As
of last Wednesday, Mehdi Kerrouche has signed a one month loan
contract at Oxford United from Swindon Town. Anyone who knows me,
knows of my disdain for Swindon Town, and specifically their manager,
Paolo Di Canio. So, for Oxford to take a player from their squad
pleases me. But a player of Mehdi Kerrouche's ability? I am
delighted.
Kerrouche
fell out with Di Canio back in December when he was substituted after
26 minutes against Colchester in the FA Cup and dropped from the
first team squad for the following match against Southend. Di Canio
indicated that he was not working hard enough and had become stagnant
in the first team squad. Kerrouche clearly has undeniable ability
having played in the second tier in both France and Portugal and
has an acceptable strike record in both countries but his work ethic
still does remain questionable. His first Swindon goal came in style
with a 25 -yard free kick in the 3-1 loss to Southampton at The
County Ground. After scoring against Southend in early September, he
went on a run of five goals in eight games including two late goals
against Crawley Town as Swindon beat them 3-0 away at Broadfield.
Three of those five goals were headers and despite being under six
foot, Kerrouche found the space against three physically imposing
sides in Crawley, Barnet and Southend to nod home. November was
less fruitful with only two goals, but Kerrouche still helped
Swindon to important wins away at Port Vale and at home to
Huddersfield.
Now,
the French-born Algerian has an important role to fill for Oxford
United over the next month. Oxford need another striker to be
weighing in with a goals as they lack a true goalscoring threat if
James Constable becomes unavailable for selection due to either
injury or ill-discipline. Constable is currently off form and has not
scored in six games and is still on nine for the season, with his
last goal being on Boxing Day away at AFC Wimbledon. It has
been nearly 600 minutes since he slotted past Seb Brown for that
goal.
Peter
Leven has been consistently outstanding in this Oxford side and is on
six goals with every single one of them, bar a penalty against
Bristol Rovers, being a technically excellent strike. His goals range
from long range free-kicks to a dink over the keeper when played
through to lobbing the goalkeeper from the half-way line. The latter
is on a Soccer AM's shortlist for best goal of 2011 in the Football
League. He's amassed ten assists already this season, which is the
second best in League Two, meaning Oxford's strikeforce can enter any
game confident of decent service if he plays. Kerrouche will need to
work closely with Leven so he can anticipate any through balls, and
if he is successful, it could be an extremely prosperous spell
at the Kassam Stadium for Kerrouche. Peter Leven holds Oxford
United's key for unlocking defences in this league.
Oxford
signed serial loanee Scott Rendell on the January deadline day until
the end of the season. This is the ninth different club he's had a
temporary spell at. The next highest scoring striker still at
the club is Jon-Paul Pittman, with three goals. He will be back in
four weeks time after a hamstring injury, which is a shame for him as
he was in good form with goals against Crawley, Aldershot and a 25
yard belter against Hereford recently. Kerrouche's loan is due to end
when Pittman comes back, so it is up to Kerrouche to show Oxford
manager Chris Wilder why he should keep him.
Robert
Hall has six for the campaign and has endeared himself to the Oxford
fans with his sharpness in and around the box with a lovely goal
against Plymouth, winning a penalty against Bristol Rovers and a late
winner in London against Dagenham & Redbridge, but West Ham are
not willing to loan him back to Oxford after being recalled on the
21st of December.
Oli
Johnson was signed early in the transfer window after he was released
by Premier League outfit, Norwich City. He looks quick, but he will
take time getting his sharpness back which could take about a month
after playing reserve team football for Norwich for the last past
year. His stats show he is a one in four striker, and from watching
him play it appears that he is a very one dimensional striker and
does not link play up well.
So,
it will be up to Constable, Kerrouche and Rendell to decide the
course of Oxford's season in this next 30-or-so days that contain
eight fixtures.
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