MATCHWATCH : Bournemouth (h)

[Rax]

Decent enough performance against a class outfit.

We didn’t fanny around with it at the back tonight and got right in their faces for 90 mins. They just have the extra bit of quality in the final 3rd that we don’t have. If only we could perform with the same passion every week.

The criticisms I have read in the last couple of pages are pathetic.

I did like the high press - I just feel with Moore especially we have a player thieving a Premier League salary for League 2 performances.

We seem to start brightly and then fade out in the second half - this isn't Pauno's fault - he has a squad of 13 players to choose from (and that includes Clarke...)

Hopefully we can survive this season and re-assess next year!

[retro royal]

So fatigue our best players even further, results in more injuries, Pauno just doesn't know how to manage a squad or a match

[oldebiscuit]

So many of you are not seeing the obvious here! We had 3 or 4 good chances in the first half hour, and we didn’t take one. They had one chance just before half-time, and took it. That’s why they’re top and we’re struggling.

[Snowflake Royal]

Decent enough performance against a class outfit.

We didn’t fanny around with it at the back tonight and got right in their faces for 90 mins. They just have the extra bit of quality in the final 3rd that we don’t have. If only we could perform with the same passion every week.

The criticisms I have read in the last couple of pages are pathetic.

I must have imagined their second goal then.

Yeah, I guess there's two types of fannying around.

CBs and fullbacks passing to each other and the GK constantly under pressure.

And CMs trying to pass out through the eye of a needle and giving it away again and again rather than clear the ball. Because we did the latter constantly, and have done the previous two as well.

[Marcus Crassus]

So many of you are not seeing the obvious here! We had 3 or 4 good chances in the first half hour, and we didn’t take one. They had one chance just before half-time, and took it. That’s why they’re top and we’re struggling.

The obvious point, that you've completely missed, is that they have the best defence in the league and we have the third worst.

[Snowflake Royal]

No BFTG yet so I'll dump the ratings here.

Southwood - 6 but weak on the second but unsighted. Being given oxf*rd all to work with.

Yiadom - 5 gave it away endlessly, but was one of our better attacking outlets. Can't pick a cross.
Rahman - 6 average
Moore - 4 can't lead, can't organise, can't defend
Dann - 5 slow and ponderous

Drinkwater - 3 for a player with such obvious good technique, experience and vision he's been utterly dreadful the last few games. Constantly losing the ball
Laurent - 4 anonymous except when he was losing the ball.
Swift - 6 some moments of magic, but with the rest of the team playing poorly he's slowly dropping off

Dele-Bashiru - 5 the odd moment, lots of anonymity and some poor. Wasted wide right where he has been consistently poor.
Ejaria - 3 utterly awful. Mopes around the pitch expecting to get a fk for the mildest of contacts, overplays everything, puts us in trouble at the back and slows everything down to the point the oppos defence can pop out for a fag break as soon as he gets on the ball and still be back in time to tackle him or cut out his pass / cross

Puscas - 5 he's not great, but he's trying at least and feeding off utter scraps.

Paunovic - 2 the season started three months ago and the clown hasn't worked out the glaring set piece weakness other manager's can spot in one video highlights package. Refuses to use his subs, yeah, so what if they aren’t good enough. We were 2-0 down with no hope. You could at least use them to send a rocket up a few poor performers arses and save some tired legs. Hell, stick Cabral on for Drinkwater and send a oxf*rd message.


Next XI:

.................Southwood
Holmes, Laurent, Dann, Rahman
..................TDB, Osario.
Yiadom, .......Swift, ............Camara
.....................Puscas

At least it would have a bench he might use.

[Zip]

I said after the Blackpool, game what a complete liability Drinkwater was. It was like playing with ten men. Tonight he was even worse and played a huge part in the defeat.Pauno needs to show some balls and play Holmes ahead of him on Tuesday night.

As for the rest it was so predictable. The usual goal conceded from a set piece to the far post was of no surprise. Either Pauno is very arrogant or thick but he is not learning.
Once the second went in Pauno had to be brave and sub Drinkwater and bring on Clarke but nope he just let the game drift to the inevitable defeat.

I’m also sick and tired of Yids abject crossing. I have said for a long time he can’t cross for toffee. I just wish we had another option at right back.

