Alty notes

[Kernow Yellow]

Well I'll start, since no-one else seems to want to:

I was disappointed the way we lined up at the start. It was obvious that Alty would pack men behind the ball, and we struggled to break them down with three up front. Midson isn't a winger, and Green was having limited success out wide. When either of them did make headway we rarely seemed to have two strikers in the middle to benefit. We were crying out for proper width, and as soon as Deering came on the game opened up.

I was also surprised how nervous we got at the end. Altrincham were very, very poor. I'm not sure I've seen a team give the ball away so often as they did. They were there for the taking once they'd conceded, but by sitting back on our lead we very nearly dropped two points. I was gobsmacked when we had ONE man in the box for a free kick virtually on the byline, and lo and behold we lost possession immediately.

But overall it wasn't a poor performance by any means, and both that and the result were better then last time I made it to the Kas - the Forest Green borefest. And at least I'm happy I'm not a jinx as I had been fearing (my only game since then was at Mansfield). Now Setanta have gone to the wall, I've yet to see this team put in a convincing display, but I'm guessing from the results that there have been a few...

[Baboo]

Well done for actually posting about a game of football.
Bearing in mind Alty's away record even if they did have a few men out this was a good result.
100% agree about Deering making the difference. What an asset to have on the bench.
Other than the one Kinniburgh clearing one off the line for all our sitting back and playing deeper they never really looked like scoring.
Wonder what the outcome would have been had Matt Green scored from the spot?
Who'll take the next one? Midson?

[Isaac]

An early goal makes a big difference in these types of games (and I think we'll get a lot of these types of games this season). Alty looked marginally better organised than Grays, but if Green had scored it could well have been a similar scoreline.

I too felt a bit sorry for Midson out wide, he looked better when given a bit of a chance through the middle before and after half time. Was Cook carrying an injury or was Wilder trying to bully their small left back? It's true the Alty gave the ball away a lot but I think the midfield can take the credit for that, I was as usual very impressed by the workrate of Clist, Murray and particularly Bulman. They never let the opposition settle. Other than that I thought both fullbacks were excellent.

The forwards were off form and Constable needs to stop complaining to the ref constantly, he was warned, but carried on and got booked. And he obviously can rein himself in as he managed it after that. I thought Green was our most dangerous forward, he seems to suit being out wide and getting a bit more space.

I wouldn't be too concerned about the last 5 minutes, alty could relax and throw a few players forward as they had absolutely nothing to lose. Having worked so hard to get ahead it's only natural that we'd get rather nervous at the end.

[amershamwrighty]

Green was ineffective in the first half - but when he switched wings he caused a lot more trouble.

RANT ALERT - two or three paces for a penalty run up ? Do me a favour. Green should be sent to the Paul Moody/Andy Crosby Penalty Kick Masterclass School - start your run up well outside the area and larrup the £*cking thing.

[Radley Rambler]

Green was ineffective in the first half - but when he switched wings he caused a lot more trouble.

RANT ALERT - two or three paces for a penalty run up ? Do me a favour. Green should be sent to the Paul Moody/Andy Crosby Penalty Kick Masterclass School - start your run up well outside the area and larrup the £*cking thing.

Don't forget David Fogg - now he could strike a penalty.

To be fair to Green, it was a good save from a decent penalty.

[recordmeister]

Main thoughts from me (watching from a side view rather than my usual behind-the-goal view):

Green: awful 1st half. Better 2nd.

Midson: I kinda feel sorry for him as he looks good down the middle, but that's Beano's place when we only have room for one there. If we go 4-4-2 at some point, he might get a run of games and some goals, but that midfield 3 of Bullman, Clist and Murray is what we build the team around, so I can't see us going 4-4-2 any time soon.

Bullman, Clist, Murry: I was asked two questions today by an Oxford sympathiser &quotWhat's the difference this season?&quot and &quotWhat is a typical Oxford goal this season?&quot
My answer to the two:
1. &quotWorkrate&quot. For me the whole team works so, so hard. But this is seen mostly in the midfield with Bullman, Clist and Murray working their arses off. High praise to them.
As for Question Number 2, I showed my mate the Constable goal v Luton at home. Ball won in the middle of the park, wing play, cutting the ball inside and, BASH! a goal from the fox in the box.

