Oxford United ( Away )

Lets face it, Doyle would have missed anyway.

 

That's the next question. What will our budget be for next season? Can't imagine we have any flexibility other than using the dross still contracted to us. *shudders*

 

What a complete shambles that was. Two dreadful sides destined for league 2 who could barely string a pass together. No idea where 24 shots have come from for oxford on the stats but they deserved to win. And on the goal, well it should've been a corner not a pen and the keeper took his goal kick with players in the box which is illegal. Two officials stood right there and they couldn't notice a basic rule of the game. Shambles.

 

Cancelling our agreement with Huddersfield re Payne could save us 100k

 

The Walsall away game was the last straw for me, spent way too much money this season watching dross. Even then i thought about going today but i'm so glad we didn't. I love this club but not at the moment, there's too many things wrong from the top down. Worst thing is i don't think we have bottomed out yet, i think we are in for a struggle again next season. I've no enthusiasm left as it stands.

 

I’d do it if possible

 

Dear Lord. Bowyer/Steer pleased with the performance. Fight and spirit. Solidarity or somesuch word. Not giving away silly goals. Use this setback as a positive.

He also said he didn't think we had enough shots.

 

Exactly. Probably a rolling ball too. Repercussions for ref but nothing will change

 

That was quite possibly one of the worst performances I've ever seen, from any side. It was literally that bad.

I was baffled by the lineup, and it took all of 10 minutes to realise, that yes, this isn't going to work. Clarke and Butterfield as wingers. Not drifting inside like you'd expect, they were actually on the wings, and in Butterfield's case he was completely ignored as our one tactic all first half was to lump it down the right via Caddis' boot towards Ball. But we couldn't win any seconds because in Akpan and Anderson we had two centre mids who wouldn't push on. Neither did they do much holding or defending either, but that's a separate point.

The couple of times Butterfield did get involved centrally led to our better moments but little to note in reality.

Chicksen and Anderson were in a competition it seemed to win a 'worst player' on the pitch award. The latter looked like someone pulled out of the crowd, who'd never played any kind of sport, who had no energy, or brain. Struggling to recall a worse display.

I assumed (stupidly) that we'd move Butterfield (a central, attacking midfielder) inside, take Anderson off and put Miller or Payne on, play them wide. I was wrong to assume, and the second half was going the same way as the first. Miller did arrive and was an improvement on Ball. But we were still garbage and still refusing to try and play football. Caddis, Chicksen, the entire back four preferred to fire long balls into channels.

A double change came, and I couldn't disagree with it, we needed to change something and I fully expected (stupidly) to finally see the back of Anderson.

But no. Butterfield was hooked, as was Clarke. So O'Brien and Payne (like Clarke and Butterfield before them) got the opportunity to be completely bypassed out wide. We then became even worse, as O'Brien didn't cover Chicksen and our deep holding players retreated even further. How Oxford didn't score at least one in that last 10 mins of normal I'll never know.

Then, we break well, Miller and Doyle link superbly and it's a decent looking low pass to O'Brien at the far post who only has to tap it home. He doesn't. It's wide. Oxford take a quick goal kick, and I swear I saw the goal coming a mile off. Our efforts to defend that attack were appalling, white flag was raised. Great finish by Mackie in fairness.

The officials then gave us some bizarre hope by signalling for a penalty. Can only assume O'Brien was fouled? I didn't see it like that myself, but happy days. No. No happy days at all. Ref changed his mind again. Despite the decision going against us, I enjoyed that last six or seven mins of nonsense more than the other 90+.

In essence, we were a shambles and looked like the worst side in the division. Deserved to lose.



The worst part? I know he's got no proper wide players, I know he's new to the job and so on. But the worst part is that I've left that match disappointed with Bowyer, as well as the team. I can't believe he left Anderson on. I believe he wasted Butterfield today. Conditions were irrelevant because Oxford with an extra centre mid were able to play through midfield. So we could have also. But no, two holding players, and launching it all afternoon.

Also, pissed off at our lack of urgency. Keeper was wasting time all afternoon. It looked like we'd come for a point, or to defend and maybe nick summat. Against Oxford. When we're second bottom. And it's only because of Oxford's horrific shooting that we nearly pulled it off.

Feel sorry for the fans who travelled and backed the team in shocking conditions having to watch that attempt at football.


O'Donnell - 6
Caddis - 5
NKP - 4
O'Connor - 5
Chicksen - 5
Akpan - 5
Anderson - 1
Clarke - 5
Butterfield - 5
Ball - 5
Doyle - 6

I'm being kind.



I'm getting drunk.

 

You won't hear me taking Stefan side, I have openly posted he should have had his finger on the pulse and been more hands on, yes it's a football club but it's still a business, he must have had full confidence in Rahic to allow him to carry on the way he did, although we now know Rahic was a charlatan/con-man.
He wont be the first joint owner to put most of the money into our club, the Rhodes family can be questioned at why they let Geoffrey Richmond to get away with them being the major financial backers, should they have been more aware of what was going on at the time ?.

 

So would I.

We’re done. Damage limitation now.

 

He’s as big of a Twit as edin

 

Agree lads if Bowyer isn't going to start him there's no point in keeping the lad, as you say @Fools Gold would Huddersfield be happy, let's not upset another football club, Julian is trying to build bridges with the ones Rahic upset during his tenure at the club.

 

Think you will have to wait for @Dmitry to put up the full game as it is so drawn out. The question should be did the lino signal before they restarted the game with the goal kick. If not then it is far too late

 

Financial damage limitation

 

It’s bonkers and he’s reaping what he sows at the moment. He’s set to lose a lot of money whatever he does.

 

After that performance I could do with a drink

 

It was weird @Storck, Pulse said O'Brien should have put his chance away it was that easy, Bowyer just said to Jason Thornton O'Brien didn't get to the ball their defender did, so it should have been a corner.
Instead Oxford take a quick dead ball kick (apparently with players in the penalty area) Oxford forwards break and score.
The referee then has a word with the linesman and points to the penalty spot. Doyle gets the ball to take the penalty and the referee then decides to go to the other linesman have a word then over rules the decision for a penalty and allows Oxfords goal.

 

Bradford City Vs Solihull Moors in a league game next season, a new low.