Matches Top 6 Race 2023/24

[Bicester Yellow]

Forget the whole season, it’s irrelevant!!! The squad was good enough to beat Peterborough 5-0 in its 43rd match of the season, it then needed guiding through two home matches, where in all likelihood two draws would have done. The manager failed to do this, absolutely nothing to do with squad depth, squad anything!! It’s absurd to suggest the squad is good enough to get to its 43rd match but not strong enough to see out its 45th match. What nonsense!

Yes good enough to beat Peterborough in a game they put absolutely everything into and then didn’t have anything left for the following week as our squad isn’t strong enough! If we did have a stronger squad then we would of been able to rotate adequately but the players coming in weren’t good enough & some others showed they were on their last legs after those games in a short space of time. Hardly nonsense, but you are anti Des so you’ll use any stick to beat him & the team with imo.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Yes good enough to beat Peterborough in a game they put absolutely everything into and then didn’t have anything left for the following week as our squad isn’t strong enough! If we did have a stronger squad then we would of been able to rotate adequately but the players coming in weren’t good enough & some others showed they were on their last legs after those games in a short space of time. Hardly nonsense, but you are anti Des so you’ll use any stick to beat him & the team with imo.

I don’t buy that either. Players in the 46 game EFL are conditioned to go Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday for large swathes of the season. In that sequence you would never get three consecutive home league games - this was a unique situation.

Had we been playing Carlisle away on that second Saturday no one would have mentioned it, it would have just been another game in a typical EFL week. So instead of 3pm on a Saturday in, say, Carlisle we play at 8pm on the Friday in Oxford - about 11 waking hours difference (bed at 11, awake 8 hours later at 7). Compensate that with a 12-14 hour round trip coach journey and what’s the difference? If Carlisle is too extreme, let’s take somewhere around halfway as an example - Lincoln, you are talking only a few hours difference and nothing that’s going to massively impact your performance on a football field.

Yes, it was three games in that slightly shorter time frame but as I’ve said that’s off set by no travelling whatsoever, plenty of time to properly rest as well as being able to feed off the energy three packed home gates give you.

Just give us two draws, nothing more, nothing less. No one was asking for two more 5-0’s, two 0-0’s would have done. Des failed to navigate what was a very favourable position. Any manager you like would have bitten your hand off for a week like that and what was needed.

 

[MC Yellow]

Then we will be relying on points deductions being applied to other teams.

Or an 8+ goal walloping of Lincoln … .

 

[Sheik djibouti]

I don’t buy that either. Players in the 46 game EFL are conditioned to go Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday for large swathes of the season. In that sequence you would never get three consecutive home league games - this was a unique situation.

Had we been playing Carlisle away on that second Saturday no one would have mentioned it, it would have just been another game in a typical EFL week. So instead of 3pm on a Saturday in, say, Carlisle we play at 8pm on the Friday in Oxford - about 11 waking hours difference (bed at 11, awake 8 hours later at 7). Compensate that with a 12-14 hour round trip coach journey and what’s the difference? If Carlisle is too extreme, let’s take somewhere around halfway as an example - Lincoln, you are talking only a few hours difference and nothing that’s going to massively impact your performance on a football field.

Yes, it was three games in that slightly shorter time frame but as I’ve said that’s off set by no travelling whatsoever, plenty of time to properly rest as well as being able to feed off the energy three packed home gates give you.

Just give us two draws, nothing more, nothing less. No one was asking for two more 5-0’s, two 0-0’s would have done. Des failed to navigate what was a very favourable position. Any manager you like would have bitten your hand off for a week like that and what was needed.

Your myopia lets you down Dick.

The squad hasn't been good enough for seasons and everyone has recognised it will take a little longer than you're prepared to give Buckingham to put it right.

Manning would've had 3 windows (and that's with his whole backroom team in place). Buckingham should be afforded the same, regardless of your immediate and obvious disappointment in him.

Good job the board and decision makers at the club can see the bigger picture and aren't so knee-jerk in judging everything by two results. They are thankfully in it for the long haul.

In any case, whilst it would always be the aim, I don't remember anyone from the club saying it was "s**t or bust" this season in terms of promotion, do you?

 

[MC Yellow]

Just give us two draws, nothing more, nothing less. No one was asking for two more 5-0’s, two 0-0’s would have done. Des failed to navigate what was a very favourable position. Any manager you like would have bitten your hand off for a week like that and what was needed.

