Dagenham game

[Paul Cooper]

OK nobody else seems to want to start, so to Saturday's game.

How enjoyable it was. I took my son who used to be a ST holder but has lost interest a little since becoming a 'happy' teenage boy. he last went to the Newport game (only game this season) and he really enjoyed it. He did comment how Kitson was in a different class to everybody else on the pitch.

I thought that Dagenham looked to have plenty of pace (their left back unusually seemed to have Williams in his pocket) and scored an excellent goal. They also defended very solidly especially from the long throws. With the exception of Mullins header for Beano's goal , they rarely lost an important header until DK's goal.

Having said that we were rarely troubled. Clarke had one save to make from memory and the back 4 were pretty solid as is becoming the norm.

The 2 full backs who were so criticised earlier this season have settled in and Hunt's crossing is earning us a lot of chances and goals. he offers more than Batt did in my view despite not being as quick.

A great goal by beano and what drama in the last minute.

I have for some reason assumed that the bubble would burst up until now. After Saturday I am wondering whether there is genuine hope. The team never stop and seem to have a wonderful spirit. We have a pretty solid defence and seem to have the knack of scoring important late goals. There is still a long way to go, but is this going to be a special season?

[slappy]

41
40
39
38
37 Oxford (16)
36 Chesterfield (12)
35 Fleetwood (9)
34 Newport (8), Scunthorpe (5), Burton (3)
33 Southend (7), Rochdale (2)
32 Morecambe (-1)
31
30 Dagenham & Redbridge (4)
29 Exeter (0)
28
27 AFCW (-1), Cheltenham (-4)
26 Hartlepool (1)
25
24 Wycombe (-2)
23 Plymouth (-7)
22 Mansfield (-5), Portsmouth (-7)
21
20 Bury (-3), York (-4), Accrington (-7)
19 Bristol Rovers (-5)
18 Northampton (-9), Torquay (-12)
17
16
15

There top 9 seem to be open a little gap up, and the bottom six are very tight too. Compare to last year. We are already 13 points better off. The top four at this stage last season all made the play-offs or better.

41 Gillingham
40
39 Port Vale
38
37
36
35 Cheltenham
34 Rotherham
33
32 Southend, Bradford
31 Fleetwood, Torquay
30 Rochdale, Exeter
29 Northampton, Burton
28 Chesterfield
27 York
26 Accrington
25 Dag & Red, Morecambe
24 Oxford
23
22 Wycombe
21
20
19
18 Plymouth, AFCW, Bristol Rovers
17 Aldershot
16
15 Barnet

[Kernow Yellow]

I remember posting a few weeks ago about how we were rock bottom of the form table for home games, with less than 1 ppg from our previous 6. Well, now we're right up there joint fifth best from our last 6 home games. This, and the two fantastic results in FA Cup adversity, is making me start to believe.

I wasn't at Saturday's game, but we seem to have started scoring 'proper' goals again - emphatic, quality finishes like the four at Fratton Park back in August. These somehow make victories all the more pleasing imo...

[Dr Bob]

I did fear for us when we failed to score more than one goal in the first half, given that three or four would not have flattered us - and then they go and score from their one 'proper' effort on goal all game...(I know, but I have been supporting Oxford for so long now, it is hard to shift out of my default mindset).

But

Kitson is not only running the show, I believe his presence and his style of play is inspiring others to (try to) match him.

The full-backs are unrecognisable from early season - solid defensively and Hunt in particular getting forward and delivering superb crosses into the box. I (now) agree with Paul's sentiment that he is better for us than Batt. I have said this before, but I thought the role (in the wide sense of the term) that Newey and Hunt played at Gateshead was absolutely magnificent.

I was pleased to see how many corners were not only by-passing the first defender, but also being put into dangerous areas in the box.

Ruffels still needs to improve his pass completion, but he is showing much more confidence on the ball. He was part of some wonderful moves down the left in the first half.

So often in the past we have been told how confident the players are, how together the players are, only for one poor result to see that dissipate. This time, I think for the first time under CW, there seems to be a strength of character and unity that can withstand adversity, that has at its root serious self-belief but without arrogance. I do wonder how much of this has been down to CW not being allowed to disrupt the dressing room and individual players' involvement by bringing in short-term loanees. For sure, the players have to be quality, but if it is true that Clarke called on the spirit of the pre-season boot camp to get the TEAM through extra-time, then having everyone there (more or less) who went through that experience together must be beneficial.

Not that long ago, I wrote that I expect our away form to dip, but only hope that our home form improves. As unnatural as it feels, I too am starting to believe.