Constable: Less mouth, please. But I did find myself saying, while watching Liverpool conceed their 3rd goal on Match of the Day on Saturday &quotIf Constable was done like Kuyt was there, he wouldn't stay sitting on his arse watching the opposition score. He'd be up chasing back, trying to help out.&quot It all goes back to that workrate thing again.

Back 4: Solid for most of the game with excellent runs forward by the two full backs.

Clarke: Did he have anything to do?

Deering: Fantastic- but PLAY THE BALL FORWARD (anyone who saw / heard CW's cry will know what I mean!)

Cook: Seemed lifeless and tired, maybe?

Perry: did a fantastic job of sheering up the midfield. He looks quite useful.

[Mally]

I agree with pretty much everything posted so far and in particular with Kernow'scomentson the formation. It just doesn't work. We did exactly the same against Thurrock and got nowhere. Apart from the fact that the three front layers are all too far apart it also means that Murray (Chapman against Thurrock) in the centre of midfield is playing far too deep. He's our most creative passer of the ball but his only options from such a deep position is short to full backs (whcih the centre backs can do) or hoofing it long (which everybody hates).

Perfect goal and style of play for me would be as follows:

Clarke rolls the ball out to Foster. Foster pushes forward and plays the ball wide to Batt. Batt beats his man and clips a ball inside for Bullman who cleverly interchanges passes with Clist to create a space and pull out defenders. Clist plays a short ball to Murray half way between the D and the centre circle. A smart side step and Murray plays an inch perfect defence splitting pass to Kinniburgh cutting in from the wing, he jinks inside and then out as he rounds his opposite number and then cuts back a cross from the by-line to Constable beyond the far post. Beano controls the ball on his chest and lays the ball off to Green on the penalty spot who hits the ball on the volley and it screams into the back of the net. GOAL!!!

[Ascension Ox]

I agree with pretty much everything posted so far and in particular with Kernow'scomentson the formation. It just doesn't work. We did exactly the same against Thurrock and got nowhere. Apart from the fact that the three front layers are all too far apart it also means that Murray (Chapman against Thurrock) in the centre of midfield is playing far too deep. He's our most creative passer of the ball but his only options from such a deep position is short to full backs (whcih the centre backs can do) or hoofing it long (which everybody hates).

Perfect goal and style of play for me would be as follows:

Clarke rolls the ball out to Foster. Foster pushes forward and plays the ball wide to Batt. Batt beats his man and clips a ball inside for Bullman who cleverly interchanges passes with Clist to create a space and pull out defenders. Clist plays a short ball to Murray half way between the D and the centre circle. A smart side step and Murray plays an inch perfect defence splitting pass to Kinniburgh cutting in from the wing, he jinks inside and then out as he rounds his opposite number and then cuts back a cross from the by-line to Constable beyond the far post. Beano controls the ball on his chest and lays the ball off to Green on the penalty spot who hits the ball on the volley and it screams into the back of the net. GOAL!!!

4-3-3 equals nine home wins and a draw from ten games. Of course that formation simply doesn't work.

[Ancient Colin]

I don't have a particular problem with the 4-3-3 shape - although it seems to work better with a fit and commited Cook than an out of position Midson. I find it slightly worrying that there's a tendency for the shape to evaporate completely following substitutions ... that happened last Saturday. Were we, as Hog suggested at one point, playing three at the back with Batt pushed into midfield (or was he just rather consistently out of position for a spell*)? Was Sam Deering supposed to be in the Emiliano Diaz position or was he supposed to be giving width? Where was Cook supposed to be playing and was Clist instructed to go wide left? Suddenly there were holes all over the place and clusters of players being left behind and out of the play. It got sorted, but it took a while. And that's by no means the first time it has happened either. Wilder's really changed the ethos and strengthened the squad and given a sense of purpose to the team ... but this shape shifting is a bit of a weakness which may get exposed at some point.

Other than that, although it wasn't a great performance, there was much to admire - I haven't been for a month but there was no sign of an Atkins style decline there. Constable seemed very much out of sorts, Cook when he came on contributed little but other than that things seemed good and I continue to be really impressed by Bulman. I thought Midson got unneccessary stick from fans. It's obvious that he was out of position and uncomfortable: but equally obvious that the blinkers are coming on and all the good things he does are not being registered by the boo squad.

