Let's talk about the Oxford united game

[sedwardsdrfc]

it's old ground now though i think we'd all agree. I don't get the need to bring it up at every occasion i think everyone knows the summer wasn't great and we didn't get the quality needed in for a top six push. it is what it is now

[Alan Southstand]

I believe it was Moore that changed his mind on those deals

Well, you’d believe wrong. It was reported by Liam Hoden only a few days ago - it had nothing to do with DM.

[dickos1]

I’d believe who told me over Liam Hoden

[Alan Southstand]

Please yourself.

[Bezza]

Against Sunderland our defence was way to deep, allowing them to much room to play in, against Oxford we can't do the same or we will be in trouble again, hopefully Moore will put this right,

[Michael Shaw]

Don't Rovers always play an attacking style rather than a balanced style and other clubs know it? An attacking style makes it a more exciting game to watch but clubs know how to hit us on the break because we commit too many players. I don't think DM has any plan B so clubs know what to expect. He is not astute in using subs at the right time either, but that's only my opinion. The clubs that get promoted often win by scores of just 1-0 rather than going for a goal fest in every game. I think the slide down league one will just continue with the next two games.

[Campsall rover]

Don't Rovers always play an attacking style rather than a balanced style and other clubs know it? An attacking style makes it a more exciting game to watch but clubs know how to hit us on the break because we commit too many players. I don't think DM has any plan B so clubs know what to expect. He is not astute in using subs at the right time either, but that's only my opinion. The clubs that get promoted often win by scores of just 1-0 rather than going for a goal fest in every game. I think the slide down league one will just continue with the next two games.

Wouldn’t really expect you to say anything else Michael. Some of us have glasses half full and some of us have glasses half empty.
That doesn’t mean i will be right and you wrong of course.
It’s just a mindset and having a positive outlook.
The players will not be thinking they are going to lose when the step on to the Keepmoat turf.
If they do then we ARE doomed.
How many gave us a sniff against Peterborough. Yet we made them look like a league 2 team.

I think in the 2nd half of the season we may pick up as many or even more points away from home.
Teams come to the Moat with a solid game plan which we are finding difficult to overcome.
We will get more space in away games which will suit our formation and counter attacking ability.

[IDM]

I can’t believe folks are still harping on about the lack of signing a number 9 in summer..

Do we want any player, or the player DM wants.?

And before anyone retorts, yes I would have rather we signed a decent striker and not had to rely on pickings from free agents.  Then again, how different would things have been had Sterling and Ennis not been injured.?

We move on, if we accept what’s been said in the last day or so, we can expect incoming players and soon.

As for tomorrow, as unpopular as it may be with many fans, I can see Thomas starting ahead of Ennis simply because the young lad needs recovery time IMHO.  Sheaf and James in for me also.

This is a game where we need to be strong and battle for every second ball.  A fighting low score draw would be a decent result, even a 0-0, and a win an improbable bonus.

I’m not usually of a defensive mindset but my first aim for tomorrow would be keeping a clean sheet.

[Campsall rover]

I can’t believe folks are still harping on about the lack of signing a number 9 in summer..

Do we want any player, or the player DM wants.?

And before anyone retorts, yes I would have rather we signed a decent striker and not had to rely on pickings from free agents.  Then again, how different would things have been had Sterling and Ennis not been injured.?

We move on, if we accept what’s been said in the last day or so, we can expect incoming players and soon.

As for tomorrow, as unpopular as it may be with many fans, I can see Thomas starting ahead of Ennis simply because the young lad needs recovery time IMHO.  Sheaf and James in for me also.

This is a game where we need to be strong and battle for every second ball.  A fighting low score draw would be a decent result, even a 0-0, and a win an improbable bonus.

I’m not usually of a defensive mindset but my first aim for tomorrow would be keeping a clean sheet.

The 1st part of that post i agree totally IDM
Regarding tomorrow i would love a clean sheet of course but think we need to be positive and impose ourselves on the game.
Oxford are a good side in good form but they are no world beaters.
Can also see Thomas starting to give Ennis a rest. We need him fit for our congested schedule in January, February, March & April.
Definitely Sheaf in for Gomes. We need a ball winner. Gomes is not that man.

