Has this done us a favour?

[Mooro]

Now that our chances of taking the title have all but gone, our prospects now rest on adjusting our sights to maximise our chances of getting into and winning the playoffs.

Despite the inevitable doom and gloom of this week, making the playoffs should not be an issue, as the teams from 9th and below will struggle to make it past our current total let alone our final one. This leaves four from seven and while most teams have games in hand, an awful lot of them are between each other and all of them are also just as prone to dropping silly points to lower clubs as we are. Therefore our current points advantage should prove sufficient to keep us in the frame and hopefully 2nd or 3rd.

In a way, blowing it this early may actually help our chances of making it via the play-off route, as hopefully we have time to re-group and re-focus on doing enough to stay in the top 3 (preferably) or at least top 5, rather than chasing D&ampR hard but failing in the last couple of weeks and then being unable to recover in time.

So in practice, what this means is that while other teams have to work their players hard during March, we can relax a little and change it around a bit from game to game to keep everyone fresh for the run-in. So, we can use Duffy’s suspension to get him back mentally and give the likes of Grebis a run of games to settle in. Likewise we can also use these games to begin the process of assessing the squad for the final run-in and for next season by giving the fringe players a chance to show what they can do.

Come April, games are only one a week (Easter aside), with the two playoff semis on Friday and Monday, so that should not prove too much for any individual player (eg Gilly&amp Johnson), so by that time we need to have settled on our best XI and stick with it.

The question is whether those in charge or with influence can hold the squad and morale together to ensure we hit the playoffs running and have not descended into chaos and deep depression before then.

[Werthers Original]

Yeah! And it'll be much more fun to go to Wembley than win at boring old Oxford! My half-full glass is overflowing! (I hope you're right ...

[Mally]

There seems to be a feeling that now we've blown it for the conference title then at least we'll get a big day out at the play off final.

I see two big problems with this:

1. The sort of form we are in at the moment and the games in hand of teams below could mean we drop right out of the play-offs.

2. Even if we do get in the play-offs I can't see us beating anybody over two legs, let alone against a team that has already played us twice and knows our plan A and also knows that we don't have a plan B.

I'm afraid that Jim Smith is well past his retire-by date (or at least the move-upstairs by date) and unless Patterson is given the job I can see us going into complete melt down over the next few weeks.

[neilw]

No managerial experience preferable to 30 years worth?

[boris]

Yeah, I have to say that I find all this eulogising of Patterson a bit bizarre. I agree he's done very well with the under-18s, but making the step up to managing a real football club, with professional players of all ages and experience, and being involved in managing all aspects of the football club, is a totally different ball game. I'd much rather he was given a run as a proper assistant manager first, so that he can gain experience in that position as an understudy to someone who knows what they're doing (not necessarily Smith, as I don't think he's going to be at the helm after this season). If we are going to change manager again, I'd prefer us to appoint someone with proven lower-league experience (and obviously success at this level or the next couple up), with Patto as his number 2, and a bit of succession planning.

[scooter]

The issue isn't really about replacing JS with Patterson, it is about replacing Awford.

He is responsible for the day to day coaching of a group of players who can't take throw ins, have no defensive shape at set pieces, have no attacking options at set pieces, take short corners when we are 1-0 down at home with minutes to go and get the ball back to Turley in three passes, play hoofball over a midget midfield, etc, etc, etc.

We have a ready made well qualified competent and respected coach in Patterson who with nine games to go stands a chance of getting a team sorted to compete in the play offs.

[Ancient Colin]

No managerial experience preferable to 30 years worth?

On current evidece, yes, quite probably.

[Mooro]

There seems to be a feeling that now we've blown it for the conference title then at least we'll get a big day out at the play off final.

I see two big problems with this:

1. The sort of form we are in at the moment and the games in hand of teams below could mean we drop right out of the play-offs.

