It's no time to panic, says Wilder

9:30am Tuesday 18th September 2012 in U's News Photograph of the Author By David Pritchard, Chief Sports Reporter covering Oxford United. Follow us on twitter: @oxfordmailoufc. Call me on 01865 425458

United boss Chris Wilder United boss Chris Wilder

Chris Wilder insists he is not under any extra pressure to-night as Oxford United attempt to stop a three-game losing streak at Cheltenham Town.

It comes just three days after the U’s were booed off by their own supporters following a 4-0 defeat at Burton Albion.

Wilder described it as the most disappointing day in almost four years at the club and is looking to half the slump at Whaddon Road.

The United boss is not panicking, just as he did not get carried away when a hat-trick of wins at the start of the season took the club top of npower League Two.

He said: “People will always have their thoughts on me, it’s a ridiculous situation where one minute I’m getting mentioned for manager of the month and then people are questioning whether it’s time for a change.

“That’s football – we win three games and you’re the king, lose three games and you’re a nugget.

“Nothing’s changed in my approach to how hard we work and what we’ve got to work with. We always put ourselves under big pressure to deliver.

“I’ve done that since I’ve been here. I’ve devoted 100 per cent of my time and effort into turning it around.”

Wilder was most alarmed on Saturday by United’s lack of commitment, which fell well below the expected standards.

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Restoring their competitiveness is the priority tonight against near neighbours, who have also gone three games without a win.

He said: “I didn’t think we competed at all against Burton, we were second best in physical challenges and in our intensity.

“I think this is a great game for us because it’ll be a hurly-burly local derby and we have to go there and compete, because if we don’t we won’t get a result.”

Despite declaring there were players who had lost his trust on Saturday, the U’s boss has faith in the squad after coming through similar troughs.

He said:“I’ve been in this position before, the first year back in the Football League we had a poor run and went to the league leaders, Chesterfield, and won 2-1.

“We did it last year when we ground one out at Morecambe (0-0) to get us going again.

“I’m confident and positive this group can do it.”

Comments(21)

Joe1 says...
10:24am Tue 18 Sep 12

I really wish that CW would cease to use the words"WE ARE READY FOR" on the O.U.web site, when clearly we are NOT ready. I guess it is up to CW to motivate the players he has available, that is what GOOD managers are able to do. It looks like he is making excuses in case we don't do well tonight. Not a posibility I would consider.

"COME ON YOU YELLOWS"

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adlibber says...
10:32am Tue 18 Sep 12

You could trawl through the last 3 season on OM and find that CW simply repeats the same 2 message;one for winning and one for losing. Given that we appear to be prone to losing enough games to ensure we miss promotion there's a flaw in his plan. I won't forget his ludicrous 'I'll shut a few people up' when were on a losing streak last season. His bold avoidance of his own weakness resulted in us not winning any of our last 7 games and missing out on a play off spot. I suspect the exact same will happen this season albeit we could finish dangerously close to a relegation spot if we continue with our current form.

I really can't see us moving any further forward with CW at the helm.

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AylesburyOx says...
10:32am Tue 18 Sep 12

It may be no time to panic but it is time for a change. Another guy on this forum spelt it out clearly that all we do is lose 3 win 2 draw 2 lose 3 again - there is no sustainability and Wilder is out of ideas in how to move us forward.

Lose tonight and you're done CW

Wilder out. Tisdale in

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BigOx22 says...
11:58am Tue 18 Sep 12

I wish people would stop talking about Tisdale as much as he is a good manager would he really want to take over at Oxford with the way things are going??? I don't think so. We need to try and get on track of winning home games and getting something out of away games. CW needs to stop changing formation and stop changing players unless he really has to due to illness or injury. Bring Beano back into the team to hassle the defence of CTFC with Tommy C and play JPP and Potter wingers with Cox and Chapman in the middle!

COYY

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northampton yellow says...
11:59am Tue 18 Sep 12

i think win ,lose , or draw , its still time to change not just the manager in cw but change ml and am it needs a complete turnaround but i dont think lenegan has got the balls to do so or again hes not botherd about it , but he keeps saying he wants league 1 football , well mr lenegan stand up and be counted its time to deliver your promise of league 1 football .

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jbowling says...
2:08pm Tue 18 Sep 12

Strange at the moment as losing tonight could be the best for the long term future of the club.

There is no point repeating again why I think Wilder should go as many other posters have done so quite eloquently.

Also - has anyone else noticed that when we have injured players they suddenly become much better than they were when they were playing. When they return all will be well - rubbish look at Craddock for example.

I stopped going a year ago and rather than booing the team just vote with your feet. Lower crowds will force changes.

