Sat 2nd & Mon 4th September Fixtures

[Gassy]

Thought Lincoln were really poor, surprisingly poor as I had quite high expectations of them. We were our usual selves, pass pass pass no conviction or willingness to shoot. Deserved our draw but we’re just so boring to watch.

Anyone who wants at least a a point needs to just sit back and let us play with the ball.

 

[LancashireTrotters]

Fully deserved 3 points. In control from start to finish, which was further cemented when Derby went down to 10 men.

Their goal completely out of the blue, but we worked hard to get straight back in it.

Only downside was that we didn’t get a couple more goals, but a win is a win.

 

[valefan16]

We haven’t clicked yet. Our offensive play needs some tinkering to really threaten consistently and we don’t get enough shots off given the dangerous positions the side takes up. I’m also not convinced the formation the side plays right now will be the one to finish the season. So there’s still improvement to be made.

From the standpoint of possession, the midfield battle was largely non-existent, particularly first half. I thought Marcus McGuane and Cam Brannagan were unthreatened throughout.

Vale were solid-ish defensively and played as you might expect for an away performance. But let’s be honest, they didn’t threaten in the slightest until the sending off (which apparently was for a stamp rather than an elbow which seems odd!). I do agree if he has reacted it’s incredibly daft. Why he hasn’t just walked off I have no idea.

I’m in Ireland this week so had to watch on iFollow. The free kick for the goal I’ve not seen back but it felt like an odd decision at the time. I think OUFC have a right to feel aggrieved on that which has turned the game on it’s head.

Subsequent to the goal, the game management was frankly atrocious. No other word than ‘bonkers’ can describe the outcome.

Our lack of goals may be a concern all be it the midfield is contributing, that said Loft should help us massively as we need a focal point in this system.

Regardless today was a game where both sides are miles away from where they were at when we last met in April.

 

[shoddycollins]

He ran them ragged today but against tiring legs. But will he do that from the start against fresh players?

I’d start JJ and Maguire, then bring Ablade and Garner on later when hopefully the opponents are shattered.

Keep plange in the starting line up? Thought he did well today and was unlucky not to score

 

[BRFC_Gas]

Thought Lincoln were really poor, surprisingly poor as I had quite high expectations of them. We were our usual selves, pass pass pass no conviction or willingness to shoot. Deserved our draw but we’re just so boring to watch.

Anyone who wants at least a a point needs to just sit back and let us play with the ball.

Totally agree. No cutting edge, again. Getting silly now. I know we lost out on JCH who you would expect to change that but Joey has to change something with this team now.

 

[hellogregory]

Keep plange in the starting line up? Thought he did well today and was unlucky not to score

Na not for me. The ball doesn’t stick. When Plange plays you’re asking Maguire to be the one playing with his back to goal, winning headers etc which he can do but I think he’d be better playing off Kayode.

It was a good effort from Plange but as a team we don’t look a threat with him on the pitch. Our attacks stop so often when he gets involved either from his lack of physical strength, his poor passing or his lacklustre ball control. If anything he should be a player we bring on to see the game out when we don’t need a goal but need someone to work hard.

I don’t think todays result should all of a sudden mean all is rosey and we don’t need to change our forward line. It’s still just 4 goals scored in 7 games this season.

 

[Trapdoor]

Good that we can continue to win without having any strikers on the pitch. Our midfield and defence looks superb this season.

 

[EricSabin]

Pretty much the same as our game with them. Spoiler of a team like many ive seen so far (and still failed to beat )

Yeah Brady mentioned post match that we gave them the chance to do what they did to you

 

[Tallow]

Na not for me. The ball doesn’t stick. When Plange plays you’re asking Maguire to be the one playing with his back to goal, winning headers etc which he can do but I think he’d be better playing off Kayode.

It was a good effort from Plange but as a team we don’t look a threat with him on the pitch. Our attacks stop so often when he gets involved either from his lack of physical strength, his poor passing or his lacklustre ball control. If anything he should be a player we bring on to see the game out when we don’t need a goal but need someone to work hard.

