Oxford United 0, York City 0 (From York Press)

Sounded like an average, but solid performance from City, which is what we needed. Not sure about the forwards being given 6's though - 2 shots on target per game is pretty poor.

YorkCityLuke wrote:
Sounded like an average, but solid performance from City, which is what we needed. Not sure about the forwards being given 6's though - 2 shots on target per game is pretty poor.

Can anyone remember when York last scored a goal ?

Walker is beginning to really frustrate me, in that the first thing which always appears to be on his mind is "how can I go down & get a free-kick" instead of "How can I score a goal" ... it really is getting to be obvious, he did it on numerous occasions on Saturday, he goes down way too easily & one effort was so laughable, I would have applauded if he had been shown a yellow card. Hee really is a passenger in this team at the moment .... one guy in the crowd shouted "we go 89 minutes without winning a header, and Rankine has been on the pitch 10 seconds & wins one" .... he was so right ... Walker needs dropping if we are to score any goals !!!

Wonder if Rankine was being saved for Rotherham and Bradford? If Mills see these being more winable games than Oxford away?

Surely Rankine's last 2 performances should have resulted in him starting against Oxford.

Also, another loan signing deemed not good enough to make the squad! Too many of these players in the mould of Taylor, Tonne etc have been brought in and then discarded almost straight away.

Anyway, on to Rotherham and a big performance needed.

See the usual Parslow press love in

You're a joke York press

Maltkiln wrote:
Walker is beginning to really frustrate me, in that the first thing which always appears to be on his mind is "how can I go down & get a free-kick" instead of "How can I score a goal" ... it really is getting to be obvious, he did it on numerous occasions on Saturday, he goes down way too easily & one effort was so laughable, I would have applauded if he had been shown a yellow card. Hee really is a passenger in this team at the moment .... one guy in the crowd shouted "we go 89 minutes without winning a header, and Rankine has been on the pitch 10 seconds & wins one" .... he was so right ... Walker needs dropping if we are to score any goals !!!

Mills has had a misguided faith in Walker for months now, even when he,s not playing well, never mind scoring goals, he still got head of the likes of Reed,whos goals to games stats for us were outstanding, now Rankines warming his arse on the bench, will he ever get a run of games to prove what he can do with Walker around. Good managers dont have favourites, if your not doing it you should be out, this blind faith in this system and personel will cost him his job in the end.

Whilst Walker may have trained well in the week, he was feeding off scraps for most of this match. If he deserved a chance to start, then fine. But, after 70 mins, why didn't we change it and give Rankine a go? More bizarre (arrogant) decision-making from Mr Mills.

Oxford fan here. I thought Walker was fantastic on Saturday. His hold up play is one of the best I've seen in L2 this season. He just seems to become so isolated especially in the 4-5-1 that Mills appeared to play on Sat. The two full backs also impressed and shut down all threat from our usually dangerous wingers. McGrath was also very good and nullifed threats from Montrose and Chapman (who was awful, don't agree with the Press report that he was "comfortable in possession")
I'd happily take Walker and play him in a 4-4-2, he would score a hatful for us.
For me, York need to play a 4-4-2 with Rankine and Walker up front, Rankine is much more dangerous in the air whilst Walker's movement and hold-up play is great. Apologies for the state of our pitch - something you have to look forward to when you begin sharing with a rugby club

yellow91 wrote:
Oxford fan here. I thought Walker was fantastic on Saturday. His hold up play is one of the best I've seen in L2 this season. He just seems to become so isolated especially in the 4-5-1 that Mills appeared to play on Sat. The two full backs also impressed and shut down all threat from our usually dangerous wingers. McGrath was also very good and nullifed threats from Montrose and Chapman (who was awful, don't agree with the Press report that he was "comfortable in possession")
I'd happily take Walker and play him in a 4-4-2, he would score a hatful for us.
For me, York need to play a 4-4-2 with Rankine and Walker up front, Rankine is much more dangerous in the air whilst Walker's movement and hold-up play is great. Apologies for the state of our pitch - something you have to look forward to when you begin sharing with a rugby club

I've been saying this all season,

Above are the words of a man who has watched us play at the most twice this season I'm sure yet he can see most of what you lot fail to

Top post young man

yellow91 wrote:
Oxford fan here. I thought Walker was fantastic on Saturday. His hold up play is one of the best I've seen in L2 this season. He just seems to become so isolated especially in the 4-5-1 that Mills appeared to play on Sat. The two full backs also impressed and shut down all threat from our usually dangerous wingers. McGrath was also very good and nullifed threats from Montrose and Chapman (who was awful, don't agree with the Press report that he was "comfortable in possession")
I'd happily take Walker and play him in a 4-4-2, he would score a hatful for us.
For me, York need to play a 4-4-2 with Rankine and Walker up front, Rankine is much more dangerous in the air whilst Walker's movement and hold-up play is great. Apologies for the state of our pitch - something you have to look forward to when you begin sharing with a rugby club

