Oxford vs Saints - Boxing Day 3pm

[Tamesaint]

On 23/12/2025 at 09:39, Turkish said:

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.

A great  occasion. We won it after a penalty shootout. Watching Chris Marsden lift that triphy was a great loment for any Saints fan. 

[StrangelyBrown]

19 hours ago, St Louis said:

Ive done some coaching badges over the years (as I'm sure many others on here probably have) and I'm always miffed when people here (and elsewhere) 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!

I get where you are coming from, but I guess it all depends on how you setup your team. Personally I prefer a 4-2-3-1 with fullbacks playing almost as wing backs and a narrow 3, but I understand the logic of a back 3 when it is applied well.

Speaking from my own experience I've found it really hard to coach the "spare" CB in a 3 unless they "get it" naturally, i.e. having the intelligence to step up into midfield, but I might just be a shit coach!

Watching us we seem to have a problem with the CBs being too happy to sit defensively almost all of the time, which means we are often short of an option in midfield - I'm not sure if this is deliberate or the players being a bit limited? I suspect the latter.

[Verbal]

51 minutes ago, StrangelyBrown said:

I get where you are coming from, but I guess it all depends on how you setup your team. Personally I prefer a 4-2-3-1 with fullbacks playing almost as wing backs and a narrow 3, but I understand the logic of a back 3 when it is applied well.

Speaking from my own experience I've found it really hard to coach the "spare" CB in a 3 unless they "get it" naturally, i.e. having the intelligence to step up into midfield, but I might just be a shit coach!

Watching us we seem to have a problem with the CBs being too happy to sit defensively almost all of the time, which means we are often short of an option in midfield - I'm not sure if this is deliberate or the players being a bit limited? I suspect the latter.

Do teams actually win leagues much with a five? In the Prem the only team I can think of was Conte's Chelsea. (Guardiola has used a three, but not five, during mid-game tactical switches, though that's with a CB as good as Rodri stepping into midfield.)

[Wade Garrett]

2 hours ago, StrangelyBrown said:

I get where you are coming from, but I guess it all depends on how you setup your team. Personally I prefer a 4-2-3-1 with fullbacks playing almost as wing backs and a narrow 3, but I understand the logic of a back 3 when it is applied well.

Speaking from my own experience I've found it really hard to coach the "spare" CB in a 3 unless they "get it" naturally, i.e. having the intelligence to step up into midfield, but I might just be a shit coach!

Watching us we seem to have a problem with the CBs being too happy to sit defensively almost all of the time, which means we are often short of an option in midfield - I'm not sure if this is deliberate or the players being a bit limited? I suspect the latter.

If you want the spare CB to push into midfield why not just play a midfielder?

[saintant]

33 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

If you want the spare CB to push into midfield why not just play a midfielder?

Nah, let's be clever and complicate things by pushing a centre back into midfield 🙂

[davefizzy14]

Great to see Ross back 😊

[Verbal]

1 hour ago, Wade Garrett said:

If you want the spare CB to push into midfield why not just play a midfielder?

It's all to do with phases, innit - although TBF we only really have one phase.

[die Mannyschaft]

I remember in this game a (1-0) Saints steward put his foot on the ball to stop Oxford player from taking quick throw in

 Saints need to master the dark arts of football and less on phases. 

[StrangelyBrown]

1 hour ago, Verbal said:

It's all to do with phases, innit - although TBF we only really have one phase.

I'm not sure we even have 1! Give it to a winger and hope for the best isn't really a phase

[Turkish]

36 minutes ago, die Mannyschaft said:

I remember in this game a (1-0) Saints steward put his foot on the ball to stop Oxford player from taking quick throw in

 Saints need to master the dark arts of football and less on phases. 

I remember this game too. Was there. This was in the days when cup games used to get bigger crowds than in the league. Oxford filled the Archers end and it kicked off before the game round by the Spa tavern. 

[die Mannyschaft]

28 minutes ago, Turkish said:

I remember this game too. Was there. This was in the days when cup games used to get bigger crowds than in the league. Oxford filled the Archers end and it kicked off before the game round by the Spa tavern. 

Needed a cup token card with stamp on for each rounds. As you say Cup games were allways sold out and taken seriously not with we can't be bothered as leaque too important.  

