Brief synopsis

[Penlee]

Aimson's challenge never a pen but oxford by far the better side second half.

 

[oldage]

Reading these comments on last night's performance and the same weaknesses were being highlighted weeks ago. No leader,wrong tactics,a soft touch etc. RL has tunnel vision and is too stubborn to change or is out of depth. Unfortunately we need to sign players when there is little in the transfer fund.

 

[yashin]

Cooper is not ready yet we need a keeper that is going to boss the players in front of him we keep blaming the defenders but they should be organised from behind which we are sadly lacking this season.

 

[AlanMS]

I was purring for the first 30 mins then suddenly realised that Oxford were getting on top and Argyle had no answer.

Sorry but Jephcott is not championship level - he does not have the pace and was beaten several times after decent thru balls.

Our wing backs are not capable of beating a player in a one to one situation - perhaps Major could play wing back?

Aimson should not have made that tackle - but he did get the ball first - it was not a penalty,

Cooper's distribution was terrible and I thought he could have done better for goals one and two.

I do hope that Lowe can sort this team out - has potential but confidence lacking at times.

 

[Mark Smith]

Very disappointing second half. We could have got a second goal while we had the upper hand but their equaliser, and the manner of it, was no surprise to me and from then on it was a familiar story.

I have been saying this for months and repeat it again, although many others have said the same on this thread: we need a plan B, a defence coach to help design it, and a leader at the back to implement it on the pitch.

I think we were all deceived by the Plan A-and-a-half rolled out against MKD which was to essentially play the same way and paper over the cracks with more effort which was enough, just, to keep a poor Dons team out on that day.

Lowe talked angrily a few weeks ago about change and getting back to basics, but there has been little sign of this, especially from him. I’m not sure the players we have can do much more with these tactics. It’s true that they don’t all put the shift in that is required to just keep us in a game, but even when they give 100% they are being asked to pedal furiously for 90 minutes when we only have a first gear.

 

[PL2 3DQ]

You have to give credit to Oxford, not only were they the better team with better tactics but they were stronger and more physical and apart from Camara they ran right over us.
Sometimes you just have to admit the opposition were better and deserved to win.

When we win, usually against teams who don't press us, our system looks great and very pleasing on the eye, however when we are pressed back and lose our system looks weak and poor with no alternative, no different tactic.
We are a soft touch with no spine in the team and no leader.

 

[Graham Clark]

Think of our defeats - home or away and they have all been to teams that play 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 with a high or selective press which forces us to lose possession in advanced areas or when the wing backs have pressed high leaving the back three and the central defensive midfielder vulnerable and exposed. Funnily enough our most recent win against MK Dons mirrored our 3-5-2 (or 3-1-4-2) and failed to cause the same levels of distress as other more effective teams.

I have made this point before - 3-5-2 was an effective system used as recently by England in the 2018 World Cup (Neil Dewsnip was part of the England coaching set up at the time). The only team that that has persisted with 3-5-2 in the top two divisions is Sheffield United who employed it remarkably successfully in the previous two seasons. However, look at what has happened to them this season - simply team after team outwits them tactically despite the huge efforts of their players.

Ryan Lowe made reference in his post match interview to Karl Robinson's view that standards in League 1 are much higher (or words to that effect) this season. The warning signs are there - this is going to get more difficult as team after team will set up as all the victorious teams have against Argyle. Before we know it we will be fully embraced in a relegation battle as a result.

The strict adherence to 3-5-2 needs to change and I would advocate something that Lowe and his coaching team have flirted, but not persisted with. Many teams now play 3-4-3 or a variant of it. I think we would benefit with going 3-4-1-2 playing the same back three, Camara wide right, Macleod and Grant as central midfielders and Moore or Cooper on the left. This would improve us defensively and give us more pace and energy on the flanks - so essential in the modern game. The key move would be to put Mayor central where he can run at defenders, interplay with the wing backs or slide balls through the gaps with the delicate touch that he is a master of. Hardie and Jephcott can then run the channels or beyond the central defenders rather than try and control balls fired at them by a clearance under pressure which all our back three are guilty of.