Oxford fan? yeah right

Dan parslow gave 100% as always if the whole team do the same we will be
safe, that's all Gary needs from the whole team100% effort and he got that on saturday.

lord_love_rocket wrote:

yellow91 wrote:
Oxford fan here. I thought Walker was fantastic on Saturday. His hold up play is one of the best I've seen in L2 this season. He just seems to become so isolated especially in the 4-5-1 that Mills appeared to play on Sat. The two full backs also impressed and shut down all threat from our usually dangerous wingers. McGrath was also very good and nullifed threats from Montrose and Chapman (who was awful, don't agree with the Press report that he was "comfortable in possession")
I'd happily take Walker and play him in a 4-4-2, he would score a hatful for us.
For me, York need to play a 4-4-2 with Rankine and Walker up front, Rankine is much more dangerous in the air whilst Walker's movement and hold-up play is great. Apologies for the state of our pitch - something you have to look forward to when you begin sharing with a rugby club

I've been saying this all season,

Above are the words of a man who has watched us play at the most twice this season I'm sure yet he can see most of what you lot fail to

Top post young man

Bit of a Walker love in going on, something not quiet right here!!

A very precious point indeed. But we need to keep our feet on the ground because this was a poor game between two struggling teams. I honestly dont believe that either team would have scored, if they had still been playing now. But obviously City are in the survival game, so if that is what it takes, then so be it. It looks like the relegation dog-fight will probably go right down to the wire. The only way we could ease the pressure would be by stringing a few wins together, but right now that looks unlikely.

Still conflict of opinions re; Walker/Reed,
Cambidge to my best knowledge have lost their last three matches since Reed left on loan and I aint seen his name on their scorsheet. Enough said when Mills wakes up and pusts Walker and Rankine up front together we may see A goal.

van the man wrote:

lord_love_rocket wrote:

yellow91 wrote:
Oxford fan here. I thought Walker was fantastic on Saturday. His hold up play is one of the best I've seen in L2 this season. He just seems to become so isolated especially in the 4-5-1 that Mills appeared to play on Sat. The two full backs also impressed and shut down all threat from our usually dangerous wingers. McGrath was also very good and nullifed threats from Montrose and Chapman (who was awful, don't agree with the Press report that he was "comfortable in possession")
I'd happily take Walker and play him in a 4-4-2, he would score a hatful for us.
For me, York need to play a 4-4-2 with Rankine and Walker up front, Rankine is much more dangerous in the air whilst Walker's movement and hold-up play is great. Apologies for the state of our pitch - something you have to look forward to when you begin sharing with a rugby club

I've been saying this all season,

Above are the words of a man who has watched us play at the most twice this season I'm sure yet he can see most of what you lot fail to

Top post young man

Bit of a Walker love in going on, something not quiet right here!!

What?

I don't live up north so only see the occasional game. However, I can definitely second that post from "Oxford fan". It seems obvious to me that Walker could be much more effective feeding off Rankine in a kind of 4-4-1-1. I think Walker is quite a good footballer and for a little feller wins a few headers too, but this system is no good to him. Because I believe he would be a dangerous player around the box, he needs to be free to play that role.
Game was pretty grim stuff but City were the better side. However, why is Blair still playing? He is not on form to say the least, and needs dropping for now. O'Connell was outstanding I thought, as was Banjo. I would move Banjo up to Blair's place and put Obeng into right back.

van the man wrote:

yellow91 wrote:
Oxford fan here. I thought Walker was fantastic on Saturday. His hold up play is one of the best I've seen in L2 this season. He just seems to become so isolated especially in the 4-5-1 that Mills appeared to play on Sat. The two full backs also impressed and shut down all threat from our usually dangerous wingers. McGrath was also very good and nullifed threats from Montrose and Chapman (who was awful, don't agree with the Press report that he was "comfortable in possession")
I'd happily take Walker and play him in a 4-4-2, he would score a hatful for us.
For me, York need to play a 4-4-2 with Rankine and Walker up front, Rankine is much more dangerous in the air whilst Walker's movement and hold-up play is great. Apologies for the state of our pitch - something you have to look forward to when you begin sharing with a rugby club

Oxford fan? yeah right

genuinely an oxford fan my friend.
find me @captainox on twitter or read my own blog http://captainox-com
ments.blogspot.co.uk
/

job vacancy goal scorer required.apply york city fc.we have been crying out for one since the first game of the season.we sign everson,who plays 20 minutes,and goes out on loan.we sign mcdaid on a 18 month contract,and just warms the bench up.then we get what we have been wanting for a long while in rankine,and he warms the bench up for 90 minutes.read a small match report in the mirror this morning,and one of the oxford players said york came and parked the bus,and we had 10 players behind the ball.they know what its like then,when teams come to bootham crescent and do the same.if blair,chambers,walke
r and whoever can find ther scoring boots,and every player gives 100% we will pull through and finish mid table.just one note to think about.blair is on 5 goals,the same amount as michael coulson,who has been out injured since the 23rd of october.

