THIS is an open letter to Chris Wilder and the Oxford United management.

How come we are having to suffer these performances week after week?

The debacle we watched against Gillingham started around 15 minutes before the game when as usual they watered the pitch, not withstanding that it had rained buckets on Friday night.

They had to water it again, so Ryan Clarke and others ended up playing falling down games. As for the team we had just a few short months ago, I sometimes wonder if I am on another planet.

I sat in the South Stand Upper as Chris Wilder prowled the touchline. It is like watching different games, because all of us up there in the Gods can see nothing, no invention, no creativity, no confidence, nothing. Perhaps he ought to have spent the first half with me.

In fact, better than that, he could have had my seat and I would have moved elsewhere.

Ryan is a top-class keeper let down by second-rate defenders. Apart from Jake Wright the rest need removing. The new man – Ben Futcher at 6ft 7in – needs to learn how to head a ball. Paul Wooton was outrun, outclassed, and the midfield looked like a cow field. Tom Craddock, apart from two goals, does nothing to excite me.

I do think James Constable and Steven Maclean could be okay but they need some help. Where is the cup-winning mentality? At other clubs that is where. Quite simply no urgency and no second ball winning.

Taking stock of what we have this tinkering with the team has to stop. It is time to bring back Jack Midson and play him down the middle with Beano and Maclean. Damien Batt should start with Stevie Kinnburgh and Mark Creighton (who can head a ball). Perhaps bring back Dannie Bullman, at least he tried.

Simon Heslop and Asa Hall seem to have run out of steam. As for the people like Baker and Cole – it is time for them to go.

There were in excess of 7,000 fans at the game. I can see that number being less than 4,000 if we end up back in that “poxy” league below us. It is time to get the team talking to each other.

Just do something, because from up in the stands, it’s “I’m a footballer, get me out of here”.

ALAN CROWDER, Fruitlands, Eynsham