Champions?

[FalmouthOx]

Havent seen a thread about us actually being champions this year but it is looking much more likely - particularly if you look at current form - here is the link for flashscore https://www.flashscore.com/football/england/league-one/standings/ - there is a tab "Form" which is showing some interesting trends. Over 25 games we are 3rd behind Wycombe and Ipswich - logical - over 20 games we are third 3rd Wycombe and Peterborough with Ipswich dropping to 5th. Over 15 games we are top, with Wycombe dropping to 3rd and Ipswich 8th. Look nearer - we are also top over 10 games, with Wycombe in 3rd and Ipswich dropping to a lowly 19th. Over 5 games we are 2nd. Wycombe have dropped to 12th and Ipswich 21st

So the trend is a massive drop off from ITFC, Portsmouth starting to gallop, hopefully the choirboys now spewing chips, and we are clearly the form side in the league (and probably the best footballing side in the league and the only one playing a style which would be competitive in the Championship). On form I think we go up as Champions, with Portsmouth second - Peterborough, Fleetwood, Wycome, BristolR in the play offs

The board at OUFC can and now need to deliver us as Champions - we need a good window and a refusal to sell any of the key players - how many more millions do we get as a club in the Championship (from say TV) versus being in L1??? (Anyone know??) - the promotion drive needs now to be put ahead of the individual desire of any player to move on if his head is turned. We won't have a better chance than this (to go up) in many years so assuming there is real ambition we need to keep together. As L1 winners/Championship club, it also takes our price list to £5m+ for pretty much all our players, from the £2-3m which is considered good business if in L1. We need to get there this year and after a great Xmas so far, abstain from sales in January.

 

[werthersoriginal]

I do see your point and think it’s a good one, but let’s see shall we? It could all so easily fall away - or we could ‘do a Luton’.

 

[Blox21]

Everything rests on the Jan transfer window , if it goes well I don’t see any reason why we couldn’t be champions !

 

[Roge]

Whatever happens at AFC Wimbledon on Sunday we are League one champions in 2019 ?
2019/20 League One Date Range: 1-JAN-2019 to 27-DEC-2019

Pos	Team​	P		W	D	L	GF	GA		W	D	L	GF	GA		GD	Pts
1	Oxford United	41		12	6	2	34	17		7	7	7	32	26		23	70
2	Portsmouth	41		11	9	2	40	21		6	5	8	29	30		18	65
3	Peterborough United	42		12	4	5	41	22		6	6	9	28	35		12	64
4	Wycombe Wanderers	42		13	4	4	32	21		5	6	10	19	25		5	64
5	Sunderland	42		10	10	2	39	23		5	8	7	21	22		15	63
6	Bristol Rovers	41		8	8	6	31	25		8	6	5	21	23		4	62

 

[Sarge]

Havent seen a thread about us actually being champions this year but it is looking much more likely - particularly if you look at current form - here is the link for flashscore https://www.flashscore.com/football/england/league-one/standings/ - there is a tab "Form" which is showing some interesting trends. Over 25 games we are 3rd behind Wycombe and Ipswich - logical - over 20 games we are third 3rd Wycombe and Peterborough with Ipswich dropping to 5th. Over 15 games we are top, with Wycombe dropping to 3rd and Ipswich 8th. Look nearer - we are also top over 10 games, with Wycombe in 3rd and Ipswich dropping to a lowly 19th. Over 5 games we are 2nd. Wycombe have dropped to 12th and Ipswich 21st

So the trend is a massive drop off from ITFC, Portsmouth starting to gallop, hopefully the choirboys now spewing chips, and we are clearly the form side in the league (and probably the best footballing side in the league and the only one playing a style which would be competitive in the Championship). On form I think we go up as Champions, with Portsmouth second - Peterborough, Fleetwood, Wycome, BristolR in the play offs

The board at OUFC can and now need to deliver us as Champions - we need a good window and a refusal to sell any of the key players - how many more millions do we get as a club in the Championship (from say TV) versus being in L1??? (Anyone know??) - the promotion drive needs now to be put ahead of the individual desire of any player to move on if his head is turned. We won't have a better chance than this (to go up) in many years so assuming there is real ambition we need to keep together. As L1 winners/Championship club, it also takes our price list to £5m+ for pretty much all our players, from the £2-3m which is considered good business if in L1. We need to get there this year and after a great Xmas so far, abstain from sales in January.

Agree with most of that....though one thing that comes to mind re buying n selling players . Of course, as 'ours' go up in value as championship players if/when sold, replacing any sold would cost Oufc more too?

For me, the championship (old division 2) is where Oufc should be and ( rightfully) belong...as a solid, above mid table club

Eei eei eei ooh etc

 

[SteMerritt]

The away form in that table from @gerrysummers (7-7-7) is identical I believe to Jim Smith's promotion side of 84/5.

