Oxford united FC
Oxford United boss on shape at Saints & Donley absence
The U’s reverted to a back five, similarly to their January win at Leicester City, as playmaker Donley made way for full back Brodie Spencer who was positioned at right wing back.
Myles Peart-Harris also returned to the squad after missing against Charlton Athletic through injury, replacing winger Aidomo Emakhu.
“We’ve actually been defending with that shape for the last five games,” Bloomfield confessed.
“We’ve been using Stan to drop down so it wasn’t a huge amount different to what we’ve been doing. It’s just a slight personnel change because we wanted Stan high up the pitch because we know how good he is in transition.
“It felt like today we wanted him one higher and that was the reasoning for that.
“We know that Southampton are a team that dominate possession and it felt like, when we won the ball back, we wanted to find Miles and Stan in those two ten positions to counter-attack.
“Myles has done it a few times, especially one really early on and it looked like the plan was working. Stan’s second half, again we got him in the game in terms of that transition play.
“It was a really tough decision to leave out Jamie Donley. He’s been playing incredibly well but we didn’t want Stan to be too deep in his position as a right wing-back defensively today. We wanted him higher up the pitch so he could cause as much damage as possible because he’s been in incredible form for us and that was the reason behind that decision.”
The Yellows conceded the opener after just six minutes when Cyle Larin tapped home, receiving the ball from Tom Fellows who was slotted in behind the defence by Saints centre back Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
“We just switched off defensively,” the U’s boss admitted.
READ MORE: Oxford United beaten 2-0 by Saints in first St Mary’s visit
“The first goal was very preventable, something we’d planned for so we’re really disappointed with that.
“It’s the reason we went with five defenders. We know that Southampton are a team that dominate the ball and want to pierce your final line with runners either from wide areas or the eights.
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“So we needed the extra body to mitigate that but unfortunately for us we switched off in that moment and found ourselves 1-0 down.
“Probably a bit of a mixture of emotions for me because to be 2-0 down so early but to still perform in the manner that we did, to show the fight and the courage that we did to keep playing, I’m actually really proud of the players.
“[But] really disappointed to be 2-0 down so early.”
The U’s centre back has been key in a side that has won its last three games, with Brown getting on the scoresheet in their 3-1 win away at Preston North End last week.
Their most recent victory saw them beat Blackburn Rovers 1-0 in an impressive home display.
“I think maybe the penny has dropped and some things are starting to click and got the ideas across that we need to do better performance-wise but also need to do better results-wise,” Brown said ahead of United’s next game against Charlton Athletic on Saturday.
“I think a lot of the season, we’ve probably been a bit too inconsistent where we haven’t put runs together, haven’t put back-to-back wins together which has ultimately put us in this position.
“Over the last month or few weeks, before we put this string of wins together, it did feel sometimes a bit unfortunate. It felt like we were just on that line of putting wins together.
“I think we’ve all come together and…it’s clicked.
“A big part of last season was the defenders chipping in with goals and maybe we haven’t done that as much this year as we would’ve liked.
“But to get clean sheets and chip in with a few goals is always nice.”
Oxford are fighting for survival in their second season in the Championship after avoiding relegation in the previous campaign.
READ MORE: Matt Bloomfield dedicates Oxford United win to Amelia Aplin
A lot has changed since then, with Matt Bloomfield now in charge and plenty of new players arriving in OX4, eight in the January transfer window alone.
“I think a lot of people are going back to last year, but I do think our squad is massively different” admitted the 28-year-old.
READ MORE: Oxford United ‘can all see the prize’ ahead of Charlton
“Whether that’s some of the boys from previous years stepping up and helping [the new players] through that process.
“It’s a totally different season and there are different obstacles thrown at you, but I think maybe the experience of last year can hopefully play a part this year and have the same outcome.”
The Yellows face a Charlton side this weekend who have won two in a row, with a shock 1-0 win away at second-placed Middlesbrough last time out.
READ MORE: Matt Bloomfield’s full thoughts after Oxford beat Blackburn
The Addicks looked as if they would be involved the relegation scrap but have now pulled away from the pack and look likely to survive.
“I think they’ve done really well this season, especially getting promoted last season and then first season in the Championship this year; I think they’ve done unbelievably.
“Whether they’re out of it or in it, who knows? But I think they’ve put themselves in a great place to stay up.”
Oxford United host Charlton Athletic as they look to win their fourth Championship game in a row.
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Cameron Brannagan dispatched the U’s first spot kick since returning to the second tier after Will Lankshear was fouled in the box.
It was late heartbreak though for Matt Bloomfield’s men, Ciaron Brown giving away a 91st-minute penalty which Charlie Kelman slotted away for the Addicks.
A drab first half saw just one shot come in from either side, Jamie Donley putting a free kick from the edge of the box just over the crossbar.
Aidomo Emakhu found an path through to goal earlier on when Lankshear headed the ball centrally and into his path, but the Irish winger was shrugged off the ball by the retreating Harry Clarke.
Charlton held 60 per cent of the possession in the first period but the Yellows held their own, limiting the visitors to very little openings as they failed to manage a shot.
Lankshear held the ball up well when receiving long passes, but did not have quite enough support to find them near him in space.
The second period provided slightly more promise, Michal Helik flicking over the bar from close range.
The unthinkable happened in the 57th minute when Oxford were awarded their first penalty in 675 days.
Lankshear was impeded as Sam Long crossed in, with the referee giving the U’s a penalty for the first time since the League One play-off semi-final second leg against Peterborough United in May 2024.
Brannagan stepped up to take it and slotted it neatly into the bottom left corner to put United ahead.
The U’s almost doubled their lead moments later when Lankshear chipped the keeper, but Lloyd Jones came across to clear off the line.
Charlton began to pick up then, Tyreece Campbell firing a low shot at goal but seeing it blocked.
Still, Oxford tried to hit on the break, Przemyslaw Placheta fizzing a vicious ball across goal which no one was there to meet.
READ MORE: Oxford United boss and captain pay tribute to Amelia Aplin
As the Addicks began to float numerous balls into the box, they won a late penalty when Ciaron Brown grabbed the shirt of Jones who hit the deck.
Kelman stepped up to slot home, scoring after coming off the bench as he did in December’s reverse fixture.
READ MORE: Oxford United striker snubbed Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town
The draw brings Oxford’s winning streak to end but maintains an unbeaten run of four Championship fixtures.
Oxford: Cumming, Long, Helik, Brown, Currie, Konak (McDonnell 65), Brannagan, Mills (Vaulks 84), Donley (Spencer 77), Emakhu (Placheta 65), Lankshear (Prelec 77)
Charlton: Mannion, Ramsay (Kelman 60), Jones, Bell, Clarke, Docherty (Fullah 82), Coventry (Fevrier 68), Chambers (Rankin-Costello 82), Carey, Campbell, Leaburn
Bookings: Helik, Mills, Brown; Chambers, Clarke, Bell, Rankin-Costello
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