2. Even if we do get in the play-offs I can't see us beating anybody over two legs, let alone against a team that has already played us twice and knows our plan A and also knows that we don't have a plan B.
.

Which is why we should take stock of our situation during March so that we can generate some momentum in April going into the playoffs (and maybe even work on a Plan B) rather than straining now to chase D&ampR only to fall futher apart.
The games in hand thing is a bit of a red herring as many of them are against each other - while they are all dropping points as well as us, so having the points in the bag as we do is probably the better place to be right now.

Whether Patto is the answer I dont know, but it does seem that we are heading towards the &quotstaying too long/stalling progress&quot territory currently inhabited by a Mr T Blair.

[Mally]

Yeah, I have to say that I find all this eulogising of Patterson a bit bizarre. I agree he's done very well with the under-18s, but making the step up to managing a real football club, with professional players of all ages and experience, and being involved in managing all aspects of the football club, is a totally different ball game. I'd much rather he was given a run as a proper assistant manager first, so that he can gain experience in that position as an understudy to someone who knows what they're doing (not necessarily Smith, as I don't think he's going to be at the helm after this season). If we are going to change manager again, I'd prefer us to appoint someone with proven lower-league experience (and obviously success at this level or the next couple up), with Patto as his number 2, and a bit of succession planning.

The thing about Patterson is that he's already at the club and has done the job before. If we lose the next 2 games (or even fail to win one of them) we will be back in a downward spiral. Last time it took us 12 games and the best part of 3 months to stop the rot. This time we haven't got the time or the games for a run like that and something will have to be done.

For Neil:
30 years experience is worth nothing if he's over the hill. A 30 year old wine can be fantastic but not if it's corked.

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

Not sure if that analogy is entirely irrelevant or entirely relevant.

[Hog]

2. Even if we do get in the play-offs I can't see us beating anybody over two legs, let alone against a team that has already played us twice and knows our plan A and also knows that we don't have a plan B.

.

Christ! You mean there IS a plan A?

[DLT]

Previous experience at this level Boris?

Two names spring to mind, Mark Wright and Brian Talbot.

The trend in football is to appoint younger more forward thinking bosses than old stagers going round the loop again.

I don't think Doncaster regretted taking a punt on Dave Penney or Carlisle with Paul Simpson, Watfordwith Ady Boothroyd for that matter.

Yates showed what can be done last night.

Certainly is evidence that a mature, experienced guy can do a job (Still, McIlroy) but I think we are overdue a young broom.

As someone else alludes I think Awford maybe a big issue.

[Baboo]

As someone else alludes I think Awford maybe a big issue.

Quite probably, but I've always struggled to understand the dividing line between the manager's and coach's responsibilities. Where does the buck stop?

[Resurrection Ox]

Previous experience at this level Boris?

Two names spring to mind, Mark Wright and Brian Talbot.

The trend in football is to appoint younger more forward thinking bosses than old stagers going round the loop again.

I don't think Doncaster regretted taking a punt on Dave Penney or Carlisle with Paul Simpson, Watfordwith Ady Boothroyd for that matter.

Yates showed what can be done last night.

Certainly is evidence that a mature, experienced guy can do a job (Still, McIlroy) but I think we are overdue a young broom.

As someone else alludes I think Awford maybe a big issue.

I think you are right about a young manager being needed. Maybe next season. I have'nt spoken to anyone in the know but Smith seems to be giving out strong indicators that he is not long for the day to day stuff on Planet Oxford United.

But not just at the moment! All this 'Smith Out' stuff is knee jerk. We are still well placed for the play offs and reasonable form should do it. (12 points say?)

Kiddy were excellent. Best side we have played all season. And I don't subscribe that we were woeful. We were OK but got beaten by a better side.

And they were fitter than us. Should'nt fingers being pointed at Mr Milsom??.

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

All this 'Smith Out' stuff is knee jerk.

Well, not really. There have plenty of people who have been saying for a long time that they don't think he should be doing the job.