I don’t think todays result should all of a sudden mean all is rosey and we don’t need to change our forward line. It’s still just 4 goals scored in 7 games this season.

Plange played well today.He was energetic, creative and most importantly a team player.
Our defence today was excellent, both Lavelle and Back had their best games for us.
3 points, clean sheet, climb the table.
Nowt to moan about today in my opinion.

 

[BRFC_Gas]

Yeah Brady mentioned post match that we gave them the chance to do what they did to you

They aren't the only ones, Cambridge and Lincoln were similar although we snatched a point today. This league is worse this season from what ive seen live and on highlights

 

[Si Robin]

For the life of me I can't work out how we've not scored today. The Barnsley keeper was outstanding, and as CTFCfan99 says, the first 45 mins we were actually quite dominant.

We weren't as good second half, but we were still the better team.

Their first goal came from our corner, and the second was when we were chasing the game. If we didn't have bad luck, we'd have no luck at all!!

Unlike last week though, there's plenty from today to give me hope going forward.

 

[hellogregory]

Plange played well today.He was energetic, creative and most importantly a team player.
Our defence today was excellent, both Lavelle and Back had their best games for us.
3 points, clean sheet, climb the table.
Nowt to moan about today in my opinion.

No one is moaning, I’m just saying I wouldn’t start Plange next weekend.

 

[Gassy]

They aren't the only ones, Cambridge and Lincoln were similar although we snatched a point today. This league is worse this season from what ive seen live and on highlights

Cambridge were actually a good team though I thought. Much like Wycombe of a few years ago when they went up, not pretty football but they were clearly good.

Agree on the standard so far

 

[BRFC_Gas]

Cambridge were actually a good team though I thought. Much like Wycombe of a few years ago when they went up, not pretty football but they were clearly good.

Agree on the standard so far

Cambridge were the best of the three and well drilled, but I marked them down as they were defensive at home against a struggling side

 

[thewwfc]

I just arrived in Japan on holiday yesterday and was too jetlagged to watch on iFollow (first world problems) but apparently we were dire.

Turning into an odd team, we seem to be offering a weird choice of:

(home) playing more patient passing football that doesn’t really go anywhere or create many clear chances, vs…:

an away side that sets up to be compact and spoiling (amazingly even more so than under Ainsworth, hard to believe it but we’re getting there) - but purely counterattacking and playing for the set pieces.

We’re not doing terribly, it’s important to be able to grind out wins and any successful team needs to do that, but the away game grindball style is not great.

 

[valefan16]

Big impact from Alfie Devine today, balls of steel to take a penalty when he’s a young lad who’s just arrived on loan, also came on a set up the equaliser and his stats were superb when he came on.

Not a bad option to have one of the countries big youth hopes to throw on!

Pleasing win today aside from the obvious win at a bogey ground against league leaders in that we are finding different ways to get results under AC.

Won with plenty of possession last week, came from behind to find a way against Charlton and had to defend and be organised and take our chances today.

Do feel we are more streetwise now and adaptable under Crosby than maybe we were under DC.

Still bonkers we have lost 1 drew 1 won 4 and yet have a -3 goal difference!

Pizza Cup and a couple of weeks off, shame Burton is off as a good chance to continue the momentum so maybe a bad time for that to happen but a remarkable first month of the season for us from the bonkers defeat to 7 unbeaten.

 

[HutchECFC]

Not many people would have had that top 4 after the first month of football.

 

[codaplenty]

Well you've got to look on bright side, for 20 odd minutes we were leading Charlton, and then reverted to form
Almost every game, we lapse into dreadful defensive errors allowing teams to seize back the initiative and go on to win games. It is all very well for management to criticise individual players but at the end of the day the buck stops with them !!!

 

[Trapdoor]

Not many people would have had that top 4 after the first month of football.

I seem to recall many people saying we are going to finish bottom. Still might happen mind, but I have no idea how.

 

[Pompeyblueboy]

Its early days mate

 

[valefan16]

Not many people would have had that top 4 after the first month of football.

Early days, over 25% of the way to safety after six games that’s the Vale fan in me looking at it.

