Excellent summing up of an ugly game but one that was so important for us to win. Agree about Mawson, Forino and JJ playing so well and when Stryek improves his distribution I think he’ll become a firm favourite.
Oxford have 19 points from their last 18 games including last season and (as pointed out already) have only played 2 of the top half so far this season, with their next four being Exeter, Portsmouth, Peterborough and Bolton. I'd imagine Robinson will be out of a job (and maybe back to MK...) before too long.
Assuming Taff is fit next week, does Forino automatically get dropped? If so, then the idiom of "don't change a winning team" and one that hasn't conceded a goal will be ignored.
It would be interesting to know from @Shev based on starts only, how many times Forino has been our MOTM, and in percentage terms how it compares with the rest of the squad over the last season and the first part of this.
It’s so irritating how, every time you type ‘may’ auto select assumes you’re referring to the merry month. Grace with a capital letter must reflect some obscure connection with aristocracy. Something I’ve always suspected.
Great shout @mooneyman - Forino is streets ahead with this statistic, winning MOTM on 7 of 19 starts (36.84%) last season and this season combined. The only player anywhere near him with a decent amount of starts is Hanlan with 5 of 25 (20%), though Stryjek and Mawson have made decent starts, with 2 of 8 and 2 of 9 respectively.
That really does frame how well Forino has played since he broke through.
If you listen to that end of season radio documentary on I think I-follow(?) charting the Rotherham and Oxford run in you may change your opinion. Robinson comes across as a complete tool.
Oxford fans online making some serious personal allegations against Robinson. Not sure I should re-post them on here, but you’re free to see them for yourselves on Twitter etc.
I think they owe him some respect. He’s consistently delivered fairly well for them. This season has been poor but you can’t have a great season every season. Even Klopp is having a tough time at the moment. Robinson is a good manager for this level.
I'm not one for gossip and hearsay...but...yesterday I heard a few people claiming Oxford get battered everywhere they go, everywhere they go. Is this true?
I think he seems a decent, if slightly prickly guy. But has he really delivered for them?
First season - came in late and kept them up.
Second season - 12th place finish.
Third season - 4th place COVID finish. Lost in play-off finals to boring boring Wycombe.
Fourth season - 6th in probably the weakest L1 in 5 years, barely any points needed for a playoff spot, scraped in there and got walloped by Blackpool in the semis.
Fifth season - Fails to make the play-offs.
If he didn't have a reputation for playing slick passing football (which I also think is undeserved, its usually 2 or 3 short passes then a hoof, compared to teams like us who just hoof it straight away 3 yards further back), I think he'd be regarded as a serial underachiever.
He can come across as alright at times (although he’s the king of the backhanded compliment when talking about Wycombe) but I’ve spoken to one or two media types who have found him to be unpleasant. I was seriously unimpressed with the way he tried to whatabout away the homophobic chanting last season. There’s a reason even some PNL fans have labelled him ‘Gobby Robbie’ (or something like that).
Unsure if I agree with your context, but when you spell out their finishing positions it does remind me that they’ve not really challenged for automatics once in their Robinson era. I still think he’s done fairly well. Open to wider interpretation, of course.
Comments
Excellent summing up of an ugly game but one that was so important for us to win. Agree about Mawson, Forino and JJ playing so well and when Stryek improves his distribution I think he’ll become a firm favourite.
Oxford have 19 points from their last 18 games including last season and (as pointed out already) have only played 2 of the top half so far this season, with their next four being Exeter, Portsmouth, Peterborough and Bolton. I'd imagine Robinson will be out of a job (and maybe back to MK...) before too long.
Although I thoroughly dislike Oxford, Karl Robinson comes over as a good bloke and I would want to see him sacked. Best he stays there in my opinion.
Wouldn’t
My finger was poised @Blue_since_1990 !!
Hahaha. You are a star @micra and long May you Grace the gasroom.
God knows where the capitalisation come from.
The more I watch our goal the better it is. A brilliant assist from Alfie and an excellent finish from young Chris.
Assuming Taff is fit next week, does Forino automatically get dropped? If so, then the idiom of "don't change a winning team" and one that hasn't conceded a goal will be ignored.
It would be interesting to know from @Shev based on starts only, how many times Forino has been our MOTM, and in percentage terms how it compares with the rest of the squad over the last season and the first part of this.
If Taff is back it’s Forino’s position to lose after a good performance bar the header.
Why wouldn't Taf come in for JJ if he was available? I want to see the Forino, Mawson, Tafazolli back 3 at least once!
I'd rather a 4, but this is absolutely the back 3 we should play if all fit
It’s so irritating how, every time you type ‘may’ auto select assumes you’re referring to the merry month. Grace with a capital letter must reflect some obscure connection with aristocracy. Something I’ve always suspected.
Unintentional derailing. I commented on the central defensive options about 10 minutes ago on the Man of the Match thread.
You certainly address a Duke (and probably also an Archbishop) as Your Grace.
Great shout @mooneyman - Forino is streets ahead with this statistic, winning MOTM on 7 of 19 starts (36.84%) last season and this season combined. The only player anywhere near him with a decent amount of starts is Hanlan with 5 of 25 (20%), though Stryjek and Mawson have made decent starts, with 2 of 8 and 2 of 9 respectively.
That really does frame how well Forino has played since he broke through.
I think with how turgid we've been at the Kassam in recent seasons, we should be delighted for a gritty win. Use this as a springboard. Lovely old job
Yes agreed @prufrock_91
If you listen to that end of season radio documentary on I think I-follow(?) charting the Rotherham and Oxford run in you may change your opinion. Robinson comes across as a complete tool.
Yeah I thought he's often tried to make out that they're some sort of ball playing wizards and we're an ugly version of Pulis.
Anyhow, back from my sojourn at the yellow forum and they are in a tizzy with most predicting KR won’t last the week.
I wonder what the odds of his return to franchiseland are?
Only one of those things is true.
Oxford fans online making some serious personal allegations against Robinson. Not sure I should re-post them on here, but you’re free to see them for yourselves on Twitter etc.
I think they owe him some respect. He’s consistently delivered fairly well for them. This season has been poor but you can’t have a great season every season. Even Klopp is having a tough time at the moment. Robinson is a good manager for this level.
I'm not one for gossip and hearsay...but...yesterday I heard a few people claiming Oxford get battered everywhere they go, everywhere they go. Is this true?
I think he seems a decent, if slightly prickly guy. But has he really delivered for them?
First season - came in late and kept them up.
Second season - 12th place finish.
Third season - 4th place COVID finish. Lost in play-off finals to boring boring Wycombe.
Fourth season - 6th in probably the weakest L1 in 5 years, barely any points needed for a playoff spot, scraped in there and got walloped by Blackpool in the semis.
Fifth season - Fails to make the play-offs.
If he didn't have a reputation for playing slick passing football (which I also think is undeserved, its usually 2 or 3 short passes then a hoof, compared to teams like us who just hoof it straight away 3 yards further back), I think he'd be regarded as a serial underachiever.
He can come across as alright at times (although he’s the king of the backhanded compliment when talking about Wycombe) but I’ve spoken to one or two media types who have found him to be unpleasant. I was seriously unimpressed with the way he tried to whatabout away the homophobic chanting last season. There’s a reason even some PNL fans have labelled him ‘Gobby Robbie’ (or something like that).
Unsure if I agree with your context, but when you spell out their finishing positions it does remind me that they’ve not really challenged for automatics once in their Robinson era. I still think he’s done fairly well. Open to wider interpretation, of course.
Well to keep a plucky non league club in league 1 is an achievement 😉