Up Winter Hill Bah't hat. Home to Barnsley, Tues 7th May 8-0 clock

[TANGODANCER]

Just a couple of golden moments to mention: 1. Charles's worldie ball across their box for Collins..incredible, as Charles was all game. 2. Collins deadly goal which few could have the vision or skill to score. That goal probably took us to Wembley. 3. Sheer annoyance at the ref blowing against Collins for a pillow-fight challenge that again cold have cost us; weighed against some of their clogger tactics it was a joke. Add, O'Keefe holding his face after a challenge on his leg. Disgusting. Our two disallowed goals over the two games that took a bit of shine off our overall performance. Well done all.

Lastly, the minus bits. Just adding to what others have said. Wake up Ric, you're no Usain Bolt. I might even have shoved him up front for the last twenty and put the knowledgeable Jerome in his place. .....oh, and Stop standing so near our nets for their corners and set pieces. We know what they're going to do; try to rush us into the net, and the ref seemed oblivious to box fouls. All said (and I can hear the hols of dissent already) If I were I.E., I might even consider re-signing the bulk of the squad, promotion or no. They've done us proud..

[dave the minion]

There's little merit in pointing out there's two teams. That's how football works. We know there's two teams, can we just stop the other one scoring 3 quite as often?

COYWM.

Don't disagree, but people are always quick to point to their own deficiencies without thinking about why those deficiencies came to the fore in the first place.

A couple of Barnsley's goals last night were due to mistakes from us - which rightly get criticised - but those mistakes only happened because of the pressure and pressing from a Barnsley team up against it, desperate for goals to give them a shot at promotion, and with players playing for their futures under whoever their next manager ends up being.

Don't they say football is a game of mistakes? If we could watch any game back impartially - including last night - I'm sure we could point out a fair few Barnsley mistakes as well? We'd have all been lambasting Cosgrove for sitting off for Collins' goal as a soft mistake if it was us, for example?

However, one thing I think we're all aligned on though, is that if its a game of mistakes, then it would be nice if we made at least 1 less of them than whoever we play in the final............

[BWFC_Insane]

And Maghoma can’t just drift off and stop because he doesn’t fancy tracking back.

I agree with this completely. The guy is a hell of a talent and the only player in our team who can unlock defences like he does with his twisting and turning and incisive passes, but on many occasions I see him meandering back without busting a gut to chase opposition players down - especially last night.

I think he's been an amazing signing and would love nothing more than to see him back next season (and beyond), but this element of his game frustrates me.

I'd also love to know how he doesn't lose the ball more often - seems to relish in running into trouble and squirming his way out of it....


In saying that, it was noticeable last night there seemed to be a lot of space for Barnsley to stream forward in the middle of the park with no one tracking them or closing them down (several of our players were "guilty" of not chasing down). Part of me wonders if its on instruction from Evatt so as not to tire themselves out busting a gut in a less dangerous part of the pitch, but its frustrating to see. Collins was also doing it, and at times it was like he'd track back to a certain point and then stop, as if he's been told not to go any further.

Oh he’s a fantastic player I’d sign for next season in a heartbeat if it was my decision and it was possible.

Last night I did think he was a liability though. Slowed the game down too much and lost the ball too much and ran down too many dead ends. Took too long on the ball. And then didn’t do to dogged midfield work needed.

He’s one id hope Wembley would suit. But I do worry about how open our midfield is and the ground we need to cover on that big pitch.

[sonicthewhite]

I blame Iles for last night when he said pre-match that no team with a 2 goal advantage and playing at home in the second leg had ever failed to reach Wembley. I had visions of Evatt going "Hold my pint!"

Anyway, we're through. We did enough over two legs to warrant getting to Wembley. Think how Peterborough felt last year when they were celebrating after that first leg. Here's to Oxford getting through tonight.

[DJBlu]

I blame Iles for last night when he said pre-match that no team with a 2 goal advantage and playing at home in the second leg had ever failed to reach Wembley. I had visions of Evatt going "Hold my pint!"

