Home Match Day Thread 23/01/2024 L1: OUFC vs Barnsley

[Carpy]

Should be our toughest test of recent times this evening if the form table is to be believed

 

[holdsteady]

To win promotion , your looking to win all home games & at least a draw away

Well 92 points should see you up automatically but no teams do it undefeated, you need to win some away games.

 

[Sarge]

Tonights Referee is Lee Swabey

in 12 L1/L2 matches this season he's issued 61 yellow cards and 2 red cards

 

[MJB]

Yes, of course you aim to win every game, but there can be no such thing as a 'must win' game until it becomes mathematically a 'must win'. That is the only time a game becomes 'must win'. We can lose tonight and still go up as champions - yes, it becomes slightly more difficult and some where down the line there might be a game where we must win that looms a bit sooner than we hoped. That's the only time that daft phrase is churned out with any proper meaning.

Ciaron Brown has today entered the chat:

 

[SteMerritt]

Beating them at the Manor on the last day of 96/97 season (when they were playing like Brazil in getting to the Premier League, but were clearly already on a beach in Brazil...) is always the game I think of when I think of Barnsley for some reason.

Joey with a very wind-assisted goal straight from a corner is surely a good omen!

I think of that one, plus the one last game of the 1984/5 season which we won 4-0 to claim the old Division 2 Championship (now The Championship). That was the only game I watched at The Manor from the Cuckoo Lane, it was a split terrace back then and half full with Oxford fans. This was unfortunately the same day as the Bradford City fire.

 

[Foley]

It's reasonable to hope for a draw if you know you're playing a team who are better than you. I'm not quite sure where we and Barnsley stand at the moment; I'd have been happy with a draw against Derby as they were much better than us.

I hope for a win. We are virtually level with Barnsley in the league.
They are in some form, but ours is decent and we have players coming back ( will Leigh/ Burey start?)
If we have any chance of promotion, we need to look to beat teams close to us at home in my view.

 

[Scrongo]

Well 92 points should see you up automatically but no teams do it undefeated, you need to win some away games.

Yes away win's are valuable..

 

[Yellow River]

In general I prefer evening games under the lights, the atmosphere is somehow better, even though they’re a pain to get to on time sometimes!

As for tonight it sounds like the wind is going to make it a lottery, especially when the open end is where the prevailing wind comes from. Who’s idiotic decision was it to have the west side of the ground open?

Prediction 1-1 Brannigan.

 

[spmox]

When we played them at Wembley, it was hilarious, seeing thousands of Barnsley fans with flat caps on..

Couldn't help smiling when i saw a group sitting on the grass outside Wembley after the game, 8 in a line and with the appropriate actions, singing...

"You only sing when you're rowing!"

 

[Scrongo]

I would love a run in like this, but are we good enough.??? That team certainly was

 

[MJB]

I would love a run in like this, but are we good enough.???View attachment 17561 That team certainly was

Far too many draws in that run - very poor.

 

[Scrongo]

Far too many draws in that run - very poor.

Hahaha, yes fans were angry ripping up their season tickets...

 

[SteMerritt]

Far too many draws in that run - very poor.

We messed up about 3 chances to seal promotion during that late run of draws, but it did set up the glorious game against Orient where we finally got over the line. Bank Holiday Monday, early kick-off I seem to remember. We had half of their ground, and a lot of Oxford fans were removed from celebrating on their pitch before and after the game, being placed into a 'holding area' at the corner of the pitch. Mad, mad day, and one of my all-time favourite away trips.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

I would love a run in like this, but are we good enough.???View attachment 17561 That team certainly was

Even then Gillingham were our bogey team! Aside from when Cam scored those 4 pens against them I don't remember beating them.

 

[Yellow There!]

Tonights Referee is Lee Swabey

in 12 L1/L2 matches this season he's issued 61 yellow cards and 2 red cards

Please help us tonight @Swaby39

 

[Scrongo]

Yes I remember the orient match as if it was yesterday. Arrived about midday for evening kick off . 8 of us in an old Ford Cortina, i was in my favourite position, in the boot. I remember running on the pitch as we thought the game was over, because the ref blew his whistle. Not for the end of the match, but for a free kick. Definitely was a brilliant crazy day..

 

[Whingit]

Obviously we should be aiming to win, but the weather will make the game a lottery. It's another reason we need to get out of the Kassam, there's just no way we can train for and execute a game plan with an open west end in conditions like this (unless we set ourselves up like Wycombe). 2-1 to us with a Brannagan screamer on 85+ minutes.

 

[Foley]

Matt Taylor apparently the guest summariser this evening on RO

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

Matt Taylor apparently the guest summariser this evening on RO

Yeah just heard that on the pre-Barnsley dub.

The Dub: An Oxford United podcast - Pre-Barnsley - BBC Sounds

This week on The Dub: How good is Goodwin, next in the January window & Barnsley preview.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[MarkG]

Reds look to channel weekend frustrations into Oxford game

Barnsley will be hoping to channel their frustrations from Saturday’s called off game at Stevenage into tonight&rs... Local News Barnsley FC Barnsley South Yorkshire

www.barnsleychronicle.com

 

[PottersRightBoot]

5-3 to us. Best game of the season.