Matches Last 10 Games
- Thread starter MustardYellow
- Start date
Level: Callum O'Dowda
SirAndyOfCrosby
Level: Dave Langan
(136 Apps, 3 Gls)
This is absolutely spot on.
Stop using last season as a crutch.
In each of the last five seasons, at least one of the three L1 promoted clubs has done having finished mid-table (or lower) the previous season:
23/24: Ipswich (11th)
22/23: Wigan (20th)
21/22: Blackpool (13th)
20/21: Wycombe (17th)
19/20: Luton (2nd - L2)
And this season, two clubs who've just been promoted are vying for a play-off spot. No consolidation for Stevenage!
But for OUFC it feels like only the perfect promotion will do. All dead wood must be cleared. Modest incremental improvements only. And if we have an outlier like last season it's 'go back to square one' and the 5 year build seemingly starts again.
Football is marginal gains, and momentum. Liam Manning produced both of those things - and I really believe we'd still be in contention for automatic promotion had he stayed.
I refuse to pretend that it didn't happen, or that we are incapable of reaching those levels again, with this squad - and without the vagueness of yet more time.
MustardYellow
Level: Callum O'Dowda
(106 Apps, 14 Gls)
Couldn't agree more with this
There's always an excuse as to why we can't/shouldn't get promoted.
m
Level: Les Phillips
(224 Apps, 15 Gls)
So Wigan or Wycombe are comparable. 2 out of 15 promoted sides.
No one is saying it's impossible, but all of the evidence suggests it's unlikely.
I'm not sure many, if any, are saying we wouldn't be doing better if Manning had stayed. I'm not, and never have.
m
Level: Les Phillips
(224 Apps, 15 Gls)
So we should have stuck with KR?
MustardYellow
Level: Callum O'Dowda
(106 Apps, 14 Gls)
There were way more issues there than just the performances. Unpopular opinion but we had way more good times under KR than we did bad. Sacking him was probably the right decision though simply based on everything going on off field.
Whether we should/shouldn't have sacked him is irrelevant to the point that last season doesn't mean this season should be a write off, though.
m
Level: Les Phillips
(224 Apps, 15 Gls)
I disagree.
I think that last season saw the culmination of KRs weaknesses as a coach and left us with the most hideously unbalanced squad that I can personally recall. I don't think we finished in a false position.
Nobody's writing this season off. Plenty of people seem to be able to accept that all of the evidence suggests that turning last season's rabble, into one of the top 2 sides this time round, is unlikely.
Anywhere in the top 6, less so, and this should remain a viable target. Before a ball was kicked I thought we'd fall short of this.
Only one that springs to mind - for anyone - is this https://rageonline.co.uk/mainpage/season/44/ 2003 - 2004
We didn't lose in league for second time until 17 January. To finish 9th, 4 points off play offs and not able to get to play offs before the last day of the season. It would be remarkable and huge let down this season, but nothing is new with OUFC!
Mateo Corbo's Tackle
Level: Jack Midson
(68 Apps, 15 Gls)
We are a top 6 side, man-for-man.
If you look at the squad, the table, and the vastly improved performance on Saturday, and take everything else out of the equation, a little bit of excitement might creep in.
We must beat Cheltenham. And I think we will. From there, I for one have hope.
If you look at the squad, the table, and the vastly improved performance on Saturday, and take everything else out of the equation, a little bit of excitement might creep in.
We must beat Cheltenham. And I think we will. From there, I for one have hope.
- Year of First Game
- 1980
1994/5 Season as well. We were storming the league until Christmas, then fell over in a heap and missed out on the play-offs.Only one that springs to mind - for anyone - is this https://rageonline.co.uk/mainpage/season/44/ 2003 - 2004
We didn't lose in league for second time until 17 January. To finish 9th, 4 points off play offs and not able to get to play offs before the last day of the season. It would be remarkable and huge let down this season, but nothing is new with OUFC!
MustardYellow
Level: Callum O'Dowda
(106 Apps, 14 Gls)
We had a manager come in and largely balance that squad out. A squad which he went on to win 10 out of 15 games with.
Top 2 could've been doable this season, play-offs should be the minimum. If Manning had stayed I think we maybe wouldn't have made top 2, but we'd be there or there abouts.
My main point was in reply to the idea that this season was about 'consolidation' due to last season. New manager, plenty of new faces through the door - last season is irrelevant to our ambitions this season.
m
Level: Les Phillips
(224 Apps, 15 Gls)
We still have ridiculous sums of money going to players who aren't playing, or aren't even at the club. We still lack depth of quality in midfield and in defence. If you choose to ignore this, fine.
It's further fine for you to pluck a completely arbitrary expectation out of the air, and parrot it as realistic.
