Fan's View 2023/24 Predictions

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

Right then, cards on the table people:

OUFC

Finishing Position: 2nd
Top Scorer: Ruben Rodrigues
Fan's Player Of The Season: Ruben Rodrigues
Player's Player Of The Season: Cameron Brannagan
Surprise Success Story: Stephan Negru
Goal Of The Season: Mark Harris at Stevenage (30.09.23)
Ciaron Brown Award For Best Out Of Position Performance: Ciaron Brown (Left Back)
Biggest Home Win: 6-1 v Bristol Rovers (07.10.23)
Biggest Away Win: 5-1 at Carlisle (13.01.23), 4-0 at Wycombe (17.02.23)
FA Cup: Round 4 (Taunton, Mansfield, Leicester, Fulham)
League Cup: Round 1 (Bristol City)

LEAGUE ONE

Unexpected Play-Off Gatecrashers: Burton Albion
Bigboy Bottle Jobs:  Charlton Athletic
Highest Promoted Club Finish: Stevenage (9th)
Unexpected Relegation: Wycombe Wanderers
First Confirmed Relegation: Cambridge United
First Managerial Sacking: Dean Holden
Karl Robinson's Next Job: Walsall

 

[tonto]

Thats a lot of categories!

 

[tonto]

Like the positivity ,though not sure about the away wins.

 

[Leysboy]

I’ve got Cheltenham, Cambridge, Shrewsbury, and Exeter going down.

In no particular order top six

OUFC
Derby
Charlton
Blackpool
Bolton
Pompey

Lincoln/Bristol R - Darkhorses.

 

[BristolOx]

I went on onefootballforum to see the league 1 predictions and most other clubs see us just missing out on the playoffs. Think our torrid time last season has us as dark horses.

 

[Jolteon]

OUFC

Finishing Position: 5th
Top Scorer: Harris
Fan's Player Of The Season: Goodrham
Player's Player Of The Season: Rodrigues
Surprise Success Story: Woltman (when he signs )
Goal Of The Season: CamBran 30 yard rocket
Ciaron Brown Award For Best Out Of Position Performance: Wildschut (on the pitch instead of on the bench)
Biggest Home Win: 5-0 v Leyton Orient
Biggest Away Win: 3-0 at Cambridge
FA Cup: Round 5
League Cup: Round 3

LEAGUE ONE

Unexpected Play-Off Gatecrashers: OUFC
Bigboy Bottle Jobs:  Pompey
Highest Promoted Club Finish: Stevenage
Unexpected Relegation: Reading
First Confirmed Relegation: Northampton
First Managerial Sacking: Mous
Karl Robinson's Next Job: QPR

 

[unification]

Based on what we have in the building right now, I'm going for 10th. There's still time to add those missing pieces but it's hard to argue those pieces are missing as we go into the first match.

We're still lacking in a few areas - left back and still need a striker to act as a focal point. We're laboured with some passengers still in the squad (thanks, Karl) and do think there are a few positions where we have players who can 'do a job' rather than be the true 'wow' signings.

That said, the defence has been upgraded with Thorniley being added to it, we look better already with a new 'keeper in, the wingers have a lot of promise and Ruben Rodrigues may well be the find of the season. The vibe is far better than this time last season and that we actually had some early business has meant that pre-season has gone well. No one has been crippled by a ludicrous schedule so that's something.

Still plenty of work to do but it will no doubt be better than last year.

