Two separate people have texted me independently to ask “why are we like this?” and “why do we bother?” Got to say, they’re both valid questions. Eustace is onto a hiding here. Needed proactive recruitment and got to see the back of the chief scout instead. Still, there’ll be plenty sucking up to Waggott, Pasha and Gested in the padded seats this evening.

Genuinely think we’d need to drop about £10m or so to maintain a playoff spot. Not because full-strength isn’t theoretically capable but because we need so much cover and depth.

I reckon they glance at the table and assume it’s all down to their visionary football club ownership model, before getting back to whatever whack-job, rich person hobby they’re busying themselves with that week.

Woke up for three minutes at the end there. No urgency after the goal, but save it for stoppage time. Great stuff, lads. Eustace partly to blame with the team selection, the Forshaw sub and very little half time impact, but the players didn’t seem to fancy it and I don’t like seeing that. Mitigating factors, but a poor do all round. Much better needed.

Can’t get a cross in down the left hand side, but seemingly persisting to hammer it at Kioso.

Oxford justifiably fighting for their lives but we don’t really look like we fancy it, today.

I don’t inherently dislike the lineup because of personnel, but it doesn’t look right, even when Tronstad was one. Not very fluid or coherent, really. Change of approach at half time, rather than changes to the lineup just yet. Need to push up a little bit more.

BTA - for me - is a signing I can get behind. Patrick Bamford has become Leeds’ Sam Gallagher. He’s probably at the point where a move to the MLS would really suit him on all fronts, but that’s not where we are.

I’ve just spent an unreasonable amount of time looking at the below: And despite my earlier assertions, I’ve missed their right back being far too deep and playing Gueye on. Think it is onside, in the end. Here’s the moment the ball is played:

Gueye’s three yards offside for the third, they showed a replay late on across the line.

Did enjoy Carter’s dry “I’ve always wanted to know who Crawley’s rivals are,” but if that’s meant to be pally, just seemed very misguided.

Why is Warren Lucy being a total dick to Carter on the comms?

The lineup we had just before Weimann and Buckley got subbed off was absolutely the one we should’ve started with. Don’t want to see that fucking experimental starting lineup again.

Fuck me, they should’ve had two penalties there

They do not fancy going up against Gueye at all, constantly backing away from him.

Belter of a goal in isolation. Outstanding cross in from Brittain and Gueye does excellent to stoop down and meet it. Out of absolutely nowhere.

Gueye is such an ungainly runner. Just a very clumsy man, with a miraculously good touch at times.

I missed the booking?

Grasping at straws, but… Ref’s been alright! Not one I recognise and has tried to let things go/not to book unnecessarily.

Buckley for ACD, Leonard for Hedges. Sit Cantwell alongside Tronstad and move Weimann to the 10 position.

… safe to say this experiment isn’t working?

Taken half an hour for the first fluid move to emerge. Interested to see if we can create more in that fashion, it was a nice passage of play.

Team selection is a real mess, not currently clear what the tactic is here.

He’s been a liability so far but that’s an excellent cross from Dolan, where has that been in his play?!

It’s immaterial and things don’t work out this way, but if I could design a scenario for a chance to fall to Leonard, it’s that one. Needs a moments like that to break for him while he’s building confidence. It’s early but the lack of a focal point is very clear as we build through the middle third. Hopeful they clear it up as we play.