outcobbled, a short canvas, rammed, and not addicked

[slappy]

That was an interesting four games over the Christmas and New Year period. Much online rumbling about whether Des Buckingham is the right man for the job.

Northampton on the Saturday before Christmas. A well attended match which is easy for me to get to, and not too far to walk from the station / Thomas a Becket. Stewards were being overzealous to start with on allocated seats, throwing fans out, then apparently letting them back in and back to a sit/stand where you want approach. We conceded first, got back in the game with a penalty, then got peppered with corners into the box, Northampton scoring right at the death to take all three points. My concern is that if opposition scouts have realised we are thin in defence, then pressing high against us is the approach to take.

Cambridge on Boxing Day. No trains and the a3/m25 roadworks meant I gave this one a miss. Cambridge have a new manager, so perhaps have a bit of a bounce that happens when you sack a failing one. Again we went behind, got an equaliser, then this time it was our time to score a last minute winner.

Derby on the Friday night. Followed the match from home. Derby are one of the promotion and play-off contenders and it showed. We somehow went 2-0 up after 11 minutes, disappointingly let one in just before half time, and then another two to send us home with no points.

Charlton on New Years Day. The Antigallican old away fans pub in Charlton closed some five years ago, so we met up by London Bridge underground and station. As it was New Years Day, Borough market was closed, but we found a revamped bank building that is now a Fullers pub (The BarrowBoy and Banker), and a proper East End pub, The Old Kings Head. From there it's only 15 minutes on the overground to Charlton. I was expecting Michael Appleton to have scouted our previous three games, and have a game plan to batter us in the air, taking account all of our injury list. Again we went behind early, but were back in the match after 22 minutes with a well taken team goal culminating in Mark Harris sliding in to put the ball in the net. Second half we were much better, and though Charlton had several chances during the match, Oisin Smyth was left in space with plenty of time to tee up a thunderbolt from 35 yards out. We have a good record over the last few years at Charlton for late winners, so it was good to keep this up.

So six points from available twelve. Three points from the tow matches of Northampton and Cambridge which could have been draws is better, and even Portsmouth dropped points over the same period.

FA Cup next up at Coventry. Quite why we have to agree to a 12:30 kick-off for international tv I don't know, and will we even get any tv money for it? I get a feeling they may well put a weakened squad out, but with enough quality on the bench to bring on if needed.

[Dr Bob]

TBH, of these four matches, only during certain periods of the second half against Charlton did I feel like we were playing with the style - and confidence - that we had shown in the early part of the season. Based on the RadOx commentary, Northampton sounded like one of those old-style performances against a notionally lower team, made worse but not caused by their late goal. With Cambridge, the first half was poor. At least we woke up in the second half. As for Derby, even when we were 2-0 up, I felt they were on top. What else did we offer apart from the penalty and one free kick? Unlike Cambridge, at least against Charlton we woke up well before the second half.

Thin squad? Could we really go from relegation to promotion candidates in a single transfer window? Play-off contenders certainly, but actually finishing in the play-offs will still be a challenge.

And no wonder there is little boost from our substitutions, when those who would come on are starting currently, replacing those who are injured but who are likely once again to be in the starting 11 once fit again.

Smyth took his chance well - and I mean getting the chance to play, not just the goal. Not sure about the other non-regulars in the time the have had on the pitch. Suggests that we do have a pretty good first 18 when everybody is fit, but beyond that...?

Bottom line for me - still being in the top 6 is a great achievement at this stage, with the injuries, especially as 6/12 over the four games is probably less than hoped for. No idea what will happen in January, with two loanees being targeted by Championship clubs (according to rumours, anyway). Still, the recruitment team did a generally very good job in the summer, so fingers crossed...

[slappy]

It's been said before, but I think that Manning leaving us when we were in second place was a bit of a false position.
When looking at expected goals or whatever the current favoured statistic is, we had scored more than we should have and had more points.

Perhaps more worrying is that we haven't really heard anything from the owners of the club for months. Apart from a quick appointment of Buckingham, he is still looking for his assistant.

The Triangle planning application was supposed to be put in November. Now I don't think there was a deadline to say it had to be in, but what's holding it up? We've already seen the original international stadium architects for Stratfield Brake replaced with a smaller UK based company.
Are our owners getting cold feet about the reduced prospect of making money from a much smaller footprint of land?

Meanwhile, I saw OCC has allocated £500K funding to look at reopening the Cowley branch line with stops at Oxford Science Park and Oxford Business Park. But on the area plans, the Kassam stadium site is already coloured in yellow as potential housing. Is there some secret or hidden agreement that can't be disclosed that the Kassam site has already agreed will be used for housing, hence the "no license extension"?

[Kairdiff Exile]

The Triangle planning application was supposed to be put in November. Now I don't think there was a deadline to say it had to be in, but what's holding it up? We've already seen the original international stadium architects for Stratfield Brake replaced with a smaller UK based company.
Are our owners getting cold feet about the reduced prospect of making money from a much smaller footprint of land?

A more charitable reading - which I'm inclined to believe - is that we're now at the 'nuts and bolts' stage of ironing out potential issues with the planning authority, and having a UK-based architect means quicker and easier dialogue with planning officials and other statutory bodies making representations. So the plan will still be what the award-winning bells-and-whistles international architect envisaged, but amended in order to maximise the chances of it getting passed by addressing sticking points wherever possible.

[Kernow Yellow]

I'm pretty happy with the overall festive period. At Northampton we were seconds (and a dodgy free kick) away from a draw. Against Cambridge, we played easily well enough in the second half to get the win (I didn't see the opening 45, which I gather was a different story, but credit to Des for changing it).

