Away Match Build Up 25/11/2023 L1: Cheltenham Town v OUFC

[BristolOx]

Thought i’d start the build-up thread as we’re a week away from Des’ first game in charge.
Excited to see how we line up. I would expect we’ll pick one of our 3 starting formations - 4231, 3421 or the hybrid/both where we defend with 4 at the back and attack with 3 at the back.

I’ll post more stats later, but it’s second vs second bottom.





COYY!

edit: there was a poll but it got removed when the threads merged.
edit, edit: found how to add it back in

 

[Sarge]

away win - 1-3 , DB off to a winning start

 

[West Oxon U’s]

Darrell Clarke has made a big impact following his appointment on September 29th

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1725572419912421855

 

[werthersoriginal]

Darrell Clarke has made a big impact following his appointment on September 29th

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1725572419912421855

Nice piece in the Guardian about him.

Darrell Clarke: ‘I don’t want to be treated as the manager who lost his daughter’

The raw anguish of his daughter’s death has left the Cheltenham manager seeking a lasting legacy as he breathes belief into the club

www.theguardian.com

 

[West Oxon U’s]

Hi everyone,

It’s Kaylene from CTFC here. We noticed Oxford United fans sold out the away section for the match at Cheltenham Town, but we wanted to inform OUFC fans that we still have availability in hospitality and are open to away fans.

More information can be found here: https://cheltenhamtownfc.ktckts.com/event/chm2324hosp09/hospitality-oxford-united.

And if you’ll be attending the match, please let us know if you have any questions regarding travelling or visiting the Completely-Suzuki Stadium.

Hospitality offer from Kaylene at Cheltenham Town.

 

[Manorlounger]

Hospitality offer from Kaylene at Cheltenham Town.

More expensive than our own overpriced nonsense.

 

[Dolly 51]

Hospitality offer from Kaylene at Cheltenham Town.

Wow .... £24 for a pudding.

 

[Joey]

This won't be as easy as the table suggests, they've picked up some form under Clarke and have 8 points from their last 5 games, same as us. They're also unbeaten in 3 at home in that time with draws against Derby and Wigan who they battered by all accounts. It's not as straightforward a start for Des as it appears.

That said we're better than Derby and Wigan, and look to be over our little wobble. The away end should be bouncing and we've got enough to beat anyone in this league, for all their form they're still a bottom half team.

Mentioned on the tickets thread but if anyone has a couple of spares please message me and I'll happily have them, thought I couldn't make it but plans have changed.

 

[andystroud]

​

I agree that this may not be as straightforward as some may think. One thing's for sure, the game versus Bolton WILL be our toughest test of the season so far.

And to support @Joey's point

​

Last 5 Form Table (EFL League One)​

#		Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Last 5	PPG
1		Bolton Wanderers FC	5	5	0	0	11	3	8	15	WWWWW	3.00
2		Stevenage FC	5	3	2	0	6	2	4	11	WWWDD	2.20
3		Portsmouth FC	5	3	2	0	8	4	4	11	DWDWW	2.20
4		Peterborough United FC	5	3	1	1	13	6	7	10	WLWWD	2.00
5		Wigan Athletic FC	5	3	1	1	9	5	4	10	DWLWW	2.00
6		Derby County FC	5	3	0	2	10	4	6	9	WWLWL	1.80
7		Fleetwood Town FC	5	2	2	1	10	7	3	8	WDDWL	1.60
8		Barnsley FC	5	2	2	1	7	6	1	8	LDWDW	1.60
9		Cheltenham Town FC	5	2	2	1	7	6	1	8	DWLWD	1.60
10		Oxford United FC	5	2	2	1	8	7	1	8	WWDLD	1.60
11		Bristol Rovers FC	5	2	2	1	6	7	-1	8	WDWDL	1.60
12		Blackpool FC	5	2	1	2	12	10	2	7	WLDLW	1.40
13		Burton Albion FC	5	2	1	2	6	5	1	7	LDLWW	1.40

 

[Grumpy Git]

​

I agree that this may not be as straightforward as some may think. One thing's for sure, the game versus Bolton WILL be our toughest test of the season so far.

And to support @Joey's point

​

Last 5 Form Table (EFL League One)​

#		Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Last 5	PPG
1		Bolton Wanderers FC	5	5	0	0	11	3	8	15	WWWWW	3.00
2		Stevenage FC	5	3	2	0	6	2	4	11	WWWDD	2.20
3		Portsmouth FC	5	3	2	0	8	4	4	11	DWDWW	2.20
4		Peterborough United FC	5	3	1	1	13	6	7	10	WLWWD	2.00
5		Wigan Athletic FC	5	3	1	1	9	5	4	10	DWLWW	2.00
6		Derby County FC	5	3	0	2	10	4	6	9	WWLWL	1.80
7		Fleetwood Town FC	5	2	2	1	10	7	3	8	WDDWL	1.60
8		Barnsley FC	5	2	2	1	7	6	1	8	LDWDW	1.60
9		Cheltenham Town FC	5	2	2	1	7	6	1	8	DWLWD	1.60
10		Oxford United FC	5	2	2	1	8	7	1	8	WWDLD	1.60
11		Bristol Rovers FC	5	2	2	1	6	7	-1	8	WDWDL	1.60
12		Blackpool FC	5	2	1	2	12	10	2	7	WLDLW	1.40
13		Burton Albion FC	5	2	1	2	6	5	1	7	LDLWW	1.40

They beat Port Vale away 1-2, Cambridge at home 1-0 and drew 1-1 at home to Wigan and Derby. We should have enough in the locker.

