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Post by oufcyellows on Nov 24, 2017 19:29:33 GMT
Personally I would be very happy with 2-3 very good L1 or L2 players. Y'know- players who aren't a wild punt, and who we are pretty sure will perform in L1. And get rid of GVK, Tiandelli and basically anyone else signed by Pep. Apart from Ricardinho. Harsh on the captain. And Payne
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Post by Marked Ox on Nov 24, 2017 19:48:06 GMT
Personally I would be very happy with 2-3 very good L1 or L2 players. Y'know- players who aren't a wild punt, and who we are pretty sure will perform in L1. And get rid of GVK, Tiandelli and basically anyone else signed by Pep. Apart from Ricardinho. Harsh on the captain. And Payne Likewise for Pekalski and Mehmeti who haven't played or played less than a half in total.
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Post by foley on Nov 24, 2017 20:49:24 GMT
And if they could replace that deadwood with another job lot of hapless has-beens and never will-bes with fancy-sounding foreign names then you'll be dead chuffed, Mikey, won't you? As long as their names sound like something out of a world cup 86 panini album that's enough to glamourise some if our less-travelled brethren..... With MAPP I was generally happy to trust his acquisitions - but a good number of Peps appear to have added very little to the cause, so as Charlie says, more of the same type will not fill me full of hope or expectation. Would be much happier giving Carroll &/or Long the right back slot, introducing Napa on the wing and perhaps Baptiste in the middle now and then, and letting Roberts and Ashby ease their way back in from the bench, than bring in more squad fillers that will in all likelihood just come and go from the club with barely a whimper.
Mmm. Roberts and Ashby in my view would have gone under MAPP. I reckon he had written them off. Pep gave them a chance, and I reckon they will be off (and unfortunately that will be the right decision) I am not at all against foreign players/ foreign names. Napa I reckon will be used by Pep. Personally I would use Carroll a lot more (although he was very poor against Rotherham not sure what you think?) Long? Talking of injury plagued foreign players, I really hope Long comes back (I was really impressed with him at Sheffield W before he got injured), but reckon that he will never be injury free. I say again I would LOVE to see him succeed but after all of the injuries that he has suffered, I am not chance whether there are good odds on him ever getting fit enough to prove himself.
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Post by foley on Nov 24, 2017 20:54:06 GMT
Personally I would be very happy with 2-3 very good L1 or L2 players. Y'know- players who aren't a wild punt, and who we are pretty sure will perform in L1. And get rid of GVK, Tiandelli and basically anyone else signed by Pep. Apart from Ricardinho. Extraordinary comment. Talk about giving players a chance. Let's not even give Pekalski a chance. Mousinho- shite of course. Goodness I maybe should give up.
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Post by foley on Nov 24, 2017 20:57:52 GMT
Personally I would be very happy with 2-3 very good L1 or L2 players. Y'know- players who aren't a wild punt, and who we are pretty sure will perform in L1. And get rid of GVK, Tiandelli and basically anyone else signed by Pep. Apart from Ricardinho. Extraordinary comment. Talk about giving players a chance. Let's not even give Pekalski a chance. Mousinho- shite of course. Goodness I maybe should give up. Oh and Payne has been a disastrous signing as well. Let's just get rid.
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Post by oufcyellows on Nov 24, 2017 21:01:23 GMT
Extraordinary comment. Talk about giving players a chance. Let's not even give Pekalski a chance. Mousinho- shite of course. Goodness I maybe should give up. Oh and Payne has been a disastrous signing as well. Let's just get rid. Sign more experienced l1/ championship experience players , like say mowatt or Henry
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Post by Junior on Nov 24, 2017 21:21:05 GMT
Think the signings in Jan may well be aiming for a very short term fix in an attempt to go up via the playoffs this season.
Not the way it's been, but if that's what the new owners supposedly want, what can we do?
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Post by 1OUFC on Nov 24, 2017 22:07:33 GMT
Oxbible posts more info that was first posted by Junior on this forum. Junior seems to know his stuff but oxbible seems reluctant to admit who is indirect source is on his posts. If Augustien comes in, then a midfielder must be going surely. Narsingh would be the Hall replacement and centreback being Nelsons. Would still like us to get a striker in and perhaps shift all the deadwood that won't get a look in either permanently or on loan - Roberts, Long, Ashby etc. Crikey that will upset chas getting rid of all our young talent.. Deadwood that needs to be driftwood.
