Just back...

Wasn't half as bad as the scoreline suggested IMO.

Was actually quite impressed again with some of our football 1st half.

Goals change games.
If Lenny's shot goes in, I really think we go on to win.

We started off what looked to me like 4-2-4.
Seemed to change to 4-3-3 as the game went on,
Then after the subs came on 2nd half, 4-4-2.

Listening to Hurst in the car on the way back, thought he was spot on !
Albeit a little harsh on himself/the team I thought, even if he made some excellent observations.

Was thinking myself players maybe stood off them too much and dropped a little bit too.
And yes perhaps Pearson should have showed him down the line (good point !).

But let's be honest, you could see Oxford's class in attack and it was a great 1st goal from their "highly rated" winger.
And the 2nd came when they hit us on the break. (looked offside to me !)
Add to that a shocking ref who didn't award a pen and gave us near zilch.

So all in all, yes there are 1 or 2 things here and there to look at.
(Will give my player thoughts in a bit.)

But for me, I remain confident for Tuesday.

No doubt in my mind we can win gain promotion.
If we didn't already know by now....
KEEP THE FAITH

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Normal cack whenever I go. Pearson at fault for first, Clay the second and multiple culprits for the third. I'd have had Mackreth as the worst till Hannah came on. Arnold and Pittman looked disinterested, Neilson probably MoM for his cameo.

Disagree.....we have been unable to deliver a set piece all season...today we tried a few short one's which didnt work either....this is training ground stuff that should have been identified and sorted by now, as bad as that corner was we still had them in the corner taking a throw in...Pitman IMO failed to a simple job of marking at that throw in giving them an easy out...yes Pearson could have maybe challenged earlier but that phase of play started at that throw in.

The lop sided, unbalanced and new formation didnt help at all either throughout the first half, its a shame Tondeur hasnt got the nuts to ask the questions as to why Hurst went with such a changed line up when we were on such a winning run.

80sglory--
Sorry to disagree with you but it was as bad as the scoreline suggests.
Several posters have summed it up spot on, read Maringer, ginnywings and oldun's posts.
That's the game I saw, not the one you have commented on.
I can honestly say I was not impressed with anything I saw today.
A very bad day at the office, best forgotten quickly.
Sorry.

UTM

Better team on the day won. It did show where we are lacking but hopefully we will learn from it. Very disappointed with the Ref for showing LJL a yellow for simulation when from where we was sat it was one of the clearest penalties this season. But hey ho, some you get some you don't, roll on Tuesday.
UTMM

Oxford were at their when we had a corner,Ilost count of the number of times they counterattacked from our corners.

Quoted from mariner tommy

80sglory--
Sorry to disagree with you but it was as bad as the scoreline suggests.

Sorry to disagree but I disagree.

Quoted from mariner tommy

Several posters have summed it up spot on, read Maringer, ginnywings and oldun's posts.

I will when I get round to it....
Only had a very quick glance at people's comments so far.
But from the very little I saw, Big Chris has it right about fine lines or whatever.

The problem for me was that we thought we were a match for them and had the wrong mindset. Had we been playing a side where we were considered big underdogs, a Sheff Utd say, we would have approached it differently and closed them down more and generally battled more. Hoisted by our own petard.

Quoted from ginnywings

The problem for me was that we thought we were a match for them and had the wrong mindset. Had we been playing a side where we were considered big underdogs, a Sheff Utd say, we would have approached it differently and closed them down more and generally battled more. Hoisted by our own petard.

Spot on for me that, absolutely agree.

I don't know about thinking we were too good. Looked more of a case of a lot of the players not really being properly up for the game to me.

Just have to chalk it down to 'one of those days' I think.

One thing I will say is that a lot of our players seriously need to do something about their footwear. Too many of them were slipping and sliding around all game (something we often see) and I wonder if this was down to moulded boots or just studs that were too short?

Quoted from Maringer

I don't know about thinking we were too good. Looked more of a case of a lot of the players not really being properly up for the game to me.

Just have to chalk it down to 'one of those days' I think.

One thing I will say is that a lot of our players seriously need to do something about their footwear. Too many of them were slipping and sliding around all game (something we often see) and I wonder if this was down to moulded boots or just studs that were too short?

Not too good but on a par with. Think that was the general consensus among the fans and looked like the players thought the same but they were just too quick in thought and deed.

Appleton saying they would play fringe players probably got our lot thinking " we'll show 'em". Hurst out thought imo.