Generation Ox

Here's your weekly roundup of all the stories, numbers and results from this week's set of League One fixtures in case you missed them.  Old Problems Trouble Sunderland  Sunderland threw away a 2-0 lead at Fleetwood after a controversial refereeing decision handed the hosts a 97th minute penalty.  After a bright start last year, Lee Johnson's tenure at Sunderland some what slid away at the back end of the season, conceding cheap goals and finding ways to lose points which they should have wrapped up.  No team in League One took the lead more times (37) than Sunderland last year, and no team conceded more equalizing goals (17) than the Black Cats either, meaning they lost their lead 45.9% of the times they got it.  Its been a different story this time round, with Johnson's men conceding only two equalizing goals so far, meaning just 28.6% of the times they have taken the lead this season have resulted in them conceding equalizers.  Worryingly for Johnson, ol...

Oxford dominate the match possession, create better chances, and consistently pose the threat of running away with the match. And then conceded at a set piece. Sound familiar?  It was United's undoing yet again at AFC Wimbledon, first letting Jack Rudoni header home from Anthony Hartigan's free kick to cancel out Sykes' first half opener, before allowing Nightingale to complete the turnaround from a corner.  Rudoni's second of the game three minutes later following a smart cutback and finish capped the game and exposed another worrying Oxford capitulation, but the bottom line is: this match was won and lost on set pieces, and until Oxford are able to defend them, they are not going anywhere.  It is only emphasized by the seeming strength of Oxford's set piece work last year.  There seemed a period last season when Oxford were not just able to consistently defend them, but could also use their own corners and freekicks as prolific attacking weapons. Oxford were excel...