Match Thread Coventry City at Oxford United Match Thread - Tuesday 14th Aug (17 Viewers)

[Liquid Gold]

We shouldn't be 3 games into the season without a clue who's playing and what formation we're using. Basic stuff. We conceding the first because Hyam didn't close their striker down as he didn't have a clue if Brown was covering or not giving them time to deliver the ball and then everyone in the box, including the keeper, hoped someone else would deal with it.

Robins gave the 'streetwise' thing back when we lost to Stanley in the winter and now he's bringing it out again, these are his players playing to his system and if he hasn't drilled that into them by now then it's his fault.

 

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[Londonccfcfan]

I thought Grimmer played really well.Lots of energy going forward and relentless at the back.

Grimmer is different class..league 2 right back of the year, yes he's far from perfect. But unlike Sterling he doesn't shirk a challenge, and wins a few headers.

 

[Qwerty70]

Bayliss made a couple of really good runs and passes but gave the ball away a hell of a lot, Grimmer had his worst game in a long time. Ponticelli spent his time on the pitch offside and doing little else. It's strange how people can see the game so differently. I'll give you Shipley though.

That’s the joy of football, always been a game of opinions. Respect yours Liquid

I didn’t mind Ponti being offside as he has to play tight on the centre halves shoulder as he doesn’t have great acceleration. He got it wrong a couple of times tonight but he worried the centre halves way more than anyone else because there movement was predictable.

 

[Nick]

The streetwise thing is bollocks. It's simple, they had a system and a gameplan and every player knew what their job was.

Exactly the same as Accrington.

Our players didn't have a clue, it was as if they had been told 5 minutes before.

Set pieces absolute dog shit.

 

[Speedies_Chips]

Back home and made myself a cuppa - reflections.
Bayliss & Grimmer played well and so do Ponti and Shipley off the bench.
New signings all struggled and were ineffective. To me they lack football intelligence, maybe wonderful athletes but the game at the pro level is about decision making and none did anything I couldn’t predict from my seat.
There aren’t enough goals in the squad and unless Robins can pluck an Adam Armstrong we are going to struggle because we simply won’t score enough.
I think Robins is a good coach and he may improve players on the training ground and find a system that better suits but if he doesn’t it could be a long winter .... and spring!
When you get promoted you need to hit the ground running and build some momentum and we haven’t done that. Of course its only 3 games but no goals from open play is a worry. I would like to see Ponti given a run his movement is different and Oxford found him more difficult to mark as he doesn’t just rely on pace and power (something football is becoming obsessed with).
Enjoyed watching Bayliss, if he improves as he should he will be off soon.
Saturday is already a big game, we need a win and if we don’t do the business against Plymouth then you are looking at Gillingham
away and that’s a very tricky place to go to and get 3 points.
PUSB

Grimmer played well? What game were you watching? He was dreadful.

 

[cc84cov]

Mark Robins talked about “momentum” for this upcoming season how was he hoping to keep that when he’s changed so much within the squad,starting 11 & formation ? I get we stepped up a level although I don’t think there is a massive gap between league 1 & 2 i can’t get my head round how far behind we seem.All he needed to do was add a little quality left & right back another midfielder to help with Doyle’s age etc and replace McNulty he seems to have lost the plot scrapped last seasons system and gone out and gambled on un-proven players playing forwards as wingers...tactically very poor decision making.

 

[GaryMabbuttsLeftKnee]

Bayliss made a couple of really good runs and passes but gave the ball away a hell of a lot, Grimmer had his worst game in a long time. Ponticelli spent his time on the pitch offside and doing little else. It's strange how people can see the game so differently. I'll give you Shipley though.

Agree with this; I thought Grimmer was pretty awful to be honest. Bayliss was highs (that run) and lows (way too many misplaced passes). Thought Shipley made a claim for a start on Saturday with his cameo


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[fatso]

Time to go back to basics. 442 for Saturday.
One of the central midfielders has to push forward, and let's use wide players on the wings not strikers. Ponticelli should partner Biamou upfront. Sterling should be rested.

 

[Nick]

I thought Grimmer played really well.Lots of energy going forward and relentless at the back.

Headless chicken, kept getting the ball and trying to run on the outside. Gave it away too much and was obvious what he was going to do.

 

[Londonccfcfan]

I think that is about the best we can do at the moment really.

What has Hiwula done to justify starting ahead of JP or JCH. He's gonna be lacking confidence now.

So far..yes very early days....But only Brown and Ogogu look like the only half decent signings this year.

Thank God Andreu is back fit.

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

I'd rather have Dion Kelly Evans back. Sterling was very very poor again. This time tried in more advanced right side midfield. Again offered or did nothing

Should be nowhere near first team squad.

Surely there has to be something about this lad that no one's seen so far for us? I mean he's in the same under 19 team as Bayliss.