As much as I agree that the Lincoln loss was an absolute bollock drop, a draw still wouldn’t have been enough to guarantee anything at this stage.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Your myopia lets you down Dick.

The squad hasn't been good enough for seasons and everyone has recognised it will take a little longer than you're prepared to give Buckingham to put it right.

Manning would've had 3 windows (and that's with his whole backroom team in place). Buckingham should be afforded the same, regardless of your immediate and obvious disappointment in him.

Good job the board and decision makers at the club can see the bigger picture and aren't so knee-jerk in judging everything by two results. They are thankfully in it for the long haul.

In any case, whilst it would always be the aim, I don't remember anyone from the club saying it was "s**t or bust" this season in terms of promotion, do you?

Can you see the bigger picture though? What have you seen that says the bigger picture will be all fine and dandy? If it wasn’t this season it will be next when it will be the expiry of that time frame the owners wanted us in the championship by. You won’t see a weaker L1 than this season for a long, long while in my opinion. You say things aren’t judged on one or two results but that’s plainly wrong - plenty of clubs, managers and players have had their careers defined by a single match. Let’s be honest, Des’s could be perceived totally differently if some random Portsmouth player scuffs one in off his shin in the 96th minute at Lincoln on Saturday. That’s the fine margins but you have to admit that Des hasn’t done himself any favours in this past week.

 

[dickwalton1964]

As much as I agree that the Lincoln loss was an absolute bollock drop, a draw still wouldn’t have been enough to guarantee anything at this stage.

Not guarantee but would have been back in our own hands and only needing a draw at Exeter, irrespective of what Lincoln did. That’s a major difference to being out of our hands, needing to win at Exeter and relying on Pompey on the road - and very likely on the beach too.

 

[Sheik djibouti]

Can you see the bigger picture though? What have you seen that says the bigger picture will be all fine and dandy? If it wasn’t this season it will be next when it will be the expiry of that time frame the owners wanted us in the championship by. You won’t see a weaker L1 than this season for a long, long while in my opinion. You say things aren’t judged on one or two results but that’s plainly wrong - plenty of clubs, managers and players have had their careers defined by a single match. Let’s be honest, Des’s could be perceived totally differently if some random Portsmouth player scuffs one in off his shin in the 96th minute at Lincoln on Saturday. That’s the fine margins but you have to admit that Des hasn’t done himself any favours in this past week.

What about the players. Have they done themselves any favours in this past week?

 

[Bigdwoolly]

What about the players. Have they done themselves any favours in this past week?

You know how this works.... the players did themselves a massive favour by brilliantly beating Peterboro 5-0, despite Des. It's just such a shame Des let them down by losing and drawing the next 2 games. What more can we ask of the players?

 

[holdsteady]

You know how this works.... the players did themselves a massive favour by brilliantly beating Peterboro 5-0, despite Des. It's just such a shame Des let them down by losing and drawing the next 2 games. What more can we ask of the players?

Rumour is that Mous put a video call in on Saturday before the game, inspired them to a 5-0 win. Buckingham was so jealous of this that he banned the players from having mobiles etc before the next two games, then look what happened.

 

[MC Yellow]

Not guarantee but would have been back in our own hands and only needing a draw at Exeter, irrespective of what Lincoln did. That’s a major difference to being out of our hands, needing to win at Exeter and relying on Pompey on the road - and very likely on the beach too.

Yes, agreed.

But the real doom-mongers on here have already decided that we are loosing to Exeter, whilst Pompey are on the beach (Lincoln win) and Barnsley and Blackpool have easy fixtures against Northampton and Reading respectively (win/win).

So either way I am not sure the general outlook would have been any more positive.

I had previously said that Lincoln was the game we really needed to win in the run of 3 on the basis that it was the 6 pointer, but until Saturday has played out I guess none of us will know.

I'll remain positive and hopeful until the end. We pulled off an incredible result against Posh and we may just have another one in the locker. If we win, it just means two other teams have to win too and so the odds come back to us a bit in that scenario.

 

[Swaby39]

Yes, agreed.

But the real doom-mongers on here have already decided that we are loosing to Exeter, whilst Pompey are on the beach (Lincoln win) and Barnsley and Blackpool have easy fixtures against Northampton and Reading respectively (win/win).

