Afternoon, all.
I've been reading the site for a while as I enjoy looking at the stories of other players but haven't had much time to play myself. I've managed to find a couple of hour spare to get a save going in the last few days and, after much deliberation, I've chosen Oxford United as I feel there is the potential to take the club far with the infrastructure there.
They're predicted to finish 10th in League Two but, given the talent at their disposal, I'm aiming for the play-offs at a minimum.
I looked at the squad immediately upon arrival and decided that we needed a better strikeforce, so signed young prospect Tyler Walker on loan for the season from Nottingham Forest. He's done well for others at the same level in their saves, so I'm hoping for similar this time around.
That was the only signing I intended upon making, but my first-choice goalkeeper Sam Slocombe picked up an injury which would keep him out for 8 weeks so I signed Christian Walton on a two-month loan deal from Brighton to cover in the meantime.
I arranged a somewhat mixed pre-season schedule, cancelling games against weaker, local sides in favour of hosting three foreign sides - and Rangers - whilst leaving in our trip to Gillingham which was already arranged.
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As you can see, it wasn't that great a success in terms of results and I forgot that Parma were in Serie D - oops!
However, that proved to be our best result, though we did admirably against Red Star and ADO Den Haag, so I was pleased with the performances at least. It should put us in good stead for coming up against weaker sides in League Two and a 7-0 win in our last game should give us confidence ahead of hosting Crawley on the opening day of the season.
One of my star midfielders, Liam Sercombe, picked up a knee ligament injury in one of the friendlies so he misses out as I went for a fairly standard 4-2-3-1 formation. Michael Collins is in for him but will more than likely drop to the bench when he returns, barring exceptional personal form.
George Baldock is a little more advanced and I've got him playing as a wing-back whilst Walker is behind Danny Hylton as a shadow striker.
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Matchday 1: Oxford United v Crawley Town
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The formation works as we dominate to go top of the league on the first day with a comfortable victory. We take an early lead when Danny Hylton heads in from close range but we're pegged back before the break as Jon Ashton takes advantage from slack defending at a corner.
A stern word at half-time sees a big improvement in the second half and we never look in danger of relinquishing the lead given to us by our captain, Jake Wright, who slams in after Crawley fail to clear a free-kick.
Hylton bags another after breaking clear of the defence before Roofe rifles one in from a narrow angle to make the game safe, allowing us to see out the final 20 minutes in cruise control.
It's a good result but I think we'll need to see an improvement if we're to get past Gillingham in the first round of the League Cup. We drew against them away in pre-season, so I'm hoping to go one better at home!
An unfortunate defeat as it looked destined for penalties for a long time.
We fell behind inside 40 seconds as Rory Donnelly headed in Bradley Dack's cross and, after knocking at the door for nearly an hour, we get ourselves back on level terms with Roofe tucking in from six yards out.
Neither side can find a winner inside 90 minutes so we go to extra time, which was uneventful until Donnelly capitalised on a loose ball to side-foot past Walton to re-take the lead for Gillingham.
I switch to overload immediately after conceding but we can't get the goal to take it to penalties, which is disappointing but the board simply asked that we weren't outclassed and we have bigger ambitions in the league anyway.
It's Luton next. We need to lay down a marker.
And lay down a marker is exactly what we do. WOW!
It's a dream day for Hylton, who hits four of the five goals in a superb solo display as he continues to exceed my expectations and make the lone striking position his own.
We got off to the perfect start with youngster James Roberts curling in a stunner before Hylton takes centre stage, heading in a second before half-time.
A devastating triple-salvo inside seven second-half minutes from the striker make this another comfortable league outing. I was expecting a harder test, but clearly the performances in pre-season against the European opposition have done us the world of good.
Well, safe to say I didn't see this coming even after the Luton result.
It's another stunning result with Hylton the outstanding performer again. He outdoes his four-goal haul at Luton with a DOUBLE-HATTRICK! He gets a 10 rating for the match and rightly so. He's already on 12 league goals, only two behind his previous best and he's only had three league games.
Nice for Tyler Walker to get his first goal for the club, too. He's been somewhat overshadowed by Hylton in the opening fortnight but understandably so!
View attachment 185540
Three wins from three games. Sixteen goals scored. One goal conceded. It's outrageous form. I just hope we've not peaked too early...
