General Club/Player Mentality

[Eric Blair]

"There was an inevitability of further fury after full-time, the lasting image of the night being that of a now shirtless Gattuso forehead to forehead with Jordan, who had, ominously, removed his glasses".

 

[Osleroad]

"There was an inevitability of further fury after full-time, the lasting image of the night being that of a now shirtless Gattuso forehead to forehead with Jordan, who had, ominously, removed his glasses".

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I note that 'Arry had made a quick exit!

 

[Eric Blair]

So whilst there's never a game that I don't want us to win, and whilst I would maniacally celebrate a promotion......there's also a piece of me that thinks that I probably wouldn't enjoy other steps of the football pyramid as much as I enjoy this one (with Oxford in the Premier League being the ultimate achievement and my worst footballing nightmare simultaneously!). And therefore I will admit that I am much more likely to shrug and say 'Oh well' if we fail to get promoted than the OP might like.

I feel exactly the same way. When I think about it too long my brain starts to shutdown. How can something be a brilliant achievement and then absolutely awful at the same time? And if that's the case what is the point of it all? I then get filled with existential angst and everything becomes pointless. It's something I haven't managed to think my way out of yet.

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

Joe Jordan reminds me of the age old (trick) pub quiz question...

Name two players to play for Scotland at the 1982 World Cup, one from The Middle East and one from South America...









(Alan Brazil, obvs).

 

[SteMerritt]

Joe Jordan reminds me of the age old (trick) pub quiz question...

Name two players to play for Scotland at the 1982 World Cup, one from The Middle East and one from South America...









(Alan Brazil, obvs).

...or on a similar note from the late 70s...

Q. Which goalkeeper can throw the ball the farthest?
A. Ipswich Town's Paul Cooper. He can throw the ball to Brazil.

 

[werthersoriginal]

I feel exactly the same way. When I think about it too long my brain starts to shutdown. How can something be a brilliant achievement and then absolutely awful at the same time? And if that's the case what is the point of it all? I then get filled with existential angst and everything becomes pointless. It's something I haven't managed to think my way out of yet.

Luton fans seem to be enjoying it, mind you they still have their lower league ground and play by kicking the ball down the hill and racing after it

 

[SteMerritt]

play by kicking the ball down the hill and racing after it

Never did George Lawrence any harm.

 

[Eric Blair]

Luton fans seem to be enjoying it, mind you they still have their lower league ground and play by kicking the ball down the hill and racing after it

I have a soft spot for Kenilworth Rd

 

[Essexyellows]

I watched the majority of the Pep documentary last night and it was interesting to note that at virtually every club he managed, they started poorly with many fans expressing frustration and a general air of wtf is he playing at??...before it all clicked into place and the right personnel to play the desired way were brought in with the right support staff to make it happen.
It happened at Barca, Bayern and Man City.

OK, this is only League 1 and we're only little Oxford....and we've only got a limited supply of League 1 standard players to call on, but just goes to prove that everyone thinks genius is crazy before they realise it's genius,

He can be right now and then.

 

[chromeyellow]

If I wanted to see my team hassling the referee, doing niggly fouls, winning cheap free-kicks, winding up opposition players, then I would go and watch Wycombe. You can win games of football without resorting to this, if you get your tactics right.

Are you seriously suggesting that the concept of holding onto a win by using legitimate tactics isn't 'based on realism'...?

Earlier this week we saw Barnsley employ the dark arts against us to hang on to a win. Any momentum we tried to build was quickly shut down through a bit of time wasting, them knowing how to win cheap free-kicks etc. Are you suggesting Barnsley are set up to be 'anti-football'? Those tactics aren't some video game fantasy - they're deployed by all teams (other than us) when the time calls for it.

A different ref - like the one we had against Port Vale say - and they have had nine players on the pitch at the end of the game

 

[Nox]

I believe the team does have a soft mentality and has done for a few seasons now.
Take Moore out of the side and there's no real height in the team.
We never seem to recruit big physical players that can intimidate opposing teams.
As a club we have the mentality that if we build a team full of skillful mobile players we will eventually gain promotion.
It's never going to happen in this league.
Historically the teams that get promoted from this league are big strong physical sides that can also play with skill when needed.
They also know how to gain every advantage ( call it dark arts if you wish).
Until we wise up to these requirements I fear we are destined for a long stay in this league.

 

[gingerox]

Defence: Leigh isn't massive, but is more than capable physically, especially in the air. Brown + Moore are both big and strong, also got Negru for backup. RB is a bit weaker, but I'd argue Stevens' attacking threat compensates for this.

Midfield: Not great. Brannagan is aggressive, and McGuane at his best looks strong when running with the ball, but not much else.

Attack: Goodwin looks to have filled our target man role. Wingers aren't really recruited based on physical strength.

So from a physical perspective, I think we're much improved from the KR era (still less than a year ago!). We've recruited specialist full backs and a target man, I think we're just missing a CM 'destroyer'.

Obviously harder to judge mentality, but I'd agree we seem to be 'weaker' in this regard than other teams. I suppose the next ideal signing for us would be an experienced, physical defensive midfielder to improve us in both aspects.