Us v Os

[NolansOrient]

Big game for both sides here:

Oxford looking to further secure a top-3 spot in what must be an automatic promotion season for the yellows.

Orient looking to sneak into 7th, but inconsistency and injuries may leave them with too much to do.

Last time out:
It was a thrilling 2-2 draw at Brisbane Road earlier in the season. A deserved point for both teams after Orient's late equaliser; Oxford just about edged the 90 minutes, but Orient missed a glorious 95th minute chance to steal all 3 points. Unfortunately, a small modicum of Oxford fans let their side down by hurling abuse and physical objects at the home supporters after the full time whistle, and then waited menacingly outside the ground before being dispersed by the met.

Now I'm not saying all Oxford fans are cut from the Jeremy-Kyle cloth, but the previous game between the 2 (a breath-taking 3-2 win to send Orient to League 1 and Oxford into the Conference), saw Oxford fans running onto the pitch mid game to assault the away fans, and home supporters quite literally punch Orient players (left back Gabby Zakuani) in the face immediately after the full time whistle.

To those ends I am expecting a heavy police presence at the Kassam, as well as a home win.

Indeed Oxford's form has been potent since their mini-slump of 2 defeats to the Cobblers and Stanley, and they look more than capable of sealing 3rd, or even 2nd place.

Orient's home loss 0-1 to Luton on Saturday typified what is wrong with the Os this season, they simply aren't good enough. Which is a shame, because they aren't rubbish either, it's a side that probably doesn't deserve to finish in the play offs come May, but with Wimbledon and Stanley slipping up last night anything is possible.

Orient are strong on the road, and over 1,000 away fans are sure to cheer them on, but Oxford have a better team, a deeper squad, and form behind them, I am predicting a 3-1 win for the home side.

Ah well, we've always got the memories of '06

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

I don't see Oxford play well. Three games this season, two they were crap, one they were average. Unfortunately I won't be there to laugh at their kids, so Oxford are guaranteed an excellent performance and three points. Lundstram will score.

 

[The Terminator]

We're due an away loss, nostalgia will kick in for this one. The Kassam was the venue most of us have seen our best moment following The O's and it was ten years ago this year.

Time flies!

Can't see Brisley being fit for this one, so either Essam or Hunt at CB. Nailed on 4-0 loss.

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

Nailed on 4-0 loss.

That's actually the score I had in my head

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Chat on our pitch get banged. Assume your team is as wet as your supporters - 3-0 Ox.

 

[The Terminator]

Chat on our pitch get banged. Assume your team is as wet as your supporters - 3-0 Ox.

What if I can't orgasm in time?!

 

[nevermindtheboll_Ox]

I hate this fixture. Both sets of fans irritate the life out of me around it.

Team goes up, team goes down. Some people run on the pitch and act like twats, some just run on the pitch to celebrate and don't bait the home fans, some stay in the stands. Every team would be the same in the same situation! Oxford fans act like it was a great injustice, Orient fans make a joke of it like no one acted twattishly. It's obviously somewhere between the two, and for crying out loud, it was ten years ago.

Anyways, why are Orient fans lacking confidence so much? You've got some real quality players for this level and are just outside the playoffs. What am I missing?

 

[Glasshalffullpools]

U's versus the O's ...... any initial thoughts anybody ?

 

[The Terminator]

I hate this fixture. Both sets of fans irritate the life out of me around it.

Team goes up, team goes down. Some people run on the pitch and act like twats, some just run on the pitch to celebrate and don't bait the home fans, some stay in the stands. Every team would be the same in the same situation! Oxford fans act like it was a great injustice, Orient fans make a joke of it like no one acted twattishly. It's obviously somewhere between the two, and for crying out loud, it was ten years ago.

Anyways, why are Orient fans lacking confidence so much? You've got some real quality players for this level and are just outside the playoffs. What am I missing?

We're not very good at the back in all honesty, with Shaun Brisley likely to miss out we may have to play Connor Essam, who to be honest is poor against most sides at this level or Nicky Hunt who is a right back. Or Alan Dunne, but he's on his way out anyway.

Also since Kevin Nolan has come into the team, he has probably shown why the player/manager combination doesn't really work.

He has been unfit since he came here, his performances have been very laboured as well. He leaves all the subs to his two assistants on the touchline who haven't really had the balls to pull him off enough times IMO.

Our style of football when Nolan is on the field as well instead Jack Payne has been poor as well, long ball stuff and failed wing play. When we have a ball player playing it has actually been quite good in places to watch. Lloyd James will be back on the bench for us at least.

He's also been playing makeshift wingers, Sean Clohessy can do a job there against the weaker sides and if times get desperate, but he cannot do it there every week, either play Calum Jahraldo-Martin and Jobi McAnuff every game or bring in another winger as its clear Blair Turgott is also out the door.

We're going through a huge transitional period at the club still and have appointed a rookie manager who is learning.

