Uninspiring and easy to play against

[Swizzlestick]

And yeah I was going to say, we are being a little too conservative and could do with being a little bit more progressive, but we’re hardly easy to play against. Oxford essentially forfeited a win to keep us out.

[Woodleyclaret]

Draw every away and win every home and you win the league.Oxford celebrated like they have won the FACup and didn't attempt to attack content with a point

[The Shire Claret]

People need on here make me laugh sometimes

When we got points against Top half premier league teams and you hear their stuck up fans saying ‘we should have beat them’ without any idea of our own players or any respect for the team work and Ethic we put in to get points in the premier league

Let’s not be those fans in the championship

Oxford are no joke and we could have took the points but all respect to Oxford for staying true to their game plan

2 home wins and we will be top of the league but there are no easy games in this league….

UTC

[Vegas Claret]

I think I need to expand on my initial point.

We had loads of the ball as expected, the performance up until the final third was good, I was surprised at how little Oxford offered. The final third was very poor. No patterns of play, very little off the ball movement which meant space was hard to find and that resulted in us creating only a couple of chances, we need way more from certain players than what we saw today.
So yes, we were very easy to play against today, Oxford just sat in front of us, we hardly ran in behind and when we did the final ball was crap for the most part. I didn't see overloads down the sides, no real attempts of upping the tempo - the one time we did Foster lacked composure and smashed his shot to the moon. I'm absolutely convinced it will get better but imho today was a huge disappointment.

[Dark Cloud]

Oxford played it like a relegation 6 pointer away from home and unashamedly set out for the single point. I'm not knocking it because it showed how much they feared us, but whilst we dominated from start to finish we really didn't show enough up front to seriously threaten them. They dealt with us pretty easily overall and that's a worry. Having said that, we missed two sitters, one in each half and burying just one of those would have changed the game and the mood totally.

[Sproggy]

No improvement from Portsmouth. We’re slow moving the ball and don’t seem to have anyone who can break the defensive line. Our football is risk free at the moment.

[Row x]

No improvement from Portsmouth. We’re slow moving the ball and don’t seem to have anyone who can break the defensive line. Our football is risk free at the moment.

Risk free which has got us 7 points from the last 3 games, 2 of which were away from home
Long may that continue

[Vegas Claret]

Oxford played it like a relegation 6 pointer away from home and unashamedly set out for the single point. I'm not knocking it because it showed how much they feared us, but whilst we dominated from start to finish we really didn't show enough up front to seriously threaten them. They dealt with us pretty easily overall and that's a worry. Having said that, we missed two sitters, one in each half and burying just one of those would have changed the game and the mood totally.

I'd argue that plenty of people on here said the Cardiff performance wasn't all that despite winning 5-0 and similar last week tbh. Winning/picking up positive results whilst not playing well is a superb trait (I made a thread about it) but I'm not seeing much improvement in the final third and it's concerning.

[daveisaclaret]

The Scott Parker experience will be throwing the best team in the league out there and hoping for the best. Still think we'll go up but we shouldn't expect what Dyche and Kompany did.

[Slurpy]

the usual overaction to not winning against lesser opposition. On another day with better finishing we'd have 3 points and they would be far less people complaining. Take the point and try and win the next one.

[Gp8419]

There was plenty of Similar games under kompany like this. Got to think also the squad is different people we have gone for proven championship players this time,rather than the unknown foreign route.I don’t think it was too bad we created 2 great chances and controlled the match from start to finish. Oxford strong at home also. I’m delighted where we are with two games at the turf, get at least four points out of them and we are on for the 2 points a match still. Can’t grumble!

[aggi]

It's not altogether surprising, this is what other fans warned us about when we got Parker. Lots of knocking it about with little cutting edge, particularly against the lower teams, decent against teams who take the game to us.

If we'd had Mitrovic or Solanke up front for us then we'd probably be ok but we'll need to have a bit more of a think about how to win given that isn't the case.

[Paddy1882]

Today wasn’t great but win the two home games coming up (which we should absolutely no doubt about it) and that will be 7 points from 9 for the week, I’d take that at any point in a 3 game week.

[dvalley69]

No improvement from Portsmouth. We’re slow moving the ball and don’t seem to have anyone who can break the defensive line. Our football is risk free at the moment.

Disagree on the whole. I agree that, in certain moments, we were a bit slow and brought the pace right down, but overall we played slightly quicker and played more forward balls than against Portsmouth. This, imo, was due to having a better ball player in Egan-Riley to Worral at CH, and Cullen having a game, and more training, under his belt.
For all the discussion around going forward our system looks pretty solid defensively, and only feel nervous conceding when we play it around at the back. Not many mentioning this aspect; after all, if the opposition don't have the ball then they can't score!!

