Kitson

[YF Dan]

Playing with a bit more abandon is a state of mind, and could be done with our squad.

We have three genuine first team wingers to chose from, one tricky, one nippy and one a mixture of both.

We have two strikers who have scored goals throughout their careers, and one who our manager made a big song and dance about keeping in the summer.

A lack of creativity in midfield shouldn't hold us back too much either... the last truly attacking Oxford team I can remember had Smith and Gray effectively providing a shield behind the front four.

Are we really saying a squad with Potter, Rigg, Williams, Constable, Kitson and Smalley can't open up a bit?

[amershamwrighty]

I don't really have any issue with how Kitson is performing or with the role he is being asked to play.

My problem is with his temperament, especially given his age and experience. He is clearly an intelligent and articulate chap and he should have twigged that in League 2 (like it or not) there are any number of journeyman players who like nothing better than taking the 'Premiership Big Shot' down a peg or two. There are also plenty of officials who are substandard.

As a result he shouldn't be attracting attention to himself on the field to the extent that he does by arguing and waving his arms about because it makes it too easy for officials to nail him for dissent or to teach him a lesson by waving a yellow card for a dubious foul.

Whether or not his first booking on Tuesday was justified, he should have known better than to chase a lost cause in injury time. The result of that is that we go into tomorrow's game short of options up front if Smalley isn't fit.

[Paul Cooper]

I don't really have any issue with how Kitson is performing or with the role he is being asked to play.

My problem is with his temperament, especially given his age and experience. He is clearly an intelligent and articulate chap and he should have twigged that in League 2 (like it or not) there are any number of journeyman players who like nothing better than taking the 'Premiership Big Shot' down a peg or two. There are also plenty of officials who are substandard.

As a result he shouldn't be attracting attention to himself on the field to the extent that he does by arguing and waving his arms about because it makes it too easy for officials to nail him for dissent or to teach him a lesson by waving a yellow card for a dubious foul.

Whether or not his first booking on Tuesday was justified, he should have known better than to chase a lost cause in injury time. The result of that is that we go into tomorrow's game short of options up front if Smalley isn't fit.

Spot on

[Steppers]

Just to add a bit on the first booking their have been some great stats from ox mail and management about the fact he committed no fouls before the first booking

The is actually incorrect he committed at least 3 fouls that were played on by the referee and therefore once docherty got his kitson was always at risk

I would always have him in the team as long as we have two proper wingers on the pitch to join the attack if not you need the out and out second striker in my opinion

[YF Dan]

Just for the record:

League matches without Kitson: p 3, w 3, f 8, a 2, pts 9.

[Hog]

So we're top of the League in spite of Wilder and now in spite of Kitson too! And probably in spite of Raynes aswell!

Among the statistics in the AFCW programme on Saturday was one showing that Kitson had committed the most fouls in the division thus far with 30, one ahead of Zebrowski on 29. Sadly there wasn't a list showing who had been fouled against the most although I've a pretty good idea who it might be ... although if the ref doesn't give it as a foul is it actually a foul? If it's not then why did the ref point at five different areas on the pitch before booking Kitson the first time he actually spoke to him?

[Eric Pollard]

Just for the record:

League matches without Kitson: p 3, w 3, f 8, a 2, pts 9.

'Just for the record.' You don't like Kitson, you don't like Wilder, you don't like the ground, and you call yourself a supporter when we're top of the league, top goalscorers, and haven't let a goal in for four games?

I sometimes wonder if I should I have kept my hard earned at the DW instead. There's no pleasing folks - especially the part-timers!

'Oop the Warriors! Rugby League Mondiale 2013!!'

[YF Dan]

Let me offer another stat:

With Kitson:
p 13, w 4, d 5, l 3, F 15 a 11, pts 17.

Just for the record, of course, Mr Pollard.

That form would have us 11th, just ahead of Wycombe on goal difference, and would give us 65 points over a season, ie, what we always seem to end up with.