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Post by bigronaldo on Nov 24, 2017 22:26:00 GMT
Let’s hope, let’s just hope that we spend out on some quality players in to See us push on up into challenging for this league. Just sitting back and hoping that we have enough to see us safely to mid-table mediocrity is safe, but, as a fan, let’s dream of promotion, and glory.
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Post by makv on Nov 25, 2017 1:46:08 GMT
Crikey that will upset chas getting rid of all our young talent.. And if they could replace that deadwood with another job lot of hapless has-beens and never will-bes with fancy-sounding foreign names then you'll be dead chuffed, Mikey, won't you? As long as their names sound like something out of a world cup 86 panini album that's enough to glamourise some if our less-travelled brethren..... I think it’s funny that you all use pseudonyms on here when you’re busy slagging each other off, and yet call each by your (presumably) real names. Are you sat in the pub with a pint having a laugh at us all?
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Post by foweyox on Nov 25, 2017 10:14:44 GMT
The Jack Payne clones are almost ready to leave the korean lab and should be match fit by January. Eastwood and Ricardinho DNA sent this week
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Post by malcolmsmoustache on Nov 25, 2017 12:18:49 GMT
Ok. Tbf i should have qualified that. My objections to pep's signings have been the wild 'punts' from spain, sweden etc. Only ricardinho has been a success. The rest? Either not up to it or unproven. Tiandelli a case in point. Apart from one ok game vs argyles ten men, he has not been good enough. So who would you rather have? Him or phil edwards, who is a bog standard perfectly decent l1 player. If we got in 2-3 like him (or mousinho or henry) we will be top ten. If we get in 2-3 more of pep's punts, we could be in trouble. Pep's recruitment has been too risky and has largely failed. Payne is terrific, but i really doubt he was a pep signing. Ie i know pep was manager but did he identify and push for payne? Doubt it.
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Post by arthurturner on Nov 25, 2017 12:46:50 GMT
Ok. Tbf i should have qualified that. My objections to pep's signings have been the wild 'punts' from spain, sweden etc. Only ricardinho has been a success. The rest? Either not up to it or unproven. Tiandelli a case in point. Apart from one ok game vs argyles ten men, he has not been good enough. So who would you rather have? Him or phil edwards, who is a bog standard perfectly decent l1 player. If we got in 2-3 like him (or mousinho or henry) we will be top ten. If we get in 2-3 more of pep's punts, we could be in trouble. Pep's recruitment has been too risky and has largely failed. Payne is terrific, but i really doubt he was a pep signing. Ie i know pep was manager but did he identify and push for payne? Doubt it. We are top ten.
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Post by ryaniobirdio on Nov 25, 2017 13:03:29 GMT
It's a little frustrating looking at the likes of Barnsley at present. We've gone for the same players in the past - they got Mawson, we got Nelson - and obviously we had Lindsay in the building until Appleton left and spooked him into going up there. That's a club who two years ago were close to where we are now, a fairly average L1 side. They began investing in young, hungry players full of potential from all divisions - some were dropping down to play and some were stepping up having already torn up trees in L2, such as Mawson (who ticked both boxes having been loaned down there from higher up) and Yiadom from Barnet. They are now a very comfortable Championship club with a squad of young, exciting prospects. The oldest player in their squad today v Leeds is Hammill, who is 29, and the young lad Barnes they have on loan looks electric. That's the sort of player we were also picking up on loan, from Roofe to Graham to Baldock. I look at Barnsley and I go "That is exactly where we were headed. The model was identical right down to the fact that we were often competing for exactly the same players."
Now I look at this array of crocks and imports - sometimes both - who are joining on frees having been out of the game, or who have been playing in some dog and duck league a thousand miles away that isn't even L2 standard let alone L1, and it makes me really sad. We've slowly sold off the talent to the point where we hardly have any sssets left - a crocked Nelson, an out of form Ledson, an injured and out of contract Hall and a soon-to-be-free Rothwell who we have never appreciated or played in his correct position - and that is that. I think all four of those players will be gone next summer, a couple of them on a free at that, and then where do we go? The 30+ punts are all finished - Williamson's legs have gone, Tiendalli is about as fit as a Sunday League player, Ricardinho while occasionally brilliant is also 33 and might well begin to fade badly over the winter... it doesn't bode well. GvK will disappear along with Mowatt, Payne will go back to Huddersfield, god knows what Mehmeti's story is, and who even knows if Pekalski will ever play or if Xemi will ever cut it. Roberts, Long, Ashby et al will finally be moved out because they aren't good enough, and after stealing a living as a footballer until about two months ago, Wes Thomas is finally playing well and scoring, but guess what? He's over 30 AND out of contract in the summer! Hooray!
