In Focus: Oxford United (League Two)

In time for the new football-league season which begins tomorrow I'm going to start up a new feature that gives Gasheads exclusive content from the view of the opposition to complete their pre-match preparation. This will go live before every league and cup clash Rovers play this season to offer a greater lowdown on the team we are about to face.

The feature will be from the perspective of an opposition supporter (in this case Oxford United) and they can talk about any thoughts, predictions and hopes they have for the game itself and can offer some advice to Rovers fans should we be playing them away from home. They may explain who they feel can prove a key player for them in the game, players who may be unavailable due to suspension or injury and what they expect from Rovers - both on the field and off it.

In the second edition of this new feature Oxford United fan Rosie Dodds talks ahead of our npower League Two game at The Memorial Stadium tomorrow afternoon: 

This coming Saturday Chris Wilder takes his United team done south to play Bristol. I will be getting the London Road Coach from Oxford Ice Rink to the Memorial Ground. This will be my second visit to this particular stadium and after the great win against Bournemouth on Tuesday night I am feeling rather optimistic although we have got some injuries. Andy Whing – (Defender), Peter Leven – (Midfielder), Liam Davis (Left Back/midfield), Harry Worley and Michael Duberry (Defender) but we have good replacements.

Rovers target James Constable

The starting line up for this game I would have thought would be: Clarke, Batt, Wright, Raynes, Capaldi, Chapman/Heslop, Cox, Forster Caskey, Potter, Rigg and James Constable.

On the bench it might be Chapman/Heslop, Evans, Smalley, Brown, Craddock, Evans, Long.

Before our season started in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday evening against Bournemouth we played in pre season;  Oxford City, Didcot Town, Eastleigh, West Ham United, Cardiff City, Sea Coast Mariners, Seacoast United Phantoms and Jim Dedeus eleven. We beat Seacoast United Phantoms, Seacoast United Mariners West Ham United, Oxford City and we drew at Didcot Town. We lost to Eastleigh and Cardiff City.  We haven’t got any new injuries which is good.

I reckon that Alfie Potter and Jake Forster Caskey can cause a few headaches for the Rovers defence and although we drew 0 – 0 last season I think that Oxford will win 2 – 0.  For months there has been speculation about our talismanic striker James Constable leaving to go to our rivals who we are playing this weekend. There have been several bids rejected so I am hoping that he’ll stay with United. I reckon with Potter, Forster Caskey and Cox we can out-fox the Gas and therefore we can get the win.  The Rovers team, well here’s a tricky one…the only players that I’ve heard of are Scott Bevan, Danny Woodards, Joe Anyinsah, Matt Harrold and Matt Gill. Anyinsah and Harrold are very good players and hopefully Michael Raynes and Jake Wright can keep them quiet, I hope we can keep a clean sheet and cause the Gas defence all sorts of problems. As it is just a day away, I have my hopes. Come on you yellows!

Follow Rosie on Twitter; @YellowBeanzOUFC - could be good value pre-match!

Bristol Rovers vs Oxford United - The Memorial Stadium - League Two - KO: 3.00pm