Vaulks Urges “Realism” Following Oxford United’s Defeat to Sheffield United

Oxford United midfielder Will Vaulks has stated that the team must adopt a “realistic” perspective regarding their prospects in matches against clubs like Sheffield United, who are contending for promotion from the Championship. On Tuesday, the U’s experienced a 3-0 loss at Bramall Lane. This outcome places them two points clear of the relegation zone, having secured only one victory in their last 12 fixtures (comprising five draws and six defeats). Speaking to BBC Radio Oxford, Vaulks commented, “From Saturday [a 6-2 loss to Middlesbrough], we obviously wanted a response.” He continued, “But if we’re just realistic and honest about it – and that’s the way I’ll always be – these aren’t the places we come to keep us in the Championship at this point.” Vaulks acknowledged the team’s ambition, stating, “We’d like to come here and take points, obviously that was the aim. But I think this time, we have to have a bit of realism.” He further described their opponents: “They’re a very, very good team. They’ve got Premier League players on four times the wages, probably. It’s a tough place to come.” Vaulks acknowledged that there is “no denying the last few weeks have been tough,” yet he indicated that this period aligns with his expectations upon joining the club. “I think the first few games we played, we did well, but the teams we played against, to be honest with you, didn’t turn up,” Vaulks explained. He added, “Essentially that gave the fans and the outside a slightly false view of the way the league would be.” Emphasizing team cohesion, he stated, “You have games like this and you have to really be together. We can’t give anything. We’re not good enough to give teams chances.” Citing an example, Vaulks remarked, “You play Watford for example, they’ve got four or five players in that team that can score a worldie goal. They’ve got top, top players.” He concluded, “We have a team that needs to be together and as soon as you just come away and make little mistakes, you get punished.” Responding to an inquiry about whether the recent sequence of three consecutive losses elevates the significance of Saturday’s match against Millwall, Vaulks responded, “It’s big, but we can’t get carried away now saying ‘how big is this game, how big is that game?'” He asserted, “I think every game is big. We want to take points from every game.”