Nothing is ever decided in early February.

Let's not make the Oxford teamtalk easier than it needs to be.

We can all throw the toys out of the pram and complain but the fact remains we are still in the hunt and in a very good position even after a run of difficult results.

By marking this game as a must win is to play into the opposition's hands including Leeds and Sheff Utd by adding extra pressure.

Leeds already think they have won the league because they have won a game 7-0 and Sheff Utd think Wilder is the Messiah.

So lets get behind the lads and even if Oxford make it difficult (which they will) lets support the lads rather than building pressure when there is already more than enough of that to go around.

The lads are doing their best and with our support they will win.

Without it, its guaranteed we won't.

Spoken like a true fan, Billy.
Completely unacceptable!
No, you're dead right. A couple of decent wins and the experts will have us nailed on for automatic promotion again.
Leeds are a decent side and have financial backing.
We are better than Sheffield Utd and will be above them by the end of the month.

Confident we'll win, but it's not a must win with so many games still to play and just three points off the automatic places.

I definitely think we need to see a goal at the Turf. We haven't seen one since before Christmas.

So not a must win, but a must score for me.

If we can’t handle the pressure of beating Oxford at home we may as well chain and lock up the gates.

The temptation is always to think your rivals will win every game. They won't. We do need to win more games particularly at home, but the others will throw points away just when we don't expect it. Loads to play for

A must win in the sense that if we don't then the volume in terms of
'moans and groans ' will intensify and put additional pressure on the manager
and players.
I think the players will more than likely see it as a must win
and will hopefully got out and do the business - so to speak.

Think we've already got a thread to discuss the Oxford game being a must win

daveisaclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 12:51 pm

Think we've already got a thread to discuss the Oxford game being a must win

I do apologise I thought it was important that we tried to change the emphasis of the discussion by starting a new thread.

The obvious yet obviously also subtle difference is that this is a "NOT a must win" thread.

Well said...
There's 16 games left, 48 points to play for.
Promotion campaign is a marathon not a sprint, timing hitting top form is important, I mean we are in an 18 match unbeaten run which is fair...think the VK title winning season has upped the expectation levels of many people thinking we should be running away with it.
Let's hope we see a more adventurous game on Tuesday and that the crowd gets behind the players and not getting on their backs.....

Claretnick wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 1:33 pm

Well said...
There's 16 games left, 48 points to play for.
Promotion campaign is a marathon not a sprint, timing hitting top form is important, I mean we are in an 18 match unbeaten run which is fair...think the VK title winning season has upped the expectation levels of many people thinking we should be running away with it.
Let's hope we see a more adventurous game on Tuesday and that the crowd gets behind the players and not getting on their backs.....

I think your final point is why some fans, including myself, have been critical.

Win, lose or draw, we should be more adventurous in attack than we currently are. Too many times yesterday it was crying out for someone to actually move into space and be aggressive with the ball. It’s made even more annoying by the fact that when we up the tempo like we did for all of 5 minutes yesterday, they couldn’t cope, but then we seem to go back in to our shell for whatever reason?!

I personally think it’s a mindset issue and I do believe that comes from the manager. Nobody seems to be told to try to stretch and disorganise their defence by getting bodies forward. How many times yesterday did we see one of our wide players or Flemming make a channel run for example? Foster and Anthony have obviously been instructed to stay wide and hug the touchline which for a fullback is exactly what they want! Defenders hate forwards who make them turn and run backwards, and nobody seems to be doing that at any point!

All of the above and more just makes us so predictable and boring in attack because every time one of our centre mids gets his head up, he’s got nowhere to go but sideways and backwards.

For balance, it is only my opinion, and players scuffing their efforts doesn’t help, but can anyone really say that ten 0-0 draws is okay bearing in mind there is still a third of the season to go? It’s clearly a problem that needs fixing or we could just keep doing the same thing and expect a different outcome!

There are definitely some who've wanted Scott Parker to fail from the start, attempting to turn their opinion about him into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Was he my first choice? No, but he's a decent bloke, and it makes absolutely zero sense not to support him and the team, especially when we're within touching distance of first place and (on paper, at least) have a good run in.

