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

[Carpy]

 

[Joey]

Apart from BDK what else have they done? Mitchell?

Helik was crucial to us staying up. Matos was an excellent loan signing. Mills has proven useful. Spencer looked a very good signing with potential to develop and sell for more.

The first three were last January and BDK and Spencer were the only ones from the summer before he got stitched up. Even then Lankshear was a shrewd loan, as was Davies. I strongly suspect there's a lot more to come from Krastev too.

Considering our budget I'm not sure how much more you can expect from two windows, especially when the main one was made a lot harder by his bosses.

This time last year we were starting games with the likes of Dale, McEachran, Goodrham and Sibley. It's absurd to deny the fact that we've improved significantly.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

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?

I think it is more of a question of do we trust the recruitment team to bring in the correct players to what we need?
They will already be talking to players ready for January so any new guy will have some players join which aren’t his.

 

[Shosho]

Most looking to the summer recruitment (fwiw, I think we signed quite well), but the obvious change of signing BdK and Spencer before signing loans thereafter - although I think a few were agreed quite early is an indicator of something happening.

But combine the recruitment pivot with a pre-season tour that Rowett clearly didn’t want that significantly impacted *actual* training time and I can see why Rowett is sounding pretty jaded by the experience. He’s experienced and has his pre-season methods - playing on quagmires against teams injuring our players, plus subpar training conditions and a travel itinerary that practically wiped a week out of training in July probably doesn’t give the vibe that we were fully prepared for the season.

It would look like Rowett is/was fighting with his hands tied to some degree. I don’t think he is blameless, I think most would agree there is more in the squad than is being allowed, but Rowett has hardly been subtle in speaking of his discomfort through the summer.

 

[Essexyellows]

Just out of interest who would the "change the manager after 12 months" folk like us to get in?

Bearing in mind he would have the same players to work with, a transfer window that might be limited financially and some people who seem to be "lazy" but are tied into long term contracts?

 

[Chippy]

Helik was crucial to us staying up. Matos was an excellent loan signing. Mills has proven useful. Spencer looked a very good signing with potential to develop and sell for more.

The first three were last January and BDK and Spencer were the only ones from the summer before he got stitched up. Even then Lankshear was a shrewd loan, as was Davies. I strongly suspect there's a lot more to come from Krastev too.

Considering our budget I'm not sure how much more you can expect from two windows, especially when the main one was made a lot harder by his bosses.

This time last year we were starting games with the likes of Dale, McEachran, Goodrham and Sibley. It's absurd to deny the fact that we've improved significantly.

Spencer and BDK yes. Possibly Helik too. Other than that most other signings are bit part players who can’t consistently put back to back performances together, hence we are consistently chopping and changing the side and don’t know our best 11 or even what formation is best. Some of that is on Rowett and poor tactics, set up and substitutions, but a large chunk of it is because the players available aren’t consistently good enough for the level of football we play. No matter who the manager is we are going to struggle with the squad we have.

 

[Mad Dog]

4 wins from 21 games .

Hurtling at speed back to league 1 .

8 wins & 7 draws required to survive to achieve 50 points .

Time for a change & I hope the board react . He lost my support weeks ago .

4 wins in 21. Embarrassing.

8 wins and 7 draws, just to get to 50 points, which still might not be enough!
That's scary, how on earth are we supposed to get that many points with Rowett in charge?

I warned everyone last season, if we wanted to kick on, then Rowett would not be the right choice for this season, and I also saw this coming in preseason, you could see we were a shambles even then, let alone the first shambolic game of the season against Portsmouth, and although I received pelters then, and will no doubt receive pelters now, it proves I was right for wanting Rowett gone months ago.

We've left it too late now, we've been in a death spiral for too long under Rowett, and don't have enough points on the board, and need way more than we'll be able to bring in in January in order to turn this around, and for that reason, whether Rowett stays or goes, I think I'm resigned to us being in league one next season now.

 

[bazzer9461]

I don’t think we’ll see a change. The board have openly said that relegation wouldn’t be the end of the world. Why would they pay out to get shot of Rowett?

The more concerning element of the table is there is now a gap forming between us an 19th. Even more so when you see that Portsmouth and Blackburn are going to have to play again (ok one might lose).

Rowett has been let down, some players have been let down and we have been let down. Doesn’t matter who is responsible, we need to work out what changes can fix the second half of the season. Whether that’s on or off the pitch.

God knows what they expect them? Average 6k crowds in a shinny 16k stadium.
What I don’t think they realise if we’re relegated we’re not going back up.

 

[Joey]

Spencer and BDK yes. Possibly Helik too. Other than that most other signings are bit part players who can’t consistently put back to back performances together, hence we are consistently chopping and changing the side and don’t know our best 11 or even what formation is best. Some of that is on Rowett and poor tactics, set up and substitutions, but a large chunk of it is because the players available aren’t consistently good enough for the level of football we play. No matter who the manager is we are going to struggle with the squad we have.