[Colburn_Claret]

Small margins.

I've only seen the highlights and the stats.
We dominated the game, and missed 2 sitters. On another day those 2 sitters go in, and all the negativity about our performance would go out the window.
It's frustrating, we all feel it, but there's no need to over assess it.
I would like to see us mix it up more, get the ball in early and play one touch football around the area. Go 442 against teams sitting deep, but we didn't do a lot wrong today, apart from fail to score.

[Hedontplayforyou]

Didn’t create anywhere near enough today but also never looked like conceding . For me Parker has to figure out how he wants his midfield to operate . Brownhill and Hannibal ahead of Cullen have to get on the ball and move it quicker or drive with it more when possible, speeding up the attack.

I do feel we need to try Flemming with Foster though and sacrifice one of the three midfielders , especially against opposition like todays .

[kentonclaret]

It's not altogether surprising, this is what other fans warned us about when we got Parker. Lots of knocking it about with little cutting edge, particularly against the lower teams, decent against teams who take the game to us.

If we'd had Mitrovic or Solanke up front for us then we'd probably be ok but we'll need to have a bit more of a think about how to win given that isn't the case.

Fans of Fulham and Bournemouth wouldn’t have been complaining about lack of a cutting edge under Parker in the Championship since in the seasons that these clubs were promoted Mitrovic scored 26 goals and Solanke scored 29. If we don’t have a striker at the club anywhere close to that level then it becomes a lot more difficult and goals have to be spread around. Without a main striker capable of scoring 15+ goals getting out of the Championship by finishing in the top 2 would seem unlikely.

[TPClaret]

The Scott Parker experience will be throwing the best team in the league out there and hoping for the best. Still think we'll go up but we shouldn't expect what Dyche and Kompany did.

Jesus. Short memory or what. First 10 games under VK weren’t easy and 2nd promotion under Dyche we were bang average until after Boxing Day

[Dark Cloud]

If (big if I know!) we win on Tuesday and Saturday and this time next Saturday we've taken 7 points from 3 games, it won't look at all bad tbf.

[fungus_the_bogeyman]

It wasn’t “really bad” in the slightest. We dominated the ball and played some nice stuff at times against a team that’s won all its home games so far. We created two gilt-edged chances and another two or three half chances that on another day we take. And Trafford didn’t have to work for a clean sheet at all.

On another day, we win that game comfortably. Not sure why some of our fans have developed this superiority complex. Our squad’s been overhauled and we’re still finding our feet but we’re picking up results, creating enough chances to win games and playing good stuff in pockets. Once we have a few more players back and Parker starts to work out his best team, we’ll start to become more consistent and maybe even a little more easy on the eye I think.

[Culmclaret]

It wasn’t “really bad” in the slightest. We dominated the ball and played some nice stuff at times against a team that’s won all its home games so far. We created two gilt-edged chances and another two or three half chances that on another day we take. And Trafford didn’t have to work for a clean sheet at all.

On another day, we win that game comfortably. Not sure why some of our fans have developed this superiority complex. Our squad’s been overhauled and we’re still finding our feet but we’re picking up results, creating enough chances to win games and playing good stuff in pockets. Once we have a few more players back and Parker starts to work out his best team, we’ll start to become more consistent and maybe even a little more easy on the eye I think.

Spot on. Credit to Oxford that they defended very well having sacrificed any ambition of winning the game

[dougcollins]

One difference that Kompany had was the quick ball over the top to Tella, and the people with the ability to play it - Muric and Harwood Bellis.

[Sproggy]

Disagree on the whole. I agree that, in certain moments, we were a bit slow and brought the pace right down, but overall we played slightly quicker and played more forward balls than against Portsmouth. This, imo, was due to having a better ball player in Egan-Riley to Worral at CH, and Cullen having a game, and more training, under his belt.
For all the discussion around going forward our system looks pretty solid defensively, and only feel nervous conceding when we play it around at the back. Not many mentioning this aspect; after all, if the opposition don't have the ball then they can't score!!

Yep, that’s fair. We were better 2nd half too. We still have some very good players to come back in too…Beyer, Fleming and dare I say Tresor who could make a difference.

[bfcjg]

So according to some every team should lie down and let us steamroller them because we are ex Prem mighty Burnley, if only football was that simple.

[TPClaret]

So according to some every team should lie down and let us steamroller them because we are ex Prem mighty Burnley, if only football was that simple.