League certainly looks more “there for the taking” than last year though and may open the doors to more sides to challenge at the top end. Reading and Blackpool don’t look too much coming down and Derby seem inconsistent.

I don’t expect you’ll have the gulf that we’ve seen from the top 6 or 7 this season.

 

[K-Win]

This league looks wide open this season. Good win for us, although first 30 minutes we looked second best.

Peterborough seemed strangely weak against simple balls into the 6 yard box. Second half we really came into our own and probably played our best football of the season. Promising stuff from Saydee, Swanson, Kamara and Poole. Came away thinking we may actually be contenders this year.

Only blip was another stupid red card for Morrell. He is possibly the dumbest footballer I've ever seen.

 

[The Evil Dead]

I’m sure I saw Vale fans on Twitter etc calling for the manager’s head after opening day. They’re flying now. Crazy game.

Only idiots who probably go to 4 games a season.

I seem to recall many people saying we are going to finish bottom. Still might happen mind, but I have no idea how.

I think you'll find most had us bottom.

 

[91SPP]

Early days, over 25% of the way to safety after six games that’s the Vale fan in me looking at it.

League certainly looks more “there for the taking” than last year though and may open the doors to more sides to challenge at the top end. Reading and Blackpool don’t look too much coming down and Derby seem inconsistent.

I don’t expect you’ll have the gulf that we’ve seen from the top 6 or 7 this season.

Hopefully we will be better when Warne is replaced, but we’re are a mess under him. This will be worst Derby side in history - which is quite something considering we’re a club that had 11 points throughout an entire season.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Early days, over 25% of the way to safety after six games that’s the Vale fan in me looking at it.

League certainly looks more “there for the taking” than last year though and may open the doors to more sides to challenge at the top end. Reading and Blackpool don’t look too much coming down and Derby seem inconsistent.

I don’t expect you’ll have the gulf that we’ve seen from the top 6 or 7 this season.

There's no way that we will stay anywhere near there, just looking at the squads that the likes of Derby and Bolton have its only a matter of time before they pass us.
I'm just enjoying it while it lasts and like said above the first priority is getting enough points not to be relegated which is always an achievement for little old us

 

[denzel ecfc]

I seem to recall many people saying we are going to finish bottom. Still might happen mind, but I have no idea how.

Remember when we were bottom in November under Tisdale and ended up in the playoffs? I suppose it could happen in reverse but its looking unlikely at the moment

 

[denzel ecfc]

Though having said all of that I have just looked at how the table was after 6 games last year - Pompey, Ipswich, Wednesday, Argyle, Derby and Posh.

5 of the eventual top six (Barnsley were 14th) and all three promoted sides. So maybe there is something in it after all...

 

[Carver]

Shambolic performance once again away from home. It’s a bit worrying how terrible we are away from home now. Taylor needs to start giving out a few bollockings in that dressing room now.

Sidenote:- The Carlisle commentators are the worst I’ve ever heard, pair of condescending, biased twats.

I thought that a 'bigger ambitious club' like Shrewsbury would have their own commentary available and would bring more than just 300 hundred away fans to a L1 match.

 

[AmberRich]

Big impact from Alfie Devine today, balls of steel to take a penalty when he’s a young lad who’s just arrived on loan, also came on a set up the equaliser and his stats were superb when he came on.

Honestly not sure how you got Devine, he'll be a cheat code at this level. Could be a bit like when we had Wessi in League 2.

 

[AmberRich]

Only idiots who probably go to 4 games a season.



I think you'll find most had us bottom.

This is from August 2nd so still a few predictions after that.

There has been 30 predictions on here, the clubs with most predictions to be relegated so far are:

Cheltenham with 22
Carlisle with 18
Cambridge with 16
Northampton with 13
Exeter with 10
Stevenage with 9
Burton and Fleetwood with 6
Port Vale and Reading with 5
Shrewsbury with 4
Orient and Wigan with 2
Bristol Rovers and Wycombe with 1

Seems to be basically the same predictions every year to be fair.

Early days, but Exeter and Stevenage seem to be the two teams that are doing dramatically better than expectations.

Orient seem to be doing the opposite and struggling more than people thought, but against us last week they seemed more than capable.