 

[Oldham]

Please don’t. Write anything but not that, we are only halfway through don’t jinx it!

 

[Foley]

The thing those stats say to me is dont take anything for granted.
Many were suggesting that Ipswich would walk the league. But look what has happened to them.
It is a long season and we could easily have another blip (and with a blip the difficulty is to get out of it- it will be really interesting to see how Wycombe do after 2 defeats in a row)
If the players coming in genuinely do improve us and give us some fresh legs, we have a real chance.

 

[ttg17]

Agree that we'll likely never have as good a chance as this to go up. We have a squad that is a perfect blend of experience and youth, decent depth, some standout L1 players that we almost certainly won't have come September, a really weak league around us and what seems to be a very capable back room staff.

Terrified for January. We surely can't keep everyone. Other teams, particularly Ipswich I would imagine, will really push the boat out to strengthen. We'll also inevitably have a wobble, as other teams currently are, it seems. At the moment I'm just hoping for a playoff spot come May, as I refuse to let my expectations get too high.

 

[riddick88]

Big salute to all the yellow ones from Russia.
I have been a fan of your team since about 2016 and would be happy to make new acquaintances with your fans.
I support a local club from my city and would be happy to share my experiences with you.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

I’m starting to believe. The next four weeks or so will dictate it all. Convince those potentially in demand to give it one more window and add a couple of extra bits of quality and there is definitely looking like something to be had

 

[Peterdev]

Would it set up a record as the first club to win three championships from the third tier?
Add in the record 6-0 win at Lincoln and the seven consecutive home clean sheets it looks like it will be some season

 

[MarkG]

I’m wondering if that Akinfenwa sending off could be pivotal. Say he’d stayed on the pitch and they’d come back and won, and also beat Portsmouth. Currently we are 7 points behind with a game in hand. If Wycombe had won those two games vs us and Pompey we’d be 16 points behind Wycombe.

 

[windmill]

fifteen points for safety.

 

[carefreeoufc]

Way too tight at the moment for this sort of discussion in my opinion. There’s only four points between 2nd and 10th as it stands.

If we get through Wimbledon unscathed and can at least maintain (if not improve) our squad then I will start believing.We’ll also need to maintain our good form and hope that clubs immediately below us start slipping up so that we have a bit of a cushion.

Obviously it’s not exactly the case but we really do need to be looking at winning as many as possible and creating a bit of a gap ourselves. I don’t think Wycombe will be top 2 come the end of the season so we just have to push on.

If recent memory recalls we’ve actually been pretty poor over the Christmas period so that would be a big positive if we’d solidified our position up towards the top of the table. If KR can then look to galvanise the squad further and we finish in a similar vein to last season it’ll be very good indeed!

I think hovering in and around the top 3-4 places in January will also make it much easier for the club to sell the vision to prospective players and those currently on other clubs radars. That with a bit of the promotion belief in the stands and hopefully things will snow ball!

 

[beyondthefourth]

Agree that we'll likely never have as good a chance as this to go up. We have a squad that is a perfect blend of experience and youth, decent depth, some standout L1 players that we almost certainly won't have come September, a really weak league around us and what seems to be a very capable back room staff.

Terrified for January. We surely can't keep everyone. Other teams, particularly Ipswich I would imagine, will really push the boat out to strengthen. We'll also inevitably have a wobble, as other teams currently are, it seems. At the moment I'm just hoping for a playoff spot come May, as I refuse to let my expectations get too high.

Ipswich didn't invest in the summer really, and Lambert was moaning about the lack of investment. He had a rant after the draw yesterday, saying that there's only so much he can do and that he's happy to leave if he's not wanted. I reckon they might strengthen, but on a shoestring budget again.

 

[TailsWeWin]

I’ve had my money (literally) on Portsmouth from Day One. They’ll surely be up there. People are dismissing Ipswich too easily; they are having their ‘blip’ now and will probably finish as champions. Peterborough are dangerous, too, and I think these are the main competition for us. What chances another visit to Wembley - this time for the play-off final? ?

 

[Fistfullofdollars]

Don’t think we should shy away from talking up our chances
our fitness should come to the fore in the latter parts of the season, we have hopefully come through our injury crisis and others will have theirs. on top of that a couple of teams near top look like they wont last the course (Wycombe, Bristol Rovers)

the only thing I would say in reply to the original post is that is is easy to spend other people’s money. I don’t think anyone could criticise the club if they cashed in one of our assets this transfer window, of course it would be better if we didn’t, but we lose a lot of money as a club and the model for stemming those loses is clear. In an ideal world we hold onto our key players and add 2-3 and really give It a go, but we can’t go s**t or bust and we never should, so without intimate knowledge of the finances it is hard to understand what is appropriate.

