The 2023/24 L1 Matchday Thread

brinyhoof

At least RadOx got to do a sort-of cash converters pun.

JonnyBiscuits

Heard the highlights at the end and Jerome did the Cashin cashes in gag. You don’t do gags under those circumstances, that’s basic, that’s rule one.

JonnyBiscuits

Joe_Citrone It’s because (and I’ve had grief for pointing it out in the past) a higher than average proportion of football supporters aren’t very bright.

Gingermoods

I find the expectations of many of our fans baffling and infuriating. We were absolute garbage last season and nearly relegated, we’ve had just one transfer window and had to replace our manager and backroom staff (which we haven’t actually done yet) in the 8 months since last season, plus we have several key players injured yet they seem to think we have some kind of right to an automatic promotion slot. Something none of us would have considered before the season started.

We were exhausted and outplayed by a stronger team last night and it’s going to take a few more weeks to get back on track. I thought every one of those players gave it their all, it just wasn’t enough. Nothing to do with tactics, I fail to see what else Des could really do with the players available to him. The trend in modern football is to over analyse the data and the stats but sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and accept that you were battered by a stronger team. Nothing deeper than that.

oxblogger

Match wrap | Oxford United 2 Derby County 3

’The two goals felt like a contingency against their inevitable comeback rather than an unassailable lead. But with injuries hampering us, these games aren’t a fair assessment of Des Buckingham.'

https://oxblogger.co.uk/2023/12/30/match-wrap-oxford-united-2-derby-county-3-2/

brinyhoof

oxblogger I accidentally left some Sonny Perkins in the fridge before we went on holiday. The house now stinks of mouldy Perkins and I’m going to dump the fridge in Leeds asap.

TrevorAylottsHeadband

Joe_Citrone I agree, and I remain a committed Desbian. That was, however, the first game I have left early in many, many years, and I went just after the Derby 3rd. It was partly because that was clearly game over, but also because our fans are utter shit. For the last fifteen minutes or so, the East Stand was like a morgue; several of us started to get chants going, but only a handful of people joined in. Yes, the Derby fans were quiet at 2-0, but as soon as they got one back, they came alive and were pretty much non-stop throughout the second half, and absolutely lifted their team. What did we do? Shuffled our feet and grumbled. Pathetic stuff.

TrevorAylottsHeadband

Oh, and one more thing… the people turning on Beadle can get in the bin.

Gingermoods

TrevorAylottsHeadband as can the people booing the team at the end.

oxblogger

Thankfully, I don’t think the negatives around DBux are as strong as the noise suggests (although the brief booing in the SSU at half-time when we were leading was particularly impressive). Most are broadly on side and recognise he’s been given a difficult task. The frustration is probably that we’re on the brink of this becoming another transitional season and people are clutching for simple solutions to a complex (and slow resolving) set of problems. Beadle was always going to have a tough night when 60% of the game was played eight yards from his goal with seventeen players standing in front of him.

LeftSider

I think the booing was aimed at the referee for playing over two-minutes of time-added-on-for-stoppages.

Perhaps, I’m just trying to see the best in people.

Bspittles

LeftSider I’m surprised I haven’t seen more about that. Wasn’t it 2:20 when they scored?

Gingermoods

But the injury time given is always the minimum amount, Nathan even says it every week, a minimum of 2 minutes. Of course that might change depending on what happens in those 2 minutes, that’s just basic stuff.

I was more annoyed about the blatant handball in the lead up to their 2nd or 3rd goal (I forget which one).

Bspittles

Indeed, I wasn’t criticising the ref in any way. I was just a little surprised more people hadn’t (that I’m aware of).

Lars

Blenheim, Bannister .. Brannagan. Could almost have been the story

Penalty kicks are important and I am glad for Harris, who is a hard worker.

As long as Brannagan is still running United have a chance of top six

JonnyBiscuits

WALLOP!

Joe_Citrone

Chuffed for Des. Sounds like some smart decisions from him today got us the win.

Not bad for a manager out of his depth, eh?

Bspittles

A goal the term Thunderbastard was invented for. A shame for MApp as he may well be sacked now, I wish he could find success somewhere.

TrevorAylottsHeadband

A decent performance considering the makeshift side we had to put out. I thought Smyth had a really solid game at RB (or was it right side of a back three?!) and his goal was the icing on the cake. On the other flank, however, Bennett was hugely frustrating, very rarely actually taking on his opposite number and getting round the back, even when it seemed the easy option. But I don’t want to distract from what was a great team effort and what a way to start the year!

Oh, and I’d be surprised if CAFC sack Appleton anytime soon. I think they’re going to make some serious moves in the market this month and give him the opportunity to utilise those.

JonnyBiscuits

Agree on Smyth - excellent game and the moment he picked the ball up in space and knocked it into shooting range I knew he was gonna score. It was one of your football narrative the script was already written things that Nathan Cooper was suggesting they were gonna get with their 18 year old sub deep into the second half (apparently there was a bunch of Charlton fans yelling “WHO???” when his name was read out - nice supportive attitude towards your academy players lads, stay classy).

Back to Smyth though, and this might just be confirmation bias on my part, but I think it’s it’s notable that along with Murphy that’s now two previously fringe players with limited game time and not much in the way of contributions made who D-Buns has now managed to get very strong performances out of.

I like Bennett - I think he’s dependable and steady. One thing he absolutely isn’t though, is a rangy attacking wingback.

Excellent result under difficult circumstances.

brinyhoof

JonnyBiscuits as Buckonceagainfortherenegademaster pointed out, thats Bennett’s fourth straight 90 minutes and with Stevens playing so advanced I guess he was the covering defender if needed.

This is glorious btw…

TrevorAylottsHeadband

JonnyBiscuits I like Bennett - I think he’s dependable and steady. One thing he absolutely isn’t though, is a rangy attacking wingback.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Bennett has done well since coming into the side. I just felt that yesterday he blunted the attacking threat down the left.

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