Sky put a stat on screen about our results after conceding the first goal by Dubtractor 29 Nov 8:17
It was that since March 2024, in the 30 games where we have conceded first, we had lost 23 and drawn 7 with 0 wins. That stat is now one worse on the defeat column.

Even allowing for the fact that stat includes a (dismal) season in the premier league, that's a shocker to see in numbers, and we've seen 6 games of that type this season already.

It really does add weight to the fact that teams know that if they get something to hold onto against us, there is a game plan that will blunt us too easily. Park the bus when we have possession, let us commit too many players forward, hit us on the break with pace. That's not to say Oxford played negatively, or sh1thoused us, just that they got themselves very compact and left little space to play in, and then picked their moments to attack.

It's not a tactical problem we faced last season, and not really in 23/24 either, but it is very evident this season and we are massively struggling to solve it. The result is that we're dropping way too many points against really average teams.

Our success, or not, this season hinges on solving that challenge. We'll be fine if we score first, as we saw when Hull had to open up a bit and we created at will, but unless we stop conceding with what often feels like the first chance for the opposition, we're going to continue to struggle unless McKenna/the players work out a better way to unpick those packed defences.