So either way I am not sure the general outlook would have been any more positive.

I had previously said that Lincoln was the game we really needed to win in the run of 3 on the basis that it was the 6 pointer, but until Saturday has played out I guess none of us will know.

I'll remain positive and hopeful until the end. We pulled off an incredible result against Posh and we may just have another one in the locker. If we win, it just means two other teams have to win too and so the odds come back to us a bit in that scenario.

I’m surprised to see anybody ruling us completely out. My pessimism only surrounds our performances in the last week (good, not good enough, not mentally right in front of goal) and Des’ wider record against teams in the top half which has quite literally reversed entirely on what Manning was achieving with the same core group. This is attempt number 14 to notch up more than one win.

But… it’s not all about us and hopefully we at least do our bit this time. Pressure does strange things to some players which can randomise results a bit for good or for worse.

 

[Essexyellows]

Away win, results in our favour - seasons not over and the fat lady is only warming up.

 

[dickwalton1964]

I’m surprised to see anybody ruling us completely out. My pessimism only surrounds our performances in the last week (good, not good enough, not mentally right in front of goal) and Des’ wider record against teams in the top half which has quite literally reversed entirely on what Manning was achieving with the same core group. This is attempt number 14 to notch up more than one win.

But… it’s not all about us and hopefully we at least do our bit this time. Pressure does strange things to some players which can randomise results a bit for good or for worse.

I agree, there’s still a chance of course but I think there’s always going to be more pessimism than optimism when you’re relying on other teams doing you a favour - especially when those other teams are away and, on the face of it, not much to really play for. You imagine some early bone crunching challenges from Lincoln and Barnsley players will set the tone and it’s unlikely Pompey or Northampton are going to fancy a last day battle. Not to mention us at the most in form team in L1.

Everything is against us but you never know. We didn’t respond great to adversity against Lincoln or Stevenage so it’s hard to say where the players are mentally.

 

[Oufcluke34]

Horrible that it goes back to the penalty not given against Lincoln

Goes back to a poor run under buckingham and only beating 1 side in the top half,but yeah keep blaming referees. Fml

 

[brassmonkey]

Bennett was also signed in January, was already here but then so was Edwards.

Dale and Bennett have been a success.

Cummings has been alright, you can't bundle him in with the ones below.

Burey looked ok, no real end product for me but still strange how it went. falling out I assume.

Matete, Goodwin and Edwards were our old friend signing injured players, as usual it was a f**k up.

So thats two successes, one ok signing, a falling out and 3 crocks.

Better than last January, but not exactly a roaring success either. The January window is only ever a patch up, shows how important getting the summer one right is as only so much you can do during the season, but the glaring error for me is the injured players signed, 3 in that window is a bit ridiculous.

 

[Peterdev]

As much as I agree that the Lincoln loss was an absolute bollock drop, a draw still wouldn’t have been enough to guarantee anything at this stage.

Definitely so. Instead of being on a par they would have been three points behind us

 

[Peterdev]

Goes back to a poor run under buckingham and only beating 1 side in the top half,but yeah keep blaming referees. Fml

Just stating facts. Had there been a penalty to us…and it was converted we would have been virtually in the play offs

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

Forget the whole season, it’s irrelevant!!! The squad was good enough to beat Peterborough 5-0 in its 43rd match of the season, it then needed guiding through two home matches, where in all likelihood two draws would have done. The manager failed to do this, absolutely nothing to do with squad depth, squad anything!! It’s absurd to suggest the squad is good enough to get to its 43rd match but not strong enough to see out its 45th match. What nonsense!

Yeap. The bizarre implication that it's been an incredible slog, we've come up on the rails, but not quite had enough at the final hurdle - despite doing all in our power.

There's short memories - and then there's this place. We were 5 (five) points clear of Lincoln - this time last week...

 

[dickwalton1964]

9”

Goes back to a poor run under buckingham and only beating 1 side in the top half,but yeah keep blaming referees. Fml

I agree, you can’t keep blaming refereeing decisions. Des has made more mistakes than that referee - he made one, Des has made more. Sitting on 1-0 leads in 4 or 5 matches this year alone, how wasteful does that now look when with more conviction we go and beat those teams 2 or 3.