Transfer Window 26/27 Summer Embargo Window

[SteMerritt]

 

[battman]

Why are there mid-table predictions when we got promoted with a thinner squad and regularly made the play-offs with only 5 defenders and no defensive midfielders? I don't think our squad depth is any worse than it has been throughout our previous stint in League One, and we have a much stronger XI to boot.

 

[Boris]

You only have the one talent? Surely not?

Indeed. I'll let you know when I find out what it is

 

[DenbighYellow]

I think the squad as is, is certainly capable of being in and around the playoffs.

I will caveat that by saying we have to get lucky with injuries as we do lack depth in quite a few areas.

The other unknown is Ramsey. I have been impressed with him so far and I am cautiously optimistic that he will turn out to be a 'good-un', however that remains to be seen.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

I think the squad as is, is certainly capable of being in and around the playoffs.

I will caveat that by saying we have to get lucky with injuries as we do lack depth in quite a few areas.

The other unknown is Ramsey. I have been impressed with him so far and I ma cautiously optimistic that he will turn out to be a 'good-un', however that remains to be seen.

Whatever happens, I hope Ramsey is given time by both the club & supporters and if we do struggle that people understand he needs to be given a fair chance.

 

[Digby]

True supporters would never discuss league positions other than play off at least , automatic promotion at best , boo to the odds .

 

[Last_man]

Why are there mid-table predictions when we got promoted with a thinner squad and regularly made the play-offs with only 5 defenders and no defensive midfielders to choose from? I don't think our squad depth is any worse than it has been throughout our previous stint in League One, and we have a much stronger XI to boot.

Teams have gotten better tbf

 

[samstudd]

No injury crisis = romp it

 

[Paul Cannell]

I don't think it adds up that this was a deliberate measure to stop spending when we had just sacked and hired a manager at great cost, and had deals agreed for senior players when the embargo was enforced. It doesn't make any sense.

If you mean declining to provide evidence (in terms of money) to avoid an embargo was not part of a plan by the management I'm sure you are right; something surprised them and slammed the brake on.

The sudden change makes perfect sense in 2 scenarios: a. Erick was unaware of the requirement to provide cash* to cover the required season's expenditure, possibly because the Judicial Review was not binned but went to verbal review, b. Erick was aware but unable to get the necessary cash*, probably because it would be family cash.

* All the methods @Billyox mentioned require that money (cash) be taken out of circulation and placed somewhere, making that money useless - a leading oligarch family could make a lot of income from having over £10m at hand for 6 months.

What the process was to make the decision to stop spending and accept the embargo I have no idea but it's the only rational explanation of the sudden turnaround in attitude to spending.

Where's Tim? He could tell us.

 

[MarkG]

I'm probably looking at the wrong set of regs again, but I though last season there was supposed to be a trial run in the Championship of the new rules in tandem with the existing rules, so clubs and the league would see where there were any gaps. The new rules for EFL1 should not have come as a surprise as they were agreed ages ago.

 

[Swaby39]

Whatever happens, I hope Ramsey is given time by both the club & supporters and if we do struggle that people understand he needs to be given a fair chance.

He’s already got immense credit in the bank. Look at the scepticism when he joined from the likes of me and how quickly that’s turned to him being the person we look to and listen to - the only one consistently showing up for us. We haven’t kicked a ball yet, and I think through a combination of him;

1. Being sold a pup
2. Acting with total maturity anyway
3. Overseeing a promising pre season
4. Fearlessly holding bosses to account
5. Empathising with fans
6. Showing a steady hand in chaos

… he will be bottom of the pile in the blame game. That is unless we dish up similarly rank football as we endured last season. No manager is safe from that. But I think he’s risen in people’s estimations quickly enough (even the most critical of his appointment) that a poor start won’t be received anywhere near the same.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

No injury crisis = romp it

105 points weren’t it Sam?

 

[Raymond O'Leary]

I think the depth in certain areas isn’t better than what we had in the playoff season and you’ve also got to factor in there are certain players who are a couple of years older with 2 tough/physical seasons in the championship behind them.

I think that our squad isn’t as strong as some others do, I don’t mind if people do, somebody is going to be wrong, football is a game of opinions, what I’ve stated is mine.

I could be right, I could be miles off but I’d rather put my opinion out there than not at all.

Right about a couple of players being older. However most of the squad have good experience of Championship football, which is harder, faster and more skilful. In comparison League One should give them more time and is less frantic. If we were in League One and recruiting this set of players with a season or two of Championship experience we would be all be delighted (well, nearly all). I agree that the overall squad might be a bit thin but man for man we have strong players at goalkeeper, full back, midfield, wings. Three strong candidates at centre back. Could do with another striker, a spare 10 and a centre-back, but on paper we look strong.
However don't forget Mike Tyson -
'Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth'

Let's hope we do the punching.

 

[CaptainOx]

I'm probably looking at the wrong set of regs again, but I though last season there was supposed to be a trial run in the Championship of the new rules in tandem with the existing rules, so clubs and the league would see where there were any gaps. The new rules for EFL1 should not have come as a surprise as they were agreed ages ago.

They were formerly voted for in May.

 

[Manorlounger]

They were formerly voted for in May.

I think Tim was busy that day.

 

[chuckbert]

I think Tim was busy that day.

Who?

 

[samstudd]

105 points weren’t it Sam?

It’s fluctuating day by day. After we breeze past Leyton Orient on Saturday i’m sure the total can be revised.

