|
|
Post by headingtonoldboy on Jan 10, 2011 10:21:41 GMT
Played 23, points 32 and 10 th in the league.
If someone had told me this is where we would be now at the start of the season I would have bitten their hand off as I was a little concerned before the season started as to how we would get on. I have to admit that I was one of those who were beginning to doubt CW's credentials (shame on me) after those 5 straight losses and losing 7 out of 8 but the boss appears to have turned things round, steadied the ship and we are now seemingly heading in the right direction, and for that he deserves huge praise. We are still a long way from being the finished article, especially in defence where it has been no clean sheet for 17/18 games. Something to work on there. We seem to be getting things right in attack,scoring a few more goals and looking pretty decent going forward(with the exception of Southend and Gillingham) and have a pretty good squad in terms of size and strength. There is a lot to be hopeful for in the second half of the season. I still dont think we are quite good enough yet to reach the play-offs but who knows.IMO it has been a satisfactory first half back in the league.
|
|
|
|
Post by amarillo on Jan 10, 2011 10:46:49 GMT
Yep totally agree. I was 100% behind Wilder after the 5 straight defeats and will remain behind him the next time we go through a rough patch. Its been a fantastic turnaround since then. I agree we're probably not quite good enough for the play-offs, but mid-table would be very respectable and having consolidated, I'd fancy our chances of automatic promotion next season.
Finally after many many years we have a manager and backbone of the team that is not just for the present but also for the future.
|
|
|
|
Post by SuperOx on Jan 10, 2011 10:51:34 GMT
Nothing in this league has frightened me so far and I have seen 22 of the league games.
I thought Crewe played some good stuff and have several fine young players, Chesterfield have a good attacking force in Davies and Lester and Rotherham have Le Fondre and a cracking right winger. But other than that (perhaps Bury did OK against us) I think we have an outside chance of sneeking into a play off position.I feel Stevenage will come strong as they are so big and powerful and their cup exploits may give them added belief. We haven't played them yet but I reckon they will be really big tests for Oxford.
This is a crucial month for us with some big decisions on players needing to be made. Do CW and his staff believe they can kick on for another promotion? I think they do but it's clear - and CW alluded to it post match after Aldershot - that maybe the players lack a bit of belief as to how good they are. Will CW get the right backing is another question?
Personally I am pleased with our points haul and although we are two points of a play off spot,I am tending to look at the bottom half of the table rather than the top half as the league is tight and there is much of a muchness that any team can put a run together in the scond half of the season. Our home form has simply got to be better and the players have to be braver at home, assert themselves better and have more belief.
Six home losses is too many at the halfway stage and is a worry.
|
|
|
|
Post by Londonroader on Jan 10, 2011 11:29:16 GMT
Please do not raise expectation again, we are doing fine without setting this league on fire.
If the optimism and expectation came back, so will the moaning fest as well if we don't achieve!
|
|
|
|
Post by Brahma Bull on Jan 10, 2011 11:33:11 GMT
I went through a stage of changing my aspirations from one game to another. In November I started to look at achieving 50 points and this is our first target. So I am concerned with getting six more wins.
|
|
|
|
Post by Long Live Clarkey on Jan 10, 2011 12:31:37 GMT
Playoffs would be brilliant, and clearly Wilder is looking at them as his top target. Certainly well above our expectations though, which I imagine are somewhere around 15th with no real threat of relegation. The obvious prediction seems to be around 10th, but things are so tight that roughly 5 places either side could be decided by one or two matches.
|
|
|
|
Post by Gavin Archery on Jan 10, 2011 12:34:28 GMT
I went through a stage of changing my aspirations from one game to another. In November I started to look at achieving 50 points and this is our first target. So I am concerned with getting six more wins. You don't want much mate  |
|
|
|
Post by ConcreteBob on Jan 10, 2011 12:35:57 GMT
Well if we finish 10th this season i'll be more than happy.
|
|
|
|
Post by foghornleghorn on Jan 10, 2011 13:04:17 GMT
Played 23, points 32 and 10 th in the league. If someone had told me this is where we would be now at the start of the season I would have bitten their hand off as I was a little concerned before the season started as to how we would get on. I have to admit that I was one of those who were beginning to doubt CW's credentials (shame on me) after those 5 straight losses and losing 7 out of 8 but the boss appears to have turned things round, steadied the ship and we are now seemingly heading in the right direction, and for that he deserves huge praise. We are still a long way from being the finished article, especially in defence where it has been no clean sheet for 17/18 games. Something to work on there. We seem to be getting things right in attack,scoring a few more goals and looking pretty decent going forward(with the exception of Southend and Gillingham) and have a pretty good squad in terms of size and strength. There is a lot to be hopeful for in the second half of the season. I still dont think we are quite good enough yet to reach the play-offs but who knows.IMO it has been a satisfactory first half back in the league. I'm a little disappointed the original plan didn't pay off though. I liked the idea of a young, pacey squad a growing and developing together and at the start of the season they were playing well. I was pleased and surprised he went for that option but ultimately its about points so backfilling with more experience makes sense. |
|
|
|
Post by The Resurrection on Jan 10, 2011 13:35:32 GMT
Please do not raise expectation again, we are doing fine without setting this league on fire. If the optimism and expectation came back, so will the moaning fest as well if we don't achieve! Good Post. |
|
|
|
Post by scoob on Jan 10, 2011 18:42:34 GMT
I always thought that we would challenge for the play-offs and the steady start to the season with attractive play added to my expectations. However, like most people, I did start to wobble after travelling up to the Bradford game and the next four. I now feel that we can challenge for the rest of the season and hope we go for it without breaking the bank this month.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lone Gunman on Jan 10, 2011 20:12:10 GMT
Surely the most appropriate half term report for OUFC is the old classic,
...could do better...
...?...
|
|
|
|
Post by Long Live Clarkey on Jan 10, 2011 20:16:44 GMT
Surely the most appropriate half term report for OUFC is the old classic, ...could do better... ...?... Might want to throw in that we've got a good, honest bunch of lads too. |
|
|
|
Post by Millman on Jan 11, 2011 9:02:25 GMT
So far so good. Against weaker teams away we have enough to win. Against the better teams we can struggle especially at home. Tactically we are still very inflexible (see Charlie's post in the management section as to why this may be the reason for the home form) and a little bit found out. Our defence I think is being a little harshly treated given our system provides little cover against teams with wide players so put them under pressure. Having said that though we need to find a way to make it work to keep clean sheets. So it all points to mid table.
Squad wise I have to say is a little unbalanced currently. We lack a centerback. We have a surfeit of strikers and central midfielders and a lack of wide midfield players (thus limiting us to 433). Since the start of the season the balance of the squad has become worse. However what we have gained is a better mix in experience. What worries me here is that unless I have missed something Mclean is about to go back and without him I fear our attack is no where near as potent.
For me the level of football in this league seems better than I remember it when we were here last. Yet despite that most teams are of similar quality and none are outstanding. Our recent run while good has included three teams in the lower half of the league there will be much stronger tests to come. I feeling keeping Mclean is very important but even so we are heading for a safe mid table finish no more, we still have much to learn tactically especially at home.
|
|
