Tempting fate

[GodalmingYellow]

I'm superstitious and as a result I never bet on United. I'm beginning to realise that perhaps the reason we've been doing so badly in recent years is becasue I haven't been betting on them.

So come on Snake where's the best odds available on us winning the league?

I don't bet very often, but I've never yet won a bet based on Oxford United winning anything.

The question is, should I try to break this hoo-doo and place a bet on us to go up as champions this season?

DON'T DO IT!!!!!

There's too much to lose. Have a bet on Sw*ndon NOT getting relegated instead?

I'm not sure I can go as far as to actually mouth those words to a bookie. I kind of gets stuck in the craw!!

[GodalmingYellow]

I'm superstitious and as a result I never bet on United. I'm beginning to realise that perhaps the reason we've been doing so badly in recent years is becasue I haven't been betting on them.

So come on Snake where's the best odds available on us winning the league?

I don't bet very often, but I've never yet won a bet based on Oxford United winning anything.

The question is, should I try to break this hoo-doo and place a bet on us to go up as champions this season?

No!! that's completely different, you do bet and never win, I however never bet. for me to make a bet would alter the status quo and thereby make us win (the status quo being that we consistently lose) but by you making a bet it would not alter the status quo so for safety's sake you should refrain from betting.

OK, OK you've persuaded me!!

[GodalmingYellow]

Why would you think so?

Have we won any games since the end of last season?

Ermm, yes, quite a few actually.

The league tables take a different view and one rather closer to mine.

Aha, does that mean the criteria is winning league games? If so, how many?

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

Who knows? More than none, at any rate.

[A-Ro]

Why would you think so?

Have we won any games since the end of last season?

Ermm, yes, quite a few actually.

The league tables take a different view and one rather closer to mine.

So do the performances from the likes of Haldane, Guy, Constable, Hinchliffe and the difference they have made to the team still leave you entirely disenchanted?

I completely understand you are in no position to see these performances first hand but you must be taking some notice of this and other forums and the reports must be alleviating your disenchantement a tiny bit.

[SmileyMan]

Don't worry, Peña is the board's Eeyore. At the moment, I'm more of a nervous and apprehensive Pooh, but I appreciate that some who have seen the friendlies and the new players are rather bouncy and excitable Piglets and Tiggers.

Except boris, of course, who is Owl, because he can read and stuff.

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

So do the performances from the likes of Haldane, Guy, Constable, Hinchliffe and the difference they have made to the team still leave you entirely disenchanted?

I completely understand you are in no position to see these performances first hand but you must be taking some notice of this and other forums and the reports must be alleviating your disenchantement a tiny bit.

No. They're friendlies. They mean nothing, or as close to nothing as makes no difference. As yet there have been no &quotperformances&quot.

I get really, really pissed off with this, year after year. We'll win a couple of friendlies and then somehow everybody's under some obligation to wear the happy face and exhibit optimism or they're letting the side down. It's perhaps even worse that the apparent obligation to show the same optimism whenever a losing sequence is followed by one win in a row.

You want to be optimistic - fine, you do that. But why am I supposed to do the same on the basis of bugger all?

You know, among the things that leave me entirely disenchanted could be numbered the apparent incapacity of football fans to learn from experience.

[SmileyMan]

You know, among the things that leave me entirely disenchanted could be numbered the apparent incapacity of football fans to learn from experience.

If that were the case, there would be no such thing as Oxford United.

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

Yes there would. It would just have a more thoughtful support.

[Geoff]

So do the performances from the likes of Haldane, Guy, Constable, Hinchliffe and the difference they have made to the team still leave you entirely disenchanted?

I completely understand you are in no position to see these performances first hand but you must be taking some notice of this and other forums and the reports must be alleviating your disenchantement a tiny bit.

No. They're friendlies. They mean nothing, or as close to nothing as makes no difference. As yet there have been no &quotperformances&quot.

I get really, really pissed off with this, year after year. We'll win a couple of friendlies and then somehow everybody's under some obligation to wear the happy face and exhibit optimism or they're letting the side down. It's perhaps even worse that the apparent obligation to show the same optimism whenever a losing sequence is followed by one win in a row.

You want to be optimistic - fine, you do that. But why am I supposed to do the same on the basis of bugger all?

You know, among the things that leave me entirely disenchanted could be numbered the apparent incapacity of football fans to learn from experience.

I wasn't trying to persuade you to remove it, just wondering about the criteria. I agree with you about the results of friendlies, but something can be gleaned from the quality of the players / formation / style of play. I'm certainly more optimistic than I have been for a number of years based on the above. My glass is currently half full and I'm hoping a wasp doesn't drop in to it on Friday!

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

I don't think there are any criteria, as such, but &quotsomething actually happening&quot might be helpful. And given that a ten-point lead at the top doesn't necessarily count for a lot, &quotsomething actually having happened&quot might be closer to the mark.

[Jimski]

Heh, we have this every season. It's perhaps the nature of my character, or perhaps just born of experience, but I can never get into this &quotwe're going up&quot mentality before the season has even kicked off. Objectively speaking, we're probably in the leading six to eight contenders, but that doesn't really mean a lot just now Normally I get accused of pessimism for not jumping on such bandwagons, but then again I'm normally proved wise to resist.

[A-Ro]

Heh, we have this every season. It's perhaps the nature of my character, or perhaps just born of experience, but I can never get into this &quotwe're going up&quot mentality before the season has even kicked off. Objectively speaking, we're probably in the leading six to eight contenders, but that doesn't really mean a lot just now Normally I get accused of pessimism for not jumping on such bandwagons, but then again I'm normally proved wise to resist.

I don't think anybody has actually expressed the view that we are going up I just think that there is more cause for optimism than last season because we have more attacking variety. I'm very well aware that playing teams that are higher than you gives you more time on the ball, injuries can decimate a side and all the other things that can and will go wrong but Patterson is doing something that Jim couldn't and if I were entirely disenchanted last year (and I would have every right to have been) then that mood is certainly alleviated slightly by what I've seen so far this season.

[Isaac]

I'm with the &quotpessimists&quot/&quotrealists&quot, plenty of players look excellent in pre-season but go missing once the season starts. Think of John Dempster a couple of years back, hailed as the defensive midfielder we'd been looking for but in reality only ever good if given time and space, which there's plenty of in friendlies.

On the downside, one defeat to Barrow on Friday and no doubt it'll be doom and gloom again. I think the squad looks too small - the injury to Guy has highlighted this. Patterson may have gambled on having a strong first 14/15, a fair strategy and refreshingly different from previous seasons but as ever relies on luck with injuries.

On the plus side, Patterson looked as though he has been to working to some sort of pre-defined attacking plan (when did we last sign more attacking players than defensive ones pre-season?), we all pretty much agreed which areas needed players and he appears to have filled them.

[Ancient Colin]

Nooooooooooooooooo stop it, all of you, stop it NOW.

OK NOW will you stop it?