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Brenda Jackson says...
2:13pm Tue 18 Sep 12

I think Mr Wilder was delivering his 'Don't panic' message to himself.

He forgot to say when it's time to panic, 4/5/6 defeats in a row? More? I can't see where a win is coming from in the next half dozen fixtures, we'd have to get very lucky, bit like at the start of the season -but the luck's run out it seems.

IL stated the manager has a 'Top three budget' so should he be relying on luck?

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The Manager says...
3:44pm Tue 18 Sep 12

Play 4 4 2 tonight keep it plain keep it simple stop messing about with the formation and we could get a result .At Burton the team played like a bunch of total strangers and the second half was just about as bad as it could get.
Wilder seems to be immune to the mistakes that he does make as it is the same one every time. Come on Mr Wilder look at the real picture and do something about it. It may not be time to panic by your thinking but we have all seen this before and the fans of this wonderful football club are not idiots and have not had the opportunity that you have had but could probably do a better job than you are doing at present. What sort of manager is it that states he cannot trust some of his players . That surely cannot be good for moral.

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Beau champ mummy says...
3:52pm Tue 18 Sep 12

Well mr wilder I'm panicking so get a taxi plz

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oldun says...
4:04pm Tue 18 Sep 12

Surprised that in virtually every interview , when talking about the club CW always inserts unnecessarily the word football - "the football club" - strange - but not his worst sin. Jake Wright also seems to talk not stop for about five minutes when answering each question .

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bigchet says...
4:30pm Tue 18 Sep 12

we need 100 per cent commitment tonight against a cheltenham side that will be desperate to avoid a second successive home defeat, so i think maybe a draw would still be a good result. changes are limited by who is available but i would expect to see cox , constable, and pitman in the starting lineup.

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BigOx22 says...
4:37pm Tue 18 Sep 12

Brenda when do you ever believe what the club says about budgets? I never have done. I don't think we have a budget of top three and we don't ever buy decent players. If we kept the same team as last year and BROUGHT 2/3 decent players we would be ok. Tommy C needs a run in the team. He is a top goal scorer, might not be the quickest but he can score goals.

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oldun says...
4:53pm Tue 18 Sep 12

My money is on a United victory - few pro clubs lose 4 consecutive League matches

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train passenger says...
5:01pm Tue 18 Sep 12

Chris Wilder has a point here, which is that most people's knowledge of statistics is too limited to understand that a streak of three losses (or three wins) is really not that unlikely, unless you are a team projected to score 100 (or 30) points over the season and Oxford is not. So three losses (wins) does not prove or disprove anything about the manager's skills. Of course 6 or 8 consecutive losses is an all together different matter (highly unlikely). Having said that, the man seems to forever talk about how the players underperformed when there is a loss, not about how he will readjust his game plan. Now that is a cause for worry me thinks.

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oldun says...
5:08pm Tue 18 Sep 12

No - few mid table teams in pro football lose three consec games - of course going three without a win is much much more frequent. Yep, we'll win tonight

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marathon2012 says...
5:54pm Tue 18 Sep 12

All you guys and gals think wilder reads these posts he obvioustly does not read the posts or he would have won more games than he has why is it the fans are the only people who see the real match and not the wilder vision of the game he has to change his game plan or hand the management to some one with new blood and passion for the u's not the same old same old still need a win tonight I think we will 2-0

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karatavuk says...
9:31pm Tue 18 Sep 12

The players have lost faith in Wilder.
The fans have lost faih in Wilder.
Wilder has lost it.

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adlibber says...
9:38pm Tue 18 Sep 12

Yep Wilder's on a roll 4 defeats out of 7 games played, leaking goals and only 10pts behind the league leaders already.

Turn the lights out Mr Wilder thanks for the memories.

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oldun says...
9:45pm Tue 18 Sep 12

United 12th season - and next will probably be the 13th .
12 (half) of the clubs in this division have been out of the third tier for just 4 or fewer seasons. Only these 8 traditional biggies - Fleetwood, Accrington, Barnet, Morecambe, Wimbledon, Burton , Aldershot and York can top our 12 seasons

Long suffering fans

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oldun says...
9:45pm Tue 18 Sep 12

United 12th season - and next will probably be the 13th .
12 (half) of the clubs in this division have been out of the third tier for just 4 or fewer seasons. Only these 8 traditional biggies - Fleetwood, Accrington, Barnet, Morecambe, Wimbledon, Burton , Aldershot and York can top our 12 seasons

Long suffering fans

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Underfaker says...
9:46pm Tue 18 Sep 12

Leave now Wilder for the fans sake

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