Team for Oxford 23:17 - Apr 6 with 2087 views | enfieldargh | Nardi Dunne Paal Morrison Fox Field Edwards Colback Varane Smyth Dembele/Yang/Bennie 2 banks of 4, Dunne & Paal pushing up the flanks. Problem is what do Smyth & Dembele actually do. I would hope that a blanket defence/midifield would hopefully keep out the mighty oxford. As for us scoring a goal its the old Smyth Dunne throw in routine or a wonderstrike from one of our mighty midgets. Dembele's corners caused Cardiff's dodgy keeper some problems so set peices need to be bang on It is getting very scary the complete lack of options added to some very inept squad members. Pass the ball to team mates, progress towards the opponents goal and stop treating the ball as if it was coated with gunge |  |
| |  |
Team for Oxford on 00:23 - Apr 7 with 1959 views | Logman | 4 central defensive midfielders ? They will just get in the way of each other. Nardi Dunne Paal Field Morrison Edwards Smyth Collback Dembele Yang Bennie Walsh, Ashby, Fox, Varane, Madsen, Andersen, Morgan, Sutton, Dillon [Post edited 7 Apr 0:25]
|  | |  |
Team for Oxford on 07:53 - Apr 7 with 1633 views | Hunterhoop | I fear we are all overcomplicating everything. Go back to as close as you can to what worked earlier in the season. Nardi Paal Edwards Morrison Dunne Varane Field Morgan Dembele Yang/Lloyd Smyth Yang was meant to be a forward. If they are all unfit, play him there. If Lloyd is fit, play him there. Play Smyth on the right as always. Play Dembele on the left. Yes, it’s not his side but he is a wide forward, he should be able to do a job there. Play the midfield 3 that worked in our best spell. Play your best two centre halves at centre half, Dunne at RB, and you’re only left back at left back. Clearly we’re missing a forward, Saito/Chair on the left, and Cook at the heart of the defence, but that is it when you play this formation compared to the run earlier in the season. And Edwards isn’t a bad replacement. |  | |  |
Team for Oxford on 07:58 - Apr 7 with 1600 views | Gloucs_R | Is there not a single development striker waiting for his chance? |  |
|  |
Team for Oxford on 08:03 - Apr 7 with 1564 views | daveB |
Team for Oxford on 07:58 - Apr 7 by Gloucs_R | Is there not a single development striker waiting for his chance? |
most of them are out on loan |  | |  |
Team for Oxford on 08:06 - Apr 7 with 1549 views | gazza1 |
Team for Oxford on 07:53 - Apr 7 by Hunterhoop | I fear we are all overcomplicating everything. Go back to as close as you can to what worked earlier in the season. Nardi Paal Edwards Morrison Dunne Varane Field Morgan Dembele Yang/Lloyd Smyth Yang was meant to be a forward. If they are all unfit, play him there. If Lloyd is fit, play him there. Play Smyth on the right as always. Play Dembele on the left. Yes, it’s not his side but he is a wide forward, he should be able to do a job there. Play the midfield 3 that worked in our best spell. Play your best two centre halves at centre half, Dunne at RB, and you’re only left back at left back. Clearly we’re missing a forward, Saito/Chair on the left, and Cook at the heart of the defence, but that is it when you play this formation compared to the run earlier in the season. And Edwards isn’t a bad replacement. |
No Colback!!!, one of our better players on Saturday. Varane in, played poorly on Saturday. Morgan is not playing well either (for several weeks). I'd play Fox at CB and move Edwards into midfield to make a 3 and two wide players defending to make a 5. |  | |  |
Team for Oxford on 08:14 - Apr 7 with 1518 views | Watford_Ranger |
Team for Oxford on 07:53 - Apr 7 by Hunterhoop | I fear we are all overcomplicating everything. Go back to as close as you can to what worked earlier in the season. Nardi Paal Edwards Morrison Dunne Varane Field Morgan Dembele Yang/Lloyd Smyth Yang was meant to be a forward. If they are all unfit, play him there. If Lloyd is fit, play him there. Play Smyth on the right as always. Play Dembele on the left. Yes, it’s not his side but he is a wide forward, he should be able to do a job there. Play the midfield 3 that worked in our best spell. Play your best two centre halves at centre half, Dunne at RB, and you’re only left back at left back. Clearly we’re missing a forward, Saito/Chair on the left, and Cook at the heart of the defence, but that is it when you play this formation compared to the run earlier in the season. And Edwards isn’t a bad replacement. |
Absolutely. There’s no good combination of players I’d fancy to go there and play vaguely coherently let alone get a result but it’s not really the time to experiment with a new formation or force even rounder pegs into square holes. Chances are half of them have pick calf strains boarding the coach but of what’s available play 4-3-3, stodge the midfield and two players with a semblance of pace out wide and see what happens. Not a game for Andersen or obviously Madsen (if there is such a thing). |  | |  |
Team for Oxford on 08:34 - Apr 7 with 1424 views | gazza1 |
