Home Match Day Thread 18/4/2023 L1: OUFC v Portsmouth

[uptheus]

This is the point that some contributors to this thread seem to wish to ignore. To win a game - just one game - we need to score more goals than the opposition, yet we are toothless up front. Combine that with our abysmal recent form and we should all be worried.

I think our form in terms of the 2nd half against Bolton and the majority of the game against Pompey has improved, but I think with better substitutions/mindset we could have done better against Morecombe, Port Vale and first half against Bolton, then we could possibly have an additional 6 points!

However, generally over these 16 odd games our form hasn’t been good enough, hence, where we sit in the league, so yes, I am still worried and will be until we’re safe, so that’s still a big IF!

 

[Foley]

This is the point that some contributors to this thread seem to wish to ignore. To win a game - just one game - we need to score more goals than the opposition, yet we are toothless up front. Combine that with our abysmal recent form and we should all be worried.





I am not sure that anybody is ignoring anything. I think that people are hoping that on the basis that we scored and drew against the 9th best team in the Division, we have a decent chance of beating the worst and 3rd worst team in the Division

 

[Mad Dog]

It’s an artitude thing apparently with Smith

He chews art? No wonder he’s been left out

 

[Sheik djibouti]

This is the point that some contributors to this thread seem to wish to ignore. To win a game - just one game - we need to score more goals than the opposition, yet we are toothless up front. Combine that with our abysmal recent form and we should all be worried.

I am.

We are utterly devoid of confidence. We have no natural finishers, or are relying on potential to produce the goods. As much as I love Gatlin - I just felt sorry for him last night and the job he is expected to perform for us. It will be a real test of the young mans character to see how he reacts to these chances missed and the fact that he is running himslef into the ground each game.

Senior players who have previously been good have been in appalling form for large parts of the season (Long, Eastwood, Moore, Brannagan, McGuane, Henry, Bodin, Taylor) - players you might've previously expected to form the backbone of a half decent team.
CamBran is our highest goalscorer - he has yet to hit double figures and can't remember when he last scored from open play
We have 4 players sharing the most assists (Bate, Bodin, Browne & Henry), with a shocking 3 each. 1 is only just back from injury and 2 we are unlikely to see again (at least this season) in a yellow shirt).

We cannot keep clean sheets.

We have glaring holes in our squad and some utterly appalling and/or disinterested signings who have made our squad demonstrably weaker through the season.

We have huge numbers of injured and/or past it players in the ranks.

It is nothing short of an utter mess.

And yet, there is some real talent and some real guts & commitment amongst that lot.

Enough to keep us up?....If Manning keeps the discipline and tactics tight with everyone knowing their job and the level expected of them and this in turn instills a bit of belief. If they then play with the energy, commitment and intent of last night for the next 4, then I really think there is every chance.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Cambridge's run in is pretty similar to us, both play Accrington and FGR just swapping Burton for Cheltenham, although we have two at home and one away and them the reverse. They go into it in much better form than us though, you can't completely ignore the fact that we haven't won for 16 games, that first win is proving to be a massive hurdle for us.

I could actually see all of the bottom teams losing this weekend to turn it into a real scrap between a couple of teams over those last last 2/3 games.

I take your point but we have to win sometime. So, on that basis, what three easier games could we have ? It doesn't matter a jot what run we are on, if that run is to come to an end these three games are as easy as it gets. It's a massive positive for us.

 

[Yellow Submarine]

A few people criticising Manning's delay in making subs, but I think that's because he's looking at the bench and knows the substitutions will weaken us. Our sqaud is pitifully light on numbers and quality.

And with regards to Tyler Smith, we've seen LM give a chance to Murphy and then bomb him out after not taking it. LM won't tolerate a lack of application so I can only assume Smith has not been pulling his weight in training and is showing even less effort than JM. If that's the case I applaud LM for refusing to play him. Obviously none of us know what goes on behind the scenes and on the training pitch, but I think LM has done enough to earn some trust in that regard

 

[notThisWayButThat]

I am.

We are utterly devoid of confidence. We have no natural finishers, or are relying on potential to produce the goods. As much as I love Gatlin - I just felt sorry for him last night and the job he is expected to perform for us. It will be a real test of the young mans character to see how he reacts to these chances missed and the fact that he is running himslef into the ground each game.

Senior players who have previously been good have been in appalling form for large parts of the season (Long, Eastwood, Moore, Brannagan, McGuane, Henry, Bodin, Taylor) - players you might've previously expected to form the backbone of a half decent team.
CamBran is our highest goalscorer - he has yet to hit double figures and can't remember when he last scored from open play
We have 4 players sharing the most assists (Bate, Bodin, Browne & Henry), with a shocking 3 each. 1 is only just back from injury and 2 we are unlikely to see again (at least this season) in a yellow shirt).

We cannot keep clean sheets.

We have glaring holes in our squad and some utterly appalling and/or disinterested signings who have made our squad demonstrably weaker through the season.

