Generation Ox

Predicting whether Karl Robinson will play Sam Winnall or Matty Taylor up front is like playing Xemi Fernandez in midfield against Wigan. Hopeless. The pair have increasingly been interchangeable in recent weeks since Winnall began to get up to speed after a stop-start season thus far.  Winnall had scored three goals in his two starts prior to the Portsmouth game. By contrast Taylor’s eight games without a goal is the longest drought he’s experienced his returning to Oxford last season. The heavy schedule means it’s no surprise Taylor has looked a little tired in recent weeks. Oxford play twice in every week bar one up until May, so further rotation is to be expected. However, it's not just the cramped fixture list that will convince Robinson that rotation is necessary. The two players offer different qualities to the team, and their respective skills could help breakdown differing defences. The players Despite both being relatively small – a fraction under 5”8 – Winn...

Karl Robinson admitted he had received multiple loan offers for Mark Sykes in January.  Given the Irish midfielder had been out in the cold since the derby day collapse to Swindon, a temporary move seemed fitting for all parties.   Robinson, however, has spoken of Sykes in glowing terms and insisted the former Glenavon man has a part to play in the end of Oxford's season.  His words have been backed up by three consecutive starts for Sykes and - arguably - three man of the match performances.  It has been the intelligence of Sykes that has really shone during a return to the side.  We all know Sykes has the tricks, flicks and an occasional roulette turn, but so often his decision making has let him down at crucial times.  His recent performances, though, seem more fitting of a true number ten.  Elliot Lee proved to be the perfect foil for Sykes, who started against Ipswich on the right of a midfield trio, but often found himself drifting wide and ...

In January 2005, Ramon Diaz’s Argentinian revolution led to the manager picking up the January Manager of the Month award. Sixteen years and ten managers later, he remains the last Oxford coach to claim the accolade. If it feels as though every other team's manager has won the award since then, that is because they have. Oxford are the only team in the current 72 EFL teams to not win a Manager of the Month award since 2005 (excluding teams with less than 2 years in the Football League). When Grant McCann picked up January’s edition, it became the 107 th consecutive month an Oxford United manager has not won the award - excluding Oxford’s four year stint in the National League where their managers ineligible to pick up the trophy. That is a remarkable record for a team which, at least for the past decade, have largely been challenging towards the top end of the table, secured one promotion and a play-off appearance, and - in Chris Wilder, Michael Appleton and Karl Robinson - ha...

It has been a scintillating few months for Oxford, finally beating Fleetwood possibly the pinnacle of what's been a roller coaster journey. The last time United lost a game was in late November, and sitting just four points off the play-offs, the picture has changed drastically from those early season struggles. At the start of the campaign, it felt like nothing more could go wrong for Oxford, with injuries, COVID postponements and the woodwork's agenda against them all halting progress.  Possibly the most prominent headache for Robinson, though, was an unrelenting fixture list. Playing Lincoln, Sunderland, Charlton and Fleetwood within the first seven games of the season was always going to be a challenge. Portsmouth, Ipswich, Hull and in-form Blackpool were to follow shortly, in what was a frightening early calendar. Having lost to the first four opponents mentioned, Oxford then gained credible draws against the others. It remains, however, that Oxford failed to p...

Rochdale fans must have been thinking Dan Agyei would be eying a move to the championship the way he started on Tuesday night. The rest of the night, though, had a slightly different tinge for Oxford's mercurial talent.  Tenacious, direct and dangerous. Yet also lackadaisical, careless and peripheral for large periods. If there was ever a game to sum up Dan Agyei’s time at Oxford, it would be this one. His raw pace and power is there for all to see, but Oxford were largely better when Henry became the focus of play – the man who Agyei had replaced to come into this side. The way Agyei started the game though seems to illustrate the potential still within him.   Above is a still from a 3 rd minute corner for Rochdale, and Agyei is stationed to block any attempts at a short corner. His defending in this scenario, however, is irrelevant as the ball is claimed easily by Jack Stevens. Its what happens that is so impressive next.  , though, Within seconds of Stevens ca...