STUART McCall wants unbeaten City to keep one step ahead of the teams trying to suss them out.

Oxford are the next opponents looking to inflict a first loss of the season tomorrow.

McCall is considering whether to throw James Hanson back into the mix for the trip to the Kassam Stadium – a fixture he views as potentially their hardest on the road so far.

Whatever he decides, McCall is well aware that City’s easy-on-the-eye passing style no longer comes as a shock.

He said: “It’s a learning curve for all of us because we’re trying to play in a certain way that brings us success. But teams are obviously going to go out to stop us.

“I showed the lads (the video from) last Saturday and the total contrast between the two halves. In the first half we got the ball down and played but in the second we weren’t allowed to.

“When we pass and move like we can – and did at Chesterfield for large periods the week before – then we are a good side.

“But teams aren’t going to let us just come and play so we’ve got to work hard to find solutions to get on the ball.

“Shrewsbury were having a right go in their dressing room at half-time about how they were going to stop us playing.

“They did that for the next 20 minutes and it was scrappy. Teams will enjoy that and we had to do the dirty side of the game.”

Oxford are looking to bounce back from their first home loss of the season to Wimbledon. McCall watched that televised clash and felt they were hard done by.

“People will go ‘they’ve got beaten by Wimbledon’ but that was their first home defeat. If decisions had gone their way Oxford would have won the game and they’d be in the top six.

“They were very unfortunate to lose. This will be as tough an away game as we’ve had.

“They’ve got a strong squad and they spent £500,000-£600,000 on two boys from Scotland.

“I had (winger) Marvin Johnson at Motherwell and know all about him. He’s a good player and he’s not even been in the team – but I would imagine he might come back against us.

“They’ve got threats in all areas of the park and they are on the back of winning promotion. We’re under no illusions it’s going to be tough.”