MATCHWATCH : Derby County (h) sponsored by a new hope

[Oilroyal]

No way should we have lost that game. But oh, what’s the point? We need another striker, another central defender and another creative midfielder. Other than that, we were oxf*rd brilliant ... oh and let's throw in a new goalie as well!

[Zip]

Coming back on the bus:

First hour we were great, played it perfectly. Their goal, which was obviously dire from Mannone have them a whole load of confidence and they passed it better from there

Their winner a real kick in the teeth but against thought Mannone to blame

Atmosphere was very good and we look a lot fitter and more disciplined. Other than on the break still look a lacking in creating changes

McShane is a disaster unfortunately, a mistake waiting to happen. Need a new CB immediately. Richards was a bit weak I thought and they seemed to target him and McShane in the 2nd half

Thought Kelly, Yiadom, Meyler, Aluko and Barrow weee good. Ilori outstanding and mom. McShane and Mannone both poor

Anyway some positives but need to get a win in the next couple of games or the morale could go right down again

In New York so missed the game. This sounds positive though but we gave away a lot of late goals last season so this is far from ideal today. Hopefully the centre back position will be resolved as McShane is not up to it. Good to hear Ilori is beginning to look like the player Stam thought he was.

We don’t sound like we are a million miles away from being very decent at this level. Small margins.

[Muskrat]

2005/6, lost the first game of the season 1-2 at home. Went on to get 106 points. Just saying like...

[bloody Volvo driver]

Coming back on the bus:

First hour we were great, played it perfectly. Their goal, which was obviously dire from Mannone have them a whole load of confidence and they passed it better from there

Their winner a real kick in the teeth but against thought Mannone to blame

Atmosphere was very good and we look a lot fitter and more disciplined. Other than on the break still look a lacking in creating changes

McShane is a disaster unfortunately, a mistake waiting to happen. Need a new CB immediately. Richards was a bit weak I thought and they seemed to target him and McShane in the 2nd half

Thought Kelly, Yiadom, Meyler, Aluko and Barrow weee good. Ilori outstanding and mom. McShane and Mannone both poor

Anyway some positives but need to get a win in the next couple of games or the morale could go right down again

Odd how people see different things from the same game.

I wasn't entirely sure Kelly was playing for us the amount of times he failed to pass to someone else in a blue and white hooped shirt, thought he was dog awful, not overly impressed with Meyler either, seemed to strut around like a peacock not adding a great deal. However didn't see too much wrong with Macca's performance.

[Nigelm1]

A couple of the new signings looked quite good, but generally same old, same old. Mostly of the players from last season are still rubbish. Think I've wsted money on a season ticket yet again. we will go down unless something extraordinary changes - yes I know its only day1 !

[BR0B0T]

Seem to remember we lost our opener at home 1-2 at the start of 2005/06 season! Just saying!

and the 2011/12 season

nah...we didn't

[royal_rumble]

This midfield is dreadful. Simple as. Why oh why are we not sorting it out? Mostly anonymous and they all misplace far too many passes, Meyler showed some grit but that is about it. Carry over from last year.

[Ascotexgunner]

We were gifted the game on a plate in the first half. I know Bod scored but the 2 chances and the pass which would have put Swift in were 3 goals we can't afford to miss. All those chances were for a proper striker, not a lumping number 10(23). Again we seemed to run out of steam.
Derby were not that great for 75 minutes. They seemed to be playing Stamball and like us when we played it were badly. A better team would have buried them.
Positives....well Barrow was superb, and that ball for the goal was quality. Aluko looked better, but still gives the ball away cheaply. Swift was pretty good, hope he's not injured,
Negatives? Kelly, still not doing enough, Mannone, I won't state the obvious. The rest, well, they did alright but like last season, we seem to tire and run out of ideas. I'm not sure what Clements plan B actually is. Normally its throw on a big lump but he started.

[royalp-we]

Defo should have put Meite on the wing; Aluko and Barrow were oxf*rd for the last 20min which lead to our lack of creativity.

We have no Obita, Harriott or Mcleary. A creative player like Ojo who can also play on the wing would be a good shout.

Our full backs and wingers and general pressing for the majority -
we did a stellar job against a good Derby team who were made to look very average.

Kelly and Meyler looked good as a pair; allowing Swift to really play that number 10 role. I think Swift needs to improve his all round game pronto, Clement will end up playing Clement if he doesn't.

[AthleticoSpizz]

It’s not the Reading defeat that bothers me......it’s the presses pin-up boy Lampards victory that does.

