Let's talk about the Oxford United game

[selby]

  Tuesday coming up and another sleepless night expected. After watching todays game even I the eternal optimist am dreading this game, on the face of it they are far too strong for us, and certainly will be coming here licking their lips at the thought of some of the easiest three points on offer to them this season.
  Today I thought back during the game as far back as the Richardson era and our five years in The Conference and tried to think when we had had worse strikers, then I realised we haven't and Prince Moncrief was a better forward than we had on the field today, at least  he scored a few.
  Where do we go from here? Bogle and Williams perhaps? or two very young strikers? they could do no worse and are certainly more used to scoring goals, and would definitely make more options for the midfield players making more intelligent runs off the ball.
  They were the pits today, pinching a living, neither of them can be that bad given the teams they have played for in the past. An attitude problem then? not Bothered? if its that they want to move on if they don't want us, because it will do them no good and it certainly will not do this club any good if that is the total sum of their efforts today.
   So the same old questions what team? what would you do? have we a chance? can we improve ? the answer to the last two needs to be yes and quickly , the answer to the second I really don't know, the answer to the first is I have no idea.
  I would really like to see us go for our own youth big style, but without an u23s side it is a massive risk, especially against a good Oxford side.
  Until January there is not a lot any manager can do, we are stuck with the players we have the walking wounded and the junior team and those that have been given little runs out have not in any way  let anyone down, but the total sum of the group has been woefully short of being competitive at division 1 standard  and incapable of putting a good full game together, and when conceding fall completely off the rails.
  Lots to discuss about this game, if not to get excited about. Lots to  wonder what the hell we can do until the January window, who would want to come and be the new manager, and how quick could he be brought in. Please feel free to have your say.

[Donnywolf]

I too am eternal optist but reckon we will get panned

If we went "weak" today to save players for Oxford game I can't see why because we gave up a potential goldmine (remember Exeter) and I still reckon we will get rolled by Oxford

[steve@dcfd]

Unless Taylor and Close are fit which is doubtful listing to GMC on Friday then apart from Galbraith who could be the player who had a fitness test we got what we got. I expect a defeat. We can’t put Tommy further forward as we don’t have another player of the level we require. There is optimistic snd there’s realistic

[ColinDouglasHandshake]

Oxford have lost only once in their last 11 league games and that was against Plymouth. They have won 6 of those and also drawn with Sunderland, Rotherham and Ipswich in those 11.

Can't see anything other than a comprehensive demolition in this game although at best i reckon we could sneak a draw. I'll be optimistic and go 0-0 but even that isn't good enough given our parlous league position.

[Monkcaster_Rover]

First game for me in a few weeks due to life commitments etc.

We're gonna get pasted but I'll be gee-ing the boys up nevertheless.

UTR.

[anton123]

4-0 Oxford if we get lucky

[colincramb]

If we have the same line up as today we are getting battered. I just can’t see anyway how that 11 players can win that game.

[Bezza]

We could have our lowest crowd in a long time on Tuesday, it's hard to watch what we are serving up, weather not good and European games on TV , only the die hards are going to be there,

[Chris Black come back]

Their away record has picked up a bit recently but isn’t amazing. 8 away games in the league with only 2 wins, and  3 draws and 3 defeats. They’ve only managed a single clean sheet away from home all season, although they have scored in 6 of their 8 away league games.

[eastender]

Their away record has picked up a bit recently but isn’t amazing. 8 away games in the league with only 2 wins, and  3 draws and 3 defeats. They’ve only managed a single clean sheet away from home all season, although they have scored in 6 of their 8 away league games.

Their away record means nothing if were stuck with the same squad on Tuesday.
 Herbie , James Henry and Cameron Brannagan will rip us apart in midfield, i hate to think what the score could be if they score early and our heads go down.

[roversdude]

Can’t see anything other than a defeat
Listening to the interview with Gary Mc I think Bogle and Williams will be back in the fold - there is a meeting about team selection on Monday. He has nothing but praise for both of them and the way they’ve helped with the kids.
I don’t really get what the problem is with Taylor, was he bullied into coming back too soon ?

