Up for the Cup

[Shoobedoo]

Was there, Jerome, and brought a Brighton-supporting friend with me who said we played more coherent football than they do (even if that is damning with faint praise right now). Agree with what most others have said, we have to turn our possession and chances into more goals. Dare I say we missed Tyrone (sorry, whenever I hear that name I instantly think of the getaway driver from Snatch!)?

Can't fault the endeavour (apart from Alfie, again - you'dve hoped his goal would have lifted him, but it didn't; I fear his Oxford career is coming to an end sadly), and despite the conditions some of the passing was excellent. Was less happy that their winner came from our free kick, in their half, which we faffed around with, lost and then got done on the break. I'm not a long-ball proponent in any way, but occasionally it's not a bad idea to launch it into their box and see what happens.

[tomoufc]

We didn't deserve to win that match, but probably didn't deserve to lose. For me we weren't any better than when I last saw us play at Morecambe in August, except that our passing was a bit quicker. We won't achieve anything this season, if people think that we played well last night. We played OK against a very poor side who got most of the breaks. Well done to Tranmere's centre backs for mostly limiting us to half chances, and to their 'keeper for at least one spectacular save.

[ty cobb]

Can someone please explain the merits of making a sub to MA.

This is turning into a most unmemorable season.

[Werthers Original]

Really disappointing. But I expect Swansea Reserves would have beaten us easily in front of the usual 6,000, it's not like we had drawn Arsenal or Man City. Bring on the Cheltenham!

[Snake]

Must admit, I am not too worried about losing that one. Disappointed yes, but Swansea home is hardly the "mouth watering", "appetising" tie that many were making it out to be.
At least Snake can now still claim support for both teams without having to choose Swansea over Oxford

....and I may now be at the Britannia Stadium on January 4th ‘cos Tranmere is a hole and I like footballing miracles.

Swans would have played a decent team by the way, ‘little clubs’ still don’t denigrate the FA Cup, and the 2014 Prem top scorer would have at least been on the Minchery Farm bench.

[Eric Pollard]

Oh come off it. We absolutely dominated . We were mugged, no thanks to dodgy keeping by Clarke for the equaliser and a break away.

All the pretend Scousers we saw after the game said as much as well. We do not commit enough bodies in the box but on another day we win that 3 or 4-1. Sometimes you just don't get the breaks.

A decent game in poor conditions. This is light years more entertaining than Wilder.

To the guy who says this is an 'unmemorable season'. You admit you've barely seen the side in action , so on what do you base your conclusions? Opta stats?

This side will continue to develop. Get behind the team - they play in the right way and striker reinforcements are here or are on the way. They just couldn't get on the pitch last night. Burns would have made a big difference.

I got home at 3 am after a nightmare journey - as the M6 entrances seemed to be dug up all over Cheshire - but I was pleased I went.

Finally - poor old Alfie - his days are numbered. Sad.

[Eric Pollard]

Must admit, I am not too worried about losing that one. Disappointed yes, but Swansea home is hardly the "mouth watering", "appetising" tie that many were making it out to be.
At least Snake can now still claim support for both teams without having to choose Swansea over Oxford

....and I may now be at the Britannia Stadium on January 4th ‘cos Tranmere is a hole and I like footballing miracles.

Swans would have played a decent team by the way, ‘little clubs’ still don’t denigrate the FA Cup, and the 2014 Prem top scorer would have at least been on the Minchery Farm bench.

You seem to support lots of football teams. You are not a snake; you are a chameleon.

[ty cobb]

Well there speaks the voice of optimism, or absolute nonsense depending on how you look at it. Last season we had Pompy away, Charlton away in the third round of the cup and a season where we were entrenched in the play offs flirting with the top three before Wilder left and we fell away badly.

This season we have had, ummmmmmmmmmmm what? WBA away (which we lost)? Bristol City away, but that's about it. We're now knocked out of all the cups and are more worried about the bottom two than the top 7 - what is memorable about it for you?

