Midsblue

Do you mean an extra 5 players or the 3 permanents were Lundstram, Ward & Hobson? Loan players from EFL?

Of course we need a quality RB or RWB. It’ll give us width and attacking threat on both sides of our team. Same applies to a LW although I’m sure Couto could evolve into that role. Sutton was a more than capable RB but struggled at RWB. We need an engine up & down that flank

If these all come off then really excited. Golden & Kitching bombing up and down the right and left respectively. Lundstram and Ward in middle with their box to box engines with defending, flipping play then attacking. Willoughby, Reid & Nuttall up front. DUs signing players who run and run, don’t hide in games & POTS for their clubs. Roll on August & our promotion assault.

How many do you think we’ll sign and, realistically, who? DU said 8-9 coming in, plans already in place & all “quality”. Exciting but people’s definition of quality varies. GK (1 addition?) - are we OK with just Norman & Hudson? I’d be happy and then focus on following… Defence (3 additions) - need a quality CB to partner Yarney, Sutton or Hogan. RB a must too & if budget remains, a LB in case Kitching gets injured. Midfield (3/4 additions) - cant see Jonny Smith dropping down to NL but he’s definitely quality. We need a quality DM, a creative CM & a LW (another RW too if budget allows). Depends if we’re playing 4-4-2 or looking more to release 3 attacking up front but those two will give us options with Sheron, Shelton, Tollit & Rooney as backup. Someone on the flank like a Colclough perhaps?! Up front (2 additions) , Sambou has improved but we should be aiming for the likes of Willoughby or higher…. Proven at this level, knows where goal is and an excellent partner for Reid. I’d keep Nuttall, Reid & Fondop, releasing or selling the rest. Need another 2 quality and I’d promote Forshaw too. Pointless on rumoured names but no doubt these coming months will be interesting and whether we emerge as title favourites.

Another day gone and gobsmacked he’s not been sacked. Was in meetings all day yesterday and expected to read his departure after the Gateshead debacle. His position is untenable and I’m uncertain why the owners are stalling. It has to be the money or Royle is “back him or sack me”. Either way, who gives an untested manager a three year deal? Especially one who’s only coached at U23 and no experience whatsoever at this level, managing senior players or a track record in recruitment. Madness. Hindsight is a wonderful thing so giving the owners the benefit of the doubt, what has DU delivered thus far that assures us that he’s the one to lead us next season? 1. He’s been given the largest financial backing in this league this season outside of Wrexham. 2. He’s been given time to recruit, coach and build his team yet performances have gone backwards and each match, we look inferior to every opposition and stink each stadium out. 3. This is a team compromising of “quality players with decent track records” from league above, players from a championship winning team and players of the season. It’s not a rag tag combination so based on most already having played together, majority with these track records and goals within them, why are they so woeful for 70+ minutes each game? 4. The last 5 games have fielded 70-80% of his signings yet shown no signs of any improvement over the side that started this season. Each win or draw - aside from Dorking - has been fluky and not one built on dominance. Tuesday proved results will be fortuitous rather than expected. 5. Tactics, work rate and confidence is a major concern. Bearing in mind this is a coach, the body language of our players suggest otherwise. He’s not getting the best, they’re not following his so called tactics that he states post match, and his substitutions to turn a game are baffling. What are the Royles and Rothwells watching that we’re not? Aside from the wage slip of DU and his coaching team or the termination compensation clause in their contracts? Surely there must be some form of break clause - or should have been - and if not, it questions the acumen of our board. This was a bloke who wasn’t being chased by clubs, wasn’t in demand, left Everton under a cloud yet we rolled out the red carpet bankrolling him to the medium risk of our clubs fortunes. Excuses will be made Saturday when, as expected, we lose against Chesterfield. How many more losses or unconvincing results do we have to endure until the owners admit they’ve made a monumental mistake here? He needs to go. Needs to go now. We need to secure a proven manager at this level not just to safeguard our season but build for next season and beyond. Granted it will be a challenge to buy a manager out of their existing contract but this appointment is worth that investment. No arrogance but we are one of the big clubs in this league and, no disrespect to great clubs like Gateshead, Aldershot, Solihull but we should be outplaying and out scoring even with the squad we have. If we continue limping in this condition, gates will fall, STs will not renew and money needed to get us out this league with not be there.

Who is this RB / RW / ST & which team does he play for? I cannot see anyone in Cymru Prem, North or South matching this profile. Perhaps if we knew who, we could all join in the debate?!

