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Post by socrates on Jul 23, 2014 14:11:38 GMT
That is all according to the OxVox meeting notes.
What do we think about that?
As an aside, they have budgeted for crowds of 6000. That's very brave.
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Post by Paul Cannell on Jul 23, 2014 14:17:26 GMT
I think the notes more likely than not reflect accurately what was said. Do you suspect typoes?
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Post by leysboy on Jul 23, 2014 14:19:12 GMT
2-3 players is exactly right. We need a creative midfielder, and possibly a winger. If no winger comes, then it has to be 2 strikers.
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Post by willscarlett on Jul 23, 2014 14:21:39 GMT
If that's the case then we are being led up the garden path, as that is different from what was being said a few weeks ago by the club. With such a thin squad, a couple of injuries and map will already be down to the proverbial bare bones, relying on youth.
In such a physical league, youth, and it doesn't matter how talented they are, will make little impact.
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Post by oxfordboy on Jul 23, 2014 14:22:18 GMT
2-3 players is exactly right. We need a creative midfielder, and possibly a winger. If no winger comes, then it has to be 2 strikers. Surely a winger is an absolute must? We only have 2, and one of those is only a kid with little FL experience.
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Post by ZeroTheHero on Jul 23, 2014 14:23:40 GMT
We need a midfielder, two strikers and a winger. At least.
Even then it's mighty thin.
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Post by leysboy on Jul 23, 2014 14:25:59 GMT
We have Alfie Potter, Calum O'Dowda, and John Meades can play left midfield. There could even be a loan signing in the mould of Ryan Williams yet. Lets see what they come up with, and push the panic button later if needed.
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Post by bazzer9461 on Jul 23, 2014 14:30:04 GMT
We have Alfie Potter, Calum O'Dowda, and John Meades can play left midfield. There could even be a loan signing in the mould of Ryan Williams yet. Lets see what they come up with, and push the panic button later if needed. The hand is starting to lower towards the panic button, Not long before the season starts.
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Post by ianmoore82 on Jul 23, 2014 14:31:50 GMT
And if one of those 2-3 is a keeper . . .
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Post by yellowjam on Jul 23, 2014 14:38:54 GMT
That is all according to the OxVox meeting notes. What do we think about that? As an aside, they have budgeted for crowds of 6000. That's very brave. We're going to struggle this season then, we all know we need 5/6 new player in minimum, it won't be long till the injuries appear during the season forcing kids to play in games where there not ready
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Post by barryspang on Jul 23, 2014 14:40:08 GMT
We had a small squad last year and have since lost Wroe, Davies, Rigg, Williams, Constable, Kitson, Smalley and Connolly.
To only replace them with Collins, Hylton and only a maximum of 3 others seems ridiculous. Our remaining 3 signings will have to have serious quality for us to have a prayer of getting anywhere near the playoffs, and if we have any injuries then we will be really struggling. Im all for giving youth a chance but when your in a situation of needing a good season to win fans back, Im not sure id want to be relying on them.
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Post by Rugbyox on Jul 23, 2014 14:40:51 GMT
2-3 would be great if it was 2 strikers and a winger, but as stated, if one is goalie then i dont think its enough, i would say 4 minimum with one being a keeper.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2014 14:44:24 GMT
I take the comments about quantity with a pinch of salt. I'm sure there is some measure if expectation management in the stated range. It may also indicate that they would gamble on fewer higher paid/quality players than a volume approach.
If that is the end game though then I for one would deem their strategy as risky.
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Post by oufcyellows on Jul 23, 2014 14:45:57 GMT
They did say we would sign 3-4 we have signed 1 so 3 is about right. Kitson has left since. But we don't know that loans won't be in on top of this.
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Post by Millman on Jul 23, 2014 14:48:51 GMT
4-5 sounds about right. 2 good strikers, 1 winger, and possibly a creative mid. Plus a 6 month loan for a keeper. 2-3 sounds not enough. It will depend on the quality also.
I am a bit stumped so far where this top quarter budget is being spent. A lot of big earners have gone and so far no one big has been bought in so where are they spending the cash?
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Post by charliesghost on Jul 23, 2014 14:53:55 GMT
2-3 players is exactly right. We need a creative midfielder, and possibly a winger. If no winger comes, then it has to be 2 strikers. eh? 2-3 players in total? or 2-3 strikers? are you saying that if a winger came in we wouldn't need a striker? On what basis? Sorry, not saying that three new players is wrong (rather depends on who they are!), but I really don't understand your post.
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Post by backtobasics on Jul 23, 2014 14:58:37 GMT
With the retirement of DK and potential loaning out of Tyrone Marsh (reducing our numbers of strikers even further?)I feel the new regime are not talking from the same hymn sheet.
The appointment of further backroom staff before the squad has been assembled seems strange maybe needed but not before you've got enough players surely?
