Lightweight up front (particularly without Duffy).
Error prone at the back.
No midfield to speak of.
On the pitch we are nothing more than a highly average Conference team, and off it we are racking up losses upon losses. Crowds are dwindling and even the Ultimates gave up today.
I see the abyss opening up, I really do. The future does not look yellow.
Not very encouraging.
Can’t disagree with any of that, and thanks for starting this thread, Shoobedoo, as today was not an easy game to pass comment on.
/
Twiggy and Willy didn’t look match fit, but hey, we’ve got rid of our reserve team so they did well to even try to compete without a proper warm-up match under their belts.
No midfield? Well, if you just hoof it over them each time we regain possession at the back what’s the point of them even being there?
I thought Yemi and Turley and Hutch and Quinn stood out, but it’s hard to point to the weakest link(s) as I thought they all looked pretty much of a muchness. Ok, so Odubade can’t seem to finish at the moment, but I dread to think how uninspiring that game today would have been without his contributions.
We could well have lost that game in the fist half, and we looked the most disinterested of the two teams in a very boring second half. I just can’t believe that an Oxford United team is happy to sit out a 1-0 lead against a team 6th from bottom of the Conference. Oh, how we have fallen..
The crowd was down some 1700 on last season against the same opposition and on the exact same date. So that’s another £20k plus lost from WPL’s pocket, and it seems to me like we are sleepwalking towards another financial crisis at Oxford United. Any day now I expect Ian Lenagan to say we’re thinking of going semi-professional next season if we don’t go up because there is simply no option other than going bust.
///
The UYs make a mistake in going back for a second bite at the North Stand too early, because the hooli element had not been sorted from the first time around. As a result it was clear that the club (yes, the club, through the use of excessive policing and stewarding) are clearly discouraging any more of that. So UY dies, end of. Nice try and all that.
/
Smith needs to find a believable excuse (health, family, anything..
to leave before it gets too late. Taking Us out of the League and fucking up our promotion chances twice is one thing, but wasting Ian’s money on this kind of scale is another, and it’s putting the future of Oxford United in more jeopardy than I’m comfortable with.
/
Good to see Kelvin Thomas in the Directors Box again.
/
Twiggy and Willy didn’t look match fit, but hey, we’ve got rid of our reserve team so they did well to even try to compete without a proper warm-up match under their belts.
No midfield? Well, if you just hoof it over them each time we regain possession at the back what’s the point of them even being there?
I thought Yemi and Turley and Hutch and Quinn stood out, but it’s hard to point to the weakest link(s) as I thought they all looked pretty much of a muchness. Ok, so Odubade can’t seem to finish at the moment, but I dread to think how uninspiring that game today would have been without his contributions.
We could well have lost that game in the fist half, and we looked the most disinterested of the two teams in a very boring second half. I just can’t believe that an Oxford United team is happy to sit out a 1-0 lead against a team 6th from bottom of the Conference. Oh, how we have fallen..
The crowd was down some 1700 on last season against the same opposition and on the exact same date. So that’s another £20k plus lost from WPL’s pocket, and it seems to me like we are sleepwalking towards another financial crisis at Oxford United. Any day now I expect Ian Lenagan to say we’re thinking of going semi-professional next season if we don’t go up because there is simply no option other than going bust.
///
The UYs make a mistake in going back for a second bite at the North Stand too early, because the hooli element had not been sorted from the first time around. As a result it was clear that the club (yes, the club, through the use of excessive policing and stewarding) are clearly discouraging any more of that. So UY dies, end of. Nice try and all that.
/
Smith needs to find a believable excuse (health, family, anything..
to leave before it gets too late. Taking Us out of the League and fucking up our promotion chances twice is one thing, but wasting Ian’s money on this kind of scale is another, and it’s putting the future of Oxford United in more jeopardy than I’m comfortable with./
Good to see Kelvin Thomas in the Directors Box again.
Spot on slippery one.
Ian L must be working up the part time strategies for next season.
Will be interesting to see the PR spin to persuade us that a ground share is a good idea.
Maybe a vote will work, do you want Milton or Court Place Farm, then he can say we chose our destiny.
This is absolutely the worst position this club has been in for many years.
Still got that FOUL website domain active ?
Ian L must be working up the part time strategies for next season.
Will be interesting to see the PR spin to persuade us that a ground share is a good idea.
