Matches Top 6 Race 2023/24

[OX14]

Indeed it’s an awful watch, and pretty embarrassing.

Having said that, a bit of shithousery goes along way. It worked wonders having Maguire and Hylton doing it all the time. It clearly works, but yes I’d rather see the team play the game the right way, but sometimes we are very weak and an extremely soft touch.

Thing is under Appleton we played the right way with having them two in the squad. There is a reason why we haven't beat Wycombe in years and that's because our players are too lightweight. Hopefully this summer we sign a powerful midfielder we've been missing for the last 3 seasons.

 

[Swaby39]

. They are more clinical in front of goal than us aswell. That isn't anything to do with the manager.

A polarising opinion. I personally don’t think that’s fact and think it is, in large part, down to mentality, attitude and belief that are instilled by a manager. I don’t think a head coach can be totally excused from blame when a team they are responsible for tactically, mentally and physically can’t put the ball in the net in big moments. The same way I don’t think you can ever discredit a manager whose team is over-efficient in front of goal when they create little.

 

[LeftSideLarry]

They have three players I would take, Keeper, Midfielder (Erhahon) and striker (Taylor) but we have the better squad. If we had any one of those players we’d be home and dry playoff wise

Agree with this, all three would be excellent additions to our squad.

 

[Pgyellow]

Completely agree about mentality. We are not a team with a steely determination. We often say the right things . . .

 

[greatunclekip]

Followed by gob off at the ref, foul, roll around on the floor with a pretend head injury, time waste and generally act like complete twats!

It might get Lincoln into the playoffs but I wouldn't want that style of football anywhere near this club.

I know Wycombe in particular hated their year in the Championship.

Truth is, a successful team needs skill and dark arts. Luton were masters. Bought some lovely footballers but also players who knew the tricks of the level.

 

[38yearsofpain]

A polarising opinion. I personally don’t think that’s fact and think it is, in large part, down to mentality, attitude and belief that are instilled by a manager. I don’t think a head coach can be totally excused from blame when a team they are responsible for tactically, mentally and physically can’t put the ball in the net in big moments. The same way I don’t think you can ever discredit a manager whose team is over-efficient in front of goal when they create little.

Both the goals given away against Lincoln and Stevenage were absolute examples, they were not unlucky they were down to complete mental breakdowns at key moments. We currently look mentally insecure both as a team and on an individual level. How have we gone from a very good defensive unit under Manning to a disaster waiting to happen, with the same defensive coach?

 

[Swaby39]

Completely agree about mentality. We are not a team with a steely determination. We often say the right things . . .

It’s the ruthless, winning mentality that’s gone missing for me.

It runs through everything including today’s topics of taking chances and game management/shithousery. Knock Lincoln all we want, they prepared to sacrifice style for points at a time they need points more than they need to play perfect football. I’m not saying we adopt that in its entirety and there’s a degree of higher standards that comes with larger budgets and clubs of higher expectation, but it’s about time we stopped turning our nose up at clubs who just do things better than us and take something from them.

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

Followed by gob off at the ref, foul, roll around on the floor with a pretend head injury, time waste and generally act like complete twats!

It might get Lincoln into the playoffs but I wouldn't want that style of football anywhere near this club.

And unfortunately that mindset is shared by a lot of our fanbase and is why we have consistently been the nearly men in League One for a good 5/6 years.

Serial bottle jobs with no B*****s.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Followed by gob off at the ref, foul, roll around on the floor with a pretend head injury, time waste and generally act like complete twats!

It might get Lincoln into the playoffs but I wouldn't want that style of football anywhere near this club.

At this stage of the season, with every point crucial, I’d take that style all day long. The amount of goals they scored - and the quality of a lot of them I saw on TV - suggests they can steamroller teams too rather than just grind out ugly 1-0’s. We’ve been too typical Oxford I’m afraid - neat, tidy, easy on the eye, ticking all the right boxes. Winning ugly and deploying some sh*t housery is another option and if you can’t beat them doing it the ‘right way’ (last 2 games concrete proof we can’t) then we need to become more street wise and have back up plans to our generally nice but naive approach.

 

[Belgium Yellow]

If Lincoln do make the playoffs and not us I hope they go up and do a Wycombe. We can swap places with them in 12 months on their way back down and in the meantime we'll have bigger games against the other playoff sides next season.

The downside of your argument is that rather than swapping places with Wycombe the following season we actually got worse!

 

[Oxfordpete]

They're wrong. We actually screwed it up this week rather than just last night.

Well 2 refs screwed us this week with terrible decisions

 

[Oxymoron]

They're wrong. We actually screwed it up this week rather than just last night.

I think we can take it back to the Cambridge game - three points there and we'd be comfortably in the playoffs....

 

[Scotchegg]

And unfortunately that mindset is shared by a lot of our fanbase and is why we have consistently been the nearly men in League One for a good 5/6 years.

Serial bottle jobs with no B*****s.

Are you saying that the fan base determine results?

 

[Nox]

Well 2 refs screwed us this week with terrible decisions

A season isn't about two games in isolation.
Decisions go for you and against you over the season.
It's how you perform over 46 games.
Where you finish is where you deserve to finish from your performance over those 46 games.

 

[Nadi-]

With 2 home games and the play offs in our grasp. And to only come away with a disappointing 1 point from a possible 6.
Hard to see us getting a win at Exeter.
Where as Lincoln’s 6 points from 2 away
Deserves some credit.

 

[pommy80]

Well 2 refs screwed us this week with terrible decisions

It evens itself out over the season.

Fact is we’ve been average since December, and have been asking for Lincoln/Blackpool to catch us. Can’t just blame it on the week just gone.

 

[Carpy]

I know Wycombe in particular hated their year in the Championship

Yeah but they’re a s**t little club that plays s**t football, we are neither

 

[Jakeyboy13]

Going to defend Des here. Players should take some blame too, especially the last 2 games. How many chances did we squander last night and in previous games? That's why we have bottled the play offs.

Who's coaching the players?

 

[OX14]

Who's coaching the players?

Des and the rest of the coaching staff. But are they to blame for Sam Long playing a ridiculous back pass that cost us a late equaliser at home to Northampton or Cumming letting that long range shot in against Shrewsbury?

The collective should take the blame for us failing this season, that's the manager, coaching staff , recruitment team and the players.

 

[tonto]

Well we haven’t completely failed yet!