|
Post by Boogaloo on Sept 28, 2014 20:06:02 GMT
I am beginning to fear the worst now. I'm all for giving people a chance, but as attractive as the play is, it just isn't working. Attractive football is all well and good, but you need to something to show for it - i.e. points. Maybe at this level of football, the only way is to win ugly - like Wilder did, like Ian Atkins did. Unless you have some sugar-daddy at the helm spending well above their means, I can't see any other way, because those sort of players cost money - money that Crawley had an abundance of, and the Scum when Di Canio was in charge.
People say we're too good to go down - I seem to remember that same thing being said in the 2005-06. The fact is that at the moment we are bad enough to go down, as the table doesn't lie. That might change, but if things don't turn around by Christmas, then regrettably we need to start looking for a new manager - otherwise we will be playing Conference football next season.
|
|
|
Post by bicesteryellow on Sept 28, 2014 20:09:12 GMT
I think everyone should just accept that this season fu ck all will happen. We will play all our games, finish about 18th and then it will be summer. I cannot see us going down as this season there are too many showers of shit in this division. In other years, who knows? Maybe we would have done but this year we simply aren't sh it enough. Next summer we will build and sing players suited to our footballing style and then become a bit competitive again over time. 10th next season and maybe push for the playoffs the season after. I don't think we will get relegated. I just hope the crowds will increase this season as they are dropping at the moment, so we can have money to build in the summer next year for a better season than this. Crowds will increase when we start either scoring lots of goals or giving away tickets incredibly cheaply or drumming up publicity. The one thing people have been saying about Appleton's football increasing attendances is bullsh it unless we start scoring goals. It's nice to see my team putting in good performances and I believe that it will start driving us towards towards higher reaches of the table within two years, but floating fans don't give a sh it about passing. If that's what they were into we'd be getting a lot more by now, especially if we had a better publicity machine.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2014 20:10:45 GMT
I wouldn't get too despondent just yet. If we are going into the new year adrift of other sides then I would be worried.. We have a talented side who are still trying their best to play the right way and it will click. The 0-2 defeat probably wasn't unexpected for many on here. It was our worst defeat of the season. We are not getting thumped, but I sometimes wonder whether the Kassam is jinxed as our record at home has been woeful for ages. Maybe we need a new ground with atmosphere...I miss the Manor
|
|
|
Post by charliesghost on Sept 28, 2014 20:42:14 GMT
You've got it spot on there. None of our previous poor managers in Div 2, Rix, Talbot or Wright got us in the bottom 2. I think that Appleton is the only Oxford Manager to have done that at this stage of a season. The table is shaping up as we are nearly one quarter through the season. The club needs a wake up like you say, the 'arrogance and delusion' is very accurate. We are not a good team. A good team wins games. I think everyone should just accept that this season fu ck all will happen. We will play all our games, finish about 18th and then it will be summer. I cannot see us going down as this season there are too many showers of shit in this division. In other years, who knows? Maybe we would have done but this year we simply aren't sh it enough. Next summer we will build and sing players suited to our footballing style and then become a bit competitive again over time. 10th next season and maybe push for the playoffs the season after. I don't think we will get relegated. Hang on a second. You honestly, honestly think that coming 10th next season justifies losses of £4-5 million over 2 seasons? On which planet dost you live? This season our budget is now certainly a top 7 budget. Next season it will be at least likewise (provided they can dodge the FFP rules again). And you reckon that 10th (ie lower than we used to finish under Wilder with a much lower budget) is Ok? Jesus. I can only say that I earnestly hope and believe that Darryl Eales does not agree with you (from the sound of the Fans Forum). Because if we spend another 2 seasons in League 2 without threatening promotion I can assure you that our attendances will continue to decline, and our club will slowly die. Finishing 10th in League 2 next season would be an unmitigated failure.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2014 21:16:35 GMT
It's starting to feel like this manager is learning his trade with us.
From what I've read on here we seem to lack bite. We have about one victory in twenty games. And yet we have a plethora of short term contracts and loanees. Many of these guys probably don't expect to be with the club in May. So where is their motivation for a nasty dirty day out at Luton? I thought we'd learnt this already.
