General The Telegraph - Behind the scenes as Oxford United prepared for the might of Manchester City

[Scotchegg]

Fantastic read, and strangely emotional.

It's almost exactly 2 years since we were destroyed 7 nil at home to Wigan. Pep was gone, and everything looked a mess behind the scenes. Fast forward to last Christmas (Wham!) and we're only a point or two outside of the relegation zone with almost as many winding up orders as wins. Robbo was Gobbo to many, the threadbare squad was already knackered and it was only muppets like me who had a good word to say about Tiger.

Yet, here we are today with (arguably) the most exciting squad of players we've had in decades, investment in the training ground (and maybe more!) and a manager who brings everyone together with the single goal of making our club great again. At times yesterday we made Man City (6th best team in Europe according to FIFA ratings) look very ordinary. Not by kicking or bullying but by taking their style and making it our own. But an honourable defeat is still a defeat, and you can tell how much it hurt everyone. That is the sign of natural winners who know that this is only the start of the dream.
Every aspect of our club has been transformed from what we've seen and it feels like we are on the brink of a new era like the one that some of us were lucky to witness in the 80's.

Really really good times to be an Oxford fan!

 

[LeftSideBoy]

Fantastic read, and strangely emotional.

It's almost exactly 2 years since we were destroyed 7 nil at home to Wigan. Pep was gone, and everything looked a mess behind the scenes. Fast forward to last Christmas (Wham!) and we're only a point or two outside of the relegation zone with almost as many winding up orders as wins. Robbo was Gobbo to many, the threadbare squad was already knackered and it was only muppets like me who had a good word to say about Tiger.

Yet, here we are today with (arguably) the most exciting squad of players we've had in decades, investment in the training ground (and maybe more!) and a manager who brings everyone together with the single goal of making our club great again. At times yesterday we made Man City (6th best team in Europe according to FIFA ratings) look very ordinary. Not by kicking or bullying but by taking their style and making it our own. But an honourable defeat is still a defeat, and you can tell how much it hurt everyone. That is the sign of natural winners who know that this is only the start of the dream.
Every aspect of our club has been transformed from what we've seen and it feels like we are on the brink of a new era like the one that some of us were lucky to witness in the 80's.

Really really good times to be an Oxford fan!

Stop it, you'll get me blubbing again! ?

 

[PottersRightBoot]

Messianic zeal.
That is a spellbinding read. COYY.

 

[AbbeyOx]

enjoyed that little insight into what goes on behind closed doors.
KR has gone up another level in my estimation but Tiger and the board deserve praise for sticking with him.
could've easily sacked him and we would have been on the manager roller coaster, but it's paid off and we're in a fantastic position with enjoyable football and some quality players.
no doubt there'll be more ups and downs to come but if the stadium situation is finally resolved we could be in for an exciting future

 

[gingerox]

Interesting KR considers Moore one of the four capable of playing in the Prem. Hopefully steps up if/when Dickie leaves like Dickie did when Nelson left

 

[werthersoriginal]

Jut remember the s**t some of you give Robinson last year

 

[Whingit]

Interesting KR considers Moore one of the four capable of playing in the Prem. Hopefully steps up if/when Dickie leaves like Dickie did when Nelson left

I think he said it because Dickie will be leaving. To be fair to him though, he does look good.

 

[Oxford Aesthete]

Stop it, you'll get me blubbing again! ?

I was welling-up on the last page as well

 

[bazzer9461]

Did you hit the download first ?

Yes I did but nothing but I’ve now seen it and it is a good piece of journalism

 

[West Oxon U’s]

Great photograph.

 

[RgYellows]

What a great article for us Oxford fans.

There's a line about the approach KR took which I think is really insightful: two players go to the ball with the eight other maintaining their defensive shape within the imaginary parallel lines of the outside of the two penalty areas. “What they do really well is they take you out to come in and go through,” Robinson says. “Do not be attracted to the ball!”

Rewatching their first goal for the outrageous combinations in the build up.

It starts with Gorrin, Agyei and Taylor putting pressure on Man City in their LB area. Agyei is doing good work. Gorrin is clearly the 'second man' on the ball but I am not sure he has any business doing that in this area of the pitch. Taylor is a spare man and Gorrin is then out of position when they play through us.

Mahrez drifts back and in from the right wing. That's the space where Gorrin would be - Baptiste is defensive, but on the other side of the pitch.

Ruffels goes with Mahrez, which makes me think of Robinson with the above quote!

The space at LB is then completely empty and Cancelo runs into it. Cancelo must be the responsibility of Fosu, if anybody, and Fosu does run back but he is some way off.

Probably three slips in concentration. Every single one punished by the right run and the right pass. As enjoyable as it's ever been to watch us concede.