Woe for Wilder (From Bicester Advertiser)
When It Happens Panel Get involved: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting 'OXFORD NEWS' to 80360 or email
Woe for Wilder
9:30am Tuesday 16th October 2012 in Sport
By David Pritchard, Chief Sports Reporter covering Oxford United. Follow us on twitter: @oxfordmailoufc. Call me on 01865 425458
Oxford United boss Chris Wilder during last night’s 3-0 defeat by Port Vale
Chris Wilder felt it was a case of “men against boys” as Oxford United were well beaten 3-0 at high-flying Port Vale last night.
There was little to choose between the sides in the npower League Two clash until Tom Pope pounced on a rebound to open the scoring on 30 minutes.
From then on, United were always second best and goals from Ashley Vincent and Sam Morsy early in the second half made the game safe.
The visitors might have fallen further adrift in a one-sided final half-hour in which Jennison Myrie-Williams ran riot.
U’s boss Chris Wilder had no complaints over the result and was disappointed with the application of his side once they fell behind.
He said: “As soon as the first goal went in we were up against it and then we conceded a really poor second goal.
“Then really there was only one winner, it was men versus boys from our point of view.”
The heavy defeat ended a run of three games without defeat for United.
Wilder admitted most of the good work had been undone over the course of the 90 minutes.
He said: “It’s a backwards step which is disappointing, because we’ve had a decent ten days.
“I thought we’d turned the corner a little bit, but I think you saw the reaction as soon as the second one went in – it was heads down and people were looking after themselves.
“It really was comfortable for a team in form.”
Peter Leven was due to start the game, but was a late withdrawal after his knee swelled up following training on Sunday.
It is thought the Scot will have recovered in time for Saturday’s home game against Accrington Stanley.
Comments(12)
greengarden
says...
12:36pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Manor Born wrote:Grow up will you !! Have you ever played or managed a club? Your entitled to your opinion as a supportor I agree with than.
Just go. If you want what is best for this club, then pack your bags and leave now so that a new manager has time to assess the shambles you have created, get rid of the deadwood and shape us into a squad capable of achieving things.
Oh and please turn off the lights, lock your office door and give the keys to Mary in the front office on your way out.
But just rmember whats happend at this club and the job Wilder has done for us, yes it maybe time for change. Like any job or business management come and go and thats to be expected.
But to throw everything at Wilder, who has little or no money, catastrophic injuries to deal with, had to work with 'bargain basement players' - even Jose Mourinho would struggle to get results !!!
Last night was an appalling display and yes changes are needed, but remember the trash mgmt we had before Wilder !!! He has done a top job, its the owners and directors of club that need to invest if we are to develop. If they don't invest then accept it 'Mr Manor Born' we wil remain exactly where we are. Why do you think Kelvin walked away ????
I despair with some of you people on these forums, I think you truely believe we are bigger than we are, I'd love a mega rich owner to come along and spend millions££'s new ground, new players, top mgmt etc. But right now we are where we are and without invesment at the very top we an only ever attract mediocre talent.
Chris Wilder thank you for getting us back into league football and you will remembered for that forever!......whoeve
r comes in will have a lot to compete with on that front especially as the club currently stands.
Manor Born
says...
1:32pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Yes we have had injuries, but how many of them have been soft tissue injuries caused by mis-management and inadequate training? The chairman is trying to address this, but this will take time. This is the manager and his coaching staff's responsibility and they have failed spectacularly. Wilder has received backing from the chairman, he was told he could bring players in as cover for those injured. Port Vale have had a restricted budget and a playing squad limited to just 20 because they have been in administration, they seem to have been doing ok so far this season... You can't blame a lack of budget from the board, Wilder was given a perfectly reasonable budget, agreed to it and then proceeded to blow it. For example, it was well known that Duberry would be out for some time (one injury not of the manager's making), but instead of reacting early to the situation, the manager has lurched from one panic loan to another...
Wilder built the squad, he is responsible for their well-being and maintaining their fitness to a level you would expect of a group of professionals. He has failed.
I was a previous supporter of Wilder, in May, I was saying we should give him a chance. He's had that chance, he hasn't improved the squad, he has made it worse, the club is going backwards under his stewardship and that is something we cannot afford to do again. It is easy to get out of this division and fall into the Non-League, it's a hell of a lot harder to get back again.
