v Oxford United (H) Match Thread

[BramcoteRam84]

11 minutes ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

Any news on Max Bird or Joe Ward?

Warne said neither look good. Ward is a heel injury and he just said Bird was in severe pain (probably at the performance) 

[angieram]

2 minutes ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

Warne said neither look good. Ward is a heel injury and he just said Bird was in severe pain (probably at the performance) 

Sorry, I'm not laughing at the injury, but at your comment. I know how he feels! 

I hope that's not the last time we've seen Bird in a Derby shirt. 

[ramsbottom]

I turned Rams Player off after 75 minutes and willfully joined Mrs R in the lounge, to watch some wedding planner challenge show with Sara Davies & Jacque from First Dates.  That's how bad it was!!!

I thought we were unlucky against Wigan, because we were at least on the front foot and looked like we wanted to play football, but last night was turgid.  It'll go down along side Barnsley away under Pearson as one of the dullest performances I've ever witness.

I really like Warne, he's a good human being and I really want to turn things around, but unless he can turn things around within the next 3 games I think he'll be out.

The first thing he should consider is changing the formation.  I know he's signed players that, in theory, suit this system but at the moment only Ward (and possibly Fozzy) really seems to get it.  We looked so much better last season when he let the players at his disposal dictate the formation, not the other way around.  With who we have at the moment, he should switch to something like - 

--------------Wildsmith

Ward----Nelson-------Fozzy----Elder

---------Hourihane---Bird

Waghorn-----Sibley----------Barks

--------------Collins

[angieram]

10 minutes ago, Srg said:

Slept on it thoughts... and I'm afraid it's no better.

I have always had faith in Warne. His interviews can be odd, but on the whole, they're refreshing and honest. But what actually happens isn't what he preaches. Pressing? Nope. Need pace? Don't sign any. Energy and intensity? Never heard of it. Get in behind? How?

The whole team does not function at all in it's current guise with the severe lack of pace and athleticism. I struggle to see what we can change without Warne accepting he's going to have to play inexperienced players, or we have to sign players - fast.

Starting at the back, Bradley is not that guy. He's slow, he's tentative, he doesn't attack the ball, there's nothing authoritative about him. Cashin doesn't look like the player we've seen before. Hourihane can't move with the ball, he's basically only on the pitch for set pieces. Korey Smith is anonymous and is glacially slow. Bird isn't an attacking midfielder. NML is a wide player. Collins doesn't jump for anything and it would be unkind to call him a carthorse. 

Ward was a slight bright spot to the season, now injured. Wilson looks ok, albeit needs to get his head up a bit, but has no options on because there's no movement. Washington looks ok, but that's simply because he moves... crazy that that's all it takes. 

Rooney, Robinson, Thompson, Bardell, Brown, Radcliffe... should all be wanting time on this pitch because the ability to be able to move is the only requirement to be able to improve the mess we are currently chucking out.

I would be very worried starting some of those young players in this mess of a "system" we are trying to play at the moment. 

[Mr Tibbs]

10 hours ago, Ambitious said:

One of the most rancid, repugnant, putrid performances I’ve ever seen at Pride Park. What a f****** mess Warne has concocted! 

I said don't post tonight... 👀

On reflection it's actually not far off. Awful. The bad bits have been done to death. 

Thompson looked good, he's got to start at the weekend. I don't really fancy him at this level most of the time but got to say the match up vs Oxford was in his favour for once (height wise) and his performance put most of the teams to shame - purposeful, busy, involved, positive, direct.. everything the midfield lacked.

The formation and manager are obviously not getting the most out of Smith, Bird and Hourihane but they have to have a look at themselves after that. A very typical Max Bird performance after a cracker at the weekend, completely invisible. I don't see how we give it a go with that midfield three this year, it's got to change. They don't compete. No second balls, no movement, nobody showing for the ball... a joy to play against. There was more conviction from the incompetent Pride Park catering staff last night. 

 

[Srg]

Just now, angieram said:

I would be very worried starting some of those young players in this mess of a "system" we are trying to play at the moment. 

