Brief synopsis

[PL2 3DQ]

Signing another 20-year old centre-back from a Premier League club won't help us, experienced centre-backs will be difficult to find.
Nathan Baker at Bristol City on loan has been mentioned and he is exactly the type of CB we need, if he's fully fit.

The thing is Lowe prefers his centre-backs to be comfortable on the ball and start attacks, especially in the Canavan position when what we really need is a no nonsense type who just clears the ball.

Can Luke McCormick play at centre-back?

 

[Quintrell Green]

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.

I thought that too, and I was interested enough to Google him. He is 6ft 5in and only 23. He was former Leicester City apprentice and was sold by them to Oxford, whilst he had a year left on his contract. I reckon he could play at a higher level. He certainly made our strikers non-existent when competing in the air.

 

[Lesley Somerville]

I agree with much of what has been said, although not the general feeling of doom and gloom. I remember not so long ago when we were in a similar situation with Adams and he brought in Diagourara in the transfer window. There was an immediate change in our confidence and ability to defend. He oozed self-confidence and his mere presence seemed to change the mood, in players and fans. One player can make a huge difference, especially in this case where our defence is so obviously suspect. I agree with the person who said that a shaky defence affects confidence all over the pitch and I think that's what we're witnessing. We do have good players but we don't see them playing at their best often enough. If we can get the right person in, a Darren Purse type player, then I think we'll see a massive change. And I'm sure we could attract a decent CB in these uncertain times because we're a club with a good owner, stability and an all round good set up. That would be attractive to many players with a family to think about.
Anyway, I was as p*ssed off as anyone last night but I'm choosing not to lose the faith or rubbish the players, manager, staff...yes we may lose again on Saturday but let's wait until we see what happens in the transfer window before talking about relegation.
Oh and when RL was talking to the fan in the Lyndhurst there was no arm waving from what I saw and it was in front of me. It was a conversation and why shouldn't he? For me it shows how much he cares and the people around at the time applauded him for it.

 

[WoodsyGreen]

We were warned by Bury fans that RL didn't have a very good eye for a defender, and thus far they've been proven emphatically right.

He has signed Aimson, Watts, Opoku and Josh Grant, and offered contract extensions to Wootton and Canavan.

Not one of those can be described as a success. Grant was good for us but only once he was moved to CDM, while Watts will have a decent career in the EFL but isn't the dominant CB we need. You could probably put Opoku in the same bracket, while Aimson and Canavan are League Two standard and Wootton barely Sunday League.

So while I'm confident we'll bring in another CB or two in Jan, I'm far from confident they'll be any good judging from Lowe's record in that department so far.

 

[djg145]

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.

Like a Sonny Bradley you mean?

What is it with Argyle they seem hell bent on taking on Managers who have no 'plan b' or 'tunnel vision' - Sheridan, Adams and now Lowe.

 

[Devizes Green]

Unfortunately we could all see this coming due to poor summer recruitment bringing in no leaders,no quality defenders and no physical players.I do feel sorry for Mike Cooper as he has been thrown in at the deep end but he is clearly not the answer at the present time
With regards to some of the comments about RL surely Neil Dewsnip is there to offer his experience and assistance.As others have said RL does have a large backroom staff but I am not sure who is the defensive coach
We cannot expect Simon Hallett to fund another transfer window so we will now see how good RL is

 

[slingsbypobble]

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.

I agree that Oxford were better but it was a poor quality game between two poor sides. Which brings me back to my point: name four worse L1 teams. Wigan and Burton is as far as I've got! It isn't Rochdale, and although we beat Swindon they still put 2 past us. Northampton maybe. We're in a relegation battle now and I've got a horrible feeling that the best we'll see in Jan is one loaner signing.

 

[PL2 3DQ]

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.

Like a Sonny Bradley you mean?

What is it with Argyle they seem hell bent on taking on Managers who have no 'plan b' or 'tunnel vision' - Sheridan, Adams and now Lowe.

And failing to come from behind to win a game, Sheridan and now Lowe suffered from that. We haven't done it this season in the league.