Basically, if we don't go down this season, I would put money on us going down next season unless the recruitment changes. The warning signs are there on the pitch and the stability and progress has gone missing off it. But I guess that in order for the recruitment to change drastically we'd probably need a head scout, who also buggered off and wasn't replaced properly like much of our squad has done in the last six months.
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Post by Junior on Nov 25, 2017 16:20:58 GMT
Bet you're ^^ fun on a night out..
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Post by foley on Nov 25, 2017 21:41:48 GMT
Ok. Tbf i should have qualified that. My objections to pep's signings have been the wild 'punts' from spain, sweden etc. Only ricardinho has been a success. The rest? Either not up to it or unproven. Tiandelli a case in point. Apart from one ok game vs argyles ten men, he has not been good enough. So who would you rather have? Him or phil edwards, who is a bog standard perfectly decent l1 player. If we got in 2-3 like him (or mousinho or henry) we will be top ten. If we get in 2-3 more of pep's punts, we could be in trouble. Pep's recruitment has been too risky and has largely failed. Payne is terrific, but i really doubt he was a pep signing. I e i know pep was manager but did he identify and push for payne? Doubt it.I have no idea. But Pep signed him. I reckon that Payne is a classic Pep player, so whether he pushed for him or not, I reckon that pep had the final decision and rated payne a lot.
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Post by foley on Nov 25, 2017 21:47:52 GMT
Now I look at this array of crocks and imports - sometimes both - who are joining on frees having been out of the game, or who have been playing in some dog and duck league a thousand miles away that isn't even L2 standard let alone L1, and it makes me really sad. We've slowly sold off the talent to the point where we hardly have any sssets left - a crocked Nelson, an out of form Ledson, an injured and out of contract Hall and a soon-to-be-free Rothwell who we have never appreciated or played in his correct position - and that is that. I think all four of those players will be gone next summer, a couple of them on a free at that, and then where do we go? The 30+ punts are all finished - Williamson's legs have gone, Tiendalli is about as fit as a Sunday League player, Ricardinho while occasionally brilliant is also 33 and might well begin to fade badly over the winter... it doesn't bode well. GvK will disappear along with Mowatt, Payne will go back to Huddersfield, god knows what Mehmeti's story is, and who even knows if Pekalski will ever play or if Xemi will ever cut it. Roberts, Long, Ashby et al will finally be moved out because they aren't good enough, and after stealing a living as a footballer until about two months ago, Wes Thomas is finally playing well and scoring, but guess what? He's over 30 AND out of contract in the summer! Hooray! Basically, if we don't go down this season, I would put money on us going down next season unless the recruitment changes. The warning signs are there on the pitch and the stability and progress has gone missing off it. But I guess that in order for the recruitment to change drastically we'd probably need a head scout, who also buggered off and wasn't replaced properly like much of our squad has done in the last six months. Wow seriously? I would like to put a large wager that we won't (PM me if you want a bet) Do you remember MAPP's first season? Many many wanted him out. Pep 'lost' Lundstrom, Johnson, McAlenay and Maguire. Some excellent talents at this level. We are currently a half way team. We have played some excellent football (I assume that you wouldn't disagree with that?) and at times the defence has been very poor. Comments about us going down this season in my view are ridiculous.
