Oxford Thread
 

Howdy
Preview time - ASFC News Story > 4021

And some Coley -
YouTube - 15-04 coleman pre-oxford.wmv

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What, no quotes from Timmy Mallet Dan - you're slacking mate :)

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...And a view from the away end now online - ASFC News Story > 4023

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and a new surfer from SU :)

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Advance warning folks - your updates on here, Facebook, Twitter etc. are likely to be a bit tardy this afternoon... I'm doing umpteen things on my tod this afternoon (cue violins!!!)

Will do my best!

Dan

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For the fifth successive game Stanley's starting line up shows no changes for this afternoon's clash with Oxford.

Dean Winnard starts to notch up his 100th appearance for the club.

Stanley: Cisak, Winnard, Edwards, Hessey, Jacobson, Procter, Joyce, Ryan, Craney, McConville, Gornell

Subs: Dunbavin, Long, Barnett, Lindfield, Putterill, Murphy, Boulding

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It's a sunny afternoon at the Crown - how's everyone feeling?

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Afternoon Dan. Feeling nervous. Not sure whether it's about the game or the doner kebab curry I'm about to eat.

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Pleasantly surprised to see people still streaming down the front of the main stand five minutes from kick off...

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The buses have been busier than usual from town :)

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Is the gate bigger than usual Dan

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Here we go...

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Main stand looks pretty full. Will give you confirmed att in 2nd half

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4: First chance. McConville crosses from the right, goalkeeper Ryan Clarke drops it and when it looks like Procter will score it's nicked off his toe

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10 - Craney's deflected shot is held by the keeper

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Stevenage 1 up

Warming up at the bottom of the prima donna league today too :)

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Bury 1 up

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Bury & Shrews both 2 up but for some good news Gills 1 down :)

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36: McConville corner from the left headed over by Edwards

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Didn't spot Northampton had scored earlier, they are now 2 up at Wycombe :)

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Two chances for Oxford - Hall shot deflected behind and from the resulting corner Doble heads wide

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Aldershot equalised at Stevenage :)

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Beginiing to think there's only me not at the game today :D

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if only

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I'm here lancsdave but I'm hoping many of the rest have gone to the game.

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Ht 0-0

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I'm at the game but largely neglecting you!!!

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Here we go again

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Dan, sorry t be a pain mate, but which way we kicking (helps to imagine the proceedings)

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Coppice End now amigo

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Aldershot taken lead at Stevenage

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Afternoon all, would've been here sooner but been playing at being Paul Bunyan today ! :D

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Boulding on for McConville

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Qatar reds are here. Come on Stanley

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Come on Stanley, the table couldn't have set itself up much nicer as results stand. Sneak a winner and it's two points off the automatics!!! :)

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Stevenage now 2-2.

Really need a couple of goals lads ! Come on the Reds !

Latest Chesterfield winning 2-1

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77: Utter melee in the area from a Hessey free kick - somehow Oxford clear out of the 6 yard box

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81: Ryan tries his luck from the halfway line - and the keeper has to back pedal furiously to make a save

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87: Boulding in but puts it the wrong side of the post

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Five minutes added

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Wycombe 2-2 Northampton, home boys just equalised.

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All over - 0-0

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0 - 0 again ! Another undefeated game but it could be quite telling in the long run, we really need goals & points to do things comfortably. Mind you this is Stanley, they don't do things easily ! :rolleyes:

Thanks Dan. :)

Gills late equaliser against Morecambe, dropped us down to 8th.

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Could have been worse. Torquay, Stevenage and Gillingham all drew as well.

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very poor display today,again too much lumping the ball in the air, another poor ref, things can only get better. i hope.:eek::eek:

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Too many Lack lustre performances today. Oxford werent a fantastic team, we just didnt turn up. Still hovering for the final push though. We dont make things easy for ourselves. Bradford are poor but if we play like we did today who knows it could go down to the final game of the season. Being an Accy fan sure aint easy.

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Agreed. Bring back the cabbage patch in the middle - we played some great stuff on the deck back when it was at it's worst. I know Terry is great at getting on the end of those long balls most of the time, but we seem to be reverting back to "hit and hope", which turned sour for us at the end of Paul Mullin's reign. Get Charlie Barnett back in midfield where he oiled the wheels for us earlier in the season, and drop the untouchable one to accommodate him.;)

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Would have to agree he had a bad un today.

