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[WRox]

I just wonder whether Greg Leigh might be concerned as to his lack of game time in a Des system?
His best attributes seen to be as an attacking full back, but Des clearly prefers his full backs as defenders first and playing in the winger in front if him.

Yeah he’s certainly had to adjust, if he was OOC I’d be worried about losing him for those reasons. I think if Murphy goes then he’ll establish himself as first choice LB again though, Bennett’s relationship with Murphy key to him getting the nod lately.

 

[Left Wing Cross]

I just wonder whether Greg Leigh might be concerned as to his lack of game time in a Des system?
His best attributes seen to be as an attacking full back, but Des clearly prefers his full backs as defenders first and playing in the winger in front if him.

It could also be that our midfielders are not very defensively minded. We score loads of goals but we also concede a lot too.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

People keep saying dead wood but the dead wood are doing quite well on the whole. Though I don’t expect to see Seddon and Findlay again

See Portsmouth for how ruthless we would need to be.

 

[BicesterU]

Would be surprised if Goodrham was still with us next season, hope I'm wrong.

I've heard rumours of a reunion with Mous at Portsmouth. Would be sad to see him go, but hopefully he can go out on a high. And the contract he signed this year hopefully means we're in a good position to command a fee that reflects his value to us and his undoubted potential.

 

[Carpy]

I just wonder whether Greg Leigh might be concerned as to his lack of game time in a Des system?

If I'm Des, which clearly, I am, I'd allow him to leave, I've always been less than convinced that he is as good as people make out and he doesn't fit the system we play as he's neither solid enough as a left back or skillful and dynamic enough as a winger.

 

[brassmonkey]

Would like us to sign a pacy ball playing cb. Someone similar to Atkinson, dickie etc who can bring the ball out and break the lines.

 

[brassmonkey]

I just wonder whether Greg Leigh might be concerned as to his lack of game time in a Des system?
His best attributes seen to be as an attacking full back, but Des clearly prefers his full backs as defenders first and playing in the winger in front if him.

Not sure it's just a des system. Don't think he played regularly in the Ipswich promotion season and hasn't been very good for us the past few months. Perfect squad quality type player though

 

[WRox]

Not sure it's just a des system. Don't think he played regularly in the Ipswich promotion season and hasn't been very good for us the past few months. Perfect squad quality type player though

I think that was more down to Leif Davis being too good for the Championship, let alone League One.

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

Yep I’m all for that.

We need to stop the habit of going for players that have bad injury track records. Enough is enough.

Edwards will be staying I suspect.

I think they plan on having Bennett/Murphy & Leigh/Edwards as our left side options.

This give us great balance and you have 2 sets of players who already have long standing relationships.

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

Would be surprised if Goodrham was still with us next season, hope I'm wrong.

If the fee Coventry/Middlesborough offer us is north of £2 million then it’s a no brained for me.

 

[Swaby39]

I wouldn't mind if we kept all of those, I just made the list based on an ideal world where decent offers were made

Slightly more problematic in the championship in my opinion, should we get there. Even if limited to backup game time, only one of those stands any chance of coping with the standard and even that is fitness dependent. We should not be expecting to go up and stay up with up to 20% of the squad clinging on to league one standard.

I expect to be told we can and will carry some that make up the numbers but that to me is the mindset of a plucky over achiever out of their depth. We should be able to go up and mix it.

Whether we can move those players on is another question. I’d expect there to be takers in the north for Thorniley at least.

 

[Symp59]

There is a 0% chance Sam Long will be going anywhere.

He will be off to Salford for £50,000

 

[Symp59]

I think (?) Smyth has another 12 months to go on his contract. Could see him go on a season long loan to one of the better L2 clubs. Shame, as he can play. But he seems careless and looks like he has a mistake in him most games.

Out on loan we need better which ever league we are in,

 

[Symp59]

Slightly more problematic in the championship in my opinion, should we get there. Even if limited to backup game time, only one of those stands any chance of coping with the standard and even that is fitness dependent. We should not be expecting to go up and stay up with up to 20% of the squad clinging on to league one standard.

I expect to be told we can and will carry some that make up the numbers but that to me is the mindset of a plucky over achiever out of their depth. We should be able to go up and mix it.

Whether we can move those players on is another question. I’d expect there to be takers in the north for Thorniley at least.

Yes Hopefully, league 2

 

[tonyw]

Think it would be a big mistake, if we let Murphy, Browne, McGuane, just walk away.
All 3 have proved what assets they are to the club. Maybe Edwards will be the one worth taking a gamble on.
Have quality out wide and used sensible, lesser risk to injury, Browne and Edwards have been rushed back to early by previous managers. And Murphys shown when right how good he can be.
With Goodrham and Dale there’s plenty of wide alternative options, for competition.
Midfield really needs bolstering, but McGuane is championship standard when in good form. It needs strengthening not dismantling.

Wholly disagree......well two thirds disagree.