[AlexLaw76]

Can’t beat a game in Boxing Day, ie, Fri 26 Dec

👀

[bangkoksaint]

5 hours ago, die Mannyschaft said:

I remember in this game a (1-0) Saints steward put his foot on the ball to stop Oxford player from taking quick throw in

 Saints need to master the dark arts of football and less on phases. 

Think I was there too. Fond memories of those tickets…….first bought them in Sperrings in Andover

[Whitey Grandad]

8 hours ago, davefizzy14 said:

Great to see Ross back 😊

Indeed. When do his two weeks run out?

[woodsaint1]

A must win in December?

If we really have any hope of 2nd (unlikely the way we defend) or the playoffs, we simply need to win these kind of games. 

But then we lost to one of the teams  below them.

Going for an edgy 2-1 win

[Convict Colony]

im bringing back my old prediction for today so i demand a 2-0 win.

Also some miracle scorer will appear in our team for a goal today i can feel it in my plums.

 

[IFHP]

8 hours ago, woodsaint1 said:

A must win in December?

If we really have any hope of 2nd (unlikely the way we defend) or the playoffs, we simply need to win these kind of games. 

But then we lost to one of the teams  below them.

Going for an edgy 2-1 win

I like your optimism for thinking we are going to get 2nd, it will be hard enough to get into the playoffs. 

[Challenger]

37 minutes ago, IFHP said:

I like your optimism for thinking we are going to get 2nd, it will be hard enough to get into the playoffs. 

We're a couple of key players short of getting that. The same positions we've needed for a long time now but SR seem incapable of obtaining these.

[Willo of Whiteley]

1-1, both them and us aren’t great in our own ways.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

9 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

1-1, both them and us aren’t great in our own ways.

Think we will be a goal up for most of the game. Then concede with about two or three minutes to go. 

[Harry_SFC]

If they've got any sense they will stick everyone behind the ball and watch us pass it between the CBs for 90 minutes 

[Chris cooper]

19 hours ago, Turkish said:

I remember this game too. Was there. This was in the days when cup games used to get bigger crowds than in the league. Oxford filled the Archers end and it kicked off before the game round by the Spa tavern. 

Yep was in the spa that day ..I was sent to see how many had got off the train they headed for wot was called Bogarts then opposite C&A next to Tyrell & greens .. they took the door off the hinges & headed down towards the spa .. passing the echo office who obviously had a field day with the camera 🎥 from an elevated position .. saints came from everywhere the spa , dog & duck .the mayflower .. Oxford were soon on their toes .. 

[Pat from Poole]

Rene House from the Echo thinks Fraser in for Fellows today.

A Norwich-style clusterfuck therefore awaits.

[saintant]

2 minutes ago, Pat from Poole said:

Rene House from the Echo thinks Fraser in for Fellows today.

A Norwich-style clusterfuck therefore awaits.

Madness. Don't think he played a forward pass against Norwich. Would be better off giving Robinson a game. I'm afraid Fraser is past it these days.

[Saint NL]

15 minutes ago, Pat from Poole said:

Rene House from the Echo thinks Fraser in for Fellows today.

A Norwich-style clusterfuck therefore awaits.

Christmas is ruined.

[Midfield_General]

39 minutes ago, Pat from Poole said:

Rene House from the Echo thinks Fraser in for Fellows today.

Zut alors, mais non

Edited 2 hours ago by Midfield_General

[Football Special]

44 minutes ago, Pat from Poole said:

Rene House from the Echo thinks Fraser in for Fellows today.

A Norwich-style clusterfuck therefore awaits.

The pre match coverage Saints say need to "manage" Fellows after his groin injury, early planning on having him on the bench and hoping to have him at Birmingham. 

I can't see us winning, a draw probably 

[Jack]

54 minutes ago, Pat from Poole said:

Rene House from the Echo thinks Fraser in for Fellows today.

A Norwich-style clusterfuck therefore awaits.

That’d be pretty grim watching 

[Ken Tone]

54 minutes ago, saintant said:

Madness. Don't think he played a forward pass against Norwich. Would be better off giving Robinson a game. I'm afraid Fraser is past it these days.

I think the trouble is that Fraser can't receive the ball with his back to the goal and turn his marker, like Fellows does. He needs it in front of him. But we still play as if he were Fellows.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

56 minutes ago, saintant said:

Madness. Don't think he played a forward pass against Norwich. Would be better off giving Robinson a game. I'm afraid Fraser is past it these days.