[Chris Black come back]

Liam Hoden saying Galbraith has a chance of being back for Oxford. Taylor is back seeing the specialist as he is not recovering properly. Seaman back doing light training and should be fit by end of month.

[roversdude]

That’s good news about Seaman as we need a right back
I’ve resigned myself to Taylor being out for the season anything earlier is a bonus.
Galbraith was a big miss yesterday really hope he’s back Tuesday

[ForsolongaRover]

You refer in your introduction to the attitude of the so-called strikers and it astounds me that that would not be an aspect of their character that would be checked out before they were recruited. Or is it possible that current club/1st team culture is what has caused this?

It is ironic that Bogle and Williams were singled out for just this.

Is it worth trying to turn it around or does the club effectively do what Wellens did to Bogle and Williams. It’s a crazy situation.

[ravenrover]

If neither Bogle or Williams are match fit, as not able to last 90mins then they should at least be on the bench. Sirely better to bring them on for 20-30mins than throw one of the youngsters on

[roversdude]

Agree Raven we’ve got to look at the best short term solution if that includes Bogle and Williams then so be it. OB must offer as much (at the least) as Thiago, who is a young player just starting out

[ColinDouglasHandshake]

Bogle on crutches is more of an attractive attacking option than Cukur.

[selby]

  If we play them and get five minutes out of them it is five minutes  more than we got out of our front two in the entire ninety minutes yesterday.

[Jonathan]

We are in such a desperate situation upfront that I can see that bringing back Bogle could marginally improve the options available to us. It’s that bad that we may well roll the dice.

However, I honestly think the younger lads are ahead of Ed Williams when it comes to the midfield berths, and I don’t see Ed Williams improving our attacking options.

[Chris Black come back]

If everyone is back fit, this would be quite a handy side.


Jones

Knoyle
Anderson
Olowu
John

Rowe
Bostock
Galbraith
Close
Taylor

Fejiri

[Campsall rover]

If everyone is back fit, this would be quite a handy side.


Jones

Knoyle
Anderson
Olowu
John

Rowe
Bostock
Galbraith
Close
Taylor

Fejiri

Please do not play John at left back.

[normal rules]

Match to be abandoned due to heavy rain is our best hope of any sort of outcome for tues night .

[donnyguy]

Weather warnings have been issued for Tuesday, strong winds have been forecast.

[Campsall rover]

As much as I agree that Wellens left himself no option but to leave Bogle on the sidelines i do now think we are in such a dire situation with our front players that as soon as Bogle is fit then he has to be given the opportunity to play.
We simply have nothing to lose at this stage.

[Campsall rover]

Weather warnings have been issued for Tuesday, strong winds have been forecast.

We need gale force ones to blow the bloody ball into the net.

[scawsby steve]

Freezing cold night, no transport. I'm afraid it's iFollow for me on Tuesday.

[ColinDouglasHandshake]

Match to be abandoned due to heavy rain is our best hope of any sort of outcome for tues night .

Or cheat like hell. Get 4 of their lads sent off and get the 3 points by default.   

If that is still how it works?

[Campsall rover]

Freezing cold night, no transport. I'm afraid it's iFollow for me on Tuesday.

Come on SS you can walk it’s only 4/5 miles from Scawsby.  Are you telling me it’s not worth walking that distance in the freezing cold and wet to watch our team.

Shame on you.        

[scawsby steve]

Freezing cold night, no transport. I'm afraid it's iFollow for me on Tuesday.

Come on SS you can walk it’s only 4/5 miles from Scawsby.  Are you telling me it’s not worth walking that distance in the freezing cold and wet to watch our team.

Shame on you.        

Spot on, Camps. The sad thing is that I actually do that regularly in normal circumstances, even when we're not doing well; but this team at the moment, well I'm sorry, but I just can't raise the enthusiasm to suffer the above mentioned.

[albie]

It would be madness to go ahead with this game, with Storm Barra forecast.

Putting people at risk travelling out on a night like this, and the liklihood of any football in these winds is zero.
Call it off early to prevent Oxford setting off, please do not wait until the last minute.