 

[OX14]

OUFC

Finishing Position: 6th
Top Scorer: Mark Harris
Fan's Player Of The Season: Ruben Rodrigues
Player's Player Of The Season: James Beadle
Surprise Success Story: Woltman ( if he signs)
Goal Of The Season: Cameron Brannagan
Ciaron Brown Award For Best Out Of Position Performance: Fin Stevens
Biggest Home Win: Northampton
Biggest Away Win: Port Vale
FA Cup: Round 4
League Cup: Round 3

LEAGUE ONE

Unexpected Play-Off Gatecrashers: Oxford
Bigboy Bottle Jobs:  Barnsley
Highest Promoted Club Finish: Leyton Orient
Unexpected Relegation: Cheltenham
First Confirmed Relegation: Cambridge United
First Managerial Sacking: Mark Bonner
Karl Robinson's Next Job: McDonald's

 

[Peterdev]

Ruben Rodrigues looks a star in the making. Hopefully he can produce as many assists for Harris as he did for Notts C top scorer last season.
I am optimistic that we will end up first or second this season. It would be great to get a good striker in with experience. We certainly have a lot of young players coming through into the squad

 

[Northernyellow]

I'm sure I'll regret saying this, but I think top six. I know QPR were crap and it was a friendly, but even so that was their first team and it's vv unusual for a L1 team to stuff a Championship team 5-0. Sounds like there is a bit of chat among managers about how good Oxford will be this season- hence the Paul Warne comment.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Second eh? Those aren't terrible predictions though I'm not sure about Burton. Agree about Wycombe!

 

[Foley]

Interesting 'not the top 20 podcast ' has us third Reading bottom and Barnsley around 12th.

 

[Twiggy85]

OUFC

Finishing Position: 5th

Top Scorer: Harris with 18

Fan's Player Of The Season: Ruben Rodrigues

Player's Player Of The Season: Branagen

Surprise Success Story: Murphy

Ciaron Brown Award For Best Out Of Position Performance: Ciaron Brown,

Biggest Home Win: Cambridge

Biggest Away Win: Exeter

FA Cup: Round 4

League Cup: Round 1


LEAGUE ONE


Unexpected Play-Off Gatecrashers: Bristol Rovers

Bigboy Bottle Jobs:  blackpoll

Highest Promoted Club Finish: Stevenage

Unexpected Relegation: Exeter

First Confirmed Relegation: Cambridge United

First Managerial Sacking: Bonner

Karl Robinson's Next Job: Reading

 

[werthersoriginal]

OUFC

Finishing Position: 5th

Top Scorer: Harris with 18

Fan's Player Of The Season: Ruben Rodrigues

Player's Player Of The Season: Branagen

Surprise Success Story: Murphy

Ciaron Brown Award For Best Out Of Position Performance: Ciaron Brown,

Biggest Home Win: Cambridge

Biggest Away Win: Exeter

FA Cup: Round 4

League Cup: Round 1


LEAGUE ONE


Unexpected Play-Off Gatecrashers: Bristol Rovers

Bigboy Bottle Jobs:  blackpoll

Highest Promoted Club Finish: Stevenage

Unexpected Relegation: Exeter

First Confirmed Relegation: Cambridge United

First Managerial Sacking: Bonner

Karl Robinson's Next Job: Reading

Not Bristol Rovers!!

 

[pidge]

Finishing Position: 4th
Top Scorer: Marcus Browne
Fan's Player Of The Season: James Beadle
Player's Player Of The Season: Cameron Brannagan
Surprise Success Story: Stephan Negru
Goal Of The Season: Tyler Goodrham
Ciaron Brown Award For Best Out Of Position Performance: Ciaron Brown (Striker) closely followed by Ciaron Brown (Winger)
Biggest Home Win: Exeter
Biggest Away Win: Port Vale
FA Cup: Round 3
League Cup: Round 1

LEAGUE ONE

Unexpected Play-Off Gatecrashers: Lincoln
Bigboy Bottle Jobs:  Barnsley
Highest Promoted Club Finish: Orient
Unexpected Relegation: Shrewsbury
First Confirmed Relegation: Port Vale
First Managerial Sacking: Matt Taylor
Karl Robinson's Next Job: Tranmere

 

[PottersRightBoot]

Finishing Position: 6th
Top Scorer: Cameron Brannagan
Fan's Player Of The Season: Ciaron Brown
Player's Player Of The Season: Ciaron Brown
Surprise Success Story: Josh Murphy.
Goal Of The Season: James Beadle
Ciaron Brown Award For Best Out Of Position Performance: James Beadle ( Goalscorer)
Biggest Home Win: Fleetwood
Biggest Away Win: Reading
FA Cup: Round 2
League Cup: Round 2
Pap John: winners