Budgie wrote:
Still conflict of opinions re; Walker/Reed,
Cambidge to my best knowledge have lost their last three matches since Reed left on loan and I aint seen his name on their scorsheet. Enough said when Mills wakes up and pusts Walker and Rankine up front together we may see A goal.

Great point Budgie. I like Jamie Reed a lot and I would have liked to have kept him in the supersub role. However Millsy is right on this one as Ranks offers a lot more of what we need right now. Jamie has done nothing at Cambridge so far with 0 goals / 3 defeats and last Saturday he was on the bench. Although we wanted 3 points at Oxford we were solid and well worth the draw. Walker did play well even if isolated at times. A great team performance in a difficult game. Hopefully we'll get at least a point tomorrow in a bigger test than oxford. COYR

erniet wrote:
I don't live up north so only see the occasional game. However, I can definitely second that post from "Oxford fan". It seems obvious to me that Walker could be much more effective feeding off Rankine in a kind of 4-4-1-1. I think Walker is quite a good footballer and for a little feller wins a few headers too, but this system is no good to him. Because I believe he would be a dangerous player around the box, he needs to be free to play that role.
Game was pretty grim stuff but City were the better side. However, why is Blair still playing? He is not on form to say the least, and needs dropping for now. O'Connell was outstanding I thought, as was Banjo. I would move Banjo up to Blair's place and put Obeng into right back.

Any chance those occasional games you go to are with "lord off his rocker" and his mate?

GM got his tactics bang on for this one, Oxford midfield threat nulified, they never looked like scoring. Sadly, neither did we, although Matty Blair and Ashley Chambers missed golden chances (MB's in particular looked easier to score than to miss). Solid defence, for once, and the main thing is we didn't lose. As others have posted, it wasn't a classic!

Looking at the Bradford City back-line, they looked more than a bit susceptible to some pace and though we don't have a Nathan Dyer or Pablo Hernandez, (or a Wembley sized pitch and playing surface!), I would have our two "flyers" of Matty Blair/Ashley Chambers fired-up and given a free role to outpace them and get in behind them down the flanks in Saturday's game, where we must look to an attacking, fast paced tempo, against opposition who may well be a little leggy after their efforts on Sunday and again, on Wednesday night!! But for to-morrow's visit to The New York Stadium, then GM's counter-attacking away tactics, will be the best formation to take something from the match and that may well mean Jason Walker remaining at the top of the diamond, performing the role he did at the Kassam Stadium. But Saturday's match should see Michael Rankine in the starting line-up and putting himself about in the final third, either in a 4-4-2 or as a lone(loan) striker in a 4-3-3!COYR.

van the man wrote:

erniet wrote:
I don't live up north so only see the occasional game. However, I can definitely second that post from "Oxford fan". It seems obvious to me that Walker could be much more effective feeding off Rankine in a kind of 4-4-1-1. I think Walker is quite a good footballer and for a little feller wins a few headers too, but this system is no good to him. Because I believe he would be a dangerous player around the box, he needs to be free to play that role.
Game was pretty grim stuff but City were the better side. However, why is Blair still playing? He is not on form to say the least, and needs dropping for now. O'Connell was outstanding I thought, as was Banjo. I would move Banjo up to Blair's place and put Obeng into right back.

Any chance those occasional games you go to are with "lord off his rocker" and his mate?

Funny guy

RooBeck wrote:
Looking at the Bradford City back-line, they looked more than a bit susceptible to some pace and though we don't have a Nathan Dyer or Pablo Hernandez, (or a Wembley sized pitch and playing surface!), I would have our two "flyers" of Matty Blair/Ashley Chambers fired-up and given a free role to outpace them and get in behind them down the flanks in Saturday's game, where we must look to an attacking, fast paced tempo, against opposition who may well be a little leggy after their efforts on Sunday and again, on Wednesday night!! But for to-morrow's visit to The New York Stadium, then GM's counter-attacking away tactics, will be the best formation to take something from the match and that may well mean Jason Walker remaining at the top of the diamond, performing the role he did at the Kassam Stadium. But Saturday's match should see Michael Rankine in the starting line-up and putting himself about in the final third, either in a 4-4-2 or as a lone(loan) striker in a 4-3-3!COYR.

