour ago, Wade Garrett said:

Stick to washing up love.

Dickhead 

[Charlie Wayman]

Talk about cold turkey, today they served us the left overs and we'd run out of crackers.

Seems that Eckert isn't Santa after all, another false dawn.

Hang your heads in shame lads you let us down badly today.

Do we always lose with Stephens at the helm? Is Manning a robot, if so he needs reprogramming.

[danjosaint]

1 minute ago, Forester said:

I give you Stewart three games in a week row at Derby as evidence, M’Lud

Which was ridiculous knowing Stewarts injury record but that's not the same situation as Leo. Fellows if not fit shouldn't have started especially in one of the most demanding positions

[Lord Duckhunter]

40 minutes ago, femalesaint said:

Why, my opinion doesn't count cause I'm a woman? Grow up. I'm not the only person with that opinion. It's a forum. Some people will have differing opinions to yours. And using the female stereotype 'stick to the washing up' is unintelligent and boring, and makes you sound old. Woman follow football nowadays. Get over it 🙄

Well said love….

[Appy]

That was crap and so cold.

We’ve been completely figured out. 
 

Why are we subbing players off to save for next week when we were struggling enough today? Get the game in front of you won first.

 

Their first is a decent strike but again, all comes from us getting pinned back on a set piece because our continually backed terrible goalkeeper invites so much pressure. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

16 minutes ago, Forester said:

I give you Stewart three games in a week row at Derby as evidence, M’Lud

Evidence of what? Eckert wasn't the manager then was he?

Edited 2 hours ago by Lee On Solent Saint

[Miltonaggro]

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

That is what the lower East used to chant at Wendy Toms.

Actually, she was one of the better linos around and Durkin the best ref of that era. The mail sorting office at Dorchester (IIRC, before they all went full time) would have run llke clockwork. 

Typical - any chance to tell a bloke he’s crossed a line! 

[Gloucester Saint]

26 minutes ago, Forester said:

I give you Stewart three games in a week row at Derby as evidence, M’Lud

In isolation a fair point but Ross is made of glass and Leo/Tom a bit more substantial. 

[Harry_SFC]

4 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

In isolation a fair point but Ross is made of glass and Leo/Tom a bit more substantial. 

Exactly this. You want your best player playing as long as he can, every game. 

Playing Stewart 3 times in a week was madness given his injury record but Scienza is not Stewart. 

It seems crazy to me that we have to sub our best player after 60 minutes every week. 

[benjii]

Part of the reason the subs don't make an impact is because we are rarely making a tactical switch. If you take off Fellows and put Fraser in the same position, it is unlikely he will suddenly do better. 

Ditto Archer / Armstrong  or Aribo / Azaz.

By contrast if we put Fraser on as a left winger, perhaps he might get on the end of something in-field and score a goal.

[whelk]

1 hour ago, Mboto Gorge said:

Maybe don’t make such clueless posts and actually think about what you’re posting first then? If you can’t link today’s defeat with the ineptitude of several of the in-game managerial decisions made today , then probably best to follow another sport.

Shut the fuck up. Her post wasn’t that stupid. There are a number of twats on here who can’t cope with any thing going wrong

[Roo1976]

3 hours ago, markr27 said:

Arrogance. Thought they could just turn up and score a couple of goals to win the game.

looking at the highlights thats exactly what we should have done..............need a striker and a decent keeper still

[SaintsBarry74]

Worse at Russball than Russell himself.

[Adkins' Bus]

All so predictable again. 

Substitutions ridiculous, no point saving Scienza and Fellows for Birmingham, just get this game won where we had a better chance. Could have got 3 here and thrown the Birmingham game instead. Now we'll end up with nothing. 

So done with this formation, defence and goalkeeper. I'll let him off with the first as he may have been a bit unsighted, but second was shocking, wasn't even right in the corner. 

[chownie20]

We need to get to a 433, What's the worst that can happen

Simple back four, Jelert or Mads right back.

Solid three from Jander, Charles, Azaz, Romeu, Downes, Bragg.

Fellows and Leo wide with Robinson to come on. Also Edozie OR a new wide man if he is never going to play.

Arma up top with Stewart and a new signing there too, Arma going wide if Leo and Fellows can't do 90.

Can go to a 4231 with Azaz, Jander or Charles more advanced as required.

Swap Downes for a proven 9 in January, maybe a new wide man, and we've then got all the tools we need.

