MCLF Match Blog - The Mighty vs Oxford Utd

td53

td53

Well-known member
https://mclfoot.blogspot.com/2024/02/not-enough-mighty-vs-oxford-united.html

It's yet another 'meh' blog about a 'meh' performance. I don't think we were as bad as the general vitriol makes out on here and I'm confused as fuck about some of the players labelled as villains (weird innit how we've dropped Sonny but are dropping points even faster without the lad. How do you square that up with him being 'the problem?') - but equally, it's a seeming never ending saga of not being quite creative or daring enough to risk winning games.

We're fine when it's our day but when it's not, we just seem to go 'ok, not to be' and talk about 'moments' and 'that bit of quality' and don't seem to reflect on what we didn't do or weren't encouraged to do...
 
Cool of thought and speed of action is what we are lacking.
Unfortunately we have bags of it in reverse.
 
Did I read that our squad is only 18 players now? WtF is that all about? Makes it even more ridiculous that Apter went back to Tranmere. Completely illogical. Who is making these decisions?!!!
 
voyeur said:
Did I read that our squad is only 18 players now? WtF is that all about? Makes it even more ridiculous that Apter went back to Tranmere. Completely illogical. Who is making these decisions?!!!
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It can't be. There were 18 playing and on the bench and it didn't include the likes of Rhodes, Connolly and Carey for starters.

Maybe 18 over age players?
 
voyeur said:
It's fuckin bonkers and you know it.
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We'll, I think I've been fairly consistent in pointing out the insanity of not giving Apter a go. I've only been asking for about 3.5 years 🤣

Was weird as fuck when we were shit at the beginning of the season and had no creativity and it's weird now we've ditched Dale.

The argument about 'developing him' is strange too. He's worth a squad place as he's without a doubt 'next best' to Kaddy. Nothing else comes into that debate. We actually have a clear place for him.
 
td53 said:
We'll, I think I've been fairly consistent in pointing out the insanity of not giving Apter a go. I've only been asking for about 3.5 years 🤣

Was weird as fuck when we were shit at the beginning of the season and had no creativity and it's weird now we've ditched Dale.

The argument about 'developing him' is strange too. He's worth a squad place as he's without a doubt 'next best' to Kaddy. Nothing else comes into that debate. We actually have a clear place for him.
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I wasn't too gutted to lose Dale but it opened up even more room for Apter obviously. We are much too heavily dependent on Kaddy, who is apparently required to produce magic all game every game.

I saw something on Twatter that suggested Buriram paid a fee of €600k for King Kenny. That's euros. Decent return on a 30 year old we got for nowt if so. Didn't look the most reliable source, tbf.
 
voyeur said:
I wasn't too gutted to lose Dale but it opened up even more room for Apter obviously. We are much too heavily dependent on Kaddy, who is apparently required to produce magic all game every game.

I saw something on Twatter that suggested Buriram paid a fee of €600k for King Kenny. That's euros. Decent return on a 30 year old we got for nowt if so. Didn't look the most reliable source, tbf.
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I liked Dale. Bit of a loss imo. Had a half decent football brain, could try things. Didn't look quite as 'coached to death' as we can sometimes seem. Bit slow but I though was leaning to make what he had work for him. I'd be intrigued at looking at results with and without Dale as it seemed most of the time we were better with than not, certainly up til point Gabriel became available
 
I'm not sure we lack creative players, we just play too slowly. Oxford always broke quickly when they had a chance. Norburn takes an age to pass the ball, by which time all options have been closed down. We are also too static once that happens. Coulson was the only one driving into space with the ball.
 
td53 said:
https://mclfoot.blogspot.com/2024/02/not-enough-mighty-vs-oxford-united.html

It's yet another 'meh' blog about a 'meh' performance. I don't think we were as bad as the general vitriol makes out on here and I'm confused as fuck about some of the players labelled as villains (weird innit how we've dropped Sonny but are dropping points even faster without the lad. How do you square that up with him being 'the problem?') - but equally, it's a seeming never ending saga of not being quite creative or daring enough to risk winning games.

We're fine when it's our day but when it's not, we just seem to go 'ok, not to be' and talk about 'moments' and 'that bit of quality' and don't seem to reflect on what we didn't do or weren't encouraged to do...
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Great blog. I always enjoy reading them so thank you for taking the time to draft them after matches.👏👏👏
 
voyeur said:
I wasn't too gutted to lose Dale but it opened up even more room for Apter obviously. We are much too heavily dependent on Kaddy, who is apparently required to produce magic all game every game.