Most of these people have never played the game. Probably just played football manager

[Sproggy]

Is anyone saying that? I think people would like us to play a bit more quickly and create a bit more against teams that are organised and sit deep. It’s not an unreasonable ask.

[TPClaret]

Is anyone saying that? I think people would like us to play a bit more quickly and create a bit more against teams that are organised and sit deep. It’s not an unreasonable ask.

That comes with time. The players are still gelling as a team. Only played a handful of games together. It’s a marathon not a sprint.

[Since62]

My first game of the season yesterday.
Slow tempo, still playing around at the back.
No real threat.
Missed two good chances.
A point away and fourth in the league but it was the definition of a bore draw.

[KlyBfc]

We miss Roberts at right back against defeisve teams. He helps in attack with intelligent runs, overlapping and underlapping, and he can get a goal at this level. We also have to find the right balance in midfield, Brownhill and Hannibal are too similar, we need more guile against stubborn teams.

I’m sure it will come.

Our first 12 games under VK were littered with draws.

[The Shire Claret]

We would have snapped anyone’s hands off for a point at Leeds and we won whilst under the cosh

We got a point yesterday whilst putting them under the cosh

The results flipped …

Same points I would have been over the moon with just against different teams

That’s football ladies and gentlemen

[Graham17]

14 pts from 7 games still on course utc

[warksclaret]

Thought the way we started in first 20 minutes we would score 2 or 3. The longer we played however the more I feared we could lose 1-0. In fact but for an Egan Riley miraculous clearance when he was on the floor and had to twist to kick the ball away a yard from our goal line, and a brave headed intervention from Humphreys we might not have come away with any points. The Championship proved again yesterday there are a number of teams that can hurt better teams, and Oxford will be an example at home , Sheff Wed another example yesterday. Having slept on it, the point will become valuable-now lets plan for Plymouth and Preston, when hopefully Parker sees several first teamers return

[AGENT_CLARET]

The trouble with Parker's style is if a team comes to play we'll almost beat them every time like Leeds, Cardiff and Luton, but if a team digs in plays defensive and sits back we'll find it hard to create goal scoring opportunities with this building from the back passing sideways passing backwards passing sideways.

I also feel if we fall behind to a team like Preston who will set up not to lose especially in a derby game on TV and we make a mistake passing around at the back and they score first I think we'll find it hard to get back into the game under this Southgate style football.

Oxford's back line yesterday sat one yard inside their own half knowing no balls were going to be launch long and they sat deep just waiting for a mistake so they could pounce and break, in the first half at Oxford nothing was working playing this way and was fully expecting Parker to see this and try mixing it up with a few long balls in behind the Oxford defence but we just mirrored the first half it was predictable, boring and frustrating to watch.

If most teams do thier homework and sit back and wait for us to give the ball away at the back then it's going to be a frustrating season because there's not many team's in the championship that will take the game to us, yes at the moment we sit in the play-offs but I do hope Parker changers the style sometimes because I feel we might only scrape the play-offs come the end of the season.

[warksclaret]

I drove away from the game yesterday thinking WHAT IF ?. That related to Tella. Yesterday his pace and vision to find space centrally coming from the wing to a central position and the quick ball played to him, would have led to goal scoring positions. In games like that Foster is not the solution

[Claretmisterg]

Fister and Hountondji arguably should have both scored in the first half. If we had gone in front from either of those then the game would have opened up and we would hopefully have scored more. So it was a frustrating game for us but Oxford did set up to frustrate us. I am not overjoyed with the outcome, nor am I bitterly disappointed.

[fungus_the_bogeyman]

Spot on. Credit to Oxford that they defended very well having sacrificed any ambition of winning the game

Agreed. Thought they defended exceptionally. Their fullbacks in particular really frustrated us.

[dvalley69]

The trouble with Parker's style is if a team comes to play we'll almost beat them every time like Leeds, Cardiff and Luton, but if a team digs in plays defensive and sits back we'll find it hard to create goal scoring opportunities with this building from the back passing sideways passing backwards passing sideways.

I also feel if we fall behind to a team like Preston who will set up not to lose especially in a derby game on TV and we make a mistake passing around at the back and they score first I think we'll find it hard to get back into the game under this Southgate style football.

Didn't happen against Pompey though, did it? Not sure why you think we'll find it hard, just because of yesterday?

[CrosspoolClarets]

Reading things on here about “Southgate style” and “we were warned about Parker” makes me curious, how exactly were we different 2 years ago in away matches against West Brom and Preston (games 7 and 8 if I recall) which were both draws? I don’t remember seeing anything better than we had yesterday, in fact I think it was worse. For a start I’d rather have Lyle than Jay (at his age) who was leading the line in both those games, and our midfield three was different in that it was Hannibal not Cork, the other two were the same.

