Oxford United kick off their Christmas games with a trip to Doncaster on Saturday.
The U’s, who have lost just once in their last 15 games, now go into the busiest part of the season, a time when you can make big jumps up the table if you win two or three games…
“Obviously there is that positive side to it” Karl Robinson told iFollow earlier today “but there can be a negative as well if you don’t prepare properly.
“You can make ground though if you do it right, although it will be a tough game. Doncaster are in unbelievable form and have a striker that most managers would take, midfielders who are very good on the ball, a back four that are very strong and wide men who can hurt you. The Manager is also top drawer. He is a friend, but was a nemesis of mine as a player; he scored big goals against my side! He had a difficult hand initially but has done a great job there and they are in a position they will look to build from.”
United made changes for the team that beat Spurs U21s in midweek, the first team changes for a long time.
“We had an unchanged side for five games, which is unusual for me” Karl said.
“I like there to be pressure for your place because you can get too comfortable and complacent if you know you are always going to play. If you know that then you can come off your ‘A Game’ and I think during the run we have been on we have all been on our game all the time; nobody can afford not to be.
“We go to Doncaster after playing away at Peterborough so two away games at teams around the play-offs and two really good tests for us and games we can really see how we are doing”