I sided with Stanley for their midweek trip to Oxford United .......
I opposed Oxford for their previous home league game a visit from Fleetwood Town where my notes included ..............
I expect them to learn from that and a trip to Oxford right now might not be the toughest of fixtures, I know several U's supporters, including my brother in law and they are not overly optimistic about the season ahead. Even those low levels of expectation were dampened last week with the 4-0 loss away to Barnsley. The Tykes were good, but United were flat and outfought for almost every 50-50 ball , they were vulnerable to the high press and then everything was compounded by the injury to star man Samir Carruthers, whom the midfield were going to be based around, which means he will be out for three months . They are looking to bring in a loanee to cover, but in the meantime will have to make do. Concensus on the main club forum is that the new signings are sub standard, that United are 3-4 players light. This was typical: "Worrying performance, and new players didn’t look good. Garbutt was shite, McMahon wasn’t good either. Midfield was non existent. Had no pace, width, strength or strikers. Mackie’s legs have gone. Was optimistic before the season started, but after that performance I am very concerned because I just don’t think we have the players or the right gel of players to change it. Robinson talks the talk, but can he walk the walk. Oh and Tiger, get your wallet out as we need 4 strong athletic players in damn quick, but I fear we’ll be short changed again. Mid table at best, but could be worse if we play as poorly as that again."
United lost that 2-0 and fell to a 4-1 defeat at Portsmouth on Saturday, where again, the reports were dreadful. The general feeling amongst U's supporters was that they played without tempo or any discernible shape, with no resistance to Portsmouth attacking down the left flank whenever they felt like it . It is a very young team, the two senior players from Saturday, McMahan and Mackie again ( see above) came in for huge criticism and in a young group struggling with confidence issues it is those who should be stepping up and leading by example. They defended set pieces too deep, nine players inside the six yard box for a corner from which the third goal came and very young striker Sam Smith was totally isolated up top with the midfield often not within 40 metres of him. United were vulnerable to the high press, struggled to get forward, after the third goal Pompey dropped back a bit and that was when Oxford scored their first league goal of the campaign (own goal) , but Portsmouth immediately pressed again and restored their advanatge within three minutes. The view from Pompey was that the U's showed no attacking intent at all and that "if that is the best they have got, they are in trouble !"
Stanley were promoted last season as champions, lost their opener but have taken three points from a trip to Bristol Rovers and a home draw with Charlton at the weekend, two much bigger and well established third tier teams . In the latter they were the better team for the final 20 minutes of each half and deserved maximum points. They are a fine club, run incredibly well on a small budget by owner Andy Holt and head coach John Coleman, who will only sign players who buy into the project, you would have to be desperate to go to Stanley for money and I know that in 2015-16, they had several youngsters playing professional football and earning 10k per year (not week or month !). A very tight knit group and community and there are some background notes and history written late last season, below the "good luck" sign off.
Striker Billy Kee is a doubt tonight and apparently played with a knock as the sole front man against Charlton and prefers to be in a two anyway, he was anonymous there and given the issues United had out wide, it might be better to go with a three and /or false nine tonight . Lots for Coleman to work on watching the Portsmouth highlights and again, a good time to face Oxford.
They won that 3-2 and are back on the road again today, but have just the short 40 minute hop over to the coast to face Blackpool in what Stanley will view as a huge fixture. Pool were in the Premier League as recently as 2011 and Stanley only got back into the Football League in 2006. The hosts made the surprise decision to sack head coach Gary Bowyer after one game of the new season (!) which they did not even lose and it was on the road (!) and still have a caretaker appointment, Terry McPhillips , who is a close friend of Stanley boss Coleman, in charge. Coleman has a fully fit squad to chosse from, Kee (see below) scored twice in midweek, making 60 goals since the start of the 15-16 season for him and Accrington have now WON 23 in a row in games in which they have scored first. Pool have five points on board, but all came against struggling teams who put little pressure offensively on them (lost 2-1 at home to Portsmouth), but that will not be the case today and we should stick with Stanley.
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They came from behind to secure a point with a late equaliser and battled back to earn a home draw with Scunthorpe United in their only subsequent start. The Iron have finished top 5 last two seasons, started sluggishly this time round, but were busy in the transfer window and should be seen as a possible improver this month, so I would not be too concerned about the two points "dropped", which is how boss Coleman saw it and Stanley played well, but missed a LOT of chances and could easily have been 2-3 up at half time. The head coach did his usual loan business late in the window and added three on deadline day .........Signing Bolton Wanderers forward Connor Hall and Newcastle pair Daniel Barlaser and Luke Charman on loan until 1 January. 20 yo Hall scored 22 times for the Trotters' Under-23 side last season and has featured twice for the first team. Midfielder Barlaser, 21, came through Newcastle's academy and has made three first-team appearances. Striker Charman, 20, was top scorer for their Under-23 side last season but is yet to make his senior debut.
Burton were relegated last season from the Championship where they spent two years, most of which I spent speaking about them having to do battle in the second tier on a barely third level budget, against teams who were handing out Premier League contracts like confetti ! It was only ever going to end one way and they are back now at a more manageable level. Having said that, they are still adjusting and are pointless on the road through three starts and have conceded 29 goals in 14 away league starts in 2018 (2.07pg). Most recent of those was a 3-1 defeat at Oxford United whom we discussed in disparaging terms above, they played very poorly there, especially after the break and need to up their level to avoid defeat today.
