Oxford vs Saints - Boxing Day 3pm

[Jack]

1 hour ago, Matthew Le God said:

Quarshie is a lot quicker than Harwood-Bellis 

He was clearly talking about speed of decision making and passing ability, not how fast he can run. 
 

Quarshie takes about 5 minutes to control a ball and think about where he’s going to pass it, and it’s a big issue with his game. 

[saintant]

1 hour ago, Matthew Le God said:

Quarshie is a lot quicker than Harwood-Bellis 

I meant he passes quicker - Quarshie is clumsy and takes too long to control the ball and make a pass.

[Football Special]

We haven't won away to Oxford for 50 years, not a good omen , I fancy this one to be 1-1 , Paul Moody to score for them 

[Obstacle1]

7 minutes ago, Football Special said:

We haven't won away to Oxford for 50 years, not a good omen , I fancy this one to be 1-1 , Paul Moody to score for them 

Do you factor in how many times we've played them into this sort of thing?

Also when did we last play them away?

[S-Clarke]

1 minute ago, Obstacle1 said:

Do you factor in how many times we've played them into this sort of thing?

Also when did we last play them away?

pre-season under Martin, prior to our PL season. A 2-0 or 3-0 defeat.

But yeah, we have only played them a handful of times - if that - since 1975.

[Badger]

Oxford haven’t been a regular fixture at all. 
 

I remember we played them in 1976 over Easter before the semi-final, then not again until the mid 80’s when we were both in Division One. This was during their Robert Maxwell era when they won the League Cup.

I’m pretty sure we played them at their old Manor Ground on a Boxing Day fixture, possibly 1986. Lost 3-1. Think John Aldridge was playing for them. 

 

[Gloucester Saint]

14 minutes ago, Football Special said:

We haven't won away to Oxford for 50 years, not a good omen , I fancy this one to be 1-1 , Paul Moody to score for them 

Won the replay 3-2 IIRC, Matt Elliott scoring for them, alas he signed for Leicester afterwards and not us. 

Got hammered there 3-0 on what might have been Boxing Day 1985, Trevor Hebbard getting his revenge for being left out of the League Cup Final squad in 1979. Drew the return at the Dell 1-1 midweek, was there for that one. Remember us beating them 3-0 at the Dell after that but possibly another Manor Ground defeat.

Other than that, can’t think of other competitive games against them. Records say we beat them 1-0 at the Dell in FACR4 Jan 1990 - anyone remember that? 

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, Badger said:

Oxford haven’t been a regular fixture at all. 
 

I remember we played them in 1976 over Easter before the semi-final, then not again until the mid 80’s when we were both in Division One. This was during their Robert Maxwell era when they won the League Cup.

I’m pretty sure we played them at their old Manor Ground on a Boxing Day fixture, possibly 1986. Lost 3-1. Think John Aldridge was playing for them. 

 

I think the Boxing Day was 3-0, Aldridge scored as did Hebberd, my parents remarked on it at the time. The 3-1 was the following season IIRC. Aldridge also scored in the 1-1 at the Dell with a header. 

Looked it up and that confirms it https://www.11v11.com/teams/oxford-united/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Southampton/

Maxwell switched focus to Derby which is why Shilts and Mark Wright (originally from Oxford) went there along with Dean Saunders. 

[OneMrsWallace]

On 20/12/2025 at 22:44, Turkish said:

When Tonda started Armstrong would drop deep to receive the ball from the back and we’ve have runners in behind. Other teams quickly worked that out and now block the middle and press us back so that ball isn’t on. With Armstrong being a midget we can’t go long so our out balls are Fellows or Scienza when one of them is missing we’re in trouble 

And because AA can't do that, and we have nobody up front who can play with their back to goal and lay it off to runners, we're reduced to someone playing a worldy defence splitting through ball everytime. And that ain't gonna work more then a couple of times a game if we're lucky. 

[saintant]

9 hours ago, OneMrsWallace said:

And because AA can't do that, and we have nobody up front who can play with their back to goal and lay it off to runners, we're reduced to someone playing a worldy defence splitting through ball everytime. And that ain't gonna work more then a couple of times a game if we're lucky. 

The majority, if not all, of teams in the Prem play a big centre forward. Why are we trying to buck the trend?

[AlexLaw76]

 

[Football Special]

Caretaker manager in for boxing day then,  who knows what difference that will make , Craig Short rings a bell, played against us in the 90s? 

[Harry_SFC]

Might help us actually. They've done relatively well against the bigger sides at home this season with Rowett in charge. 

[for_heaven's_Saint]

32 minutes ago, saintant said:

The majority, if not all, of teams in the Prem play a big centre forward. Why are we trying to buck the trend?

I genuinely think SR were stupid enough to believe that Stewart would stay fit. 

[Turkish]

Great memories of the Kassam Stadium where our now infamous win of the Oxfordshire Benvelovant Cup in 2002 beating host team Oxford United. A great moment in our history, a real shame we failed at the final hurdle that that season and couldn't make it a double with the FA cup.

