Home Match Day Thread 13/12/2025 - MDT: Oxford United vs Preston North End

[Carpy]

 

[Followtheox1]

It's bemusing to me to see the love that Rowett gets over Des despite having practically the same points total, all because he has a championship CV.

What are you on about. Very few fans were happy when Des was sacked, im sure i saw 90% in a bbc poll didn't want him sacked..

 

[Eaststanding]

What are you on about. Very few fans were happy when Des was sacked, im sure i saw 90% in a bbc poll didn't want him sacked..

90% of those that bothered to respond; I know plenty who were able to be dispassionate and agree it was the right decision.

 

[Followtheox1]

90% of those that bothered to respond; I know plenty who were able to be dispassionate and agree it was the right decision.

Yes, those that bothered to respond...

 

[Eaststanding]

Yes, those that bothered to respond...

I want what’s best for the football club, i couldn’t care less if it’s my own brother or Rowett but it’s time for change.

 

[Swaby39]

Just some stats I looked up to back up my previous post......

Last season we conceded 9 set piece goals all season - only Burnley conceded fewer in the Championship.

This season we have conceded 12 set piece goals already before Christmas!
For a team like us with a limited forward line, we simply have to be tight at the back especially in set piece situations. We're not at the moment, and if we don't sort it out, we're going to go down.

This stat highlights a wider problem, which should be levelled at Rowett.

The very minimum we should be is bloody hard to score against. He’s got the bulk of the same players. I expect us not to be the most prolific going forward under him, but if we aren’t getting the fundamentals of what Rowett does well, then surely the decision on his future becomes pretty trivial.

 

[Maurice Earp]

That we're even considering Phillips as a possible answer for absolutely anything is beyond depressing.

Phillips, in my opinion, should NEVER be considered.

 

[Maurice Earp]

I want what’s best for the football club, i couldn’t care less if it’s my own brother or Rowett but it’s time for change.

I don't think you're wrong.

 

[Followtheox1]

Phillips, in my opinion, should NEVER be considered.

Completely forgot he was still our player..

 

[Jster]

Phillips, in my opinion, should NEVER be considered.

In his most recent appearance, against Leicester, he was *excellent*. So much so that some speculated they had deliberately nobbled him.

 

[Maurice Earp]

For what it’s worth….

An interesting starting lineup. I thought we held them quite well in the first half and they were no great shakes overall. Some glimpses of skill and forward thinking (not much I agree) throughout the game. I guess that is our lot this year. There is a disconnect between defence and attack it seems. We seem incapable of making the ball stick.
And I was shocked when the subs were made and equally so as to who went off. Puzzling, for sure.
As for relegation? I imagine we would struggle in league 2 let alone L1.

Conceded soft goals again. Their goalie must have been their MotM though. Portsmouth win too…not a good afternoon.

Finally…The refs performance in the first 10 minutes clearly showed me we would get very few decisions go our way.He set himself abysmally low standards which he totally failed to achieve. He was supported by the ‘Refs assistant’ who assisted him very well mainly by ignoring foul throws, shirt pulls and penalty shouts by PNE for 95 minutes. Appalling.

Hey ho…..

Well said. Absolutely useless.

 

[bazzer9461]

So how did we stay up last season with an inferior squad?

Because the inferior squad had more heart and wanted to

 

[Followtheox1]

In his most recent appearance, against Leicester, he was *excellent*. So much so that some speculated they had deliberately nobbled him.

Yes, he had an excellent match. One of a couple...He has shown since being here that he is like a diesal tanker when coming back from injury, he takes a long time to get up to full speed. After the length of time he has had out I just can't see him impacting the team positively anytime soon, after he comes back...

 

[Village-Yellow]

It's bemusing to me to see the love that Rowett gets over Des despite having practically the same points total, all because he has a championship CV.

Just a guess, but I would say the vocal Rowett out contingent were also the vocal Des out contingent.

As for the rest of us (again I could be wrong), but I would say we wanted Des to be given more time.

 

[Jakeyboy13]

What are you on about. Very few fans were happy when Des was sacked, im sure i saw 90% in a bbc poll didn't want him sacked..

I was one who wanted Des sacked....i'd also like a change of manager now,i'm sure a fresh face would get more out of the squad

 

[Maurice Earp]

I was one who wanted Des sacked

You wer'nt wrong.

 

[Jakeyboy13]

You wer'nt wrong.

