Don ('t) stop me now
Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 11:14 am
I felt the game was a bit of a damp squib.
Two relatively safe sides with little to play for at the end of a season of drudgery in lower mid table.
Ashdown did well in goal, coming for the ball when necessary, and staying back when there was ample defensive cover. He looked safe on high balls and he made a couple of decent saves. It was a clean sheet, so not much more could be asked of him really.
Whing looked out of shape and made a number of defensive mistakes, including at least 2 in the air unusually, which might have resulted in us conceding against better strikers. His "shot" which was a very naiive attempted chip of their keeper who was already almost on his line showed why he never became a striker. I can't see Andy Whing still being an Oxford player next season.
Hoban had a poor game and was never really in it, bar one very difficult chance early on. He went off (possibly injured) to be replaced by Vassell who was equally poor. Despite his normally good hold up play, he simply doesn't look like scoring often enough to justify a place in the squad up front. I could actually see him being useful in a central midfield role because of his strength, but otherwise, I think both he and the club need to have a re-think.
Raise the Roofe (the Roofe's on fire) looked pretty decent again, as did Hylton, but for all their bluff and bluster, we had very few attempts on goal and barely anything on target.
Our back line finally looks settled and controlled, which is good obviously, and I think it shows that the weaknesses earlier in the season were down to the flanks and not the centre backs. Hopefully we will retain our present back line and add to it with further players of similar quality over the summer to create proper competition for the places.
Cobblers will be a tougher test tomorrow.
Two relatively safe sides with little to play for at the end of a season of drudgery in lower mid table.
Ashdown did well in goal, coming for the ball when necessary, and staying back when there was ample defensive cover. He looked safe on high balls and he made a couple of decent saves. It was a clean sheet, so not much more could be asked of him really.
Whing looked out of shape and made a number of defensive mistakes, including at least 2 in the air unusually, which might have resulted in us conceding against better strikers. His "shot" which was a very naiive attempted chip of their keeper who was already almost on his line showed why he never became a striker. I can't see Andy Whing still being an Oxford player next season.
Hoban had a poor game and was never really in it, bar one very difficult chance early on. He went off (possibly injured) to be replaced by Vassell who was equally poor. Despite his normally good hold up play, he simply doesn't look like scoring often enough to justify a place in the squad up front. I could actually see him being useful in a central midfield role because of his strength, but otherwise, I think both he and the club need to have a re-think.
Raise the Roofe (the Roofe's on fire) looked pretty decent again, as did Hylton, but for all their bluff and bluster, we had very few attempts on goal and barely anything on target.
Our back line finally looks settled and controlled, which is good obviously, and I think it shows that the weaknesses earlier in the season were down to the flanks and not the centre backs. Hopefully we will retain our present back line and add to it with further players of similar quality over the summer to create proper competition for the places.
Cobblers will be a tougher test tomorrow.