 

[Jaboysmith]

He’s already got immense credit in the bank. Look at the scepticism when he joined from the likes of me and how quickly that’s turned to him being the person we look to and listen to - the only one consistently showing up for us. We haven’t kicked a ball yet, and I think through a combination of him;

1. Being sold a pup
2. Acting with total maturity anyway
3. Overseeing a promising pre season
4. Fearlessly holding bosses to account
5. Empathising with fans
6. Showing a steady hand in chaos

… he will be bottom of the pile in the blame game. That is unless we dish up similarly rank football as we endured last season. No manager is safe from that. But I think he’s risen in people’s estimations quickly enough (even the most critical of his appointment) that a poor start won’t be received anywhere near the same.

Absolutely agree. Ramsey has almost had the perfect start to playing with the very imperfect hand he was dealt.
He has come across as nothing but measured, professional and committed in his first role, when it would be so easy to be anything else.

 

[m]

But every other team isn’t under an embargo and every other team probably have slightly better balanced squads than we do.

Literally speaking being under an embargo make almost no difference once the transfer window is closed.

Also think you overstate the point re balance: I've never known us go into a season with a squad that was widely agreed to be balanced, and I doubt we're special in that sense.

 

[Jster]

Literally speaking being under an embargo make almost no difference once the transfer window is closed.

It does inasmuch as you may have a squad that is much less deep than it might have been were you not under an embargo. That lack of depth lasts until January at least.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Literally speaking being under an embargo make almost no difference once the transfer window is closed.

Also think you overstate the point re balance: I've never known us go into a season with a squad that was widely agreed to be balanced, and I doubt we're special in that sense.

We haven't really got a spare goalie and are being forced to use some players we wanted rid of (Kioso, Sibley), while we don't know how well the younger players will acquit themselves.

 

[Raymond O'Leary]

We haven't really got a spare goalie and are being forced to use some players we wanted rid of (Kioso, Sibley), while we don't know how well the younger players will acquit themselves.

Some of those players might have struggled in the Championship, but League One is a lower standard. I would have expected to loan those players out to L1 sides. A clean sheet with a new management team, one or two of those players might surprise us.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Literally speaking being under an embargo make almost no difference once the transfer window is closed.

Also think you overstate the point re balance: I've never known us go into a season with a squad that was widely agreed to be balanced, and I doubt we're special in that sense.

We don’t have depth.

That will be where we struggle.

Balance maybe was the wrong word to use, depth is probably what I meant.

September to January is a long time, if the side struggles it could be hard to get out of it.

I think ET and senior management are banking on the fact we can go through the season stress free in a comfortable position.

I think what we’ve got will be mostly what we have for the season.

 

[Symp59]

I agree with you (with the squad as it is currently).

Barring injuries to key positions and significant further sales, I think the first eleven could potentially challenge for a play-off place, but the squad as a whole probably brings us down to something around midtable.

The beauty (and frustration!) of football is that it can be so unpredictable, so we could potentially finish much higher or lower than this.

But I think we should be competitive and don’t, hopefully, look to be a basket case for the coming months.

That seemed questionable when the embargo was announced so I’m comfortable with that.

A promotion tilt would be brilliant, but were I a betting man I’d predict us to be around midtable.

I hope we are still a football club with a ground being built and the future looking good. We need a ground if the council weren't dreadful 25 years ago we would have one or a ground owner that is ruthless with no care what ever the people of Oxford but Karma has a way .

 

[OtteryYellow]

We don’t have depth.

That will be where we struggle.

Balance maybe was the wrong word to use, depth is probably what I meant.

September to January is a long time, if the side struggles it could be hard to get out of it.

I think ET and senior management are banking on the fact we can go through the season stress free in a comfortable position.

I think what we’ve got will be mostly what we have for the season.

I can see us starting very strong given the current likely lineup then most likely is we fade as injuries and fatigue kick in but if we're in contention in January then we could easily trouble the playoffs.

This division is significantly poorer than the championship, I just can't see us being anywhere near relegation.

 

[Boris]

I hope we are still a football club with a ground being built and the future looking good. We need a ground if the council weren't dreadful 25 years ago we would have one or a ground owner that is ruthless with no care what ever the people of Oxford but Karma has a way .

Not sure what you're going on about. If it hadn't been for the council 25 years ago (actually more like 30) we wouldn't have a ground, Kassam wouldn't have bought the club and OUFC would have ceased to exist in 1998.

 

[Boris]

This division is significantly poorer than the championship, I just can't see us being anywhere near relegation.

What's that they say about 'famous last words'?

 

[m]

We don’t have depth.

That will be where we struggle.

Balance maybe was the wrong word to use, depth is probably what I meant.

September to January is a long time, if the side struggles it could be hard to get out of it.

I think ET and senior management are banking on the fact we can go through the season stress free in a comfortable position.

I think what we’ve got will be mostly what we have for the season.

Depth is a fairer argument, for sure.

Even so, few groups of supporters will believe that most of their squad has the required depth.

And, ultimately, we'll all start with 23 men.

 

[Finlandia]

Maybe you should reflect on this too!

You can’t yourself can you.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Depth is a fairer argument, for sure.

Even so, few groups of supporters will believe that most of their squad has the required depth.

And, ultimately, we'll all start with 23 men.

Indeed, we just have to hope we don’t get injuries in key positions.

Like I’ve said before, I think we’ll be around 12th and for me that’s an acceptable season this season given everything that’s going on but it will mean next season we have to sell assets and move on players who are our highest earners

 

[holdsteady]

Depth is a fairer argument, for sure.

Even so, few groups of supporters will believe that most of their squad has the required depth.

And, ultimately, we'll all start with 23 men.

Another bloody rule change? What was wrong with 11 a side?