I've been reading the site for a while as I enjoy looking at the stories of other players but haven't had much time to play myself. I've managed to find a couple of hour spare to get a save going in the last few days and, after much deliberation, I've chosen Oxford United as I feel there is the potential to take the club far with the infrastructure there.
They're predicted to finish 10th in League Two but, given the talent at their disposal, I'm aiming for the play-offs at a minimum.
I looked at the squad immediately upon arrival and decided that we needed a better strikeforce, so signed young prospect Tyler Walker on loan for the season from Nottingham Forest. He's done well for others at the same level in their saves, so I'm hoping for similar this time around.
That was the only signing I intended upon making, but my first-choice goalkeeper Sam Slocombe picked up an injury which would keep him out for 8 weeks so I signed Christian Walton on a two-month loan deal from Brighton to cover in the meantime.
I arranged a somewhat mixed pre-season schedule, cancelling games against weaker, local sides in favour of hosting three foreign sides - and Rangers - whilst leaving in our trip to Gillingham which was already arranged.
View attachment 185553
As you can see, it wasn't that great a success in terms of results and I forgot that Parma were in Serie D - oops!
However, that proved to be our best result, though we did admirably against Red Star and ADO Den Haag, so I was pleased with the performances at least. It should put us in good stead for coming up against weaker sides in League Two and a 7-0 win in our last game should give us confidence ahead of hosting Crawley on the opening day of the season.
One of my star midfielders, Liam Sercombe, picked up a knee ligament injury in one of the friendlies so he misses out as I went for a fairly standard 4-2-3-1 formation. Michael Collins is in for him but will more than likely drop to the bench when he returns, barring exceptional personal form.
George Baldock is a little more advanced and I've got him playing as a wing-back whilst Walker is behind Danny Hylton as a shadow striker.
View attachment 185550
Matchday 1: Oxford United v Crawley Town
View attachment 185544
The formation works as we dominate to go top of the league on the first day with a comfortable victory. We take an early lead when Danny Hylton heads in from close range but we're pegged back before the break as Jon Ashton takes advantage from slack defending at a corner.
A stern word at half-time sees a big improvement in the second half and we never look in danger of relinquishing the lead given to us by our captain, Jake Wright, who slams in after Crawley fail to clear a free-kick.
Hylton bags another after breaking clear of the defence before Roofe rifles one in from a narrow angle to make the game safe, allowing us to see out the final 20 minutes in cruise control.
It's a good result but I think we'll need to see an improvement if we're to get past Gillingham in the first round of the League Cup. We drew against them away in pre-season, so I'm hoping to go one better at home!
An unfortunate defeat as it looked destined for penalties for a long time.
We fell behind inside 40 seconds as Rory Donnelly headed in Bradley Dack's cross and, after knocking at the door for nearly an hour, we get ourselves back on level terms with Roofe tucking in from six yards out.
Neither side can find a winner inside 90 minutes so we go to extra time, which was uneventful until Donnelly capitalised on a loose ball to side-foot past Walton to re-take the lead for Gillingham.
I switch to overload immediately after conceding but we can't get the goal to take it to penalties, which is disappointing but the board simply asked that we weren't outclassed and we have bigger ambitions in the league anyway.
It's Luton next. We need to lay down a marker.
Matchday 2: Luton Town v Oxford United
View attachment 185542
And lay down a marker is exactly what we do. WOW!
It's a dream day for Hylton, who hits four of the five goals in a superb solo display as he continues to exceed my expectations and make the lone striking position his own.
We got off to the perfect start with youngster James Roberts curling in a stunner before Hylton takes centre stage, heading in a second before half-time.
A devastating triple-salvo inside seven second-half minutes from the striker make this another comfortable league outing. I was expecting a harder test, but clearly the performances in pre-season against the European opposition have done us the world of good.
Well, safe to say I didn't see this coming even after the Luton result.
It's another stunning result with Hylton the outstanding performer again. He outdoes his four-goal haul at Luton with a DOUBLE-HATTRICK! He gets a 10 rating for the match and rightly so. He's already on 12 league goals, only two behind his previous best and he's only had three league games.
Nice for Tyler Walker to get his first goal for the club, too. He's been somewhat overshadowed by Hylton in the opening fortnight but understandably so!
View attachment 185540
Three wins from three games. Sixteen goals scored. One goal conceded. It's outrageous form. I just hope we've not peaked too early...
