Matches Top 6 Race 2023/24

[RgYellows]

I will give myself one thing - I have a consistent view and don’t change it on a match to match basis.

The world would be a brilliant place if only everyone would refuse to ever change their mind.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

Not surprising, like ECYellow you’re another who’s a specialist in contradiction. You were slagging off anyone and everyone after Bolton. Even when we lost that game we still had every chance of the play offs, so why weren’t you getting behind the players and manager like you are now - that’s was only 9 days and 2 games ago !!!!!

I will give myself one thing - I have a consistent view and don’t change it on a match to match basis.

Since that game I haven’t changed my opinion, I’m unsure that Des is the long term solution, I think that McGuane and Rodrigues have down tools and that we might miss out on the play offs.

That doesn’t mean that I hope that we turn our form around and will back the team until it is impossible via points needed.

What I won’t do at this stage of the season just slag off the team constantly as that’s for the debrief in the summer.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Nor is Port Vale at home, Cheltenham away or Cambridge away.

Manning was in charge for 2 of them.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Not surprising, like ECYellow you’re another who’s a specialist in contradiction. You were slagging off anyone and everyone after Bolton. Even when we lost that game we still had every chance of the play offs, so why weren’t you getting behind the players and manager like you are now - that’s was only 9 days and 2 games ago !!!!!

I will give myself one thing - I have a consistent view and don’t change it on a match to match basis.

No offence but when you get spanked 5 nil on TV. Players deserve to get a few home truths and to be criticised. Like @ECYellow & @Steve Gilbert, I’ve not always agreed with them but it’s about being balanced and giving criticism & praise in equal measure. Being honest is key to being a fan of your football club too. Too many look through rose tinted glasses and think people are good enough to play for this club when they are not. Just because people express that opinion does not mean we are wrong.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Manning was in charge for 2 of them.

Yes, I said that. I also said I didn’t put any blame on DB for the Cheltenham game.

 

[dickwalton1964]

You wasn't indirectly referencing the manager, you just coincidentally referenced the last 25 games - roughly the number of games that the manager has been in charge. OK Dick.

I'm perfectly calm. I love my football club and will be supporting them vociferously throughout the run in.

Enjoy your day.

I used the 25 game benchmark as that was the point our form began to dip alarmingly.

 

[dickwalton1964]

No offence but when you get spanked 5 nil on TV. Players deserve to get a few home truths and to be criticised. Like @ECYellow & @Steve Gilbert, I’ve not always agreed with them but it’s about being balanced and giving criticism & praise in equal measure. Being honest is key to being a fan of your football club too. Too many look through rose tinted glasses and think people are good enough to play for this club when they are not. Just because people express that opinion does not mean we are wrong.

Yes, they do. But what’s really changed since Bolton bar a routine win at the most out of form team in L1? Apologies if the Port Vale win doesn’t change my perspective one bit. Still Des out for me, sill a bunch of headless , aimless, directionless players and sill destined for missing out on the play offs and bottling a glorious chance - it’s just my opinion. According to you it’s an opinion I’m expressing and therefore not wrong.

Obviously we all hope we can somehow reverse a 25 game trend in the last 7 games and make it but my view will remain unchanged until I see something different - from the manager and players. I’m sure you’ve got better things to do but if you were to trawl through my posts you’ll see that I have dished out praise where it’s due during Des’s reign. From memory, I was very complimentary of our home performance v Bolton, full of praise for a stirring win at Charlton (watched on ifollow), followed by an emphatic win at Carlisle.

My big problem, with Des especially, has been the manner of our approach to games across January, February, March - this period, in general, has seen awful football, awful form and awful results and it will ultimately cost us - again, in my opinion. If you’re not allowed an honest view, but perhaps a negative one then, then we should have seen an upbeat reaction to the Bolton defeat, dismissing it as just another defeat and no signalling out of players amid accusations of downing tools based on the ridiculous gossip of one forum member.

