“We need men”

[lerekdilley]

Was the quote given by KR after the Bury debacle. The only signing since that statement was an inexperienced 22 year old striker. This is not a dig at Jerome Sinclair, I’m sure his career will start to take off soon and hopefully it starts here but I disagree with KR’s comments that the squad is in good shape now.
We started the season with 3 strikers, we now have 2. We have no adequate defensive cover for either the Goalkeeper, full back roles and central defensive roles. We are one injury away from a crisis in defence and attack. If Mackie/Sinclair/Nelson/Dickie/Ruffels/Hanson or Eastwood get injured were screwed. Imagine 2 of those in the same position being injured/suspended at the same time. We will be screwed. Where is the experienced “Man” KR said we needed?

He’s also playing 2 CM’s as full backs. Both do ok jobs there but Ruffels has been targeted successfully by a few teams and Hanson is prone to costly errors.

We managed to get Holmes, Raglan, Mitchell, Smith, Norman, McMahon, Tsun Dai and hopefully Pekalski soon, off the wage bill as well as letting Bradbury and Little go out. That’s 10 out and 4 in.

The fact that KR was talking about the biggest wage Oxford United have ever paid out with regards to Vaughan, but ultimately settling on the cheaper option in Sinclair, should have left some room to strengthen in other areas with one player at least. All I’ve heard mentioned in the last few days is about strikers, but our defence definitely needed another body or two also.

At least one full back, a Centre Back and another striker should have been added in this window. Either first choice players or at the very least back ups.

Most of these players will be relied upon to be playing every game from now on and some already look like they need a rest. Most have no competition for their places either. It doesn’t look a healthy situation.

The blame for this situation, and more so if it goes tits up must lay with KR. If he hasn’t got the funds to build a decent squad then he should be calling Tiger out, as he certainly wasn’t shy in doing so with Charlton’s owners. I don’t buy into this FFP b***ocks either. It doesn’t seem to affect most of the other teams.

Sorry for the negativity but it feels like we are a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[greatunclekip]

Quite simply, this January window has been about cost cutting.

Even the OM article is almost pitying in its tone this morning.

 

[Foley]

I agree that you need men in our position.
This comment on full backs being converted midfield players is getting a little tiring. I would say that both now are full backs (Hanson was one for years anyway)
We were excellent for 70 minutes v Barnsley.
Mackie, Mous, Ruffels, Nelson, Eastwood, Henry should have enough experience and leadership to ensure that We have enough 'men's
IF we can go into the remaining games with the intensity we had v Pompey and Barnsley and avoid key injuries we should have enough.

 

[lerekdilley]

I agree that you need men in our position.
This comment on full backs being converted midfield players is getting a little tiring. I would say that both now are full backs (Hanson was one for years anyway)
We were excellent for 70 minutes v Barnsley.
Mackie, Mous, Ruffels, Nelson, Eastwood, Henry should have enough experience and leadership to ensure that We have enough 'men's
IF we can go into the remaining games with the intensity we had v Pompey and Barnsley and avoid key injuries we should have enough.

Do we have enough “Men” in the team? All those players you mention, apart from Mous, started at Bury. KR used that as an excuse but didn’t act on it.

Both Hanson and Ruffels started as midfielders. Ruffels was to be the backup LB for the season, which is fair enough and Hanson was signed as a midfielder. It was only down to poor recruitment from KR that they’ve ended up in those positions ahead of Garbutt, McMahon and Norman. Hanson was also playing poorly in midfield too (the position he was bought to play)
Like I said they do an ok job and JR is one of my favourite players but they have no competition or adequate cover for their places.
We did play well v Pompey/Barnsley but the lack of anything on the bench almost cost us against Pompey and certainly cost us against Barnsley. Barnsley/Pompey have good squads, we have a good 11.

 

[Foley]

I agree that you need men in our position.
This comment on full backs being converted midfield players is getting a little tiring. I would say that both now are full backs (Hanson was one for years anyway)
We were excellent for 70 minutes v Barnsley.
Mackie, Mous, Ruffels, Nelson, Eastwood, Henry should have enough experience and leadership to ensure that We have enough 'men's
IF we can go into the remaining games with the intensity we had v Pompey and Barnsley and avoid key injuries we should have enough.

 

[Foley]

Do we have enough “Men” in the team? All those players you mention, apart from Mous, started at Bury. KR used that as an excuse but didn’t act on it.

Both Hanson and Ruffels started as midfielders. Ruffels was to be the backup LB for the season, which is fair enough and Hanson was signed as a midfielder. It was only down to poor recruitment from KR that they’ve ended up in those positions ahead of Garbutt, McMahon and Norman. Hanson was also playing poorly in midfield too (the position he was bought to play)
Like I said they do an ok job and JR is one of my favourite players but they have no competition or adequate cover for their places.
We did play well v Pompey/Barnsley but the lack of anything on the bench almost cost us against Pompey and certainly cost us against Barnsley. Barnsley/Pompey have good squads, we have a good 11.

As I said if we can avoid injuries.
We have a good 11 and now with Carruthers Browne, Sykes and the new striker we have more depth.
But we need to avoid crucial injuries ( and even PL clubs can say that)

 

[The mighty Aldo]

I wish Jerome well

My concern is the position he plays,what we need is a player like Mackie,Hylton,Marquis,Eaves etc who get in the defenders face and know how to get a free kick.

We saw with Smith that he had talent but had not yet learnt how to play the nasty side of the game.wheras we have seen what a fit Mackie can do

I feel we have the same sort of player as Smith here who will be good when he has different aspects to his game but that is not going to help us in a relegation dog fight.

If you heard KR on radox 5 minute forum you could tell he was disappointed not to get Vaughn who would have been ideal. But where would you go ,to a team chasing promotion or a team staring relegation in the face.

 

[lerekdilley]

The depth your speaking of is Wide/Central Atacking Midfield options. It is the defensive depth I’m mainly worried about.

 

[AbbeyOx]

Aren't there any in the u23's that could cover defence in an emergency?

 

[lerekdilley]

Aren't there any in the u23's that could cover defence in an emergency?

In a relegation battle?! Mous/Long/Garbutt is the only realistic cover but I wouldn’t be comfortable with either there for a run of games.

 

[Sarge]

Aren't there any in the u23's that could cover defence in an emergency?

there are few defensive U23s who could potentially step up, from what I've seen, though U23 games shirt numbers and players listed on teamsheets issued dont always equate to who is actually playing in a particular shirt, so I cant say who they are .... (@Junior_1 may well be able to identify em)