Exeter City's ongoing problem: Owen Dale swoop leaves a lot to be desired | OneFootball

Exeter City have been linked with a move for Oxford United's Owen Dale, but his numbers in the last few seasons leave a lot to be desired.

Gary Caldwell wants Exeter City fans to stop going on about the 4-1 win over Blackpool.

The problem for Caldwell, though, is that win has been by far the Grecians' standout performance this season and is proof that they can produce free-flowing attacking football at a pace that excites the supporters.

City ran rings around a hotly-tipped Tangerines side in their first home game of the season but their four other performances in league and cup have, largely, left a lot to be desired.

The Exeter boss has made no secret of his desire to add a few new faces before the window closes at the start of next month and wide players seem to be high on the agenda.

It's easy to see why.

While Ilmari Niskanen will run all day for you and then fling himself through a brick wall at the end of it all if required, his final ball often leaves plenty to be desired.

City's players' player of the year, Jack McMillan, fits into a similar sort of box, and he's a good solid pro who has vital versatility.

Is he going to break open a game for the Grecians, play a killer pass or put one away on the break to cap a perfect away performance?

It never feels like it and history, numbers and results speak for themselves.

McMillan has become the City fans' whipping boy over the last six months or so, which feels harsh, and he should get more respect than he does from certain sections.

On the left, Ryan Rydel has arrived from Stockport County on a season-long loan but he, like many in the City ranks, came into the season injured and is yet to get up to speed.

Academy product Tom Dean has also featured this season and started Tuesday night's fortunate 1-0 win at Wycombe Wanderers on the right, but he isn't the finished article yet and the 19-year-old was dragged at half-time.

Exeter looking for wide players

City really need good wing backs who can stay fit, especially on the right, assuming that Rydel can get going and put in performances that County fans promised Grecians when his loan was confirmed.

It's no surprise then to see Devon's top-ranked club linked with wide men with Owen Dale of Oxford United the latest, after Football League World exclusively revealed interest in former Chairboy Kieran Sadlier.

According to Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, Caldwell is keen on the former Crewe Alexandra and Portsmouth man on what is described as a ‘lengthy and lucrative contract’.

Anyone who knows how the Grecians work will be alarmed by those words but, while there has been much talk about City's budget in recent weeks, there is still some money left to spend.

City are desperate for quality going forward on the wings, as one fan commented online after Saturday's disappointing 2-1 home loss to Mansfield that Caldwell's preferred formation and insistence on three at the back requires the wing backs to be the best players in the team, but they're currently the worst.

On that basis, maybe it is worth throwing some cash at someone with a bit of quality, but does Dale fit the bill?

Owen Dale's recent numbers are unimpressive

Oxford fans certainly seem positive about the 26-year-old, who has struggled to get much of a look in since their promotion to the Championship.

He spent the second half of last season at Wigan Athletic and didn't make much of an impression during his 81 minutes on the pitch for them in the 1-1 draw at St James Park in April.

His cold, hard numbers over the last few years don't make particularly inspiring reading either.

Since joining Oxford from Blackpool in 2023 he's made 48 appearances for them and the Tics, scoring a combined two goals and setting up three.

His career has largely been one of 'what ifs' and struggling for gametime, though he has mostly been at clubs higher up the pyramid than City in the Championship and upper reaches of League One.

He's had a couple of good seasons at this level where he's had a decent output and regular games, most recently at Fratton Park in the 2022/23 season and, most notably, where he started his career at Crewe with an impressive 12 goals and two assists in 48 appearances in all competitions for the then League One side in 2020/21.

Versatile Owen Dale fits Gary Caldwell's preferences

There's no doubt that City would be a step-down for Dale, and that the reported offer of a ‘lengthy and lucrative contract’ could be needed to get a potential deal over the line.

He's still only 26 but has a lot of experience and, if he's got anything about him, you'd assume that he'd get plenty of starts at St James Park over City's current crop of defensive-minded wing backs if he was to arrive.

It's worth pointing out that Dale is not really a wing back and has played most of his career as a right-footed left-winger, so he would bring the versatility that Caldwell loves from his wing backs, but not the defensive solidarity.

If he does come in, hopefully he's a smash hit and can enjoy the prime of his career down in Devon on that reported long-term deal, but his numbers over the last few years leave a lot to be desired and, frankly, aren't much better than what City already have, which is a big worry.