Ahead of Tuesday night's Capital One Cup clash
with Oxford at The Hawthorns, we spoke to United fan George about their season
so far, Michael Appleton, Tuesday's game and more. You can follow George on Twitter
@GeorgeDugdale
Looking back
at 2013/14, you looked a good bet for promotion from League Two for the majority
of the season before falling away during the spring, any particular reason why
the team’s form dipped so badly?
The change in management had a big impact on the club. Chris
Wilder's position was never particularly secure as he had a year remaining on
his contract and with promotion being the only thing which would have seen him
offered an extension, he was well within his rights to look elsewhere. He
applied for the Portsmouth
job earlier in the season and the knowledge that he was actively looking
elsewhere made the fans uneasy.
However, the period after he left for
Northampton was where everything
unravelled. A long selection process, which was designed to give Mickey Lewis a
chance to claim the job himself, resulted in Gary Waddock agreeing to join.
Results were miserable, the confidence was low and the season collapsed. From
being a defensively solid side with a great away record, we were unable to find
a win and the season came to a miserable conclusion.
Highlight of
last season?
The opening day win at
Portsmouth. We went 1-0 down,
but came storming back to win 4-1 in the sunshine, in front of 2,500 fans and
many more disappointed ones of a blue persuasion. Hopes are always high on the
opening day, but this one really lived up to it.
Low point of last season?
The defeat to Southend felt like a low point. We'd finally appointed
Gary Waddock, we were live on
Sky and we were horrible. We were beaten 3-0, it could have been many more and
it was there for everybody to see. Southend hadn't won in an age, but they were
on a different level to us. That was when it began to sink in that there was no
quick fix.
Player of last
season?
Ryan Clarke, our goalkeeper. He has always been an important
player, but he was phenomenal throughout the season. He's a great shot-stopper,
has a phenomenal record of saving penalties and each time you think he's pulled
off the best save he can, he raises the bar. That night at Southend would have
been far more ugly if he hadn't been in such inspired form. Unfortunately he
underwent surgery in the summer and won't be back in action until November. We
have George Long in his place, who is an excellent shot-stopper, but has been
giving some fans heart-attacks after watching Manuel Neuer in the summer.
Apart from victory
over Bristol City in the first round of the cup, it’s not been the best of
starts for Oxford this season, having lost all four league games so far, how
have performances been and have the defeats been deserved?
It isn't easy to say this when you are bottom of the Football
League without a point to your name, but three of the performances in the league
have been very reasonable. The defeat to
Mansfield was a real
disappointment because we didn't get going until the final 15 minutes and then
got caught as we looked for a winner.
Burton
and Portsmouth feel like sides who will be up there at the end of the season,
while Morecambe have made a flying start. I'm taking heart in the fact that we
are losing by a goal each week, rather than 'doing a Fulham'. The transfer
activity this summer was so far behind our rivals due to a change in ownership,
so we're very much a work in progress. We pass the ball nicely, but we're not
scoring enough goals (or any goals). It looks bleak, but I'll be worried in a
month if the situation is the same. A win at home to Dagenham next weekend and
everybody will be much happier.
What are
supporters expectations for this season and has the poor start changed them?
The expectations at
Oxford will always be promotion.
The fans remember being a club in the top two tiers of English football and will
continue to demand a return there until it happens. The change in ownership and
manager over the summer have set us back in terms of the immediate situation,
but should benefit us in the longer term. Former WBA man Mark Ashton is running
things from a football perspective and in tandem with Appleton, they seem to
have a good idea about how we move forward. The football is pleasing on the eye,
but now needs to be combined with a killer instinct in the opposition box.
Thoughts on
former Baggie and current United boss Michael Appleton?
Appleton has been impressive in
terms of what he has said since he arrived and the style of football is pleasing
on the eye. We keep the ball well, but we need to find a way to turn that into
goals. We came close against Pompey at the weekend, but while we are missing
chances and conceding first in games, we will continue to struggle. Playing a
4-2-3-1 formation, we desperately need a number 10 who can thrive in that
position. We have tried central midfielders and strikers there, but a genuine
creative player feels important if we are to turn performances into points.
I'm optimistic about life under
Appleton, but I can understand
why some are becoming nervy after the early results.
United player for Albion to
watch out for on Tuesday?
It feels tough to recommend an attacking player when we are
failing to score goals, so I will go for Michael Collins. He is one of our two
deep-lying midfielders and he had a phenomenal game against Portmouth. He breaks
up play, has a good engine and uses the ball brilliantly. It will be a test
against Albion's
midfield, but he's looking like a promising addition. If any of our attackers
would care to step up against you, that would be terrific.
How many
United fans are expected to travel to the game and how does that compare to a
normal away fixture?
I believe we have sold over 1,000, although we would have
sold more if results had been better early on. We do travel well, especially for
games close to home. We travelled in great number (and voice) to West Ham a few
years ago, but we won't match that this time around. In the Conference days we
were outnumbering home fans at some grounds and away games have always been
where Oxford fans raise their game. As it's a decent cup game and the
performances haven't been as bad as results suggest, I hope we'll give a good
account of ourselves.
Prediction for Oxford’s season?
I think we'll improve as the year goes on. The time it takes
us to do that will determine where we end up. If we can have a season of
transition to put us in a good position to go out all guns blazing next season,
I won't be upset. So many teams have a great second half of the season to sneak
into the play-offs. I would love that to be us (and I wouldn't rule it out), but
while we aren't scoring or collecting points, you'll forgive me for sticking
with a mid-table finish with a really good 2015/16. This could bite me later on,
but I'm certainly confident that we won't be going down.
Thoughts on Albion? Any of our
players you rate?
The day job very much involves looking at Premier League
teams, rather than the League Two side that take so much of my attention.
Mulumbu, when at his best, is a player that I really enjoy watching. When he is
on his game, he gives really good midfielders a tough afternoon. I certainly
wouldn't fancy playing against him. He should be in the prime of his career at
the moment, but I'd still like to see him turn out the performances that we all
know he can every week.
As a slightly more outside the box shout, I began watching Andre Wisdom play
with England's youth teams many years ago and I think he can be a real asset for
you. He always feels slightly uncomfortable at right-back and he really should
progress into the middle sooner rather than later, but he's got a real presence
on the pitch. He has been touted as a top player since he was 15/16 and this
move has to be the platform for him to become that after a really solid season
with Derby County.
Prediction
for Tuesday night?
It depends very much what team you put out. I think we'll be
beaten, but if we can replicate the performance at West Ham from a few years
ago, I'd be very happy. We were tight in defence, frustrated them and had
chances on the break. They only found a way through in stoppage time. The longer
you can stay in these games, the greater your chances of ruining someone's
evening.
As I've said throughout, I hope you won't feel like you're
watching the worst team in the football league. If we carry a threat, I'll go
home happy.
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