Men's football at a physical lower league level in front of passionate crowds is a world away from the cossetted Premier League youth football. It's a big step up and not one that every player can make instantly like, say, Defoe as a youngster when on loan to Bournemouth. Sterling might not even make it as a player-as I said the other day, Jordan Clarke and Lee Sawyer had England youth caps.

 

[Nick]

What makes it worse is that Sterling is going to be getting more every week than all of our other players.

Then you go and watch that performance tonight and think how? If I had somebody rock up at my work and get paid potentially 5 or 6 times what I did and couldn't do the basics it wouldn't go down too well.

 

[Liquid Gold]

What has Hiwula done to justify starting ahead of JP or JCH. He's gonna be lacking confidence now.

So far..yes very early days....But only Brown and Ogogu look like the only half decent signings this year.

Thank God Andreu is back fit.

Ogogo was dreadful today I thought, first touch way off and passing non existent. I hoped he'd be Doyle's natural successor but didn't see any of the leadership or getting at the ref I'd want from a captain.

4231 looks good as
Jones - Andreu - Allissani
--------Hiwula
but then you have about 20 strikers recently signed not in the team. I just cannot fathom what our recruitment policy has been. If we sign Chaplin is he just going to be another player Robins chucks on and says 'you're part of a vague front four, try and get a goal' because that's what it appears is happening now

 

[Sbarcher]

We debated it last season and so far nothing has changed. Our throw ins are pathetic, always a tap back to the thrower who is always closed down or watches it go back out of play. Do we ever practice in training? It should always be our advantage but seldom is.

 

[cc84cov]

Time to go back to basics. 442 for Saturday.
One of the central midfielders has to push forward, and let's use wide players on the wings not strikers. Ponticelli should partner Biamou upfront. Sterling should be rested.

Problem I feel he has with going to 4-4-2 is Andreu and fitting him into the team,Robins loves the 3-5-2 but he needs to players capable of playing that system we don’t have them.

 

[Nick]

Ogogo was dreadful today I thought, first touch way off and passing non existent. I hoped he'd be Doyle's natural successor but didn't see any of the leadership or getting at the ref I'd want from a captain.

4231 looks good as
Jones - Andreu - Allissani
--------Hiwula
but then you have about 20 strikers recently signed not in the team. I just cannot fathom what our recruitment policy has been. If we sign Chaplin is he just going to be another player Robins chucks on and says 'you're part of a vague front four, try and get a goal' because that's what it appears is happening now

Yep, I thought Ogogo was thrown under the bus a little bit though with no support at all.

Agree about Chaplin, people are going to bang on about strikers but we need a system and gameplan before we sign anybody. It's as if Robins is just hoping one will come good like McNulty did and carry the team.

Only had to watch Oxford to see how well drilled they seemed, whipping crosses in, looking up and going direct and mixing it up. Outdid us in every way.

 

[Londonccfcfan]

Ogogo was dreadful today I thought, first touch way off and passing non existent. I hoped he'd be Doyle's natural successor but didn't see any of the leadership or getting at the ref I'd want from a captain.

4231 looks good as
Jones - Andreu - Allissani
--------Hiwula
but then you have about 20 strikers recently signed not in the team. I just cannot fathom what our recruitment policy has been. If we sign Chaplin is he just going to be another player Robins chucks on and says 'you're part of a vague front four, try and get a goal' because that's what it appears is happening now

Ogogu looked knackered. He is proven quality. Yes he tired as Bayliss was all over the shop literally.

He was picking up the pieces from everywhere I think.

You could put Patrick Viera in the holding role in our midfield with Sterling/Bayliss and Hiwula. And he wouldn't look any better.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Yep, I thought Ogogo was thrown under the bus a little bit though with no support at all.

Agree about Chaplin, people are going to bang on about strikers but we need a system and gameplan before we sign anybody. It's as if Robins is just hoping one will come good like McNulty did and carry the team.

Only had to watch Oxford to see how well drilled they seemed, whipping crosses in, looking up and going direct and mixing it up. Outdid us in every way.

Even a bad plan is better than no plan at all. Ask MR what the game plan is and see what he says...

 

[wingy]

oops sorry about that - having problems with Virgin connectivity

Same here
For a bloody month now
Then the telly started doing the same tonight! !

 

[Liquid Gold]

Yep, I thought Ogogo was thrown under the bus a little bit though with no support at all.

Agree about Chaplin, people are going to bang on about strikers but we need a system and gameplan before we sign anybody. It's as if Robins is just hoping one will come good like McNulty did and carry the team.

Only had to watch Oxford to see how well drilled they seemed, whipping crosses in, looking up and going direct and mixing it up. Outdid us in every way.

Ogogu looked knackered. He is proven quality. Yes he tired as Bayliss was all over the shop literally.

He was picking up the pieces from everywhere I think.

You could put Patrick Viera in the holding role in our midfield with Sterling/Bayliss and Hiwula. And he wouldn't look any better.