BTW am I the only person who felt that, deep-down, Kitson getting his booking was about his being able to play at Charlton? What odds on a yellow card at York?

[The Enforcer]

So often in the past we have been told how confident the players are, how together the players are, only for one poor result to see that dissipate. This time, I think for the first time under CW, there seems to be a strength of character and unity that can withstand adversity, that has at its root serious self-belief but without arrogance. I do wonder how much of this has been down to CW not being allowed to disrupt the dressing room and individual players' involvement by bringing in short-term loanees. For sure, the players have to be quality, but if it is true that Clarke called on the spirit of the pre-season boot camp to get the TEAM through extra-time, then having everyone there (more or less) who went through that experience together must be beneficial.

I was really pleased when the Development Squad approach was announced. It's already proved its worth by getting us through that defensive injury crisis with the young players slotting in to plug the gaps - exactly what they should be used for. The same problem in previous seasons would have been tackled with the signing of short-term loan centre-backs and I'm fairly certain we would have been knocked out at Gateshead had that been the case. Instead, some youngsters now have valuable experience and will be more confident next time we have to call on them.

[recordmeister]

It seems that, thankfully, YFDan's comment on both the style of football and Kitson's ability to score / impact a game have been answered....

[SWA]

Seems YFDAn has emphatically been proved wrong in this case!

[GodalmingYellow]

I thought Daggers were very one dimensional, accentuated by a couple of quick players for the long ball breakaway. Other than that they didn't really have an armoury at all. It was only a change from sitting back and letting us attack them, to a close down and hassle approach that gave them any sort of foothold in the match. Had we gone in at half time 5-0 up, no one would have been able to say it was undeserved, such was our superiority.

Wilder seems to have got over the get a lead and hold onto it approach, which is great, but he now needs to coach the side to deal with teams that close us down quickly. That means lots of movement off the ball. If he can do this, I can see us starting to extend our lead at the top. Otherwise we'll be in for a lot more close matches than is really necessary.

Kitson was at his best against Daggers, and with the movement of Beano and Williams, we looked a very good attacking force for this level. Beano's goal was top draw of course.

So we have 3 very decent forwards in Kitson, Smalley and Beano. 3 very decent centre backs in Mullins, Raynes and Wright. Two very decent wingers in Williams and Rigg, and a very decent keeping in Clarke. All of whom would get into most first XIs in this division. a very nice core of players indeed.

We still have Alfie, Meades and Whingy to come back, all of whom would improve our first XI.

I've noticed one or two eulogising over Hunt and to a lesser extent Newey. Well OK Hunt put in one or two decent crosses including the set up hat led to the second goal against Daggers, but defensively (and that is Hunt and Newey's prime role), I still think they are way off the pace, and certainly not in the class of the players I have referred to above, and even when attacking, the crosses all too often hit the first defender or are delayed too long. Newey in particular has a habit of dallying on the ball and relinquishes possession far too easily.

Rose has gone off the boil in recent weeks, and Hall drifts in and out of games and loses concentration. We don't have a lot warming the bench for central midfield either.

A quick note on Ruffels who I thought looked very good in the first half on Saturday. Faded a bit in the second half, but that's to be expected for a noob. (I also thought Bevans looked more than useful against Wrexham).

If we are to strengthen in January, and I'm not convinced that we should, given Whing and Alfie's impending return, and possibly Meades in February, I think right back is where we need to strengthen most, followed by left back and possibly a central midfielder. Whoever comes in really needs to be able to materially strengthen our squad though.

[YF Dan]

It seems that, thankfully, YFDan's comment on both the style of football and Kitson's ability to score / impact a game have been answered....

Errr?

Read my posts. I said I wanted Kitson pushed further up the field, getting into goal scoring positions and taking responsibility for scoring goals.

What did DK himself say after Fleetwood? Now let me see...

"http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/footb ... d/?ref=arc"

Ah yes.

What did Dean Saunders say during the Wrexham first half? Oxford need to push Kitson further forward to help Constable. What happened? Oxford pushed Kitson up to help Constable. Result at FT?

Ah yes.

Moving him up the field appears to add both goals and assists to his game. He now has both, whereas, when I first wrote, he only had one goal, no assists.

I also said our record without Kitson is better than our record with him. This is a fact. However, I'm glad our record with him is improving, long may it continue.

I like Kitson. He has a good touch, and generally talks brilliantly and is clearly a good egg. I think he tries to referee every match himself, but apart from that he's a good player.

However, I did get annoyed with him when he washed his hands of scoring goals, saying bollocks like "it's not my job to score goals". Because it is definitely one of his jobs.