Maybe a vote will work, do you want Milton or Court Place Farm, then he can say we chose our destiny.
This is absolutely the worst position this club has been in for many years.
Still got that FOUL website domain active ?
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GodalmingYellow
- Senile
- Posts: 5178
- Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 10:22 am
Re:
I agree with pretty much all of that."Snake" wrote:Can’t disagree with any of that, and thanks for starting this thread, Shoobedoo, as today was not an easy game to pass comment on.
/
Twiggy and Willy didn’t look match fit, but hey, we’ve got rid of our reserve team so they did well to even try to compete without a proper warm-up match under their belts.
No midfield? Well, if you just hoof it over them each time we regain possession at the back what’s the point of them even being there?
I thought Yemi and Turley and Hutch and Quinn stood out, but it’s hard to point to the weakest link(s) as I thought they all looked pretty much of a muchness. Ok, so Odubade can’t seem to finish at the moment, but I dread to think how uninspiring that game today would have been without his contributions.
We could well have lost that game in the fist half, and we looked the most disinterested of the two teams in a very boring second half. I just can’t believe that an Oxford United team is happy to sit out a 1-0 lead against a team 6th from bottom of the Conference. Oh, how we have fallen..
The crowd was down some 1700 on last season against the same opposition and on the exact same date. So that’s another £20k plus lost from WPL’s pocket, and it seems to me like we are sleepwalking towards another financial crisis at Oxford United. Any day now I expect Ian Lenagan to say we’re thinking of going semi-professional next season if we don’t go up because there is simply no option other than going bust.
///
The UYs make a mistake in going back for a second bite at the North Stand too early, because the hooli element had not been sorted from the first time around. As a result it was clear that the club (yes, the club, through the use of excessive policing and stewarding) are clearly discouraging any more of that. So UY dies, end of. Nice try and all that.
/
Smith needs to find a believable excuse (health, family, anything..
/
Good to see Kelvin Thomas in the Directors Box again.
And once again, defensively we were a complete shambles.
We must get rid of these fancy formations. 3-4-1-2 became 5-2-1-2 yesterday.Hardly surprising we were unable to hold the ball up front.
Not good enough by a very long distance.
Each game this farce continues, I slip nearer the Smith Out group, and it is nothing less than completely depressing to have to accept that.
I looked up the latest score on the BBC with about 10 minutes to go and the official stats had Oxford having had 16% of the possession.
I wasn't there but it sounds pathetic for a home team (well any team for that matter).
I was glad I was on my way out to play golf even though we were 1 up at the time.
I wasn't there but it sounds pathetic for a home team (well any team for that matter).
I was glad I was on my way out to play golf even though we were 1 up at the time.
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John Byrne's Underpants
- Puberty
- Posts: 348
- Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 3:44 pm
- Location: Behind the desk
Oh dear, back to square one. To be honest I think we all knew Salisbury was only a temporary blip before we got back to our normal routine of trying to hang on to a 1-0 and giving away a stupid goal due to a defensive error. How many times this season?
I'm more frustrated because there were just glimpses of what we're capable of. We actually made a few good moves, but all too sporadic I'm afraid.
Trainer was particularly error strewn yesterday, maybe he needs a rest. Also I think Corcoran does too. Clearly he's lost a bit of form and a break from the first team might do him some good. Bad news about Duffy, he was just starting to find his form. Let's hope he's not out for long.
I'm still not completely convinced that getting rid of Smith is the answer, but my patience is certainly wearing very thin.
I'm more frustrated because there were just glimpses of what we're capable of. We actually made a few good moves, but all too sporadic I'm afraid.
Trainer was particularly error strewn yesterday, maybe he needs a rest. Also I think Corcoran does too. Clearly he's lost a bit of form and a break from the first team might do him some good. Bad news about Duffy, he was just starting to find his form. Let's hope he's not out for long.
I'm still not completely convinced that getting rid of Smith is the answer, but my patience is certainly wearing very thin.
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GodalmingYellow
- Senile
- Posts: 5178
- Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 10:22 am
Re:
Unfortunately its a little worse than that."neilw" wrote:"no option other than going bust" ..........
Assuming, whilst exaggerating for affect, OUFC is worth £0, with £0 assets and a debt of £4 million to WPL. Would we go bust, as opposed to WPL selling at market value (£0) and writing off their bad debt?