The Derby debacle was gutting at the time, though had the ref not added more time than necessary to let them score at the end of the first half I feel it might have been a different story. Was it manager's instructions to sit so deep in the second half, or were the few fit (but ill) players out on their feet with nothing left to give? We're a decent football side so it was so frustrating just to surrender possession for the sake of getting out of our box time and again. But it was our third game in six days with a threadbare squad struck down with flu, and against strong opposition.

Charlton was the real positive. To change formation and play with such control was very pleasing. Harris scored a proper poacher's goal, and Smyth's strike was the icing on the cake. But it was no less than we deserved, and again credit to the manager for seeing that and going for it rather than sitting on a point. Another enjoyable day out in the capital.

With no league game for a couple of weeks, let's hope the break gives our injured the chance to get back to fitness. And with a couple of judicious reinforcements, who knows what could happen? I'd definitely take a play-off place now if offered it.

[Kernow Yellow]

The Triangle planning application was supposed to be put in November. Now I don't think there was a deadline to say it had to be in, but what's holding it up? We've already seen the original international stadium architects for Stratfield Brake replaced with a smaller UK based company.
Are our owners getting cold feet about the reduced prospect of making money from a much smaller footprint of land?

A more charitable reading - which I'm inclined to believe - is that we're now at the 'nuts and bolts' stage of ironing out potential issues with the planning authority, and having a UK-based architect means quicker and easier dialogue with planning officials and other statutory bodies making representations. So the plan will still be what the award-winning bells-and-whistles international architect envisaged, but amended in order to maximise the chances of it getting passed by addressing sticking points wherever possible.

Let's hope so. But it doesn't explain the prolonged radio silence both from the owners and from those charged with running the club day-to-day in their absence (unless you count puff pieces in The Athletic).

[Isaac]

It's strange/worrying isn't it? On the face of it things are going well, our average attendance is higher than it's ever been, league position wise I don't think we've been better than this is 25 years, but off the pitch it's a bit more concerning.
The lack of an assistant manager still is odd - Buckingham (the only member of the club who speaks to the media) said it was down to contractual issues, but given the big song and dance about how well and professional we were getting Buckingham out of Mumbai makes me think the club have taken their eye off the ball.
Then there's the many hamstring/calf injuries the squad have, too many to be a coincidence - either a failure in recruitment or more likely a failure in fitness/conditioning.

The biggest worry is the stadium planning permission. The club has rightly said they need the supporters to help, but it's a two way street - if they say they'll get planning permission in before christmas 2023 and then don't, then they need to say why. It might be for good reasons, it might be because there's problems, but if the club say nothing it's just leads to increasing paranoia and rumours.
The general failure of communication is frustrating, the Beadle thing being the most recent, obvious example. I don't see why the club couldn't say that Brighton are considering sending him elsewhere so he's not selected, most sane supporters would understand the situation. The silence is insulting which then leads to every single player omission (Moore being the example) leading to rumours of transfers.
Being pessimistic, if you add up this apparent lack of interest in supporters, the apparent lack of progress with the stadium then you can start to wonder about how motivated the owners currently are.

[Dr Bob]

Being pessimistic, if you add up this apparent lack of interest in supporters, the apparent lack of progress with the stadium then you can start to wonder about how motivated the owners currently are.

Is it my misunderstanding, or did this really start once Stratfield Brake was replaced by The Triangle?

[Isaac]

maybe the club are reading this forum (although obviously we're not the only ones complaining). Anyway, this is better from the club.

https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2024/january/tim-williams/

Buried in there is the news the Chris Hackett, former wing speed-merchant is our new assistant. Seems reasonable, but he clearly wasn't first choice.... something for Buckingham to consider when he talks to the media, suggesting for weeks that an assistant is just round the corner, when it turns out they aren't isn't ideal. Likewise saying "up to 6" new players in this window might prove to be optimistic and ultimately could frustrate fans if we end up getting only 4.

A more informative (although again the news is hidden on paragraphs 6 & 7) update on the stadium here

https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2024/januar ... um-update/

I would understand if the owners lost interest once stratfield brake disappeared, but I don't think they did, why not quit then, try and sell the club (or let it die)? Working through this planning permission can't be cheap.

[Dr Bob]

After the Wombles game, is Ed McG now our only remaining senior keeper for Saturday?

Oh and I have heard today that Notts County fans are saying Luke Williams wants to take Ruben to Swansea. Then again, my colleague said that recently, the Notts rumour mill has been on hyperdrive, so there may be absolutely nothing in it at all.

[slappy]

After the Wombles game, is Ed McG now our only remaining senior keeper for Saturday?

Oh and I have heard today that Notts County fans are saying Luke Williams wants to take Ruben to Swansea. Then again, my colleague said that recently, the Notts rumour mill has been on hyperdrive, so there may be absolutely nothing in it at all.

EFL Trophy: Unless specified by The Association:
(a) If the sending-off offence occurs in an EFL Trophy Match, the relevant automatic suspension must be served exclusively in the EFL Trophy and
(b) if the sending-off offence occurs in any other FTCM, an EFL Trophy Match cannot be used to serve any part of the relevant automatic suspension

[Dr Bob]

After the Wombles game, is Ed McG now our only remaining senior keeper for Saturday?

Oh and I have heard today that Notts County fans are saying Luke Williams wants to take Ruben to Swansea. Then again, my colleague said that recently, the Notts rumour mill has been on hyperdrive, so there may be absolutely nothing in it at all.

EFL Trophy: Unless specified by The Association:
(a) If the sending-off offence occurs in an EFL Trophy Match, the relevant automatic suspension must be served exclusively in the EFL Trophy and
(b) if the sending-off offence occurs in any other FTCM, an EFL Trophy Match cannot be used to serve any part of the relevant automatic suspension

Phew! Many thanks.