Let's imagine we all had a deck of football stickers with our current squad in front of us. You have to filter the stickers into two piles; 'Keep' and 'Let Go', knowing that the more players in the latter will free up money and wages to sign replacements in August. Let's forget about current contracts for the sake of this.
The reason I'm posting this, is because a couple of years ago - I think I would have retained a majority of the squad. Not so much anymore! I feel that we need a complete refresh - with the lack of work ethic, passion, leadership and attacking threat being my main concerns.
Keep
Eastwood - The best keeper we have had for a long time.
Nelson - Great young defender with plenty of experience behind him.
Hall - Inconsistent, but shines every now and then - and is a more traditional winger. He does take people on.
Ledson - Solid ball winning central midfielder at this level.
Mousinho - Many may not agree, but based on his experience - I think he's definitely worth keeping as a versatile squad player.
Raglan - I see Raglan as a solid 3rd or 4th CB, and he has proved his worth.
Ruffels - Great season last year, and deserves a chance to rediscover that form.
Napa - Has looked decent in his limited time on the pitch. Hopefully one for the future.
Mowatt (Loan) - Absolute gamble. He has shown glimpses of class that you'd expect of a championship player. If he finds some consistency, then I would keep him (if possible!).
Let Go
Thomas - Although he is a good poacher, I still think there are better options out there who are more prolific, with a better all round game.
Obika - I feel he has the potential to shift himself into the 'Keep' pile, but hasn't shown enough thus far this season.
Hemmings - I still feel he could have had a 20+ season in L1 with the right supply, but I think you would have to build a team around him to achieve that.
Henry - He is a good footballer, but can be very frustrating to watch. He has a good game 1 in 3 or 4, and as a winger/wide player - very rarely takes players on.
Williamson - Great start to the season, but tailed off - making some mistakes and probably feeling the effects of ageing.
Martin - He'll end up in L2, or lower when he leaves Oxford.
Tiendalli - Concerns over fitness, positioning, and regularly seems to make mistakes. Not a fans favourite. Replace him with someone in the 'Baldock' mould.
Mehmeti - Maybe harsh to judge so early, but just hasn't looked like the type of player that will concern L1 defenders.
Xemi - The buzz around Xemi died quite quickly after his first few appearances. It's a shame, but I don't think he'll get enough game time to prove doubters (like me) wrong.
Ricardinho - The early signs were very exciting! - He's getting on a bit, and I'd rather we got hold of a young and aspiring wing back.
Rothwell - This guy has the potential to play blinders, but I don't think he's going to have a big enough impact consistently on L1 matches. Having said that, I do think given a run of games, he could push himself to folks' 'Keep' piles.
van Kessel (loan) - The arrogance the guy showed in his first few interviews was incredible - so much so that I (and probably he) thought he was going to score 48 goals this year. This chap won't be signing for £800-900k in the summer...!
Roberts - It's a shame it hasn't worked out, but I think he should head to a conference team and play regular football. If he cracks that, he'll be back in the football league.
Carroll - A tough one, because I like the chap - but MApp thought he'd end up being a defensive midfielder, and I agree that he would be better suited there. He's never going to be a marauding full back, and technique can often let him down. I think he'll end up in L2/Conference (not with us...).
Too early to judge:
Brannagan - Please god, be good.
Pekalski - I honestly don't think even Pep knows how good this guy is.
Dickie - Wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't get much of a shot, but I hope he does!
Buckley-Ricketts (Loan) - TBC