[leesaint88]

45 minutes ago, Football Special said:

Caretaker manager in for boxing day then,  who knows what difference that will make , Craig Short rings a bell, played against us in the 90s? 

Regular starter for Derby.

[Gloucester Saint]

4 minutes ago, leesaint88 said:

Regular starter for Derby.

And fouled Beattie for the penalty here (very harsh it seemed from my seat in Kingsland North) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/3564570.stm

That win didn’t ease the pressure on Sturrock either. One of the strangest games I ever went to at SMS atmosphere-wise. You knew something was up.

[Appy]

25 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

And fouled Beattie for the penalty here (very harsh it seemed from my seat in Kingsland North) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/3564570.stm

That win didn’t ease the pressure on Sturrock either. One of the strangest games I ever went to at SMS atmosphere-wise. You knew something was up.

Also the game where Barry Ferguson was booked twice and not sent off by Andy D’Urso. 

[Football Special]

49 minutes ago, leesaint88 said:

Regular starter for Derby.

I'm sure I remember him from Notts County, possibly a Neil Ruddock headbutt in 1990/91 season? 

He'll have a grudge against us 

[franniesTache]

1 hour ago, Football Special said:

I'm sure I remember him from Notts County, possibly a Neil Ruddock headbutt in 1990/91 season? 

He'll have a grudge against us 

Pretty sure he played for Everton too, definitely have memories of a player of that name playing there though it might not be the same one.

14 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

pre-season under Martin, prior to our PL season. A 2-0 or 3-0 defeat.

But yeah, we have only played them a handful of times - if that - since 1975.

That was the game where i realised just how screwed we were going to be in the premier league, it was a game that displayed all of the worst Martin traits and the only shining light was dibling, remember mentioning to the mates i was with that we were going down rock bottom

[Badger]

3 hours ago, Football Special said:

I'm sure I remember him from Notts County, possibly a Neil Ruddock headbutt in 1990/91 season? 

He'll have a grudge against us 

My recollection of him too

[Matthew Le God]

5 hours ago, Football Special said:

I'm sure I remember him from Notts County, possibly a Neil Ruddock headbutt in 1990/91 season? 

He'll have a grudge against us 

Shouldn't it be against Ruddock rather than Saints?

[Charlie Wayman]

On 22/12/2025 at 15:56, Jack said:

He was clearly talking about speed of decision making and passing ability, not how fast he can run. 
 

Quarshie takes about 5 minutes to control a ball and think about where he’s going to pass it, and it’s a big issue with his game. 

Be fair, he is super cool under pressure, clever with the ball at his feet and bear in mind he hasn't been given much game time to hone his skills. Given a settled run of 10 or 15 games as a starter I'm willing to bet he will turn out to be our best CB

[Football Special]

2 hours ago, Matthew Le God said:

Shouldn't it be against Ruddock rather than Saints?

I was just joking I doubt he'd remember a Saints player headbutting him 34 years ago and still want revenge 

[Jack]

27 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Be fair, he is super cool under pressure, clever with the ball at his feet and bear in mind he hasn't been given much game time to hone his skills. Given a settled run of 10 or 15 games as a starter I'm willing to bet he will turn out to be our best CB

I’d take that bet. His touch is shit and that puts him under pressure, and his range of passing is shit which puts the team under pressure, as it’s almost always going to be an obvious pass to either Manning, Wood or Bazunu

[Gloucester Saint]

12 minutes ago, Football Special said:

I was just joking I doubt he'd remember a Saints player headbutting him 34 years ago and still want revenge 

Ruddock probably has more of an issue with Short seeing it as was a final excuse/justification for Branfoot to sack him! 

[StrangelyBrown]

On 22/12/2025 at 15:56, Jack said:

takes about 5 minutes to control a ball and think about where he’s going to pass it

Sounds just like Stephens....

[Andy Hill]

They will be up for it. Surely we have to start on the front foot and shelve the back 5 “experiment”.

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

Oxford have sacked thier manager.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cvgrxx7nn5zo

 

[Wade Garrett]

4-2-3-1 and we fucking smash them.

Shame our Boxing Day match is at a non-league ground that only holds 2000.  Fucking tin-pot club shouldn’t be on the same pitch as us.

4-1 win, a couple from Scienza before he’s subbed on the hour.

[SaintNewForest]

8 hours ago, Andy Hill said:

They will be up for it. Surely we have to start on the front foot and shelve the back 5 “experiment”.

For all the whilst SR are here, the back 5 is going nowhere. 

[Gloucester Saint]

4 minutes ago, SaintNewForest said:

For all the whilst SR are here, the back 5 is going nowhere. 

BTOOR - By the Orders of Rasmus

[Jack]

Tonda said in the press conference when asked about 4/5 at the back that it’s about numbers between the posts and physicality of the team. The second bit I can understand, but numbers wise if they’re all leaving responsibility to each other when it comes to marking players and dealing with crosses then we’ll keep on conceding shit goals. Especially when the wing backs don’t know much about defending and let the opposition put crosses in as they please. 
 