We have the leagues best striker in Jay Simpson, but he is very very heavily marked these days, Luton stuck four men on him last week at one point

 

[nevermindtheboll_Ox]

We're not very good at the back in all honesty, with Shaun Brisley likely to miss out we may have to play Connor Essam, who to be honest is poor against most sides at this level or Nicky Hunt who is a right back. Or Alan Dunne, but he's on his way out anyway.

Also since Kevin Nolan has come into the team, he has probably shown why the player/manager combination doesn't really work.

He has been unfit since he came here, his performances have been very laboured as well. He leaves all the subs to his two assistants on the touchline who haven't really had the balls to pull him off enough times IMO.

Our style of football when Nolan is on the field as well instead Jack Payne has been poor as well, long ball stuff and failed wing play. When we have a ball player playing it has actually been quite good in places to watch. Lloyd James will be back on the bench for us at least.

He's also been playing makeshift wingers, Sean Clohessy can do a job there against the weaker sides and if times get desperate, but he cannot do it there every week, either play Calum Jahraldo-Martin and Jobi McAnuff every game or bring in another winger as its clear Blair Turgott is also out the door.

We're going through a huge transitional period at the club still and have appointed a rookie manager who is learning.

We have the leagues best striker in Jay Simpson, but he is very very heavily marked these days, Luton stuck four men on him last week at one point

Thanks, sounds like we're playing you at a decent time then. Still think it'll be tough. Big test for Dunkley against Simpson, Jake Wright missing for us. Looking forward to it.

 

[E10rifle]

Aye, it's a decent time. Dean Cox not being fit has scuppered our promotion chances.

I'm just going to hope Nolan drops himself and plays a wide player rather than a right back and a central midfielder. Not going to hold my breath, and if Essam starts it will be about 8-0. Pretty sure Hunt will move into the middle with Clohessy at right back, though, so it'll only be 4-0.

Probably more pleased to be missing this game than I would be to get into Rihanna's pants.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Absolutely gutted that rifle is not coming along. Would loved to have got a pint in with him.

 

[E10rifle]

Absolutely gutted that rifle is not coming along. Would loved to have got a pint in with him.

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, dear boy. Any road, I do believe dearest Eric would have a prior claim for my company.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, dear boy.

No sarcasm, but this has made you seem needy.

 

[The Terminator]

Providing Brisley is injured I'd expect:

Cisak
Clohessy Hunt Baudry Binnon-Williams
Jahraldo-Martin Atangana Nolan McAnuff
Simpson Gnanduillet

Subs:
Gregory
Shaw
Essam
James
Payne
Pritchard/Moore
Palmer​

Someone is going to join Blair Turgott in not even making the squad, would imagine it will be Bradley Pritchard.

Nolan won't drop himself Can't see anything another than a 3-0 loss, we're due a defeat at home and apart from Portsmouth, we've not really played that well and got wins against the other top sides, plus we're due an away defeats - The last one came at Bristol Rovers on the 28th December.

We will lose.

 

[The Terminator]

It is also really annoying, because even though he has been laboured, Nolan can still offer the squad alot in the form of an impact player from the bench. His runs into the box have been the best thing about his game since he started playing for us (Well that was his main strength as a player his whole career, as we all know) he has been unlucky not to score at least once so far, chances have come his way.

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

I would line up:

Gnanduillet
McAnuff Nolan Simpson
Atangana Payne
Shaw Binnom-Williams Baudry Hunt
Cisak
​

Retain possession and keep it higher up the pitch, men back when Oxford have possession. Hunt over Clohessy as I think Hunt is more disciplined positionally. Saw Accrington's match v Oxford a few weeks ago and I thought that packing the midfield worked well, they had a lot of space also doing this. If we play 4-4-2 I fancy us to be in trouble.

Binnom-Williams in at centre back as I believe he's played there before and he isn't Essam or Dunne.

 

[E10rifle]

Lulz @Appleton coming out and saying we've got the best squad in the division. Sure, we've got 4 or 5 of the best players in the division (Cox, Simpson, James, Baudry, McAnuff, possibly Nolan if he wasn't so fat) but Cox and James are injured, and virtually everyone else is Conference standard.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

And Cox was pretty terrible when he played against us.

3-0 Ox.

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

Lulz @Appleton coming out and saying we've got the best squad in the division. Sure, we've got 4 or 5 of the best players in the division (Cox, Simpson, James, Baudry, McAnuff, possibly Nolan if he wasn't so fat) but Cox and James are injured, and virtually everyone else is Conference standard.

Brisley for sure is capable at a higher level. Cisak is a League One - Two borderline player who gets massively overhyped. Clohessy in the right system is decent at this level. Atangana I like for this level. Shaw's done a great job at proving me wrong after I wrote him off at the start. Payne I quite like but I'm unsure on how he's best used, certainly not a defensive midfielder but looks better making plays/ runs from deep.