The frustrating part was Bournemouth were very ordinary. It also saddens me that we are relying on has beens like Drinkwater when Olise is starring in the PL, Loader scores for Porto, Richards gets game time for Bayern, Hyatt, Stacey and Dickie are playing regular football for teams doing better than us and Antonio has been flying in the top flight.

We have been shambolically run for too long.

[Royal_jimmy]

Let's be fair we lost to a far better side, we had a few good spells especially in the first half. But the real positives from tonight's games is the fact that a majority of the players on the pitch are now ignoring the kowtow knee gesture.

Fair play to Puscas for not joining in

[leon]

I said after the Blackpool, game what a complete liability Drinkwater was. It was like playing with ten men. Tonight he was even worse and played a huge part in the defeat.Pauno needs to show some balls and play Holmes ahead of him on Tuesday night.

As for the rest it was so predictable. The usual goal conceded from a set piece to the far post was of no surprise. Either Pauno is very arrogant or thick but he is not learning.
Once the second went in Pauno had to be brave and sub Drinkwater and bring on Clarke but nope he just let the game drift to the inevitable defeat.

I’m also sick and tired of Yids abject crossing. I have said for a long time he can’t cross for toffee. I just wish we had another option at right back.

The frustrating part was Bournemouth were very ordinary. It also saddens me that we are relying on has beens like Drinkwater when Olise is starring in the PL, Loader scores for Porto, Richards gets game time for Bayern, Hyatt, Stacey and Dickie are playing regular football for teams doing better than us and Antonio has been flying in the top flight.

We have been shambolically fun for too long.

Yes. It’s really not good enough. We deserve better than this utterly disorganised, repetitively failing shit.

[SCIAG]

Paunovic has literally just said he has no intention of playing the youth players who “will not help the team”. So why put them on the bench?

Also it’s not always about the players, change the oxf*rd shape, change something. Broken oxf*rd record. Awful manager.

Awful manager who got us to seventh last season and has us comfortable this season, much better than his three previous predecessors. Hmm.

Ashcroft vs Yiadom is a no-brainer. Ashcroft vs nobody is also a no-brainer. Likewise Osorio vs Swift, Camara vs Ejaria, Ehibhationham vs Puscas. Most of them aren’t even our first choice U23 in their position. They’d still be better than playing with ten men.

Feels a bit unfair singling you out when so many other people have given equally laughable responses (presumably the alcohol is talking for most), but I’d be here all night.

[royalp-we]

But there lies the problem. Repetitiveness. We persist with the same motions, same tactics, same formation week after week even if it has served us poorly.

Pauno talks the talk but needs to grow some bollocks now. If we start on Tues as we lined up tonight we may aswell just forfeit the game. Other teams know exactly how we set up and tire in the second half.

You cherry pick a few youngsters. Southwood is the only player to have progressed this season; and that was down to our first choice keeper punching a white board. You couldn’t make this sh*t up

[Zip]

Paunovic has literally just said he has no intention of playing the youth players who “will not help the team”. So why put them on the bench?

Also it’s not always about the players, change the oxf*rd shape, change something. Broken oxf*rd record. Awful manager.

Awful manager who got us to seventh last season and has us comfortable this season, much better than his three previous predecessors. Hmm.

Ashcroft vs Yiadom is a no-brainer. Ashcroft vs nobody is also a no-brainer. Likewise Osorio vs Swift, Camara vs Ejaria, Ehibhationham vs Puscas. Most of them aren’t even our first choice U23 in their position. They’d still be better than playing with ten men.

Feels a bit unfair singling you out when so many other people have given equally laughable responses (presumably the alcohol is talking for most), but I’d be here all night.

In what way is this season better than what Bowen achieved? We are 16th.

[Royal_jimmy]

Paunovic has literally just said he has no intention of playing the youth players who “will not help the team”. So why put them on the bench?

Also it’s not always about the players, change the oxf*rd shape, change something. Broken oxf*rd record. Awful manager.

Awful manager who got us to seventh last season and has us comfortable this season, much better than his three previous predecessors. Hmm.

