I'm not going to be popular, but....

[amershamwrighty]

.....this is a discussion forum and it is about opinions, differing views etc .....

I am sick and tired of slinking away from the ground moaning about our performances. I realise we can't be expected to beat every team, but the likes of Plymouth, Bristol Rovers and so on ought to be dispatched if we are serious about not only getting out of this division but more importantly holding our own in the division above.

Clarkey made mistakes today - he misjudged the direction of the shot for their first goal : must have thought it was going wide - and WTF was he doing for their 3rd ? He completely failed to command his six yard box on more than one occasion.

Jake Wright made mistakes too - getting wrongfooted by their man who shaped up to shoot for the first goal for example.

The midfield was ineffective, which you don't want to happen when you are playing one up top.

And....what on EARTH got into Kitson today ? Occasionally sublime, but his behaviour was questionable - he was argumentative and his histrionics once again drew attention to himself. Sticking his arm up and conceding a penalty was just daft. Was he deliberately trying to get booked so that he would be able to play at Charlton ?

The substitutions were unimaginative, and changed nothing.

I'm bloody cross.

And whereabouts on the fans' survey at the end of last season was the question about "Would you like to see some flame burners and some bloke with braces belting out a bit of Puccini ?".

Happy New Year.

[Kernow Yellow]

Yep, that was disappointing. We started really brightly - that kick-off routine with Ryan Williams running at their defence was great fun, and I hoped would set the scene for what was to come but not a bit of it. The first half petered out into a non-event, and after the break we gifted Plymouth three goals.

I agree about Ryan Clarke - he was back to his pre-op shakiness. Asa Hall had a strange game - often excellent, and a good goal to boot, but occasionally awful, giving the ball away in dangerous positions more than once. Danny Rose was a big disappointment, and Rigg might as well not have been on the pitch. His removal came about 65 minutes too late.

I disagree about Kitson and Wright (although the latter slipped for their first goal). Together with Ryan Williams these players were head and shoulders above everyone else in a yellow shirt. Big Dave is frustratingly argumentative, but we knew that already. The penalty was a moment of madness (he seemed to be claiming he was pushed, but I didn't think so), but apart from that it was the referee's performance that drew attention to Kitson more than anything. Officials these days seem to think they have to give a decision for everything, that almost every foul warrants a card. This ref was no worse than others in that respect, but he seemed to apply this logic particularly in relation to decisions involving Dave Kitson, both for and against him - a harsh booking for an Argyle player here, an ostentatious lecture to Kitson there etc. Anyone that says that kitson was lazy, or didn't turn up yesterday (and I heard a few post-match on Rad Ox) needs their head examined.

Regarding the atmosphere, I'm not a fan of plastic flag waving, and the Ultras 'Against Modern Football' banner in the East stand was deliciously ironic, but Mrs KY (an extremely occasional attender) was suitably impressed by the club's efforts, and indeed by the excitement of what was on offer on the pitch as well. My sons were non-plussed at witnessing their first defeat in two and a half years.

So what for the rest of the season? We're still second, but I don't think we can rely on the table remaining as tight as it is now. In terms of points per game we'd need to win something like 6 in a row to get back to where you'd usually expect to have to be to win promotion. Two or three would do for me to restore some belief. Yesterday we just didn't look to me to be quite good enough to compete at the top of the table - our attacks were too stuttering, our defence too hesitant. But maybe it was just an off day.

Roll on Sunday and a chance to put it right.

[neilw]

As good as Kitson can be, he was a petulant arse yesterday. Whilst his vision / passing is great at times, his free, do as you please, role is not always helpful and leaves us far too light up front. Is he playing a role for the team or himself? Wilder needs to manage him.

You just knew it was going to be "one of those days" especially when Beano hit the bar. However, the sluggish approach and lack of chances created were really disappointing and a cause for concern, especially with the next two key games coming right up.

I felt for all at the the club, whom put in a tremendous effort to make it a "big match". A great effort off the pitch, not matched on it. Well done for hitting the 10k and trying something different.

[Dr Bob]

Following a few home games where we picked up our workrate and quality, this was back to the worst of our early-season home form. In the first half, I thought Rose and, occasionally, Hall were the only players even trying. Kitson was petulant and Williams seemed to give up any time the ball got away from him (which was too often). As for Beano, it was as if he was still opening presents with his daughter. Inevitably things had to pick up a little bit in the second, but there was just too much Christmas pud out there - shocking.

The only things saving this season for us are, first, our away form (obviously); and, second, the inability of any other team to get a grip of things. As the RadOx people said, we may have been fed up - but Fleetwood lost, Chesterfield failed to win at home against 10-man Hartlepool and Scunthorpe gave away a two goal lead at Bury. At different times, Southend and Scunthorpe have gone on runs to join the leading pack, but nobody goes on having got there. That this has happened for the entire season thus far has been a saving grace for us - every time we slip up, so do the rest.

Oh - I thought the fireworks were a nice touch, although smoking out the players before kick-off seemed a bit excessive. And compared the female singer last year, this year's singer got into the spirit so much more and actually entertained, rather than just performed.

[joepoolman]

I disagree about Kitson and Wright (although the latter slipped for their first goal). Together with Ryan Williams these players were head and shoulders above everyone else in a yellow shirt. Big Dave is frustratingly argumentative, but we knew that already. The penalty was a moment of madness (he seemed to be claiming he was pushed, but I didn't think so), but apart from that it was the referee's performance that drew attention to Kitson more than anything. Officials these days seem to think they have to give a decision for everything, that almost every foul warrants a card. This ref was no worse than others in that respect, but he seemed to apply this logic particularly in relation to decisions involving Dave Kitson, both for and against him - a harsh booking for an Argyle player here, an ostentatious lecture to Kitson there etc. Anyone that says that kitson was lazy, or didn't turn up yesterday (and I heard a few post-match on Rad Ox) needs their head examined.

I think Kitson's quality is second to none, but he frustrates me a hell of a lot, and maybe the reason he gets into so much trouble with refs is the fact that he tries to referee the game himself, stopping every time someone upsets him. Another frustrating aspect to Kitson's game is the way he plays for a foul at almost every long ball, which also makes him very difficult to referee. KY you say that officials think that almost every foul warrants a card, yesterday I felt Kitson was very lucky to get to half time without a yellow, let alone nearly the end of the match.

I think most of amershamwrighty's criticisms were fair when you take the game on it's own, but if your going to post a rant like that after a first defeat in 10 games then perhaps you should post after a good win a bit more.

In my opinion the matchday experience was definitely better, the inflatables behind the goal were fun, the flags added some much needed yellow and the youth team race at half time was pretty funny. Since Rosie's job has changed there's been virtually nothing to make the fans smile outside of the 90 minutes, but that doesn't apply to yesterday.

[OUFC4eva]

Another frustrating afternoon at OX4 which was a pity after so much effort
was put in.

United lacked freshness - the players looked sluggish to me and one wonders
whether the training has been of the right intensity this week.Also several players
just cannot handle that type of occasion.That is clear to see.

I'm annoyed that DK cops so much flack. Beano on the other hand can do no wrong.
His hold up play and link up play is virtually non existent as is his reading of the game
overall. I find his general play just as frustrating as DK's histrionics.

Clarke was as poor as anybody yesterday too not just his commanding of his defenders
but his distribution has to improve from both hands and feet.

Agree that we lost to an average opponent in PAFC who worked harder than us
when they did not have the ball. When they passed it - they were also the better team.