Keep the faith.

Agree with the O/P. Lots to play for yet so let’s just get behind the team and the Manager.

I'm getting to the stage now where I don't consider whether it is a must win. I'm more thinking is it a must watch?

If we don't get a win soon, you can easily get out of the habit.

Easy to argue that every game right now is a must win, otherwise we're basically left behind.

Though to be honest, I'd probably be happy just to see us score..

CoolClaret wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:04 pm

There are definitely some who've wanted Scott Parker to fail from the start, attempting to turn their opinion about him into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Was he my first choice? No, but he's a decent bloke, and it makes absolutely zero sense not to support him and the team, especially when we're within touching distance of first place and (on paper, at least) have a good run in.

Keep the faith.

Yes, and I for one will never start booing my own team and I’ve never understood why fans do this because I don’t see how that helps matters. As for not wanting Parker to succeed, I can’t imagine anyone wanting him to fail, but I can understand peoples frustrations at his style of play.

Parker might not like it or agree with it, but the stats don’t lie and more importantly for me nor does the general feeling of malaise I get just from watching it.

Having said that, if the balance can be tipped into a slightly more attacking and less risk averse style that brings an odd goal or two in most games, then great!

Ampth7 wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:57 pm

Yes, and I for one will never start booing my own team and I’ve never understood why fans do this because I don’t see how that helps matters. As for not wanting Parker to succeed, I can’t imagine anyone wanting him to fail, but I can understand peoples frustrations at his style of play.

Parker might not like it or agree with it, but the stats don’t lie and more importantly for me nor does the general feeling of malaise I get just from watching it.

Having said that, if the balance can be tipped into a slightly more attacking and less risk averse style that brings an odd goal or two in most games, then great!

There are absolutely some that are willing him to fail. Quick to jeer when we don't win but go missing when we do win!

Even things like going on to 'support' then barely cheering or clapping, and immediately groaning from a misplaced pass only helps the opposition.

Some fans are acting like victims with this and it's quite childish tbh, "I can't bare to watch it any longer", lines of that nature, a real 'woe is me' sort of attitude.

Yes, we all know the balance has to be tipped and I think SP knows that more than anyone, but whilst we're in with a shot of automatics after the shitshow that was last summer then I think people should just support the team.

It is if we want the top two finish, we are under two points per game now! Can't expect under two points a game and get automatic.

For peoples sanity, we need some goalmouth action.

We’re 8th in the league on home form, too many 0-0s, both sets of fans singing ‘boring boring Burnley’ yesterday. It’s a must not be 0-0 if anything. Too many people embracing sleepwalking towards mediocrity hiding behind the clean sheet record.

Several opportunities to go top so far this season and we’ve bottled them all and we’re now 5 points off. Some big points to prove going forward.

CoolClaret wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 3:05 pm

There are absolutely some that are willing him to fail. Quick to jeer when we don't win but go missing when we do win!

Even things like going on to 'support' then barely cheering or clapping, and immediately groaning from a misplaced pass only helps the opposition.

Some fans are acting like victims with this and it's quite childish tbh, "I can't bare to watch it any longer", lines of that nature, a real 'woe is me' sort of attitude.

Yes, we all know the balance has to be tipped and I think SP knows that more than anyone, but whilst we're in with a shot of automatics after the shitshow that was last summer then I think people should just support the team.

Fair points, especially the notion of supporting the team as opposed to moaning about it. However, football is a passionate sport and it’s meant to be a form of entertainment, so I do understand those who are bored and frustrated by the way we often seem to play.

As you say, lots to be positive about, but something needs to change in the way we attack, whether that’s a change tactically, in personnel, mindset or whatever else, we can’t keep doing the same thing and expect a different outcome.

A team that gets automatic promotion has probably treated every game from matchday 1 to the last game as a must win game

Could do with beating Oxford and Hull (next two league games, both at home).
Do that, and there might be a new view of the situation

Easier said than done of course...

