Current Player Sean Clare loan

[LeftSideBoy]

McGuane was teetering on the brink of being another committee dud but he's starting to look like one of Karl's now.

We have Agyei, signed as a winger by the committee, Sykes as a defensive midfielder, Winnall as a luxury benchwarmer, Kelly as a joke presumably because the committee got fed up with signing wingers. The mysteries to me are Henry who Karl seems to acknowledge as one of his despite minimal, fast-diminishing contributions and Hall, likewise except Oxford United Reform Church believe that Karl found Hall in a basket in the bullrushes somewhere on the river while on a scouting mission.

Maguane has been one of our best players, all season. Bar a couple of average performances, he’s been right up there. Liam Kelly has also been good in spells but it really depends on how the opposition set up. Some games suit him more than others and I think KR knows this. Winnall is coming back to fitness and hasn’t had anywhere enough game time for you to cast judgement on him.

Do you actually watch the matches?

 

[Scotchegg]

Really? I don't think we have an embarrassment of riches wide right? A rather out of sorts Henry and Hall/Sykes both of whom are out of favour, and none of them have much pace. I think Clare has done well the few times he's been played there.

This was reference Clare being a box to box central midfielder for Burton. I appreciate that we haven't seen him play in that role for Oxford, but it would take some player to move McGuane, Gorrin, Brannagan (now he's fit) and to a lesser degree Kelly and Forde from a midfield position.

 

[Carpy17]

Maguane has been one of our best players, all season. Bar a couple of average performances, he’s been right up there. Liam Kelly has also been good in spells but it really depends on how the opposition set up. Some games suit him more than others and I think KR knows this. Winnall is coming back to fitness and hasn’t had anywhere enough game time for you to cast judgement on him.

Do you actually watch the matches?

McGuane has been good more recently I would agree, but during our bad spell he didn't look up to it (sounds obvious but there were players who did alright).

Kelly is a player I really don't feel we need at the moment, Hanson has come in and proven a better replacement for Gorrin when he can't play and you'd expect Brannagan coming back reduces his game time further, plus with Forde able to cover so many positions I wouldn't be adverse to seeing Kelly move on.

Winnall... who knows, the guy has been either injured or unfit so harsh to judge on his actual quality at the moment.

 

[Marked Ox]

McGuane has been good more recently I would agree, but during our bad spell he didn't look up to it (sounds obvious but there were players who did alright).

Kelly is a player I really don't feel we need at the moment, Hanson has come in and proven a better replacement for Gorrin when he can't play and you'd expect Brannagan coming back reduces his game time further, plus with Forde able to cover so many positions I wouldn't be adverse to seeing Kelly move on.

Winnall... who knows, the guy has been either injured or unfit so harsh to judge on his actual quality at the moment.

Disagree on Kelly when he is played further up* and some of his set pieces have been masterful (ie. the chipped free kick to Matty Taylor). Hanson's skill set, for me, is only good enough to cover Gorrin, not a McGuane or Brannagan role which Kelly can do to a good level.

*He is not a defensive midfielder so can't cover Gorrin imo.

 

[Carpy17]

Disagree on Kelly when he is played further up* and some of his set pieces have been masterful (ie. the chipped free kick to Matty Taylor). Hanson's skill set, for me, is only good enough to cover Gorrin, not a McGuane or Brannagan role which Kelly can do to a good level.

*He is not a defensive midfielder so can't cover Gorrin imo.

No, I agree, but I think you misunderstand my point, Kelly has largely been used instead of Gorrin, not McGuane, so Hanson is now 2nd choice for that spot, not Kelly. Brannagan coming back now pushes Kelly further down the pecking order for the attacking midfielders IMO. Not saying Kelly is completely useless, but he's a bit of luxury in a size limited squad

 

[arthurturner]

Cadden must be coming in at the ninth hour.........surely?

Eleventh hour more likely

 

[Marked Ox]

No, I agree, but I think you misunderstand my point, Kelly has largely been used instead of Gorrin, not McGuane, so Hanson is now 2nd choice for that spot, not Kelly. Brannagan coming back now pushes Kelly further down the pecking order for the attacking midfielders IMO. Not saying Kelly is completely useless, but he's a bit of luxury in a size limited squad

When Gorrin plays, Kelly plays further forward alongside McGuane. When Gorrin hasn't played recently then Hanson has covered. Kelly isn't a luxury, he has been a regular part of the 3 central midfielders (him, Gorrin and McGuane) that have been part of our recent run.

Cam Bran will replace him when fully fit but Kelly will play plenty to rest/rotate CB/MM. Hanson, imo, can't do that role and for me Forde wouldn't be as good either.

 

[HampshireYellow]

I imagine it'd go something like this: "Karl, stop signing players that Karl doesn't want. Karl wants a right back, so why are you, Karl, signing someone who isn't comfortable playing there?"

“Sign a centre back please Karl”
“I’m sorry, Dave Karl. I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

 

[battman]

No, I agree, but I think you misunderstand my point, Kelly has largely been used instead of Gorrin, not McGuane, so Hanson is now 2nd choice for that spot, not Kelly. Brannagan coming back now pushes Kelly further down the pecking order for the attacking midfielders IMO. Not saying Kelly is completely useless, but he's a bit of luxury in a size limited squad

I'm not sure it's a luxury having a backup for CB and MM, especially one as good as Kelly. Many other players are way more of a luxury than Kelly, including the number of winger-strikers in the squad. Plenty of others should be leaving before you cancel Kelly's loan because of a limited squad size.

 

[battman]

Eleventh hour more likely

So optimistic, it'll be a 13th hour 'we tried to sign someone' announcement

 

[greatunclekip]

So optimistic, it'll be a 13th hour 'we tried to sign someone' announcement

"Gotta be better than what we've got, backed totally by Tiger, but Derrick has looked brilliant at centre back in training so we'll go with what weve got"

 

[Gregortheox]

I think the midfield balance of Gorrin the Destroyer, Branagan the dictator and McGuane the ball carrier is where we are at dynamically. Who ever plays in there has to keep us moving quickly though. We look really dangerous when we play forward with tempo and intent. The minute we knock the ball around is when we look easy to play against.
Its obvious to me that there has been huge changes on the training ground.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Maguane has been one of our best players, all season. Bar a couple of average performances, he’s been right up there. Liam Kelly has also been good in spells but it really depends on how the opposition set up. Some games suit him more than others and I think KR knows this. Winnall is coming back to fitness and hasn’t had anywhere enough game time for you to cast judgement on him.

Do you actually watch the matches?

No mate, I just get @greatunclekip to phone me up with a synopsis.

Kelly's had about 2 decent 20 minute spells this season, and, since all Winnall's done up to last night is sit in a treatment room or on a bench - he's been a luxury bench-warmer. Maybe he'll turn out to be useful, maybe we'll make 4 great signings in January - a sign of either would be a boon, would it not?

 

[Mellowyellow]

That’s a fair point. Im a bit conflicted with Hall. Personally, I really like Robbie. I’ve spoke to him quite a bit away from football and he’s a sound guy. He can contribute to the team but it’s few and far between. I’m afraid he’s just a yard or two short of where he was, before his injury. That’s a lot at this level.

Could he go on loan ? He didn't seem to get in the first team a great deal at Forest Green, and chances were few and far between