Ashcroft vs Yiadom is a no-brainer. Ashcroft vs nobody is also a no-brainer. Likewise Osorio vs Swift, Camara vs Ejaria, Ehibhationham vs Puscas. Most of them aren’t even our first choice U23 in their position. They’d still be better than playing with ten men.

Feels a bit unfair singling you out when so many other people have given equally laughable responses (presumably the alcohol is talking for most), but I’d be here all night.

In what way is this season better than what Bowen achieved? We are 16th.

Agreed and have a points deduction coming our way

[royalp-we]

Exactly; and when we are deducted points and loitering round the bottom 3 with this squad the fan base will wake up. Sporadic and lucky performances have seen us beat better teams; and lose in awful fashion in other games.

We just repeat the same mistakes and play the same formation and tactics. Its boring and no wonder fans are staying away. It’s predictable. It’s boring. It’s infuriating.

[Millsy]

As I've just written elsewhere Pauno is a ****ing bellend and always will be. He is just totally incapable of doing ANYTHING mid game and has to just pray that the wheels he sets in motion at the beginning of a game (of his ONLY plan of 451 and inviting the press) stay turning throughout the game and is not outdone by shit defending and a superior manager's half time talk.

We have few options from the bench, yes but WHAT THE FLYING FLAMINGO would be the problem with, 30mins to go putting the free-scoring (in reserve games) Clarke up front with Puscas (who came close a few times tonight). Drop the UTTER LIABILITY SHITE Drinkwater for Clarke. I mean, come on! 2-0 football is meant to be easy but even that wasn't working. Keeping the same 4-5-1 system was madness whichever way you look at it. I suspect he has NEVER trained the boys to play 442. He puts all his eggs in one basket. As many of us have been saying since he joinged - NO. PLAN. B.

I'm still in favour of him staying though, I've seen enough in tough circumstances not to flip flop on him again, even if like many he does have some flaws.

[bcubed]

As I've just written elsewhere Pauno is a ****ing bellend and always will be. He is just totally incapable of doing ANYTHING mid game and has to just pray that the wheels he sets in motion at the beginning of a game (of his ONLY plan of 451 and inviting the press) stay turning throughout the game and is not outdone by shit defending and a superior manager's half time talk.

We have few options from the bench, yes but WHAT THE FLYING FLAMINGO would be the problem with, 30mins to go putting the free-scoring (in reserve games) Clarke up front with Puscas (who came close a few times tonight). Drop the UTTER LIABILITY SHITE Drinkwater for Clarke. I mean, come on! 2-0 football is meant to be easy but even that wasn't working. Keeping the same 4-5-1 system was madness whichever way you look at it. I suspect he has NEVER trained the boys to play 442. He puts all his eggs in one basket. As many of us have been saying since he joinged - NO. PLAN. B.

I'm still in favour of him staying though, I've seen enough in tough circumstances not to flip flop on him again, even if like many he does have some flaws.

Flying flamingo?!!

That's a top effort

[CountryRoyal]

Paunovic has literally just said he has no intention of playing the youth players who “will not help the team”. So why put them on the bench?

Also it’s not always about the players, change the oxf*rd shape, change something. Broken oxf*rd record. Awful manager.

Awful manager who got us to seventh last season and has us comfortable this season, much better than his three previous predecessors. Hmm.

Ashcroft vs Yiadom is a no-brainer. Ashcroft vs nobody is also a no-brainer. Likewise Osorio vs Swift, Camara vs Ejaria, Ehibhationham vs Puscas. Most of them aren’t even our first choice U23 in their position. They’d still be better than playing with ten men.

Feels a bit unfair singling you out when so many other people have given equally laughable responses (presumably the alcohol is talking for most), but I’d be here all night.

Guided us to 7th doesn’t tell the whole story. How about, oversaw an absolutely calamitous collapse of a promotion charge and failed to secure a playoff spot when we were in the top 6 almost all season, having headed the division for some time as well!

I don’t understand your comparison, I never said the starting team wasn’t right, but I just categorically will not believe that any of the players on the bench, in any form couldn’t have made some difference at all in the last god knows how many games he has refused to make meaningful subs. Player for player they may not have the same quality but if nothing else they are fresh legs and fresh energy which can help progress a team forward and open up gaps. The notion that making no substitutions makes sense on the basis that the players on the bench aren’t as good as the ones they will replace is just fcuking laughable.