Criticise me all you like but have a look at yourselves at the same time!

 

[m]

I'd say it's time to take the logic out of things and apply a bit of emotion.

We're in the play off spots with a handful of games to go. Lots of us would have taken that before a ball was kicked.

What's the point in not being optimistic and hoping for the best?

 

[Essexyellows]

For the statisticians out there what are the possibilities of going to Exeter and needing a win to make the play-offs, or will we be scuppered before that?

Might need to book a room at the B-in-L`s.

 

[Bigdwoolly]

Yes, they do. But what’s really changed since Bolton bar a routine win at the most out of form team in L1? Apologies if the Port Vale win doesn’t change my perspective one bit. Still Des out for me, sill a bunch of headless , aimless, directionless players and sill destined for missing out on the play offs and bottling a glorious chance - it’s just my opinion. According to you it’s an opinion I’m expressing and therefore not wrong.

Obviously we all hope we can somehow reverse a 25 game trend in the last 7 games and make it but my view will remain unchanged until I see something different - from the manager and players. I’m sure you’ve got better things to do but if you were to trawl through my posts you’ll see that I have dished out praise where it’s due during Des’s reign. From memory, I was very complimentary of our home performance v Bolton, full of praise for a stirring win at Charlton (watched on ifollow), followed by an emphatic win at Carlisle.

My big problem, with Des especially, has been the manner of our approach to games across January, February, March - this period, in general, has seen awful football, awful form and awful results and it will ultimately cost us - again, in my opinion. If you’re not allowed an honest view, but perhaps a negative one then, then we should have seen an upbeat reaction to the Bolton defeat, dismissing it as just another defeat and no signalling out of players amid accusations of downing tools based on the ridiculous gossip of one forum member.

Criticise me all you like but have a look at yourselves at the same time!

Just so I'm clear here, because I don't think you've said it before - you don't like Des?

 

[holdsteady]

Not surprising, like ECYellow you’re another who’s a specialist in contradiction. You were slagging off anyone and everyone after Bolton. Even when we lost that game we still had every chance of the play offs, so why weren’t you getting behind the players and manager like you are now - that’s was only 9 days and 2 games ago !!!!!

I will give myself one thing - I have a consistent view and don’t change it on a match to match basis.

One thing I like about you is when you decide you are right you stick by it, nothing, like a change of circumstances, will alter that. Probably why you have never been wrong.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Just so I'm clear here, because I don't think you've said it before - you don't like Des?

This forum would be taking its last breaths if no one ever repeated a view on here !!!! Have a read and enlighten yourself !!!!

 

[dickwalton1964]

One thing I like about you is when you decide you are right you stick by it, nothing, like a change of circumstances, will alter that. Probably why you have never been wrong.

Of course I’m wrong, plenty of times, but we aren’t talking about facts here, these are opinions. We will only know who’s right and wrong come the seasons end. I desperately hope Des gets us promoted and to be proved wrong about him - to quote Kevin Keegan, “I will love it if Des’s gets us promoted, love it” !!!! I’m capable of change re Des, just an away win at Port Vale, on the back of a pretty poor 2 or 3 months, ain’t quite doing it for me like it’s doing it for others.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

One thing I like about you is when you decide you are right you stick by it, nothing, like a change of circumstances, will alter that. Probably why you have never been wrong.

It shouldn’t surprise you. It’s exactly what Baldy used to do when he posted on here previously.

 

[holdsteady]

Of course I’m wrong, plenty of times, but we aren’t talking about facts here, these are opinions. We will only know who’s right and wrong come the seasons end. I desperately hope Des gets us promoted and to be proved wrong about him - to quote Kevin Keegan, “I will love it if Des’s gets us promoted, love it” !!!! I’m capable of change re Des, just an away win at Port Vale, on the back of a pretty poor 2 or 3 months, ain’t quite doing it for me like it’s doing it for others.

