Transfer Window January 2024 Transfer Window Thread

[Berliner]

Recently accused of Rape Nadi so probably needed a change of scenery

And was cleared of the charges, I think it's important to add.

 

[Chippy]

Do we actually have a system that Des is trying to play? Not much evidence of it so far. I’ve no idea what style and system we are trying play apart from passing backwards continually

 

[harrymark1]

Do we actually have a system that Des is trying to play? Not much evidence of it so far. I’ve no idea what style and system we are trying play apart from passing backwards continually

To be fair Manning had 8 months and I didn't know what the plan was!

 

[arthurturner]

Don’t agree. If you get promoted and are ambitious you can sign more if you go up. But you need to be as good as your promotion rivals and we aren’t

Therefor, you do agree!

 

[OxfordNondie]

People are correctly identifying that there is still plenty of dead wood in the team and lots of the wage bill tied up in those players. Several will be gone in the summer when their contracts are up.

This was always going to be a three transfer window project to put us back on track. I think we're in a good place right now, and with more funds being freed up in the summer, we will start next season in great shape.

Sorry, but we all need to be patient. The people at the club now are working to a plan, but it takes time and some of the things that I have no doubt they'd like to do will be restricted by being unable to move everyone that they'd like out of the club.

At last common sense

Too many on here think we have monies on unlimited reserves

Think with Browne Murphys Henry's combined salaries what we could bring in the summer.

We can still make the playoffs, what a bonus

Believe

 

[greatunclekip]

To be fair Manning had 8 months and I didn't know what the plan was!

That's rubbish. Manning had a very clear plan where everyone knew their roles to the letter.

 

[BicesterU]

Be amazed if Des actually looks at that centre midfield department and thinks it's OK but probably can't be too honest. More than likely he'd do something about it but can't.

Seems a clear case of prioritising the front line. Room for improvement in midfield, but far greater need up front.

 

[harrymark1]

That's rubbish. Manning had a very clear plan where everyone knew their roles to the letter.

Really? First game of the season after a full pre season and Bristol City away both games I had the misfortune to attend, we only played sideways football and then scraped a 1-0 home win over a poor Carlisle side. We never created a lot of chances under Manning (George Elek confirms this on several Dub podcasts) and we were fortunate to convert a lot of worldies and were clinical eg Brannagans shot that hit the bar v Barnsley perhaps goes in under Manning, the luck just isnt on Des' side at the moment.

 

[dickwalton1964]

To be fair Manning had 8 months and I didn't know what the plan was!

Do you really think that ? I'm struggling to think of a manager we've had with such a clear, defined way of playing. It was the most structured and planned way of playing football that you could imagine. Might not have agreed with it or enjoyed it but no way in a million years could you accuse Manning's Oxford of lacking an identity.

 

[chromeyellow]

That's rubbish. Manning had a very clear plan where everyone knew their roles to the letter.

His own role being to get out as soon as possible (and cause maximum damage )

 

[greatunclekip]

Really? First game of the season after a full pre season and Bristol City away both games I had the misfortune to attend, we only played sideways football and then scraped a 1-0 home win over a poor Carlisle side. We never created a lot of chances under Manning (George Elek confirms this on several Dub podcasts) and we were fortunate to convert a lot of worldies and were clinical eg Brannagans shot that hit the bar v Barnsley perhaps goes in under Manning, the luck just isnt on Des' side at the moment.

The reason we were so effective under Manning was because he got the most out of quite limited resources, by virtue of being so good tactically.

 

[OX14]

So you ARE saying that the appointment of Des was a failing then?

I don't disagree that the board have failings btw, letting Robbo run amuck for as long as he did being among their most heinous crimes. I'm just not sure you can say, right now, that appointing Des was one of them. By that logic, appointing Manning without realising how quickly he;d jump ship was another.

Well he doesn't give me much confidence, tactically he doesn't seem as good as Manning. Also he didn't even have an assistant or being able to employ one for some reason.

 

[ThatSlopesATwelfthMan]

Do we actually have a system that Des is trying to play? Not much evidence of it so far. I’ve no idea what style and system we are trying play apart from passing backwards continually

With injuries and past recruitment gaps I'm not sure we can realistically know. But can have a guess. Based on what we have seen and where Des's recruitment is focused my guess is he's looking to build around a 4-2-3-1 shape going 4-3-3 sometimes. Possession based, counter attacking away with an aggressive press at home. Think it was the same for Manning. Very City Group. There's wriggle room in that setup but one non-negotiable is pacey, hard working wide attackers as an outlet to stretch the opposition and to track back quickly. Exactly what we've lacked since his arrival. Pretty sure the recent experiments with 3/5 at the back are just a temporary thing.

One of the frustrations for me is that I think we have seen him sort of trying to kinda play this way despite not having the personnel, ending up timid as a result when overrun and possibly dropping points as a result.

If this is right we'd prioritise recruitment on the obvious central attacking gap + fast, athletic wide players and solid, experienced full backs (not wingbacks) which seems to be what's happening. I'm with others thinking we need more cover and steel in midfield but if we take a leap of faith it is possible that Des has something in mind for Smyth in the centre. That would leave us with Cam, MM, Josh M and Smyth covering 2 spaces. Hard to know just now but that should be competitive for a promotion push if the rest of the team is in place.

