FA Cup Round 2 Oxford v Rovers

[Boz]

A fairly quick return to the Kassam stadium, where Rovers lost 2-0 under the Gill-Russell caretakers, with Micky watching on. Not a particularly attractive tie though the clubs by reduced ticket prices and transport costs are making an effort to bolster the crowd. I have to admit I'm fairly ambivalent about the FA Cup this season, given our lowly placing, getting bogged down in Cup games may detract from our efforts to stay in the league. Set against that, wining can become habit-forming and should we get through to the 3rd round, can always dream about a tie against one of the glamour sides...only to be drawn out away to Ipswich or similar.

I'd imagine we'll field our strongest line-up. Defensively, that would be the same as how we ended up at the back v Pompey. Further forward Stockton is a doubt, so a chance to see Madjo, although Odejayi a more likely starter.

I really don't know how this will end up, but got to be an improvement on our last visit.

 

[bigmart]

Looking forward to this as if we can progress we get some much needed prize money and possibly either further progress or a decent money spinning tie im going for a 2 1 win for us

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Tomorrow will be my first visit to the Kassam. I'm looking forward to seeing if we can build on last week's excellent result. Having all our loanees available is a bonus, so I'm hoping we will field a near full strength team with the minimum of experimentation. Getting back-to-back wins will be as much a boost as the prospect of a money-spinning tie in the third round.

 

[drwhoman]

Fingers crossed for a win. Just been reading n article on the BBC site and the backgrounds of players in the Cup 2nd round. Includes Bell-Baggie and his fears for his family back in Sierra Leone. Puts it all in perspective.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

We put in our worst performance of the season on our last visit to the Kassam but I am expecting something very different tomorrow. If Stockton does not make it, I would expect Madjo to start alongside Fenelon, with the rest of the team unchanged.

With seven coaches going we are sure to have a good following and I think we are more than capable of getting at least a draw.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

A draw looks a good bet, with neither side wanting to risk losing. However, I'm hoping Rovers go for it and play to win until the final whistle.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Well, if ever a match showed that football is a game of two halves, this was it. We looked in control at half-time but were very lucky to escape with a draw by the end.

We started brightly with lots of midfield possession but as usual without much penetration. Oxford played a more direct game but were very poor on the ball throughout and lost a lot of possession because of poor first touches. After Cole missed a half chance, we took the lead when Max sent Fenelon away down the left wing. He beat his man and crossed for Cole to knock in. Shortly after, Fenelon was sent through but with only the keeper to beat he blasted over. That was all the excitement in the first half.

I don't know what Michael Appleton put in their tea, but Oxford were a different team after half-time. From the whistle, they upped the pace and Rovers suddenly looked vulnerable. The equaliser came as no surprise as by then Oxford should have been 4-1 up. The home team wasted at least six good chances, so we can be grateful they only netted two. The first was a regulation near-post corner badly defended. The second resulted from a mistake in midfield allowing a one-on-one which Barnett gratefully took.

For once, our manager got the substitutions spot on. Holmes and Stockton had run themselves into the ground and Jahraldo-Martin also looked tired. On came Madjo, Odejayi and Koumas. Within three minutes, we were level. A glorious Jason special, curled in left-footed from the edge of the area. Despite looking more dangerous upfront, we never threatened a winner and we were relieved when the final whistle went.

To be honest, I though no-one played badly. We played well as a team in the first-half, but looked ragged in the second. We wanted to play slowly, but they ran us ragged. By the end of the game, the fans and the players were relieved while Micky Adams has a lot to think about.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I agree with the majority of BBTC's report, save for the suggestion that Oxford should have been 4-1 up when they equalised, which I think is a bit of an exaggeration. Although we became really ragged in the first fifteen to twenty minutes of the second half, I thought we were well worth the draw over the game as a whole. The turning point in the match was Fenelon's miss when he was put through one-on-one in the first period: we were completely in control of the game at that point and had we gone two up I doubt Oxford would have been able to come back. As it was, we once again showed great character to come back from 2-1 down, in a period of the game where it looked like we might capitulate.

I thought our general performance was spirited and hard working, but as BBTC alludes to, there was a lack of imagination and quality in the final third at times and our midfield play was fairly pedestrian. I think several key individuals had below par games and we never reached the performance levels of last Saturday, but the character and commitment was there as it always has been under Adams.

There were no outstanding individual displays, but I would give great credit to Fenelon for a fine run and cross to set up the first goal - a great move actually - and for being our biggest attacking threat with his movement and energy. Cole did not look fit to me and failed to hold the ball up as we needed him to on occasions, but he took his goal nicely. Martin played in the hole behind the front two and I am not sure the experiment really came off: he showed a few nice touches, but did not get involved as much as he needed to and I think we would have been better off with Rowe in midfield; I was slightly surprised he was dropped after his display against Pompey.