Lone forward in a 4-3-3??

yellow91 wrote:
Oxford fan here. I thought Walker was fantastic on Saturday. His hold up play is one of the best I've seen in L2 this season. He just seems to become so isolated especially in the 4-5-1 that Mills appeared to play on Sat. The two full backs also impressed and shut down all threat from our usually dangerous wingers. McGrath was also very good and nullifed threats from Montrose and Chapman (who was awful, don't agree with the Press report that he was "comfortable in possession")
I'd happily take Walker and play him in a 4-4-2, he would score a hatful for us.
For me, York need to play a 4-4-2 with Rankine and Walker up front, Rankine is much more dangerous in the air whilst Walker's movement and hold-up play is great. Apologies for the state of our pitch - something you have to look forward to when you begin sharing with a rugby club

Thanks for that Mrs Walker.

Phil, Leeds wrote:

yellow91 wrote:
Oxford fan here. I thought Walker was fantastic on Saturday. His hold up play is one of the best I've seen in L2 this season. He just seems to become so isolated especially in the 4-5-1 that Mills appeared to play on Sat. The two full backs also impressed and shut down all threat from our usually dangerous wingers. McGrath was also very good and nullifed threats from Montrose and Chapman (who was awful, don't agree with the Press report that he was "comfortable in possession")
I'd happily take Walker and play him in a 4-4-2, he would score a hatful for us.
For me, York need to play a 4-4-2 with Rankine and Walker up front, Rankine is much more dangerous in the air whilst Walker's movement and hold-up play is great. Apologies for the state of our pitch - something you have to look forward to when you begin sharing with a rugby club

Thanks for that Mrs Walker.

The guy proved he's an oxford fan dim wit

van the man wrote:

YorkCityLuke wrote:
Sounded like an average, but solid performance from City, which is what we needed. Not sure about the forwards being given 6's though - 2 shots on target per game is pretty poor.

Can anyone remember when York last scored a goal ?

Yep - it was a score draw and your average moron still booed

van the man wrote:

YorkCityLuke wrote: Sounded like an average, but solid performance from City, which is what we needed. Not sure about the forwards being given 6's though - 2 shots on target per game is pretty poor.

Can anyone remember when York last scored a goal ?

Yes, Barnet scored an own goal for us. The last goal scored by a York City player was Jason Walker's penalty against Morecambe on 2nd February.

Well said Yellow91.....Walker does have to feed off scraps with little support but at least he has some football skills which Rankine does not have. Rankine is there purely and simply to try and get a head to Inghams big clearances down field which I do not favour. At least Manager Mills with injuries to key central defenders got the back 4 right on Saturday. I get brassed off with reading negative comments from supporters in this column. The City team is really up against it with goals damned difficult to come by and injuries in key positions have not helped matters. Coulson's was a bad blow because he was a natural winger. Confidence is low because efforts are not finding the net but hopefully there will be one game when the ball will bounce kindly for us in the penalty area. Lets have some more thought given to short corners and for the wingers to square the ball back instead of crossing direct into the 6 yard box. Finally I was pleased to see that the Press chose to stop comments on Saturday night immediately after the game at Oxford....it was becoming a 'knockers charter'
We are where we are and so get behind the City and all the Management team at Bootham Crescent for the rest of the season!!

Defo 451

Walker won and held ball up well but had no support.

When he won the ball he was so far from goal he was never going to threaten.

Need that 2nd striker or immediate support from midfield when we have the ball but the wingers are currently not beating their man to get crosses in.

Blair looked more confident on Saturday but Chambers didn't and Rodman was again not good enough.

Agree with you Lifelong,particularl
y your last paragraph.
Poor game Sat but ironically the largest crowd in the whole division.
I suspect Rankine was held back for tomorrow night.GM probably doesn`t think he can play two matches close together with not getting games at Aldershot and therefore not fully fit.
If I remember correctly Rankine played a blinder at BC against Rotherham in a cup replay and scored two goals.Maybe GM will give him the green light to put the fear of God in their defenders again!

As Lifelong said, Walker has to feed off scraps. As I posted earlier, he can't contribute as a striker when he's 35 yds from goal and has just fought with a big centre back to get to a high ball kicked by Ingham. He'd be better feeding off a target man. By the way, I was there and the crowd was nowhere near what was announced. I presume they were counting total ticket sales(i.e. season tickets) not the numbers who actually attended. Can't see how it was above 3,500 myself.

4 points off Oxford.
Good point away tomorrow. Hopefully.
Make it 4 points against Bradford for the season.
Couldnt expect much more if anyone was honest.
Face it , the 4th place team has lost as many as York.
Too many draws makes us look vulnerable.
Only another 8 points needed.

if Rankine needs matches because he wasn,t getting games at Aldershot warming the bench at Oxford isn,t going to improve his match fitness,still maybe we can send him out on loan eh.