Could work in the middle of a back 3
Transfer News Transfer window 2020/21
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Oxfordpete
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Have we signed another winger who can be tried as a CB yet ?? .... just asking in case anyone is in the know
ToTheManorBorn
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Should have gone and got Jake Wright before he signed for Hereford. No great risk for us and lots of experience that would have benefitted Moore and Atkinson.
brassmonkey
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I got slated by @Scotchegg for stating the same thing a few weeks back.
Scotchegg
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Still feel the same!!!
brassmonkey
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Ditto
Harry Maguire disagrees
Not sure either of the bookings had anything to do with fitness levels.
IsleofWightYellow
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“It’s evident we do need another wide player... Equally, you look at that back line and you do need something in there... But if you just go for a centre back, it doesn’t half leave you short in the left back area and the wide area.”
Karl, Karl, Karl.
You currently have fit Dan Agyei, Joel Cooper, Mide Shodipo, Mark Sykes, James Henry and Anthony Forde who can all do a reasonable job out wide. Six players. For two positions.
You aren’t short in the wide area. Please don’t make this the hill that you die on. Just sign a centre back and play Cooper and Agyei on the wings. They both seem quite good and play pretty well
Lots of love,
A frustrated fan
Karl, Karl, Karl.
You currently have fit Dan Agyei, Joel Cooper, Mide Shodipo, Mark Sykes, James Henry and Anthony Forde who can all do a reasonable job out wide. Six players. For two positions.
You aren’t short in the wide area. Please don’t make this the hill that you die on. Just sign a centre back and play Cooper and Agyei on the wings. They both seem quite good and play pretty well
Lots of love,
A frustrated fan
TheDukeOfBanburyshire
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It's been clear from game one of the season that we've had a defensive unit that has been perpetually somewhere in the space between developmental/ramshackle/experimental.
As you suggest (and is all too obvious IMHO), when weighing up the relative cover we have in wide attacking/defensive areas, that we've been crying out for more cover in the back line. If we can see it then surely he can?
I'm unsure how we've got this far into the campaign without addressing what seen clear shortcomings in the squad.
werthersoriginal
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Have we signed anyone. Have we signed anyone
Amazing, the headline now is that Oxford are 'considering' going for an out of contract player to boost the defence.' That along with the news that Hitler has invaded Poland is not exactly 'hot off the press !!!!!!! When/IF, IF, IF this saviour is announced, he had better be good, no, better than good !!
Horse
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Or he could be a Mike Williamson ??
H
horseman
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Perhaps some posters should revert back to prior to a ball being kicked when the general consensus was that we had a decent squad and some on here were predicting minimum of a Play Off place.
At the back there was Clare-Long-Atkinson-Mous-Moore-Jones-Ruffels so 7 for 4 positions. Remember "Before a ball was kicked"
I've kept repeating that we've been unable to name a settled back 5 or actual 6 with Gorrin and how important this is and yet posters are playing the hindsight game and various solutions include getting another keeper + other names of defenders thrown into the hat. We have Sam Long who can play anywhere across the back and does a decent job but then of course some posters either don't like the guy or appreciate his value to the squad.
It is stated on here that we have 6/7 options attacking wise, Wingers Strikers etc the same as we began with at the back yet this appears to be looked at differently.
Having watched every game i maintain that we are not far away and all this talk of being shi* and in for a relegation battle is an over reaction, mistakes in matches happen some are punished others not and it's not as though we've been outplayed. We have a decent squad and one that many predicted was good enough to challenge, they haven't become bad just because of the odd error here or there.
At the back there was Clare-Long-Atkinson-Mous-Moore-Jones-Ruffels so 7 for 4 positions. Remember "Before a ball was kicked"
I've kept repeating that we've been unable to name a settled back 5 or actual 6 with Gorrin and how important this is and yet posters are playing the hindsight game and various solutions include getting another keeper + other names of defenders thrown into the hat. We have Sam Long who can play anywhere across the back and does a decent job but then of course some posters either don't like the guy or appreciate his value to the squad.
It is stated on here that we have 6/7 options attacking wise, Wingers Strikers etc the same as we began with at the back yet this appears to be looked at differently.
Having watched every game i maintain that we are not far away and all this talk of being shi* and in for a relegation battle is an over reaction, mistakes in matches happen some are punished others not and it's not as though we've been outplayed. We have a decent squad and one that many predicted was good enough to challenge, they haven't become bad just because of the odd error here or there.
Banbury2018
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Good sensible post. If we go back 12 months we heard exactly the same things. Also unfortunately every team we run into seems to be settled and in good form eg Fleetwood tomorrow or Charlton previously.
