Manager/Coach Karl Robinson

I've seen a number of good people who have struggled, and I know that in April when dealing with confirmed cases that I really struggled with my own mental health having chosen to isolate from my family for a number of weeks to protect them. I have also got a member of staff who is usually 100% reliable but is really struggling with his partner heavily pregnant. He is terrified that he will put his unborn child at risk.

I've said that covid isn't an excuse, but it is a contributing factor, and one we shouldn't ignore.

I do understand that people can have concerns and worries but where I struggle is how that explains a poor performance.

If players are turning up to train and also available on match days then they have already put themselves in a risk environment.. nothing new will change that so why does that translate to poor defending, poor passing, lack of ideas, lack of energy, lack of ability to score?

Anyway, we got a much needed win today so let’s enjoy that. It sounded like we were worth the win despite the squeaky bum finish.

Onwards and upwards 👍
 
Somebody should inform the NHS. They don't appear to be aware

PHE and government advisory bodies designate third trimester pregnancy as high risk for shielding.

In addition, there is the stress of going into hospitals and health centres for prenatal appointments. It's not unreasonable to see that those going through this will have additional worries right now, especially those unable to have their wider families around for support.
 
Said many times it's about opinions so why the need for a Blind Brigade label because someone has a different opinion?

I would suggest Atkinson was considered the replacement for Dickie who btw was also young----is this not our model? Another Matt Elliott in waiting

Kelly = The forum was full of hope that he would rejoin us

Downgrade of wingers = Browne and Holland came from much bigger and higher up the pyramid clubs, if we could not get them back what were you expecting....I would suggest as i've stated before that Cooper will be the next Joey Beauchamp.

Players out of position = as sort of been forced upon us with a combination of injuries

We have some double standards on here that always rear it's head because we lose a game of football.....Cooper should have played yet Atkinson is too young and raw...Some say Sam Long is a s**t right back, he has shown that he is more than capable of covering anywhere across the back 4 BUT now comes a cry to put him back at right back.

x y z is s**t but lose a game without them and why was x y z not playing.

as i said a game of opinions and those are mine
Agree with your comment about the ' Blind Brigades
Total arrogance that their view is right and others aren't allowed one.
 
Totally agree with all your comments.
Would add Dickie took a year to fulfill his potential.
We all have opinions but very few have managed any team and so assume that putting eleven names on a sheet is all that is involved. If you have done it, you realise how difficult it is to get a team to gel and when it fails the impact it has on the manager and the players.
 
The difference between Atkinson and Dickie is that the latter had an experienced player beside him in the team when he started. Atkinson has Moore - who is still also pretty far short of the 'experienced' bracket.

So the difference is the situation rather than the player or the type of signing.

Having said that, Atkinson again looked very good today so perhaps it doesn't matter!
 
The difference between Atkinson and Dickie is that the latter had an experienced player beside him in the team when he started. Atkinson has Moore - who is still also pretty far short of the 'experienced' bracket.

So the difference is the situation rather than the player or the type of signing.

Having said that, Atkinson again looked very good today so perhaps it doesn't matter!
Atkinson was bought for his huge potential. At Eastleigh, even at centre back, he was regarded as their best player on the ball. He is potentially a Premiership defender in the making, that said he could equally end up, back at Eastleigh.
If he was the real deal now he wouldn't be at Oxford.
If he develops like Rob Dickie did, he will undoubtedly go far and for big money.
 
Atkinson was bought for his huge potential. At Eastleigh, even at centre back, he was regarded as their best player on the ball. He is potentially a Premiership defender in the making, that said he could equally end up, back at Eastleigh.
If he was the real deal now he wouldn't be at Oxford.
If he develops like Rob Dickie did, he will undoubtedly go far and for big money.
I'm not arguing with any of that.
The point was that Horseman said 'I would suggest Atkinson was considered the replacement for Dickie who btw was also young----is this not our model?'
And he was right. But the reason people are saying mentioning his inexperience is because (unlike Dickie) he has no experience next to him to 'mentor' him through games.
 
Speculation started then...

posting that could cause a paradox. the72 just trawls forums and news sites and cobbles together stuff from there, it is an awful site.
 
I'm not arguing with any of that.
The point was that Horseman said 'I would suggest Atkinson was considered the replacement for Dickie who btw was also young----is this not our model?'
And he was right. But the reason people are saying mentioning his inexperience is because (unlike Dickie) he has no experience next to him to 'mentor' him through games.
I understood that but the reality is mentoring helps make the transitioning easier, nothing else. It potentially reduces the mistakes in the early days but the actual development is totally down to the individual concerned whether that be football or life in general. Those who develop learn from mistakes made. If you don't make mistakes you invariably don't develop. If Atkinson develops, like Dickie, it will not because of who partners him but because he has the capacity to develop his own game.
 
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For me the issue is less whether or not Atkinson is/was ready to replace Dickie but that Mousinho was always likely to be playing less this season, it would have made sense to me to bring in someone else either to be the young understudy or to be a slightly younger but still older head

Let’s not forget that Atkinson was actually here last season and was involved towards the end in some of the games, so we have in fact got one less defender... got loads of wingers though so it’s all good 😂
 
Atkinson is doing ok. When Dickie first joined his comfort on the ball was obvious but for a good while he looked like an accident in waiting and it took a while to iron that fear out. I’d say Atkinson looks a bit more solid and reliable than the early days Dickie did but whether he can go and develop at the rate Dickie did is questionable.
 
Just a matter of interest not a criticism, how many captains have we had under KR? I can think of a few- Mousinho, Mackie, Dickie, Brannagan, Henry, Jones, Baptiste and Moore.
 
Pregnant women in their third trimester are considered high risk.
Pregnant women with significant heart disease are high risk according to official guidance. If you have more information than that I'd like to see it
 
Just a matter of interest not a criticism, how many captains have we had under KR? I can think of a few- Mousinho, Mackie, Dickie, Brannagan, Henry, Jones, Baptiste and Moore.
I think that KR uses the captaincy very well with the young players.
Moore definitely looks a better player as did Dickie when taking on the Captaincy
 
I watched KR's post-match comments last night, which is something I don't often do.

He is hilarious - it was about a two-and-a-half minute non-stop stream of consciousness. I'm not sure he took a single breath. He had so much to say but never finished a single fully-formed sentence before moving onto the next one. I was exhausted after watching - have to love the energy and the passion, just not the coherence!

He's a fine manager, but I hope he always has a job somewhere because he would make a terrible TV or radio pundit!
 
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