Torquay United vs Oxford Utd 17/08/13
Posted: 16 Aug 2013, 18:13
Always tough to know just how worried about an opponent we should be this early in the season. Some clubs look good on paper and fall on their arse and some are the opposite and some simply fulfil their paper-based billing.
On the face of it, Oxford have made a good start, but I'm watching it again now, and their 4-1 over Pompey isn't really as impressive as it sounds (judging from the highlights). Potter played a blinder (he's a nice enough player, but he looked Premier League class here, he'll never do that again), Pompey had a man sent off at 2-1 and the defending for all four goals is absolutely dreadful. Plenty of bodies at the back for Portsmouth, but none of them actually doing anything. If you've still got the FLS from the first week, have another look and see what I mean.
The story of the second game is largely the same. One really good free kick gives them the lead, a man goes off and then some more poor defending from a set piece gives Oxford another three points.
I know goals are goals and what not, but it doesn't look like Swindon of a couple of years ago, where their whole squad was head and shoulders above everyone else and they were scoring goals which no team this side of the Championship would have prevented.
A good performance at the back, some disciplined performances and a control of the midfield (which was the difference between first and second half at Morecambe) and OUFC and just as beatable as any other side down here this year.
That said, we have to accept our lot and the difference between the haves and have nots and reckon that a score draw would represent a good day's work on our part.
I don't think this will be the case for too many matches this year.
Matt.
On the face of it, Oxford have made a good start, but I'm watching it again now, and their 4-1 over Pompey isn't really as impressive as it sounds (judging from the highlights). Potter played a blinder (he's a nice enough player, but he looked Premier League class here, he'll never do that again), Pompey had a man sent off at 2-1 and the defending for all four goals is absolutely dreadful. Plenty of bodies at the back for Portsmouth, but none of them actually doing anything. If you've still got the FLS from the first week, have another look and see what I mean.
The story of the second game is largely the same. One really good free kick gives them the lead, a man goes off and then some more poor defending from a set piece gives Oxford another three points.
I know goals are goals and what not, but it doesn't look like Swindon of a couple of years ago, where their whole squad was head and shoulders above everyone else and they were scoring goals which no team this side of the Championship would have prevented.
A good performance at the back, some disciplined performances and a control of the midfield (which was the difference between first and second half at Morecambe) and OUFC and just as beatable as any other side down here this year.
That said, we have to accept our lot and the difference between the haves and have nots and reckon that a score draw would represent a good day's work on our part.
I don't think this will be the case for too many matches this year.
Matt.
