Let's talk about the Oxford United game

[RedJ]

  I am not interested in the competition, the club I support fielded tin pot teams and were not good enough to progress. I am interested in the better form however being shown by our next league opposition and how the game was going for them, and if they had picked up any injuries etc.
 However I have to report that they used the competition to get returning players who are important to their first team game time, one of them was the star of the show,their team got a good victory, making it one loss in fifteen games  in all competitions, and their fans are as pleased as punch over the progress their team is making after a bad start to the season.
 And it looks like their fringe players can actually be part of a winning team, and we could have done with having a fixture against them earlier in the season.

Selby, why are you obsessing about the opposition ? Have you not noticed the run we are on?

Exactly. If we play our game then b*llocks to the opposition.

[selby]

RJ,you have just made any coaching manuals irrelevant with one word, brilliant. don't bother about the opposition, that's a new one.

[RedJ]

Not though is it. England made the semi final of the World Cup with the philosophy that we'd play the same way regardless of who we played.

[selby]

 Are you seriously saying that England went into a  world cup semi- final without a game plan, when they flew to a different camp and trained behind closed doors.
   The mind Boggles.

[Alan Southstand]

Latest form guide makes for some interesting reading:

Form: Last 10 matches (HOME AND AWAY)
                 GP   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD   Pts
1   Luton    10   8   1   1   26   7   +19   25
2   Sunderland   10   7   3   0   21   9   +12   24
3   Charlton           10   7   1   2   17   7   +10   22
4   Portsmouth   10   6   3   1   15   8   +7   21
5   Wycombe           10   6   2   2   18   12   +6   20
6   Oxford Utd   10   5   4   1   18   10   +8   19
7   Blackpool           10   6   0   4   13   12   +1   18
8   Doncaster           10   5   2   3   19   12   +7   17

Not much between us over the last 10 matches! Luton are absolutely on fire right now.

[RedJ]

Are you seriously saying that England went into a  world cup semi- final without a game plan, when they flew to a different camp and trained behind closed doors.
   The mind Boggles.

I'm saying they went into the game with the same game plan they'd had in every game so far. They didn't change the way they played. Maybe if you read what I wrote instead of trying to put words in my mouth or invent points I've made.

[selby]

 Watching the highlights of their 3-0 victory v Spurs U21's, all three goals were the result of set pieces, one free kick and two corners. The third goal was downright bad defending, but the other two were a near post header well taken, and another just a ball into the mix in the six yard area, although there looked to be a big height advantage to Oxford.
  Just like against Peterborough they look dangerous from range in front of goal with free kicks, making the keeper work. They obviously have confidence in front of goal and our defenders will have to be on their metal, with their wide players having pace on the counter.
  I have confidence that at our best we are a match for anyone in this division, this mabe one of the games where we have to be to succeed, and I am looking forward to this one, it should be a good game.

[Campsall rover]

I presume you mean Spurs not Cambridge Brian. 

[RoversAlias]

Surely he meant Oxford? Why would he get Cambridge mixed up with Spurs.

[Campsall rover]

Surely he meant Oxford? Why would he get Cambridge mixed up with Spurs.

Just the way I read it although you are probably right.

[selby]

  Well done, you spotted the deliberate mistake.  JUST TESTING

[BillyStubbsTears]

Looking forward to this one. We’re home for Christmas and this will be my 8 year old’s first Rovers game in person. He can’t wait. We watch on iPlayer every game. Bit of a rite of passage for him. I’ll be remembering my first game with my Dad back at OBV in 1974... I was hooked and never looked back.

Aye.

Dads are t**ts aren't they?

[selby]

  Really looking forward to this game now, after the great news about Herbie resigning to the end of the season.
   Not the easiest of fixtures knowing their recent results, but the sort of difficult fixture we need to get something out of if we are to challenge at the top end of the division.
   Fleetwood and Gillingham away are not fixtures we have found easy to get a lot from in the past, so this little run of fixtures could give us a good indication of just what chances we have of challenging at the top of this division.
   I am confident we can, and am looking forward to the challenge in front of us.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

It's Christmas, it's match day, it's Copps 600th, it's Herbie's singing on day. We have the best striker in League One. We're playing the best football for years. So many reason to be cheerful!

How dare Oxford spoil the party!

[drfchound]

I wish you sat near me in the ground.

[selby]

  Pay a bit more you tight bugger and sit with Wolfie, and don't forget a bag of sweets if you do.

[selby]

  I have just been on the Oxford forum and there is a couple of stats on there.
      They have not won an away fixture in the league this season.
      Their last away victory in a league game was last season 1-0 at the Keepmoat Doncaster.
       The only away victory in a league fixture since Robinson took over as manager was at the Keepmoat Doncaster.
                  OH NOooooo           

[selby]

  Exactly the type of game I expected knowing the management team in charge at Oxford, cynical, disruptive, slow the pace of the game down, and target the oppositions better players.
  Funnily enough I also thought it spoiled their chances of winning the game, as when they did get possession they looked very capable of causing us a lot of trouble, but spoiled their own game with silly theatricals, that with a stronger official could have resulted in more than one second booking.
   They were very adept at stopping us playing with any rhythm, and we were not at it like in the last few games. Looking on the bright side we didn't lose when not playing very well, in the past we would have lost that game comfortably, but this team now has the ability to get points when not at their best, not a bad trait to have.
  As I have alluded to before, I see this and the other two holiday fixtures as our biggest test of the season, and expect much the same approach from Fleetwood and Gillingham in those games against us.
  Still on an unbeaten run, and more positives from the game than negatives for me,  hopefully no really bad injuries  take the point and on to Fleetwood.

[Colemans Left Hook]

just seen oxford got beat at home 2-0 by BRISTOL ROVERS

after getting beat also at home 1-0 to Southend

and some of us including yours truely thought their might have been some green shoots there for them -- meaning Rovers might have come up against an improving side

[drfchound]

Yep.
Portsmouth won at Fleetwood who battered us last week BUT we battered Gillingham who beat Portsmouth last week.

These things happen.

[Campsall rover]

If all the results were predictable it would be awfully boring.

[BillyStubbsTears]

If all the results were predictable it would be awfully boring.

Aye. It would be the PL. For the most part. Dullest league in the country in terms of real competition.

Before today, Arsenal were averaging 2 points per game. Which is title-winning form in most English divisions.

They are currently 16 points behind the league leaders.