Matches +-+ 5 Game Blocks 2020/21 Season +-+

ZeroTheHero

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I have decided to revive this thread, so we can compare this season with the last and previous seasons.

Obviously, last season never finished, so it all goes a bit tits up after a while (we got as far as 35 games) but still interesting.

I haven't bothered to put in all the upcoming fixtures. Call me Nostradamus, but I think some of them might be postponed for a week or two. I will add them as we get to them.

For the result, I will always put the Oxford score first rather than the home team.

The number in brackets after each fixture is the number of points we got from the equivalent fixture last year.

Block 1
Lincoln (A) (3)
Sunderland (H) (0)
Accrington (A) (1)
Gillingham (A) (1)
Peterborough (A) (0)
L 0-2 (0)
L 0-2 (0)
W 4-1 (3)
L 1-3 (0)
L 0-2 (0)
Total out of 15: 3 (cumulative total 3)

2019/20: 4 (cumulative total 4)
2018/19: 3 (cumulative total 3)
2017/18: 8 (cumulative total 8)
2016/17: 4 (cumulative total 4)

Block 2
MK Dons (H) (n/a)
Charlton (A) (n/a)
Fleetwood (A) (0)
Rochdale (H) (3)
Crewe (H) (n/a)
W 3-2 (3)
L 0-2 (0)
L 0-2 (0)
W 3-1 (3)
L 0-2 (0)
Total out of 15: 6 (cumulative total 9)

2019/20: 8 (cumulative total 12)
2018/19: 2 (cumulative total 5)
2017/18: 4 (cumulative total 12)
2016/17: 8 (cumulative total 12)

Block 3
Wigan (A) (n/a)
Portsmouth (A) (1)
Swindon (H) (n/a)
Ipswich (H) (1)
Hull (H) (n/a)
W 2-1 (3)
D 1-1 (1)
L 1-2 (0)
D 0-0 (1)
D 1-1 (1)
Total out of 15: 6 (cumulative total 15)

2019/20: 13 (cumulative total 25)
2018/19: 6 (cumulative total 11)
2017/18: 11 (cumulative total 23)
2016/17: 7 (cumulative total 19)

Block 4
Blackpool (A) (0)
Northampton (H) (n/a)
Wimbledon (H) (3)
Plymouth (A) (n/a)
Burton (A) (n/a)
D 0-0 (1)
W 4-0 (3)
W 2-0 (3)
W 3-2 (3)
W 5-1 (3)
Total out of 15: 13 (cumulative total 28)

2019/20: 8 (cumulative total 33)
2018/19: 10 (cumulative total 21)
2017/18: 4 (cumulative total 27)
2016/17: 7 (cumulative total 26)

Block 5
Bristol Rovers (H) (n/a)
Rochdale (A) (n/a)
Fleetwood (H) (n/a)
Doncaster (A) (0)
Bristol Rovers (A) (n/a)
W 2-0 (3)
W 4-3 (3)
W 1-0 (3)
L 2-3 (0)
W 2-0 (3)
Total out of 15: 12 (cumulative total 40)

2019/20: 7 (cumulative total 40)
2018/19: 5 (cumulative total 26)
2017/18: 5 (cumulative total 32)
2016/17: 8 (cumulative total 34)

Block
Wigan Athletic (H) (n/a)
Ipswich Town (A) (3)
Portsmouth (H) (n/a)
MK Dons (A) (0)
Peterborough United (H) (3)
W 2-1 (3)
D 0-0 (1)
L 0-1 (0)
D 1-1 (1)
D 0-0 (1)
Total out of 15: 6 (cumulative total 46)

2019/20: 5 (cumulative total 45)
2018/19: 5 (cumulative total 31)
2017/18: 9 (cumulative total 41)
2016/17: 9 (cumulative total 43)

Block 7
Charlton Athletic (H) (n/a)
Swindon Town (A) (n/a)
Hull City (A) (n/a)
Doncaster Rovers (H) (3)
Blackpool (H) (3)
D 0-0 (1)
W 2-1 (3)
L 0-2 (0)
W 3-0 (3)
L 0-2 (0)
Total out of 15: 7 (cumulative total 53)

2019/20: 15 (cumulative total 60)
2018/19: 8 (cumulative total 39)
2017/18: 0 (cumulative total 41)
2016/17: 9 (cumulative total 52)

Block 8
Northampton (A) (n/a)
Lincoln (H) (3)
Sunderland (A) (1)
Accrington Stanley (H) (3)
Crewe (A) (n/a)
L 0-1 (0)
W 2-1 (3)
L 1-3 (0)
L 1-2 (0)
W 6-0 (3)
Total out of 15: 6 (cumulative total 59)