If we got promoted I'd be hesitant about keeping Clohessy from that list and I don't think I'd offer Payne a deal at the end of it. Beyond that there's noone I really like. Hunt I just don't think he's good enough in a 1v1 defensive situation, Hallam Hope was doing him repeatedly for Christ sake and I don't think he brings any additional value going forward. Gnanduillet I'm still unsure about.

Thing is as well, I genuinely don't understand why we signed Essam. In the pre season friendly against Braintree within the first five minutes Cheek, not exactly the most mobile of players, completely did Essam positionally. Think after the match I was saying to Dalendless Shid about Essam looking poor and we were in agreement. Then low and behold he signs. What's more baffling is that I've seen a bit of Dover this season and they have a centre back, Sean Raggett, who was there last season and he is superior to Essam in every single way. We don't have the best squad because we've just signed so poorly.

 

[E10rifle]

And Cox was pretty terrible when he played against us.

3-0 Ox.

Cox and Roofe were the two worst players on the pitch that day. It happens.

Coxy has over 50 goals and 70 assists in the past four and a half seasons. No other player in the football league can post those kind of stats. Guy is class.

Think 3-0 is a little generous.

 

[E10rifle]

Brisley for sure is capable at a higher level. Cisak is a League One - Two borderline player who gets massively overhyped. Clohessy in the right system is decent at this level. Atangana I like for this level. Shaw's done a great job at proving me wrong after I wrote him off at the start. Payne I quite like but I'm unsure on how he's best used, certainly not a defensive midfielder but looks better making plays/ runs from deep.

If we got promoted I'd be hesitant about keeping Clohessy from that list and I don't think I'd offer Payne a deal at the end of it. Beyond that there's noone I really like. Hunt I just don't think he's good enough in a 1v1 defensive situation, Hallam Hope was doing him repeatedly for Christ sake and I don't think he brings any additional value going forward. Gnanduillet I'm still unsure about.

Thing is as well, I genuinely don't understand why we signed Essam. In the pre season friendly against Braintree within the first five minutes Cheek, not exactly the most mobile of players, completely did Essam positionally. Think after the match I was saying to Dalendless Shid about Essam looking poor and we were in agreement. Then low and behold he signs. What's more baffling is that I've seen a bit of Dover this season and they have a centre back, Sean Raggett, who was there last season and he is superior to Essam in every single way. We don't have the best squad because we've just signed so poorly.

Wasn't counting the loanees. Brisley is very decent, but Binnom-Williams is bang-average and CJM is non-league. Payne is an absolute nothing player who just about keeps things ticking over on a good day, and commits defensive hara kiri every 10 minutes.

Add Shaw, Clohessy, Dunne, Hunt, Moore, Pritchard, and Turgott to the non-league scrap heap. Probably kindest all round if we took Ollie Palmer into a hastily-erected white tent and had him shot.

Cisak looks fat and is extremely slow off his line. Okay shot-stopper. Gnanduillet is currently unfathomable; can't decide if he's a genius or an absolute donkey. Atangana is probably the only player in the entire squad that is actually a League Two standard player.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Cox and Roofe were the two worst players on the pitch that day. It happens.

One of them did score though.

It wasn't Cox.

[Roofe scored].

 

[E10rifle]

One of them did score though.

It wasn't Cox.

[Roofe scored].

That's nice. Did Roofe score today?

 

[NolansOrient]

That's nice. Did Roofe score today?

Did Roofe score today?

 

[NolansOrient]

Did Roofe score today?

Replied to the wrong comment...but you get my point. WHAT A WIN!

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

That's nice. Did Roofe score today?

You're a massive fanny for sitting on your response until the final whistle.

We were lucky to lose by one. Three goalmouth scrambles and Orient didn't convert any of them. I thought the gulf between the two sides was painful at times. Accrington are the best side to visit this year, but we were so terrible today that it more than made up for the difference.

Nolan is moulding Orient into his image, they're going to be Wycombe Mark II. I see why none of you bothered going. We never do well against these sort of teams and we created nothing at all today. A very unbalanced team and (at home) we are just not a second-place side.

The sending off was harsh but it won't get rescinded and I think the referee was frustrated at your team being wankers.

 

[E10rifle]

You're a massive fanny for sitting on your response until the final whistle

Bit of an odd question to ask before the game ends, wot wot old bean?

Good win, but we'll ruin it by losing at home over Easter.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Bit of an odd question to ask before the game ends, wot wot old bean?

Could have asked a different question or responded with some half decent bluster - seems like "NolansOrient" managed to cover off the one you went with.

We only have one home league win since Boxing Day so this isn't a massive upset.

 

[The Terminator]

I thought we deserved the win overall, created the better chances in a very tight game.

We managed to score when we was on top, Oxford only really threatened in the final ten minutes I thought.

The referee was an odd one, he gave Baudry a red card which wasn't one and he denied Oxford a stonewall penalty when Binnon-Williams made a very very clumsy tackle right at the start of the second half.

We have been better away from home under Nolan, usually because the home sides have to go out and try and win the game and we get a bit more space to make a few chances.

From our perspective, I thought it was another excellent performance away from home from ourselves.