Last night was indeed an appalling display, it hasn't been the only one: Bradford, Cheltenham, Exeter all spring to mind. We have one of the worst defensive records in the entire league - only Wimbledon and Barnet have conceded more than our 24 in 12 games. Add to that the lack of creativity and our inability to even look like scoring a goal. If we were being unlucky in matches, you could say ok, we can turn this around, but we're not being unlucky, we're just plain and simply awful. We are a poor side, a poorly assembled squad and a pitiful shambles. Fair enough, you find this acceptable, I personally don't.
I am not one of those who think we have an automatic right to be in League 1 or even this league, but I do expect a team that is commited, plays with passion and a bit of heart. This current team are spineless and have no strength of character at all. The go one down, it is game over, their heads drop and they lose interest. The display last night and many of the ones before it, you could see that the players expected to lose. It was the manager who signed these players, it is the manager who plays these players, it is the manager who trains them. It is the manager who has failed.
Thank you CW for getting us back into the League, it was goood for a while, but like most good things, it comes to an end.
adlibber
says...
2:00pm Tue 16 Oct 12
You can't keep burying your head in the sand. Players on that pitch last night looked totally disinterested in playing for Wilder or even the club itself. clearly change is needed if this festering malaise is to stop. If we play like we did last night for rest of the reason it will be a relegation battle. If the club go back to the conference I think it could eventually fold or simply hover in non league for foreseeable future. Wilder has no ideas no vision and his post match comments on Sky were those of a beaten man.
Micky Hazard
says...
2:28pm Tue 16 Oct 12
I can promise you that all of us Town fans are shaking our heads in disbelief wondering how the hell we've managed to lose to you 3 times in the last year or so.
Having said that, we'd also like to thank you for the wonderful entertainment that you gave us last night. Laugh? I nearly went to Ethiopia hahahahahahahaha.
Sky have their 'Super Sunday', well I'd like to rename yesterday as 'Marvellous, Magnificent Monday'.
IF YOU LIVE WITH A POXFORD FAN - BE SURE TO REMOVE ALL SHARP OBJECTS FROM YOUR HOUSE - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED :)
35 year fan
says...
2:55pm Tue 16 Oct 12
nouser75
says...
3:28pm Tue 16 Oct 12
(Swinedump fans, get your own site!)
Ians view
says...
4:40pm Tue 16 Oct 12
The midfield has also been blighted by injuries, and each team selection seems to have had a forced change due to injury in this department.
Pre-season fixtures are about players improving their fitness and getting used to working together on the pitch - but there has not been much opportunity for players to play together as a consistent unit this season.
Although Oxford have put players on the pitch this season, due to the injuries, there has been little opportunity to put out a team, and football is a team game.
Chish and Fips
says...
5:37pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Micky Hazard wrote:I managed by accident to channel hop onto it for a while - and thought the same - awful - rabbits in the headlights - totally outplayed ..
WILDER IN!!!!!!
I can promise you that all of us Town fans are shaking our heads in disbelief wondering how the hell we've managed to lose to you 3 times in the last year or so.
Having said that, we'd also like to thank you for the wonderful entertainment that you gave us last night. Laugh? I nearly went to Ethiopia hahahahahahahaha.
Sky have their 'Super Sunday', well I'd like to rename yesterday as 'Marvellous, Magnificent Monday'.
IF YOU LIVE WITH A POXFORD FAN - BE SURE TO REMOVE ALL SHARP OBJECTS FROM YOUR HOUSE - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED :)
The Manager
says...
10:47pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Doctor69
says...
9:08am Wed 17 Oct 12
Absolutely useless performance, again!
The excuse of injuries is beyond overused. Yea there are injuries but deal with it. Port Vale are still in admin and have a squad they cannot add to but they are not crying about it. Instead they have assembled a balanced team with pace who play football......and what a shock they get results!
Anyone who defends wilder and says he has no money etc, we have already hit our 65% limit for wages so he couldn't bring anyone in even if the chairman offered to buy us Messi! It's wilders squad, he is to blame.
Thanks for all you have done chris, but your time is up.
We need a fresh face with a fresh approach and maybe we could salvage this season. If change isn't made soon a relegation fight will be on the cards.
RocketMan
says...
12:02pm Sat 20 Oct 12
By the time all the injured players are fully fit it may be too late to turn the season round. I don't think we have upped our game since the team which failed to make the play off's last season. Top team score goals and ruthlessly punish the mistakes of their opponents. Until we can do this Oxford will struggle if promoted.

Manor Born says...
9:56am Tue 16 Oct 12
Oh and please turn off the lights, lock your office door and give the keys to Mary in the front office on your way out.