2019/20: - (cumulative total 60)
2018/19: 10 (cumulative total 49)
2017/18: 4 (cumulative total 45)
2016/17: 7 (cumulative total 59)

Block 9
Shrewsbury (H) (1)
Gillingham (H) (3)
Wimbledon (A) (3)
Plymouth (H) (n/a)
Shrewsbury (A) (3)
Burton (H) (0)
W 4-1 (3)
W 3-2 (3)
L 2-1 (0)
W 3-1 (3)
W 3-2 (3)
W 4-0 (3)
Total out of 18: 15 (cumulative total 74)

2019/20: - (cumulative total 60)
2018/19 (out of 15): 11 (cumulative total 60)
2017/18 (out of 15): 10 (cumulative total 55)
2016/17 (out of 15): 7 (cumulative total 66)

Past Seasons

2nd place:
2019/20 - n/a
2018/19 - 91
2017/18 - 96
2016/17 - 86
2015/16 - 85
2014/15 - 91
2013/14 - 94
Average = 90.5
Points needed per block for 91 points = 11

6th place:
2019/20 - n/a
2018/19 - 73
2017/18 - 71
2016/17 - 73
2015/16 - 74
2014/15 - 69
2013/14 - 74
Average = 72.3
Points needed per block for 73 points = 9

20th Place:
2019/20 - n/a
2018/19 - 50
2017/18 - 51
2016/17 - 50
2015/16 - 50
2014/15 - 52
2013/14 - 50
Average = 50.5
Points needed per block for 51 points = 6

To Be Rearranged:
 
Last edited:
As of today (2nd Jan) we are five points behind where we were after 20 games last season, but still higher than we were for the three seasons before that...
 
So looking at last 5 seasons the best points totals after 20 games is,

KR (2nd season)
KR (3rd season)
Pep
MApp (3rd season)
KR (1st season)

So whilst the starts may not be great, we do tend to make up ground quicker under Robinson. Hopefully the next 5 games will be equally as productive.
 
That's what is so irritating. We give ourselves a handicap at the start of every season! When we are now four points of the playoffs and nine points of the autos...
 
Why do you think it's a handicap that we give ourselves, though? Look back at the injuries to key players. Without those injuries we'd probably have done fine at the start of the season. It's not as though KR thinks to himself: "Right, which of our top players do I nobble, so as to ensure a crap start.....because I LOVE starting at the bottom and having all the fans hating me." The problem may be more that he's a bit of a gambler with his signings. He's willing to take a chance on someone who's currently coming back (slowly?) off an injury, on the grounds that he might well do great. We'll know if he's right with Winnall, but only in time. But that way you can get players in that other clubs aren't willing to bet on. I don't know whether or not it's the best strategy, but at least he mixes it with bringing in young exciting players that no one has heard of from Ireland, north or south.
 
Why do you think it's a handicap that we give ourselves, though? Look back at the injuries to key players. Without those injuries we'd probably have done fine at the start of the season. It's not as though KR thinks to himself: "Right, which of our top players do I nobble, so as to ensure a crap start.....because I LOVE starting at the bottom and having all the fans hating me." The problem may be more that he's a bit of a gambler with his signings. He's willing to take a chance on someone who's currently coming back (slowly?) off an injury, on the grounds that he might well do great. We'll know if he's right with Winnall, but only in time. But that way you can get players in that other clubs aren't willing to bet on. I don't know whether or not it's the best strategy, but at least he mixes it with bringing in young exciting players that no one has heard of from Ireland, north or south.
Well if if were just once, then I think you can put it down to bad luck with injuries. The fact that (especially under KR) it repeats itself means (IMO) that we are doing something wrong. Is it signing decent-but-injured players as you say? Possibly part of it - Winnall for example is only now starting to come into the reckoning and we've nearly played half the season! In the past you could do that but now with the 22 man (shortly 20 man) senior player restrictions, I am not sure that's going to be a thing - which ironically might help us because we won't do it any longer. You can't have a senior player who should be in the matchday squad sitting about for three months.
So I think you are right - KR loves taking a gamble on some of his signings in that way.
Personally - and I bang on about this constantly - I don't understand our pre-seasons either. I don't like the mix and match teams playing five games in six days palaver. In my mind those games are for trying to find the best combination of players. By the time you've played the last pre-season game you should have a team of people who are starting to understand each other on the pitch and are getting used to playing each other. Instead, we seem to be still doing that when October rolls around.
 
That's what is so irritating. We give ourselves a handicap at the start of every season! When we are now four points of the playoffs and nine points of the autos...
Portsmouth had a poor start to last season and still made the play off's.
 