Anyway, we're through. We did enough over two legs to warrant getting to Wembley. Think how Peterborough felt last year when they were celebrating after that first leg. Here's to Oxford getting through tonight.

The thumb also printed all the comebacks in the past 20 odd years. Strange bloke.

[Worthy4England]

For sure, the big differences between a £10m player and a £1m player has a lot to do with consistency of doing the good bits. I reckon anyone who ever played at any level has at some point done something really well at league standard. Scored a worldie, perfectly timed the last ditch tackle, made a stunning save. It's the repeatable ability that counts. Any team's job is to get their best bits working and pressure the oppo. Being better able to manage that pressure also adds on to the price tag.

I disagree, that people don't think about the deficiencies that occur in the oppo, hence good old phrases like "play on the daft lad!". I don't think most don't notice a shift in momentum etc. As was pointed out v Posh at half time. We do expect the team to adapt and react, rather than cave in (a la Wiggin at home for example). If they can't, it's pretty legitimate to wonder how they'd cope a division higher and/or wonder whether they can get us there in the first place. We don't analyse Barnsley's mistakes, in the same way as we didn't analyse Exeter's when we dumped 7 past them. As for Aaron, many goid qualities, pressing in the top third probably jot one of 'em.

When they got to three, we coped fairly decently, last night, crowd went a bit flat and we rode it out.

Either way we need "on it" on the pitch in 10 days. Our best bits better thsn theirs our mistakes less critical. Theur job, as ever is to make it work the other way. Gies without saying. It's a competitive sport, the purpise if which us to win.

[dave the minion]

If they can't, it's pretty legitimate to wonder how they'd cope a division higher and/or wonder whether they can get us there in the first place.

Contrary to my evergreen optimism and positivity, I sadly think I know the answer to how we might cope a division higher
(doesn't stop me wanting us to get there though!!)

[BWFC_Insane]

I slightly disagree on Collins. I mean he’s not the most natural ‘press type’ but he works incredibly hard. He always wants the ball. He’s clearly trying to add the press to his game.

Phil Brown on the radio after the game said he thought he and Charles were the best partnership he’d seen at Bolton and I’d agree. I thought they were outstanding last night. The pair of them. As brown said Charles has come alive with Collins up there and is less selfish now as a result.

For me Thomason is being asked to do way too much on his own in midfield he’s doing all the graft while Maghoma and Sheehan watch and wait to do the fancy stuff. We need them to step up for me and do the dirty side of the game far better than they have done this season.

[DJBlu]

If they can't, it's pretty legitimate to wonder how they'd cope a division higher and/or wonder whether they can get us there in the first place.

Contrary to my evergreen optimism and positivity, I sadly think I know the answer to how we might cope a division higher
(doesn't stop me wanting us to get there though!!)

Would be nice to see how we'd do though.

As a side, we lost 1 half of football over 2 legs.

Winning 2 of them in added time. That's the difference, not giving up.

COYWM!!!

[Prufrock]

Sky were saying Brentford have high hopes for Paris next year. I'm somewhat sceptical... Playing in a prem team who don't have much of the ball...eesh.

Really hopeful we can keep him. He's got everything else, and it's a lot easier to teach that than the stuff he already has. Hope he's enjoying his birthday, and hope he's back ready to keep improving permanently here next year!

[Prufrock]

Rico had a shocker for their second, and nearly lost it in the first half under no pressure. Thought he was hard done to for the first though. Toal stopped his run after Santos head had gone down. A small mistake but I think it's emblematic of when we're bad, which is when we get caught between two stools.

We're very good when we're front foot, in control and at it. And we're actually pretty good when we dig in and decide we just aren't conceding (though truly horrible to watch) But there are times when we do half and half and it's woeful. I've wanged on about how I think that's partly the shape. But there were a number of times at 5-3 second half where we broke with 3 or 4, and no-one backing up. Not enough to create a chance, but too many so that when it broke down we were short.

The whole cliche about 2-0 being a dangerous score feels particularly the case for us because we stop committing fully which this system needs to be effective going forward, but we don't have a way of being solid enough while still offering some threat.

