82
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Oxford United A Now 20.02.24, not 20.01.24
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on: February 21, 2024, 11:06:25 am
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Just watched the ifollow highlights and was amazed that at the final whistle the commentator thought it was a really good game. We were well below par and much of the first half was unforgettable. We saw the first goal from the other side of the pitch to the ifollow coverage and we thought the shot took a slight deflection off Brough but it was still a very poor goal to concede, credit to Goodwin for his header for their second goal. Fine cross from Leonard (not Pinnock as ifollow said) for Hondermarcks downward header for our first and Hoskins for picking out Springett who duly converted the second. Against a better team than Oxford we would have been beaten and it shows how poor the division is this season when a mediocre team like Oxford are in the play offs, for much of the second half I was expecting the game to finish 1-1 as Oxford were often resorting to ineffectual long range shots as we got bodies behind the ball. Credit to the boys from again twice coming from behind to get a point but 27 goals conceded in the last 11 away games is far too many and it is a little surprising we have taken points from 5 of those games. Breakspeare kept up his average of 5 yellow cards per game and several of those would have been let go by other referees.
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86
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Oxford United A Now 20.02.24, not 20.01.24
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on: February 19, 2024, 18:58:43 pm
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A game between 2 sides whose recent form has not been good, we have 1 win in our last 5 games and they have 1 win in their last 7 and 1 win in their last 5 home games. Our games rarely end in draws with only 4 in the 38 meetings with 18 wins for us and 16 for them. In 19 games at Oxford we have 6 wins, 1 draw and 16 defeats. We lost all of our first 7 games there scoring only 2 goals and since we have won 6, drawn 1 and lost 5, our last visit ended with with a heavy 0-4 defeat but we won the previous 4.
At home Oxford have won 8 of their 16 games, drawing 5 and losing 3 (Port Vale, Derby, Barnsley) and they have not beaten any of the other top teams at home. They have scored 2 goals or more in 10 of their 16 home games and only failed to score in 2, they have conceded 2 goals or more 5 times.
Goals have been spread around the team with leading scorers being Mark Harris 9 (14 in all comps.), Cameron Brannagan 8 (9), Tyler Goodrham 7 (9) and Ruben Rodrigues 7.
As mentioned in a previous post Charles Breakspeare is the referee and as usual he has been busy with his cards, in 24 games he has issued 112 yellows, 8 reds and awarded 13 penalties. Over the years he has red carded several of our players and we have avoided him since September 2022 when we won 2-0 away to AFC Wimbledon.
Having conceded 26 goals in our last 11 away games we need to be a lot better defensively and we were on Saturday so hopefully Sherring will be fit to continue. I wouldn't be surprised to see Gape in the starting 11 after being rested for the BR game and along with Fox, Sowerby and McWilliams all come into the unlikely to play 90 minutes category, JB says no other players will be back. We are not having trouble finding the back of the net at the moment so if we can keep it tight at the back and keep 11 players on the pitch our expected away support of over 1100 could be leaving happy with at least a point.
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88
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Bristol Rovers (h)
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on: February 17, 2024, 19:09:31 pm
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Deserved win against a poor Rovers side and 3 well taken goals. When they had possession we got men behind the ball and defended in numbers which was much better. Can't believe the number of their supporters who thought they should have had a nailed on penalty when it was a laughable appeal. They at times had some nice approach play but no end product but were quite good at finding touch, maybe they thought they were at Franklins Gardens, our GK didn't have a serious save to make.
Positives:- McWilliams and Sowerby back on the bench and getting some minutes and Sherring back min the starting 11. Negatives:- Sherring going off with another injury and assume Gape was not fit.
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92
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Bristol Rovers (h)
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on: February 16, 2024, 18:43:20 pm
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I also thought it odd that BR only took 376 to Stevenage on Tuesday as they usually travel in numbers. It will be interesting to see how many they bring as they took 1137 to Exeter and 1002 to Wycombe and on their last visit here about 1300. If we are to hit 7000 again we need them to sell most of the south stand.