 

[Guiri Green]

Karl Robin's post match comments and other snippets I've read on here, suggest he was much more astute than RL.

He explained how he switched tactics after 20 minutes to negate our wide attacks and even down to the detail of using someone with a long throw to take advantage of the lower floodlights after his keepers pointed them out to him.

RL rarely seems able to adapt or counter any changes made by the opposition and persists with his usual tactics even after it's obvious he's been sussed.

 

[EyeOpener]

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.

I agree that Oxford were better but it was a poor quality game between two poor sides. Which brings me back to my point: name four worse L1 teams. Wigan and Burton is as far as I've got! It isn't Rochdale, and although we beat Swindon they still put 2 past us. Northampton maybe. We're in a relegation battle now and I've got a horrible feeling that the best we'll see in Jan is one loaner signing.

They are better than us. They just got off to a poor start but will definitely do enough to survive this season. Considering we are almost half way through the season, I have only seen 2 sides that I think we will finish above...Swindon and Burton.

 

[WoodsyGreen]

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.

I agree that Oxford were better but it was a poor quality game between two poor sides. Which brings me back to my point: name four worse L1 teams. Wigan and Burton is as far as I've got! It isn't Rochdale, and although we beat Swindon they still put 2 past us. Northampton maybe. We're in a relegation battle now and I've got a horrible feeling that the best we'll see in Jan is one loaner signing.

They are better than us. They just got off to a poor start but will definitely do enough to survive this season. Considering we are almost half way through the season, I have only seen 2 sides that I think we will finish above...Swindon and Burton.

Northampton were crap too.

 

[EyeOpener]

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.

Exactly. Another example of him telling us what we want/expect to hear.

 

[EyeOpener]

In complete control for thirty minutes but lacking ideas how to build on a one goal lead. Neither of the wing backs have the capability of beating a defender, so attacks fade out. The occasional cross is usually poor and straight to a defender. When players break through the middle they seem to hesitate, be unsure what to do, and lose possession.

Mayor is still not hitting the heights, although he still poses the greatest threat. Maybe move him to the wing to terrorise the opposition defence.

Byron Moore was at fault for the second, losing the ball on the halfway line and only jogging back to defend. Aimson wasn’t that bad in defence but Oxford players were trying to win free kicks from the start and any challenge in the box was going to give the ref a decision to make. The Hux had done well to ignore most tumbles. Actually thought Aimson got the ball. At least the Hux evened things up with an equally dubious penalty for Argyle.

Argyle should have got at least a point after the start they made. This will not do the confidence any good and we now appear to be in a genuine relegation battle.

This was shocking. Watching it again in slow motion makes it even worse to watch. You can see that he really is just jogging. He's easily keeping pace with the runner and I'm sure if he had put on the afterburners he would have easily gotten in front of him or certainly beside him. I think he was just gambling on the ball in to be either crap or being directed to someone else.

 

[oldage]

We were warned by Bury fans that RL didn't have a very good eye for a defender, and thus far they've been proven emphatically right.

He has signed Aimson, Watts, Opoku and Josh Grant, and offered contract extensions to Wootton and Canavan.

Not one of those can be described as a success. Grant was good for us but only once he was moved to CDM, while Watts will have a decent career in the EFL but isn't the dominant CB we need. You could probably put Opoku in the same bracket, while Aimson and Canavan are League Two standard and Wootton barely Sunday League.

So while I'm confident we'll bring in another CB or two in Jan, I'm far from confident they'll be any good judging from Lowe's record in that department so far.

Couldn't have put it any better myself.I don't think RL has a clue about defenders or defending.

 

[phil thefluter24]

Unfortunately we could all see this coming due to poor summer recruitment bringing in no leaders,no quality defenders and no physical players.I do feel sorry for Mike Cooper as he has been thrown in at the deep end but he is clearly not the answer at the present time
With regards to some of the comments about RL surely Neil Dewsnip is there to offer his experience and assistance.As others have said RL does have a large backroom staff but I am not sure who is the defensive coach
We cannot expect Simon Hallett to fund another transfer window so we will now see how good RL is

Entirely agree