Oxford 0 v 2 Rovers

[07.05.16]

Cracking win vs an in-form side. Perfect away performance, on the back of a dominant performance at Bolton, where we really should have won. I thought Oxford were quite poor, though a brilliant save from Lumley on HT ensured we went in 0-2 up.

We've won 5/5 games against fellow promoted sides, scoring 14 and conceding only 3. 4 wins in a row for us at the Kassam. Looking at our fixtures, I think we could go on a run considering our new-found solid defense.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Poor form to start the thread after you've won!

Got what we deserved today. Didn't show any sort of aggression or fight and were happy to play head tennis. Don't create enough at home and haven't for a while - missed Maguire and Hall big time. Defence at sixes and sevens without Nelson.

For Rovers, I was really impressed by Sinclair. Big team at the back and we always struggle against you lot under Clarke. That's 0 points from 5 games against the promoted sides this year.

Great effort from your fans too. Thought we could have had an actual atmosphere but the goal killed the buzz in our end.

 

[Robie]

I can't even remember a save just a long shot hitting the post. What a lack luster performance.

 

[Gashead]

I assume the likes of Hemmings, Maguire etc. are still regulars at Ox? Saw they were out before the game, and Oxford looked pretty poor creatively, only the bloke from Everton looked dangerous.

Still, not an amazing performance but solid, which is great to see given where we were 2 or 3 months ago

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Maguire, Hall and Nelson all key players who missed today through injury. Hemmings doesn't play every minute but would probably have featured at some point.

We have a small squad and it certainly looked a bit bare yesterday but we've been getting away with it so far.

 

[GasAttacK]

Turned out to be a very comforable win as we controlled the game from start to finish. Should really have made more of some great attacking situations in the second half to finish the game off.

Oxford had 2 or 3 out and it was clearly an off day for them but you can only beat what's in front of you and the boys put in a great high energy performance to deservedly take the points.

 

[ComeOnIrene]

I've seen a few comments from Oxford fans claiming our style of play is 'horrible'.

The performance yesterday was not representative of how we usually play - at home we tend to play some really good football. DC treats each game as a project and came up with a game-plan that was going to make life difficult for you and it worked a treat. Oxford couldn't hack it when we pressed high and suffocated them in midfield and that's how we were able to nullify their threats completely and score our two goals.

I know they were missing a few players which may have hindered them somewhat, but that wasn't why they lost. They lost because Clarke outsmarted Appleton tactically.

 

[07.05.16]

I've seen a few comments from Oxford fans claiming our style of play is 'horrible'.

The performance yesterday was not representative of how we usually play - at home we tend to play some really good football. DC treats each game as a project and came up with a game-plan that was going to make life difficult for you and it worked a treat. Oxford couldn't hack it when we pressed high and suffocated them in midfield and that's how we were able to nullify their threats completely and score our two goals.

I know they were missing a few players which may have hindered them somewhat, but that wasn't why they lost. They lost because Clarke outsmarted Appleton tactically.

Exactly, we aren't going to play tippy-tappy neat football when they clearly stuggle against physical sides.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

I've seen a few comments from Oxford fans claiming our style of play is 'horrible'.

The performance yesterday was not representative of how we usually play - at home we tend to play some really good football. DC treats each game as a project and came up with a game-plan that was going to make life difficult for you and it worked a treat. Oxford couldn't hack it when we pressed high and suffocated them in midfield and that's how we were able to nullify their threats completely and score our two goals.

I know they were missing a few players which may have hindered them somewhat, but that wasn't why they lost. They lost because Clarke outsmarted Appleton tactically.

If anyone wondered what a Bristol Rovers fan arguing with himself looks like, this is pretty much the textbook.

 

[miagsygas]

We've had times when we've played teams and they've said we were one of the best sides they've played against. We've had times that teams like Oxford said we outbattle them and are just strong and physical. I take that as a complement and DC would love it. Although to be honest, a lot of Oxford fan views I've seen after the game has had an element of the bitter about them, which I've possibly enjoyed more

 

[ComeOnIrene]

If anyone wondered what a Bristol Rovers fan arguing with himself looks like, this is pretty much the textbook.

What are you on about Tinpot?

We tend to play good attacking football at home, but each game is a project so if DC decides a team can't defend against strong, physical opponents then that's exactly how we'll play.

Most of your fans have been so bitter that I wanted to point out we only play like that against teams like yours that can't hack it!