Maybe with a proper centre forward, a proper LB and a fit RB we might see some changes but it sounds like we’re sticking to what we’ve seen so far for now. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

Just listened to Tonda’s presser, also heard the five at the back question, definitely not going to change from it, is he.

Absolutely wedded to a formation and tactics which arguably don’t play to our strengths.

He’s definitely learnt how to give politicians answers quickly in the last six weeks.

[saintant]

26 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Just listened to Tonda’s presser, also heard the five at the back question, definitely not going to change from it, is he.

Absolutely wedded to a formation and tactics which arguably don’t play to our strengths.

He’s definitely learnt how to give politicians answers quickly in the last six weeks.

He did at least explain that the main reason is to get some physicality on the pitch and I suggested this might be the case recently in another post. So the only way out of it I can see is if we are active in the January market and bring in perhaps a decent sized fullback and midfielder. If not we're gonna be welded to 3 centre backs until such time as we do add some physicality to the squad.  

Interesting to note that he also said the squad have agreed to some extra training sessions - I think he mentioned today and Xmas Day. Bit different to the relaxed approach under Rusty.

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

Interesting from the comments. 

Adding physicality. I thought Spors had mentioned getting the profile right over the summer.

Suppose it doesn't help when there are two fullbacks out injured. 

[suewhistle]

10 minutes ago, saintant said:

He did at least explain that the main reason is to get some physicality on the pitch

Did he talk about actually using that physicality and marking people?

[Turkish]

23 hours ago, Football Special said:

I'm sure I remember him from Notts County, possibly a Neil Ruddock headbutt in 1990/91 season? 

He'll have a grudge against us 

HANDBAGS

[saintant]

3 minutes ago, suewhistle said:

Did he talk about actually using that physicality and marking people?

It's a fair question and no, he didn't but as far as I know he's not famous for his ability to polish turds 🙂

[The Wyvern]

25 minutes ago, Turkish said:

HANDBAGS

Only four stitches.

Great footage of Adams playing as an inverted full-back, Hurlock finding space between the lines and Dowie finishing like Haaland. Branfoot well ahead of the game back then. 

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, The Wyvern said:

Only four stitches.

Great footage of Adams playing as an inverted full-back, Hurlock finding space between the lines and Dowie finishing like Haaland. Branfoot well ahead of the game back then. 

Playing Hurlock as a false 9, genius move.

[The Wyvern]

1 hour ago, saintant said:

He did at least explain that the main reason is to get some physicality on the pitch and I suggested this might be the case recently in another post. So the only way out of it I can see is if we are active in the January market and bring in perhaps a decent sized fullback and midfielder. If not we're gonna be welded to 3 centre backs until such time as we do add some physicality to the squad.  

Interesting to note that he also said the squad have agreed to some extra training sessions - I think he mentioned today and Xmas Day. Bit different to the relaxed approach under Rusty.

Where would a further midfielder fit into our starting line-up?

Or another full-back into our squad?  Unless we're sacking off both Danish right-back options perhaps.

We could do with some kind of target man up-front who would then also double up to help defensively with corners etc, but otherwise I can't see what else would change.  Apart from a "No.09", are we particularly lacking in height as a team? 

 

[bugenhagen]

2 hours ago, suewhistle said:

Did he talk about actually using that physicality and marking people?

That is my problem with this as well. I understand his reasoning, but the three moron brothers are just prancing around marking thin air, so there is no benefit in the end. 

Edited 27 minutes ago by bugenhagen
Typo

[Challenger]

3 hours ago, SaintNewForest said:

For all the whilst SR are here, the back 5 is going nowhere. 

Then they need to accept that the club they implement that on won't either.

[Willo of Whiteley]

The bit I don’t understand is our best form of defence has always been to attack.

We’ve always created chances over the last decade but finishing them has been the issue.

We’ve never been a team that can sit deep and defend for ninety minutes like your Burnley of-old, defensive teams that are physical and can grind out points.

We’re in a position as a club in a league where we should be dominating comfortably with the attacking players we have, which begs the question, why don’t we?

Why don’t we have that additional player higher up the pitch?

What benefit is there in having another CB five yards away from the GK, especially when the other two CBs are either side and we tend to have two CMs dropping deep for the ball?

We just immediately play and set up to not concede, and yet we still do.

[St Louis]

Ive done some coaching badges over the years (as I'm sure many other on here probably have) and I'm always miffed when people suggest that 5 at the back is defensive. Its typically seen as more attacking than a flat back 4, as you have wing-backs (who arent really defenders at all) bombing up the wings and on the overlap, making it essentially a back 3 most of the time. When we have played 4 at the back, we havent looked anywhere near as threatening going forward IMHO. 
We create more chances than most teams and have scored the 4th most in the division (despite a dismal start) and have been scoring a lot under Eckert and this formation.
By playing Fellows and Manning as wingbacks, weve had 5 (of the 10 outfield) players: Armstrong, Scienza, Azaz, Fellows and Manning in attacking positions for much of the game.
If anything I think we should consider going more defensive and a (flatter) back 4 on occasion, as we concede too many by playing too attacking, and allowing space on the flanks for opposition to put so many crosses in!

Edited just now by St Louis