Shame as Des seemed like a bloody good bloke

 

[Tobytrotters]

Today saw yet again an avoidable defeat against a very ordinary Preston team with the U’s conceding another two poor goals.

The U’s find ways week in , week out of conceding very soft, preventable goals that will surely result in the club’s relegation.

Brown out-jumped by Storey at the back post from a looped cross from Small but perhaps there was a lack of communication between Leigh and Brown.
Or should Cumming have caught the cross? A big, dominant stopper cleans everybody out and claims the cross.

For the second goal Devine easily skipped past Brown and pulled the ball for Jebbison to sweep into the net past Cumming. That was the sum total PNE’s attacking
ambition but it was easily enough to triumph against a U’s team that look bereft of a game plan or lack confidence in a strategy at the moment.

Oxford had many opportunities to get something out of the contest but lack belief. Rowett showed his own lack of belief by his puzzling substitution of strike duo Prelec and Lankshear with fifteen minutes to play for the totally out-of-sorts M.Harris and the lesser spotted T.Bradshaw. The changes ensured a safe passage to three points for a patchy Preston outfit who occupy third spot in the Championship table tonight.

For me, Rowett’s post-match sum up and demeanour suggests his time is fast running out.

Brown was shocking today! Preston didn’t get out of second gear.

 

[debbie692209]

We defend so deep when the opposition have a free kick, corner that even when we head the ball out it comes straight back. It might be me, but are we the only team that loads the box and don't keep fowards up the pitch to draw out their players?

 

[Manorlounger]

Just a guess, but I would say the vocal Rowett out contingent were also the vocal Des out contingent.

As for the rest of us (again I could be wrong), but I would say we wanted Des to be given more time.

Nonsense.

 

[LowerSouth]

So we are now back in the bottom three, is anyone really surprised?
Our last four away games have been against teams with superior squads, but all struggling to find confidence,consistency and winning ways .
In all of the above, we have generally started off reasonably well for the first10 to 15 minutes and then gradually allowed the opposition to get into the game and generally dominate.
Today’s game was similar .
In all of the games ,questions have been asked regarding the various starting eleven and even more so , regarding the timing and make up of substitutions.
Today’s game highlighted that even more so and as in the game against Blackburn, the changes made effectively nullified any attacking options we had prior.to same .
I currently do not understand what our coaches are trying to achieve .
Whatever it is, it appears to be failing.

 

[Maurice Earp]

Brown was shocking today! Preston didn’t get out of second gear.

I have to say that you talk

 

[Tobytrotters]

I have to say that you talk

Really?

 

[Mad Dog]

You can be Rowett out or Rowett in but at the moment, with this squad, I think if we sack him, we get relegated. If Rowett stays, we get relegated.
This squad is just not got the required amount of talent for a championship team.

The real question is, do we get rid of Rowett and give another manager the January window to bring in reinforcements, or trust Rowett to bring in the correct players we need?

 

[Followtheox1]

I was one who wanted Des sacked....i'd also like a change of manager now,i'm sure a fresh face would get more out of the squad

Yes, nobody said there wasn't any fans who wanted Des sacked...

 

[Peterdev]

Rowett although he has championship experience isn’t finding this job easy at all. He has a reputation for boring football and keeping clubs in the league.
The board seem happy with the likliehood of staying up which Des looked unlikely to do. I think if he stays Rowett will have a relegation on his CV. I’m not sure the board will put up with lack of success for much longer. I can’t see a result coming at Charlton. Southampton at home looks an away banker. We might get something at Swansea. Three points from nine I reckon will leave us languishing just ahead of Sheffield Wednesday. I’m afraid we look like we are facing L1 again.
Not convinced a replacement manager will change it either.

 

[BTCW]

Rowett only put Mills on for Ter Avest because Ter Avest done his hamstring.

 

[bazzer9461]

Agreed, the last thing we want is more people the quality of BDK turning up.

Assuming 'Waldron and his team" means the recruitment team what's your issue with Mitchell?

The least of our problems and I'd rather see them backed than sacked.

Apart from BDK what else have they done? Mitchell?

 

[Village-Yellow]

Nonsense.

Fair enough.

 

[bazzer9461]

Moan about the ref all you want Preston learned pretty quickly hit the deck and the ref will give the free kick we just waved our arms around

A bit like the Ipswich game

 

[JOHN BOY]

The real question is, do we get rid of Rowett and give another manager the January window to bring in reinforcements, or trust Rowett to bring in the correct players we need?

That is the big question. I must say I'm not sure but wouldn't be too upset if he went