Oxford United vs Sheffield United

EFL Championship Matchweek 40 - Saturday 5th April 2025 - 15:00 - Kassam Stadium
Please keep all discussion related to the match within this thread.

Player Ratings:
Matchday Stats/Player Ratings - https://www.s24su.com/forum/match-day/match/oxford-united-vs-sheffield-united.737/

Officials:

Referee: James Linington
Assistants: James Wilson and Ian Cooper
Fourth Official: Scott Jackson

Coverage:

Follow via S24SU Twitter: https://twitter.com/s24su
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@s24su
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s24su/

Need a VPN? - https://www.s24su.com/forum/threads/vpn-usage.87094/

Live TV Coverage:

SUTV (in Unsold Markets or Non-Televised in UK): https://www.sufc.co.uk/live/

​

 

[paidsy]

We are now 40 league games in. I still don't know what our playing style is, do the players or the manager?

We've won 15/26 by a single goal. We have no interest in killing off teams and forever seem to start games slow.

We have committed a lot of money to 2 players in BBD & Cannon. How have they improved the squad? We lost a major player in defence and then decided to bring on CB in on loan who barely gets a kick.

We are talking about extensions for Robinson & Brewster who are clearly not up to the level, why?

There will be no better chance than this season to go up, the general standard is absolutely pathetic and we are not really blowing anyone away. We are now more than likely going to have to go to Burnley and win. This is keeping in mind our 1-4 record in the 5 games vs the 3 around us.

We are certainly going to lose players if we don't go up. We now probably will have to be perfect and get 6 wins from 6 in the run in.

Results like today, Hull at home, the collapse at Home vs Leeds will be the reason we fall into the play offs and don't go up.

We are a completely uninspiring side who is just trying to fall over the line in each game, how is that a team to be confident in for any play off attempt?

I sure as hell expect us to get dog walked in the PL if we are to be there and as unenjoyable as that would be, it's a better outcome than staying in the championship.

We had better hope and pray Leeds continue this almighty collapse, because we are going to need it.

 

[bartman]

We had 75% possession. That’s imposing ourselves. The problem today was we tried to play football on a hard bobbly mess of a pitch.
Every bounce was chest high and every pass bobbled like crazy.
No wonder Oxford get hammered on good pitches away from home.

Ageee. I think Wilder must know he got it tactically wrong today. Bumpy pitch which makes it difficult to play on the floor and against a team that relies on corners and long throws to create chances and yet he names an unchanged team. Bizarre to say the least

 

[bakeblade]

Total waste of a game… I knew in my gut that we wouldn’t capitalise… ducking idiots….

Coventry game a complete waste…

Leeds won’t drop many more… they’ve handed us a chance and we’ve bottled it.

seems we can’t hang onto top spot for more than a week at a time - bottled it.

If Hamer is still with us next season, someone needs to get into his fitness levels as he’s totally off it.

If Souza is fit why isn’t he playing.

Why didn’t we come out of the traps against Oxford so bloody passive…. Absolute joke.

Fuming.

Souza looked very rusty, those minutes will have helped him and he'll start on Tuesday

 

[got1878]

Reckon you'll beat Millwall, and Leeds will drop points Vs Middlesbrough.

 

[robbiez666]

Poor today, especially first half. Didn't get the bounce of the ball today but our luck was always going to run out sometime.

Only Seriki and maybe Peck come out of that with any credit. BBD and Choudhury both dire.

Really don't understand Wilder's logic of bringing on attacking players at the expense of midfielders. Just means whatever style of play we have becomes a mess.

 

[ATL Recs]

We had 75% possession. That’s imposing ourselves. The problem today was we tried to play football on a hard bobbly mess of a pitch.
Every bounce was chest high and every pass bobbled like crazy.
No wonder Oxford get hammered on good pitches away from home.

We hoofed it the whole of the first half

 

[bakeblade]

Ageee. I think Wilder must know he got it tactically wrong today. Bumpy pitch which makes it difficult to play on the floor and against a team that relies on corners and long throws to create chances and yet he names an unchanged team. Bizarre to say the least

Hindsight, no-one was complaining about the team selection pre game.
This game was a classic championship game

 

[Working Class Hero]

No one was complaining about the lineup before kick off. We were so dominant against Coventry that you'd expect a better performance today. I don't think a single player played well though. Seriki and Brewster looked particularly poor to me. Bringing Cannon on once again nullified our attacking threat, which can no longer be a coincidence.