A wins a win but Tuesday was an unconvincing win. Granted it’s baby steps and the signing of both Yarney and Shelton is moving us in the right direction. I would say majority of fans are still wanting DU gone and only a winning streak and surge up the table will change the opinions of most. For me the front two still look like strangers rather than a partnership. We’re too narrow with most play through middle resulting in hoof ball. Most want a RW as Oldham fans were brought up on a team with wingers & width but if that was in DUs plan then he would have sorted that out but hasn’t. I crave for the zinging, fast-paced attacking play where we played pressing football, played it out wide & created chances aplenty for the front two. Yes, I want us to win but I want exciting, attractive and attacking play. Tuesday was more dross than gloss with only Dorking A being anything reminiscent of the Oldham I grew up with. I want us to unearth the next creative maestro in the middle of the park, the next Holden, Eyres etc on the flank & a new Stitch up front. I love the history… it’s 10 years to the day we beat Liverpool… I just want this team to create new memories… Do I see it happening under DU? Nope. I guess though we just appreciate that if we get the wins, secure safety, perhaps knock briefly on the door of playoffs then fingers crossed we see a step up next season with a genuine assault on the title. It’s just not exciting & not mirroring the great work off the pitch. All credit to DU if he pulls this off but I’ll still be thinking… what if….

We need a RW but I think that starting XI against York will be DUs favoured XI going forward. Switch Yarney to RB if Clarke partners Hogan & Reid or Abrahams for Fondop as sub & that’s it. He favours Chapman even though he’s not RW. My concern is we’re too narrow with Toillet & Chapman out ‘wide’ in midfield and we’re too predictable. Against York, we tried to play through the middle & when that failed we pumped it up to Fondop to lay off to little effect. I’d love to see width with wingers sticking to the line before crossing in to Nuttall & Fondop but I don’t think that’s DUs preference. We have Couto on left, need a RW and with Kitching & Yarney at fullbacks, it gives us an attacking overlap too. Can see it working well but I don’t see that happening for this new team. All in all, can’t see any new additions even loanees and now we focus on trying to offload some of the deadwood i.e. Windass, Burgess, Luamba that can’t even get on bench plus the two massive £ drains in Gardner & Porter as neither will be in matchday 16 now.

Ok I’ll bite. Sorry but that’s rubbish. Had he no squad then I agree but he inherited a squad that was struggling but still delivering the odd result under Shez. He’s then brought in another team of players including two strikers who were already in form and scoring for their teams - one in a team struggling below us. Hes then isolated one striker via his tactics, destroying that lads run of form and languishing on the bench wondering WTF. He’s not addressed that midfield despite being here for months. With the current squad of players, we should be higher up the table. He’s taken us backwards massively The only reason it’s long term is the length of his contract. We took a gamble, it clearly is not paying off….

Why? Football fans demand results whichever the club. Here, Frank has inherited a strong fanbase at this level and one that will grow. He knows it and I doubt he regrets taking it on. Besides, the large majority of fans don’t have issue with the Rothwells or the Royles. Frank has been guided by the Royles on DUs appointment and the Royles have been clouded by employing someone they know. Ignore the idiots demanding Darren leave over this. If anyone questions what Darren has done to safeguard the future of our club needs to give their head a wobble. It’s a monumental mistake, one that’s happened at many a club and one that can be easily remedied. I just hope DR isn’t gambling his position and future at this club over loyalty to DU.

His appointment is fast turning into an unmitigated disaster & surpassing, as an absolute failure, any previous appointment over the last 20 years. I’m more focused on results but I have to admit that I’ve struggled to warm to him since day one. Every interview comes across as disingenuous and whilst he professed to have fallen in love with our club, he’s in it for one person and one person only. Said it loads of times that I had no affinity to Oldham before coming a supporter. Started 35 years ago following a bet and over that period, I’ve never once regretted the decision. I can see why other people with no association also end up supporting the club for decades. It’s a friendly, welcoming, family club and one that’s battled the big clubs at the highest level with a solid legacy. Thats why Shez endeared himself to our club, Peter Clarke too, add Conor Ripley and hundreds of players over the years including the 90s pinch me side that all genuinely love our club. Why am I saying all this? It’s because Frank & Darren between them have saved our club and rebuilding off the pitch… Unsworth is dismantling it on the pitch. This bloke has come in, reputedly on big wages with him and his coaching team, had a fortune thrown at him to strengthen and delivered fuck all so far. Shez delivered more without the strengthening and whilst under the turmoil of the last dregs of the Lemsagam era. Not only has he delivered zilch, he’s took the team backwards, alienated himself with the fan base and I personally cannot see any advantages of retaining his services. Even his track record as U23 manager is questioned by those at Everton and this appointment is becoming more evident as ‘jobs for the boys’ as he’s pally with Big Joe. Time for Darren to accept an error has been made. If it’s true that there’s a clause that releases them for less money then exercise it asap. Every day I think what we would have achieved had the owners brought in Alexander, Askey or thrown the money for Wild’s homecoming. There’s still ample time to climb this table and finish on a high with encouraging signs to maintain ST sales into next season. We have decent strikers and need to reverse the Chapman loan and bring in a decent DM, creative midfielder, RW and rejuvenate our season.

