Oxford City v Torquay United 14/08/18

[Hammdog2601]

I’d even take Ross Hannah at this rate, Unlikely he’d come to us. Either way I want Reid gone. He’s had long enough and sadly it’s not worked.

[Nathan Strong]

Like seriously is it not concerning that Gary has so much faith in reid, he's a pro manager been playing the game his whole life and can not see that reid adds absolutely nothing to the game, constantly losing possession, not knowing what to do, can not see anybody's runs, what does he bring to the team that is blindly going over my head ?

[tomogull]

I can see that Hall can probably step in at the back, however I would have seen this as an opportunity to go 4-3-3 with Williams, Keating and Wright at the front or 4-4-2.

I agree, Bristol G. Owers obsession with playing 3 - 5 - 2 (actually, it's 5 - 3 - 2 most of the time because we haven't got full backs who can get up the wing and put across decent crosses) was our downfall last season and I don't think it will get us out of the NLS. It will result in low scoring games where we either win by one goal, or lose by one goal. To give Owers credit, I think that he has put together a decent enough squad at this level, thanks to a generous budget and the club remaining full-time, but I would prefer to see a more attacking formation - 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 as Bristol suggests. However, we are not going to win every game and perhaps this match is a a reality check on how we think we're going to do this season.

Don't blame the forwards and don't make Jamie Reid a scapegoat. If chances are not being created, the forwards are not going to score.

[Southampton Gull]

Absolutely atrocious performance

When will Owers learn that Williams isn't a target man so there is absolutely no point at all in lumping the ball upfield and expecting him to touch it let alone retain possession. His tactics and selection still baffle me. I see literally no improvement over what I saw last season and yet we're in a division below.

Niate was lucky to stay on the field after getting right in the referees face following a desperate lunge by him that would have left the Oxford player free as a bird if contact hadn't been made. It happened 10 feet in front of me and I personally thought it was a foul against us but to save his embarrassment Niate made a meal of the challenge and then decided to take his frustration out on the refereee who I thought was refreshingly good.

If anyone thinks we're promotion material based on performances so far they're deluding themselves. Lucky for us there's still a long way to go and time to get the right kind of target man in. If we don't I foresee a season of frustration watching Brett Williams skulk around the pitch because he isn't getting the service.

Game AND performance to forget!!

[MellowYellow]

Whilst festering on the journey back I come to the conclusion that once again Mr Ower's is exposing himself as a 'one trick pony'. Identical to last season he seems to be using the 3-5-2 formation as some form of 'Blueprint' for success (we are not Man City - Mr Ower's). Please start using specific game by game formations that play to our squads strengths and expose the oppositions weaknesses. Correct me if I am wrong, but under the 3-5-2 formation the two strikers are looking to receive through balls by making runs behind the opposition’s back line. Now how is that going to be possible if we play 'hoof-ball 'with the ball twelve feet in the air for the first 45 minutes. The second half there was a tactical change which I thought initially to be 4-3-3 but the set-up was so narrow I took it to be a 4-2-3-1. Either way, it did make a slight improvement and put Oxford on the back foot for the first time in the game, but alas all to little to late. My main gripe is why are we showing so much respect for some of these teams. We ought to start off with attacking formation such as 4-3-3 as the means of taking points, and plenty of them, particularly against the more modest opponents: Hungerford, Chippenham, Weston and Gloucester City. I did include Oxford in this group but sadly that's one six- pointer gone by the wayside.

Yes you can say National South is full of physical, high-tempo football and you do not adjust to it overnight, but on the other hand you can also say that Mr Owers told us he's "got what it takes' if he has his own squad of players. Well he's got them and full time too. A far cry from poor old low-budget, part-timers, Eastbourne Borough who only weeks prior to the opening season were having emergency meetings on how to even make a squad with a solid message "that It is not negative thinking, on Borough’s part, to look to maintain National South status as a minimum target." So survival is the name of the game - look away now if of a nervous disposition - Eastbourne sit 5th in the league.

