Jamie Mackie

[ubermeistervonmeat]

Mackie quire rightly got a lot of attention from the fans on Saturday - and loved every minute of it - played a proper captains role too

 

[tonyw]

I believe that in recent years Bolton went up with the top scorer getting about 8.
We of course have Henry with 14 goals but agree that having a striker who get 12 to 15 helps. Sinclair's scoring record would easily get him this in a full season.

Only 10 in the League though (which is what all my stats above reference).
Obviously cup goals still count, but they don't help you get into the playoffs (well, only maybe tangentially).

And yes, Bolton went up in 2016-17 with their top scorer only having 9 goals.....but they had four players that scored that number, including David Wheater (their CB). Which is of course the only alternative to having a prolific striker - you have to have a lot of players chipping in 5-10.

In short - yes, you can do well in League One without a top goalscorer. But if that's the route we're going to go behind Mackie then everyone else (barring Henry) has to chip in more than they have done this year...….

 

[Scotchegg]

Traditionally, we have succeeded through lots of players chipping in throughout the season rather than having the 20+ striker. This season, as well as being too weak at the back and therefore conceeding too many, we have also struggled to get goals from all areas. We should be expecting 8-10 goals to come from our centre backs so we're a good 4 or 5 goals short there. Also Mackie, Sam Smith, Obika and recently Sinclair have barely got double figures between them. This should have been doubled. Where we are strong is in the positions off the striker and Henry, Whyte, Browne and Holmes, whilst fit, have a decent return for the season.

With many of the key players remaining we should hopefully be able to find the extra 15-20 goals throughout the side that will put us at the top end, and more so if we can continue to be solid at the back.

 

[tonyw]

Traditionally, we have succeeded through lots of players chipping in throughout the season rather than having the 20+ striker.

Having a bit of a statistics overload on this thread today.....

But here's Oxford's last five promotion seasons (and I haven't bothered to check how many were in the league, but assuming most):

2015-16 Leading scorer - Kemar Roofe (26)
2009-10 Leading scorer - James Constable (23)
1995-95 Leading scorer - Paul Moody (24)
1984-85 Leading scorer - John Aldridge (34)
1983-84 Leading scorer - Steve Biggins (24)

And the only other time we've ever reached the playoffs:

2006-07 Leading scorer - Rob Duffy (21).


Whilst accepting all the arguments that people are making about the game changing, and the importance of getting goals from all over the team - the fact is that it's been more than 50 years since OUFC has gained promotion or a playoff place without a 20 goal scorer!

 

[AbbeyOx]

knowing our luck if we got a striker who could bang in 20 he’d get injured and be out for ages

 

[Scotchegg]

knowing our luck if we got a striker who could bang in 20 he’d get injured and be out for ages

Obika??!!

 

[AbbeyOx]

Obika??!!

you got the injured bit right

 

[ZeroTheHero]

knowing our luck if we got a striker who could bang in 20 he’d get injured and be out for ages

Which is why I suppose managers prefer the 'goals spread around the team' model rather than 'one sh!t hot striker who scores all the goals'. One injury or loss of form and you're in trouble. I think you still need someone up front who is going to get well into double figures though, even if everyone else chips in.

 

[Mellowyellow]

I don't think a 20 goal a season hitman is affordable for a club like us (unless we get in a young lad and they develop into one like we did with Roofe). However a couple of strikers in the squad that can bag 10 - 15 goals is achievable and something we have lacked. It is possibly the difference between mid table and play offs.

I fully agree in terms of costs, but how are there so many teams that seem to have that one striker that can score goals. Not all promotion pushing teams either.

 

[AbbeyOx]

I fully agree in terms of costs, but how are there so many teams that seem to have that one striker that can score goals. Not all promotion pushing teams either.

cos it's league 1. those with good strikers have poor players in other areas. we got good keeper, wingers but no striker. the only teams with all areas covered are the ones pushing for promotion with bigger budgets
(maybe? just my theory on it)

 

[SteMerritt]

Having a bit of a statistics overload on this thread today.....

