Generation Ox

Oxford extended their winning run to six with an impressive display against Bristol Rovers on Saturday, and it felt like a rare win at home to the Pirates marks just how far United have come over the last few months.  Despite having to contend with a three-week break, Karl Robinson's side looked on the pace from an early stage in this match. Fluid in attack and rarely troubled defensively, it is a sight that Oxford fans have become used to seeing in recent weeks.  As is a dominant display of interplay through the middle of the pitch, an area which Oxford got considerable joy in this match. Rovers set up in a 5-3-1-1 formation, meaning there should have been an even battle in the midfield against Oxford's 4-3-3 and later 4-2-3-1, but they still seemed helpless to their play through the middle.  Marcus McGuane's injury was the one sour point from the victory, but his replacement in Brannagan - making his first League start since mid October - proved to be just as effective ...

In the final part of the January mini-series we look at three more players who Oxford could potentially target this January, with one player who will get any United fan excited.  Loans, pre-contracts and signings, over this series we have looked at some of the players who have been viable options for Robinson, who still promises there are signings to come despite the window drawing worryingly close to a close. Could any of these players be the answer this January? Name: Curtis Tilt Age: 29  Position: CB Current Club: Rotherham United Availability: Loan Likelihood: 5/10 Curtis Tilt spent the first half of this season at fellow League One club Wigan, but his short term loan move was not extended given the troubles the Latics are currently experiencing. However, it is thought that Rotherham will be looking to send Tilt back out on loan to another League One club, and with Oxford still without suitable defensive cover heading into the final third of the January window...

This is the second part of a series looking at who United could be searching for in the January market. From the faces we all recognise, to a few new kids on the block. This is the Oxfordshire scouting network.  Name: Scott Wright Age: 23 Current Club: Aberdeen Position: LW/RW Availability: Small fee/free Likelihood: 3/10 The next in the saga of Oxford’s search for a winger is Aberdeen star Scott Wright. There have been numerous sources suggesting Scott Wright would be leaving Aberdeen, and a swap to Scottish Premiership leaders Rangers has long been the most probable destination. However, recent reports  have claimed that Steven Gerrard is now in competition with his fellow Liverpudlian Karl Robinson. The two managers actually have a very close relationship, and their similarities clearly extend beyond their Merseyside roots.   Both coaches have been attracted by the Wright's quick feet and wand of a right foot which has made him a fan favourite at Aber...

Every January fans around the Oxfordshire area and beyond enter the month with an optimistic sense of hope. Hope of new signings, new fire power, new excitement. But as with all the other expectations of January, this slowly fizzles out into the dawning realization that nothing of significance is going to happen for a while yet, and this season seems no different. The arrivals of Nathan Holland and Marcus Browne in the opening week of the transfer window last time round may have offered some hope to United fans, but Oxford’s usual policy of promise big and eventually deliver a couple of loan signings on deadline day seems to be back in place for Karl Robinson’s 3 rd January transfer window as Oxford United boss. But Robinson promises there will be news to come in this department, and in the first part of a new January mini-series, this article takes a look at a few players who may fit the bill at Oxford. It evaluates three possible target's and look at their strengths and we...

It may seem odd to say that Oxford are in a better position now than they were last year when they sat eight places higher and just five points off the top – but there are some reasons why they are actually better placed for a late season charge this time round. Think back to this time last year. After reaching the heights of second place for the start of 2020 (we thought it would be so good then), Oxford lost back-to-back league games for the first time in over four months after a drubbing by Rotherham followed a narrow loss to Doncaster. This wasn’t a crisis though. After all, Oxford were still fourth in the table and on track to battle for an automatic promotion place. The arrival of returning hero Marcus Browne and the promising youngster Nathan Holland a week earlier only expanded the good feeling around the club. However, when you’re playing like that in League One, January is not a good time of year. The big clubs were circling, and Oxford didn’t have much of a say in ...

Having just written a piece on the impressive performances of Sam Long (here) – I was not displeased to see him add to his wonderful goal against Plymouth with a hattrick of assists against Burton. In fact, he and his partner on the other flank ran the game. Oxford’s robust defensive full backs found themselves transformed into marauding wingers who were instrumental in the 5-1 victory. The Oxford midfield - Marcus Mcguane being the slight exception - were tidy in defence and on the ball but generally saw the thrashing fly by them.  Anthony Forde only registered 25 touches in his 65 minutes and whilst Gorrin was active in helping Oxford keep the ball, he was rather absent in United's forward moves and we rarely saw him moving forward in the manner he has at points this season. The bulk of the attacking work was left to a very impressive front three and – an even more impressive – pairing of constantly attacking full backs.  It’s hard to ignore their influence on the ga...

It's never a good sign when your side's player of the season is your sturdy, no nonsense right back. Unfortunately for Oxford, there is almost no debate that that is the case this season.  Sam Long was on the outskirts of the Oxford team for what seemed like a lifetime before he was brought more permanently into the fold back in February 2019. Long had started only three games that season and was put in by manager Karl Robinson to steady the ship - Oxford sitting in 22nd at the time and embroiled in a relegation battle with 13 matches to play.  Up stepped Sam Long. He would not miss a minute of Oxford's final run of games, picking up 27 points from a possible 39 with just two defeats, helping United not only escape danger but in fact lift themselves up to mid table mediocrity.  And Sam Long hasn't looked back since. Well except of course when they tried to replace him at the start of the next season, and come to think of it the start of this one as well.  Despite thi...