Sunday 4 December 2011

Struggling U's Desperately Need Win

Since I last blogged, things have gone from bad to worse at the Kassam. The optimism that I displayed in my last post has now given way to a feeling of defeatism, depression and disappointment. Oxford United have hit a rut at perhaps the critical moment in the season; the lead up to the packed Christmas calendar. In much the same way as last season, the U’s have crashed to five straight losses (albeit two were not in the all-important League).

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly why Oxford have suffered such a blip in form. Admittedly, United have faced the top three teams in League 2 in Southend, Crawley Town and Cheltenham, with the clashes against the Shrimps and financially lucrative Crawley coming away from the Kassam. Injuries have been another major factor in United’s slide down the table. Michael Duberry’s leadership qualities and no-nonsense defending has been a particularly sore loss for United. The Yellows have also missed Alfie Potter’s wing wizardry and ability to unlock any defence in this division with his direct running in the latter stages of games. Added to this, Robbie Hall’s goal-scoring and electric pace has been keenly felt after he was recalled to his parent club, West Ham, to ease an injury crisis of their own. Although Hall has now thankfully re-signed for Oxford on loan, his four game absence coincided with four straight defeats for Oxford. Unfortunately, Danny Philliskirk and Jonathan Franks who were drafted in to replace the youngster looked drastically short of match fitness and failed to make the grade, while Deane Smalley has been dismal for United this campaign, mustering only a single goal and that in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. Moreover, on Hall’s return to first team, at home to Cheltenham, he seemed to have lost some of the confidence and form he displayed during his first prolific spell. We can only hope that he re-discovers his spark, and quickly.

"Michael Duberry’s leadership qualities and no-nonsense defending has been a particularly sore loss for United"

Manager Chris Wilder must too take a share of the blame. His decision to replace the side-lined Duberry with the hapless Andrew Whing in the centre of defence is baffling. Whing may well have won Brighton’s player of the season only three seasons ago, but he is clearly a shadow of the player he once was. His frightful lack of pace has left Oxford extremely susceptible to opposing forwards. He is certainly not a central defender. Surely Harry Worley, although hardly faultless himself, deserves a chance ahead of Whing.

I’ll start with the Crawley game. In truth, it was always going to be a tough test, whatever form Oxford found themselves in prior to the game. Two early goals from Crawley’s outstanding centre forward, Tyrone Barnett, put United on the back foot and from there United faced an uphill battle. A spirited fight-back followed, with the tenacious James Constable bagging himself a goal through gutsy determination, when he refused to give up on a through ball and squeezed it past Scott Shearer. It is such battling qualities that have so endeared ‘Beano’ to the Oxford faithful the past few seasons. He really has cemented himself in the Oxford United annals.

Unfortunately, the U’s were unable to capitalise on Constable’s goal and in the third minute of stoppage time in the first half, a miss-hit cross from Adam Drury squirmed under Ryan Clarke to make it 3-1 and almost certainly game over. It was a rare howler from Oxford’s solid goalkeeper, but a costly one, as the Yellows struggled to assert themselves in the game thereafter, eventually conceding another goal to make it 4-1 at the final whistle. Oxford had been well-beaten on the day by a team that will view anything other than automatic promotion as a failed campaign.

And so on to Cheltenham Town. Our ‘noisy neighbours’? Not really. Indeed, it staggered me that a team sitting in third place in the division could not even bring a thousand fans to a ground less than an hour away. Those who had made the short journey had every reason to be cheerful, however. As soon as the match got underway, it became clear why the Robins, despite their limited budget, were occupying an automatic promotion place. Under the watchful eye of manager Mark Yates, Cheltenham zipped the ball around on the Kassam turf, leaving the home side to chase shadows. Cheltenham’s forward, Darryl Duffy, a player still desperately trying to re-capture the form from his Falkirk days over five years ago now, looked particularly spritely. With only ten minutes on the clock, the Robins made their early pressure count. An over hit cross (or was it a stroke of genius?) by Cheltenham cult-hero Sido Jombati sailed over Ryan Clarke’s outstretched glove and into the United net.

"Cheltenham’s forward, Darryl Duffy, a player still desperately trying to re-capture the form from his Falkirk days over five years ago now, looked particularly spritely"

We all hoped that this set-back would incite some energy and passion into Oxford’s play, but alas, none was forthcoming. Lewis Guy, on his first game back in a yellow shirt following his mid-week loan move from Milton Keynes Dons, was particularly ineffectual. I am yet to see what Wilder sees in the former Newcastle youth player. For the rest of the half, Cheltenham continued to play their neat, intricate football and deservedly went in ahead at half-time.

At the break, Wilder decided to replace defensive midfielder, Paul McLaren (who was also on a booking), with striker Deane Smalley, which saw United change to a 4-4-2 formation. Unfortunately, this tactical decision failed to galvanise Oxford into action and on 54 minutes, left-back Liam Davis was rightfully shown a second yellow card for an unnecessary lunge on Jombati. To make matters worse, a minute later, a Cheltenham corner was scrambled in by James Spencer at the back post to make it 2-0 to the away side.

This was surely game over. Sensing this, a few shameful fans left their seats and headed to the exit. Disgraceful. Cheltenham’s second actually spurred the restless Oxford crowd into song and the players responded to the chorus of chants from behind the goal. First, Peter Leven went close with a spectacularly struck free-kick which Cheltenham’s outstanding, yet cocky, young goalkeeper, Jack Butland was equal to. Then United’s workhorse, Constable, fired a screaming shot to Butland’s left, which he somehow managed to claw away. Butland, on loan from Birmingham, was justifying his recent call up to the England U21 set up. Still United kept coming and with ten minutes remaining, a sublime 30 yard free kick from the magical left-foot of Leven finally alluded Butland and somehow, Oxford were back in the encounter.

Sadly, Oxford were denied a late rally, as Cheltenham’s outstanding performer on the day, Marlon Pack’s, free kick five minutes from time was cruelly deflected past Clarke to send the Cheltenham supporters into wild delirium.

With no game this weekend, having been beaten by Sheffield United in the FA Cup 1st Round, it gives Oxford two weeks to address their slump in form and reduce their lengthy injury list. With a kinder festive fixture list round the corner, against the likes of struggling Northampton Town and off-form AFC Wimbledon, next week’s match away at Morecambe is crucial. A scrappy win would be the perfect tonic to halt our slide down the League 2 table.

No comments:

Post a Comment