 

[WoodsyGreen]

But Graham, for that to work we would still be missing one vital ingredient: good centre-backs.

All those harping on about a formation change seem to overlook that important point. We conceded two goals last night that no amount of tinkering with the formation will change. Until Lowe surprises us all by signing a quality centre-back or two, and replaces the underwhelming kid in goal, we'll continue to struggle no matter what formation we play.

 

[Tugboat]

Decent wingbacks are the key.

Get the wingbacks playing up the pitch and we maintain control of the midfield and attacking emphasis.

When they drop back into a back 5 we lose all outlet and the 2 man midfield is contained and possession easily lost.

 

[WoodsyGreen]

Decent wingbacks are the key.

Get the wingbacks playing up the pitch and we maintain control of the midfield and attacking emphasis.

When they drop back into a back 5 we lose all outlet and the 2 man midfield is contained and possession easily lost.

Again, that wont prevent us conceding goals like Oxford's first and third last night.

It all starts with good centre-backs, and until Lowe brings some in we may as well play 10-0-0 for all the good it will do.

 

[Tugboat]

Decent wingbacks are the key.

Get the wingbacks playing up the pitch and we maintain control of the midfield and attacking emphasis.

When they drop back into a back 5 we lose all outlet and the 2 man midfield is contained and possession easily lost.

Again, that wont prevent us conceding goals like Oxford's first and third last night.

It all starts with good centre-backs, and until Lowe brings some in we may as well play 10-0-0 for all the good it will do.

No but it could massively reduce the amount of opposition attacks.

Get and keep the ball much further up the pitch.

3-1-4-2 isn’t a defensive formation. The emphasis has to be on the front foot. Not a pulis or Allardyce setup

 

[Graham Clark]

But Graham, for that to work we would still be missing one vital ingredient: good centre-backs.

All those harping on about a formation change seem to overlook that important point. We conceded two goals last night that no amount of tinkering with the formation will change. Until Lowe surprises us all by signing a quality centre-back or two, and replaces the underwhelming kid in goal, we'll continue to struggle no matter what formation we play.

I agree - we do need to improve the quality of the back three. I was just rearranging the current squad.

Both Watts and Aimson are often caught on the wrong side of the opponent. Neither are capable of effectively blocking crosses when drawn into wide areas (look at Oxford's second goal). Aimson also often seems to lose his footing. Canavan is too casual for my liking - whether it is the pace less stroking of the ball across to Watts or Aimson (rarely in front of them putting them under pressure with the press) or the tendency to switch off at vital moments but at least he wins more than his fair share of headers, which is his principal role.

The truth is January, with limited funds is going to be a test to recruit one or more suitable defensive replacements. Opuko may be on his way back to Fulham but where we are going to find at least one dominant communicative battle hardened and experienced defender I don't know - but that is, at least, what we need to ensure we are in League 1 next season.

 

[dunlop]

It’s not about what system we play, we have too many players who are not good enough for this league, we lack any sort of leadership on the pitch, teams seem to be physically stronger than us, we have got to hope the manager can work some magic in the transfer window to keep us out of the relegation zone.

 

[phil thefluter24]

Really smacks of poor recruitment by Lowe in the summer. All this over the top hype about Mayor being better than Carey has come back to bite him on the backside. Another point it seems as though Lowe has a very large back room staff which must come at a considerable cost to the club , what do they do all week ? people on here been saying about getting in a defence coach surely there must be one amongst that lot. Is Lowe hoping for more money from SH next month to bring in players who can play the system he is fixated with if not he will be forced into a rethink as the personnel at his disposal are plainly not up to it

 

[Dreamgreen]

Oxford´s centre back, Moore (No.5) was the best player on the pitch last night. Commanding in his box, and threatening in ours.

This is the type of player we could sorely do with.