It's widely reported that there will be no plan b. When London Welsh get going on churning up the ground the resulting misplaced passes will decimate us on the counter attack with our full backs over committed.
As someone else mentioned it's not necessarily his fault his track record is iffy but there are no excuses this time and he is yet to show a club that he is any good. And my concern would be that come January, when the short term players return, we are going to need to splash some serious FFP threatening cash to ensure we are safe.
The quality of the individual's available you'd expect a heck of a lot more in terms of performance thus far
However it is ludicrous to be speaking if getting rid of him. Prior to yesterday we were unbeaten in 5 and showing small signs of life.
I guess my point is I hope he learns quickly, I hope Mickey is bold enough to challenge him on what league 2 is about, I hope fazakerly is as good as his cv and nurtures a wider spectrum of tactics and game plans
|
|
|
Post by fat bloke on Sept 29, 2014 13:00:17 GMT
Unbeaten in 5 games how many won? You cannot draw your way up the league.Kassam will still be bleeding this club into oblivion...As before been stated this league you cannot play your way out you have to battle/fight and hoof balls when the ground gets soggy which this lot have shown so far don't hold much hope at the moment.It's a shame that the players don't play as well as APPLETON talks!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2014 14:17:23 GMT
Wouldn't be surprised if we finish tenth this season, but I would really hope that we do better than the play offs assuming we are in this league then. We need to cut Appleton some slack as he has not much time in his role. The club has been radically overhauled. By Christmas we should have a very indication where Oxford are going
|
|
|
Post by bigfella72 on Sept 29, 2014 14:38:23 GMT
Only 5 wins of top spot!
|
|
|
Post by trainingcone on Sept 29, 2014 16:36:08 GMT
Only 5 wins of top spot! Means nothing unless the top teams are on a losing run, it would take two to three months for us winning week in week out to reach the top now.
|
|
|
Post by scotchegg on Sept 29, 2014 17:00:14 GMT
Only 5 wins of top spot! Means nothing unless the top teams are on a losing run, it would take two to three months for us winning week in week out to reach the top now. Glad some of us are finally sounding positive. I personally think 2 or 3 months of continuous wins is beyond us at the moment but I admire your optimism.
|
|
|
Post by myles on Sept 29, 2014 17:25:09 GMT
Means nothing unless the top teams are on a losing run, it would take two to three months for us winning week in week out to reach the top now. Glad some of us are finally sounding positive. I personally think 2 or 3 months of continuous wins is beyond us at the moment but I admire your optimism. 2 or 3 games of continuous wins would be a nice start.
|
|
|
Post by scotchegg on Sept 29, 2014 17:36:40 GMT
It would be a great start. The old cliché of taking things one game at a time apply more than ever right now, but 2 or 3 wins would settle the nerves and buy us a little breathing space.
|
|
|
Post by bigfella72 on Sept 30, 2014 10:49:42 GMT
Only 5 wins of top spot! Means nothing unless the top teams are on a losing run, it would take two to three months for us winning week in week out to reach the top now. OMG!
|
|
|
Post by barmyarmy on Sept 30, 2014 12:10:09 GMT
Interesting comments about our style of play not being suited to the likely state of our pitch in the coming months and us having to resort to hoof ball. How did Wilders style of hoof ball serve us last year and the year before when the pitch turned to shit? Didnt he blame the pitch several times for his style of play not working? I certainly remember Fleetwood passing us off the pitch one evening as they cantered towards 3 points.....
|
|
|
Post by oufcrealist on Sept 30, 2014 13:35:26 GMT
Interesting comments about our style of play not being suited to the likely state of our pitch in the coming months and us having to resort to hoof ball. How did Wilders style of hoof ball serve us last year and the year before when the pitch turned to shit? Didnt he blame the pitch several times for his style of play not working? I certainly remember Fleetwood passing us off the pitch one evening as they cantered towards 3 points.....We have 'passed' several teams off the pitch this season and not won. Pretty passing football alone will not win you games, there has to be an end product. Whether playing this style or CW's hoofball you have to score goals and we just haven't scored enough using either style. It has been our problem for several years.