I don't think people have changed views, just they are getting behind the team before what is a crucial run of games where we need big points. I don't think anyone is going to argue that we don't need big points from the next 3 games, they are against the type of teams Buckinghams OUFC have got points against so it is possible, facts hold out that we have got wins against the poorer teams in the division under him so its possible. Maybe this run of four games, starting with Vale is what we need to kick on? Maybe the Bolton hammering will wake a few players up?

Its certainly now or never, limp onto the tough 3 home games in a week while falling behind then we all know we have next to no hope.

 

[Sheik djibouti]

Reality is Dick, you'll only ever see this as bottling a glorious chance, because you don't believe any of the mitigating factors that caused the decline. You have conveniently missed the awful injury problems from your list of awfulness, and have conveniently overlooked that results were already failing off before Manning left. Did Manning do a very good job to assemble a first choice 11 that were performing to a level greater than the sum of its parts? Yes, I think he did and for that he deserves credit(and his management team around him -lest we forget he was the first to say his Manager of the Month award was down to them collectively and not him as an individual). Was the timing and manners of Manning's departure utterly appalling? Without doubt a resounding yes and you'd have to have rocks in your head to think that this would not have a detrimental impact on a squad already seeing a slight dip in form and with injuries starting to bite.

Did the SMT absolutely drop a bollock in the way they allowed Manning to walk away? A resounding yes. Without doubt.

Did the SMT also drop another massive bollock by appointing an up and coming coach with bags of potential, but zero experience of a league he would be working in, without giving him the proper experienced support structure around him (the structure that Manning himself said was absolutely key to his success) to achieve, while also tying him to a hefty contract AND buying him out of his previous role? Again, without doubt, yes!

Do I think that despite all this we're still in with a fantastic chance to still secure a playoff spot. Without doubt yes!

 

[holdsteady]

Reality is Dick, you'll only ever see this as bottling a glorious chance, because you don't believe any of the mitigating factors that caused the decline. You have conveniently missed the awful injury problems from your list of awfulness, and have conveniently overlooked that results were already failing off before Manning left. Did Manning do a very good job to assemble a first choice 11 that were performing to a level greater than the sum of its parts? Yes, I think he did and for that he deserves credit(and his management team around him -lest we forget he was the first to say his Manager of the Month award was down to them collectively and not him as an individual). Was the timing and manners of Manning's departure utterly appalling? Without doubt a resounding yes and you'd have to have rocks in your head to think that this would not have a detrimental impact on a squad already seeing a slight dip in form and with injuries starting to bite.

Did the SMT absolutely drop a bollock, not only in the way they allowed Manning to walk away? A resounding yes. Without doubt.

Did the SMT also drop another massive bollock by appointing an up and coming coach with bags of potential, but zero experience of a league he would be working in, without giving him the proper experienced support structure around him (the structure that Manning h is myself said was absolutely key to his success) to achieve, while also tying him to a hefty contract AND buying him out of his previous role? Again, without doubt, yes!

Do I think that despite all this we're still in with a fantastic chance to still secure a playoff spot. Without doubt yes!

Pretty much this. We are in with a chance, going to have all summer to go over what went wrong if we fall away, for now just going to try and enjoy the run in and hope we can get there.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Yes, they do. But what’s really changed since Bolton bar a routine win at the most out of form team in L1? Apologies if the Port Vale win doesn’t change my perspective one bit. Still Des out for me, sill a bunch of headless , aimless, directionless players and sill destined for missing out on the play offs and bottling a glorious chance - it’s just my opinion. According to you it’s an opinion I’m expressing and therefore not wrong.

Obviously we all hope we can somehow reverse a 25 game trend in the last 7 games and make it but my view will remain unchanged until I see something different - from the manager and players. I’m sure you’ve got better things to do but if you were to trawl through my posts you’ll see that I have dished out praise where it’s due during Des’s reign. From memory, I was very complimentary of our home performance v Bolton, full of praise for a stirring win at Charlton (watched on ifollow), followed by an emphatic win at Carlisle.