Fraser is just a body on a pitch. Offers absolutely nothing expect the ability to be able to play five yard passes sideways or backwards. 

[benjii]

Fraser to score.

[pimpin4rizeal]

2 hours ago, Pat from Poole said:

Rene House from the Echo thinks Fraser in for Fellows today.

A Norwich-style clusterfuck therefore awaits.

Fellows is pretty key for us we haven’t looked the same when he isn’t starting 

[Wade Garrett]

2 hours ago, Pat from Poole said:

Rene House from the Echo thinks Fraser in for Fellows today.

A Norwich-style clusterfuck therefore awaits.

Why not play Jelert in a back 4 instead of square pegs and round holes again?

[saintant]

14 minutes ago, pimpin4rizeal said:

Fellows is pretty key for us we haven’t looked the same when he isn’t starting 

Agree. It is clear we need to do some business in the January transfer window if we are serious about mounting any sort of challenge for a play-off place. We have a bloated squad but not a good array of options in some key positions such as wing back, midfield, goalkeeper and striker. Lots of dross in the squad who have little or no impact. 

[davefizzy14]

Hopefully Fellows is fit enough to start.

[davefizzy14]

3-0 to us today - Scienza and Adam Armstrong twice 😊 COYR 😊

[Soton7]

We should be absolutely pumping teams like Oxford if we want to get promoted. The form table shows them second to bottom and us second. We should be in a position to tinker with a back 4 at some point in the game and experiment. No excuses today. They are there for the taking. 0-2 Saints. 

[Roo1976]

Merry Christmas to you all.....for those going enjoy for the rest relax and keep warm or whatever....were winning it 3-1.

[die Mannyschaft]

1 hour ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Fraser is just a body on a pitch. Offers absolutely nothing expect the ability to be able to play five yard passes sideways or backwards. 

I'm sure Fraser stood on the halfway line got the ball then ran down wing to put in decent cross during RM. Now he's starting so deep he needs to get past 2 or 3 players and run twice the distance. 

We two styles of football all game, run round opposition or pass round. Half the players are ond type half the other. Wing backs or wingers need to be very good at both..

 

[saintant]

8 minutes ago, davefizzy14 said:

Hopefully Fellows is fit enough to start.

All the chatter seems to be confirmation that he'll not start today - we'll find out at 13.45. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

1 minute ago, die Mannyschaft said:

I'm sure Fraser stood on the halfway line got the ball then ran down wing to put in decent cross during RM. Now he's starting so deep he needs to get past 2 or 3 players and run twice the distance. 

We two styles of football all game, run round opposition or pass round. Half the players are ond type half the other. Wing backs or wingers need to be very good at both..

 

To be fair, I didn't mind him under Martin, but the decision to sign him at the end of his loan was pretty poor.

[die Mannyschaft]

11 minutes ago, davefizzy14 said:

3-0 to us today - Scienza and Adam Armstrong twice 😊 COYR 😊

I thought 3-0 this morning but then we cant defend and slwats let in wesk, stupid or odd goals. So 3-2 Saints. Saints don't normally pick io many points during Xmas.

[Verbal]

1 minute ago, die Mannyschaft said:

slwats let in wesk.

Agreed.

[die Mannyschaft]

25 minutes ago, Soton7 said:

We should be absolutely pumping teams like Oxford if we want to get promoted. The form table shows them second to bottom and us second. We should be in a position to tinker with a back 4 at some point in the game and experiment. No excuses today. They are there for the taking. 0-2 Saints. 

Betting rules us out of title which we won't get that's almost impossible but looks like a good bet for playoffs. Maybe they think the team will gel and get the wins the team on paper can achieve or a Jan sales spending spree.

[Wade Garrett]

17 minutes ago, die Mannyschaft said:

I thought 3-0 this morning but then we cant defend and slwats let in wesk, stupid or odd goals. So 3-2 Saints. Saints don't normally pick io many points during Xmas.

Can’t Steve Grant put a translation button on each post.  It would really help me understand sausage fingers jibberish.

[CB Fry]

As long as we get a few slwats on target I fancy us to win 

[coalman]

Just now, CB Fry said:

As long as we get a few slwats on target I fancy us to win 

Why would we want to get a few "always"?