|
|
|
Post by uptheus on Oct 1, 2014 6:43:28 GMT
Interesting comments about our style of play not being suited to the likely state of our pitch in the coming months and us having to resort to hoof ball. How did Wilders style of hoof ball serve us last year and the year before when the pitch turned to shit? Didnt he blame the pitch several times for his style of play not working? I certainly remember Fleetwood passing us off the pitch one evening as they cantered towards 3 points.....We have 'passed' several teams off the pitch this season and not won. Pretty passing football alone will not win you games, there has to be an end product. Whether playing this style or CW's hoofball you have to score goals and we just haven't scored enough using either style. It has been our problem for several years. Mentioned to MApp my concerns re our style of football when the pitches start to deteriorate in the winter months and he said that they train on poor pitches so they're used to it! Not sure that completely replicates a poor pitch in in winter, but there you go.
|
|
|
Post by fishpaste on Oct 1, 2014 15:33:51 GMT
I just don't get this notion that a team can not play passing football in winter. Didn't Chesterfield, Rochdale, Fleetwood, Gillingham, Rotherham, Port Vale, Swi**on, Shrewsbury, Crawley, Bury and Wycombe play a passing game that won promotion from League 2?
|
|
|
Post by winchesterox on Oct 1, 2014 15:40:42 GMT
Incidentally, I was at a conference game last night (Eastleigh vs BRFC) and I am more sure that I don't want to go back to non-league again. A lot of endeavour but not much of a spectacle for the neutral (although Brizzle had 2 sent off). No Constable or Yemi (both injured), but Midson played before being subbed. He seemed fairly average to be honest, the MoM was Jai Reason but I thought Craig McAllister was better.
|
|
|
Post by bristoloxman on Oct 1, 2014 20:31:01 GMT
Interesting comments about our style of play not being suited to the likely state of our pitch in the coming months and us having to resort to hoof ball. How did Wilders style of hoof ball serve us last year and the year before when the pitch turned to shit? Didnt he blame the pitch several times for his style of play not working? I certainly remember Fleetwood passing us off the pitch one evening as they cantered towards 3 points.....We have 'passed' several teams off the pitch this season and not won. Pretty passing football alone will not win you games, there has to be an end product. Whether playing this style or CW's hoofball you have to score goals and we just haven't scored enough using either style. It has been our problem for several years. Exactly, my reserve team played my first team at training last night and the first team whip it about, fancy turns and flicks and keep possession but the ressies dig in and get behind the ball and play more direct. ressies won 3-0....
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2014 7:13:31 GMT
To be honest the only pitch I have seen which is worse then our one in the last two years has been Newport.
The style of football will be fine in the winter it's that attitude and approach to the game which needs to be readjusted.
Some fight and steel in the team spirit and it will be fine. At the moment we are an example of what would happen if that stupid idea of Liverpool/Chelsea B teams played in league two would be like.
Need to be more streetwise. That doesn't mean we have to launch a football 100 yards every time we have it. It does mean that when there is a 50/50 our player should steam train into it.
That would be a start
|
|
|
Post by backtobasics on Oct 2, 2014 8:49:46 GMT
Here we are, approaching a quarter of the way through the season and only one win to our name. ...But ignore the stats, we are told we are playing the "right way" so no need to worry. A run of 10 straight wins is just around the corner. I hate that expression; "playing the right way". Teams playing the "wrong way" are beating us with ease. Surely the right way to play is the winning way. I know some people on here won't tolerate any negative comments but it is always jam tomorrow for them. Let's wait until it is too late and then decide. The fans are losing patience and many are voting with their feet. We need a turn around soon even if it means playing the wrong way. Appy's League record at OUFC says it all: WINS 10% DRAWS 40% LOSSES 50%Time to get results or get someone that can pretty soon! The pretty football philosophy on its own will not save us from the conference.History shows good football teams get relegated. Good football alone does not guarantee positive results. The record books don't tend to record the good football on view, just a win, loss or draw. The good football must be mixed with grit and determination to succeed, team work pressing the opposition backwards to create chances on goal and not forgetting essential defensive discipline that OUFC this season seem to have lacked alarmingly! Building an all round successful football team starts from the back with strong defensive foundations. In my view, Appy will have to mix it up to get the results desired and the points necessary to retain football league status. Definitely in the short term only wins will do nothing else!
|
|