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Post by holdsteady on Nov 25, 2017 22:11:14 GMT
Now I look at this array of crocks and imports - sometimes both - who are joining on frees having been out of the game, or who have been playing in some dog and duck league a thousand miles away that isn't even L2 standard let alone L1, and it makes me really sad. We've slowly sold off the talent to the point where we hardly have any sssets left - a crocked Nelson, an out of form Ledson, an injured and out of contract Hall and a soon-to-be-free Rothwell who we have never appreciated or played in his correct position - and that is that. I think all four of those players will be gone next summer, a couple of them on a free at that, and then where do we go? The 30+ punts are all finished - Williamson's legs have gone, Tiendalli is about as fit as a Sunday League player, Ricardinho while occasionally brilliant is also 33 and might well begin to fade badly over the winter... it doesn't bode well. GvK will disappear along with Mowatt, Payne will go back to Huddersfield, god knows what Mehmeti's story is, and who even knows if Pekalski will ever play or if Xemi will ever cut it. Roberts, Long, Ashby et al will finally be moved out because they aren't good enough, and after stealing a living as a footballer until about two months ago, Wes Thomas is finally playing well and scoring, but guess what? He's over 30 AND out of contract in the summer! Hooray! Basically, if we don't go down this season, I would put money on us going down next season unless the recruitment changes. The warning signs are there on the pitch and the stability and progress has gone missing off it. But I guess that in order for the recruitment to change drastically we'd probably need a head scout, who also buggered off and wasn't replaced properly like much of our squad has done in the last six months. Wow seriously? I would like to put a large wager that we won't (PM me if you want a bet) Do you remember MAPP's first season? Many many wanted him out. Pep 'lost' Lundstrom, Johnson, McAlenay and Maguire. Some excellent talents at this level. We are currently a half way team. We have played some excellent football (I assume that you wouldn't disagree with that?) and at times the defence has been very poor. Comments about us going down this season in my view are ridiculous. He said next season though, not this. I would say next season is a complete guess as who has a clue what the plan is for that? Will we be owned by Eales, the Thais or even someone else? Will Clotet be here or new owners want there own man? What will be our philosophy be when it comes to signing on players? How many of this seasons players will still be here? To many variables to even have a punt at the moment, the one worry is successful sides get organised early.
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Post by ryaniobirdio on Nov 25, 2017 22:15:25 GMT
Now I look at this array of crocks and imports - sometimes both - who are joining on frees having been out of the game, or who have been playing in some dog and duck league a thousand miles away that isn't even L2 standard let alone L1, and it makes me really sad. We've slowly sold off the talent to the point where we hardly have any sssets left - a crocked Nelson, an out of form Ledson, an injured and out of contract Hall and a soon-to-be-free Rothwell who we have never appreciated or played in his correct position - and that is that. I think all four of those players will be gone next summer, a couple of them on a free at that, and then where do we go? The 30+ punts are all finished - Williamson's legs have gone, Tiendalli is about as fit as a Sunday League player, Ricardinho while occasionally brilliant is also 33 and might well begin to fade badly over the winter... it doesn't bode well. GvK will disappear along with Mowatt, Payne will go back to Huddersfield, god knows what Mehmeti's story is, and who even knows if Pekalski will ever play or if Xemi will ever cut it. Roberts, Long, Ashby et al will finally be moved out because they aren't good enough, and after stealing a living as a footballer until about two months ago, Wes Thomas is finally playing well and scoring, but guess what? He's over 30 AND out of contract in the summer! Hooray! Basically, if we don't go down this season, I would put money on us going down next season unless the recruitment changes. The warning signs are there on the pitch and the stability and progress has gone missing off it. But I guess that in order for the recruitment to change drastically we'd probably need a head scout, who also buggered off and wasn't replaced properly like much of our squad has done in the last six months. Wow seriously? I would like to put a large wager that we won't (PM me if you want a bet) Do you remember MAPP's first season? Many many wanted him out. Pep 'lost' Lundstrom, Johnson, McAlenay and Maguire. Some excellent talents at this level. We are currently a half way team. We have played some excellent football (I assume that you wouldn't disagree with that?) and at times the defence has been very poor. Comments about us going down this season in my view are ridiculous. I said if we're in L1 after this season, and we don't change the transfer policy, I think we'll go down in 2018/19. And that won't become apparent until next August. So if we are in L1 next season, and we are still signing foreign nobodies and 30+ crocks who can't get a game anywhere else, you bet I'll be back for that wager.
