Entertaining first half with better team winning in the end
Oct 15, 2017 10:36:25 GMT
Swedish Gas, irishrover, and 1 more like this
Post by stevek192 on Oct 15, 2017 10:36:25 GMT
I will start this report by saying that this was mainly a very entertaining game that either side could have won but probably the better side won. The first half was far superior to the second but that was down to us not reaching the standard of our first half display and Oxford upping their performance. The substitutions tipped the scales in Oxford's favour as we looked disorganised after the changes and totally lost control of a midfield that we had fought so hard to get control of. it was very much a case of Oxford taking one of three or four good chances and us failing to take one of five or six. I really hope that Bodin is not going to be out for long because without him we look totally devoid of any attacking width and the chances are that if he had played yesterday this is a game we would have won such is his match winning ability.
Slocombe 7
Made one excellent stop low down in the second half and had no chance with the goal. Competent
Partington 6
Pretty good overall game. Hasn't got Leadbitter's pace but a steadier performer and better defender.Crossing was not up to usual standard and his finish when he broke through showed why he is a defender.
Lockyer 5.5
Still not at his best but the way we play does not help him as he sees far too much of the ball passed sideways or back to him and his distribution is far from the best,
Broadbent 6
Would have been my Man of the Match but for the disastrous pass out to Sinclair and poor attempt at a tackle to rectify it that cost us the point. Other than that he was calm and assured and did a very good job on the dangerous Thomas.
Bola 7
A very good game but visibly tired towards the end. Has definite class and rarely beaten but it is a shame that he is a left back as there is something we miss when Browner doesn't play and that is the one or two class crosses that generally provide assists.
Lines 8 MOTM
My only complaint would be that he plays 10 yards too deep but that must be DC's tactics so can't hold that against him. Deserved his tremendous volley just before half time to end up in the top corner rather than inches past the post
O. Clarke 4
Poor by his standards from last season and has a disciplinary problem that possibly cost us the game because Sinclair is not up to playing the role he plays and the only reason for the substitution was to make sure we ended up with 11 players on the pitch
Sercombe 7
Great first half but poor second as he seemed to be trying too hard and over doing things. Always looks likely to score a goal and is trying to move forward whenever possible but seemed to lose his position when Clarke went off.
Nichols 4
Sorry Darrell but we needed a 20 goal a season striker and what you have got us is a waste of the rumoured £300,000. Good footballer but you can get them for far less and despite a reasonable performance he is not doing what he was bought for hence my mark. Yet again he missed a gilt edged chance in the first half.
Gaffney 6
Another reasonable game and other than he was dangling on a yellow card I cannot see why he was replaced. Over enthusiasm sees him offside too much for my liking but was unlucky with the disallowed goal although it looked the correct decision. I would like to see him and Harrison working more as a pairing rather than Gaffs going out wide so much.
Harrison 7
Was a real handful for the Oxford defenders in an all action display that lacked the instinct of a real goalscorer. For me the tactics means he has to waste a lot of his energy in areas that you don't want your centre forward to be and would prefer to see him leading the attack. The ball spends far too much of the time with our defenders who struggle to pick out forward passes and with Lines so deep and Ellis always coming back it really cuts down our attacking options.
Subs:
Sinclair 4 Very rusty and after he came on we looked totally disorganised as he does not retain his position and chases all over the place which seemed to mean that Sercombe became less involved and Lines had too much to do. A 100% match fit Sinclair would probably have saved Broadbent's blushes on the goal
Moore 3
The less said the better-like Sinclair he did not improve the team and just seems too light weight and not overly interested but perhaps that is down to DC's seemingly dislike of either signing or playing wingers.
Telford 6
Should have been the matchwinner but the chance came far too early for him as he took one bad touch too many when clean through with just the keeper to beat. Deserves a chance to start now in preference to the under achieving Nicholls who looks as likely to score as DC's previous striker Luke James.
Crowd 6
The crowd being under 10,000 for this game represents the lack of looking like improving on last season. Had the signings in the summer lived up to expectations we would now be selling out this sort of game. it is a shame because to be honest it was a good game to watch in the first half but the standard of performance in the second half was way down on the first as Oxford upped their game and IMO just about deserved their win
Ref 3
What can be said as we get yet another poor official who used the yellow card to run or should it be ruin the game. I am not going to say he won the game for Oxford because he was just a damn poor referee who was not biased although we probably suffered more than Oxford
Oxford 7 A good side who have done what DC should have done in the summer and built a very balanced side based around an attacking style of football with short passing and experienced players in key positions. used the width well and just about deserved their win even if it was handed to them by poor defending
DC- The results this season represents his style of football-good one week and not so good the next and pretty well a 50% win ratio. My big worry is that this is exactly how the rest of 2017 will go as we seem to be a very unbalanced team lacking in a real goalscorer and a bit of bite in midfield but particularly lacking even one winger who can get past a player and get a cross in. Our tactics are too predictable and lacking in pace and the 4-3-3 just hasn't worked this season. My even bigger worry is that in all honesty I do not have faith in DC to find the quality we need in January and really feel that whereas we seem to have plenty of backroom staff what he really needs is someone to help in finding the right players and he concentrate on coaching and selecting them. Of course I don't think he is the sort of Manager who would welcome assistance in that area.
