Skip to main content

Accrington vs Oxford: Pre Match Stats Pack

Bad luck, injuries or complacency. Whatever it is, no points from two games marks a slow start to the season for Oxford United whose next test comes in the shape of a trip to Accrington - a stern test for a side yet to find their form.  

Accrington started their league campaign with a 2-0 victory over fellow promotion favourites Peterborough.  

They did though suffer a less positive result in their second match , a late goal meaning they left Burton empty handed.

Oxford’s possession against Sunderland last Saturday was lower than any league total at home last season, but a game against Accrington should give them a good opportunity to get their passing game going.

In Accrington’s first two matches they have averaged 37.5% possession, with an average of just 286 passes per game.

Although, the majority (64%) of Oxford’s passes came against Lincoln and in their game against Sunderland they matched Accrington’s average of 286 passes, there was only one league match last season where Oxford recorded less. 

If Oxford are going to rejuvenate their passing game - they averaged 441 passes per game last season -this may be the game to do it.     

Although Accrington may make it difficult for the midfield by breaking up the play, as only three League one sides have made more fouls in the opening two games than the reds.

Given that only Crewe have been fouled more than Oxford in the opening matches, it may be a frustrating day out for some of Oxford’s midfield maestros like Henry and Sykes.

PLAYING THE LONG GAME

Accrington however will be suited to keeping the midfield out of the game as they have already shown their tendency to use a more direct style of play, which proved Oxford’s downfall against their first two opposition, as well as in the playoff final against Wycombe.  

Charlton and Shrewsbury are the only two League One teams which have attempted more long balls in the first two matches, and in Mark Hughes Accrington have the outfield player with the most long balls played after two games.  

But the centre back will fancy his chances against a team yet to register a league goal this season, and this one doesn’t look like being a goal frenzy either. 

Only two sides have had less shots in the opening matches than Oxford - and Accrington have only had one more than the Yellows.

It gets worse for Oxford as Mark Sykes is the only player in the Oxford side to have registered an effort on goal within the six-yard box, and only four players in the oxford side have had shot from inside the penalty area - one of which is their centre back.  

Although Accrington too have unresolved scoring issues after the loss of Jordan Clark to Luton in the summer.

The right winger averaged 14 goal involvements over the last three seasons, and all three of Accrington’s goals this campaign have come from different sources, so they are still searching for a reliable source of goals and assists this season.

Everything points to this being a low scoring affair between two sides with vastly different motives for a result.  

Crewe are the only other side with Oxford yet to score this season - and the two teams face off next week. The Yellows will want to go into that game above their opponents, even if only on goal difference.

Oxford fans may not be particularly confident going into the match this Saturday but there is one positive to take into it, whatever happens, the only way is up.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Scouting Potential Wingers

Oxford's comfortable victory at Oxford City was played in the background of an increasingly urgent situation in the transfer market.  After slow progress so far, Robinson will be hoping for several more incomings in the next few weeks, or his squad will be looking very thin when they travel to Pride Park at the end of the month.  Unsurprisingly for Robinson, one of his main priorities seems to be strengthening wide areas, where he suggested Oxford are looking to bring in another three players .  We've used data scouting to analyse some possible wingers Oxford could target, looking at their strengths and weaknesses to show how they would fit into this United side.  This is the second in a series of scouting reports, and for information on some of the techniques we'll be using during the piece, check out our scouting report on potential centre back signings .  Josh Martin  Norwich City LW/RW 20 Possible Transfer Type: Permanent Josh Martin finished last sea...
Post a Comment
Read more

The 'Oxford way' wins through against brutish Northampton

An early Christmas present was offered to Oxford in the form of out of shape Northampton on Tuesday night. Four goals, three points and a clean sheet an almost perfect way for Karl Robinson’s men to head into the festive period. Although it was an injury and suspension-hit Northampton side, great credit does have to be given to Robinson’s men whose desire to stick to their game plan led to an emphatic second half performance.   With the Cobblers taking much of the pace out of the game in the first period, it looked as though Oxford would be sucked into a physical battle with Keith Curle's men – not a good sign when playing the team who have won the second most aerial duels in the division.   And this showed in the first 45, as Northampton dominated in most aerial statistics, stopping United getting any momentum in the game.  During the First Half A change in momentum United set about rectifying this in the second half, and the intensity of their passing and moveme...
Post a Comment
Read more

Oxford vs Swindon: Pre Match Stats Pack

Without fans, some games at the Kassam this season have been accused of feeling like an EFL Trophy match on a Tuesday night. Not this one though. This is Oxford United vs Swindon Town. The game that needs no introduction, but here’s one anyway.   It’s the first meeting between the rivals since February 2017 in a season where Swindon dropped to a lower division than Oxford for the first time since 1987. But times have certainly changed since that season when John Aldridge top scored for United, as Oxford haven’t lost a league match to their friends down the motorway for more than fifteen years.   They will come into this one in high spirits as well after finally putting some chances away in midweek, putting three past MK Dons to gain their second win of the season to take some pressure off a poor start. Its been the reverse for the Robins who have lost their last five matches in all competitions after what was a promising start to life back in the third tier. Swindo...
Post a Comment
Read more