We have huge numbers of injured and/or past it players in the ranks.

It is nothing short of an utter mess.

And yet, there is some real talent and some real guts & commitment amongst that lot.

Enough to keep us up?....If Manning keeps the discipline and tactics tight with everyone knowing their job and the level expected of them and this in turn instills a bit of belief. If they then play with the energy, commitment and intent of last night for the next 4, then I really think there is every chance.

If there isn't an investigation of miss management and dereliction of duty post this season I would worry. How things have become this bad is beyond me. I would hope that report is also made public.

 

[notThisWayButThat]

A few people criticising Manning's delay in making subs, but I think that's because he's looking at the bench and knows the substitutions will weaken us. Our sqaud is pitifully light on numbers and quality.

And with regards to Tyler Smith, we've seen LM give a chance to Murphy and then bomb him out after not taking it. LM won't tolerate a lack of application so I can only assume Smith has not been pulling his weight in training and is showing even less effort than JM. If that's the case I applaud LM for refusing to play him. Obviously none of us know what goes on behind the scenes and on the training pitch, but I think LM has done enough to earn some trust in that regard

I disagree - the subs came on and made a difference. I only wished they came on 15 minutes earlier. O Donk sub was 10 minutes too late as we pushed hard in last moments.

 

[bazzer9461]

His career here was over two months ago.

It will be interesting to see if Manning wants him back again

Robinson didn’t

 

[bazzer9461]

You’re not getting it. A totally spent O’D was still better value than the ponderous number 30 .

In hindsight, but at the time no

 

[bazzer9461]

Admittedly on paper but no team has three cushier last three games than us - Cambridge included. We could barely have hand picked three better with the easiest team - again on paper - being our only one away. If we go down from here it's our own fault. Maybe swapping Cheltenham for, say, Morecambe - and we are hardly talking a massive difference - would be the only way those three could be any better.

Don’t get complacent.

 

[RgYellows]

And the rest. We had Bodin stripped off and ready to go and our throw in right by the touch line but left G'OD on, meaning he had to play another few minutes as the ball didn't go out. It was stupid, as much as I like him and think he could have a good future he was useless to us for the last quarter of an hour or so he was on the pitch last night.

RadOx were pretty sure we wanted to make the change but the fourth official wasn't ready.

 

[Paul Cannell]

There’s clearly a reason that Smith is not starting (or even finishing) games. In short I’d rather trust Manning than some of the tactical gurus on this forum.

Oh dear. Dr. Pangloss is back on his high horse. This ended last time with you sobbing down the phone and flapping like a pipistrelle some weeks after Robbo's horse bolted, I hope it doesn't happen again.

 

[Foley]

I thought that the crowd were fantastic last night.

Really got behind the team ( and I have spoken to a few people who said how good it sounded on the radio as well)

 

[Pompeyyellows]

I thought that the crowd were fantastic last night.

Really got behind the team ( and I have spoken to a few people who said how good it sounded on the radio as well)

Even in the SSU block 14 we were getting quite vocal and really giving encouragement. Didn’t hear 1 person being negative

 

[Made-in-Jericho]

I thought that the crowd were fantastic last night.

Really got behind the team ( and I have spoken to a few people who said how good it sounded on the radio as well)

Portsmouth to be fair also made some good noise although I enjoyed our response to their singing 'going down, going down' and the nauseating 'Play up Pompey'!

 

[Upthecowboys]

I thought that the crowd were fantastic last night.

Really got behind the team ( and I have spoken to a few people who said how good it sounded on the radio as well)

Really?

I take my share of the blame as I was in the North Stand close to the Pompey fans, and I thought it was quiet.

I’m not keen of using the word ‘poor’ re the atmosphere but it certainly wasn’t rocking in my eyes. I think that’s for a number of reasons, not limited to:-

1) The poor run we are on.
2) Poor treatment of the original ultras, fair play to the new lads trying.
3) Possibly lack of booze! Evening ko and loads will have rushed from work = limited drinking time for some.
4) Complete lack of engagement from the club, they could help build the atmosphere up before the game.

I know it is down to the fans to do their bit, myself included. I can’t think of a time where the North Stand tried to get anything going, it’s not just down to the East Stand..

 

[Jon-ioualways]

If there isn't an investigation of miss management and dereliction of duty post this season I would worry. How things have become this bad is beyond me. I would hope that report is also made public.

I think we've got this pretty much sorted. What we really need is some score management, and we'd quickly get some much-needed points.

 

[PottersRightBoot]

Oh dear. Dr. Pangloss is back on his high horse. This ended last time with you sobbing down the phone and flapping like a pipistrelle some weeks after Robbo's horse bolted, I hope it doesn't happen again.

Someone’s got their thesaurus out. Why’s this post Panglossian?

 

[Theox07]

They didn’t have a chance all game expect that free kick we are so unlucky