They can't do worse. The fact they can move would at least cover up some deficiencies.

[Woodley Ram]

8 hours ago, DCFC Kicks said:

Surely that must be about the players being distracted by transfer links again?

Its a bit of a poor excuse. None of the players looked like they weren't putting the effort in.  

I listened to that, another comment seemed to be about him, is he under pressure? He couldnt be but has the budget or lack of it affected his relationship with Clewes?

We don't know but I do wish he would keep quiet even if I love his honesty 

[angieram]

4 minutes ago, Srg said:

They can't do worse. The fact they can move would at least cover up some deficiencies.

I'm not in favour of putting our young lambs to the slaughter just to cover up the deficiencies in Paul Warne's tactics.

He'll ruin those players like he's doing with the ones he already has. 

Change the system! 

[BramcoteRam84]

Don’t agree with those saying he’s watching a different game to the rest of us. Rarely in an interview post match has he not called it right in my view. Wigan wasn’t bad just wrong result which can happen, Blackpool was horrific, and last night was poor and I don’t think Warne was denying it wasn’t, especially the first half. Second half we built some pressure for about 15 mins and it was much better, the fans also responded at this point. But then Cashin mis-plays a pass they nearly score and we just went back to the passive performance of the first half. 

Some neutrals were sat behind me saying “3 games in and they’re already booing, wow!”, which I thought was interesting. 
 

Seen a lot of people slating Bradley and Nelson and id agree they haven’t started their Derby careers well, but Fozzy was just as awful last night, Cash and Bird were poor also. As a collective the players should be doing better. We also desperately need some pace in the team and some players back from injury. Elder still isn’t fit. Seen enough to suggest Waggy and Washington will do a decent job for us this season we need others to step up around them.

Its only 3 league games, I’m trying not to be concerned, I would be less concerned if i could see improving performances which I can’t see right now. If this goes on for another 6 games and we don’t pick up points then both Warne and Clowes will be under severe pressure.

[RoyMac5]

1 hour ago, ziggazagga said:

I think he means that he has spent the budget and has been told to shift players out before he can sign anymore. That however does not address my gripe for a while now about our predictably and how easy we are to play against. Any opposing manager will know how we will play ,will know Warne will not make a sub until the 60th minute , will know there is no plan B if they have watched our gang of three having a 10 minute discussion before making a sub. Unfortunately I said after Burton we were outplayed for 45 minutes and nothing has changed tactically. So Paul, either accept this club is too big for you and your mates or quit the jokes and start earning your corn. At the moment you are embarrassing David Clowes 

He knew his budget from the start.

You're suggesting Warne's now throwing David Clowes under the bus? The man has no shame! 😄

 

 

 

[BramcoteRam84]

11 minutes ago, angieram said:

Sorry, I'm not laughing at the injury, but at your comment. I know how he feels! 

I hope that's not the last time we've seen Bird in a Derby shirt. 

Glad someone picked up on it!!! 🤣

Re: Bird, me too but if he’s out for a few weeks that might mean we can hang on to him. 

[Tamworthram]

1 hour ago, Archied said:

Well as I’ve said before , my wife has started to come to games with me and is taking an interest in football , it’s interesting the comments from someone like her new to the game , she watched on rt with me last night and turned to me and said , it’s a bit like pinball, 😂,hmmmm

For me I wonder how have we made Oxford look like Man City? I’m not big on formations ect but what I always see is passing and movement , we have none of that , we cannot play a simple pass , we cannot make simple movements to give options,

honestly , I don’t know where we go at this point , it’s very worrying, perhaps a cattle prod in training and any player not making movement off the ball and any playing passing to the opposition gets zapped 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

But I though we’d been told they look amazing in training? 😀

Seriously though, if it does look good in training then you do wonder why that can’t be translated into a competitive game.

I don’t really take much notice of either post or pre match managers interviews. Generally they’re full of sound bites, not trying to give too much away to the opposition for the next game and, in an attempt to motivate the players, find any positives they can from the game just played (“we played some amazing football in the second half”. Really? We were OK in short spells, there might have been the occasional touch that was very good but I can’t remember any spells of amazing football). But, I’d be very surprised if we don’t revert back to a back four for Saturday although formation will of course be dictated by players available.