It's also fine for for people to think that you talk shite.
Do we lack depth in midfield ? Matete - who has been a main player in two successive L1 promotions - McEachran, a more than decent pedigree, and Smyth, can't get a game. How many more midfielders do you want ? Defence is Stevens or Long, Leigh or Bennett, Thorniley and Negru to deputise at centre back. I would say that lot is more than decent cover.
ZeroTheHero
Level: Phil Whitehead
(238 Apps)
Perhaps it is quality or at least 'match fit' quality that we are missing in midfield rather than numbers? Matete looks a long way away from recapturing previous form and looks half fit, McEachran somehow manages to slow down an already ponderous style of play - perhaps his best days are past him. I think we all felt we needed a ball winning CDM in the transfer window, I still don't think we have one who can play the part.
MustardYellow
Level: Callum O'Dowda
(106 Apps, 14 Gls)
I think 'm' has a chronic fear of the Championship.
MustardYellow
Level: Callum O'Dowda
(106 Apps, 14 Gls)
Brannagan, McGuane, Matete, Rodrigues, McEacrhran, Smyth, Henry and Bodin can play there if required too. Not many other clubs in the league with those options in midfield.
Leigh, Long, Moore, Stevens, Bennett, Negru, Thorniley, Brown.
How many players do you want?
We could have Man City's squad and you'd still think it's not enough to have promotion ambitions
m
Level: Les Phillips
(224 Apps, 15 Gls)
Brannagan, McGuane, Matete, Rodrigues, McEacrhran, Smyth, Henry and Bodin can play there if required too. Not many other clubs in the league with those options in midfield.
Leigh, Long, Moore, Stevens, Bennett, Negru, Thorniley, Brown.
How many players do you want?
We could have Man City's squad and you'd still think it's not enough to have promotion ambitions
It's quality in depth that we lack, as well as the ability of players to form effective units, and to do that consistently.
It's nothing to do with how many players we have.
I suggest that your last line was an attempt to troll me. (If not, you might wish to learn to differentiate between hopes, ambitions, and expectations.)
m
Level: Les Phillips
(224 Apps, 15 Gls)
I don't think Matete has played a full 90 minutes yet? As such, I don't think he can fairly be blamed for our loss of form. If he's the player many think, then our midfield will improve.
Smyth is an enigma. If he could get a game, under any manager, we'd know.
I don't rate McEachran at all and said as much before he signed.
What's the job of the manager and coaching staff if these players cannot perform 'effective units' as you put it ? The players and depth is there, it's complete nonsense to suggest they aren't or that the squad is depleted. I agree with MustardYellow, people like you will have an excuse forever. Des Buckingham needs to improve these players and the system - that is his job.
Game time together for fit players.
LeftSideLarry
Level: Callum O'Dowda
(106 Apps, 14 Gls)
- Year of First Game
- 1981
Bath Yellow
Level: Chris Maguire
(79 Apps, 22 Gls)
We are too inconsistant, great performance of the season last Saturday, even Pompey fans were saying how well we played when we were leaving and should not have lost, then another time we just dont turn up, our last few home games have been shocking, thats where the problem lies. Promotion, dont think so, much as i would like it to happen
Me when I see MustardYellow is yet again contradicting himself on which players are suddenly good enough for a top 2 team
(Murphy, Browne, Henry (who are never fit enough to play), Long, Thorniley)
At least he's not claiming Harris is good enough after consistently slagging him off before.
(Murphy, Browne, Henry (who are never fit enough to play), Long, Thorniley)
At least he's not claiming Harris is good enough after consistently slagging him off before.
Scotchegg
Level: James Constable
(280 Apps, 106 Gls)
There are a few who are the same. Never a good word for any player, barely anyone good enough for a "top 6 league one team" yet Buckingham is falling by not being in the autos.
But then I've seen one poster say that we're now where near good enough for the autos but should definitely be in the top 4, despite 4th place only being 3 points off second with a game in hand!
I think that some are just angry but forget what they are angry about at times.
m
Level: Les Phillips
(224 Apps, 15 Gls)
Maybe they're angry about those who participate only to make others angry?
Scotchegg
Level: James Constable
(280 Apps, 106 Gls)
Ouch! I was trying to forget that one! It was all going really well until Wycombe on 29-ish of December too! :O lol
- Year of First Game
- 1980
Yeah sorry about that... We were terrible for the whole calendar year of 1995 - if we could completely erase that year, and join the first half of 1994/5 to the second half of 1995/6 we'd probably have won over 100 points!
Scotchegg
Level: James Constable
(280 Apps, 106 Gls)
98 points if you take August - end December 94 and January - May 96.
The whole of 1995 got us 59 points which was actually slightly better than it felt like at the time!