Why do you think it's a handicap that we give ourselves, though? Look back at the injuries to key players. Without those injuries we'd probably have done fine at the start of the season. It's not as though KR thinks to himself: "Right, which of our top players do I nobble, so as to ensure a crap start.....because I LOVE starting at the bottom and having all the fans hating me." The problem may be more that he's a bit of a gambler with his signings. He's willing to take a chance on someone who's currently coming back (slowly?) off an injury, on the grounds that he might well do great. We'll know if he's right with Winnall, but only in time. But that way you can get players in that other clubs aren't willing to bet on. I don't know whether or not it's the best strategy, but at least he mixes it with bringing in young exciting players that no one has heard of from Ireland, north or south.
Most teams, particularly in league one and below are rarely consistent for the entire season. Obviously there are some exceptions.
Personally I would rather see us finish stronger than have a good start that tails off.
 
I am sure that injuries (esp. Gorrin and Brannagan) had a lot to do with the poor start this season.
However, I agree that the fact that this has happened before may not be a coincidence. I wonder whether it is in part a consequence of KR expecting his team to play in a particular way, and a way that depends in part on the team. Each season, there are new players who need to be coached into KR's way. This applies to every club, of course, but I think KR is more precise and expects a more sophisticated form of football. Perhaps this takes longer to get going. We depend more on fluency and a good understanding between the players.
To give an example, I was struck by the limited football played by Portsmouth during the two play-off games. If a player were introduced into the Portsmouth side, there would be less to learn - get it out to the wingers who bang it into the box.
 
To give an example, I was struck by the limited football played by Portsmouth during the two play-off games. If a player were introduced into the Portsmouth side, there would be less to learn - get it out to the wingers who bang it into the bobox.
And then there was Wycombe......
 
I am sure that injuries (esp. Gorrin and Brannagan) had a lot to do with the poor start this season.
However, I agree that the fact that this has happened before may not be a coincidence. I wonder whether it is in part a consequence of KR expecting his team to play in a particular way, and a way that depends in part on the team. Each season, there are new players who need to be coached into KR's way. This applies to every club, of course, but I think KR is more precise and expects a more sophisticated form of football. Perhaps this takes longer to get going. We depend more on fluency and a good understanding between the players.
To give an example, I was struck by the limited football played by Portsmouth during the two play-off games. If a player were introduced into the Portsmouth side, there would be less to learn - get it out to the wingers who bang it into the box.
(Similar discussion on a different thread)
Really good point. And it showed when we had the break before the play-offs.
It takes a few games for us to get into our rhythm of quick movement and fast passing - and fast pressing as a unit. Bit easier for teams who just aim to get the ball from back to front asap.
Ten not five pre-season friendlies in future?? (Appreciate that this is not practicable!)
 
Cambridge CUP (h)
Northampton (a)
Bristol Rovers (h)
Rochdale (a)
Fleetwood (h)

On paper you'd want to win the cup game and pick up 8 points minimum for a play off push.
 
Cambridge CUP (h)
Northampton (a)
Bristol Rovers (h)
Rochdale (a)
Fleetwood (h)

On paper you'd want to win the cup game and pick up 8 points minimum for a play off push.
8+ points would be an amazing return from that run of fixtures, I'd take 6+I reckon
 
The form we're in you'd have to be looking at beating Northampton and Rovers, at least a point against Rochdale and whatever we can get from Fleetwood (not because they're a significantly better side, but just one we never beat!!)
 
(Similar discussion on a different thread)
Really good point. And it showed when we had the break before the play-offs.
It takes a few games for us to get into our rhythm of quick movement and fast passing - and fast pressing as a unit. Bit easier for teams who just aim to get the ball from back to front asap.
Ten not five pre-season friendlies in future?? (Appreciate that this is not practicable!)
Interesting about us now playing a different style to earlier in the season. We appear to be playing less of the aimless possession football of just continually passing among the back four so slowly that the opposition always has time to get defensively organised.

I'd like to see the stats to see if our percentage possession in games has decreased as the points gained per match have increased.
 
Cambridge CUP (h)
Northampton (a)
Bristol Rovers (h)
Rochdale (a)
Fleetwood (h)

On paper you'd want to win the cup game and pick up 8 points minimum for a play off push.
I'll put those fixtures in so they are at the top - not the Cambridge one though - this is blocks of 5 League games.
 
In Block 1, the three points in brackets at the far right are under the wrong game...
 
Cambridge CUP (h)
Northampton (a)
Bristol Rovers (h)
Rochdale (a)
Fleetwood (h)

On paper you'd want to win the cup game and pick up 8 points minimum for a play off push.

Apparently, Northampton's pitch is a ploughed field and Keith Curle insists on continuing to train on it rather than the training ground according to the Northampton forum. They seem to think KC is doing it to make it harder for opposing footballing teams and try to give the Northampton hoof tactics an advantage. Hopefully we can use similar tactics as we did on Burton's ploughed field.
 
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