 

[paidsy]

No one was complaining about the lineup before kick off. We were so dominant against Coventry that you'd expect a better performance today. I don't think a single player played well though. Seriki and Brewster looked particularly poor to me. Bringing Cannon on once again nullified our attacking threat, which can no longer be a coincidence.

I don't want to pile on Cannon too much as it's been done to death. But did anyone actually scout him in any detail?

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

Thought we were really hard of thinking today

We either needed to stick Moore on and go full on agricultural or pivot to OHare and Rak Saki and try to out play them.

We did neither which worries me as to how we think we're going to score goals when behind...

 

[bartman]

Hindsight, no-one was complaining about the team selection pre game.
This game was a classic championship game

Managers can't work on hindsight. They must adapt to the opposition where necessary

 

[Steve.C]

How many good performances have we had this season

3

 

[bakeblade]

Managers can't work on hindsight. They must adapt to the opposition where necessaryOm intrigued, who would you have started?

I'm intrigued, who would you have started

 

[bartman]

I'm intrigued, who would you have started

That's down to the manager. He and/or his team have scouted the opposition and how they play Must have know about the state of the pitch.
The management team should/must have know the dangers and we didn't do anything about it either before the game or during that first half. On top of that, we were slow,we weren't holding ball up front and our passing was poor and yet no changes at half time to change our focus.
Wilder has done well most of the time this season but sometimes he doesn't get it right and that was the case today.

 

[bakeblade]

That's down to the manager. He and/or his team have scouted the opposition and how they play Must have know about the state of the pitch.
The management team should/must have know the dangers and we didn't do anything about it either before the game or during that first half. On top of that, we were slow,we weren't holding ball up front and our passing was poor and yet no changes at half time to change our focus.
Wilder has done well most of the time this season but sometimes he doesn't get it right and that was the case today.

What a cop out.

 

[Maltby_blade]

Another gutless, embarrassing, pathetic performance. How we’re second I’ll never know because we’re garbage.

It’s quite simple really we have won more points than 22 of the other teams, that’s generally how it works, would be top too but for a points deduction. Wouldn’t know it though would you with all the bollocks that get posted every time we don’t win from the likes of you.

 

[JJBlade]

God fuc.ing help us next season then.

God help us whichever division we're in.
We have to go up and get tonked every week, we simply have to.

If we don't go up, how's this team gonna look without Cooper, Hamer, Souza, possibly Burrows and Peck.
A Prem team might also have a punt on Seriki and Campbell.

 

[Silky Sabella]

Ageee. I think Wilder must know he got it tactically wrong today. Bumpy pitch which makes it difficult to play on the floor and against a team that relies on corners and long throws to create chances and yet he names an unchanged team. Bizarre to say the least

Wilder gets his tactics wrong in games like this time and time again, so dread to think how he will get exposed in the premier league, just as before.

 

[toledo]

No matter how we all look at it and what comes out as excuses from team management, this performance was typical of many games this season, many of which we got by with single goals scored.

So there is a problem as today was on a level consistent with most of the season except we didn't score to paper over the cracks.

We talk about how we performed against Coventry, so todays inept performance was 180 degrees opposite.

Everything was set up for a performance to solidify our TOL position.

The fact that we gave one of our worst performances of the season and every player contributed to that disastrous performance.

So what was the problem today, what were the factors, because I am struggling to find anything positive today?

Why did we collectively give a terrible performance at a super critical juncture in the final stages of the season?

toledo

 

[Belvedere Blade]

 

[Belvedere Blade]

 

[Alex Cheeseright]

No matter how we all look at it and what comes out as excuses from team management, this performance was typical of many games this season, many of which we got by with single goals scored.

So there is a problem as today was on a level consistent with most of the season except we didn't score to paper over the cracks.

We talk about how we performed against Coventry, so todays inept performance was 180 degrees opposite.

Everything was set up for a performance to solidify our TOL position.

The fact that we gave one of our worst performances of the season and every player contributed to that disastrous performance.

So what was the problem today, what were the factors, because I am struggling to find anything positive today?

