Lets talk about the Oxford game

[selby]

  After the thrill of a good cup win against a local side, it is back to a longer journey darn sarf to Oxford and a new ground for me.
  Oxford are a team that have won more points from away games than at their own ground,and are coming off a credible 1-1 draw at  Southend, not an easy place to get points at.
  Their team was supplemented by the inclusion of a Dutchman,a Brazilian, and a Spaniard,and  currently sit 7 points off the playoffs,but also only 7 points from the bottom four.
  I do not envisage many,if any changes to our lineup after Sunday apart from injury or illness,Although I would go with Mandeville instead of Beestin.
  What do you think?

[Alickismyhero]

Its Mandy for me.

Can I get a ticket on the day? I have to leave it till the last minute to travel.

[RedJ]

Yes.

[1879Rovers]

Oxford have been poor at home since moving to the Kassam. This season they have only won 3 of their 10 home games.

They have only won 48 of their 125 home games since promotion back into the league and that includes a promotion season.

[Campsall rover]

Oxford have been poor at home since moving to the Kassam. This season they have only won 3 of their 10 home games.

They have only won 48 of their 125 home games since promotion back into the league and that includes a promotion season.

Someone has been doing their homework. Interesting to know that and it has surprised me seeing those stats.
Fancy us on Saturday, and if we play with the same intensity as we did on Sunday we will win most of our matches in this league.
Definately would start with Mandeville and use Beestin as an impact player off the bench if needed.

[1879Rovers]

I live just outside Oxford so keep an interest.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I wonder what our stats are in that period home and away?

[since-1969]

Alfie May is back he is still our most effective player .

[Alan Southstand]

Hopefully, Matty Blair will be ok for Saturday and yes, Alfie joins the squad which adds to the manager's options.

[selby]

  Great news that Alfie is back,he would make a great substitute with his running and energy,but games are  won with players who are good in the penalty area, and Mandeville is our best player in that area.
   The games he started early in the season we did not get the ball in that area enough, because our mid field players were poor and slow to get the ball forward,and when they did,Alfie missed a fair share of  chances in front of goal because he needs a touch to control the ball in most cases,if he gets over that,and I am sure they must be working on it, then we have a proper player on our hands.
  So its Mandeville for me, Alfie does his best work outside the box for me,and Mandeville is also good in that area as far as bringing other players into play is concerned, its the part in the box that gives him the nod.
  The other players in midfield are the ones that make the difference to  the front players getting the delivery into the box for them to feed off,and getting up alongside them when attacking.
  We have started to do this in the last few games,and is the reason Marquis has been looking better. The lad is working and playing no better now than earlier in the season, its the midfield that has stepped up and has given him a chance with players around him, Mandeville and Marquis will score goals if we start to play more games like we did last weekend.

[acko]

Oxford have the talented  Alex Mowatt in midfield.Alex was brought up as as my next door but one and the signs was always there.Whilst at leeds he made his debut against Rovers in a cup match.He was very close to a full England call up but suddenly his career went into free fall.going to Barnsley which didnt last long and now at Oxford.What goes wrong with these players hes not just a one off there has been others whose career goes into free fall when showing so much talent.

[RoversAlias]

Oxford have the talented  Alex Mowatt in midfield.Alex was brought up as as my next door but one and the signs was always there.Whilst at leeds he made his debut against Rovers in a cup match.He was very close to a full England call up but suddenly his career went into free fall.going to Barnsley which didnt last long and now at Oxford.What goes wrong with these players hes not just a one off there has been others whose career goes into free fall when showing so much talent.

Eh?

[selby]

  New managers who want their own players,a different playing style that does not suit the player, off the field issues, there are many reasons,most not the players fault,but bad man management,and lack of trust for youngsters to do the job week after week.
 

[the vicar]

How can you drop Beestin after he has been more or less MOTM in his last 2 games, he has earned his right.  Sorry Selby mate

[drfchound]

How can you drop Beestin after he has been more or less MOTM in his last 2 games, he has earned his right.  Sorry Selby mate

Beestin had a decent enough first half against Scunny but faded to almost no contribution before he was subbed.
Some distance behind Marquis,Blair and Rowe in the MoM stakes.

