OPINION: Oxford United gap to play-offs is 20-goal striker

Oxford United need a 20 goal per season striker in order to make play-off places.

Currently sat in 14th, the Yellows have suffered this season from lack of clinical finishing by the front men as demonstrated on New Year’s Day when they let a dominant performance slip to a 1-0 defeat at the Kassam at the hands of Exeter City.

Now in a period of the season where manager, Karl Robinson, can bring players in, he commented post-Exeter that the squad lack support of Matty Taylor in the final third.

Injuries haven’t helped the U’s either, particularly in the attacking areas. Marcus Browne being injured for six weeks and Swansea loanee, Kyle Joseph recovering from a two-month long injury has left Oxford bareboned in the centre forward position.

So far this season, Cameron Brannagan has topped the scoring chart with just six in league one and nine in all competitions. The midfielder who often finds himself on penalty and free-kick duty has proved that goals from strikers have been few and far between.

Robinson has frequently spoken about his team’s objective to reach the top six of league one this season but with more draws and losses than wins this season, the goal looks unlikely until an out-and-out goalscorer is signed.

Elsewhere in the league, 11th placed Bristol Rovers share the league top goalscorer Aaron Collins with Peterborough’s Jonson Clarke-Harris on 13 apiece in League One this season, over double the tally of Brannagan.

A striker who scores 20 per season only rallies in under one every two matches, however, with support from the midfield and the current record of the likes of Taylor, Joseph and Billy Bodin, the U’s would find themselves in the right place.

In other areas of the pitch, the Yellows have faired well this season. The addition of Lewis Bate to the midfield has made the side much stronger and stronger in possession. In company of ex-Liverpool man Brannagan and technically gifted Marcus McGuane, the support from the midfield is capable of pushing promotion to the Championship.

Against Exeter, the backline and back-up goalkeeper, Ed McGinty, also demonstrated their worth in the side. Captain Elliot Moore had a goal-line clearance to deny Josh Key from breaking the deadlock earlier in the fixture as well as solid performances from Sam Long as Ciaron Brown kept the visitors out the game for 78 minutes.

With the balance the Yellows currently possess combined with strong squad depth, a clinical finisher who will score Robinson’s men 20 a season is the difference between 14th, where they currently sit, and the top six, where they aspire to be.

Published in Oxford Mail.