My big problem, with Des especially, has been the manner of our approach to games across January, February, March - this period, in general, has seen awful football, awful form and awful results and it will ultimately cost us - again, in my opinion. If you’re not allowed an honest view, but perhaps a negative one then, then we should have seen an upbeat reaction to the Bolton defeat, dismissing it as just another defeat and no signalling out of players amid accusations of downing tools based on the ridiculous gossip of one forum member.

Criticise me all you like but have a look at yourselves at the same time!

Blimey, you do write a lot! Maybe it’s time for your content to go behind a paywall, like some of the articles in the Oxford Mail.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Reality is Dick, you'll only ever see this as bottling a glorious chance, because you don't believe any of the mitigating factors that caused the decline. You have conveniently missed the awful injury problems from your list of awfulness, and have conveniently overlooked that results were already failing off before Manning left. Did Manning do a very good job to assemble a first choice 11 that were performing to a level greater than the sum of its parts? Yes, I think he did and for that he deserves credit(and his management team around him -lest we forget he was the first to say his Manager of the Month award was down to them collectively and not him as an individual). Was the timing and manners of Manning's departure utterly appalling? Without doubt a resounding yes and you'd have to have rocks in your head to think that this would not have a detrimental impact on a squad already seeing a slight dip in form and with injuries starting to bite.

Did the SMT absolutely drop a bollock, not only in the way they allowed Manning to walk away? A resounding yes. Without doubt.

Did the SMT also drop another massive bollock by appointing an up and coming coach with bags of potential, but zero experience of a league he would be working in, without giving him the proper experienced support structure around him (the structure that Manning h is myself said was absolutely key to his success) to achieve, while also tying him to a hefty contract AND buying him out of his previous role? Again, without doubt, yes!

Do I think that despite all this we're still in with a fantastic chance to still secure a playoff spot. Without doubt yes!

All fine and dandy.

For all your musings, some of which I agree with, you are overlooking some far simpler frailties. At yet further risk of repetition, it was only a few weeks ago that I pointed to four recent games (ones I’d attended) whereby we led, had the games in the palm of our hand, yet yielded 3 points from 12 due to our tactical approach - as clear as day to see. A full return of points really wasn’t out of the question from how they were panning out. See those out and we’d have sat second a few weeks ago. You choose to look far deeper to find the problem why we are where we are when, the reality is, we conceded goals in three of those games in the last 5-10 minutes when we sat off clearly inferior opposition.

I think our problems have been far closer to home than you choose to believe. I don’t think the management structure, the boardroom, the injury list or the tea lady had the slightest bearing on those four matches, not in the slightest. The problem was one that was the width of a white touchline - in other words, communication from the coach to his players.

Anyway, onwards and upwards, let’s see if he can get us promotion.

 

[ECYellow]

All fine and dandy.

For all your musings, some of which I agree with, you are overlooking some far simpler frailties. At yet further risk of repetition, it was only a few weeks ago that I pointed to four recent games (ones I’d attended) whereby we led, had the games in the palm of our hand, yet yielded 3 points from 12 due to our tactical approach - as clear as day to see. A full return of points really wasn’t out of the question from how they were panning out. See those out and we’d have sat second a few weeks ago. You choose to look far deeper to find the problem why we are where we are when, the reality is, we conceded goals in three of those games in the last 5-10 minutes when we sat off clearly inferior opposition.

I think our problems have been far closer to home than you choose to believe. I don’t think the management structure, the boardroom, the injury list or the tea lady had the slightest bearing on those four matches, not in the slightest. The problem was one that was the width of a white touchline - in other words, communication from the coach to his players.

Anyway, onwards and upwards, let’s see if he can get us promotion.

Zzzzzzzzz