I've had enough of the bollocks of 'on another day we'd have won 4-1' we haven't scored 4 all season what planet are you on?? We played a team last night below us in the league, which we beat comfortably a few weeks ago and depsite being drawn against them at home we have been dumped out the cup with a big pay day waiting.

I've been to enough games this season to know that we're playing a less effective brand of football than last season, and others feel the same given the poor crowds we've had. There may be some potential in the way we're playing but we're a team stuffed full of loanees, players coming in are unproven at a decent level and you'e deluded if you think our position is due to us not getting the breaks.

[Eric Pollard]

No need to be personal, you pillock.

I say again ,what are you basing your eeyore perspective on? I was at the game last night and stand 100% by my views. What were you relying on, the Oxford Mail Twitter feed?

Why is it better than last season? Well ask some regular supporters what they feel about the season.

FWIW my view is that this is a decent season is because we are playing better football , because the matches tend to be value for money for the paying supporter, because after a terrible start we seem to be developing a team of young, hungrier pacier players.

Plus the crowds are starting to pick up . And our team is not stuffed full of loanees is it? Last night our loanees were our 2 full backs.

[Kernow Yellow]

Sorry but I'm with Ty on this. I can't comment on last night's game, and I'm glad if those that went enjoyed it, but I've been to 5 games this season so far and seen a sixth on the telly, and I just don't see where people are getting their optimism from. Our passing football (from what I've seen) is no better than it was under Wilder - taking quick free kicks in dangerous positions which end up back with our goalkeeper and endlessly passing it sideways along the back line before eventually giving it away does not entertain me now any more than it did in previous seasons. The only difference is that we're winning fewer games this season than any other since our return to the league. Indeed our results speak for themselves - we are competitive (especially at home) against lower- and mid-table teams but get beaten consistently by anyone that's any good.

I'm still worried about relegation - after all we got beaten last night by one of the few teams below us in the league. The complacency among some of our fans is staggering.

Now I should point out that I've only seen one home game since August and it's apparently our recent play at home which gives cause for optimism. But I can't get carried away about a scratchy win against an appallingly out-of-form Bury lifting us to the heady heights of 17th. And now we've blown our chance of a plum cup tie there really is little left to get excited about this season

[Dr Bob]

there really is little left to get excited about this season

Agreed, KY. Given how the 'better football' is failing to deliver better results, right now I shall make do with not having a final few months of the season where I am constantly worrying about relegation.

[Eric Pollard]

I have seen two sides genuinely better than us in L2 this season.
Wycombe and Burton.
And still people mither on about relegation worries. This team will be fine. With further squad building to come. 17 points from the last 10 games
Feel free to bookmark.

[SmileyMan]

I think we're getting better. It's just that the current rate of improvement just means that our season will be over with a guaranteed mid-table finish probably with ten games to go.

[Snake]

I predict that there will be a little burst of optimism in March, then all the usual people will be saying things like “if we win 8 of the last 10 games...” etc. Oh, and “believe”.

And yes, I know I only do Jerome these days, but I can still read League tables and match reports. Why do you guys put up with this year after year without apparently properly questioning how the club is run? The last promotion in the FL was in 1996, FFS.

[tomoufc]

No need to be personal, you pillock.

I say again ,what are you basing your eeyore perspective on? I was at the game last night and stand 100% by my views. What were you relying on, the Oxford Mail Twitter feed?

Why is it better than last season? Well ask some regular supporters what they feel about the season.

FWIW my view is that this is a decent season is because we are playing better football , because the matches tend to be value for money for the paying supporter, because after a terrible start we seem to be developing a team of young, hungrier pacier players.

Plus the crowds are starting to pick up . And our team is not stuffed full of loanees is it? Last night our loanees were our 2 full backs.

I was there - and I don't think we did enough to claim that we deserved to win the match. Given that, it was a very mediocre performance when you take into account that Tranmere's players are really dreadful. Tranmere had a game plan to shut us out and hit us on the break. It worked, just like it has done all season for teams playing us.