OXFORD United’s pointless start to the season makes it more important than ever to stick to their principles, says Karl Robinson.

The squad’s fourth successive defeat at the start of the Sky Bet League One season saw the squad’s day-off cancelled on Wednesday.

But the extra preparation time has not been spent on making sweeping tactical changes ahead of Burton Albion’s visit.

On the contrary, head coach Robinson believes testing times require continuity.

“Your Plan B is do Plan A better,” he said.

“If you go and speak to any manager at this highest level they’ll say that’s the way to do it.

“We can’t afford to go route one, we can’t afford the players who have an attractive style and are 6ft 2in.”

One popular solution among supporters to the struggles is to look into changing Robinson’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation.

But while the U’s boss is looking to help build a particular style throughout the club, he felt they had been flexible during games this season.

He said: “We changed our style at Portsmouth and look what happened – we played too long and too quick (in a 4-1 defeat).

“We want an identity here. We want an under 16 to know how the first team play.

“When you drop to the under 23s we want it to replicate the first team.

“We’ve played 4-3-3 this year, 4-2-3-1, 4-4-2, we’ve dropped into a (midfield) diamond in certain games, but people don’t always see that because sometimes you get so attracted to the result that you forget the minor details of what actually happens.”

Good news has been in short supply since the start of the season, but the first session on the grass at United’s new training ground yesterday was welcome, even if it is restricted.

He said: “I feel things are coming together. We’ve got an area with a cricket wicket in the middle of half a pitch.

“We have a few little areas around that for two weeks and then we’ll be on a full pitch.

“I’ll take what I can get. This is part and parcel of bedding into a new era. No start is fluent and easy.”