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Post by londonroader on Nov 25, 2017 22:23:05 GMT
It's a little frustrating looking at the likes of Barnsley at present. We've gone for the same players in the past - they got Mawson, we got Nelson - and obviously we had Lindsay in the building until Appleton left and spooked him into going up there. That's a club who two years ago were close to where we are now, a fairly average L1 side. They began investing in young, hungry players full of potential from all divisions - some were dropping down to play and some were stepping up having already torn up trees in L2, such as Mawson (who ticked both boxes having been loaned down there from higher up) and Yiadom from Barnet. They are now a very comfortable Championship club with a squad of young, exciting prospects. The oldest player in their squad today v Leeds is Hammill, who is 29, and the young lad Barnes they have on loan looks electric. That's the sort of player we were also picking up on loan, from Roofe to Graham to Baldock. I look at Barnsley and I go "That is exactly where we were headed. The model was identical right down to the fact that we were often competing for exactly the same players." Now I look at this array of crocks and imports - sometimes both - who are joining on frees having been out of the game, or who have been playing in some dog and duck league a thousand miles away that isn't even L2 standard let alone L1, and it makes me really sad. We've slowly sold off the talent to the point where we hardly have any sssets left - a crocked Nelson, an out of form Ledson, an injured and out of contract Hall and a soon-to-be-free Rothwell who we have never appreciated or played in his correct position - and that is that. I think all four of those players will be gone next summer, a couple of them on a free at that, and then where do we go? The 30+ punts are all finished - Williamson's legs have gone, Tiendalli is about as fit as a Sunday League player, Ricardinho while occasionally brilliant is also 33 and might well begin to fade badly over the winter... it doesn't bode well. GvK will disappear along with Mowatt, Payne will go back to Huddersfield, god knows what Mehmeti's story is, and who even knows if Pekalski will ever play or if Xemi will ever cut it. Roberts, Long, Ashby et al will finally be moved out because they aren't good enough, and after stealing a living as a footballer until about two months ago, Wes Thomas is finally playing well and scoring, but guess what? He's over 30 AND out of contract in the summer! Hooray! Basically, if we don't go down this season, I would put money on us going down next season unless the recruitment changes. The warning signs are there on the pitch and the stability and progress has gone missing off it. But I guess that in order for the recruitment to change drastically we'd probably need a head scout, who also buggered off and wasn't replaced properly like much of our squad has done in the last six months. Barnsley would of and still have a bigger budget than us to attract players, you know our wage structure and that was a big reason we lost so many players in the summer. When Mapp left and Pep come in, Dean Jones did bring some players that they and Mapp have decided suited us, BUT any manager will still want to stamp his mark on the club especially an up and coming manager like Pep, with the short time and money available he got bodies in the building to try and build the squad back up, some have worked some hopefully will work most are on year contracts so can be easily released if needed. If we are going to get to the championship from our current position both the management and owner will have to up their games, we will need more finance to move this squad forward and get competitive with the top teams, can this manager fulfill that ambition who knows at the moment but I think we need to start gaining momentum on and off the pitch to move our club forward.
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Post by eraser on Nov 25, 2017 22:45:18 GMT
I'm not going to click on "quote" as this thread will out strip War and Peace for pages. From a pure business perspective Wenger is the best Prem manager which is why he's hanging in there.. I would be happy for OUFC to follow that methodology. Don't overspend, play reasonable football, hang around the top half of the league. The only thing I'd change is once we own a stadium, like Arsenal do, THEN invest in playing staff and get attendances up - more footfall = more revenue. We're all Oxford United supporters but I'd never expect any owner to empty their pockets for the fans gratification. Equally I don't expect an investor to asset strip and send us down to meet Orient again! Balance is the key
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Post by holdsteady on Nov 25, 2017 22:52:41 GMT
I'm not going to click on "quote" as this thread will out strip War and Peace for pages. From a pure business perspective Wenger is the best Prem manager which is why he's hanging in there.. I would be happy for OUFC to follow that methodology. Don't overspend, play reasonable football, hang around the top half of the league. The only thing I'd change is once we own a stadium, like Arsenal do, THEN invest in playing staff and get attendances up - more footfall = more revenue. We're all Oxford United supporters but I'd never expect any owner to empty their pockets for the fans gratification. Equally I don't expect an investor to asset strip and send us down to meet Orient again! Balance is the key Sean Dyche is the best premier league manager from a business perspective, probably in the world, at the moment.
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Post by Junior on Nov 25, 2017 23:04:56 GMT
The chap who left for Leeds, was he the one person directly responsible for recommending players to Appleton?
Heard that Pep forged a link with a old associate from his Swansea days who is helping oversee / recommend players to him and to the football club.