* not an anti-Batt rant, overall thought he had a good game.

[GodalmingYellow]

I agree with pretty much everything posted so far and in particular with Kernow'scomentson the formation. It just doesn't work. We did exactly the same against Thurrock and got nowhere. Apart from the fact that the three front layers are all too far apart it also means that Murray (Chapman against Thurrock) in the centre of midfield is playing far too deep. He's our most creative passer of the ball but his only options from such a deep position is short to full backs (whcih the centre backs can do) or hoofing it long (which everybody hates).

Perfect goal and style of play for me would be as follows:

Clarke rolls the ball out to Foster. Foster pushes forward and plays the ball wide to Batt. Batt beats his man and clips a ball inside for Bullman who cleverly interchanges passes with Clist to create a space and pull out defenders. Clist plays a short ball to Murray half way between the D and the centre circle. A smart side step and Murray plays an inch perfect defence splitting pass to Kinniburgh cutting in from the wing, he jinks inside and then out as he rounds his opposite number and then cuts back a cross from the by-line to Constable beyond the far post. Beano controls the ball on his chest and lays the ball off to Green on the penalty spot who hits the ball on the volley and it screams into the back of the net. GOAL!!!

4-3-3 equals nine home wins and a draw from ten games. Of course that formation simply doesn't work.

That woudl assume we have played 4-3-3 at home every game which is manifestly inaccurate.

[Mark G]

A bit late but my thoughts are that Murray needs to be ahead of Bulman and Clist supporting the attack and being the playmaker, making the team far more threatening as a unit. Too many times Murray has started games playing behind Clist and Bully which negates his strengths somewhat. Furthermore, this can lead to the central forward being a bit isolated as Midson was against Thurrock in the 1st half especially.

As for penalties, give them to Mark Creighton as he took them for Kiddy last year on occasion as he smacks them like Moody use too! Also, excellent persistence by Kinniburgh to get his cross in for Batt's goal which he deserved for his performance on the day as did the team.

As a quick aside which made me smile was the holier than thou Alty fans on their forum moaning about cheating Oxford players whilst they conveniently ignored the cheating by their players and blatant timewasting from the 1st minute! Predictable but did make me chuckle slightly.

[Matt D]

A bit late but my thoughts are that Murray needs to be ahead of Bulman and Clist supporting the attack and being the playmaker, making the team far more threatening as a unit. Too many times Murray has started games playing behind Clist and Bully which negates his strengths somewhat.

good point. and equally, while i don't get murray playing deeper (okay, he has more space to pick out long balls, but defensively he's not entirely tidy in my view), i really don't get bulman playing higher up the pitch. he's a breaker-upper as far as i'm concerned - and a great one at that.

we haven't seen murray in that role behind a front two that so often had opponents all over the place last season.

still, what the hell do i know? someone will probably explain it to me.

[Mally]

A bit late but my thoughts are that Murray needs to be ahead of Bulman and Clist supporting the attack and being the playmaker, making the team far more threatening as a unit. Too many times Murray has started games playing behind Clist and Bully which negates his strengths somewhat.

good point. and equally, while i don't get murray playing deeper (okay, he has more space to pick out long balls, but defensively he's not entirely tidy in my view), i really don't get bulman playing higher up the pitch. he's a breaker-upper as far as i'm concerned - and a great one at that.

we haven't seen murray in that role behind a front two that so often had opponents all over the place last season.

still, what the hell do i know? someone will probably explain it to me.

When we start with a 4-3-3 system Murray always starts in that deep position but then in the second half when we switch to a 4-4-2 he does get forward and this seems to make a difference (or at least has done in the last 2 home games).

Our 4-3-3 is really a 4-1-2-3 system or the Cocktail Dish formation:


*........*........*

....*........*

.........*

*....*....*....*

[Matt D]

thanks mally!

i like the idea of the 'cocktail dish' formation - very cosmopolitan.

[ty cobb]

thanks mally!

i like the idea of the 'cocktail dish' formation - very cosmopolitan.

As long as we don't go for a 2 at the back formation - that really would be Kamikaze tactics.