General Jan transfer window

[unification]

Cadden has, to date, been a huge, significant miss and a reason, IMO, why we've stuttered a little in recent weeks.

Modern day football and certainly the style of play employed here, is that you have strong, stamina-filled, powerful, attacking full backs. Chris Cadden was exceptional, I still standby my comments, that at the time Baldock was here, Cadden is better.

As well as Sam Long has done, he's not that full back described above. He's a superb footballer, never lets anyone down, but his introduction into the side and subsequent adjustment of style of play, has been one of the causes of our form. No offence to Sam but he's different to what this team needs.

Getting a quality right back has to be a big priority if we're to kick on.

Someone mentioned wingers.........we don't play with wingers. We are using pace and 'perceived' wide men, to play in the 3 behind the striker, to help stretch teams and attack them at pace. Hollands and Browne are playing in the three behind, unless we change to a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 then those boys play in different roles now.

Agree with this.

It's hard to dislike Sam Long. He's committed, strong and a right-footed version of Ruffels. However, because he's so like Ruffles we play in a very flat way with him. With Cadden, the opposition were always looking to our right hand for the attacks which left space on the left. It's little wonder Fosu got so many early season goals.

We'll be hard pressed to find an aggressive attacking full back like Cadden in the window. Should we source that attacking option - either left or right back - we could yet resort back to the style of play we had through the autumn.

 

[Scotchegg]

100%. While solid and dependable, its a fact that we've not seen as much statistical success via points, goals scored or chances created since Cadden went.

But that has also coincided with Henry, Brannagan and Taylor misisng big chunks of that time. It's too easy to put that blame at the feet of Sam Long when there are so many other variables.

 

[ttg17]

Cadden has, to date, been a huge, significant miss and a reason, IMO, why we've stuttered a little in recent weeks.

Modern day football and certainly the style of play employed here, is that you have strong, stamina-filled, powerful, attacking full backs. Chris Cadden was exceptional, I still standby my comments, that at the time Baldock was here, Cadden is better.

As well as Sam Long has done, he's not that full back described above. He's a superb footballer, never lets anyone down, but his introduction into the side and subsequent adjustment of style of play, has been one of the causes of our form. No offence to Sam but he's different to what this team needs.

Getting a quality right back has to be a big priority if we're to kick on.

Someone mentioned wingers.........we don't play with wingers. We are using pace and 'perceived' wide men, to play in the 3 behind the striker, to help stretch teams and attack them at pace. Hollands and Browne are playing in the three behind, unless we change to a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 then those boys play in different roles now.

I don’t disagree with the general point, but I think this is a bit disingenuous. I think you could say we’ve been indifferent since the MK game, and Cadden played most of the subsequent matches. Yes we got pummelled by Rotherham for 45 mins but from memory none of the goals came from Long’s side, and We still created enough in the second half to nip a result. Ipswich, Gillingham, Newcastle not bad results, all could and probably should have been wins, we created the chances, and conceding only one goal (a penalty) in those games shows good solidity at the back imo.

our indifferent run has been going on longer than Cadden leaving, and I think of much more importance has been the loss of CB, Henry and (often) Taylor simultaneously.

 

[LeftSideBoy]

But that has also coincided with Henry, Brannagan and Taylor misisng big chunks of that time. It's too easy to put that blame at the feet of Sam Long when there are so many other variables.

If any blame falls at the feet of Sam Long then I would hope the rest of it comes in and two foots Jamie Mackie. Agyei should have had more minutes, during our period of injuries and our obsession with playing Mackie has made us look bland up top and caused us far more problems then Sam Long, ever could. You only have to look at his performance against Newcastle to see how disruptive he is to our rhythm. Constant fouling on the last man, can't turn a player and doesn't do anywhere near enough to create chances.

At this point, he's a busy idiot. Sorry, just my opinion.

I've scored more for Oxford than Mackie.

 

[OUFC Jo]

I don't think anyone can fault Sam Long in terms of his work rate and defensive abilities (Karl has said he's the best one on one defender at the club). But Cadden was crucial to one of our most successful patterns of play for months, so a more attacking option at RB would surely be preferable. It has of course been said that Forde could fulfill that role when fit though so who knows.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

If any blame falls at the feet of Sam Long ...

I'd also point out that at times during his recent occupation of the left back slot, Long had Hall playing in front of him. Which meant that there was nobody dropping back to cover him when he did go forward.

 

[greatunclekip]

The issue isnt Sam Long. He is a more than capable full back, though it would be good to have a more attacking option as well.Its up front where we are so so dependent on a fit Taylor (who could also be recalled by Friday). Thats what will cost us promotion imo.

 

[Jonny G]

I like calling out horseshit.

In that case you should re-quote every f-ing post you ever make.

 

[MJB]

In that case you should re-quote every f-ing post you ever make.