[Donnywolf]

Never mind at least we have a good Ref

https://www.drfc-vsc.co.uk/index.php?topic=269938.msg857900#msg857900

[Jonathan]

If we had another striker then resting Ennis would probably be wise. But we don’t, so Ennis has to start if we are to have a chance of taking something from the game.

[steve@dcfd]

Well I’ve been told by someone who knows

A friend of mine who regularly speaks with GB also suggested the same to me.

But surely GB would not criticise the manager how we sign players to a member of the public.
You also have to question other insiders who let it be known that not signing players was the managers fault

[Colemans Left Hook]

just an observation
Oxford walloped Rovers 3-0 and have kept on upward
Gillingham also walloped Rovers 3-0 and have been in good form for a long while now
so with hindsight those results look "slightly" less bad.

if Rovers had drawn both Christmas matches there would be an air of confidence about the club. Even if they drew all 3 matches "there would still be an air of confidence" . So wednesday can be thought as a "freebie" with 3 points in the bag ? ???

with the wall of signings coming 

[Campsall rover]

just an observation
Oxford walloped Rovers 3-0 and have kept on upward
Gillingham also walloped Rovers 3-0 and have been in good form for a long while now
so with hindsight those results look "slightly" less bad.

if Rovers had drawn both Christmas matches there would be an air of confidence about the club. Even if they drew all 3 matches "there would still be an air of confidence" . So wednesday can be thought as a "freebie" with 3 points in the bag ? ???

with the wall of signings coming 

You would have thought with that defeat to Sunderland the world had caved in reading some of the posts.

How many people would have taken 4 points from the 3 holiday games?
A draw tomorrow and that’s 4  A win, yes it’s possible, it really is, would give us 6
I always knew my maths wasn’t that bad. 

[Filo]

just an observation
Oxford walloped Rovers 3-0 and have kept on upward
Gillingham also walloped Rovers 3-0 and have been in good form for a long while now
so with hindsight those results look "slightly" less bad.

if Rovers had drawn both Christmas matches there would be an air of confidence about the club. Even if they drew all 3 matches "there would still be an air of confidence" . So wednesday can be thought as a "freebie" with 3 points in the bag ? ???

with the wall of signings coming 

You would have thought with that defeat to Sunderland the world had caved in reading some of the posts.

How many people would have taken 4 points from the 3 holiday games.
A draw tomorrow and that’s 4  A win yes it’s possible it really is would give us 6
I always knew my maths wasn’t that bad. 

I’m not sure the defeat bothers most people, it is the manner of the defeat that does, where was the endeavour and desire that DM talks about in every interview, it was missing big time despite DM saying it was there

[Chris Black come back]

Their recent away record in League One is unfortunately very good - last 8 away games has seen 4 wins, 3 draws and only one defeat.

[RoversAlias]

just an observation
Oxford walloped Rovers 3-0 and have kept on upward
Gillingham also walloped Rovers 3-0 and have been in good form for a long while now
so with hindsight those results look "slightly" less bad.

if Rovers had drawn both Christmas matches there would be an air of confidence about the club. Even if they drew all 3 matches "there would still be an air of confidence" . So wednesday can be thought as a "freebie" with 3 points in the bag ? ???

with the wall of signings coming 

You would have thought with that defeat to Sunderland the world had caved in reading some of the posts.

How many people would have taken 4 points from the 3 holiday games?
A draw tomorrow and that’s 4  A win, yes it’s possible, it really is, would give us 6
I always knew my maths wasn’t that bad. 

Considering three of the four games have been at home, presuming you mean the holiday games are Accrington, Peterborough, Sunderland and Oxford, then I'm not sure how we can say we'd be happy with four points? Seven minimum when you've got three home games in four.

We should have beaten Accrington. We should have played better against Sunderland. Tomorrow remains to be seen. The Posh result and performance were obviously terrific. I do agree that our world is not caving in, far from it. But we should have done better in our recent home games.