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The amount of negativity on this forum is staggering sometimes.

We almost didnt have a bloody club at the turn of the year, and yet people still criticise.

I thought it was a decent result against a well organised Oxford defence. Given abit of luck we could easily have won by 2 or 3. I cant even remember Cisak having a difficult save to make????

Credit to Coley for trying to change it bringing on Rory and Barnett, but alas I think a draw was probably inevitable. Just wish Razor could have been given 20 mins at the end to try and ruffle a few feathers, oh well.

Jimmy Ryan was yet again magnificent, beginning to run out of words to describe him to be honest. His vision, runs and everything else where just unbelievable at times. His 50 yard effort and that run = wow!

We are still unbeaten at home for a long time and looking at the results today its almost as you where from last week. Shrewsbury away is looking the season defining game.

On Stanley On

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Constructive criticism isn't negativity, Smudgie. If you want to know what negativity is just have a shufty at the Rovers forum!:D

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I wont drag myself down to that level.

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I thought Stanley should have had at least one penalty, if not two. I just don't understand how the linesman didn't give the shirt pulling one.

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First fifteen/twenty minutes we contolled the game and had a few good chances including the proccy penalty appeal which looked stonewall from where we were stood which was about in line with it.

After that Oxford started to boss the midfield which then began produce a stalemate in the middle of the park which Stanley struggled to bypass and thus apart from a few second half chances for Stanley was pretty much how the game played out.

Still well in the mix and to be still there after forty two games is great credit to everyone involved, there will still be twists and turns yet for us and others as we have seen in the last two weeks.

The one thing that genuinely struck me today while we were doing the voting slips was the buzz outside the stadium and a good number of people saying it was their first visit to the ground.

Maybe not the result we all wanted but we just got to keep doing what we have done all season and persist with the football and team spirit and it will get it's rewards.:alright:

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yeh dont usually talk crap smudge, but in this instance yeh are, it aint negativity to say they were very poor today its the ruddy truth.:( that oxford defence that did ok no doubt, the darkie centre half had never played in a game above conference level before this afternoon,fact n the lad did good, also the fact stanley were lumping the ball most of the game aint negativity thats also the truth,also i was amazed McConville was subbed n anyone who knows me,knows i aint his biggest fan, i aint convinced oer Rory when we got a player like putterill not getting a shout, wake up n smell the coffee.

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Is it me, or did the team look tired today? Yes we could and should have had a penalty and the two fouls in front of the main stand were straight reds not yellows, but what do I know, no doubt Cowboy will be on my case for that. To me, Oxford were a brutal team getting away with just about every trick in the book and either the ref and/or the assistants were blind to it! Personally, I thought Terry Gornell had one of his poorer games as did Ian Craney but at the end of the day we got a point and we still have it in or own hands to get into the playoffs, however, the auto promotion may just have gone away now.

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I thought they looked tired/bit stale today, thats what irritates me, they keep saying we got the biggest ever squad/ the best ever squad, which i agree is the case, yet it aint utilised.:confused: jeez even top managers change it around when fixtures have piled up? or am i missing summat.:confused:

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Sorry but I am with smudgie on this one, oxford were well organised, done there homework ,got players behind the ball,with the pitch being hard u sometimes have to take an extra touch, we created chances,today we didn't take them,to say the team was poor is wrong,did we defend well ?,not conceed again ?, you have to be positive,you have no divine right to win every game , we didn't lose or conceed

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Whilst I agree with the statement that the team do not have a divine right to win all games, I do think you and smudgie misunderstand. The majority of fans on this site are not being negative, but just bemoaning the fact about squad rotation, lack of protection for the players as at times it was like watching tag team wrestling from the 1960's with a ref who could not or would not intervene. Personally, I am glad we gained a point (or did we lose 2?), we still have our unbeaten home record of 9 games or more (not sure on this one). Cashy, I believe has hit the nail on the head, we have a big squad, so lets utilise it.
Oxford United were not well organised today, they kicked, pulled and pushed through our players. My one criticism of this team is the lack of height up front and I stand by my previous statement of 2 OU players should have been shown straight reds not yellows in the first half.