I saw something on Twatter that suggested Buriram paid a fee of €600k for King Kenny. That's euros. Decent return on a 30 year old we got for nowt if so. Didn't look the most reliable source, tbf.
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The few games where we looked really good was when we had both kaddy and Carey mixing it up behind the front two, and, of course Kenny pulling strings behind them as well as doing a proper defensive job.
That Carey kaddy combo with Morgan pulling the strings to me seems like a bit of a midfield nirvana for league one. And Morgan to me looks a better defender than Critchley's favourite clunker.
Byers looked a more rounded player in that central role, but then so does virtue, and its difficult to say after 20 minutes (Byers) but he did manage to keep us on the front foot for most of the time he was on.
 
Costero Poderoso said:
The few games where we looked really good was when we had both kaddy and Carey mixing it up behind the front two, and, of course Kenny pulling strings behind them as well as doing a proper defensive job.
That Carey kaddy combo with Morgan pulling the strings to me seems like a bit of a midfield nirvana for league one. And Morgan to me looks a better defender than Critchley's favourite clunker.
Byers looked a more rounded player in that central role, but then so does virtue, and its difficult to say after 20 minutes (Byers) but he did manage to keep us on the front foot for most of the time he was on.
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Thanks. I was at the Etihad yesterday on a jolly and haven't seen the game at all yet, not even the goals. Interesting what you say about Carey and Dembele in tandem. Agree about Morgan v Norburn and Critch has the problem now of being big enough to drop Norburn. Is he?! Morgan and Byers seems like a potentially strong pairing. Once Byers is up to speed. I've not seen as much as you seem to have in Carey this season, from what I've seen of him, but he does look good in spells sometimes. We could do with a more experienced striker I think, at least as Rhodes cover. And a central defensive pairing. The three with one in the middle hasn't really worked well enough I think.
 
I don't know what the question is, if Carey is the answer. I've tried and tried to see the positives, and just before Christmas he had a few promising moments, but we can't afford to carry him in far too many games.

We even did that against Bolton in the BSM game where nothing happened for him and the match went on around him, with him scurrying hither and thither trying to get involved.

My preferred midfield central two would be Morgan and Byers, but I can't see him dropping the captain.
 
Wizaard said:
I don't know what the question is, if Carey is the answer. I've tried and tried to see the positives, and just before Christmas he had a few promising moments, but we can't afford to carry him in far too many games.

We even did that against Bolton in the BSM game where nothing happened for him and the match went on around him, with him scurrying hither and thither trying to get involved.

My preferred midfield central two would be Morgan and Byers, but I can't see him dropping the captain.
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'How do we consistently win games of football?' is the question.

Sonny might not be the answer to that but I think he's far from the answer to the question 'what is the fundamental reason we don't win games of football as consistently as we could'
 
td53 said:
'How do we consistently win games of football?' is the question.

Sonny might not be the answer to that but I think he's far from the answer to the question 'what is the fundamental reason we don't win games of football as consistently as we could'
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Because we have a squad of fundamentally inconsistent players. Even the bright spark that is Dembele frequently has no end product in terms of assists or shots, and fizzles out in the last 20 minutes.
 
Wizaard said:
Because we have a squad of fundamentally inconsistent players. Even the bright spark that is Dembele frequently has no end product in terms of assists or shots, and fizzles out in the last 20 minutes.
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Is that inconsistency inherent to them as individuals or a result of inflexible tactics or a lack of adaptability?

I genuinely don't know.
 
td53 said:
Is that inconsistency inherent to them as individuals or a result of inflexible tactics or a lack of adaptability?

I genuinely don't know.
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Players at League One will not reproduce the same form as often as players higher up the pyramid. That's why they are where they are.

In that sense, having an inflexible system should actually help them, as they should know what to do in their allocated role. It's just that they don't do it week in week out.

For example, earlier in the season, Hubby was putting in some great crosses from wide. Now his distribution is woeful. He needs a rest to get back the zest he had earlier on.
 
Wizaard said:
Players at League One will not reproduce the same form as often as players higher up the pyramid. That's why they are where they are.

In that sense, having an inflexible system should actually help them, as they should know what to do in their allocated role. It's just that they don't do it week in week out.