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Post by londonroader on Nov 26, 2017 6:12:49 GMT
I'm not going to click on "quote" as this thread will out strip War and Peace for pages. From a pure business perspective Wenger is the best Prem manager which is why he's hanging in there.. I would be happy for OUFC to follow that methodology. Don't overspend, play reasonable football, hang around the top half of the league. The only thing I'd change is once we own a stadium, like Arsenal do, THEN invest in playing staff and get attendances up - more footfall = more revenue. We're all Oxford United supporters but I'd never expect any owner to empty their pockets for the fans gratification. Equally I don't expect an investor to asset strip and send us down to meet Orient again! Balance is the key Is stadium ownership such a necessity the higher up you go, the game is awash with money and it seems to me league position and the revenue that brings in is key.
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Post by yellows1 on Nov 26, 2017 22:19:30 GMT
It's a little frustrating looking at the likes of Barnsley at present. We've gone for the same players in the past - they got Mawson, we got Nelson - and obviously we had Lindsay in the building until Appleton left and spooked him into going up there. That's a club who two years ago were close to where we are now, a fairly average L1 side. They began investing in young, hungry players full of potential from all divisions - some were dropping down to play and some were stepping up having already torn up trees in L2, such as Mawson (who ticked both boxes having been loaned down there from higher up) and Yiadom from Barnet. They are now a very comfortable Championship club with a squad of young, exciting prospects. The oldest player in their squad today v Leeds is Hammill, who is 29, and the young lad Barnes they have on loan looks electric. That's the sort of player we were also picking up on loan, from Roofe to Graham to Baldock. I look at Barnsley and I go "That is exactly where we were headed. The model was identical right down to the fact that we were often competing for exactly the same players." Now I look at this array of crocks and imports - sometimes both - who are joining on frees having been out of the game, or who have been playing in some dog and duck league a thousand miles away that isn't even L2 standard let alone L1, and it makes me really sad. We've slowly sold off the talent to the point where we hardly have any sssets left - a crocked Nelson, an out of form Ledson, an injured and out of contract Hall and a soon-to-be-free Rothwell who we have never appreciated or played in his correct position - and that is that. I think all four of those players will be gone next summer, a couple of them on a free at that, and then where do we go? The 30+ punts are all finished - Williamson's legs have gone, Tiendalli is about as fit as a Sunday League player, Ricardinho while occasionally brilliant is also 33 and might well begin to fade badly over the winter... it doesn't bode well. GvK will disappear along with Mowatt, Payne will go back to Huddersfield, god knows what Mehmeti's story is, and who even knows if Pekalski will ever play or if Xemi will ever cut it. Roberts, Long, Ashby et al will finally be moved out because they aren't good enough, and after stealing a living as a footballer until about two months ago, Wes Thomas is finally playing well and scoring, but guess what? He's over 30 AND out of contract in the summer! Hooray! Basically, if we don't go down this season, I would put money on us going down next season unless the recruitment changes. The warning signs are there on the pitch and the stability and progress has gone missing off it. But I guess that in order for the recruitment to change drastically we'd probably need a head scout, who also buggered off and wasn't replaced properly like much of our squad has done in the last six months. That is absolutely bang on the money, we were moving forward fast, not so sure anymore, watch this space I guess.
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Post by RCYellowRC on Nov 28, 2017 13:06:18 GMT
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Post by lukehudson on Nov 28, 2017 14:09:36 GMT
Linked in the summer too.
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Post by ryaniobirdio on Nov 28, 2017 20:50:32 GMT
Bet you're ^^ fun on a night out.. I'm a realist, Junior. Sod all to do with personality traits. I am, in fact, fairly good value after a couple. You can have a good crack AND speak seriously from time to time. Ever seen a dam break? It starts with one little crack which turns into one tiny hole. There are currently multiple cracks turning into multiple holes. Now let's see if anybody wants to fix those while they still have the time. Unless, of course, they're more of a laugh if they let it carry on until the whole thing goes. Cos it's all about the banter and the alcopops.
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Post by foley on Nov 28, 2017 22:06:19 GMT
Bet you're ^^ fun on a night out.. I'm a realist, Junior. Sod all to do with personality traits. I am, in fact, fairly good value after a couple. You can have a good crack AND speak seriously from time to time. Ever seen a dam break? It starts with one little crack which turns into one tiny hole. There are currently multiple cracks turning into multiple holes. Now let's see if anybody wants to fix those while they still have the time. Unless, of course, they're more of a laugh if they let it carry on until the whole thing goes. Cos it's all about the banter and the alcopops. Huge over exaggeration? Realist or pessimist? OK what are these 'multiple cracks'? Incidentally 4 points from the past 3 games including a battling performance at Southend is hardly panic stations?
