If Darren Patterson gets his wish, Oxford United could have up to three new signings ready to make their debuts against Altrincham ton Saturday.

The U's boss has been working hard this week to bring in the players he knows the squad needs to turn United from mid-table mediocrity into potential play-off chasers.

It goes without saying that a striker who has a record of scoring goals is likely to be high on his priority list, along with a creative midfielder.

Patterson would not say last night who his targets are, but he is hopeful that at least a couple of them will be arriving in Oxfordshire this morning, possibly to train with the team if terms can be agreed and then sign on the dotted line in time.

It's believed the potential new signings include permanent and loan targets, and some have Football League experience and some Conference experience.

"We're in negotiations for three players and we're very hopeful that they'll be signed and available for Saturday," Patterson said.

"I think it would give everyone a boost if we could bring in some new signings - not just a boost for the fans, but it would be a boost for the players here as well.

"I'm trying to bring players in that can handle playing for Oxford United. By that, I mean that they're able to deal with the massive expectations there are on this club.

"We're seen as this big club at this level, that should be miles clear at the top of the table, that should be winning games 5-0, and all that brings extra pressure.

"Perhaps we also need to change perspectives, though. I was asked by one of the media about us giving an opposition team a spanking, and the goals flying in. Let me say this . . . I'll be quite happy to win 1-0 tomorrow.

"We won 3-1 up there, but Altrincham will be a tough game. And our record against teams in and around the bottom of the table is not good."

It was much earlier in the season that I strongly criticised Marvin Robinson when nothing went right for him in the home game against Aldershot.

In hindsight, maybe that was unfair. Even he hasn't had the misery in front of goal that the current striking duo have faced.

Yemi Odubade has not scored in his last 11 appearances, and Rob Duffy hasn't found the net in his last eight, which, because of his broken arm, means last season's top scorer hasn't netted since September!

So what's gone wrong with Duffy and Odubade?

Yes, Odubade in particular has missed chances. But the team still creates very few good scoring opportunities every game.

"I'm not happy with the amount of chances we're creating," Patterson stressed. "It'll change, I've no doubt about it.

"It's a collective responsibility to score goals, not just the strikers. We need to be better from wide, from central and from set-pieces.

"We've got one of the best deliverers of set-pieces in this league, I believe, in Alex Jeannin, so we should be doing better from them."

It's an interesting poser whether the U's will play Jeannin on Saturday.

The Frenchman has a clause in his contract that stipulates he is entited to an extra year on his contract once he has made 25 league appearances this season, and Saturday would be his 25th.

The player, and of course Patterson, are aware of the situation, though it's understood the new boss wasn't told of it until quite recently.

But United surely don't want to go down the route of two seasons ago, under Brian Talbot, when they suddenly stopped playing Lee Bradbury so that his new deal wouldn't 'kick-in'.

Altrincham have made four signings this week, all of them on loan. In have come defender James Jennings (from Macclesfield), defender Liam King and 20-year-old striker Tom Cahill (Rotherham) and right back Ryan Toulson (Halifax).