 

[MarioBalotelli]

If anyone wondered what a Bristol Rovers fan arguing with himself looks like, this is pretty much the textbook.

Aren't you the best side promoted from League 2? Cause the League 2 mini-league looks like this.
Gas P5 W5 D0 L0 F14 A3 GD+11 Pts15
Dons P4 W2 D1 L1 F5 A4 GD+1 Pts7
Northampton P4 W1 D1 L2 F3 A9 Pts4
Oxford P5 W0 D0 L5 F3 A10 GD-7 Pts0

And what is it with you and Swindon claiming to be the pride of the west country? Thanks for the 12 points lads.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

What are you on about Tinpot?
Most of your fans have been so bitter that I wanted to point out we only play like that against teams like yours that can't hack it!

No fan on here has been bitter. Or said anything nasty about your beloved side. You're arguing with yourself. Still.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Aren't you the best side promoted from League 2? Cause the League 2 mini-league looks like this.
Gas P5 W5 D0 L0 F14 A3 GD+11 Pts15
Dons P4 W2 D1 L1 F5 A4 GD+1 Pts7
Northampton P4 W1 D1 L2 F3 A9 Pts4
Oxford P5 W0 D0 L5 F3 A10 GD-7 Pts0

And what is it with you and Swindon claiming to be the pride of the west country? Thanks for the 12 points lads.

I think that rather than looking at a random and made up league table, we base it on always finishing above you, always going further in the cups, and our best players being sold for literally ten times what your best players are sold for.

As for the West Country, nothing to do with us and you're welcome to it. I don't think Oxford as a city needs to worry too much about Bristol for legacy

 

[Gassy]

I think that rather than looking at a random and made up league table, we base it on always finishing above you, always going further in the cups, and our best players being sold for literally ten times what your best players are sold for.

As for the West Country, nothing to do with us and you're welcome to it. I don't think Oxford as a city needs to worry too much about Bristol for legacy

Best post of the season, this.

Let's just get this straight, Oxford got to round 5 of the FA cup this season, finished 2 points above us last season and didn't have a release clause on Roofe or whatever his name was.

Suddenly, you have "always" finished above us and "always" got further in the cups... F*** me, this is coming from an Oxford fan. #massive #shortmemory

 

[miagsygas]

Best post of the season, this.

Let's just get this straight, Oxford got to round 5 of the FA cup this season, finished 2 points above us last season and didn't have a release clause on Roofe or whatever his name was.

Suddenly, you have "always" finished above us and "always" got further in the cups... F*** me, this is coming from an Oxford fan. #massive #shortmemory

Better manager, better players and can still beat them after selling our "best player" for peanuts and not even replacing him.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Best post of the season, this.

Let's just get this straight, Oxford got to round 5 of the FA cup this season, finished 2 points above us last season and didn't have a release clause on Roofe or whatever his name was.

Suddenly, you have "always" finished above us and "always" got further in the cups... F*** me, this is coming from an Oxford fan. #massive #shortmemory

I might be wrong but I think we finished above you the year before last and got further in the league cup too.

Given that this is a discussion about Appleton vs Clarke, and he wasn't our manager before that, it'd be bloody silly to talk about earlier years. We weren't the best team in L2 before Appleton, everyone knows that. I think you're on the wind up pal.

Oh and we all know Ox will finish above Rovers this year too.

 

[GasAttacK]

Oxford may finish above us, they may not. It will be fairly close as it was last season. They're not a bad side because the league position doesn't lie at this stage and they've done pretty well, as have we.

What I would say is that we've won the last 3 meetings and even outplayed them with 10 men when we lost to a Roofe screamer early last season at the Mem. DC doesn't always get his tactics right and I'm sure Appleton doesn't either but DC got it spot on this weekend which led to a very comfortable win and a well deserved 3 points.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Oxford may finish above us, they may not. It will be fairly close as it was last season. They're not a bad side because the league position doesn't lie at this stage and they've done pretty well, as have we.

What I would say is that we've won the last 3 meetings and even outplayed them with 10 men when we lost to a Roofe screamer early last season at the Mem. DC doesn't always get his tactics right and I'm sure Appleton doesn't either but DC got it spot on this weekend which led to a very comfortable win and a well deserved 3 points.

Wouldn't disagree. I've seen all of our losses to you under Clarke and all my posts on here have broadly been: we got what we deserved.

There's a strong part of your support that can't accept that and needs everyone to be rubbing their tummies and patting their heads and telling them what a brave little team they are though, and that's a bit tedious.