I don't dislike Kitson. I dislike the way we use Kitson. I dislike the fact he has only scored once, that he has no assists and that our record with him in the team is really ordinary. I dislike the fact that no-one, including him, seems overly bothered by the fact he's not scoring.

I dislike the fact that Kitson, playing in a different style, and in much higher leagues, has scored goals throughout his career (last year, in the division above he scored 11 in 33) yet here he's got one in 13. I have seen Kitson play as a fearsome, hard-running, direct, shoot-on-sight goal monster. I cannot see the logic of playing him in the position we currently do.

I dislike the fact we have another striker with more goals, more assists, who scored last week, sitting on the bench. Meanwhile Kitson waltzes back into a winning team having served his second ban of the season for an act of stupidness. This too I dislike.

I dislike the argument "that he makes us play" because this simply isn't matched by the stats either. Quite the reverse in fact. We have failed to score in 4 of the past five matches he's played. That suggests teams know how to stop us playing when he plays.

I'm not going to argue that we'd carry on winning every match if he doesn't play, but I will say that 13 matches does constitute a big enough sample to work out accurate averages from. And our record with Kitson in the team is really not good enough.

[JoeyBeauchamp]

Incredibly outspoken comments from Dave here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24805861

If what he is saying is true it's a disgrace and needs an urgent investigation, but can he be done for his comments? Surely he's not going to face a third ban.

I don't like him saying "I don't know why I bother". You bother because you are getting (very?) good wages and have an expectant fan base behind you.

[theox]

I don't like him saying "I don't know why I bother". You bother because you are getting (very?) good wages and have an expectant fan base behind you.

To be fair to the lad, I think we all have days at work where we say the same thing......or worse!!

[Mooro]

As I've said on the other side, his comments (and those of Wilder after the game) on the decisions in the game (penalty, challenges unpunished, the headlock, etc) are all run-of-mill, hear it every week from players and managers across the country, and may well see one or both being charged by the FA.

However, I would HOPE, but accept that it is perhaps less likely than it should be, that what he says about the interchange between Potter and the referee as he was being treated for his injury, is taken more seriously.
"We have an incident where Alfie Potter is lying on the floor with his leg in a brace and he's asking the referee about the challenge and the referee is swearing at him, telling him to shut up and warning him he will send him off if he doesn't. The lad is lying there with tears in his eyes with his leg in a brace and he cannot even talk to the referee."

There appeared to be some discussion in RadOx studio about whether the ref was swearing at Potter or whether he was warning Potter about swearing or both, but in either case the attitude of the referee was totally inappropriate and needs addressing. That incident is no longer about players and managers not respecting the referee (which is what they normally get punished for), that is now about the referee not respecting the player and the situation and so he too, should be dealt with.

I applaud Kitson for standing there and saying this - taking one for the team, as someone said - it says a lot about his position as a senior member of the squad.

[Kernow Yellow]

If what he is saying is true it's a disgrace and needs an urgent investigation, but can he be done for his comments? Surely he's not going to face a third ban.

There's been an investigation all right. Kitson's been charged with bringing the game into disrepute.

[Radley Rambler]

He was absolutely superb today at Mansfield. His passes to set up the 2nd and 3rd goals were a joy to watch and worth the admission money alone. Mansfield just couldn't handle him. The backheel to another Oxford player when three of them surrounded him was cheeky and exquisite at the same time. He was just two leagues above anyone else on the pitch today with the possible exception of Williams who had the best game I've seen him play.

Good fun today!

[YF Dan]

A great result against a very decent opposition. This Jekyll and Hyde season continues.

Pleased that DK played well, too.

I think that Williams is going to prove the key man for us this season though. His ability to stretch oppositions is vital, (and under-used so far).

[YF Dan]

A great result against a very decent opposition. This Jekyll and Hyde season continues.

Pleased that DK played well, too.

I think that Williams is going to prove the key man for us this season though. His ability to stretch oppositions is vital, (and under-used so far).