For example, earlier in the season, Hubby was putting in some great crosses from wide. Now his distribution is woeful. He needs a rest to get back the zest he had earlier on.
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I don't wholly agree with the first point. It's true of some players of course but I think you just as often have players who are perfectly consistent but who just don't have the physical or technical strength. I.e. you get players like Dale or Carey who are technically excellent but lack pace or brawn. You also get huge hulking centre halves and forwards who are the opposite. All the strength but little technique. You also get CJ who can always run quickly but generally is poor with the ball.

Carey will almost always use the ball nicely enough and make good runs and movement. Dale will almost always take it well and wriggle out of tight spots. It's just they're not all round complete players cos Carey is 8stone wet through and Dale isn't quick.

The second point I do agree with. I didn't want him to chop and change and to build something that was familiar. It's not had the effect I hoped!
 
td53 said:
I don't wholly agree with the first point. It's true of some players of course but I think you just as often have players who are perfectly consistent but who just don't have the physical or technical strength. I.e. you get players like Dale or Carey who are technically excellent but lack pace or brawn. You also get huge hulking centre halves and forwards who are the opposite. All the strength but little technique. You also get CJ who can always run quickly but generally is poor with the ball.

Carey will almost always use the ball nicely enough and make good runs and movement. Dale will almost always take it well and wriggle out of tight spots. It's just they're not all round complete players cos Carey is 8stone wet through and Dale isn't quick.

The second point I do agree with. I didn't want him to chop and change and to build something that was familiar. It's not had the effect I hoped!
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To be honest, I think Carey has spent too much time recently trying to bulk up a bit and has lost what pace he had. Him and Virtue are definitely broader across the shoulders than they were.
 
voyeur said:
Thanks. I was at the Etihad yesterday on a jolly and haven't seen the game at all yet, not even the goals. Interesting what you say about Carey and Dembele in tandem. Agree about Morgan v Norburn and Critch has the problem now of being big enough to drop Norburn. Is he?! Morgan and Byers seems like a potentially strong pairing. Once Byers is up to speed. I've not seen as much as you seem to have in Carey this season, from what I've seen of him, but he does look good in spells sometimes. We could do with a more experienced striker I think, at least as Rhodes cover. And a central defensive pairing. The three with one in the middle hasn't really worked well enough I think.
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I really like Joseph but because he's chasing the ball on the ground he gets drawn out of position quite a lot
 
Wizaard said:
To be honest, I think Carey has spent too much time recently trying to bulk up a bit and has lost what pace he had. Him and Virtue are definitely broader across the shoulders than they were.
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Yeah, Virtue I think probably benefits because he's always been about combative play but I fear a little that by making Carey a more 'all round' player, you lose the impulsive, instinctive waif that he was.
 
td53 said:
Is that inconsistency inherent to them as individuals or a result of inflexible tactics or a lack of adaptability?

I genuinely don't know.
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I would say at league 1 level allowing players to play to their strengths would be massively advantageous. Having inflexible instructions would in my mind be More suited to those with impeccable talents,
 
I think Carey will have to work harder to get back into the team, Byers looks a good midfielder in the 20 mins on the pitch, Morgan is playing very well and making the position his, Norburns experience will be needed throughout the remaining games. If Carey gets an opportunity he must take it, there's no doubt the coaches need to work on his game at times he does go missing.
 
td53 said:
https://mclfoot.blogspot.com/2024/02/not-enough-mighty-vs-oxford-united.html

It's yet another 'meh' blog about a 'meh' performance. I don't think we were as bad as the general vitriol makes out on here and I'm confused as fuck about some of the players labelled as villains (weird innit how we've dropped Sonny but are dropping points even faster without the lad. How do you square that up with him being 'the problem?') - but equally, it's a seeming never ending saga of not being quite creative or daring enough to risk winning games.

We're fine when it's our day but when it's not, we just seem to go 'ok, not to be' and talk about 'moments' and 'that bit of quality' and don't seem to reflect on what we didn't do or weren't encouraged to do...
Click to expand...
The agony of hope pretty much sums it up
 
FLATBACKFOR said:
I think Carey will have to work harder to get back into the team, Byers looks a good midfielder in the 20 mins on the pitch, Morgan is playing very well and making the position his, Norburns experience will be needed throughout the remaining games. If Carey gets an opportunity he must take it, there's no doubt the coaches need to work on his game at times he does go missing.
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Carey is now 5th in line behind Norburn, Morgan, Byers and Virtue.
 
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