I feel it’s still time for patience but I’m feeling pretty down about it all at the moment. I won’t arrive at PP on Saturday with any great degree of confidence (I just hope the players don’t feel the same) and then we have Peterborough and Bolton away. Rather than the great start to the season we were all hoping for, things could look very ugly in three weeks time. 🙁

[RoyMac5]

3 minutes ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

Don’t agree with those saying he’s watching a different game to the rest of us. Rarely in an interview post match has he not called it right in my view. Wigan wasn’t bad just wrong result which can happen, Blackpool was horrific, and last night was poor and I don’t think Warne was denying it wasn’t, especially the first half. Second half we built some pressure for about 15 mins and it was much better, the fans also responded at this point. But then Cashin mis-plays a pass they nearly score and we just went back to the passive performance of the first half. 

Some neutrals were sat behind me saying “3 games in and they’re already booing, wow!”, which I thought was interesting. 
 

Seen a lot of people slating Bradley and Nelson and id agree they haven’t started their Derby careers well, but Fozzy was just as awful last night, Cash and Bird were poor also. As a collective the players should be doing better. We also desperately need some pace in the team and some players back from injury. Elder still isn’t fit. Seen enough to suggest Waggy and Washington will do a decent job for us this season we need others to step up around them.

Its only 3 league games, I’m trying not to be concerned, I would be less concerned if i could see improving performances which I can’t see right now. If this goes on for another 6 games and we don’t pick up points then both Warne and Clowes will be under severe pressure.

It's not only 3 league games, he was here doing the same last season. I'm fed up watching other teams play football around us. Last season he found a formation that worked and then threw it away. How can he not see how awful that game was? Perhaps he doesn't watch football on tv and only has his own career to go on?

When you think of how well some/all of those players in our squad have played in their careers and look at them now. Warne making a team less than the sum of it's parts! Oh and then throwing them under the bus. Plus suggesting Clowes/recruitment has too by saying he needs pace in the squad - well who bought a load of leadlegs then Paul?!

[RoyMac5]

8 minutes ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

Glad someone picked up on it!!! 🤣

Re: Bird, me too but if he’s out for a few weeks that might mean we can hang on to him. 

OH had the courage to listen to all the interviews from last night and said Warne reckoned Bird was in so much pain he couldn't even speak to him when he went to check on him. Make of that what you will, but from a physical standpoint it doesn't sound good. 😞 

Edited August 16, 2023 by RoyMac5

[StaffsRam]

Despite having misgivings about our lack of activity in bringing reinforcements up front, the one thing I was reassured by was that we looked like we'd put in place a defensive bedrock. If worst came to the worst then we'd be able to grind out wins with minimal goals because we'd be too good at the back for most offences in this league. 

Well, that theory's out of the window already. I've tried to banish it from my memory over the past 15 years but the only time I can remember us being this clueless at the back was in the Premier League season. The Clod Davis-led Keystone Cops defense didn't look any worse than what we have at the moment. Cash and Forsyth are not bad defenders, we've seen them play extremely well. Bradley and Nelson, as we understand it are not bad defenders. All of a sudden Wildsmith is being exposed repeatedly in every game we're playing. Wildsmith is not a bad keeper.  Confidence will start to play a factor now, and the negative atmosphere in the ground can't be helping, BUT, none of that explains the performances we've seen so far. As much as I like Warne personally I can't really move beyond "tactics and motivation", both of which I can only lay at his door. 

I'm not sure there's any way back from this. The one positive that the last few years have brought is is the siege/bunker mentality that we're all in this together and it's "us against everyone else" - all of that has been p1ssed away in a matter of weeks. Pride Park is brilliant when everyone's on board and they're in tune with the team. Look at the Birmingham and Peterboro games in the relegation season - you couldn't wish for a better harmony between team and supporters. Gone now, and whilst supporters can be fickle, once it gets this toxic it's very hard to get back.