But here's Oxford's last five promotion seasons (and I haven't bothered to check how many were in the league, but assuming most):

2015-16 Leading scorer - Kemar Roofe (26)
2009-10 Leading scorer - James Constable (23)
1995-95 Leading scorer - Paul Moody (24)
1984-85 Leading scorer - John Aldridge (34)
1983-84 Leading scorer - Steve Biggins (24)

And the only other time we've ever reached the playoffs:

2006-07 Leading scorer - Rob Duffy (21).


Whilst accepting all the arguments that people are making about the game changing, and the importance of getting goals from all over the team - the fact is that it's been more than 50 years since OUFC has gained promotion or a playoff place without a 20 goal scorer!

The 83/4 and 84/5 teams were, of course, freaks. 83/4 would have had vinter and whatmore as well as biggins, who must have got close to 15 goals as well, and 84/5 would have had Hamilton who must have got near 15 as well. How we were set up meant we had 2 prolific strikers in the side at once, no wonder we scored so many goals.

 

[Mellowyellow]

cos it's league 1. those with good strikers have poor players in other areas. we got good keeper, wingers but no striker. the only teams with all areas covered are the ones pushing for promotion with bigger budgets
(maybe? just my theory on it)

A bit silly to make a statement like that.
What about Luton, Barnsley, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Doncaster?

 

[AbbeyOx]

A bit silly to make a statement like that.
What about Luton, Barnsley, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Doncaster?

exactly my point. teams with the best budgets and at the top have good players throughout the team. Rochdale have Henderson who is a good striker, but some of their defenders are bang average. You said some teams manage to get good strikers, like Shrewsbury with Eaves, and they're struggling. doesn't guarantee you promotion having a 20 goal per season striker alone

 

[jayhi1810]

The 83/4 and 84/5 teams were, of course, freaks. 83/4 would have had vinter and whatmore as well as biggins, who must have got close to 15 goals as well, and 84/5 would have had Hamilton who must have got near 15 as well. How we were set up meant we had 2 prolific strikers in the side at once, no wonder we scored so many goals.

Just reading all these names makes me so nostalgic.
83-85 what a time that was. For those who weren’t around its impossible to put into words how great it was.
For at relatively brief period we played some of the best football in the country. How lucky we were..

 

[tonyw]

So I realize I'm harping back on the same points as last week......

.....but was I the only one that felt that we would have won yesterday if we had a genuine goalscorer and finisher up front?

Sinclair was terrific when it came to putting pressure on the oppo, chasing down lost causes and generally being a nuisance up front, and Mackie did his usual when he came on.

But there were several glorious balls played into the box (Garbutt early in the second half being the #1 example) where I feel that if we'd have a front man that instinctively knew how to get into goalscoring positions, then they'd have converted some of our good approach play.

I understand that we're in League One, therefore you can't have everything. But I would love to see up sign a poacher next season to complement and offer an alternative to the good work we're getting from Mackie (and hopefully more from Sinclair).

 

[Victor1986]

Agree tonyw - Danny Hylton is available?

 

[Oufcrealist]

exactly my point. teams with the best budgets and at the top have good players throughout the team. Rochdale have Henderson who is a good striker, but some of their defenders are bang average. You said some teams manage to get good strikers, like Shrewsbury with Eaves, and they're struggling. doesn't guarantee you promotion having a 20 goal per season striker alone

Eaves plays for Gillingham!!

 

[witney50]

So I realize I'm harping back on the same points as last week......

.....but was I the only one that felt that we would have won yesterday if we had a genuine goalscorer and finisher up front?

Sinclair was terrific when it came to putting pressure on the oppo, chasing down lost causes and generally being a nuisance up front, and Mackie did his usual when he came on.

But there were several glorious balls played into the box (Garbutt early in the second half being the #1 example) where I feel that if we'd have a front man that instinctively knew how to get into goalscoring positions, then they'd have converted some of our good approach play.

I understand that we're in League One, therefore you can't have everything. But I would love to see up sign a poacher next season to complement and offer an alternative to the good work we're getting from Mackie (and hopefully more from Sinclair).

Hoping Portsmouth go up...would luv us to get Pittman for a couple of years.