The club have written contracts to players using a player budget based on unrealistically high turnover.
When that turnover drops significantly, we are stuck with the high player contracts and high stadium rent for the level of turnover, and so face endemic and inherent significant losses, over and above the £450k per year projected for this season.
It is difficult to conclude with even small certainty, that a buyer could be found who would be prepared to take on a mid-table conference team, with no assets, low turnover, dwindling crowds and large contractual liabilities and rent of a stadium intended for 2 divisions higher, and the only alternative prospect of buying a stadium at even higher cost.
There will come a point where Lenegan will cut his losses, and it will be much sooner than conclusion of the 5 year plan he put in place, otherwise he will face much much bigger losses to write off.
This is why I have for so long been calling for the club to operate within its means.
I don't want to make a drama out of a crisis, but the consequencies of all this could be terrible.
You miss the point GY. But, as you say, "he will face much much bigger losses to write off" Exactly !!!
The current level of debt is at the risk of WPL, not OUFC. When the club is eventually handed over to and run by another entity, trust or whom ever, they won't be taking on the current level of debt. So, £4m, £5m, £10m, £20m of WPL debt. Does it make any difference?
Mr K needs to start thinking about what the true value of that stadium really is.
The current level of debt is at the risk of WPL, not OUFC. When the club is eventually handed over to and run by another entity, trust or whom ever, they won't be taking on the current level of debt. So, £4m, £5m, £10m, £20m of WPL debt. Does it make any difference?
Mr K needs to start thinking about what the true value of that stadium really is.
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GodalmingYellow
- Senile
- Posts: 5178
- Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 10:22 am
Re:
No I didn't miss the point, I'm well aware that IL will not get his money back. That isn't the issue."neilw" wrote:You miss the point GY. But, as you say, "he will face much much bigger losses to write off" Exactly !!!
The current level of debt is at the risk of WPL, not OUFC. When the club is eventually handed over to and run by another entity, trust or whom ever, they won't be taking on the current level of debt. So, £4m, £5m, £10m, £20m of WPL debt. Does it make any difference?
Mr K needs to start thinking about what the true value of that stadium really is.
The club will never be able to get that far into debt. IL has set himself a financial limit that he is prepared to spend on the club.
The issue is that when he walks (and the faster the debts rise, the sooner that will be), even if he writes off his debts as he has said, the club will still be insolvent and not a going concern. We will have contractual liabilities that are in excess of the turnover of the club, and there are no options to improve the turnover of the club.
No one will buy a club on the basis of irreversible annual losses. That's a worse position than having debts.
Mr K will no doubt be thinking about his pot of gold by turning the stadium and car parks into housing if the club goes bust. Unless he suddenly gets a generous streak, I doubt Mr K's valuation is going to be significantly reduced.
I've been thinking about the club's position a lot, and very reluctantly, I think that I now fall into the Smith Out group. I really just don't see a way out otherwise.
On the financial side, I don't want to get into technical arguments with more knowledgeable people. Just suffice to say I agree with the view that we are in the shit and living in cuckoo land. Lenaghan will walk medium term and Merry is a bag of hot air.
On the pitch......
I thought Trainer had his best first half for us that I have seen. Clearly told to be more expansive with his passing he found Anaclet with cross field passes. However his second half was poor.
The one bugging me is Shaw. He does F*** all. He offers nothing. I can only assume folks signing his praises think it is him winning headers when it is in fact Hutch.
Jimbo.....why play right footed Yemi on left and left footed Twigg on right?
Why take Hutch off for anonymous Pettefer when he was clearly outplaying Trainer and Shaw.
Patto appeared to give up and retreat to the dugout after Jim made that call. The rift is growing and has to snap soon. Both Patto and Smith know the likely winner and that will be the younger man.
Duffers injury looks serious, his doubters will learn to miss him in the next month. Though he shouldbehitin pocket for daft booking.
Turley should get a serious fine for his 4th booking.
Quinn, maybe the truth will be found out if he is missing for a couple of weeks.
I want to see Willmott and Foster play together at the back.
And don't start me off about set pieces. Why the hell did we ever let Burgess go!!!!!!!
On the pitch......
I thought Trainer had his best first half for us that I have seen. Clearly told to be more expansive with his passing he found Anaclet with cross field passes. However his second half was poor.
