adminOxford United boss left unhappy by ‘frustrating’ defeat
Gary Rowett has expressed his disappointment at Oxford United’s naivety in their 2-0 Championship defeat to relegation rivals Swansea City.
The loss comes a week after a terrific win against Ipswich Town and ends a run of three games undefeated after the international break.
“Hugely frustrating,” Rowett admitted after the game.
“I don’t want to take anything away from Swansea’s performance but I’d expect us to show a little bit more on the back of the week that we’ve had. I think the inconsistency is frustrating.”
A header from Marko Stamenic and a wonder strike from Josh Tymon punished the U’s who kept giving away ‘silly’ fouls in dangerous areas
Set pieces proved a problem for Rowett’s men as player being left too open saw them give up too many chances whilst not creating enough of their own until it was too late.
“In first half, every time they got around our box we made a silly foul or we pushed someone or we pushed someone in the back when in those moments you have to work to create difficulty for the opposition to get into your final third or into your box.
“And we just gave them lots of dead ball opportunities to go and do it. If you’re going to do that, you’re going to have to go and defend the next action and the one moment we don’t defend they end up scoring.
“We’ve got to show a little more diligence and determination and calmness when we defend. We were a little bit naïve at times and with the amount of free kicks they had…they’re going to score one of them.”
A bright initial start saw quickly deteriorated as the U’s found themselves on the back foot in Wales.
“I thought we started well for 10, 15 minutes but then allowed Swansea to dictate the game,” the Yellows boss continued.
“They score a wonder goal just before half time which gives them a nice little buffer then maybe we go in one nil and it’s slightly different. It’s a wonderful strike from Josh Tymon and in fairness that’s going to put any team in great position with that moment of quality.
“Second half, I thought we were better. I thought it was an improved performance without really looking like we were going to get anything out of the game. It was a little bit better.
“I was pleased with Brian De Keersmaecker; I thought he showed a little bit of quality, a bit of character to go and get on the ball and to go and try and dictate things for us and we needed a few more players to do the same.
“It’s the inconsistency that’s frustrating. We go and perform like we did against Ipswich on Friday night and then we go and perform like that today.
“You’re not going to climb the league with type of differences in your performances week to week.”
United created very little of substance in the first half but knocked on the door a little in the second.
Will Lankshear hit the side netting with a header before Ole Romeny forced an impressive save out of Lawrence Vigouroux late on.
Brian De Keersmaecker’s last-minute shot from range also tested the Swans’ keeper but to no avail.
“We didn’t create enough opportunities early on in the game. I thought we got into some good positions without causing too much trouble.
“I thought we had some moments where we could’ve done better but the final pass or the final action…maybe if Ole’s goal goes in it might create a little bit of an exciting end but I don’t think I could sit here and say we really deserved that.
“That’s life in the Championship, if you don’t show that consistency, there will be plenty of teams doing the same as us, not showing that consistency, you are where you are in the league.
“It becomes a division where you’ve got to step up at some point because you can’t keep doing it.”
The result saw the two sides trade places with the U’s dropping to 21st and Swansea rising to 20th.
Swansea: Vigouroux, Galbraith (Fulton 90+1), Cabango, Burgess, Tymon, Stamenic, Franco (Cullen 80), Ronald, Widell (Casey 72), Eom Jisung (Idah 80), Vipotnik (Inoussa 72)
Oxford: Cumming, Long, Helik, Brown, Currie (Leigh 80), Vaulks, De Keersmaecker, Mills (Ter Avest 63), L Harris (Romeny 63), Krastev (Prelec 63), M Harris (Lankshear 63)
Bookings: Tymon, Franco; M Harris, Krastev, Currie
Attendance: 17,318
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