League One Oxford vs Portsmouth? Title contenders?

[Followtheox1]

I was more than happy. If we finish second this season, I will be more than happy.

Being very happy with something doesn’t mean it’s your first choice. It doesn’t “pretty much” mean it’s your first choice.

I’d be more than happy if you paid me a million pounds. I would very much prefer that you paid me two million. No one read those two sentences and suggest that I would prefer £1m to £2m, but if we change the money to league positions then it seems to confuse some people.

True in some respects. Although the problem with your analogy is nobody has been offered anything. A more appropriate analogy to the statement made by the poster ,in my view, would be you were running a race, the prize was £2m for the winner and £1m for runner up. If before the race you said, to be honest I would be more than happy to finish second as long as Tom (Who is a rival of yours for the race title) finishes first. It implies that at the least, you don't mind finishing second to your rival Tom in the race or even it could be interpreted as you want your rival Tom to win the race ahead of you. That's fine and your choice, I'm simply saying it's not for me to make a statement like that before the race has been run. I would love more than anything to win it. I would of course be happy with a million quid for second place if I didn't win it. I do accept that the original post could be interpreted in more ways than one and happy to accept whatever their explanation is and your interpretation is just as valid. Not that it matters of course if I accept it or not! Ps I'm still not sure what the traitor thing was about!

 

[werthersoriginal]

True in some respects. Although the problem with your analogy is nobody has been offered anything. A more appropriate analogy to the statement made by the poster ,in my view, would be you were running a race, the prize was £2m for the winner and £1m for runner up. If before the race you said, to be honest I would be more than happy to finish second as long as Tom (Who is a rival of yours for the race title) finishes first. It implies that at the least, you don't mind finishing second to your rival Tom in the race or even it could be interpreted as you want your rival Tom to win the race ahead of you. That's fine and your choice, I'm simply saying it's not for me to make a statement like that before the race has been run. I would love more than anything to win it. I would of course be happy with a million quid for second place if I didn't win it. I do accept that the original post could be interpreted in more ways than one and happy to accept whatever their explanation is and your interpretation is just as valid. Not that it matters of course if I accept it or not! Ps I'm still not sure what the traitor thing was about!

I don’t think this analogy really works, because the prize we are aiming for is promotion, playing in a higher league next year. Finishing as champions or second will both give us that and to me there’s not a lot of difference between them- who remembers Northampton? Anyway.

 

[Followtheox1]

I don’t think this analogy really works, because the prize we are aiming for is promotion, playing in a higher league next year. Finishing as champions or second will both give us that and to me there’s not a lot of difference between them- who remembers Northampton? Anyway.

That is the problem with analogies, they are not a literal comparison and there are always issues if taken literally. I do think my main point stands. Being champions would be much better than runner up in my view but I would be happy with getting promoted by hook or by crook.

 

[MarkG]

On one of the betting comparisons sites, all of them have Pompey slightly ahead of us. Derby are only just behind despite being 10 points below Pompey after nearly a quarter of the season, whereas Stevenage can still be backed at 9/1

 

[Followtheox1]

Really? The important thing for me was that we got promoted. I honestly barely even remember/care that they won the league and we finished second. It’s not something I ever think about now and, while obviously at the time I would have preferred/chosen it, and would have been happier, I can honestly say I don’t dwell on it anywhere near as much as I do, say, the Wycombe playoff final.

If someone now said ‘You can have a 90% chance of finishing second, 10% chance of 3rd or you can have an 89% chance of finishing first, but 11% of 3rd’ I’d take the former without doubt or hesitation.

That's good you don't dwell on it, I don't either! That percentage thing you have described is about the odds of something happening which isn't really related to the discussion. However, I would suggest basing the decision on whether you would accept the former or not on who it was that gave you those percentages and how much you trust them!

 

[tonyw]

So in general, the international breaks are pretty annoying.
But one of the weird quirks this year is that it might mean we don't play Pompey at all until 2024.

The game on November 18th is definitely going to fall foul of international call-ups, and we've still got the Reading game to reschedule (and it would look like the early December window would make the most sense for that).
Unless we decided to play Pompey on December 19th (which would seem like a nutty thing for the teams to agree to - you don't want to add another game to the already congested Christmas fixture list)......mid-January would seem to make the most sense.

Maybe we'll both be ten points clear of the pack by then, and we'll have a double header in the New Year to settle the title between us!

(we can dream.....but there really doesn't look like there's any other team in the division that's consistently good this year.......)

 

[Sam_Brown]

It’s going to feel like a very long season if it cotinues like this every week .

 

[Northstandboy]

Last minute winner again..

 

[Sam_Brown]

Good win for us last night. Was a tough game I honestly went into with trepidation. What's going on with your lot since I last posted? Really though it was going to be neck and neck for the rest of the season. Hopefully you guys get some good wins together as your fans deserve success.

 

[Northstandboy]

Good win for us last night. Was a tough game I honestly went into with trepidation. What's going on with your lot since I last posted? Really though it was going to be neck and neck for the rest of the season. Hopefully you guys get some good wins together as your fans deserve success.

Just the small event of our manager leaving…

 

[OUFCwaffle]

Half the team are out now too

 

[Sam_Brown]

I still think Derby and Bolton are going to lose points. Wish you guys the best in the rest of the season.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

I still think Derby and Bolton are going to lose points. Wish you guys the best in the rest of the season.

Any fan who thinks we will make the play-offs is pissing in the wind. We have no clue tactically at all. Enjoy the Championship, if they stay down I'll watch your punch up game v Southampton

 

[pommy80]

I still think Derby and Bolton are going to lose points. Wish you guys the best in the rest of the season.

Agree. Both of those are under a lot more pressure than Portsmouth who have the points in the bag already.

 

[holdsteady]

I have Derby in my league winners accumulator along with Man City, Leicester and Stockport so, no offence, I hope you choke violently and the other 3 come in and I have £2 grand in my pocket.

 

[YellowsForLife]

I miss the optimism of the forum back in October, so refreshing

 

[Pompeyyellows]

I have Derby in my league winners accumulator along with Man City, Leicester and Stockport so, no offence, I hope you choke violently and the other 3 come in and I have £2 grand in my pocket.

I have similar but Wrexham instead of Stockport

 

[Sam_Brown]

I have Derby in my league winners accumulator along with Man City, Leicester and Stockport so, no offence, I hope you choke violently and the other 3 come in and I have £2 grand in my pocket.

No stress. I’d be the same in your position. Not sure how many of you guys are coming down tomorrow but safe journeys all.