The 2023/24 L1 Matchday Thread

TrevorAylottsHeadband

Superb result and definitely well deserved. Considering that we should also have had a penalty and Derby should have been down to 10 men, it could have been even more comfortable.

What they said on The Dub this week came to pass - playing a side who wants to play football will allow us to play too. It’s the ones who will try and frustrate (such as Cambridge and Carlisle) where we will struggle.

Barnsley will be an interesting one on Saturday with us coming off this result, and them being turned over at home last night.

TrevorAylottsHeadband

Another great result at Barnsley on Saturday. I had the home commentary on iFollow and they were saying that it was a very good away performance by us, and I have to agree.

Next up is the Salmon Chinos Derby. From what I can gather, Charlton have the ability to score a lot of goals, but are defensively weak and look like conceding from pretty much every attack. If we get to play the sort of attacking football we did on Saturday, we should be in with a shout of another win. Now watch us lose 0-3…

JonnyBiscuits

TrevorAylottsHeadband I was hoping for 2 points out of those two games, so I'm blown away by those results. Superb stuff.

daleoufc89

I've just caught up with this thread (61 messages and pre-Brizzle City) and it's an amazing turnaround.

Even Carlisle was a rough ride but we have been superb in the last two and the football has been a joy to watch.

Agree on defence - it's been poor for several years and both fb's aren't good enough for what we want. That said, Negru is a different animal and gets the best out of Moore (should be the other way round)

Harris will get goals if he stays injury free. Should have had one at Barnsley.

The one I've not been that impressed with so far is Ruben. Some good touches and some good glimpses but not enough yet. Sure it will come

JonnyBiscuits

I've got a wedding to go to on the weekend so I'll miss the Charlton game so it's a guaranteed classic.

Gotta be a culture and confidence shock for RR going from being famously the best player in a division to suddenly being surrounded by people on his level or better. I agree - I'm sure it'll come but I also suspect it's also tough having to adapt to playing n a much more routine based system rather than having the freedom to just leg it around nutmegging everyone.

Bspittles

I feel like I almost don’t want anyone to dissect and analyse those two games. Golden egg syndrome, I guess.

I just want it to continue without worrying it might end.

brinyhoof

Feeling a bit weird about tomorrow's match. All the expectation accumulated from Derby and Barnsley, it feels like we have further to fall, a greater disappointment, should things not go our way. Its at times like this I realise just how much of an Oxford supporter I am!

LeftSider

I’m looking forward to Saturday wayyyyy too much. Nothing good can come of it.

JonnyBiscuits

I'm missing Saturday's game too. The fixtures have fallen badly with family and social commitments. So you can all expect another classic performance and a fifth straight victory.

oxblogger

https://oxblogger.co.uk/.../match-wrap-oxford-united-2.../

Match wrap | Oxford United 2 Charlton Athletic 1

'At times it feels like Manningball is the right approach but the conclusions aren't yet adequate; like the debate around the proper use of pronouns or safeguarding in Korean pop music.'

brinyhoof

Lincoln (A) postponed then. Hopefully won't impact our momentum…

JonnyBiscuits

brinyhoof They're also one of the form sides at the moment though, so arguably it might be a good time to avoid them.

They'll be thinking the same about us though of course.

oxblogger

Match wrap - Oxford United 1 Port Vale 2

'For Harris' sending off, shouldn't we be judging the challenge on its impact rather than what it theoretically means about the philosophy of the game?'

https://oxblogger.co.uk/2023/09/03/match-wrap-oxford-united-1-port-vale-2/

TrevorAylottsHeadband

Good piece, as ever. I wholeheartedly disagree with the suggestion that the punishment for a flying elbow should be partly determined by the resulting impact; the severity of any contact is often a matter of chance and changes the intention or recklessness of the act not one jot.

On the subject of Harris' sending off, I still have no idea who actually saw anything. Clearly the referee didn't, and he had to consult with his assistant. If the assistant DID see the incident, one has to question why he wasn't immediately waving his flag to get the ref's attention. It may well have been the correct decision, but the process by which it was reached was confusing to say the least.

brinyhoof

TrevorAylottsHeadband I guess the linesman used their communication system to alert him?

TrevorAylottsHeadband

brinyhoof That's the thing - there seems to be a lot of guesswork involved! In his post-match interview, Andy Crosby said that the ref had told him that the red card was for a stamp (or stamps plural), but the club's coaching video apparently shows that Harris pushed Smith away with his arm, catching him in the chest with his elbow.

The comments from Manning about the need not to react, and from those who claim to have actually seen what happened, do suggest that the card was justified, but I think the action of the officials at the time left a sense that they weren't clear what had gone on other than 'something'.

brinyhoof

TrevorAylottsHeadband I agree 100%, the officials were a shambles throughout the game.

brinyhoof

Decent performance last night by the looks of what I have seen and read. Murphy, Harris. Woltman and Edwards the standouts?

Northampton Town v Oxford United highlights

Bspittles

I wouldn't normally pay for iFollow for a Trophy game but I was intrigued by the chance to see some of the younger players. It wa an excellent game, and everyone deserves credit for their individual performances. Elliott-Wheeler struggled a litle at right-back but he came on with only eight minutes to play - difficult to get into the game at that point, I would have thought.

brinyhoof

Bspittles Not surprising given he has just been playing left-wing for Banbury! Good news overall though.

Bspittles

brinyhoof Haha! I did not realise that!

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