Coming on here whining about what other Oxford fans have said in other imagined corners of the Internet like we are one jointly accountable and homogenous mass is not going to be taken seriously.

 

[miagsygas]

Wouldn't disagree. I've seen all of our losses to you under Clarke and all my posts on here have broadly been: we got what we deserved.

There's a strong part of your support that can't accept that and needs everyone to be rubbing their tummies and patting their heads and telling them what a brave little team they are though, and that's a bit tedious.

Coming on here whining about what other Oxford fans have said in other imagined corners of the Internet like we are one jointly accountable and homogenous mass is not going to be taken seriously.

If anyone wants to see what an Oxford fan arguing with himself looks like...

 

[Gashead]

No Oxford fan on here said anything of the sort re: our style yet its escalated into this

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

If anyone wants to see what an Oxford fan arguing with himself looks like...

Fair

 

[miagsygas]

Fair

For the record, I've got nothing against Oxford, good club who are progressing in the right way in my opinion not too dissimilar to ourselves. It's very interesting to see both progress as a yard stick for each other. Feel playoffs might be slightly too far for both of us and if neither of us make it I genuinely don't care who finishes higher but both have a chance to finish well and make progress next season

 

[JJH]

Oxford may finish above us, they may not. It will be fairly close as it was last season. They're not a bad side because the league position doesn't lie at this stage and they've done pretty well, as have we.

What I would say is that we've won the last 3 meetings and even outplayed them with 10 men when we lost to a Roofe screamer early last season at the Mem. DC doesn't always get his tactics right and I'm sure Appleton doesn't either but DC got it spot on this weekend which led to a very comfortable win and a well deserved 3 points.

Clarke seemingly has one up on Appleton similar to the way that Grayson did Cotterill a few years back.

I still think that Appleton will be the one to replace LJ if he ever eventually goes, which will be very underwhelming.

 

[07.05.16]

Clarke seemingly has one up on Appleton similar to the way that Grayson did Cotterill a few years back.

I still think that Appleton will be the one to replace LJ if he ever eventually goes, which will be very underwhelming.

It would be brilliant if Appleton took over and shipped off the snake to somewhere like Hartlepool.

 

[ThisTinpotLeague]

Clarke seemingly has one up on Appleton similar to the way that Grayson did Cotterill a few years back.

I still think that Appleton will be the one to replace LJ if he ever eventually goes, which will be very underwhelming.

It'd be very underwhelming for us. There was a piece in the newspaper a week ago where he recounted that Ferguson had a massive go at him and told him to stop going to clubs on a slide. I'd hope that if he goes somewhere, it's a much bigger step up.

 

[Marked Ox]

Late to the thread but deserved win for Rovers.

Hopefully, that is the last we see of Carl Boyeson this season as he is so inconsistent that I reckon he guesses most decisions.

Your style of play has is horrible and negative. Just to be helpful to make sense of the rest of the thread.

 

[ComeOnIrene]

I've never had anything against Oxford, for what it's worth. I think they are a decent side and there's no denying they are heading in the right direction at the moment.

Yes Tinpot, my previous posts about bitter Oxford fans refer to comments I've seen elsewhere (Twitter and a thread I saw screenshotted from your forum) but this was the best place for me to write what I felt. As this is a messageboard and there is a good chance some Ox fans on here may have agreed with their fellow supporters, I thought it was the perfect place to post how I felt!

Anyway, it's 3 points and on to Southend next weekend. U's have the upper hand in terms of games in hand and where they could end up come the end of the season, but there are no easy games in this league.

 

[JJH]

It'd be very underwhelming for us. There was a piece in the newspaper a week ago where he recounted that Ferguson had a massive go at him and told him to stop going to clubs on a slide. I'd hope that if he goes somewhere, it's a much bigger step up.

He wouldn't even get any other jobs in this division, the only reason I think we'll go for him is because of the Mark Ashton link. It would be just as underwhelming as when Johnson was appointed and look how that's turned out.

 

[Marked Ox]

MApp has turned a club going nowhere into a club moving forward. Consistently signing talented young players and improving the team (playing good football) whilst making a significant profit on transfers. If that is underwhelming then who would you actually want?

Anyway, I don't want him going anywhere else.

He wouldn't even get any other jobs in this division, the only reason I think we'll go for him is because of the Mark Ashton link. It would be just as underwhelming as when Johnson was appointed and look how that's turned out.