The only difference in that team of significance was not tactics but two special talents, Maatsen and Tella, the latter who is more of a goal threat from wide when compared to Luca and colleagues. Can’t really pin that on Parker being defensive.

[AGENT_CLARET]

Didn't happen against Pompey though, did it? Not sure why you think we'll find it hard, just because of yesterday?

A 94th winner at home isn't exactly a good example is it

[dvalley69]

A 94th winner at home isn't exactly a good example is it

But we fought back and won, and that was the point you were making as being an issue, when it's not!!

[AGENT_CLARET]

But we fought back and won, and that was the point you were making as being an issue, when it's not!!

I said we'll find it hard not impossible, so yes it's a silly point quoting one game, let's revisit this when we've had multiple game's we're we've gone behind and won and not just the one so far

[Row x]

Fister and Hountondji arguably should have both scored in the first half. If we had gone in front from either of those then the game would have opened up and we would hopefully have scored more. So it was a frustrating game for us but Oxford did set up to frustrate us. I am not overjoyed with the outcome, nor am I bitterly disappointed.

It would have been a miracle if Hountondji had scored in the first half

[4:20]

Fister

htrx_cTC_400x400.jpg (8.01 KiB) Viewed 1493 times

[Quickenthetempo]

I've just watched the highlights/chances again as some of our fans are making out they were really good chances.
They were 3 half chances at best. We should be creating 10 to 15 of these a game with so much possession.

Let the handbrake off Scotty.

[RVclaret]

I've just watched the highlights/chances again as some of our fans are making out they were really good chances.
They were 3 half chances at best. We should be creating 10 to 15 of these a game with so much possession.

Let the handbrake off Scotty.

They were three good chances and this is reflected in the xG tally for the game. 10-15 of these would mean 5-7 xG per game which has never been done by any club in the world, in fact the highest on an individual game is around 7.

[taio]

I've just watched the highlights/chances again as some of our fans are making out they were really good chances.
They were 3 half chances at best. We should be creating 10 to 15 of these a game with so much possession.

Let the handbrake off Scotty.

They were really good chances and certainly not three half chances at best.

[Vegas Claret]

They were really good chances and certainly not three half chances at best.

the Sarmiento chance........to not even hit the target

[scamander]

Teams are hard to break down these days, the idea that lots of possession equates to goals isn't always the case. Much of the time it's about wearing the opposition defence down - the sideways passing is often trying to draw players out to free up space.

I'm curious what fans expect. A player to suddenly pull a Messi run and beat 5 players in a confined space? Or hit a worldy from 25 yards which avoids all the players in the way? Not sure we have those players. Instead it's a tiresome game of trying to wear the 10 men behind the ball down (hope one gets baited to leave space or someone makes a mistake). If one team is set on being that defensive it's very difficult to break them down.

I'm sure we could do better, but a new team with a new coach is going to find this tough. Oxford have conceded a single goal at home so far - they are obviously good at home. The away point isn't all that bad.

[TPClaret]

Teams are hard to break down these days, the idea that lots of possession equates to goals isn't always the case. Much of the time it's about wearing the opposition defence down - the sideways passing is often trying to draw players out to free up space.

I'm curious what fans expect. A player to suddenly pull a Messi run and beat 5 players in a confined space? Or hit a worldy from 25 yards which avoids all the players in the way? Not sure we have those players. Instead it's a tiresome game of trying to wear the 10 men behind the ball down (hope one gets baited to leave space or someone makes a mistake). If one team is set on being that defensive it's very difficult to break them down.

I'm sure we could do better, but a new team with a new coach is going to find this tough. Oxford have conceded a single goal at home so far - they are obviously good at home. The away point isn't all that bad.

Our fans expect us to beat everyone easily

[Quickenthetempo]

They were three good chances and this is reflected in the xG tally for the game. 10-15 of these would mean 5-7 xG per game which has never been done by any club in the world, in fact the highest on an individual game is around 7.

I don't follow xG like you, but if we go off watching slow motion replays.

Foster chance. Nice cut back but the defender is very tight and probably blocks a shot on target. Then the GK is right on the post if it gets past the defender.
Look from behind the goal.

Koleosho shot from outside of box. Straight down middle, not beating a keeper from there.

Brownhill has the best chance. Clear sight of cross at a good height. He hits it wide at Houndi who just has a split second to react.

It's poor they didn't hit the target, but I can't say I expected any of them to score.