Overall, I am happy with the result as I would have taken a replay beforehand and with Tyrone Barnett - by far their best player - unavailable in the rematch, I think we have a great chance of progressing.

 

[Boz]

I also thought Rowe had done enough to earn a start, any explanation from Micky for the change? It sounded like we were hanging on a bit after the Koumas equaliser, most of the pressure coming from Oxford. Madjo any good and what did BBTC make of the other loanees? Why is Barnett unavailable for the re-match?

I'm not keen on being in limbo for the third round draw. If it's a decent tie, it cranks up the pressure to do well, whereas if it's an Ipswich away sort of fixture, it's hard for anyone to get fired up.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Having seen the goals on the BBC website, I had not realised what a good finish our first goal was. Carl was not in an ideal position but improvised a flick into the goal. I thought he played OK, but needs a game or two more to become fully match fit. For their first goal, Barnett brushed off the attention of three defenders. It showed the truth about what Micky said about needing six-footers in your team for set-pieces, but also that they need to be more alert, aggressive and intelligent than ours were today. Although Holness was turned for their second goal, the main problem was that we were defending too far back. Even with five in defence, you've got to play well up the pitch. We did it in the first half, but not at the start of the second. Once we went behind, brought on three fresh legs and changed from 5-3-2 to 4-3-3, we started to stem the tide.

I agree with RLC about Martin and Fenelon. Shamir is a really promising player with speed, trickery and an eye for a pass or a goal. I'd like to see him continue upfront with Stockton. Of the other new loanees, I liked what I saw of Madjo. Clearly he was not quite match-fit, but he showed good control and a turn of pace over short distances. He also adds experience to our very young squad and has possibly scored more goals in his career than the rest of the team put together, albeit most at a lower level.

Micky will have learnt a lot today. I hope he takes the chance on Tuesday to give starts to Koumas, Woodards, Rowe, Madjo and of course Brezovan.

PS Guess who scored Chesterfield's winner today at MK Dons? Armand Gnanduillet.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Why is Barnett unavailable for the re-match?

His loan ends next week.

 

[Brightonian]

The game did not feel at all like an FA cup tie in the first half but I agree that we played some good controlled football which was really refreshing to see but perhaps the lack of intensity allowed us more time and space.

Agree with RLC that Cole Stockton appears to be not fully recovered from his injury and hardly won anything in the air or could not hold up play. However he still seems to have some quality once he can get on the ball and you always feel he is capable of finishing. The opening goal from us was excellent play and this was a good example of the merit of having the mobility, pace and strength of a player like Shamir Fenelon. Incidentally I have spoken to several die-hard Brighton supporters who rate him highly saying he has been a really good prospect who was expected to break through to the first team but has stalled his progress a little whilst waiting on the fringes - lets hope we can hold onto him into the new year.

Although we were good value for the half time lead I do think there were signs that Oxford could find a way over our midfield into space that our back three system allows but as said they were thankfully woeful when anywhere near our box. Steve Jennings seemed to play less of a holding role and as stated by BBTC in the second half the back three fell back too deep. It was a game were the pattern did not seem to work but the performances were spirited, albeit with nobody particularly outstanding, although Ihiekwe made a couple of quality last ditch tackles and interceptions.

Certainly if Shamir had scored and not tried to burst the net with the first half 'one on one' chance we would have probably gone on to win but if I was an Oxford supporter, I would have been very disappointed not to have won as they went very close on numerous occasions prior to scoring and created many opportunities once they had us under sustained pressure. Whilst we did allow them to seize the initiative in the second half, at least we now have the players on the bench who can come on to change things and a manager with a contingency plan. I thought as well as his quality shot for our equaliser Jason did well and made a difference. Madjo was not all that impressive but too early to tell really as he looks very 'ring rusty' but at least he comes looking for the ball, runs at the defence with determination and is much more mobile than Kayode but hard to recall anything he did that turned into a threat.

At least the game came to life on a freezing cold day with the spirit to come back for the draw which is a decent result really. I am personally glad we are still in the draw for the third round - I hope we will pull out of our relegation woes before too long and the FA cup will provide us with something to get excited about but of course acknowledge the risk.

 

[Mal]

Well, it seems Peterborough players score against Tranmere for fun. At least Barnett's loan ends next Saturday.

 

[Ian]

We would definitely have lost that earlier in the season when we went 2-1 down so there is improvement but there's still a long way to go.