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Why versatility may be key for United in tournament-style season

Amid the clamour for signings as deadline day neared, you could make a case - and many people did - that Oxford needed strengthening in a number of departments.

Obviously a rapid left winger. Some cover for Josh Ruffels. An experienced centre-back to help solidify a fragile defence. Some ball-carrying dynamism in midfield.

After some pretty stellar work in recent transfer windows - at least in terms of bringing players in - the arrival of an unheralded winger from QPR on deadline day was a bit underwhelming (at least until his second minute of action).

Shodipo may tick the pace box, but what of the need to fill some of those other positions? The answer may lie in the same reason Eric Deir continues to make the England squad.

The versatility of players like Deir - or from different generations Phil Neville and Mick Duxbury - would always have an extra value when the big tournaments came around because of their ability to fill in a variety of positions. 

Arguably the salary cap does that same for teams in League One this season. With the senior squad size restricted to 22 players, small wonder that in absence of a player like Marcus Browne becoming available, the value of the utility player rises.

Ironically, Browne is himself the ultimate utility player. He is such a prized target by Robinson not just because of his undoubted quality and track record at United, but because of his ability to play anywhere across the front three and in midfield too. 

Versatility though is usually a byword for reliability rather than flair. That is why the likes of Anthony Forde, Sam Long and Jamie Hanson - and Josh Ruffels before them - are likely to prove so valuable. Forde and Long between can - and almost already have this season - played every position bar keeper and target man striker.  Hanson is equally versatile, albeit largely demonstrated in his United career thus far by getting injured in multiple ways. 

Faced with a capped squad Hanson and Long's ability to fill multiple positions effectively, if not always spectacularly, probably outweighs bringing in specialist back-up - given its not possible to know for sure where the shortage of players will be as the season unravels. With Robinson's penchant for wingers it seems unlikely that shortage will be in wide positions, though that is precisely where United were stretched going into the Christmas period two season ago until Jordan Graham's arrival.

Watching United's defensive fragility in the opening matches, its impossible not to pine for the days Charlie Raglan did little other than sit on the United bench. He is just what is needed right now. But had Robinson signed a player like Raglan, he too might end up mostly unused substitute depending on the fitness and form of those in front of him.

Ultimately the gamble Robinson is really making is not so much over a lack of defensive cover, but putting his faith the in the untried combination of Atkinson and Moore as his first choice centre-backs.

 


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