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93
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Injury Updates....
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on: February 16, 2024, 18:38:40 pm
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Successful teams are like houses built on solid foundations, the general consensus was always build a solid defence and you won't go far wrong. Generally the promoted teams are those that concede the fewest goals but after our recent run of results only Charlton, Fleetwood and Carlisle have conceded more goals than us. As Bristol Rovers have only conceded 2 fewer than us it could be another high scoring game tomorrow.
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94
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Injury Updates....
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on: February 16, 2024, 16:14:01 pm
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But we conceded 4. I think the point Robas was trying to make was nothing to do with our attacking ability but that with more pressing in front of our full backs we may not have conceded so many. JB often says we defend from the front.
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95
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Relegation Watch
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on: February 16, 2024, 12:08:22 pm
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Exactly we are are in division 1 and the figures quoted are for teams promoted from division 2 to division 1 suffering a return in the following seasons to division 1. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand this.
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96
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Players Under & Out of Contract
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on: February 16, 2024, 11:26:52 am
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Not long ago many posters wanted us to send Simpson back in the transfer window and bring in a replacement. His loan at Swindon would indicate we had signed a good player and his speed and ball retention in his first few games was good, what happened after that we don't know but he was a shadow of that player. It was reported that he had person issues but fortunately he has regained his form and we are seeing a totally different player.
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97
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Relegation Watch
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on: February 16, 2024, 11:21:16 am
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A new slant on the stats of teams promoted to division 1 being relegated again that recently appeared on another forum, these are figures of the 4 promoted teams over the last 15 years:-
Year 1. 11 relegated from 60 teams
Year 2. 8 relegated from 43 teams
Year 3. 5 relegated from 30 teams
Year 4. 3 relegated from 22 teams
Year 5. 7 relegated from 17 teams
Year 6. 2 relegated from 9 teams
Conclusion is that we are in much greater danger in year 5 than we are next year. Poster also said that half of the teams relegated from the Championship to division 1 are promoted back up within 2 years and 60% within 3 years.
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99
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Bristol Rovers (h)
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on: February 15, 2024, 13:07:25 pm
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50/50 historical results with 38 wins for us, 39 for them and 30 draws. At home we have won 25, drawn 15 and lost 15 so they have left with points from over half of their visits. As most will be aware we have not done well in recent years and we have not won any of our last 7 home clashes, 3 draws and 4 defeats. They have only failed to score in 4 of their 32 games but have only kept 4 clean sheets (fewer than us) so both teams to score could be a good bet.
Away from home BR have won 6 (including Bolton and Stevenage), drawn 2 and lost 8, scoring 20 and conceding 26, only 5 teams have conceded more away goals including us. In their 16 away games they have scored more than once 5 times but conceded more than once 9 times. On Tuesday they came from 2 goals down to win at Stevenage but results have been inconsistent with 3 wins and 6 losses in their last 9 games including losing 4 of their last 5 at home with Burton and Fleetwood being the latest teams to beat them at home.
Chris Martin is the man to watch leading their goal scorers with 12, next highest is Antony Evans with 6 but he is 1 of 2 players now suspended after Tuesdays game. Our former loanee John Marquis is still there but he rarely makes the starting 11.
Adam Herczeg is the referee who we last had for our 2-0 victory at Doncaster last March. He has been quite lenient with his cards averaging less than 3 yellows a game, in 26 games he has issued 73 yellows, only 1 red and awarded 5 penalties.
Who knows what our starting 11 will be? will Burge be fit, will JB make changes to our defence after the Orient game? could some of our injured players be fit enough to return?. I suspect Simpson may start instead of Appere. BR are reported to have 10 players missing with the majority being midfielders and also have a rookie 'keeper and we are long overdue a win against them but we seriously need to tighten up at the back.
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100
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The Hotel End / Cobblers Corner / Re: Bristol Rovers (h)
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on: February 15, 2024, 07:51:15 am
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Us with 11 players out v BR with 10 players out. They have a lot of midfield players out and are worried that we will control the midfield, wouldn't that be nice.
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