After the Oxvox meeting last night I believe it is very optimistic of the new regime to expect to attract 6,000 gates hitting the ground running without investing in the team.
In order to attract supporters a minimum of 5 players are needed desperately to complement a very thin squad.
So that OUFC are half competitive in League 2 this season please recruit a back up goalie urgently required, 3 strikers and a winger.
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Post by charliesghost on Jul 23, 2014 15:04:12 GMT
4-5 sounds about right. 2 good strikers, 1 winger, and possibly a creative mid. Plus a 6 month loan for a keeper. 2-3 sounds not enough. It will depend on the quality also. I am a bit stumped so far where this top quarter budget is being spent. A lot of big earners have gone and so far no one big has been bought in so where are they spending the cash? Estimating the size of the budget at this stage of the season is notoriously hard - other clubs' budgets are changing every day, so the comparables are difficult! When looking at our bid, we guesstimated that a £1.5 million playing budget would be about 9th highest. If Mapp brings in 3 top quality, goal-scoring players at 100 k a year each then this budget could reach that level, or maybe a bit higher. We could just about be 7th highest, I suppose. But to be top quarter, according to my sums, we'd need to be spending £1.7 million or so. It doesn't look like that kind of budget to me (I'd guess we're currently at £1.25 million), but I may be wrong. I think, as I said elsewhere, that the issue is going to be goals. We've lost 50 goals, and replaced it with a 10 goal man in Hylton. So that's 40 goals that need to be brought in through the remaining 3 players. And that's to finish 8th. Two 15 goal a season strikers, and a 10 goal a season attacking midfielder. That'd get us at least back to where we were, and would probably also push the budget up to £1.5 or £1.6 million, which would be ballpark top 6 (hence justifying the top quarter claim). Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen a senior League playing squad with so few career League goals between them (what is it, 50 in total?) at the start of the season, so clearly quite a lot is going to change. We shall - as they say - see.
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Post by jammydodger on Jul 23, 2014 15:09:56 GMT
Depends what formation we play but I certainly think we're short of at least 3 forward/attacking players and another creative midfielder. I expect those 2-3 players to be better than what we have and what has left.
Mark Ashton said yesterday that we have a top 6 budget in league 2 but did not answer whether the budget has increased or decreased from last season.
The 7(2 devs and 5 senior players) players that have left have been replaced by 4 youth players and 2 senior players so far. Also Wroe, Connolly and Williams loans ended but it is unknown how much of their wages we paid for.
Add to that the likely wage increases for Bevans, Long, Shama, Ruffels, Clarke, Wright, Newey, Raynes after renewing their contracts this year.
Still confused how its gone from signing for 4-5 players before Collins signed and Kitson retired to now only needing 2-3 players. Surely we should still be looking to sign 4-5 players now Kitson has retired?
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Post by socrates on Jul 23, 2014 15:13:51 GMT
4-5 sounds about right. 2 good strikers, 1 winger, and possibly a creative mid. Plus a 6 month loan for a keeper. 2-3 sounds not enough. It will depend on the quality also. I am a bit stumped so far where this top quarter budget is being spent. A lot of big earners have gone and so far no one big has been bought in so where are they spending the cash? One will almost certainly be a goalkeeper, as proved by the chap on trial. So that is 2 outfield players to supplement two already signed when we have lost EIGHT. And two of those the bigger earners in Kitson and Constable. In summary...this claim that we have a top quarter budget is dubious. Top quarter? That's a top six budget. I just don't buy that. And we've been sold spin for some years so we can spot it when it's offered up. I would be very surprised that we have a budget no better than 10th best, and that is being generous. Last season, as charliesghost revelaed in an extensive post about budgets, we were around that area. So there is no way we've leapt up to No 6 by employing FEWER players My suspicion is that as they have got their feet under the table this new lot have realised that the money they had for players has had to be redistributed, possibly because of the shortfall in season ticket sales but also because of the 'recruitment structure'. So instead of the two extra players we need they employ Fazackerley and an analyst and begin to put together a scouting syste, as mentioned in Oxvox notes. This is a long-term plan, which is good. What is not so good is that they have budgeted for 6k crowds for a team which will have to overachieve to get the crowds back. Who'd be a football club owner?