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Smudgie - it's not as such negative but relative, altho we kept pressing we lacked communication on field, yes the refs a banker and Oxford totally bullied us of the ball, we looked frustrated as a team which hasn't been present as such in the past few home games, macc broke us I think, reminded the team about hoof balls again and just continued today. We CANT do hoof balls, wish this would get thro to them, we have no height like other teams that prefer this method & begs the question WHY are we allowing other teams to dominate play this way (lazy football), we are much more supreme when it's on the deck (as long as players are aware of their team mates positions and reading the ball play - simply lacked today). Thank god oxford were terrible in their forward positions or it could of been worse.

I lived every minute of the match and my throat killing - sorry to all I deafened, frustrated of the above points & also criticism that subs should of been Used a little earlier as some of the lads were all pitched out, but again probably picky :)

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Would you if you didn't know if you had a job next season ???

Get your act together Stanley , And give them a Five year contract !!!

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more crap, no-one i know thinks they have a divine right to win every game, what i do know is fact i aint seen a better Div2 side this season than stanley, its also fact they are either tired or off the boil last 2 games, it aint negative n aint rocket science, big squad/best squad- not utilised or is that too difficult to comprehend?:rolleyes:

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People keep banging on about squad rotation , are the reserves top of the league ?, are these players ripping it up in training?,because if they were , they would be in the team ,coleman and bell are nobodys fools ,if u want a place in the starting eleven u have to earn it ,reputation only gets u so far

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why bother wi subs then? its their Achilles heel in my eyes simple as.

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I think we are going to disagree on this cashy,players are not robots ,sometimes they may have an off day ,do u drop them ?,as the saying goes , form may be temporary,but class is perminent , I sometimes think i am on a man utd forum ,only joking cashy LOL

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I thought Craney had a poor game today - he seemed to not want to be involved at all. Ray Putterill or Charlie Barnett should certainly have been brought on for the second half. Our forward play, such as it was, was easily nullified by the Oxford centre backs. There seemed to be little attempt to run the channels, as the modern saying goes. To my simple mind, the game cried out for Putterill to be called upon - or even Andy Parkinson had he been on the bench.

And the officials were indeed dreadful.

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No not drop, but if not performing use yer subs simple as. they seem to be incapable of that function or too pig headed. Macclesfield did, Oxford did today, never did em any harm.

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Subs are normally used for injurys or plan b when things are not going well ,some of the subs this season have paid off big time , some haven't, trouble is it takes time for them to pick ur the pace of the game and u can come unstuck in this period

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well things were not goin well last friday or today, n most of the subs this season have just been brought on in last few mins, so aint had time to do sod all or am i watching a different game?

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Don't forget cashy football is all about confidence, and if u sub a player who's not been paid for 2 months u could destroy him LOL,

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Last Friday we was winning with 2 mins to go,made a sub and conceded

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I was thinking exactly the same regarding Putterill at that point in the game....Joyce despite doing reasonably well I thought was caught in possession a couple of times, looked a bit short of the pace of the game and Putterill and fresh legs might have given a bit more drive at a point where we were chasing a win.:o

I wouldn't advocate switching the starting line up, but if it's plainly not working, as was clearly obvious with half an hour to go, this more than highlights Coley's reluctance to switch things around and throw subs on...
to try and change things and inject a few fresh legs.

Fair point, however If the players in the starting eleven are looking tired and jaded (as at times they did today) surely it's better to throw fresh legs into the mix??? I played the game, albeit at a much, much lower level, but anyone and everyone knows that fresh legs can sometimes make a difference



That statement is contradictory, because in one breath you're saying making substitutions can work but the latter half of your statement exposes the fact that Coley's reluctance to make subs early enough often results in the subs failing to make an impact!!!

Fair enough, I personally thought Oxford did a number on us, came with a gameplan and defended quite well, although like others have mentioned, I thought we did look tired at times, the long lump forward crept into our play today and thankfully results for the other sides weren't too bad....however they could have been better had the sides above not managed to scrape draws theirselves.

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thats the point was made wi 2 mins to go, probably to waste time, certainly not time to bed a defender in, i felt sorry fer the lad.:( would probably have been better to put him on directly after Macc put the tall forward on?