Burnley have average players in a mediocre championship. He knows our best players are our two centre-halves who do not make many mistakes. I think he realises that we have no chance of automatic promotion and that the only way of reaching the playoffs is by playing the way we do. I don’t think he will change his tactics so let’s try and enjoy it.
Up the clarets.

Actually think the home support has been incredibly patient considering the dross we’ve served up in the majority of home games this season. Sense that might change Tuesday if it’s a repeat performance.

Ralphandwillie wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 3:44 pm

Burnley have average players in a mediocre championship. He knows our best players are our two centre-halves who do not make many mistakes. I think he realises that we have no chance of automatic promotion and that the only way of reaching the playoffs is by playing the way we do. I don’t think he will change his tactics so let’s try and enjoy it.
Up the clarets.

Completely disagree. We have a top squad in a poor league this season. Our aim should be automatic. If we don’t get up this or next season then it’s all over with this financial millstone hanging over the club.

If we fail to win it will prove we are simply not good enough to achieve an automatic place.

If we do win, it will prove we have it in us to get past the remaining teams that will no doubt play in a similar way.

More than the 3 points per se, its what the 3 points represents.

"If we fail to win it will prove we are simply not good enough to achieve an automatic place."

Talk about fleeting statements.....tosh

Shaggy wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 4:21 pm

Completely disagree. We have a top squad in a poor league this season. Our aim should be automatic. If we don’t get up this or next season then it’s all over with this financial millstone hanging over the club.

I had a vision of loads of posters closing their eyes regarding your last line
So many people will not take the financial situation seriously
The need to be promoted stated by some of us is slagged off as being entitlement and Prem fans and we’re all about 15 years old

May not be "Must win" But its surely "Must perform well"
Dire performance's, some of the worse football I have seen over years being a fan.
Definitely up there with Cotterball and Dycheball.
Players seem shackled in way they play, Sideways, backwards, no urgency! Dross to watch.

BleedingClaret wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 4:32 pm

I had a vision of loads of posters closing their eyes regarding your last line
So many people will not take the financial situation seriously
The need to be promoted stated by some of us is slagged off as being entitlement and Prem fans and we’re all about 15 years old

A large section of supporters trying to ease expectations against another dross squad that we’re gonna come up against. We’re not peasants in this level anymore at all.

Milltown1882 wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 4:42 pm

A large section of supporters trying to ease expectations against another dross squad that we’re gonna come up against. We’re not peasants in this level anymore at all.

For reference Oxford is bottom on €21m and we’ve already dropped two points to them this season with a ParkerBall special.

It won't be easy for us. Oxford are an in form team.

Stayingup wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 4:53 pm

It won't be easy for us. Oxford are an in form team.

Same points as us in the last 6

Milltown1882 wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 4:42 pm

A large section of supporters trying to ease expectations against another dross squad that we’re gonna come up against. We’re not peasants in this level anymore at all.

This isn't objective at all, but taking it on face value that it is.....

Then we're pretty much right where we should be.

Milltown1882 wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 4:42 pm

A large section of supporters trying to ease expectations against another dross squad that we’re gonna come up against. We’re not peasants in this level anymore at all.

All of those teams have all been in the same position with the benefit of parachute payments apart from Coventry.

It has always been the same since the Premier League came about with the haves and have nots.

If it was easy then we wouldn't be in the equation as the teams that first got relegated with parachute payments would continue getting promoted, but that doesn't happem as we know.

Its the weight of expectation and the ferocity of the Championship that levels the playing field.

Oxford and any other team in this league are no push overs and you can guarantee they will raise their game against recent Premier League opposition.

The way I remember Oxford away with the assistance of alcohol

Was they started the game in a 451 sitting really deep
During the first half they realised that we had no intention of playing long or quickly or ultimately any real desire to break through their back line so they came out 442 in the 2nd half and pushed right up onto our hesitant obsessively side and back passing back 7 and bullied us

Moltisanti wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 4:58 pm

Same points as us in the last 6

Ah, but how many clean sheets eh?………..Only messing, I’d just love to see sone intent on the pitch. Start a match coming out of the blocks. When they sit deep, have some shots, put the ball in the mix, kick ‘em………do flamin something but none of this slowly slowly move the ball up the pitch until we cone across 10 Oxford defenders, move them from side to side to create an opening, pass it back/round……..