[RoversAlias]

I largely agree, although Beestin did set Rowe up for his second goal.

[Rovers91]

Can't drop Beestin after an average 45minutes, he's got the shirt now and after 4 assists in 3 games he deserves a run in the team.

[1879Rovers]

Oxford have the talented  Alex Mowatt in midfield.Alex was brought up as as my next door but one and the signs was always there.Whilst at leeds he made his debut against Rovers in a cup match.He was very close to a full England call up but suddenly his career went into free fall.going to Barnsley which didnt last long and now at Oxford.What goes wrong with these players hes not just a one off there has been others whose career goes into free fall when showing so much talent.

He is hardly getting a game, mainly coming off the bench, although he scored in midweek. The one lad to watch is Jack Payne. Midfielder on loan from Huddersfield.

[IDM]

I largely agree, although Beestin did set Rowe up for his second goal.

Did he?  Most of the build up play was great work by Rodney...

[selby]

 It is an easy question for me the manager has to answer,Which player is the most dangerous to the opposition?
  Who is the most likely to score? Who is the man in form?
   It is Mandeville,I dont expect it to happen but it should,another thing to consider is that it is an away match, at Rochdale apart from the ball to Mandeville to score,a movement that started with Mandeville passing to Khemis and carried on his run into space in the area from out wide left, Beestin did very little in the game, and was hardly any threat at all.
   The fact is in the last game and a half at home our better players in midfield have played well, with Coppinger,Rowe and Whiteman playing well add Blair getting forward in the wide position and the front men have at last had something to feed off.
  Rodney has also started to make runs through the midfield that has opened the game up for the front men,contrast that with  the so called turgid slow  play of earlier   in the season. The front men did not have a chance. Mandeville and Marquis were chosen then because they are our best in that position, they still are. 

[IDM]

I'm on the fence in respect of Beestin.  I only saw the Scunthorpe game and whilst he did contribute to the whole team effort, he did start to wane a bit in the second half, notably 2 or 3 miss-kicks that fortunately didn't come to anything.  However the way he chased down a long clearance to win an attacking throw in, when about to be substituted, was good to see.

Would I pick him first for a potentially tough league game, away from home?  Probably not..

The young players with good potential need game time.  Traditionally they would get their 20 mins or so as a sub after we were already 2 or 3 up.  It would be great to have that luxury now!

[RoversAlias]

I largely agree, although Beestin did set Rowe up for his second goal.

Did he?  Most of the build up play was great work by Rodney...

He sure did. Kongolo made the work down the right, passed it forward to Beestin who made a clever first-time lay-off to Rowe who then drove into the box and finished.

[les@donr]

Looked at Oxford's record this season at home, yet to beat a Northern team, best has been a draw. Please correct me if I'm wrong, don't we usually do well down there?

[Rovers91]

Not played them since the year we won division 3 have we? So that be 14 years ago.

[The Red Baron]

I remember that last meeting. A 0-0 draw and mystery man Chris Black's only appearance.

Also I remember taking an eternity to get out of the car park.

I'll be there tomorrow. A rare away day for me.

[Campsall rover]

Graham Rix was manager of Oxford and did we not win 1-0?
I was there at the match and I thought we won, but I might be wrong.

[NickDRFC]

0-0 draw but only because of the brilliance of their keeper. 3 or 4 very good saves. On his debut as well, if I recall correctly.

[Campsall rover]

Yes I remember their keeper having a blinder.

[les@donr]

Wasn't Graham Rix being investigated at the time for allegedly having under age sex?

[i_ateallthepies]

Looked at Oxford's record this season at home, yet to beat a Northern team, best has been a draw. Please correct me if I'm wrong, don't we usually do well down there?

That's us buggered then Les, we have a terrible habit of sorting out opponents' runs of bad form.