LEAGUE ONE

Unexpected Play-Off Gatecrashers: us
Bigboy Bottle Jobs:  Derby
Highest Promoted Club Finish: Stevenage
Unexpected Relegation: Wycombe
First Confirmed Relegation: Fleetwood
First Managerial Sacking: Paul Warne
Karl Robinson's Next Job: Charlton

 

[Yellowecky]

I don’t understand why so many people are tipping Stevenage to finish in the top half. Steve Evans usually runs out of steam once his players stop responding to his bullying. Personally I hope they are relegated.

 

[Swaby39]

OUFC

Finishing Position: 3rd
Top Scorer: Ruben Rodrigues
Fan's Player Of The Season: Ruben Rodrigues
Player's Player Of The Season: Cameron Brannagan
Surprise Success Story: Elliot Moore
Goal Of The Season: Marcus Browne (when he actually hits the target, they’re normally pretty spectacular)
Ciaron Brown Award For Best Out Of Position Performance: Stanley Mills, ST
Biggest Home Win: Wycombe 4-0
Biggest Away Win: Shrewsbury 4-1
FA Cup: Round 4
League Cup: Round 3

LEAGUE ONE

Unexpected Play-Off Gatecrashers: Leyton Orient
Bigboy Bottle Jobs:  Derby
Highest Promoted Club Finish: Leyton Orient
Unexpected Relegation: Exeter
First Confirmed Relegation: Carlisle
First Managerial Sacking: Darren Ferguson
Karl Robinson's Next Job: EFL pundit for Sky

 

[Carpy]

Oxford Utd

Finishing Position: 4th
Top Scorer: Mark Harris
Fan's Player Of The Season: Ruben Rodrigues
Player's Player Of The Season: Cameron Brannagan
Surprise Success Story: Oisin Smyth
Goal Of The Season: Stanley Mills
Ciaron Brown Award For Best Out Of Position Performance: Ciaron Brown
Biggest Home Win: 4-0 vs Carlisle
Biggest Away Win: 5-1 vs Port Vale
FA Cup: Round 3
League Cup: Round 4

League One

Unexpected Play-Off Gatecrashers: Bristol Rovers
Bigboy Bottle Jobs:  Derby
Highest Promoted Club Finish: Leyton Orient
Unexpected Relegation: Wycombe Wanderers
First Confirmed Relegation: Stevenage
First Managerial Sacking: Steve Evans
Karl Robinson's Next Job: Hooters

 

[ttg17]

Interesting 'not the top 20 podcast ' has us third Reading bottom and Barnsley around 12th.

Love these pods, brilliant as ever.

Rivalry aside, I think it’s going to be really interesting to see how Reading get on this year. It seems like a complete toss-up at the moment: I’ve seen EFL pundits in their 1-24s have them as low as bottom, as here, and as high as the playoffs. It’ll be a good gauge of who really knows their stuff to see how their season pans out imo.

Prediction for season: 7th, as it stands. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love what Manning’s doing and our recruitment looks great so far (and sounds like it will imminently become even better). I can just see us dropping too many points against your big physical teams that defend low and hit us on the break and at set pieces (Wycombe, Stevenage and Northampton I would expect) to properly challenge. Once we become known for our high pressing, teams are just going to go long to bypass it, and I’m not convinced the back line has the pace or athleticism to deal with those kinds of teams. I’m also not sure we quite have the depth of squad yet to account for any absences from the squad. Given the way Manning seems to want us to play, do we have like-for-like replacements for McEachran, Rodrigues, Sparky, even Browne, as it stands? I’m not sure. Of course, it sounds like more players are incoming, which is a positive, but until they do, I’m having us flirting with, but not quite landing, playoffs.

Do think it’ll be a really fun season though. Very excited for it.