Ox on the box, c*cks on the blocks? Oxford (H) Tue 12 Mar, 8pm

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Imagine if we switched shape and got beat. It would be cited as THE reason and the stick to beat him with, even though people are pandering for it

"nOw iTs fOrMaTiOn toMbOla"

[BWFC_Insane]

Imagine if we switched shape and got beat. It would be cited as THE reason and the stick to beat him with, even though people are pandering for it

If we tried to simplify our game and play more economically and lost I’d not criticise Evatt. At least we’d be trying to find a way to win the last 9. I do think as it stands we need to try something different. Because I don’t think we will win the games needed playing the system and style we are. Not with what we’ve got available.

[Worthy4England]

It's not infeasible that we've been working on a different system but when?

There's 65 days between Sun 7 Jan (Luton away) and Mar 12 (er, tomorrow). In that time we'll have kicked off 20 times – with two abandonments, but those games will have been carefully planned for, affecting training. Post-game, many of the most involved players will have a rest day (say Sunday), then a fairly full training day prepping for the next game (Monday), then very light work, if any, on the matchday Tuesday. Post-midweek it will be similar; they might be able to also do a Friday morning session, but they won't go mad.

We all chuckle about Evatt's #content #download but he's always been a system-based manager. One who, thankfully, is willing to change when necessary... but he will need time "on the grass" to do that. It's possible he could have spent some Friday mornings (say) pointing at magnetic pieces on a whiteboard, but he would want to drill those concepts on the grass – and immediately pre-match, would rather keep players focused on the task imminently at hand rather than a theoretical future world.

I could be wrong - they could pull a big surprise tomorrow or at Derby; it would certainly spanner Warne's scouting, but it would also be a huge huge huge risk for a game of that magnitude.

We've changed systems before in mid-season, when did we work on that one? Dunno.

As it happens, I doubt he'll change what's got us nearby in the first place. So he needs to tighten what's there or get us scoring 3 a game for a win.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

We've changed systems before in mid-season, when did we work on that one? Dunno.

In his first season, we started with a back four against Crawley on 2 Jan 2021. 10 days later we started with a back three at Exeter.

The change back in 2021/22 was quicker - we lost to Wycombe with a back four in midweek (11 Jan 2022) and beat Ipswich that Saturday (15 Jan) with a back three – but due to a bad winter we'd only played one game in a month prior to Wycombe, so I daresay the manager may have been planning a reversion for a while...

As it happens, I doubt he'll change what's got us nearby in the first place. So he needs to tighten what's there or get us scoring 3 a game for a win.

I think "tightening up" is much more achievable than formational change, at least for now. In the break, maybe. (Although I still suspect we haven't got the right personnel at the top end of the pitch to fit the 1 of the 4231... Jerome for an hour then Bod?)

[DJBlu]

Who's voted Oxford by 2+?

I was tentatively looking forward to another game of guess who? Jekyll and or Hyde.

I do think Evatt must be wondering if the club has an injury hex. He's a religious fella so surely he can ask for help. Is it "The power of Christ compells you?"

If we're needing an exorcism then,

In Mark 9:28-29, Jesus' disciples ask why they could not drive out a demon, and Jesus said that that kind could be driven out only with prayer and fasting.

I've been praying for a while but I'm a bugger for a sandwich so is there anyone willing to skip a meal to rid the injury demons from the club?

[Mar]

When this fixture was booked in both ourselves and Oxford were probably flying high. Doubt Sky would've expected our drop off let alone Oxfords.

Still this figure warrants a tough game. Oxford need to win to harbor any hopes of automatics despite it being a long shot. Bolton need to win in order to maintain the automatic chase.

Weve said a draw won't do and all games are must wins, but that's been proven untrue time and again due to the misfortunes of others. Time will tell whether this is a must win game. It certain feels that way, but this is a funny old league and I'm sure were due a few shocks until the end of the season.

