MATCHWATCH : Oxford United (a)

[WestYorksRoyal]

People are getting too much into the "we need wins" narrative. We've had a tough run of fixtures and got plenty of points. This continues until Pompey away, after which we really have a winnable run of games. The points against Lincoln, Peterborough, Cheltenham, Orient and Oxford x2 are all good results. Oxford (H) perhaps disappointing given their form, and we absolutely should have won the game at Lincoln which we dominated. But none of them are bad results. And those 6 points have made a difference; imagine if we'd lost 3 of them.

But we have a run of games coming against Charlton, Port Vale, Fleetwood, Carlisle, Shrewsbury and Wycombe where a draw genuinely is a bad result. These are where we get the wins to pull away.

[Millsy]

We need wins.

[Hendo]

People are getting too much into the "we need wins" narrative. We've had a tough run of fixtures and got plenty of points. This continues until Pompey away, after which we really have a winnable run of games. The points against Lincoln, Peterborough, Cheltenham, Orient and Oxford x2 are all good results. Oxford (H) perhaps disappointing given their form, and we absolutely should have won the game at Lincoln which we dominated. But none of them are bad results. And those 6 points have made a difference; imagine if we'd lost 3 of them.

Came from behind in all 6 as well to get points, something that wouldn't have happened even last year. Squad is getting mentally tougher.

[Brogue]

I mean we could literally draw our way out of relegation. 17 games left 17 points puts us on 45. Which isn’t far off what’s needed to stay up.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I mean we could literally draw our way out of relegation. 17 games left 17 points puts us on 45. Which isn’t far off what’s needed to stay up.

Taking out the curtailed Covid season, that would have kept us up for 1 season of the previous 5, with MK Dons going down on 45 last season. Most other teams between the 46-48 point mark. I reckon we get to 50, that'll be enough, we will be very unlucky to go down on that if we do (although Plymouth did back in 18-19).

Interesting to note that out of the 5 seasons I have looked at, not many clubs have returned to L1 or above in that time (including Covid season). Will exclude Bury for obvious reasons, however only 4 of the 19 relegated sides are back in L1 or above. Those being Northampton, Bolton, Bristol Rovers and Plymouth. The rest remain in L2 or lower.

Out of the current lot this season as well, I'm not sure how many would be a shoe-in for a certain return to L1. Carlisle, Fleetwood, Cheltenham and ourselves.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I mean we could literally draw our way out of relegation. 17 games left 17 points puts us on 45. Which isn’t far off what’s needed to stay up.

Taking out the curtailed Covid season, that would have kept us up for 1 season of the previous 5, with MK Dons going down on 45 last season. Most other teams between the 46-48 point mark. I reckon we get to 50, that'll be enough, we will be very unlucky to go down on that if we do (although Plymouth did back in 18-19).

Interesting to note that out of the 5 seasons I have looked at, not many clubs have returned to L1 or above in that time (including Covid season). Will exclude Bury for obvious reasons, however only 4 of the 19 relegated sides are back in L1 or above. Those being Northampton, Bolton, Bristol Rovers and Plymouth. The rest remain in L2 or lower.

Out of the current lot this season as well, I'm not sure how many would be a shoe-in for a certain return to L1. Carlisle, Fleetwood, Cheltenham and ourselves.

If we got new owners and stability, our return would be "when", not "if". An immediate return may not be on the cards given the smoulder mess Dai is leaving behind, but we would be an absolutely massive club in L2. Convince managers, players etc., that we've put this terrible era behind us and watch the best of them available compete to come and join.

[Sutekh]

I mean we could literally draw our way out of relegation. 17 games left 17 points puts us on 45. Which isn’t far off what’s needed to stay up.

Taking out the curtailed Covid season, that would have kept us up for 1 season of the previous 5, with MK Dons going down on 45 last season. Most other teams between the 46-48 point mark. I reckon we get to 50, that'll be enough, we will be very unlucky to go down on that if we do (although Plymouth did back in 18-19).

Interesting to note that out of the 5 seasons I have looked at, not many clubs have returned to L1 or above in that time (including Covid season). Will exclude Bury for obvious reasons, however only 4 of the 19 relegated sides are back in L1 or above. Those being Northampton, Bolton, Bristol Rovers and Plymouth. The rest remain in L2 or lower.

Out of the current lot this season as well, I'm not sure how many would be a shoe-in for a certain return to L1. Carlisle, Fleetwood, Cheltenham and ourselves.

If we got new owners and stability, our return would be "when", not "if". An immediate return may not be on the cards given the smoulder mess Dai is leaving behind, but we would be an absolutely massive club in L2. Convince managers, players etc., that we've put this terrible era behind us and watch the best of them available compete to come and join.

Even Parky?

[SCIAG]

If we got new owners and stability, our return would be "when", not "if". An immediate return may not be on the cards given the smoulder mess Dai is leaving behind, but we would be an absolutely massive club in L2. Convince managers, players etc., that we've put this terrible era behind us and watch the best of them available compete to come and join.

Given a long enough timeframe anything is possible.

What does a "massive club" really mean in this context? Our average attendance puts us 5th in League One and in the long run that would probably translate to better results. But Notts County have a similar average attendance and it's ten years since they were at this level.

[WestYorksRoyal]

If we got new owners and stability, our return would be "when", not "if". An immediate return may not be on the cards given the smoulder mess Dai is leaving behind, but we would be an absolutely massive club in L2. Convince managers, players etc., that we've put this terrible era behind us and watch the best of them available compete to come and join.

Given a long enough timeframe anything is possible.

What does a "massive club" really mean in this context? Our average attendance puts us 5th in League One and in the long run that would probably translate to better results. But Notts County have a similar average attendance and it's ten years since they were at this level.

I'm probably over simplifying. More fans and better facilities means more money with which to attract players. But if you use it to attract money chasing journeymen it gets you nowhere. So you do need to run yourselves well. But if we did do that, we'd find ourselves climbing through L2 and L1 quickly.