Maybe I'm being a bit unfair on him but the ref was very inconsistent today and Doyle would have been in his ear all game and some decisions would start to come our way. I was hoping Ogogo would play that role but I don't think I saw him talk to the ref at all.

 

[skyblue025]

Having decided at 5pm to go and now just got back, we were abysmal bar the last 10 minutes. Grimmer and Brown both at fault for either of the goals. Sterling was non existent, Baylis and Ogogo huffed and puffed without much success, Bakayoko and Hiwula offered nothing, Biamou had the touch of a rapist tonight. Ponti and Shipley did improve things slightly. Tactics were poor, even the SBA were quiet for most of the game. Overall we were dog toffee.

Also my son turned up with no dollar so I had to pay for him. The burgers were enormous and proved to be the best thing of the night. PUSB, could be a long season on that performance.

 

[Nick]

Yeah the ref was shite.

 

[Johhny Blue]

oops sorry about that - having problems with Virgin connectivity

Don't we all

 

[Johhny Blue]

I don’t get it at all, he’s making it sound as if playing strikers wide is the only option available to us

We' got Stein on the wing and not much in the middle.....................................

 

[oucho]

Hope we avoid Racing Club Warwick in the Senior Cup, then.

Yeah, also Salisbury City, Shrewsbury, Exeter, Chester, York, Carlisle and Gloucester City....

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

Ogogo was dreadful today I thought, first touch way off and passing non existent. I hoped he'd be Doyle's natural successor but didn't see any of the leadership or getting at the ref I'd want from a captain.

4231 looks good as
Jones - Andreu - Allissani
--------Hiwula
but then you have about 20 strikers recently signed not in the team. I just cannot fathom what our recruitment policy has been. If we sign Chaplin is he just going to be another player Robins chucks on and says 'you're part of a vague front four, try and get a goal' because that's what it appears is happening now

This is what I've tried to say all along. The recruitment started off well, but then we sold McNulty and after a spell of doing nothing it looked like we just panicked.

We've got too many players for the same positions, so much so that we can only really play one striker and have our best midfield, otherwise you look at dropping players like Andreu.

I was concerned about the season and I still am.

 

[coop]

First game Saturday due to holiday and I must say I'm not looking forward to it after reading people's thoughts on here.Why has MR ripped up what we had last year ie team,formation and team togetherness.On Chaplin he played 24 minutes in a reserve team last night so is he the answer. What do they do in training all week?

 

[coop]

What is he on about we have plenty of time and we are creating lots of chances must be watching a different game to everyone on here.

 

[Covskyblue]

Time to go back to basics. 442 for Saturday.
One of the central midfielders has to push forward, and let's use wide players on the wings not strikers. Ponticelli should partner Biamou upfront. Sterling should be rested.

What would your team be ?

 

[Nick]

I thought when I caught a bit of his interview he was watching a different game, he must have been to miss the glaringly obvious issues that were there within 2 minutes of kickoff.

 

[Esoterica]

Anything official on where Kelly was last night? Robins said he played last Monday's game, had a tendonitis flare up in his achilles so missed Tuesday training but was back for the final 2 training sessions last week and commented how naturally fit he is. Thought he was a shoe in to play last night having been an unused sub on Saturday. Bit worrying as it was heel that kept him out for that extended spell last season.

 

[thekidfromstrettoncamp]

Problem I feel he has with going to 4-4-2 is Andreu and fitting him into the team,Robins loves the 3-5-2 but he needs to players capable of playing that system we don’t have them.

He is the one who brought the team together if he has not got the players who's fault is it? We should have just been adding 1 or 2 BETTER players not bringing in all the 1's he did .The Mac situation has not been addressed we may have umpteen strikers but enough quality there no.

 

[skybluesam66]

i swear at the start of the interview last night he said we have 2 weeks to get it right
not sure what the 2 weeks are for - was he referring to the transfer deadline, or does he not realise we are playing on saturday
Geoff didnt challenge him on it
was a strange thing to say

 

[Nick]

i swear at the start of the interview last night he said we have 2 weeks to get it right
not sure what the 2 weeks are for - was he referring to the transfer deadline, or does he not realise we are playing on saturday
Geoff didnt challenge him on it
was a strange thing to say

I caught that bit as well. He was talking as if we had a break for a while or something.

The whole interview was a bit weird.

 

[Nick]

Anything official on where Kelly was last night? Robins said he played last Monday's game, had a tendonitis flare up in his achilles so missed Tuesday training but was back for the final 2 training sessions last week and commented how naturally fit he is. Thought he was a shoe in to play last night having been an unused sub on Saturday. Bit worrying as it was heel that kept him out for that extended spell last season.

I don't think it was mentioned.

If Doyle or Ogogo get injured we are in a bit of a pickle.

Im sure he could put Sterling there though.