I'd be interested to know what Clowes is thinking about now. This is his man, his pick. Not criticizing. On paper Warne looked a good/safe bet. Even under a business plan, with the amount of support we have I believe Clowes when he says we have a good budget for the division. 

Another home defeat to Fleetwood on Saturday and I think we'll be finding out whether or not we have the budget to replace Warne....

[jimtastic56]

After a night of reflection I don’t think Oxford was as bad as Blackpool. What stood out last night was how much quicker they were than us.(Warne agreed). I got pelted a few weeks ago for saying the signings were poor. If we could just add a speedy young striker and a midfielder that could tackle - we may just scrape into the play offs.

[r4derby]

7 minutes ago, jimtastic56 said:

After a night of reflection I don’t think Oxford was as bad as Blackpool. What stood out last night was how much quicker they were than us.(Warne agreed). I got pelted a few weeks ago for saying the signings were poor. If we could just add a speedy young striker and a midfielder that could tackle - we may just scrape into the play offs.

It wasn’t just pace and youth that made them quicker though. Theirs players wanted the ball more. They beat us to most first balls and nearly every second ball. Our players were on their heels far too often. They were in our faces as soon as we got to their half, not giving us time or space. And then they sprang forward when they got it back. Whereas we lacked any ideas about how to get forward when we got it, short of kick it long. 

[RoyMac5]

6 minutes ago, jimtastic56 said:

After a night of reflection I don’t think Oxford was as bad as Blackpool. What stood out last night was how much quicker they were than us.(Warne agreed). I got pelted a few weeks ago for saying the signings were poor. If we could just add a speedy young striker and a midfielder that could tackle - we may just scrape into the play offs.

Oh come on, even with those signings - we have midfielders that can tackle, he wouldn't play them. But with Birdy injured... - we will not have enough tactical nouce to beat proper footballing teams. We've beaten how many top 6 teams in this league? Now though we're not even 'flat-track bullies'. What do you say @Bris Vegas?

[r4derby]

32 minutes ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

Don’t agree with those saying he’s watching a different game to the rest of us. Rarely in an interview post match has he not called it right in my view. Wigan wasn’t bad just wrong result which can happen, Blackpool was horrific, and last night was poor and I don’t think Warne was denying it wasn’t, especially the first half. Second half we built some pressure for about 15 mins and it was much better, the fans also responded at this point. But then Cashin mis-plays a pass they nearly score and we just went back to the passive performance of the first half. 

Some neutrals were sat behind me saying “3 games in and they’re already booing, wow!”, which I thought was interesting. 
 

Seen a lot of people slating Bradley and Nelson and id agree they haven’t started their Derby careers well, but Fozzy was just as awful last night, Cash and Bird were poor also. As a collective the players should be doing better. We also desperately need some pace in the team and some players back from injury. Elder still isn’t fit. Seen enough to suggest Waggy and Washington will do a decent job for us this season we need others to step up around them.

Its only 3 league games, I’m trying not to be concerned, I would be less concerned if i could see improving performances which I can’t see right now. If this goes on for another 6 games and we don’t pick up points then both Warne and Clowes will be under severe pressure.

My first game this season last night, and I’ll sadly disagree. Second half was just as bad as the first. In fact, it was probably more disappointing. Oxford stepped off us a bit, but there was a passage of about 5 minutes where we didn’t have the ball, apart from 3 times…and all 3 times we played it forward to their midfield and gave up possession.

It was embarrassing. We got lucky to get our goal (good finish from Waggy) except it wasn’t. I actually think their goalkeeper looked poor, but we didn’t test him at all. He constantly fluffed or nearly dropped high balls, and kept ripping things over the bar that weren’t that close to going in. I think Warne tried to look for positives, but worryingly saw some that blatantly weren’t there last night

[IlsonDerby]

Imagine spending not insignificant chunks of your budget bringing in ‘Championship’ defenders and having to constantly replace them with a player you were clearly trying to phase out. 
 

Forsyth, what a player he’s still showing himself to be. 
 

Seriously though a defence of Smith Foz Cash Sibley was so much more solid than this.