We're due a bit of luck and fortune favours the brave. So hopefully we'll be the sort of bold that doesn't get washed out with the clothes cycle.

Win this and we keep ourselves in a title push. Lose and were back to looking over our shoulder rather than onward and upward. A draw suits no one, so we may as well go for it.

Jerome to score the winner. He's certainly warranting one. JDB to be the hero throughout. Clean sheet, dominant performance and a result to put a marker down for the run in. Let's be having it.

[The_Gun]

Is JDC available for tonight's game?

I note that today is his 28th birthday.

[Prufrock]

He was on the bench Saturday so I assume so. HBJDC!

[Worthy4England]

If I hear "It's JDC's birthday, so we've let him have the day off. It will not go well."

[Harry Genshaw]

I expect JDB will start, with Collins playing off him, and the shape will remain the same. I'd be half tempted to flood the midfield and have Morley in there with Paris as the furthest forward and Collins playing as a false 9. Apologies if I've got the vernacular wrong, and he'd really be a trequarista or an inside right.

Whatever. Just win.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I expect JDB will start, with Collins playing off him, and the shape will remain the same. I'd be half tempted to flood the midfield and have Morley in there with Paris as the furthest forward and Collins playing as a false 9. Apologies if I've got the vernacular wrong, and he'd really be a trequarista or an inside right.

Whatever. Just win.

For the record - false 9 is basically the same as a 10 but there's no 9 in front of him, so yeah I think you've used it right. (Trequartista is just a 10, really.)

I think our best 9 is Jerome. It would not astonish me if he starts at Derby to help at defensive set-pieces. JDB can play at 9 but personally I think he's better at 10; however, Collins looks like a 10 as well. Evatt has said Collins can play 9 as well as 10 but (1) Evatt says a lot of things and (2) I'm not convinced on the evidence so far; seems far better facing goal than with his back to it.

Anyway I think you're right Harry - I expect Evatt will choose to start JDB with Collins off him and the shape the same. And IMO that's probably our best option right now (given the risks of a formation switch). Whatever we do I hope it works.

[The_Gun]

Coleman

Toal Santos Iredale

Sheehan

JDC Maghoma Thomason Williams

JDB Collins

[dave the minion]

Hard to argue with that, other than maybe Jones for JDC if he's still not 100%

[TANGODANCER]

Coleman

Toal Santos Iredale

Sheehan

JDC Maghoma Thomason Williams

JDB Collins

Might see Dempsey for Williams possibly?

[BWFC_Insane]

Coleman

Toal Santos Iredale

Sheehan

JDC Maghoma Thomason Williams

JDB Collins

Might see Dempsey for Williams possibly?

Dempsey isn’t a wing back!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I'm finding it hard to guess for these next two games.

For a home game (rather than away), is JDC a better bet at wingback than Geth?

At LWB, Williams is probably our best attacking option, but do we need to save him a bit for Derby (or do we go more 'solid' there)?

At Derby do we start with Demps over Maghoma (as he's more solid, less risk-taking) or do we go with our very best XI (which probably right now is Maghoma > Demps)?

At least Sheehan's past the yellow-card peril... otherwise you could argue that he could be saved for Derby... or is he a risk against a muscular team?

I genuinely don't know. These are very fine decisions, each with risk/reward. But Saturday is a huge tough game and I would really hope we use our subs wisely tonight. Derby are at home to Reading and you imagine that will be an easier game, mnore quickly won - but this division springs some surprises...

[Worthy4England]

I expect JDB will start, with Collins playing off him, and the shape will remain the same. I'd be half tempted to flood the midfield and have Morley in there with Paris as the furthest forward and Collins playing as a false 9. Apologies if I've got the vernacular wrong, and he'd really be a trequarista or an inside right.

Whatever. Just win.

^^ I've thought similar around this, mainly in terms of Morley. Last time we "tinkered" defensively, I think it was to drop Morley a bit deeper for extra defensive cover. That said, Morley seems pretty much out of favour at the moment and probably hasn't set the world alight when he's played. So I think maybe not.