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not the greatest result nor the greatest performance but we are still in the mix and who would have predicted that in august. To have the luxury of razor and charlie on the bench gives us one hell of a chance of turning any game, unfortunately not today, however with 4 to play and only shrewsbury looks loseable we are (according to my too much time to ponder table) in with one hell of a chance of making the play offs and once again making the bookies look fools

on stanley on!

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I am with Cashy all the way on this one - we discussed it before the game and at Macc!!! We have direct replacements on the bench, so I am not always saying we must change the style of play, but it is as plain as plain can be, some of those players are tired, I do not believe it has anything to do with wages - though I may be wrong - they have played loads of games in a short number of weeks, a lot of them on tiring pitches and as F19 has said, "They are not robots!!"

All about opinions, but there is also the small factor in some players' heads - and again I am not pointing fingers!! - but, it would not be a surprise if we played the same XI for the next four games!!!! :rolleyes: :) :) :)

Bring on the "Battle of The Roses" on St. Georges Day!!!!!

:) :) :)

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I'm with smudgie, we could put 10 past Man United and the next day there'd be posts on this forum saying "Why wasn't it 11!! Absolutely shocking". Although everybody is entitled to an opinion :)

A clean sheet and a point without getting out of first gear. We're still in the mix boys and girls....and it beats getting beat 9-1 off Runcorn!! :)

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[quote=VALAIRIAN;899128]All about opinions, but there is also the small factor in some players' heads - and again I am not pointing fingers!! :rolleyes: :) :) :)

You are going to have to explain that one, Val! Too subtle for me. :confused:

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Sorry Red, Some of the players may be of the opinion that they will be playing the next four games, unless they get sent off/injured, therefore they might just be playing under par!!! Is the word complacent???? I will discuss it with you next week!! :) :) :)

Best squad ever!!!!! ;)

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Dont get me wrong, Football is ALL ABOUT OPINIONS however I just feel a few people on here are being massively short sighted. Do some of you remember we where under a transfer embargo up till a few days before the start of the season.??? It took a miracle from Coley & Bell to bring in the likes of Hessey, Barnett etc on free's with no guarantee of being paid, never mind being able to actually sign them on paper.

I remember the Northwich Victoria pre-season game and almost all of us that where there that day said looking at the squad we would settle for 22nd position this season, and look what we have achieved. It has been nothing short of remarkable considering the circumstances.

You only have to look at the size of every other club in this division (Macc Town aside) to consider what we are up against. Dont get me wrong Coley & Bell have frustrated me in the past with some decisions, but who are we to question his judgement??!

Yes I agree his substitutions usually leave alot to be desired, but to me there is only Barnett, Razor, Rory and Turner (who?) who have genuine quality on the bench and this is the key (The Ability to change a game).

However given this and the results we have been having, I believe we should all just step back and take stock and look at the unbelievable achievements Coley & Lads have achieved this season so far.

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I think the point everybody is missing at the moment is that acci are no longer under the radar,and teams are setting up to stop them playing,in there faces,stopping them playing etc ,during these type of games u have to be patient and not concede ,a points better than none

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Sorry, but I just cannot get my head round that at all. Presumably, if we are no longer under the radar, then all games will be "these type of games". So you are clearly saying that we have to settle for a point. If we are indeed no longer under the radar, then all the more reason to use a plan B and rotate the squad either before or during games. At least that will give the opposition more to think about.

If we work on the premise that a point is better than none, we would now have 42 points. And see where that would leave us.

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An excellent post, R.R.!

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There will be more ups and downs in the next 4 games than you've had all season, ask the Wycombe, Stevenage and Gills fans, they all had easier home matches than Stanley yesterday :)

At least you're all voicing your opinions at the right end of the table this season, not sure if the nerves affect the players or the fans more when it's like this :D

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Let's have some pic's :) ASFC News Story > 4029

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Superb to have Tony's pictures back.

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Oxford mail report Accrington Stanley 0, Oxford Utd 0 (From Oxford Mail)

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You are correct Mab.

As good as Hessey has been, Ive no problem putting Long straight into the side.

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And the linesman on the Whinney Hill side in the first half.

