There is no doubt about it, James Henry has been one of Oxford United’s best signings in recent seasons.
The 31-year-old is in his fourth season at the club and the midfielder has been the club’s top scorer in two of those campaigns, while his consistent performances have been integral in the way to U’s have performed.
However, Henry has struggled to make as much of an impact this season and it comes down to several reasons.
Arrival at Oxford
Starting from the beginning, Henry joined the U’s on a free transfer from Wolves in 2017 and the winger was immediately the standout signing. New manager Pep Clotet had made some dubious additions during the summer window, but Henry’s arrival was a positive one.
Henry had an impressive debut season and ended the campaign as joint top scorer with Wes Thomas with 11 goals in all competitions. However, with the club in transition as a result of Clotet’s arrival, Henry remained one of the standout performers throughout the campaign.
But the transition continued off the field between January and March. First, Clotet was sacked, then Sumrith ‘Tiger’ Thanakarnjanasuth took over the club and Karl Robinson came in as manager. Despite slipping from just outside the playoffs to above the relegation zone, Henry’s goals helped drag the U’s to a 16th placed finish.
The following season was a disappointing one for Oxford. In Robinson’s first full season in charge, the U’s were in and around the bottom four for most of the campaign, but one defeat from their last nine games ensured a 12th place finish. Henry was once again instrumental, ending the season as the club’s top scorer with 15 goals in all competitions. He also laid on ten assists.
Last season was one of improvement for the U’s, who ended the season fourth in League One. The club also enjoyed successful cup runs along the way. Henry excelled again, scoring 14 times and providing 12 assists over the course of the campaign.
Better Players
Now though, the squad is in a much more stable position than four years ago. Rob Atkinson and Elliott Moore are the central defensive partnership instead of Mike Williamson and Aaron Martin, Cameron Brannagan is the star central midfielder rather than Josh Payne, and Matty Taylor and Sam Winnall are the striking options instead of Wes Thomas and Kane Hemmings.
Unlike previous seasons, Henry is no longer the standout performer for the club. His goals and assists are well off the pace compared to previous years, having scored just four and added five assists this season so far. Fortunately for the club, having better players around have helped carry the burden of providing goals, but unfortunately for Henry, his tally has suffered.
Set the Bar Too High
His previous achievements and statistics may also contribute to his struggles this season. In 171 Oxford appearances, Henry has scored 44 times and added 32 assists. Having been the club’s top scorer on two separate occasions, maybe supporters are expecting too much of the winger?
His standout displays over the previous three seasons have held him in good stead but they may also be a deterrent when entering a spell of inconsistency.
The 31-year-old simply hasn’t provided the goalscoring opportunities at the same rate as previous seasons. That doesn’t mean his form or performances have necessarily declined, but it becomes noticeable when those attributes are a key element to his game.
Regular Football and More Competition
Although Henry has been a regular since his arrival, a challenging fixture list and competition for places at the club have made things more difficult this season.
Manager Karl Robinson is a fan of ‘pacey wingers’. While Henry is a winger, he lacks pace and doesn’t meet the criteria of what the manager looks for in a wide man. Despite that, his statistics in past seasons have helped cement his place in the squad.
This season, however, Robinson has had more options in the wide areas. Already this campaign, the U’s boss has selected ten different players to play as a wide man. Although Henry has remained a constant in the side, his performances haven’t hit the heights of previous campaigns and, as a result, his game time has started to become slightly less. It could be down to the gruelling schedule, but also the fact that other players are performing better when given the chance.
Wembley Hangover
After Oxford failed to win promotion to the Championship with defeat in the League One play-off final against Wycombe, many of the players suffered a hangover as a result. Henry, in particular, appears to have been hit hard by the loss.
As most U’s fans will recall, Henry had a golden opportunity to score when one on one with the goalkeeper, but he opted to try and find Taylor – this decision could have been playing on his mind for some time.
Although there was only a short break between the Wembley woe and the start of the new campaign, the U’s made a sluggish start. Two defeats from two league games was followed by a 4-1 win Accrington – which Henry scored and provided an assist in. However, it would be a further eight games before he would find the back of the net again and he had managed just a further two this season.
Henry certainly isn’t past it, but he certainly hasn’t reached the heights of previous years. Competition for places and previous highs have are his appearances this season look poor, but the U’s have an experienced, capable and talented footballer in there when he regains his form.