I guess Lyden and Stephens on pay as you play deals would strengthen our midfield as long as they stay injury-free & still have it. It’ll help steady the ship and give us the push. Stephens is a short-term fix at 33 but Lyden, being 26, could help us push on next season & into the league. That’s if they are training with us, both looking for contracts etc because our ITK posters haven’t been that accurate in recent weeks Rumour too was a number of players leaving this week too so presumably DR is negotiating payoffs or DU is performing miracles getting some clubs to sign them. That then leaves these EPL signings being rumoured incoming too. One similar to Haughton at Fylde?! Who’s that? Everton player?!

That article sounds forced I’m afraid. Feels more like the club has forced DU into doing the interview in reaction to the increasing fan unhappiness & majority now wanting him gone. No contrition at all of his actions (or lack of) to date, his recruitment failure, his selection & tactics leading to relegation form etc. That said I don’t think he’s the type to genuinely apologise or openly admit to his mistakes. He’s admitted he’s not a chest-thumping manager (excluding Chester ) nor one who’s animated on the touchline. However, he could have engaged with the fans more, acknowledged them after each game or even volunteer to a forum in the first 100 days. DU is the most “distant” manager to fanbase I’ve seen aside from ALs appointments where English not being first language was more a barrier (or that toxic atmosphere at time). If we’re assessing his first 100 days then it’s an F or U (in grading terms but both letters rather apt). Would have expected at least a strong C with signs of working towards a B+ …. 1. We’re yet to be convinced where his initial statement that he preferred an attacking and exciting 443 yet his recruitment, selection & tactics have been the opposite. 2. We’re crying out for a DM and RB, which both would support his objective of 433 yet he’s adding more strikers despite having little or no creativity to create opportunities for those strikers 3. Of the 2 strikers signed, both were leading scorers in our league and he’s fast neutralising both through his formation and tactics. Reid is a shadow of who arrived from Solihull - isolated and frustrated. Of the striker he inherited that was our leading scorer he’s dropped him (admittedly was injured too) and destroyed that threat too. 4. I’m still to be convinced that all these signings so far are DUs signings. Carragher was clearly DR. The link between him and Clarke is tenuous to say the least and more likely DR again based on PC being here before plus surplus to requirements at Walsall. Again, Reid & Nuttall are Championship Manager tactics ie signing the leading scorers in your league to nullify opposition. Not saying DU isn’t in charge but this “been tracking them for a while” seems disingenuous too. 5. He’s referencing the off-field changes but are these all down to DU or in fact DR and the Rothwells … where anyone could see what was needed. Fact remains, if DU left now would we be worse off? Clearly no. We’d have just as much chance against Notts County if Clarke did the training and one of the fans selected their best 11. Do I think we’d be in a much stronger position in the league had we a different manager in the last 100 days? 100% yes!

Just me observation but I very much doubt the board are even contemplating relegation. When DU was signed, we wasn’t in relegation but clearly needed the change from Shez. The signing of DU was to push on and climb the table, not drop further down the table and battle relegation let alone going down! To consider relegation as a gamble in keeping DU is madness. With this squad and especially if it’s true that we’ve signed Ryan Colclough then this side should be battling playoffs. If DU cannot get a win on Jan 1st including Colclough then he needs to walk at the final whistle.

I really want DU to succeed. Seems a decent guy, we have a decent coaching setup for this first time in near a decade & off-field infrastructure is improving by the month. However, to sign Reid and play him as a lone striker with no support is criminal. He did it Saturday, did it last night and both times the lad was impotent before being subbed. DU said that Reid had been scouted and we did our homework before signing him. If that’s the case then why play him as a lone striker when his most prolific has been with a strike partner? Same with Rooney. Came on as sub on Saturday, gave us impetus in midfield and we looked dangerous and, directly through Rooney’s energy, we almost snatched a draw. Last night, he’s on the bench again and DU reverts to playing Gardner who not only was carrying a knock on Saturday, has the brain but lost the legs to be a creative force in midfield. End result, we play too cautious. Perhaps DU has the master plan of 4-3-3 but we don’t have the midfield personnel to play that way. He tries to add two more strikers when he should be working tirelessly to get a DM or a RB so Sheron can play DM. Maynard isn’t that player! My biggest concern though is that 6 of that starting 11 last night and Saturday are DU recruits. A few of those who had played together previously and had over 2 weeks training together but looked like total strangers in both games. If the current players aren’t listening to DU or delivering what he’s expecting then do we risk blowing even more £££ on additions and we still deliver the same results? Silence after last night is deafening- normally we have a post match interview so either DU was too enraged or it was pulled for other reasons. I still cannot see the board sacking him and only way is if he walks and takes his coaching team with him at no cost to our club. Will we even strike a mutual as it will mean the Royles got their managerial recruitment wrong. Still believe he’ll be given at least December & January or even beyond that unless come March, we are still losing every game & the gap between us and safety is widening.