 

[Oldham]

fifteen points for safety.

??

 

[Londox]

I genuinely believe Wycombe will not even achieve a play-off place.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Way too tight at the moment for this sort of discussion in my opinion. There’s only four points between 2nd and 10th as it stands.

Or, tight enough that we can discuss it. Last season xmas was a horrible mess, if this season it goes well, we will be in with a chance.

As @RyanioBirdio says, it depends on the team we end up with at the end of January. Why not hope?

 

[ZeroTheHero]

I agree - Wycombe will fall away.

How well we do between now and the end of the season depends on whether

a) we replace Cadden with a player equally adept at getting forward
b) we lose (at most) one player in the window and use the money both to replace them and ...
c) get in some new talent
d) we avoid significant injuries to key players between now and May

We are obviously looking at left and right backs, winger(s) and a midfielder. Personally I would also be tempted to try for a striker (or attacking central midfielder) (maybe one at L2 level who is doing well) - as IMO Mackie looks hugely unlikely to suddenly turn into a goal scorer, Agyei is an unknown quantity and Taylor and Henry need a proper backup.

 

[Mad Dog]

Everything rests on the Jan transfer window , if it goes well I don’t see any reason why we couldn’t be champions !

Yep, ins and outs in January will be the deciding factor I think

 

[Paul Cannell]

@carefreeoufc - I wasn't accusing you (or anyone) of not hoping.

 

[Paul Cannell]

I agree - Wycombe will fall away.

How well we do between now and the end of the season depends on whether

a) we replace Cadden with a player equally adept at getting forward
b) we lose (at most) one player in the window and use the money both to replace them and ...
c) get in some new talent
d) we avoid significant injuries to key players between now and May

We are obviously looking at left and right backs, winger(s) and a midfielder. Personally I would also be tempted to try for a striker (or attacking central midfielder) (maybe one at L2 level who is doing well) - as IMO Mackie looks hugely unlikely to suddenly turn into a goal scorer, Agyei is an unknown quantity and Taylor and Henry need a proper backup.

Sort of agree. Not sure Long isn't a better option than Cadden, given the chance. Where we have been lucky is that we haven't had injuries to defenders; perhaps that translates into 'I hope we don't lose the Dickster' altho Branagan is also key.

 

[Qwerty1066]

I can't see Robbo agreeing to any of our top players going.
Keep the faith, its ours to take ...

 

[Village-Yellow]

I genuinely believe Wycombe will not even achieve a play-off place.

Speaking with some Wycombe fans last Saturday before the game and in their opinion they were punching above their weight and were not at all looking forward to the up coming run of fixtures.

In their words, if they took a play off place at the end of the season, they will be delighted.

 

[tonyw]

Would it set up a record as the first club to win three championships from the third tier?

Nah - Bristol City have won four (1922–23 (South), 1926–27 (South), 1954–55 (South), 2014–15). And there may be others with more (they were just the first club I thought of, and checked).

At the risk of being called unambitious.....honestly at this point, I'm just happy that we're going to hit January, and the mid-point of the season, and we're not only still having the discussion about whether we can be Champions - but it's a realistic proposition, we're not all just being delusional.

Given that there's a bunch of teams in this league that have far, far greater resources than we do - it's a great achievement so far from KR and his team.

Keep the band together through January, find someone who can replace Cadden, and add a couple more depth pieces and there's no reason we can't win the league.
Noone else in the league has a core to the team that's as good as Dickie-Brannagan-Baptiste-Henry-Taylor.

 

[Londox]

I agree - Wycombe will fall away.

How well we do between now and the end of the season depends on whether

a) we replace Cadden with a player equally adept at getting forward
b) we lose (at most) one player in the window and use the money both to replace them and ...
c) get in some new talent
d) we avoid significant injuries to key players between now and May

We are obviously looking at left and right backs, winger(s) and a midfielder. Personally I would also be tempted to try for a striker (or attacking central midfielder) (maybe one at L2 level who is doing well) - as IMO Mackie looks hugely unlikely to suddenly turn into a goal scorer, Agyei is an unknown quantity and Taylor and Henry need a proper backup.

This is going to be huge for us. A long term injury to a player like Brannagan, Dickie or Taylor could dismantle our season.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

Sort of agree. Not sure Long isn't a better option than Cadden, given the chance.

He is certainly a better defender. And there is an argument that if Long was at right back, Henry wouldn't have to cover back so much so perhaps Henry would be more effective. But we would miss a Cadden type player joining the attack. Since Robinson has said he is looking for full backs, I wonder if he is looking for a more forward thinking full back on both sides, which would certainly give us options.