Whilst a 1-0 win will get the points, it’s more the manner of the result which I’ll have my eye on (and my other eyes a “lazy eye” so he doesn’t count!).

BleedingClaret wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 5:31 pm

The way I remember Oxford away with the assistance of alcohol

Was they started the game in a 451 sitting really deep
During the first half they realised that we had no intention of playing long or quickly or ultimately any real desire to break through their back line so they came out 442 in the 2nd half and pushed right up onto our hesitant obsessively side and back passing back 7 and bullied us

Different manager this time round, they appointed Gary Rouwett, not so sure on how he's got them playing.

CoolClaret wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 7:13 pm

Different manager this time round, they appointed Gary Rouwett, not so sure on how he's got them playing.

He's generally been pretty defensive at his other clubs, they certainly won't be coming to have a go at us.

0-0

jrgbfc wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 7:30 pm

He's generally been pretty defensive at his other clubs, they certainly won't be coming to have a go at us.

All set up to be a cracker!?

billyhamilton82 wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 4:32 pm

"If we fail to win it will prove we are simply not good enough to achieve an automatic place."

Talk about fleeting statements.....tosh

Are the quotes to state that’s as far as you read??

After the Oxford game we will have 31 games to use to make a prediction on the next 15.

jrgbfc wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 7:30 pm

He's generally been pretty defensive at his other clubs, they certainly won't be coming to have a go at us.

So no excuse for the usual risk free home tactics. Get full backs bombing on from 1st minute. Get back line 20 yards further up. Get Foster and Flemming up top. Get to the frigging by-line.

summitclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 8:13 pm

So no excuse for the usual risk free home tactics. Get full backs bombing on from 1st minute. Get back line 20 yards further up. Get Foster and Flemming up top. Get to the frigging by-line.

Good luck with that one.

Its not a must win game but I think it's one where the performance is if anything more important than the result. After 5 nil nil draws in 7 games, and three successive nil nil draws at home / 4 in the last 5 home games, I think its absolutely essential that we produce a performance which shows some a greate3 willingness to take a bit of risk to make things happen and create chances.

That is partly because fans need something to get behind but also because of confidence. There are quite a few attacking players in the squad who appear to have gone through crises of confidence this season and Koleosho's appears to have drained away completely.

CoolClaret wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 02, 2025 7:13 pm

Different manager this time round, they appointed Gary Rouwett, not so sure on how he's got them playing.

oh yes, I had forgotten that

Won’t be easy, Oxford are on an unbeaten run of 9.

Oxford is clearly not a must win game. However...
Whilst definitely NOT undervaluing the utterly brilliant defensive organisation which has been instilled in the team, we do need signs of more dynamic football going forward. The ball is played between the back players rather too often, which gives opponents a chance to re-set. Whilst the fullbacks do play quite adventurously - especially Conor Roberts - the adventure usually starts when the opponents have got back in position.
The concentration upon mainly attacking via the wings means that opponents will have a good idea of where the dangers are. This is aggravated by the absence of a CF who can attack crosses with sufficient regularity. Flemming has many qualities, but he would be better deployed playing off a striker. It is too easy for opponents to defend crosses. It has been better when we have had Josh Brownhill playing further forward, but he can only be expected to chip in, rather than be the leading goalscorer.
We do need someone who is able to break the lines with passing. If defences are uncertain about where the lines of attack are likely to be, they will feel less secure, producing openings which are, at present, not coming because it's a bit predictable. Perhaps JJS will be the difference

If Leeds win (away to Coventry), but we only draw this week we'd be seven points behind.

You then start to get into the scenario of needing pretty much three wins more than Leeds just to get in front (GD far inferior).

Not an easy task, even if we start to win a few more on a regular basis.

That's why it's very difficult for teams below Sunderland to catch us as that gap is now probably too big to bridge.