The one bugging me is Shaw. He does F*** all. He offers nothing. I can only assume folks signing his praises think it is him winning headers when it is in fact Hutch.
Jimbo.....why play right footed Yemi on left and left footed Twigg on right?
Why take Hutch off for anonymous Pettefer when he was clearly outplaying Trainer and Shaw.
Patto appeared to give up and retreat to the dugout after Jim made that call. The rift is growing and has to snap soon. Both Patto and Smith know the likely winner and that will be the younger man.
Duffers injury looks serious, his doubters will learn to miss him in the next month. Though he shouldbehitin pocket for daft booking.
Turley should get a serious fine for his 4th booking.
Quinn, maybe the truth will be found out if he is missing for a couple of weeks.
I want to see Willmott and Foster play together at the back.
And don't start me off about set pieces. Why the hell did we ever let Burgess go!!!!!!!
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Swissbloke
- Mid-life Crisis
- Posts: 717
- Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 2:07 pm
- Location: Oxford & Brentford
Re:
The UYs make a mistake in going back for a second bite at the North Stand too early, because the hooli element had not been sorted from the first time around. As a result it was clear that the club (yes, the club, through the use of excessive policing and stewarding) are clearly discouraging any more of that. So UY dies, end of. Nice try and all that.
Box again.[/quote]
Is was very clear that the club did not support the UY's, Really aggresive stewarding in the North Stand, strange policing and 2 arrests (I didn't see why just the two lads being taken away)
The club don't want the UY's as they beleive it's going to cost an extra £3K per match in policing, the North Stand is also used to give away school tickets and kids promotions.
The club NEED to do something for the atmosphere and fans who want to sing, I'm in the centre of the East stand surrounded by people who don't want to sing. At least in the London road we could move.
A good proactive move would be to create an area of 200-300 seats in a top corner of the East stand and use that, lot's of problems of course but better than alienating the fans that want to support the team.
Maybe the UY's can meet with the club to talk about this? I'm sure the club would listen rather than have 50-100 people moving to the North every 3 weeks and costing them money.
The club were trying to sell sponsorship deals for the stewards....erm on Sunday's display I'll keep my money for now.
Box again.[/quote]
Is was very clear that the club did not support the UY's, Really aggresive stewarding in the North Stand, strange policing and 2 arrests (I didn't see why just the two lads being taken away)
The club don't want the UY's as they beleive it's going to cost an extra £3K per match in policing, the North Stand is also used to give away school tickets and kids promotions.
The club NEED to do something for the atmosphere and fans who want to sing, I'm in the centre of the East stand surrounded by people who don't want to sing. At least in the London road we could move.
A good proactive move would be to create an area of 200-300 seats in a top corner of the East stand and use that, lot's of problems of course but better than alienating the fans that want to support the team.
Maybe the UY's can meet with the club to talk about this? I'm sure the club would listen rather than have 50-100 people moving to the North every 3 weeks and costing them money.
The club were trying to sell sponsorship deals for the stewards....erm on Sunday's display I'll keep my money for now.
The news now that Anaclet is out for 6 weeks will really expose Smith's failed transfer "strategy"...
What now Jimbo? Can we look forward to Matt Day at RWB? Or shall we see Gnu? Maybe Gilly could fill in there? Or Wilmott?
Obviously, I'm not expecting us to go 4-4-2. Nor are we ever likely to see Foster given a game there.
Oh my.
What now Jimbo? Can we look forward to Matt Day at RWB? Or shall we see Gnu? Maybe Gilly could fill in there? Or Wilmott?
Obviously, I'm not expecting us to go 4-4-2. Nor are we ever likely to see Foster given a game there.
Oh my.
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GodalmingYellow
- Senile
- Posts: 5178
- Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 10:22 am
Re:
Same injury as I did playing football a week ago."YF Dan" wrote:The news now that Anaclet is out for 6 weeks will really expose Smith's failed transfer "strategy"...
What now Jimbo? Can we look forward to Matt Day at RWB? Or shall we see Gnu? Maybe Gilly could fill in there? Or Wilmott?
Obviously, I'm not expecting us to go 4-4-2. Nor are we ever likely to see Foster given a game there.
Oh my.
I imagine we'll see Quinn or Day at RWB.
But surely now an ideal opporuntity to go 4-4-2, with no natural left or right wing backs.