Will it be Jim's last game if we lose to Salisbury?

[DLT]

Has Merry got the bottle to dump Jim?

[GodalmingYellow]

Has Merry got the bottle to dump Jim?

Has Merry got a bottle to give to Jim?

[SmileyMan]

Additional question - if you think a loss to Salisbury would be the tipping point, would you be secretly happy with that result? Me? I haven't quite reached the 'Andy Robinson' point yet, but it's definitely 'Steve McClaren' territory.

For my money, a 0-0 bore draw is on the cards, because we won't attack, again. And that won't be enough to get rid of Jim, yet. Be interesting to hear if there's any chanting though. If we lose there will be for sure.

[Mally]

Has Merry got the bottle to dump Jim?

Has Merry got a bottle to give to Jim?

Is Jim merry enough to dump the bottle?

Losing away to a team like Histon is bad enough but losing at home to a similar team would have to be the end of the line for Jim, wouldn't it?

[Shoobedoo]

For my money, a 0-0 bore draw is on the cards, because we won't attack, again. And that won't be enough to get rid of Jim, yet. Be interesting to hear if there's any chanting though. If we lose there will be for sure.

If, after all that's gone on and been talked about since the Histon debacle, we set our stall out to avoid defeat again (and by that I mean five defenders and two defensive midfielders), rather than try and go and win the game, then that will be enough for me, irrespective of the result. Because the fear will still be there in the manager as well as the players.

If, on the other hand, we get at them from the start with all guns blazing, with a bit of width and a bit of pace, and get plenty of ball in the box (or at least try), then that'll be sufficient to prevent me calling for the managers' head. Again, irrespective of the result.

I've pretty much given up hope of promotion this season, so tonight for me is all about performance and attitude - because this is what needs to change before we can move forward again.

I'm sure Salisbury, after the start they've had (and after the start we've had!), will come and have a go rather than pack the defence. The space will be there if we choose to use it.

Over to you Jim/Darren/Players...

[Frank]

If we do lose, something must be done and at the very least our Chairman should say something to us, either in a press release or in the next Programe ?

I think if we were to go 2 - 0 down then &quotSmith Out&quot would start in small numbers.

What is equally worrying though is if (big IF) we win easily, say 2 or 3 nil, people will start to forget the problems.

210 to go!

[Baboo]

For my money, a 0-0 bore draw is on the cards, because we won't attack, again.

Quite likely given that Salisbury have not conceded a goal in their last three outings.
Will Jim pick a creative midfielder (Standing or Rose) who makes themselves available to receive the ball and help ensure that we retain possession?
Will he drop Trainer?
Will our midfield be outnumbered again?

I am however feeling strangely optimistic and I don't know why? Is it just cos Marv has gone?

[Mooro]

We should not be fooled by Salisburys elevated league position, as they have had a relatively easy set of fixtures thus far, with 16 of their 21 points coming at home and some pretty poor results away from home...

Home - Ebbsfleet (w), Crawley(w), Woking(w), R&ampD(d), Stafford(w), Northwich(w)
Away - Droylsden (d), Farsley (d), Histon (l), Torquay (l), F Green (w)


Smith has inevitably bought himself some time with the departure of Robinson, but how much is open to question and could quickly dissolve if we a) go behind, b) come out for the 2nd half looking more disorganised than the first or c) get worse after a substitution.

##

I dont think anything will happen whatever the result tonight whatever.

To me there are three potential times when the plug is most likely to be pulled:

i) Next Monday (Oct 1st) If we win neither of our next two home games (Salisbury &amp York) then that might be enough for some chairmen at some clubs, but I doubt Merry would act that quickly against Smith.
ii) Mid October – if there has been no improvement across the next three games (Droylsden (a), Torquay (h) &amp Farsley (a)) and these five games have reaped no more than half a dozen points between them. This could arguably be the point at which change needs to happen to give any chance of making the playoffs.
iii) November 2nd – if performances and results have still not picked up and we’ve gone out of the FA Cup, then another defeat against Rushden on Setanta may prove too much even for the most loyal of friends…(the other advantage of this date would be that there would be a fortnight to the next game for the new man to work with the squad).

Personally, I think it will take events of the magnitude of (iii) to make the board act, unless Smith instigates it himself, and of course wins tonight and Sunday will make things look a hell of a lot rosier, put all of this talk to shame, and see the fickle pendulum of fate swing back towards the loyalists.

[Kernow Yellow]

Additional question - if you think a loss to Salisbury would be the tipping point, would you be secretly happy with that result? Me? I haven't quite reached the 'Andy Robinson' point yet, but it's definitely 'Steve McClaren' territory.

For the first time ever an ex-OUFC player is England football manager, and you want him sacked a few games into the job, after two of the most encouraging performances for years?

I met a couple of Palace fans on Saturday night who were upset they had won that afternoon, as it meant Taylor wouldn't be sacked immediately. Which I think is a shocking attitude to have, especially when your team needs points desperately, as both Palace and we do...

[SmileyMan]

For the first time ever an ex-OUFC player is England football manager, and you want him sacked a few games into the job, after two of the most encouraging performances for years?

No, I never wanted him in the first place, because there were better managers available. And the reason for the two good performances is, frankly, that through injuries he was forced to play a bunch of players who would not have got a chance otherwise.

I don't want OUFC to lose. I'm just sick of mediocre performances, I blame the manager, I don't think he's going to turn it around, and I want a change. And that doesn't seem likely unless the chairman's hand is really forced.

[YF Dan]

He's going down all guns blazing with a classic 5-2-1-2 formation.

[Jimski]

We played pretty well actually, especially in the first half. Salisbury were nasty and brutish though, and god knows how they've got so high in the table - they appeared very limited. Even so we struggled a bit for ideas when they equalised. But overall pretty positive really.

[The Enforcer]

The performance tonight was OK.

Main plus point was the fact that we didn't go to pieces after we conceded a goal.

Most concerning thing was the lack of clear-cut opportunities being created, especially in the second half, when we seemed to be a lot more defensive than in the first. Before the penalty award, I couldn't see where a winning goal was going to come from.

Still, at least it's something to try and build on.

[Ascension Ox]

He's going down all guns blazing with a classic 5-2-1-2 formation.

Were you at the game? It was 3-4-3 when Shaw was on, 3-4-1-2 when Rose came on.

We just about deserved it.

MOTM - The crowd. We kept supporting even post the equaliser and the very dodgy 20 mins that followed.

PS Note for GY.

WE ARE NOT FIT.

PPS What the hell is the point of Eddie Hutchinson? A terrible performance.

[Old Abingdonian]

I agree with much of this - we played quite well, but there could easily have been a different result. If so, would we still have acknowledged the positives?

A bit harsh on Hutchinson - he ended up doing a lot of aerial work, and I thought Trainer was more disappointing tonight. I'm also concerned that Jeannin seems so hesitant going forward. Tonight Danny Rose helped him out by being available, but it would be nice to see him try to get to the byeline if only for a bit of variety.

Terrible challenge by their #17