Why did we collectively give a terrible performance at a super critical juncture in the final stages of the season?

toledo

I could be wrong, but this starting 11 is good against more attack minded teams and not those that sit back. Once we went one down we should have pulled BBD and Choudhury at the half for Rak-Sakyi and OHare. But no, he stuck with the same 11 in the second half when it was obvious to all, except management, that it wasn't working. I get the reasons why the same 11 started but when you see this isn't the same type of opposition or game as Coventry then you have to make changes. Mr Stubborn reverted back to his old ways and see what happens.
We didn't play like we were top of the league, no swagger at all. First gear as they say but all that does is allow teams to set up defensively. With only Hamer able to unlock them. The game screamed for the two mentioned above so why the delay. Too easy for Oxford who were really playing way above themselves from what I've seen of them this season. But how much was that letting them play. Let's be honest not one of their players would make our starting eleven, yet they all looked better than us.
This end of the season is about who really wants the win. They really wanted to win. We just expected to win. Big difference.
P.s. not another wake up call?

 

[Sheffsteel]

Is it my imagination but it seems we always play poorly playing in that cream kit.

Whereas our best away performances seem to be when we play in the black (with green trim) kit.

 

[Blade56]

View attachment 208081

Forgot to include himself in his condemnation of players for defeat.

Knew someone would blink, didn’t realise Wilder would develop a perminant squint.

 

[Silky Sabella]

View attachment 208081

Hope he washed his hands !

 

[Snowflake]

We are now 40 league games in. I still don't know what our playing style is, do the players or the manager?

We've won 15/26 by a single goal. We have no interest in killing off teams and forever seem to start games slow.

We have committed a lot of money to 2 players in BBD & Cannon. How have they improved the squad? We lost a major player in defence and then decided to bring on CB in on loan who barely gets a kick.

We are talking about extensions for Robinson & Brewster who are clearly not up to the level, why?

There will be no better chance than this season to go up, the general standard is absolutely pathetic and we are not really blowing anyone away. We are now more than likely going to have to go to Burnley and win. This is keeping in mind our 1-4 record in the 5 games vs the 3 around us.

We are certainly going to lose players if we don't go up. We now probably will have to be perfect and get 6 wins from 6 in the run in.

Results like today, Hull at home, the collapse at Home vs Leeds will be the reason we fall into the play offs and don't go up.

We are a completely uninspiring side who is just trying to fall over the line in each game, how is that a team to be confident in for any play off attempt?

I sure as hell expect us to get dog walked in the PL if we are to be there and as unenjoyable as that would be, it's a better outcome than staying in the championship.

We had better hope and pray Leeds continue this almighty collapse, because we are going to need it.

Struggling to see any possible solutions in your post.

 

[Silky Sabella]

We are now 40 league games in. I still don't know what our playing style is, do the players or the manager?

We've won 15/26 by a single goal. We have no interest in killing off teams and forever seem to start games slow.

We have committed a lot of money to 2 players in BBD & Cannon. How have they improved the squad? We lost a major player in defence and then decided to bring on CB in on loan who barely gets a kick.

We are talking about extensions for Robinson & Brewster who are clearly not up to the level, why?

There will be no better chance than this season to go up, the general standard is absolutely pathetic and we are not really blowing anyone away. We are now more than likely going to have to go to Burnley and win. This is keeping in mind our 1-4 record in the 5 games vs the 3 around us.

We are certainly going to lose players if we don't go up. We now probably will have to be perfect and get 6 wins from 6 in the run in.

Results like today, Hull at home, the collapse at Home vs Leeds will be the reason we fall into the play offs and don't go up.

We are a completely uninspiring side who is just trying to fall over the line in each game, how is that a team to be confident in for any play off attempt?

I sure as hell expect us to get dog walked in the PL if we are to be there and as unenjoyable as that would be, it's a better outcome than staying in the championship.

We had better hope and pray Leeds continue this almighty collapse, because we are going to need it.

Excellent post Paiidsy, which summarises our season game by game and as a whole. The team is a well oiled cog capable of grinding out results, often 1.0, and even achieving this when being outplayed, ie/ Portsmouth at Bramall Lane. However, it would be nice to see more flair, creativity and excitement from individuals with the shackles taken off, which will inspire the crowd, which will then lift the team.
It is a fine margin between an exciting team and a successful team

 

[Mendi]

Shambles of a result.

 

[bladeinlondon]

It’s funny I used to moan when he constantly selected OHare but now I really miss his energy and link up with Hamer
I agree Wilder doesn’t know his best team for the particular opposition

 

[Richard Parker]

Is it my imagination but it seems we always play poorly playing in that cream kit.

Whereas our best away performances seem to be when we play in the black (with green trim) kit.

3 wins (Hull, Bristol City & Luton) and 2 losses (Middlesbrough & Oxford) I think!