[Campsall rover]

Accrington was not included Alias.
I did say the 3 holiday games.

[drfchound]

Well I’ve been told by someone who knows

A friend of mine who regularly speaks with GB also suggested the same to me.

But surely GB would not criticise the manager how we sign players to a member of the public.
You also have to question other insiders who let it be known that not signing players was the managers fault

Steve, the person that told me does some work for the club.
Obviously I don’t know why GB would tell him what he did but my friend has no reason to to fib about it.

[selby]

  Surely if Darren Moore is unsure any deal lined up is right for the club, he is entitled to refuse to sanction it going through as he ultimately would carry the can for mistakes.
  Whatever the time line of his chances of signing players before the season started,which  by any notion was short. I defend his right to look at what was available in the squad he inherited, and to try and get in the players he himself wants at the club.
   My own take is that I will judge him as a first team manager playing wise after the first couple of months of next season, as right from the start of this season I only had hopes of a rebuilding season first team wise, but was hoping for a cup run of sorts, and at most flirting with a playoff place, which is still not completely out of reach, but would require us to have a good run of results from here on in.
   The underbelly of the playing staff at youth, reserve level, and coaching staff, now has a progressive structure and is much improved both in quality  and numbers who may have a future in professional football hopefully at this club and we become less reliable on cast offs from other clubs.
  Darren has now the chance in this transfer window, and at the end of this season to put his own stamp on our first team future, and I have every confidence in his ability and ambition to do so. I find the questioning of him being given time to do so on other threads on this forum, at least uninformed, and to my mind idiotic.

[steve@dcfd]

Well I’ve been told by someone who knows

A friend of mine who regularly speaks with GB also suggested the same to me.

But surely GB would not criticise the manager how we sign players to a member of the public.
You also have to question other insiders who let it be known that not signing players was the managers fault

Steve, the person that told me does some work for the club.
Obviously I don’t know why GB would tell him what he did but my friend has no reason to to fib about it.

Fair enough as you say don’t why GB would say anything.

[wabtec]

At the risk of being asked what planet i,m on,and upsetting Roversdude I,ll have my say.we went to Oxford and they are the best team i have seen in league one they were all over us for the whole of the match,don,t think we had any good spells in the match,they have got good players all over the pitch,they haven,t got a Thomas or Bingham.If we get anything today it will be a good result.

[steve@dcfd]

Even without Thomas and Bingham we haven’t got the front players to score enough goals especially against teams who work hard and press. It’s easy to  blame Thomas and Bingham but we were no good against Sunderland apart from one move when our supposedly best front four where playing. This transfer window may change that and give us better options.

[Campsall rover]

Come on the lads today. Let’s show Oxford the real DRFC the one we turned out on Boxing Day.
If we get beaten giving 100% and are 2nd best then fair play to Oxford.

But I think we might just spring a surprise today. Believe Believe. That’s what DM I hope will be saying in the pre match talk.

 

[steve@dcfd]

The team we  played on Boxing Day conceded 7 goals in two games and didn’t score. Oxford area different team altogether.

[IDM]

The team we  played on Boxing Day conceded 7 goals in two games and didn’t score. Oxford area different team altogether.

Peterborough also score plenty of goals, yet bagged none against us in two games..

Our win on Boxing Day shouldn’t be played down because posh lost badly in the next game too..

[Colemans Left Hook]

The team we  played on Boxing Day conceded 7 goals in two games and didn’t score. Oxford area different team altogether.

Peterborough also score plenty of goals, yet bagged none against us in two games..

Our win on Boxing Day shouldn’t be played down because posh lost badly in the next game too..

watch these goals then try to keep a straight face and let's have your response   own goal to make it 2-0 : own goal for 3-0: out of this world goal for 4-0:
https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/11897810/rotherham-4-0-peterborough

football results lie sometimes

[PDX_Rover]

Get in there... excellent win against a very, very good Oxford side. Brilliant defending.

[Rovers91]

Cracking result that and cracking effort to stop them from scoring.

[Chris Black come back]

6 points from those 9 and to lose only by one goal against Sunderland is not a bad return for Christmas.