 

[andystroud]

They beat Port Vale away 1-2, Cambridge at home 1-0 and drew 1-1 at home to Wigan and Derby. We should have enough in the locker.

Three of those teams have beaten us already this season, which sort of supports the point though.
I’m not saying that we won’t win, just pointing out that it may not be the stroll in the park some expect just because they are 23rd in the league.

 

[m]

​

I agree that this may not be as straightforward as some may think. One thing's for sure, the game versus Bolton WILL be our toughest test of the season so far.

And to support @Joey's point

​

Last 5 Form Table (EFL League One)​

#		Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Last 5	PPG
1		Bolton Wanderers FC	5	5	0	0	11	3	8	15	WWWWW	3.00
2		Stevenage FC	5	3	2	0	6	2	4	11	WWWDD	2.20
3		Portsmouth FC	5	3	2	0	8	4	4	11	DWDWW	2.20
4		Peterborough United FC	5	3	1	1	13	6	7	10	WLWWD	2.00
5		Wigan Athletic FC	5	3	1	1	9	5	4	10	DWLWW	2.00
6		Derby County FC	5	3	0	2	10	4	6	9	WWLWL	1.80
7		Fleetwood Town FC	5	2	2	1	10	7	3	8	WDDWL	1.60
8		Barnsley FC	5	2	2	1	7	6	1	8	LDWDW	1.60
9		Cheltenham Town FC	5	2	2	1	7	6	1	8	DWLWD	1.60
10		Oxford United FC	5	2	2	1	8	7	1	8	WWDLD	1.60
11		Bristol Rovers FC	5	2	2	1	6	7	-1	8	WDWDL	1.60
12		Blackpool FC	5	2	1	2	12	10	2	7	WLDLW	1.40
13		Burton Albion FC	5	2	1	2	6	5	1	7	LDLWW	1.40

Probably rather Chelts than Pompey, with a week less to prepare.

As an aside: why are we below Barnsley and Chelts in that table?

 

[oufc1991]

Probably rather Chelts than Pompey, with a week less to prepare.

As an aside: why are we below Barnsley and Chelts in that table?

I'm guessing alphabetical order

 

[oufc1991]

I'm going for 1-2 I think we will go 2 up and then Cheltenham will come back into it the second half its not going to be easy but no games are . The only thing that matters is we get 3 points.

 

[Daviddidcotexile]

Difficult to imagine anything other than 3points. 3-1 with Harris finding the goal again.

 

[Dilla]

I wonder if Greg Leigh gets a rest considering he will have playing a couple of games for Jamaica and the travel time.

 

[unification]

​

I agree that this may not be as straightforward as some may think. One thing's for sure, the game versus Bolton WILL be our toughest test of the season so far.

And to support @Joey's point

​

Last 5 Form Table (EFL League One)​

#		Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Last 5	PPG
1		Bolton Wanderers FC	5	5	0	0	11	3	8	15	WWWWW	3.00
2		Stevenage FC	5	3	2	0	6	2	4	11	WWWDD	2.20
3		Portsmouth FC	5	3	2	0	8	4	4	11	DWDWW	2.20
4		Peterborough United FC	5	3	1	1	13	6	7	10	WLWWD	2.00
5		Wigan Athletic FC	5	3	1	1	9	5	4	10	DWLWW	2.00
6		Derby County FC	5	3	0	2	10	4	6	9	WWLWL	1.80
7		Fleetwood Town FC	5	2	2	1	10	7	3	8	WDDWL	1.60
8		Barnsley FC	5	2	2	1	7	6	1	8	LDWDW	1.60
9		Cheltenham Town FC	5	2	2	1	7	6	1	8	DWLWD	1.60
10		Oxford United FC	5	2	2	1	8	7	1	8	WWDLD	1.60
11		Bristol Rovers FC	5	2	2	1	6	7	-1	8	WDWDL	1.60
12		Blackpool FC	5	2	1	2	12	10	2	7	WLDLW	1.40
13		Burton Albion FC	5	2	1	2	6	5	1	7	LDLWW	1.40

It's a fair point.

I don't think anyone expects much from Cheltenham this term, even with Darrell Clarke giving them a bit of fight at last - and getting them to at least score a goal - but it's hard to argue that they're quite as bad as they were.

That said, our three game blip was just that. Since the 23rd September, we've won blocks of four matches in a row twice in all comps. Cheltenham's improvement has been fleeting with two wins in that time and a hell of a lot of defeats still.

We really have to be looking at beating them and with some ease too. A big win to start the Des era would be fantastic. I'm crossing my fingers for it.

 

[Grumpy Git]

I'm guessing alphabetical order

We scored one more than Barnsley and Chelts!

 

[SteMerritt]

I'm guessing alphabetical order

They didn't use alphabetical order for Stevenage/Portsmouth further up the table, Portsmouth should be second on goals scored, or on alphabetical order.

 

[bashamwonderland]

Unfortunately I've never seen a better, more obvious case for the Oxford United curse to kick in.

The club hasn't had such a good feeling about it for decades. Our new manager is an Oxford boy, and we've appointed him with only one game missed. Performances are good. The fans are up for it. It's 2nd top Vs 2nd bottom.

There is absolutely no chance we're winning on Saturday.

If we do, we're going up.