Team for Oxford on 08:14 - Apr 7 by Watford_Ranger | Absolutely. There’s no good combination of players I’d fancy to go there and play vaguely coherently let alone get a result but it’s not really the time to experiment with a new formation or force even rounder pegs into square holes. Chances are half of them have pick calf strains boarding the coach but of what’s available play 4-3-3, stodge the midfield and two players with a semblance of pace out wide and see what happens. Not a game for Andersen or obviously Madsen (if there is such a thing). |
Absolutely!!! Really.....why leave Colback out?? Why would you play players who are not performing?? Strange indeed!!! |  | |  |
Team for Oxford on 08:38 - Apr 7 with 1414 views | BrianMcCarthy |
Team for Oxford on 07:53 - Apr 7 by Hunterhoop | I fear we are all overcomplicating everything. Go back to as close as you can to what worked earlier in the season. Nardi Paal Edwards Morrison Dunne Varane Field Morgan Dembele Yang/Lloyd Smyth Yang was meant to be a forward. If they are all unfit, play him there. If Lloyd is fit, play him there. Play Smyth on the right as always. Play Dembele on the left. Yes, it’s not his side but he is a wide forward, he should be able to do a job there. Play the midfield 3 that worked in our best spell. Play your best two centre halves at centre half, Dunne at RB, and you’re only left back at left back. Clearly we’re missing a forward, Saito/Chair on the left, and Cook at the heart of the defence, but that is it when you play this formation compared to the run earlier in the season. And Edwards isn’t a bad replacement. |
Sounds about right. Colback for Morgan, though? Otherwise, dead right about keep it simple. |  |
|  | Login to get fewer ads
Team for Oxford on 08:43 - Apr 7 with 1389 views | Watford_Ranger |
Team for Oxford on 08:34 - Apr 7 by gazza1 | Absolutely!!! Really.....why leave Colback out?? Why would you play players who are not performing?? Strange indeed!!! |
I’m not his biggest fan and was away at the weekend so can’t comment on what sounds like a dire team performance but in the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king so old man Jack running on fumes is probably the least worst option. Time for the ‘team of men’ to stand up if their hamstrings allow it. |  | |  |
Team for Oxford on 08:55 - Apr 7 with 1320 views | gazza1 |
Team for Oxford on 08:43 - Apr 7 by Watford_Ranger | I’m not his biggest fan and was away at the weekend so can’t comment on what sounds like a dire team performance but in the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king so old man Jack running on fumes is probably the least worst option. Time for the ‘team of men’ to stand up if their hamstrings allow it. |
It wasn't a dire team performance, not good but OKish in the first half . When Varane, Morgan, Bennie & Dembele entered the field of play we went backwards very much. Arguably, Colback was one or our best players with Field, Paal, Edwards. Smyth done OK but failed with the final ball, whether that being a cross, shot or pass. All those 5 plus Nardi & Dunne should start. Morrison did ok too. The only reason that Colback will not start is fitness/condition. I'd look at getting Fox into the starting line up too. [Post edited 7 Apr 8:58]
|  | |  |
Team for Oxford on 09:15 - Apr 7 with 1242 views | hoopedmonkey |
Team for Oxford on 07:58 - Apr 7 by Gloucs_R | Is there not a single development striker waiting for his chance? |
Vaughan and Dillon, Dillon is on loan but must have a recall as he played in the cup game. |  | |  |
Team for Oxford on 09:33 - Apr 7 with 1174 views | richpr |
Team for Oxford on 09:15 - Apr 7 by hoopedmonkey | Vaughan and Dillon, Dillon is on loan but must have a recall as he played in the cup game. |
I went to see the u21s at Solihull Moors. Dillon will be eaten alive in the Championship. He looks like a brilliant finisher but general hold up play needs work. Sutton is obviously going to be good but a bit a bit too lightweight at the moment. Vaughan came on and looked decent and quite strong. Tuck is another decent player with a good left foot but he has got caught up in this sideways, backwards passing that is blighting football at the moment. Couldn’t really see any player that could cut it in the championship at the moment - especially in a relegation dogfight. |  | |  |
Team for Oxford on 09:35 - Apr 7 with 1167 views | QPROslo |
Team for Oxford on 07:53 - Apr 7 by Hunterhoop | I fear we are all overcomplicating everything. Go back to as close as you can to what worked earlier in the season. Nardi Paal Edwards Morrison Dunne Varane Field Morgan Dembele Yang/Lloyd Smyth Yang was meant to be a forward. If they are all unfit, play him there. If Lloyd is fit, play him there. Play Smyth on the right as always. Play Dembele on the left. Yes, it’s not his side but he is a wide forward, he should be able to do a job there. Play the midfield 3 that worked in our best spell. Play your best two centre halves at centre half, Dunne at RB, and you’re only left back at left back. Clearly we’re missing a forward, Saito/Chair on the left, and Cook at the heart of the defence, but that is it when you play this formation compared to the run earlier in the season. And Edwards isn’t a bad replacement. |