[The_Gun]

Sky were saying Brentford have high hopes for Paris next year. I'm somewhat sceptical... Playing in a prem team who don't have much of the ball...eesh.

Really hopeful we can keep him. He's got everything else, and it's a lot easier to teach that than the stuff he already has. Hope he's enjoying his birthday, and hope he's back ready to keep improving permanently here next year!

That bloke didn’t know what he was talking about. When Waterfall got played pre-kickoff he described it as ‘the Bolton anthem’.

[Worthy4England]

If they can't, it's pretty legitimate to wonder how they'd cope a division higher and/or wonder whether they can get us there in the first place.

Contrary to my evergreen optimism and positivity, I sadly think I know the answer to how we might cope a division higher
(doesn't stop me wanting us to get there though!!)

Would be nice to see how we'd do though.

As a side, we lost 1 half of football over 2 legs.

Winning 2 of them in added time. That's the difference, not giving up.

COYWM!!!

It will be nice to see how we'll do, surely?

As a side our last three have been D, W, L.

Collins for me, no doubt he starts with Dion - not suggesting anything like that - but if we're set up to press up top, then that's where the defence has to start. To give your forward two midfielders chance to cover the transition and maybe your WB's. Thommo, for me is likely to cover for Sheehan deep, Maghoma not. I don't think that's Maghoma being slackass - it almost feels (dare I say it) planned! So for sure, you're going to see Thommo and Sheehan in more of a defensive capacity.

There was at least one occasion last night when we were under the cosh and had punted it somewhat aimlessly towards their LB, Maghoma broke from our half and closed him about 20 yards out, resulting in a mis-hit throw to us - for example. That's different than maybe Thommo defends, but no less important.

[Worthy4England]

Rico had a shocker for their second, and nearly lost it in the first half under no pressure. Thought he was hard done to for the first though. Toal stopped his run after Santos head had gone down. A small mistake but I think it's emblematic of when we're bad, which is when we get caught between two stools.

We're very good when we're front foot, in control and at it. And we're actually pretty good when we dig in and decide we just aren't conceding (though truly horrible to watch) But there are times when we do half and half and it's woeful. I've wanged on about how I think that's partly the shape. But there were a number of times at 5-3 second half where we broke with 3 or 4, and no-one backing up. Not enough to create a chance, but too many so that when it broke down we were short.

The whole cliche about 2-0 being a dangerous score feels particularly the case for us because we stop committing fully which this system needs to be effective going forward, but we don't have a way of being solid enough while still offering some threat.

Absolutely, which in part is why I advocate us going into these games (and the final) on the front foot. We're pretty shit at game management at times and create our own problems. That extends to looking at when we might need a sub, rather than "what time is it, oh it's Sub time!"

[BWFC_Insane]

Rico had a shocker for their second, and nearly lost it in the first half under no pressure. Thought he was hard done to for the first though. Toal stopped his run after Santos head had gone down. A small mistake but I think it's emblematic of when we're bad, which is when we get caught between two stools.

We're very good when we're front foot, in control and at it. And we're actually pretty good when we dig in and decide we just aren't conceding (though truly horrible to watch) But there are times when we do half and half and it's woeful. I've wanged on about how I think that's partly the shape. But there were a number of times at 5-3 second half where we broke with 3 or 4, and no-one backing up. Not enough to create a chance, but too many so that when it broke down we were short.

The whole cliche about 2-0 being a dangerous score feels particularly the case for us because we stop committing fully which this system needs to be effective going forward, but we don't have a way of being solid enough while still offering some threat.

Oh this I think is really spot on. I agree. When we are right on top of a team and pushing to score with real intensity we are good. When we, as we did at Barnsley say its priority not to concede and we will hit the channels for an outlet we look good and restricted them.

But yes it’s the in between stuff. Like last night as you say 2 goal lead so no need to fly at them but nor do we want to just be digging in. And yeah that’s it. We don’t commit enough forward to create a chance or retain it at times and then equally overexpose ourselves on transition.

Game management I guess but I think we end up like that sometimes when we are level in games too.