Murphy we should (and I'm pretty certain from all the talk we have) offer a contract to, and try and get him to stay. He's been a revelation the second half of this season, and you want to do whatever you can to keep the Murphy/Des magic going. Don't know that we'll be able to if we don't get promoted.....but we try.

But Marcus Browne has not contributed to a goal this season. Zero goals, zero assists. He can't stay fit over his career, and even when he does play - I think he flatters to deceive more often than not. Clearly has talent, but too often makes the wrong decisions in the final third. I've also thought that he's looked a little tentative and half a yard slower since he's come back at the back end of this season. Plus, undoubtedly on a big wage. Time for us to move on.

Marcus McGuane simply doesn't fit Des' system. Under Des, we are all about getting the ball forward quickly (either the long diagonal, or Tyler/Ruben carrying the ball through the middle) so that our forwards have the maximum amount of time and space to work in and do damage. MM is all about maintaining possession at all costs. The single decision that Des made that did the most to turn around our season late on was to realize this and drop him after Bolton; we've been a completely different side ever since.
Could he be a top player for a possession-based side (e.g. one that Manning might put together)? Yes, absolutely. But that's not how Des wants to play, so it would be lunacy to pay a big wage to keep a player who doesn't fit our system.


We need to be filling our squad with more players who fit the way Des wants to play, and who we can be confident of getting 40+ 7/10+ performances from a season.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Not sure it's just a des system. Don't think he played regularly in the Ipswich promotion season and hasn't been very good for us the past few months. Perfect squad quality type player though

Leigh might want more game time than just being 20 minutes off the bench here and there. I can see the better understanding developing between Murphy and Bennett than there was with Leigh but I think Leigh would weigh in with 6-8 goals a season and not sure Bennett has one in him. Leigh is a massive back post goal threat too and when you've got a leap like he's got that's going to make a difference in attack and defence. I can see the argument for both and also get that calmness and assuredness that Bennett gives that perhaps Leigh doesn't.

 

[tonyw]

On Leigh/Bennett.....I've been waiting my entire Oxford-watching career for us to have two reliable options at left back. We finally do - and they have different skillsets so you can use them situationally - and now people want to get rid of one of them?!? Hell with that - keep them both!!

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

There is a 0% chance Sam Long will be going anywhere.

For me he would be our reserve right side centre back. That is where Long is best by a mile. He is not a right back.

I’d have Moore & Brown as the starting pair.
Long as back up whilst moving Thorniley & Negru (hopefully for a tidy fee) on.

I’d then sign a promising ball playing left sided centre back who could be option number 4 after Moore, Brown & Long. In the mould of Atkinson when he came from Eastleigh.

Leigh & Bennett would be fine as your left backs. Both superb at what they do.

I’d then sign 2 right backs.
One with experience (Rafferty let go by Portsmouth) and one with a younger profile who we could develop as our long term starter. Shame Lofthouse never stuck around.

Rafferty Moore Brown Bennett
Young RB, Long, Young LCB, Leigh

8 defenders.

That’s if we stay in League One ofc. If we were to go up, far more changes would be needed.

 

[Left Wing Cross]

He will be off to Salford for £50,000

Only if he's injured

 

[Yellow River]

Wholly disagree......well two thirds disagree.

Murphy we should (and I'm pretty certain from all the talk we have) offer a contract to, and try and get him to stay. He's been a revelation the second half of this season, and you want to do whatever you can to keep the Murphy/Des magic going. Don't know that we'll be able to if we don't get promoted.....but we try.

But Marcus Browne has not contributed to a goal this season. Zero goals, zero assists. He can't stay fit over his career, and even when he does play - I think he flatters to deceive more often than not. Clearly has talent, but too often makes the wrong decisions in the final third. I've also thought that he's looked a little tentative and half a yard slower since he's come back at the back end of this season. Plus, undoubtedly on a big wage. Time for us to move on.

Marcus McGuane simply doesn't fit Des' system. Under Des, we are all about getting the ball forward quickly (either the long diagonal, or Tyler/Ruben carrying the ball through the middle) so that our forwards have the maximum amount of time and space to work in and do damage. MM is all about maintaining possession at all costs. The single decision that Des made that turned around our season late on was to realize this and drop him after Bolton; we've been a completely different side ever since.
Could he be a top player for a possession-based side (e.g. one that Manning might put together)? Yes, absolutely. But that's not how Des wants to play, so it would be lunacy to pay a big wage to keep a player who doesn't fit our system.


We need to be filling our squad with more players who fit the way Des wants to play, and who we can be confident of getting 40+ 7/10+ performances from a season.

McGuane is an interesting one. Before Manning arrived I always thought that he flattered to deceive, technically good but his first instinct is to retain possession more often than not with a pass backwards or side wards. He certainly played his best football under Manning, but seems unable to adjust to Buckingham’s more positive, quick turnover forward play. He slows us down.

So do the club trigger the extra year on his contract to try and get a fee for him, but with the chance that he might have an unhappy player at the club for another year on a decent salary, if no one wants to pay that fee?