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Post by yellowjam on Jul 23, 2014 15:18:46 GMT
4-5 sounds about right. 2 good strikers, 1 winger, and possibly a creative mid. Plus a 6 month loan for a keeper. 2-3 sounds not enough. It will depend on the quality also. I am a bit stumped so far where this top quarter budget is being spent. A lot of big earners have gone and so far no one big has been bought in so where are they spending the cash? Question is what is our budget this season? We had a budget of £1.3M last season before even kicking a ball -which rised above £1.4M by the end of the season. With us letting go 7 pros in the summer (with Constable, Rigg, Smalley being on a decent wage) you would of thought our current budget was around £1M with the signings of Collins & Hylton We've let Kitson go so that frees up well over another £150k+ In the budget We must have between £300k-£400k available to get players in before we hit the same £1.3/4 figure as last season + where's this £250k extra gone aswell
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Post by foley on Jul 23, 2014 15:18:58 GMT
4-5 sounds about right. 2 good strikers, 1 winger, and possibly a creative mid. Plus a 6 month loan for a keeper. 2-3 sounds not enough. It will depend on the quality also. I am a bit stumped so far where this top quarter budget is being spent. A lot of big earners have gone and so far no one big has been bought in so where are they spending the cash? Agree especially in light of DK and Marsh going. Surely we need 2 strikers and at least one winger and another midfield player as a minimum (plus on loan G/K) We only have Alfie and COD as winders at the club. Sure we look like playing with a 4-2-3-1 formation so out and out wingers are not required as much, but what about Plan B? I am worried that the squad especially upfront is nowhere near up to it. And time is running out before the start of the season.
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Post by gottagetbetta on Jul 23, 2014 15:23:15 GMT
All this talk of the number of new signings, contrasting sharply with the number actually arriving, prompted me to wonder if we should have a date marked in calender as "Press the Panic Button" day if we are still hunting for a striker or three so we can all panic at once using the same thread. My own feeling is that if there is no fanfare and unveiling and parading in the shirt and all that crap by Friday evening then I shall start to get very twitchy and see if I can find my boots to bring to the pre-season Friendlies. That said I wouldn't be amazed if at least one player is signed before the weekend. (Stressing, not ITK in any way, just acting on a long honed instinct on matters Yellow) Fingers crossed and worry beads at the ready.
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Post by ianmoore82 on Jul 23, 2014 15:27:59 GMT
Yeovil got the Championship with a budget of £1.2m - OK they then got relegated - but surely a budget bigger than that should be enough to get us scrapping around the top 10 .
That is, of course, if that budget is the PLAYING budget and does not include ancillary staff.
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Post by captainox on Jul 23, 2014 15:35:00 GMT
I'd imagine it will be 2/3 permanent signings plus a short term keeper and maybe a couple of loans a bit further on.
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Post by archieyellow on Jul 23, 2014 15:35:13 GMT
If we do not get more than 2 players in we are in the shit and I will no longer be buying a ST anymore well until we let other party's take over,
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Post by bigfella72 on Jul 23, 2014 15:37:06 GMT
If we are going to play 4-2-3-1 then how many strikers do we need? 3? Hylton plus 2? Is Roberts one of those? If Marsh doesn't go out on loan I think he will play as one of the three behind the striker so I certainly wouldn't put him in the striker category.
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Post by bazzer9461 on Jul 23, 2014 15:40:09 GMT
If we are going to play 4-2-3-1 then how many strikers do we need? 3? Hylton plus 2? Is Roberts one of those? If Marsh doesn't go out on loan I think he will play as one of the three behind the striker so I certainly wouldn't put him in the striker category. If that happens bigfella then I think we will be doomed.
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Post by leysboy on Jul 23, 2014 15:41:32 GMT
2-3 players is exactly right. We need a creative midfielder, and possibly a winger. If no winger comes, then it has to be 2 strikers. eh? 2-3 players in total? or 2-3 strikers? are you saying that if a winger came in we wouldn't need a striker? On what basis? Sorry, not saying that three new players is wrong (rather depends on who they are!), but I really don't understand your post. I thought it was quite obvious what I was saying, but I will do it again for you Charlie. 2-3 players to sign is ok for now, them players being a creative midfielder that can pick a pass, drive at defences, and score goals, and creates goal scoring opportunities. a winger isn't a must at this stage, so if we don't bring in a winger then 2 strikers is a must along with the above creative midfielder. I don't think the goalkeeping issue is included with the 2-3 coming in, im not sure they were meaning loans as part of them players joining the currant squad. I think we need to try and bring in some quality, but how do you convince them to join a league two team? Is part of there plan to have top coaching, so you can persuade a few players from above down to league two... Convince them of the project and what we are building here at Oxford United.
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Post by bigfella72 on Jul 23, 2014 15:47:15 GMT
If we are going to play 4-2-3-1 then how many strikers do we need? 3? Hylton plus 2? Is Roberts one of those? If Marsh doesn't go out on loan I think he will play as one of the three behind the striker so I certainly wouldn't put him in the striker category. If that happens bigfella then I think we will be doomed. If what happens? We play 4-2-3-1? Or 3 strikers? I did ask how many do we need? I guess if one of the so called 3 attacking mids can play CF that would help? You can't have one striker on the pitch and two plus Roberts really as you wouldn't keep them all happy. IMO.
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