Right wait for the floodgates to open after 2 positive posts.
oufc1991
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Far to positive for this place
Don’t forget we’re not #goingforit like all the other teams we are relegation fodder who will concede as many goals as Southend and we’re going to get relegated the world is coming to an end
Steve McAvoy
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I don’t have any particular disagreement with this assessment. What I would add, however, is what happens through the process of consecutive poor results; players declaring themselves fit following injury too quickly, players morale descending as mistakes become over-analysed, owners becoming panicked and replacing managers too quickly, players being signed who don’t fit into the squad.. To be fair, in recent seasons the Club has shown a level of stability that I find reassuring.
Manorlounger
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Having 7 bodies for 4 positions is not quite the same as having 7 adequately qualified bodies for those same positions though, is it?
Clare is not settling in a defensive role, Jones has been deemed not sufficiently developed, Mous has displayed that his career, as a player, is almost done, Atkinson, although displaying enormous potential, has just made the step up from non-league (and may have an injury problem) Longy can very well play any position, that's not to say that he is the right fit for any position, adequate at best. (although I admire his tenacity and application) Ruffs is Ruffs, a one trick pony despite, like Longy, an absolutely 100% OUFC player. Moore has only recently stepped up to this division and also lacks the experience to command his position, another with potential, no doubt but sufficient quality at this time?
No, sorry but my opinion is that we need an experienced head in there to give direction, a strong captain, someone who is vocal and respected and knows how to get things organised on the pitch during the game. Can we get such a player? That's the real issue here. I still believe that we should have recruited pre-season. It's now evident that KR deemed that acquisition surplus to requirements.
As to the rest of the squad, I would agree, there is a team in there somewhere waiting to burst out and sweep away the opposition, trouble is, if they don't start soon we may have some real problems.
Kamal
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I never thought before the start of the season that "Clare-Long-Atkinson-Mous-Moore-Jones-Ruffels" is a good defence. In fact I said in the Summer that if we go into this season with Eastwood, Ruffels and Long as starting players then we will be in trouble.
Long and Ruffels should have never been first choices. They are nothing more than squad players. People won't like that but that's the truth. They are good squad players but nothing more. Management would even agree hence we have signed multiple Right Backs in the past few years. Unfortunately Cadden was the only one that really worked out but now he's rotting away in the MLS.
Atikison before this season had never kicked a ball in the Football League. It's a big ask for him to jump from the conference to a league one team that is expected to fight for promotion. Mousinho was going to retire before last season started. He is now mainly apart of the management team and is struggling with injures. There were times last season where he looked off it, and his only appearance this season he got dragged about. It was very clear that a 34 year old John Mousinho this season should have been no where near the starting lineup, and only be used to play games such as the Checktrade ones.
Nico Jones is a 17 year old kid. I think it was quite obvious that he was never going be in the first team picture. The issue with the defence isn't a new one. It has been here for nearly a couple years now. The management should have seen this coming. It was very obvious in the Summer that we needed to replace Dickie with another CB who would partner Moore. That would be our main partnership. We would then have Atikinson as the third CB. He would still be developing in training, would play the cup games and push the other 2 for a starting spot. Mousinho would then be the 4th CB who would cover for any injuries etc.
You build a team from the back. When theres question marks over your Goalie, left back, centre back and right back you're not going to get very far.
Long and Ruffels should have never been first choices. They are nothing more than squad players. People won't like that but that's the truth. They are good squad players but nothing more. Management would even agree hence we have signed multiple Right Backs in the past few years. Unfortunately Cadden was the only one that really worked out but now he's rotting away in the MLS.
Atikison before this season had never kicked a ball in the Football League. It's a big ask for him to jump from the conference to a league one team that is expected to fight for promotion. Mousinho was going to retire before last season started. He is now mainly apart of the management team and is struggling with injures. There were times last season where he looked off it, and his only appearance this season he got dragged about. It was very clear that a 34 year old John Mousinho this season should have been no where near the starting lineup, and only be used to play games such as the Checktrade ones.
Nico Jones is a 17 year old kid. I think it was quite obvious that he was never going be in the first team picture. The issue with the defence isn't a new one. It has been here for nearly a couple years now. The management should have seen this coming. It was very obvious in the Summer that we needed to replace Dickie with another CB who would partner Moore. That would be our main partnership. We would then have Atikinson as the third CB. He would still be developing in training, would play the cup games and push the other 2 for a starting spot. Mousinho would then be the 4th CB who would cover for any injuries etc.
You build a team from the back. When theres question marks over your Goalie, left back, centre back and right back you're not going to get very far.
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