So was tonights result just a 'blot on the landscape' - I do hope so. Not long to wait to find out - Slough on Sat and a tougher test than Oxford, I fear - but these are the teams and the games we must win or else we are in for a long frustrating season - once again.

[OllieGull]

Just got back so will provide a brief-ish report.

First half was awful, we were so unbelievably disjointed, no fluidity whatsoever and players just generally all over the place. There were times when one or two players would go for an over the top ball with the intended target shouting back at them they want ball to feet. I think 3-5-2 is a good formation in general with the correct players... however clearly not for us. I was on the side where Davis was playing and although he clearly is technically a very gifted player, numerous times he would push forward, we would lose the ball, and Oxford's winger (11?) would be completely free where Davis should be and then we were immediately exposed.

Bizarrely, with this being my first game of the season I left slightly more optimistic. Owers could see it wasn't working so switched to a 4-2-3-1 for the second half with Hall coming into midfield alongside Dickson, Nabi in the hole with Reid and Bawling either side of him and Brett alone up top. There was an immediate difference as bar one Oxford counter where they should have made it 2-0, we were more or less camped in their half for 2nd half. And might I add, we actually played football for some points of this. We were unlucky not to come away with anything as Williams rifled one off the bar, followed later by Nabi curling one onto the post.

To summarise, we really have to start with a similar formation on Saturday, 3 at the back just isn't cutting it and I don't know why Owers is so set on it. The team more or less picks itself apart from upfront as I don't think we know who our best attacking options are, Brett was lazy and didn't do much, Ruairi put himself about and had one shot that essentially went vertical, Wright wasn't on for long enough to make an impact but had some nice footwork.

-Keep the faith!

[CraigUnder]

Dreadful first half, exactly the same as the last 3 games and they did their homework knowing we sit so deep and just let teams play. At one point 3/4 of their players were lining up to take a shot at goal.. and when we finally get the ball it’s a hoof up to no one and the situation just repeats.

Second half was a little better with us hitting bar and post but where was that hunger to win the ball, spray it about from minute one? Brett might have the armband but he has done absolutely nothing so far this season, has he even had a shot on target? Keating was unlucky to be taken off as Brett could not have complained if it was him to make way.

Few last points:

- Owers has got us playing dreadful ‘football’ and if it continues the home and away crowds will drop significantly. It’s shite.

- Jamie Reid takes the piss with not even clapping the fans who pay good money to watch TQ home and away and makes a beeline for the tunnel every game when the whistle goes.

- Their keeper is a cheating, injury faking prick.

Overall, Same old, same old.

[Northampton gull]