Bit harsh on Helik, I doubt we'd have stayed up last season without him so has to go down as a hit. Matos and Mills may not be hits but they certainly weren't misses either, Mills made a huge difference and we'd kill for Matos now.

It's not an easy job, we're not a particularly attractive proposition at this level. Assuming you don't include Romeny (board) and Bradshaw (manager, maybe?) that's five signings in a row that have proven useful at worse. After that he had to contend with the budget being ripped up.

You'll never have a 100% strike rate but I've seen more than enough to trust him, including his work at Wycombe, and would love to see him given proper support.

 

[Jster]

I think it is more of a question of do we trust the recruitment team to bring in the correct players to what we need?
They will already be talking to players ready for January so any new guy will have some players join which aren’t his.

We have to stop this idea that players are brought in with a specific manager in mind. The role of a manager (or rather head coach) these days is to get the best out of a set of players identified by recruitment specialists. Look at Brighton for example. They get managers to fit the system, not players to fit the manager.

 

[Swaby39]

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?

Has Rowett earned the right to see that January window? Some of his antics have aged poorly the worse we’ve got. I understood his mini rebellion at the end of the summer, but he’s now not holding up his end of the deal.

I don’t see a nice shiny signing or two suddenly leading him to forgive and forget. And now that the team is spiralling I don’t see how this has a future. It’s gone rotten.

We forget that for many good coaches, this would be an exciting job. Some have been on the shelf a good while, while others (like the chap that went to Plymouth) would be eager to test themselves in England. An enthusiasm alone (which he once had) would help. We aren’t out of it and there’s players here to work with. I think Rowett sees us as down and out and it’s almost reached a stage of pity with the words he uses. I’m done with the dynamic, it’s uglier than our football.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

We were "not very good" today, ref and linesmen were , PNE were a bunch of fouling time wasters.

Did what they had to do.

Ref & Linesman did very little wrong, Rowett got it wrong.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Has Rowett earned the right to see that January window? Some of his antics have aged poorly the worse we’ve got. I understood his mini rebellion at the end of the summer, but he’s now not holding up his end of the deal and 2 wrongs are definitely not making a right.

I don’t see a nice shiny signing or two suddenly leading him to forgive and forget. And now that the team is spiralling I don’t see how this has a future. It’s gone rotten.

We forget that for many good coaches, this would be an exciting job. Some have been on the shelf a good while, while others (like the chap that went to Plymouth) would be eager to test themselves in England. An enthusiasm alone (which he once had) would help. I think Rowett sees us as down and out and it’s almost reached a stage of pity with the words he uses. I’m done with the dynamic, it’s uglier than our football.

The fact he’s persisting with Bradshaw is a sackable offence in itself.

Literally booted the ball high up in the air towards the end of the game and went straight through to the keeper.

Rowett’s time is up. He needs to go, he’s a defeated man, his radio interview shows that.

 

[bazzer9461]

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?

Will he be allowed? Or will he get told of another poor player with Indonesian heritage and get signed

 

[Steve Gilbert]

Did what they had to do.

Ref & Linesman did very little wrong, Rowett got it wrong.

Very little wrong? Even Sky commentators were surprised we didn’t get at least one penalty for the way they were holding players, pulling our players down to the ground.

If you think the ref did very little wrong then you were clearly watching a very different game to the majority of the fans.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Portsmouth win - we're in the relegation zone. Unsurprisingly given our ppg.

Lucky that it’s not happened before now.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Very little wrong? Even Sky commentators were surprised we didn’t get at least one penalty for the way they were holding players, pulling our players down to the ground.

If you think the ref did very little wrong then you were clearly watching a very different game to the majority of the fans.

It happens every single week?

Our players do the same thing? Would you be clamouring for the opposition to get a penalty when our defenders do it?

I think not.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

The fact he’s persisting with Bradshaw is a sackable offence in itself.

Literally booted the ball high up in the air towards the end of the game and went straight through to the keeper.

Rowett’s time is up. He needs to go, he’s a defeated man, his radio interview shows that.

Who would you have brought on for the tiring Prelec an Romeny?
Bradshaw isn’t good enough, nor is M Harris but we are so short of decent strikers in the squad.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

It happens every single week?

Our players do the same thing? Would you be clamouring for the opposition to get a penalty when our defenders do it?

I think not.

Which of ours nearly pulled a shirt off a Preston player? Which of our players grabbed a Preston player around the body with both arms and pulled him to the ground?

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Who would you have brought on for the tiring Prelec an Romeny?
Bradshaw isn’t good enough, nor is M Harris but we are so short of decent strikers in the squad.

I would have kept a tiring Prelec & Romeny, they are better options than Bradshaw.

