Oxford United Season Preview: improvement needed

With the 2018-19 League One season coming up, The Football Lab spoke to Oxford United fan George Elek (@GeorgeElek) from the excellent Not The Top 20 Podcast (@NTT20Pod)…

You finished 16th last season, eight places and 13 points worse off than the 2016-17 campaign. Did the club find life tough without Michael Appleton?

Yes – last season was a shambles. The appointment of Clotet looked exciting, but we needed someone to pick up from where Appleton left us and he came in with a totally different recruitment strategy that saw the likes of Gino van Kessel and Dwight Tiendalli pick up League 1 contracts, when they shouldn’t really be professional footballers.
Despite being relatively safe in mid-table when he was sacked, the rest of the season was about minimising the damage that Clotet had caused and avoiding the drop.

Recruitment has been slow this summer. Are some fans reluctant to trust new chairman Sumrith Thanakarnjanasuth?

Naturally there are fans who are sceptical. I think that is to be expected when a new man comes in, especially when he has left an involvement with a near rival in Reading due to costs. There has been a lot of talk about big budgets, but this summer has only really seen loanees and freebies so far. The appointment of Robinson was ambitious though, and the business in the next few weeks will make a lot of people’s minds up about Tiger.

Karl Robinson appears to have made a good impression with Yellows fans. Do you think the style of football he imposes though is as attacking as it’s sometimes made out to be?

I think when he gets it right it is. That MK Dons team were unstoppable at times. I’m not sure he ever got Charlton purring like that though and the fans grew weary of his tactical inflexibility. Hall and Carruthers were key components for MK and are reunited now at Oxford, so I’m confident he will deliver on his promise of front-foot football.

Rob Dickie always looks very capable on the ball while John Mousinho has played as a midfielder during his career. Is it important to have centre-backs who can distribute in a possession side?

Hmmm, I wish Mousinho had spent more of last season wellying it downfield rather than playing out of the back. He is odd to the odd error in that respect, probabily due to his history as a midfielder. Curtis Nelson is back and fit, who is maybe our best player and very classy on the ball. I see him and Dickie as a very strong duo indeed, with Raglan probably the next in-line.

Tony McMahon showed impressive set piece quality at Bradford. Is that something you hope he can bring?

For sure, he has taken every set-piece on our tour in Ireland when he has been on the pitch so that looks like the plan. Cameron Norman, brought in from King’s Lynne, is very highly thought of and will be pushing McMahon for a place.

Ashley Smith-Brown finished last season at left-back but has since gone back to Manchester City. Are you happy with the loan signing of Luke Garbutt?

Smith-Brown has gone to Plymouth now, which I find very surprising, especially for a fee as he looked poor with us. Garbutt clearly has the quality and we have a super record with signings from Everton (Lundstram, Kenny, Ledson, McAleny…) so hopefully he can be the next on that list. Given that Leeds were said to be in for him, I do think it’s a bit of a coup to get him in, even if on loan.

There were suggestions that goalkeeper Simon Eastwood couldn’t quite match his 2016-17 heroics last season. Are you hoping for better things from him this year?

No. He probably wasn’t as good last season, but he was still immense and his new deal is probably the signing of the summer, at least until Nelson puts pen to paper. If 16/17 was a 10/10, last season was a 9.

Ryan Ledson seemed to have a lovely passing range about him last season but has left for Preston, while Joe Rothwell has opted for Blackburn. To what extent do the signings of Samir Carruthers and Armani Little fill the midfield void?

Little has been brought in for the U23 squad so unlikely next season will be one for him. Robinson has said that he sees Carruthers as a wide player who can play in the middle, so he likely slips into Rothwell’s role. Ledson’s replacement was already here, in Cameron Brannagan. He was forced to play deeper last season, but a new holding midfielder will be coming in to allow him to dictate the play in the middle. A lot of people think he will be the breakout star of the campaign.

James Henry seems to cause problems when he’s given the freedom to drift from the 10 position into wide areas. Is he an asset at this level?

When he started the season on the right it didn’t work. He doesn’t have the pace or trickery to beat players. As a 10 he is class, and a real goal threat. One of our key attacking players, no question.

You’ve let Kane Hemmings go to Notts County, despite his good form for Mansfield. With Jonathan Obika as your only remaining striker, you must feel additions are needed up top?

Yes, plenty. I’m a fan of Obika but many aren’t. I’d expect at least three ‘forwards’ to come in. Likely an established player on a permanent, and a couple of loanees.

Malachi Napa always looks like a willing runner with plenty of energy. Is he a youngster to look out for this year?

Robinson is a big fan, but I haven’t really seen it yet. Lightweight on the ball and not one to take men on. Clearly has serious ability so fingers crossed he can impose himself more on games this season.

Yellows aside, what are your thoughts ahead of the League One season as a whole? Any potential dark horses for you?

I think Posh look the team to beat, even if they do lose Marcus Maddison and Jack Marriott. Steve Evans is a manager who gets results at this level and their business suggests he is being backed by Darragh MacAnthony. Think Wycombe may surprise a few people too, whilst AFC Wimbledon could be one to struggle.

Thanks to George for his answers. The Football Lab’s verdict on Oxford can be found on We Love Betting from late July.