There's been a lot of narrative about systems and formations and positions that didn't exist in my day when football was just a simple game (allegedly ). There'll be no 'Arrying it on this watch and to be fair, for most of the first part of the season, the system has been fine and dandy. But it misses impetus, forward thrust, quick play, excitement and good to honest "I'm going to die trying-ness." Whilst your winning, that's not maybe much of a problem. When you're not, then it's out there like the Emperor with his sceptre on show but still to all intents and purposes in a state of undress.

I'm going to preface this bit with I like our team, our squad and our manager. I'm not going to boo them (although I reserve the right to tsk). I don't think we'll see a new system - after all, if you have the best system, you can only replace it with a weaker one. The upshot seems to be failure - it's the players (or maybe the manager too, if you happen to like Markham). Success, it's the system. What a gig that is. No downsides, all the upsides. That's the pay-off from the risk-reward equation, it's anything but the system. It's the players, the fans calling the players (so in that instance not the players), the injuries, the atmosphere, the wrong grass and leaves on the track. If only life (even with the best systems in the world) always ran on the tracks. We even had IE questioning his tough four days. Life isn't that fcuking easy mate, so as you might say to young Billy, man up. Get a fcuking grip. Stop with the sob and get on with the job.

Now is the time for the system to shine - brightly - it mitigates the downsides by everyone knowing the drill & patterns and being in possession of both the ball and the content downloads. Whatever we chug about Dion's misses, I'd be delighted with him missing 5 and bagging 2, tonight, because the system put him there and it worked. Frankly you can stick your PPDA, xG and 10 pass sequences where the sun doesn't rise, if it doesn't get us up.

Maybe bizarrely, I'm the one currently sat on 2-0 Whites. COYWM.

[BWFC_Insane]

I expect JDB will start, with Collins playing off him, and the shape will remain the same. I'd be half tempted to flood the midfield and have Morley in there with Paris as the furthest forward and Collins playing as a false 9. Apologies if I've got the vernacular wrong, and he'd really be a trequarista or an inside right.

Whatever. Just win.

I like that as an idea. It would rely on us not playing long at all but Oxford home might be the game to do it.

The trouble though is I can’t imagine that would work at Derby though who knows? Maybe we can use Collins as a floating outlet and hit them on the break?

Certainly an interesting idea. A very Man City idea too. So Evatt should like it.

[The_Gun]

I'm finding it hard to guess for these next two games.

For a home game (rather than away), is JDC a better bet at wingback than Geth?

At LWB, Williams is probably our best attacking option, but do we need to save him a bit for Derby (or do we go more 'solid' there)?

At Derby do we start with Demps over Maghoma (as he's more solid, less risk-taking) or do we go with our very best XI (which probably right now is Maghoma > Demps)?

At least Sheehan's past the yellow-card peril... otherwise you could argue that he could be saved for Derby... or is he a risk against a muscular team?

I genuinely don't know. These are very fine decisions, each with risk/reward. But Saturday is a huge tough game and I would really hope we use our subs wisely tonight. Derby are at home to Reading and you imagine that will be an easier game, mnore quickly won - but this division springs some surprises...

For me JDC is always a better option than Jones at wing back.

Sheehan is out of yellow card danger, but Thomason would be sucked right back into it if he picks up a booking tonight. We absolutely can't afford for him to miss another three games.

[TANGODANCER]

Coleman

Toal Santos Iredale

Shee

JDC Maghoma Thomason Williams

JDB Collins

Might see Dempsey for Williams possibly?

Dempsey isn’t a wing back!

Aye, but he's a footballer. Nat Lofthouse wasn't a goal keeper, but he saved a penalty. Dempsey's also creative and under-valued...In my opinion of course...Tell you what, let's cancel all the goals that haven't been scored by strikers, or have some shirts made saying wing-back, mid-fielder etc.. That should do it..