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When i said under the radar ,it meant we have been suprising teams with the quality of football being played.not anymore,teams are giving more respect to acci and don't open up as much,opting for set piece football due to lack of height in the team.
Oxford are not a bad side ,and if you think the remaining teams are going to roll over,you are mistaken.
Indeed most are probably playing for new contracts, the same as acci lads ,
All teams,top and bottom will be feeling the pressure, its who holds there nerve will be victorious ,

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According to Footmad it was his 9th, according to the Football League it was his 11th :confused:

Can't see the FL one being right or he would have been suspended already

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This is what makes footy game that it is with the lively post match views of fans each one slightly differing, for what it's worth I tend to agree it can get frustrating thinking that you would change something slightly to what you think in your minds eye would bring a differing end game but...

It's like when you watch footy on the box each pundit usually has a slightly differing view to the one sat next to them some focus on the technichal side of the game while others call it as they see it.

We have become used to seeing superb football and with each movement up with the bar on standards so we expect more.

Rational thought dictates we are a young squad made up of players we have picked up from academies and players out of contract that this season have flourished and bonded the result of which we now see on the pitch.

So I get where Smudgie is coming from in that was has happened has defied all expectations on what we should be achieving and I think it's a wonderful fillip for everyone connected with the Club that we are where we are and it's not just on merit, it's also through what goes on away from the pitch on the training ground, having a settled training base etc.

This Club has come such a long way in such a relatively short period of time compered to other Club's who we have passed on the journey upwards but it only seems five minutes ago we were playing them

We have a wonderful chance to make the play-offs if we do fantastic the dream carries on if we don't we have still had one hell of a season and this team & management desrve all the plaudits they get.:)

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:(Thought as much smudgie, but then lancsdave all very confussing:confused:

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Excellent post!!

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10th I believe LD, but I might have missed one.. :D I also thought that there was a card amnesty from last weekend - heard it on radio Lancs???? :rolleyes:

That lad from Burnley will do a job!!! ;) :)

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Do any teams "open up" willingly? Is it not possible that they may have noticed that our team is always the same, irrespective of the strengths/weaknesses of the opposition? And that they may therefore have easily sussed out our style of play?

Some of the set pieces from which opponents have scored recently have been direct shots through/under/over the wall

I certainly don't think that. Does anyone?:confused:

Are you now suggesting that somehow the players suddenly up their game when "playing for new contracts"? So presumably you think they have been giving less than 100% in previous games? As far as Stanley players are concerned, each and every one has given his maximum to the team, irrespective of any new contract.

Sorry but I just cannot accept the validity of your points at all.

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Pendle reds post sums it all up, keep the faith,u never know what's around the corner,league footy next season come what may

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Oxford were certainly the most physical side I've seen us play this season. They weren't a real 'dirty side' but they made life hard for our lads out there. Their Kolo Toure lookalike at centre-half had a great game; getting first to almost every header and really making things tough for Terry Gornell. I thought Oxford were much the same as Macclesfield last Friday in that their only game plan was stopping us play our way, and as with that Macc game, it worked. They'll be delighted with the draw from our place. We ought to be really disappointed however as we did have a good few chances that were missed. Had we taken those we could've been two-up at half-time and had an easy second-half as they really didn't threaten us much at all going forward.

On the subject of subs/rotation, I'm much in agreement with football19. I don't think we could've put out a stronger eleven to start yesterday's game and I think Coley did all he could during the game to improve our luck in front of goal. Had Rory Boulding taken just one of his chances yesterday, we'd all be applauding Coley's stroke of genius in bringing him on. :)

I'd be happy if the same eleven took the field against Bradford, save for the inclusion of Long (presuming Hess is suspended). I'd rather have a team out there that at times look a little tired (though to be honest I don't see it often, we have a really fit side this year) than players taking the field who are totally lacking in match practice.

Does the pope poo in the woods? It's the John Miles phenomenon. Certainly effects a lot of players at this level, but not all.

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Revived red, I stand by everything I said,you will be suprised how many pros come out there comfort zone when trying to get a new contract,at acci its a little different ,as long contracts are not the norm,look at other teams,with players on 3 year deals and not even in the team
To be honest it suprises me were acci get the kind of desire they have ,it has to be down to the manager , they could be on the dole next month and are still prepared to run through brickwalls for the team

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Well spotted, second Sunday in April. No suspensions now unless it's a red card :)