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Post by oxfordreject on Nov 29, 2017 3:33:36 GMT
It's a little frustrating looking at the likes of Barnsley at present. We've gone for the same players in the past - they got Mawson, we got Nelson - and obviously we had Lindsay in the building until Appleton left and spooked him into going up there. That's a club who two years ago were close to where we are now, a fairly average L1 side. They began investing in young, hungry players full of potential from all divisions - some were dropping down to play and some were stepping up having already torn up trees in L2, such as Mawson (who ticked both boxes having been loaned down there from higher up) and Yiadom from Barnet. They are now a very comfortable Championship club with a squad of young, exciting prospects. The oldest player in their squad today v Leeds is Hammill, who is 29, and the young lad Barnes they have on loan looks electric. That's the sort of player we were also picking up on loan, from Roofe to Graham to Baldock. I look at Barnsley and I go "That is exactly where we were headed. The model was identical right down to the fact that we were often competing for exactly the same players." Now I look at this array of crocks and imports - sometimes both - who are joining on frees having been out of the game, or who have been playing in some dog and duck league a thousand miles away that isn't even L2 standard let alone L1, and it makes me really sad. We've slowly sold off the talent to the point where we hardly have any sssets left - a crocked Nelson, an out of form Ledson, an injured and out of contract Hall and a soon-to-be-free Rothwell who we have never appreciated or played in his correct position - and that is that. I think all four of those players will be gone next summer, a couple of them on a free at that, and then where do we go? The 30+ punts are all finished - Williamson's legs have gone, Tiendalli is about as fit as a Sunday League player, Ricardinho while occasionally brilliant is also 33 and might well begin to fade badly over the winter... it doesn't bode well. GvK will disappear along with Mowatt, Payne will go back to Huddersfield, god knows what Mehmeti's story is, and who even knows if Pekalski will ever play or if Xemi will ever cut it. Roberts, Long, Ashby et al will finally be moved out because they aren't good enough, and after stealing a living as a footballer until about two months ago, Wes Thomas is finally playing well and scoring, but guess what? He's over 30 AND out of contract in the summer! Hooray! Basically, if we don't go down this season, I would put money on us going down next season unless the recruitment changes. The warning signs are there on the pitch and the stability and progress has gone missing off it. But I guess that in order for the recruitment to change drastically we'd probably need a head scout, who also buggered off and wasn't replaced properly like much of our squad has done in the last six months. A typically extreme view, which despite the complete lack of of balance actually raises a few valid questions. Particularly over our summer recruitment. Even the most positive Oxford fan would find it hard to argue against the point that our recruitment under Pep has been largely poor based on evidence to date. Specific concerns: 1) Why so readily depart from a recruitment strategy that was clearly working? Yes I appreciate the market for young English players is more competitive but seemed a fairly immediate/rash decision to abandon this altogether. 2) Too much risk - too many foreign players, too many injury prone players (in an already injury prone squad). I get we want to explore other markets and think that its admirable we are forward thinking in that respect. But how about testing it first and introducing it slowly rather than bringing in 5/6 foreign players which as suspected have been completely hit and miss. 3) Quantity vs quality. We have quite a sizeable squad however would prefer 2-3 proven/quality players over 6 high risk, lower cost players. 4) Poor use of what was likely a competitive budget. I emphasise likely as I don't think anyone actually knows. However based on volume of players signed, many with previous higher prestige clubs and punchy loan signings I'm guessing Pep has a fair whack to work with. Simply don't buy some of the around operating under a tighter budget. MAPP was excellent in his player recruitment, you have to say so its difficult not to compare. Hemanaged to find a really good baalance between young, high potential signings, experienced league pros and shrewd loan signings. I think this balance and strategy has not been replicated by Pep. It's easy to forget he is hugely inexperienced at management. And lower league football. He will learn from this. I share in much of your frustration but talking of relegation? Really? Come on. From what I've seen we are only a couple of high quality players away from being one of the best teams in the league. The issue we have is we are tring to play an attractive, passing brand of football but don't quite have enough players to turn this into consitent, positive results.
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