Just got back and my evaluation is that we have a good spine of the team I was very impressed with niate and I think we looked a lot better playing 4 at the back both whynter and Davis looked more comfortable.Hall shouldn’t be used as a centre half he is so much more useful as a holding midfielder.I was very impressed with wright but you could see he still isn’t physically quite there.macdonald made some very good saves and looked good Dickson went missing as did Regis when he came on.keetings looked sharp hungry and more of a goal threat why we brought him off god only knows same with banton he was fantastic imo he showed a lot of skill and pace and when he had the ball looked like something was going to happen.nabi showed real signs of quality however I don’t think he works hard enough off the ball although you can tell he isn’t fully fit yet either and then we come to Reid I’m sorry but I don’t understand why we bother with him he does nothing and brings nothing to the team I just don’t understand and then we have Williams he was lazy as always and showed very little effort or leadership I think the captain should be either Hall or essuaman Hall was one of the most vocal players on the field.
First half ratings
Macdonald 8
Good saves but distribution wasn’t amazing but showed signs of brilliance
Whynter 6
Looked a bit of a danger going forward but was a bit slow and I think he miss placed a few passes
Cameron 7
He is a tank very good defensively but I don’t think he knows how to pass out from the back reminds me of mcginty
Hall 5
Didn’t look comfortable looked out off position and a bit lost but still vocal
Niate 9
I can’t give him any less he tried to pass out from the back won every header however needs to close down quicker sometimes gave to much room to the apponent
Davis 8
Looked solid defensively and going forward just needs to work on his crossing
Banton 8
Looked very dangerous and will be a real asset for us this season shouldn’t have been brought off
Dickson 6
Didn’t see much of him just kind of did nothing
Nabi 7
Signs of brilliance but just didn’t work hard enough looked tired
Williams 4
Sloppy didn’t work hard didn’t lead didn’t do anything good worth noting
Keetings 8
Worked so hard when he had the ball he like banton looked dangerous given more time I think he might have won it for us
Second half
Macdonald 9
Good saves distribution a bit better
Whynter 8
Looked more solid and more comfortable at right back
Niate 9
Same again near flawless
Cameron 7
Same again mcginty basically
Davis 9
Looked a lot more comfortable at left back
Dickson 6
Same again didn’t see much of him didn’t do much
Nabi 6
Obviously tired became quite sloppy with the ball
Regis 6
Didn’t do anything
Hall 8
A lot better in a natural position showed leadership drive and hard work more of a captain then Brett
Reid 5
Didn’t do anything looked sloppy just not much point never seems to be in the right position
Williams 6
Work effort slightly improved but didn’t create much apart from a good shot off the bar
Wright 8
Gave us something else held the ball up well and showed good pace he will get goals this season
Over all imo we deserved to win the game or at least get a point Oxford I think will be a mid table team they had something about them and were dangerous from the attack even if there goal was about a mile off side

[stefano]

If anyone thinks we're promotion material based on performances so far they're deluding themselves.

Absolutely dave. We hit lucky in the 2 home games. I was given a little stick on another forum (not knocking the actual forum as I think it is good) for saying so although most of the posters didn't see the 2 games. My comment of 'it was mostly awful but we won' had me accused of being delusional about what to expect in this league. How the hell can I be delusional when I know that 95% of the players in this league have got proper jobs? Whilst I would love us to go on now and win every game to clinch promotion before Easter it is not going to happen. It will continue to be 'mostly awful' and I hope that 'but we won' can be added more often than it is not. Roll on the rugby season to save me from all this (at least they play a winter game in the actual winter!)

[Southampton Gull]

From what I've seen so far we look the least professional "professional" team I've ever seen.

I don't care if we play in the SDL, I just want to see a team busting a gut to beat the opposition. Not seen it in all the time Owers has been here.

Don't worry about getting a bit of stick, at least it takes your mind off the dreadful state we're in

[SuperNickyWroe]

didn't manage to get to the game in the end.....
sounds like I didn't miss much.....

[Hammdog2601]

If we don’t bring in another striker which we won’t, Keating has to start with Wright. Williams needs to be dropped. Reid needs to be left at home.

Any news on Bass?

[midtable]

If the strikers are missing their shots then it is easy to complain but there are not numerous near misses. However, the way we are set up does not seem to provide enough through balls. At this level every defence have big, tough brutes to head the ball out, so it is pointless hoofing the ball to Williams (not even 6ft) and arguably Reid. Our fast forwards such as Reid, Keating and Wright need the ball to their feet, so they can run at the opposition using their pace and extra energy being full time professionals. This is how Woking beat Oxford City according to the Youtube highlights. so the logic would be to copy it. Maybe Mr Gary knows best and I have missed something.

[Hammdog2601]

Also what bugs me is we signed Euasman or however you say it, he’s a CB. Why do we not give him a chance and keep Asa in mid.

[Neal]

Thank God at the last minute I decided to go to the gym instead of that.

I got the feeling from previous posts that we are probably terrible and would soon find our position in this league. With Owers theres very little chance of promotion and I think that will be proved in the next few weeks.