Anyway we move on to a game on Tuesday which I have thought in the last few weeks that we would be the first team to beat Shrewsbury but I have a feeling now that if Bodin is again missing; which seems likely; that the task is that much more difficult. What I do hope is that DC does not resort to feeling that he has to influence proceedings by making changes here there and everywhere. Personally I would just replace Nicholls with Telford. UTG
Slocombe 7
Made one excellent stop low down in the second half and had no chance with the goal. Competent
Partington 6
Pretty good overall game. Hasn't got Leadbitter's pace but a steadier performer and better defender.Crossing was not up to usual standard and his finish when he broke through showed why he is a defender.
Lockyer 5.5
Still not at his best but the way we play does not help him as he sees far too much of the ball passed sideways or back to him and his distribution is far from the best,
Broadbent 6
Would have been my Man of the Match but for the disastrous pass out to Sinclair and poor attempt at a tackle to rectify it that cost us the point. Other than that he was calm and assured and did a very good job on the dangerous Thomas.
Bola 7
A very good game but visibly tired towards the end. Has definite class and rarely beaten but it is a shame that he is a left back as there is something we miss when Browner doesn't play and that is the one or two class crosses that generally provide assists.
Lines 8 MOTM
My only complaint would be that he plays 10 yards too deep but that must be DC's tactics so can't hold that against him. Deserved his tremendous volley just before half time to end up in the top corner rather than inches past the post
O. Clarke 4
Poor by his standards from last season and has a disciplinary problem that possibly cost us the game because Sinclair is not up to playing the role he plays and the only reason for the substitution was to make sure we ended up with 11 players on the pitch
Sercombe 7
Great first half but poor second as he seemed to be trying too hard and over doing things. Always looks likely to score a goal and is trying to move forward whenever possible but seemed to lose his position when Clarke went off.
Nichols 4
Sorry Darrell but we needed a 20 goal a season striker and what you have got us is a waste of the rumoured £300,000. Good footballer but you can get them for far less and despite a reasonable performance he is not doing what he was bought for hence my mark. Yet again he missed a gilt edged chance in the first half.
Gaffney 6
Another reasonable game and other than he was dangling on a yellow card I cannot see why he was replaced. Over enthusiasm sees him offside too much for my liking but was unlucky with the disallowed goal although it looked the correct decision. I would like to see him and Harrison working more as a pairing rather than Gaffs going out wide so much.
Harrison 7
Was a real handful for the Oxford defenders in an all action display that lacked the instinct of a real goalscorer. For me the tactics means he has to waste a lot of his energy in areas that you don't want your centre forward to be and would prefer to see him leading the attack. The ball spends far too much of the time with our defenders who struggle to pick out forward passes and with Lines so deep and Ellis always coming back it really cuts down our attacking options.
Subs:
Sinclair 4 Very rusty and after he came on we looked totally disorganised as he does not retain his position and chases all over the place which seemed to mean that Sercombe became less involved and Lines had too much to do. A 100% match fit Sinclair would probably have saved Broadbent's blushes on the goal
Moore 3
The less said the better-like Sinclair he did not improve the team and just seems too light weight and not overly interested but perhaps that is down to DC's seemingly dislike of either signing or playing wingers.
Telford 6
Should have been the matchwinner but the chance came far too early for him as he took one bad touch too many when clean through with just the keeper to beat. Deserves a chance to start now in preference to the under achieving Nicholls who looks as likely to score as DC's previous striker Luke James.
Crowd 6
The crowd being under 10,000 for this game represents the lack of looking like improving on last season. Had the signings in the summer lived up to expectations we would now be selling out this sort of game. it is a shame because to be honest it was a good game to watch in the first half but the standard of performance in the second half was way down on the first as Oxford upped their game and IMO just about deserved their win
Ref 3
What can be said as we get yet another poor official who used the yellow card to run or should it be ruin the game. I am not going to say he won the game for Oxford because he was just a damn poor referee who was not biased although we probably suffered more than Oxford
Oxford 7 A good side who have done what DC should have done in the summer and built a very balanced side based around an attacking style of football with short passing and experienced players in key positions. used the width well and just about deserved their win even if it was handed to them by poor defending
DC- The results this season represents his style of football-good one week and not so good the next and pretty well a 50% win ratio. My big worry is that this is exactly how the rest of 2017 will go as we seem to be a very unbalanced team lacking in a real goalscorer and a bit of bite in midfield but particularly lacking even one winger who can get past a player and get a cross in. Our tactics are too predictable and lacking in pace and the 4-3-3 just hasn't worked this season. My even bigger worry is that in all honesty I do not have faith in DC to find the quality we need in January and really feel that whereas we seem to have plenty of backroom staff what he really needs is someone to help in finding the right players and he concentrate on coaching and selecting them. Of course I don't think he is the sort of Manager who would welcome assistance in that area.
Anyway we move on to a game on Tuesday which I have thought in the last few weeks that we would be the first team to beat Shrewsbury but I have a feeling now that if Bodin is again missing; which seems likely; that the task is that much more difficult. What I do hope is that DC does not resort to feeling that he has to influence proceedings by making changes here there and everywhere. Personally I would just replace Nicholls with Telford. UTG