 

[Chippy]

Bit harsh on Helik, I doubt we'd have stayed up last season without him so has to go down as a hit. Matos and Mills may not be hits but they certainly weren't misses either, Mills made a huge difference and we'd kill for Matos now.

It's not an easy job, we're not a particularly attractive proposition at this level. Assuming you don't include Romeny (board) and Bradshaw (manager, maybe?) that's five signings in a row that have proven useful at worse. After that he had to contend with the budget being ripped up.

You'll never have a 100% strike rate but I've seen more than enough to trust him, including his work at Wycombe, and would love to see him given proper support.

I’d put more on Waldron than Mitchell with regards to recruitment. Based on his Wycombe successes then yes Mitchell deserves more chance and support, it’s Ed and his record over the last 24 months in varying roles that probably concerns me more.
However before attributing blame (which may be a harsh word) I’d be interested to know who actually identifies the players, who is on the transfer committee and makes the final decisions and who negotiates the contracts. Is the manager an integral part of the process?

It still completely baffles me how Marris got a new contract and one or two others as well. Who sanctioned the Bradshaw and Phillips moves leaves a lot to be desired too.

I just think for a club with our resources we should be recruiting much more wisely and not dishing new contracts out when they are plainly not deserved and lumber us with players no one else wants. The fact we couldn’t shift out a number of players who aren’t good enough back in the summer tells us that we have recruited badly in previous windows and given contracts above what any other club would be prepared to pay the same players.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

I would have kept a tiring Prelec & Romeny, they are better options than Bradshaw.

So then you’d risk a player getting injured which would make us worse off longer term?

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Which of ours nearly pulled a shirt off a Preston player? Which of our players grabbed a Preston player around the body with both arms and pulled him to the ground?

I said it happens near enough every single week, probably happened today, every player pulls a players shirt at set pieces, some more subtle than others, if you don’t go down it’s never going to be given.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

So then you’d risk a player getting injured which would make us worse off longer term?

I’d rather play with 10 men than bring Bradshaw on, I’d rather play Helik up there.

 

[Joey]

I’d put more on Waldron than Mitchell with regards to recruitment. Based on his Wycombe successes then yes Mitchell deserves more chance and support, it’s Ed and his record over the last 24 months in varying roles that probably concerns me more.
However before attributing blame (which may be a harsh word) I’d be interested to know who actually identifies the players, who is on the transfer committee and makes the final decisions and who negotiates the contracts. Is the manager an integral part of the process?

It still completely baffles me how Marris got a new contract and one or two othes as well. Who sanctioned the Bradshaw and Phillips moves leaves a lot to be desired too.

I just think for a club with our resources we should be recruiting much more wisely and not dishing new contracts out when they are plainly not deserved and lumber us with players no one else wants. The fact we couldn’t shift out a number of players who aren’t good enough back in the summer tells us that we have recruited badly in previous windows and given contracts above what any other club would be prepared to pay the same players.

No argument at all with the Harris contract renewal. It seemed mad at the time and even worse now.

 

[bazzer9461]

Did what they had to do.

Ref & Linesman did very little wrong, Rowett got it wrong.

Really? What game were you watching!!’

 

[bazzer9461]

It happens every single week?

Our players do the same thing? Would you be clamouring for the opposition to get a penalty when our defenders do it?

I think not.

Oh that’s ok then FFS

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Really? What game were you watching!!’

What because he didn’t give us a penalty?

Every single football player pulls a shirt at setpieces, how many he given?

Maybe just admit we aren’t good enough & Rowett has had long enough and is not doing any better than our manager from last season did.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

I said it happens near enough every single week, probably happened today, every player pulls a players shirt at set pieces, some more subtle than others, if you don’t go down it’s never going to be given.

Here is a link I think you might find useful: https://www.specsavers.co.uk/

 

[dickwalton1964]

4 wins in 21. Embarrassing.

8 wins and 7 draws, just to get to 50 points, which still might not be enough!
That's scary, how on earth are we supposed to get that many points with Rowett in charge?

I warned everyone last season, if we wanted to kick on, then Rowett would not be the right choice for this season, and I also saw this coming in preseason, you could see we were a shambles even then, let alone the first shambolic game of the season against Portsmouth, and although I received pelters then, and will no doubt receive pelters now, it proves I was right for wanting Rowett gone months ago.

We've left it too late now, we've been in a death spiral for too long under Rowett, and don't have enough points on the board, and need way more than we'll be able to bring in in January in order to turn this around, and for that reason, whether Rowett stays or goes, I think I'm resigned to us being in league one next season now.

Would not want you beside me in the trenches. Think I’d pull the trigger before I went in if I knew I’d drawn the short straw and got you. Bloody hell, over half a season left and as good a chance as anyone else of escaping. I’d hate to be a fan with such a negative mindset.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Oh that’s ok then FFS

They don’t get given. If you don’t go down, you ain’t going to get a decision.

How about we don’t make excuses about referees when we just weren’t good enough.