 

[battman]

I don't think the debate here is about Sam Long. He can't do it alone for the remainder of the season (especially considering we have 9 games in Feb).

If you look at our squad as a whole, we have quite a few midfielders and a good number of attackers. But look at the defence. One natural right back, one natural left back and three centre halves. Five in the squad covering four positions. If two of them get injured, then you're looking at putting square pegs in round holes. To know that you might to lose Cadden for months now (and to know by mid-Dec that you'll definitely lose him) and to have no one in the door is pretty bad.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

But that has also coincided with Henry, Brannagan and Taylor misisng big chunks of that time. It's too easy to put that blame at the feet of Sam Long when there are so many other variables.

Thats true, people try and look for simple answers when it’s not always like that. If we had Brannigan in and playing well, or if Fosu was on form, or if Taylor had been fit and playing, the last few games would have been very different.

Having said that, it was clear how much we relied on Cadden getting forwards down the right - or if not relied, then certainly utilised. Even though Long has been solid, decent even, since he came in, it’s natural that the team’s balance would change slightly going from such an attacking RB to a much more defensive one. That’s not a criticism as such, just a fact.

 

[Teddydee1980]

@Shosho - Do you have any stats on our chance creation before and after Cadden? Appreciate the before and after samples will be different, but I'd be of the view that our creation of chances hasn't changed drastically. We do appear to have stalled on the "putting it in the back of the net" bit though. Something Henry can help fix.

 

[Oufcrealist]

I don't think the debate here is about Sam Long. He can't do it alone for the remainder of the season (especially considering we have 9 games in Feb).

If you look at our squad as a whole, we have quite a few midfielders and a good number of attackers. But look at the defence. One natural right back, one natural left back and three centre halves. Five in the squad covering four positions. If two of them get injured, then you're looking at putting square pegs in round holes. To know that you might to lose Cadden for months now (and to know by mid-Dec that you'll definitely lose him) and to have no one in the door is pretty bad.

Agree with this, although I do think another striker would be handy. Mackie has never been a regular goal threat and is getting less effective by the week, even a liability. Send Agyei out if KR doesn't rate him ATM.
I would say we need another RB. Not just to cover or give competition for Sam but I know for a fact that KR see's Sam as cover for Ruffs. If Sam or Ruffs get injured for a while after this weekend we could be in trouble! Playing Hanson or Forde there for more than a game or two is very risky. No thanks on Hanson for a start and Forde would be a square peg in a round hole. It might be ok for a mickey mouse cup game but not for a promotion push for up to three months!!
We have a plethora of midfielders where KR seems to have an obsession. I sometimes think defence and strikers are overlooked.

 

[Sarge]

Agree with this, although I do think another striker would be handy. Mackie has never been a regular goal threat and is getting less effective by the week, even a liability. Send Agyei out if KR doesn't rate him ATM.
I would say we need another RB. Not just to cover or give competition for Sam but I know for a fact that KR see's Sam as cover for Ruffs. If Sam or Ruffs get injured for a while after this weekend we could be in trouble! Playing Hanson or Forde there for more than a game or two is very risky. No thanks on Hanson for a start and Forde would be a square peg in a round hole. It might be ok for a mickey mouse cup game but not for a promotion push for up to three months!!
We have a plethora of midfielders where KR seems to have an obsession. I sometimes think defence and strikers are overlooked.

...or recall Berkoe from loan at Ox City as cover?

 

[bazzer9461]

...or recall Berkoe from loan at Ox City as cover?

I think tbh @Sarge a striker has to be a priority if we’re going to struggle with Taylor being injured as we don’t seem to have that out and out striker

 

[Sarge]

I think tbh @Sarge a striker has to be a priority if we’re going to struggle with Taylor being injured as we don’t seem to have that out and out striker

.... recall Lofthouse from his loan to Ox city, not an out n out striker per se, but was prolific for U18s last season, so knows where the goal is

 

[Finlandia]

So Oxford City straight into the first team in League 1? Yeah thats going to work

 

[Sarge]

So Oxford City straight into the first team in League 1? Yeah thats going to work

....hence the after the (obviously !) non serious comment(s) @Finlandia

 

[bazzer9461]

So Oxford City straight into the first team in League 1? Yeah thats going to work

People harped on about Henry Landers he transferred to Maidenhead didn’t like it went back to North Leigh, scores 5 on Saturday. But he would take a long time to be or even get to 1st team standard whereas Lofthouse could slit in but wouldn’t be able to be prolific so we need to look else where but there is an option with Lofthouse

 

[TailsWeWin]

I think KR really does have his eye on Forde as a right back (the old wing back, if you like). Let’s be fair; all the praise Cadden is getting is for his attacking play. Do we know Forde can’t defend as well as Cadden did? He can certainly push up.