If Colback is fit enough for another start I'd certainly prefer him to start ahead of Morgan who has looked way off the pace of games when he's played this year, and his passing has been mostly poor. |  | |  |
Team for Oxford on 11:33 - Apr 7 with 1003 views | derbyhoop |
Team for Oxford on 09:33 - Apr 7 by richpr | I went to see the u21s at Solihull Moors. Dillon will be eaten alive in the Championship. He looks like a brilliant finisher but general hold up play needs work. Sutton is obviously going to be good but a bit a bit too lightweight at the moment. Vaughan came on and looked decent and quite strong. Tuck is another decent player with a good left foot but he has got caught up in this sideways, backwards passing that is blighting football at the moment. Couldn’t really see any player that could cut it in the championship at the moment - especially in a relegation dogfight. |
Interesting take. Dillon, as you say, will need to improve his hold up game. Sutton also a bit lightweight. Both are Gladiators compared to photos I've seen of Tuck. Perhaps our bloated Performance team can design some strength and conditioning programs. |  |
| "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky |
|  |
Team for Oxford on 12:58 - Apr 7 with 854 views | Ned_Kennedys |
Team for Oxford on 09:33 - Apr 7 by richpr | I went to see the u21s at Solihull Moors. Dillon will be eaten alive in the Championship. He looks like a brilliant finisher but general hold up play needs work. Sutton is obviously going to be good but a bit a bit too lightweight at the moment. Vaughan came on and looked decent and quite strong. Tuck is another decent player with a good left foot but he has got caught up in this sideways, backwards passing that is blighting football at the moment. Couldn’t really see any player that could cut it in the championship at the moment - especially in a relegation dogfight. |
I would think it’s very rare that you could watch a Development squad game and think that any of the players would cut it at Championship level as the quality is so much lower. Think that when injuries hit this hard it’s a case of needs must and it’s worth giving the likes of Sutton some minutes. Cannot remember reading any posts on here saying that Morgan looked 1st team standard. |  | |  |
Team for Oxford on 13:40 - Apr 7 with 716 views | Loyalitat | Regardless of permutation of players that are fit for selection, we are not beating either Oxford or Bristol City and I'm worried. Our attacking midfield/striker options won't make any discernible impact against any of the sides that we have left to play. Cardiff was the game for us to win, as they were awful. Yet, our attacking players couldn't even do the basics: offer for the football (repeatedly), be strong and not be so easily dispossessed, keep hold of possession, some link-up play, attack the full-back when in one v one situations: a situation Yang was in on at least three occasions in the first-half alone, but baulked each time. Finally, how about improving your weaker foot to be more confident on match days to at least be able to cross a ball and make the defender realise that you can go both ways. I'm old, but Dave Thomas, Andy Sinton, Trevor Sinclair, even Wayne Fereday could do this. Yet we're told that the game is so much better nowadays, yet many of the current players occupying the same positions, can't fulfil the basics required. It's a moot point whether Lloyd would have been anywhere near the crosses, had they materialised, but at least try. [Post edited 7 Apr 14:04]
|  | |  |
Team for Oxford on 13:48 - Apr 7 with 655 views | derbyhoop | Nardi, Walsh, Sheppard Ashby, Dunne, Morrison, Edwards, Paal Field, Colback Smyth |  |
| "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky |
|  |
Team for Oxford on 16:55 - Apr 7 with 462 views | andrew1302 | Could we play Dunne up front? |  | |  |
Team for Oxford on 17:03 - Apr 7 with 439 views | rbee |
Team for Oxford on 09:33 - Apr 7 by richpr | I went to see the u21s at Solihull Moors. Dillon will be eaten alive in the Championship. He looks like a brilliant finisher but general hold up play needs work. Sutton is obviously going to be good but a bit a bit too lightweight at the moment. Vaughan came on and looked decent and quite strong. Tuck is another decent player with a good left foot but he has got caught up in this sideways, backwards passing that is blighting football at the moment. Couldn’t really see any player that could cut it in the championship at the moment - especially in a relegation dogfight. |
Thanks for this Rich. You either go to Oxford and attempt to park the bus or try to play football and risk another Stoke. I would prefer a conservative, pragmatic approach bearing in mind goal difference could be a factor. |  | |  |
Team for Oxford on 17:20 - Apr 7 with 384 views | johnhoop |
Team for Oxford on 16:55 - Apr 7 by andrew1302 | Could we play Dunne up front? |
Hard to see what we’ve got to lose other than covering for him at full-back. |  | |  |
| |