[CountryRoyal]

Exactly; and when we are deducted points and loitering round the bottom 3 with this squad the fan base will wake up. Sporadic and lucky performances have seen us beat better teams; and lose in awful fashion in other games.

We just repeat the same mistakes and play the same formation and tactics. Its boring and no wonder fans are staying away. It’s predictable. It’s boring. It’s infuriating.

Yeah but “7th last season, embargo, injuries blah blah manager not to blame blah blah”

Yawn.

Pauno would prefer to relegate us with his turgid 4-2-3-1 then even try anything different.

[Millsy]

No BFTG yet so I'll dump the ratings here.

Southwood - 6 but weak on the second but unsighted. Being given oxf*rd all to work with.

Yiadom - 5 gave it away endlessly, but was one of our better attacking outlets. Can't pick a cross.
Rahman - 6 average
Moore - 4 can't lead, can't organise, can't defend
Dann - 5 slow and ponderous

Drinkwater - 3 for a player with such obvious good technique, experience and vision he's been utterly dreadful the last few games. Constantly losing the ball
Laurent - 4 anonymous except when he was losing the ball.
Swift - 6 some moments of magic, but with the rest of the team playing poorly he's slowly dropping off

Dele-Bashiru - 5 the odd moment, lots of anonymity and some poor. Wasted wide right where he has been consistently poor.
Ejaria - 3 utterly awful. Mopes around the pitch expecting to get a fk for the mildest of contacts, overplays everything, puts us in trouble at the back and slows everything down to the point the oppos defence can pop out for a fag break as soon as he gets on the ball and still be back in time to tackle him or cut out his pass / cross

Puscas - 5 he's not great, but he's trying at least and feeding off utter scraps.

Paunovic - 2 the season started three months ago and the clown hasn't worked out the glaring set piece weakness other manager's can spot in one video highlights package. Refuses to use his subs, yeah, so what if they aren’t good enough. We were 2-0 down with no hope. You could at least use them to send a rocket up a few poor performers arses and save some tired legs. Hell, stick Cabral on for Drinkwater and send a oxf*rd message.


Next XI:

.................Southwood
Holmes, Laurent, Dann, Rahman
..................TDB, Osario.
Yiadom, .......Swift, ............Camara
.....................Puscas

At least it would have a bench he might use.

Agree with most of this except I'd give Ejaria 4 at least. Seemed to now be trying to be faster with decisions (even if they don't come off) and he came back really well defensively a couple of times because God knows our defence were utter shite as usual.

Re: Drinkwater, this guy is utter shite.

Yes I know we orgasmed over tidy passes and everything going through him at the back but a) that's easy to do when all you're going to do is one-two with people around you and b) that's one position where you JUST CAN'T AFFORD to lose some of those balls. Almost like a keeper who makes good saves but sometimes makes howlers. Just in front of defence FFS. Both goals he had a hand in. He's just not good consistently reliable or good enough.

[SCIAG]

Paunovic has literally just said he has no intention of playing the youth players who “will not help the team”. So why put them on the bench?

Also it’s not always about the players, change the oxf*rd shape, change something. Broken oxf*rd record. Awful manager.

Awful manager who got us to seventh last season and has us comfortable this season, much better than his three previous predecessors. Hmm.

Ashcroft vs Yiadom is a no-brainer. Ashcroft vs nobody is also a no-brainer. Likewise Osorio vs Swift, Camara vs Ejaria, Ehibhationham vs Puscas. Most of them aren’t even our first choice U23 in their position. They’d still be better than playing with ten men.

Feels a bit unfair singling you out when so many other people have given equally laughable responses (presumably the alcohol is talking for most), but I’d be here all night.

In what way is this season better than what Bowen achieved? We are 16th.

Erm… results and performances? We might be 16th right now, but points deduction to one side (a points deduction largely stemming from decisions made while Bowen was in a senior role at the club) we’re looking a lot like a top-half team this season.

I honestly wonder sometimes if some of you lot actually go to games, or if you just wait until we lose so you can lose all sense of reality. We’ve had two bad games all season for crying out loud, get a grip.