 

[WEYellow]

Not so sure Manning was that good tactically, we were chaotic at the back when defending a lead under him, notably against Wycombe, Rovers and Blackpool at home. He benefited from having a fully fit squad at his disposal and we were well outperforming our xG, a poor run was on the cards before he slithered out the back door. The football really hasn't changed that much under Des, he's just the fall guy for an inevitable slip we were going through, infact the best tactical switch I've seen in game this season came from him when Bodin came on against Charlton (A).

 

[Andy1505]

I think with Bodin/RR/TG/Burey/Harris/Goodwin/new striker/new RW we would have enough or too many players at the top of the pitch! And we have Edwards and Browne and Murphy as well is ridiculous! They may not be performing as we need or wish but I think it's more important to get the foundations right and that could come from a DCM in place.....

.....but as others have posted this morning, we have to be patient, the dead wood we have on the books is killing us (as is the Kassam!) so it's going to take time on all fronts.....

Imagine a situation where we don't pay have to £1m a year to Kassam, have maybe an extra 5k fans a week and more income there, don't have a squad full of high earning crocks and the manager (whoever it may be!) can actually spend some money properly and wisely after the way the gobby Scouser pissed it up the wall!

 

[uptheus]

Really? First game of the season after a full pre season and Bristol City away both games I had the misfortune to attend, we only played sideways football and then scraped a 1-0 home win over a poor Carlisle side. We never created a lot of chances under Manning (George Elek confirms this on several Dub podcasts) and we were fortunate to convert a lot of worldies and were clinical eg Brannagans shot that hit the bar v Barnsley perhaps goes in under Manning, the luck just isnt on Des' side at the moment.

Or their shot that hit the bar/post goes in!!

 

[Foley]

Be amazed if Des actually looks at that centre midfield department and thinks it's OK but probably can't be too honest. More than likely he'd do something about it but can't.

I would imagine that he has prioritized the right winger and striker ahead of the CM and with Henry, Browne, Murphy, McEachran on the books can't afford all 3.

 

[theWizard]

in my opinion, my Top Trump Scores would be as follows:

Manning
Tactically 8 out of 10
Injury Luck 8 out of 10
Exciting Games 6 out of 10
Transfer Windows 8 out of 10
Post Match Entertainment Value 3 out of 10
Squad Performance Bonus 3 out of 5
Women's Team Enthusiasm 4

Robinson
Tactically 6 out of 10
Injury Luck 5 out of 10
Exciting Games 7 out of 10
Transfer Windows 3 out of 10
Post Match Entertainment Value 7 out of 10
Squad Performance Bonus 2 out of 5
Women's Team Enthusiasm 10

Des (early days / injury hit)
Tactically 5 out of 10
Injury Luck 2 out of 10
Exciting Games 5 out of 10
Transfer Windows 7 out of 10
Post Match Entertainment Value 3 out of 10
Squad Performance Bonus 1 out of 5
Women's Team Enthusiasm 5

 

[Oxy]

@OX14

I don’t know how old you are, how long you’ve been a fan or what you’ve experienced as an Oxford United fan.

But what do you expect for a club our size in this division?

You keep saying “4th biggest budget” firstly I don’t know how you know that, secondly if you do know that how much bigger than the other teams just below? What we have £100 more than 5th so we must demand to be so much better than those below.

We had a flying start, there was a small sign of a wobble under LM with no win in 3 against “beatable teams” as you’d say because of huge injuries etc

Our whole coaching structure gets torn apart as he leaves for BC, we spend a couple weeks getting Des over, trying to get the right people in and having to change our style.

It’s been a couple of months or so, and we sit 7 points off of top. 7 points. 7. In a transfer window where we are still looking to add, players coming back from injury and a more settled staff set up.

We are not entitled to go up because you think so, 4th biggest budget means FA in the grand scheme of things.

There is so much to still be optimistic and positive about yet your moaning as if we’re in a relegation battle again

 

[Upthecowboys]

Agree with those that think we need an extra midfielder (ball winning etc) but also agree that it it was always going to take at least 3 windows to get the squad semi balanced.

If we could get Oisin Smyth a loan and use any savings (appreciate he won’t be a high earner) for a centre mid then that’s what I’d do. I think the addition of a holding centre mid is pretty vital, we are so reliant at present on Cam Bran and MM staying fit and in form (I think MM is a bit out of form T mo).

Successive managers have consistently not picked him, he seems only to play in emergencies etc. I’ve thought a couple of his cameos have been decent, but then he looked completely out of his depth at Coventry (not the only one 1 to be fair). I think he’s under contract until 2026 but he desperately needs to play more.

Recently I think he’s only been played as an ‘emergency’centre back or right back (v FGR). We’ve got Long and Negru coming back so don’t really need him in those positions. He’s not played centre mid but that’s where we need an option.

Loaning him out won’t save much on wages, but replacing him with a new centre midfielder would provide a better squad balance.