[alfie9]

Good news guys, I'm refunding iFollow so we're probably gonna win the league now with 107 points

[Zip]

Very harsh to blame Mannone for the second goal. It was a good header but Lawrence is not that tall. Yiadom has to do much better in that situation.

We have just been mugged.

[windermereROYAL]

If I had a cat the little oxf*rd would be in orbit by now. ONE fcuking job you had ONE job Mannone, . and you couldn`t even do that you fanny.

[royalp-we]

Coming back on the bus:

First hour we were great, played it perfectly. Their goal, which was obviously dire from Mannone have them a whole load of confidence and they passed it better from there

Their winner a real kick in the teeth but against thought Mannone to blame

Atmosphere was very good and we look a lot fitter and more disciplined. Other than on the break still look a lacking in creating changes

McShane is a disaster unfortunately, a mistake waiting to happen. Need a new CB immediately. Richards was a bit weak I thought and they seemed to target him and McShane in the 2nd half

Thought Kelly, Yiadom, Meyler, Aluko and Barrow weee good. Ilori outstanding and mom. McShane and Mannone both poor

Anyway some positives but need to get a win in the next couple of games or the morale could go right down again

Odd how people see different things from the same game.

I wasn't entirely sure Kelly was playing for us the amount of times he failed to pass to someone else in a blue and white hooped shirt, thought he was dog awful, not overly impressed with Meyler either, seemed to strut around like a peacock not adding a great deal. However didn't see too much wrong with Macca's performance.

It is odd. I thought the CM pairing of Meyler and Kelly had a lot more about them than the Derby CM's whos only tactic was to just kick our players for 90mins.

[FiNeRaIn]

It’s not the Reading defeat that bothers me......it’s the presses pin-up boy Lampards victory that does.

Not his fault they got an undeserved win handed to them by a shite GK.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Lol yeah ....but you’re missing the point

[FiNeRaIn]

Lol yeah ....but you’re missing the point

No I get it. You hate him and the images of him celebrating along with the garbage pre-made headlines makes it even worse. I don't dislike Lampard though and it wasn't like he was giving it the big one. He looked pretty calm and respectful throughout the game. Yes, its annoying they were second best all night and the media will portray some sort of fairy tale start to his career when it was undeserved, but that's the fault of one man alone, our goalkeeper.

[BR0B0T]

It’s not the Reading defeat that bothers me......it’s the presses pin-up boy Lampards victory that does.

he scored the winner so what do you expect?

[Brain Traysers]

Overall we didn't deserve that - one good headed goal each, plus one goalkeeper howler.

A big positive for me (in the first half especially) was the change in style of play:
- we attempted to press from the front, which was very successful at generating chances in the first half. At this level it will take a very good team to pass through a well* implemented counter-press.
- Meyler added genuine bite to the midfield, with 4 tackles and 1 interception (+ 2 fouls) - we looked a lot weaker when he went off, which was due to lack of match fitness and a yellow card. Kelly also played his part with 4 interceptions (+ 4 fouls).
- Defenders defended first, and didn't try to play out from the back - midfielders looked to pass forward far more frequently than under Stam, wingers tried to take people on and get crosses in (they attempted 4 each), supported by full backs (1 each). I thought the wingers in particular looked really up for it, which while this should be expected for the opening game should be a positive reflection on Aluko.

...but there was also a negative on the style
- tactically we sat back as soon as went 1-0 up and stopped the counter-press. Shortly before the equalizer they knocked the ball around right from the back under no pressure - a shot came in which was deflected and McShane just managed to clear when a player was lurking in a very dangerous position. It must have been 15+ uncontested passes.
- Instead of pressing we opted to pack the box and invited pressure, which is normally fine if you back the defenders to deal with crosses and the keeper to deal with long range shots. Oh dear.

Hopefully some lessons learned by Clement, but on another day we get at least a point from that level of performance - which is better than I expected before kick off, even if the outcome was in line with my expectations.


*- far too early to say whether the management are players are indeed capable of implementing it well

[AthleticoSpizz]

Lol yeah ....but you’re missing the point

No I get it. You hate him and the images of him celebrating along with the garbage pre-made headlines makes it even worse. I don't dislike Lampard though and it wasn't like he was giving it the big one. He looked pretty calm and respectful throughout the game. Yes, its annoying they were second best all night and the media will portray some sort of fairy tale start to his career when it was undeserved, but that's the fault of one man alone, our goalkeeper.

fair retort tbf

But it’s Lampard.....when will we ever beat him (and his chum Terry) at the ‘stad?

Anyways

I’ve calmed down now....fcuk you all....especiallyyou Lampard