 

Edited 1 hour ago by chownie20

[Sheaf Saint]

For their second goal, I still can't understand why none of our idiot defenders didn't just foul the striker and take one for the team.  

You'd think they would all know by now that allowing an opposing player through for a one on one against Baz is pretty much guaranteed to be a goal.

We're just so soft and naive. 

[Sarnia Cherie]

3 hours ago, Wade Garrett said:

Stick to washing up love.

And there was me thinking dinosaurs are extinct.

[vectraman]

9 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

For their second goal, I still can't understand why none of our idiot defenders didn't just foul the striker and take one for the team.  

You'd think they would all know by now that allowing an opposing player through for a one on one against Baz is pretty much guaranteed to be a goal.

We're just so soft and naive. 

I think they were all too slow to even foul their player - mentally if not physically as well!

Edited 1 hour ago by vectraman

[saintant]

3 hours ago, stfrancisofbenali said:

We played a lot of Russball at The Valley and no one was complaining. Agreed he needs to find another way of playing (Plan B) but loving him one minute and then calling for his head when we lose a few is utter madness and unsustainable. 

No we didn't...we played a lot of forward vertical passes and did it quickly. We have reverted to the worst aspects of Russball including walking football, passing between centre backs for no reason or gain and passing backwards rather than forwards.   

[saintant]

2 hours ago, cambsaint said:

I couldn't agree more, but two out of four CF and Midfield are the greatest need.

\\\\\\\someone for Armstrong to play off, and our wingers and wing backs to aim for..

Goalkeeper must be the number one priority. Trouble is, these clowns will likely give Bazunu a new 4 year contract.

[stfrancisofbenali]

7 minutes ago, saintant said:

No we didn't...we played a lot of forward vertical passes and did it quickly. We have reverted to the worst aspects of Russball including walking football, passing between centre backs for no reason or gain and passing backwards rather than forwards.   

 

[Forester]

1 hour ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Evidence of what? Eckert wasn't the manager then was he?

If you read the post I replied to, it was saying to ignore medical staff advice.  Who was manger is irrelevant.

Seems common sense to me that Fellows would not be risked for 90 mins in his first start for a few weeks, three days before playing at Birmingham.

I drove to Oxford and am as mad at the performance as everyone else.  But why do people detach brains failing to see that Fellows was never going to last 90mims today coming back from a groin strain?

 

 

[saintant]

2 hours ago, Harry_SFC said:

Yet we've got Matsuki and Edozie sitting on their arses. Not saying they are world beaters by any stretch but surely worth a punt on the bench. 

If Edozie is the answer the wrong question is being asked. Have people forgotten how poor he was?

[trousers]

4 minutes ago, saintant said:

If Edozie is the answer the wrong question is being asked. Have people forgotten how poor he was?

I could be misremembering here, but wasn't he our 2nd or 3rd highest goalscorer and/or assister in our last championship promotion season...? 

[saintant]

6 minutes ago, Forester said:

If you read the post I replied to, it was saying to ignore medical staff advice.  Who was manger is irrelevant.

Seems common sense to me that Fellows would not be risked for 90 mins in his first start for a few weeks, three days before playing at Birmingham.

I drove to Oxford and am as mad at the performance as everyone else.  But why do people detach brains failing to see that Fellows was never going to last 90mims today coming back from a groin strain?

 

 

Simply because he was taken off when he had just started to cause Oxford big problems. Give him a bit more time to see if he can create a goal.

[Sheaf Saint]

4 minutes ago, saintant said:

If Edozie is the answer the wrong question is being asked. Have people forgotten how poor he was?

He was building up some form and looking decent before he was cynically taken out against Norwich.

I would much rather see him come on as a sub than the completely pointless Fraser. 

[saintant]

Just now, trousers said:

I could be misremembering here, but wasn't he our 2nd or 3rd highest goalscorer and/or assister in our last championship promotion season...? 

If he was the rest must have been crap 🙂

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

31 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

For their second goal, I still can't understand why none of our idiot defenders didn't just foul the striker and take one for the team.  

You'd think they would all know by now that allowing an opposing player through for a one on one against Baz is pretty much guaranteed to be a goal.

We're just so soft and naive. 

Agree or even Archer just taking out the runner on the half way line.

Instead we got Archer doing a fifa impression of jogging alongside him for most of the length of the pitch.

A back line of 5 players and Saints still concede a shit load of the same type of goals.