'Oxford may be undercooked against Portsmouth'

When Oxford United started their first season back in the Championship, nine of their starting XI had played for them in the League One play-off final. There was some trepidation as the U's took on a division they'd been out of for a quarter of a century.

They may have surprised even themselves by how they eased to safety under Gary Rowett. When they kick off the new campaign this weekend, there's every chance at least eight of the starters will have proved themselves in the Championship with Oxford last season.

Those who didn't – summer signings Brodie Spencer and Brian De Keersmaecker and maybe defender Jack Currie, who is back from a stellar loan at Leyton Orient, all look ready to go at this level. They have a good team.

Yet there is a feeling that United may be a little undercooked going into the opener against Portsmouth.

A pre-season tour to Indonesia allowed them to make friends and gain influence there, but ate into the available time for the sort of intense fitness work that a Rowett summer usually entails. There have also been disruptive injuries which have impacted squad depth at a time when it should be at its best.

United arrived back in the county's consciousness last summer – they are THE story, although there is as much talk about the pending decision about a new stadium as there is about the new season.

The way for Oxford to succeed over the next nine months will be to somehow combine their underdog mentality of last year with a swagger that comes from knowing the Championship ropes. Can you have both? We are about to find out.

A year ago Oxford were at the bottom of most people's predicted final table, but finished 17th.

The Championship does look more competitive this year, but the average prediction I have seen this time around places the U's just above the relegation zone. Funnily enough, Oxford fans might be more comfortable if they had again been completely written off!