SHORTLY after arriving last summer Michael Appleton predicted this season would see a big turnover in the Oxford United squad – and the revolving door is showing no signs of slowing.

George Baldock became the 20th signing of his reign yesterday, a figure which could reach 21 if everything goes to plan today.

They have fielded 34 players this season, which is almost an extra team more than tomorrow’s opponents, Burton Albion, who have started 24.

The player movement has been in both directions, as shown by the lineup from the reverse fixture, on the opening day of the season in August.

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From the players who made up Appleton’s first XI, seven have now left the club.

Only Jake Wright, Danny Rose, Josh Ruffels and Michael Collins have survived to make the trip to Burton this weekend.

The U’s boss always suspected this would be the case and does not believe the end of the reshuffle is in sight.

He said: “Whether they’re done before Saturday it looks highly unlikely, but there are still another two I’d like to do as quickly as we possibly can.”

Appleton is aware of the need to strike a balance between adding new faces and keeping a settled side.

But the remodelling is now focused on improving the variety available to make an impact.

He said: “As a manager you want to be able to turn to your bench, whether it’s after 20 minutes or ten minutes to go, and have different options of how you might win, save a game, keep it tight, whatever it may be.

“At the minute I think we’re a little bit short – in terms of options on the bench you’ve almost got like-for-like.

“I want to get away from that and having to just change someone because they’re a fresh pair of legs.”

He added: “You’ve got to do the right thing for the football club and the team.

“If bringing players in is the right thing for the rest of the squad to achieve what we want, between now and the end of the season, then that’s what you’ve got to do.”

United’s churning squad suggests the campaign in transition which is yet to find a consistent winning formula, as shown by their 18th place in the Sky Bet League Two table.

And Appleton admitted the priority for the final third is on reaching safety as quickly as possible, before they can look beyond the short-term.

“It’s dead simple – the sooner we get to that 50-point mark the better.

“Then you can start looking a bit further ahead.

“We need points and the players are aware of that.

“They’re not stupid and we will do that as quick as we possibly can.”

He added: “But in terms of the players we’re bringing in, I’d like to think it’s starting to show signs of what we want to do and how we want to do it.”

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