Current Player #5 Elliott Moore

[TailsWeWin]

A massive job for Des and the recruitment team if we make it on Saturday. Watching the respective play offs - Championship to L2 - there looks huge chasms in ability between each division. You don't very often get to watch two back to back matches from each division in the space of a week or so but, having watched pretty much all of them, we (along with our other play off rivals) look well ahead of those in L2 but well off the pace of the game in the Championship. I don't think the gaps in class - including NL to L2 and Championship to PL - have ever been greater in recent times. Will be fascinating to see how we recruit should it be at Championship level.

Although i agree there is certainly a gap in class, don’t forget you were watching the BEST teams in the Championship, not the mid table Watford, Stoke and Swanseas.

 

[beyondthefourth]

My only worry is that (apart from the last few games) when we were winning 4-0, 5-0 it was Murphy who was the catalyst of those victories by being just a clear step above this level. If he leaves we will struggle to recruit a left winger who can operate at that level, and without that we will look a little less threatening.

I would suggest Edwards showed himself to be top quality during his few games before injury. It just depends how fit we could keep him next season.

 

[Foley]

Although i agree there is certainly a gap in class, don’t forget you were watching the BEST teams in the Championship, not the mid table Watford, Stoke and Swanseas.

I agree.
I went to see Watford v Preston in the Championship, and was surprised at the lack of quality.
Preston were incredibly hard working ( and quite direct) and whist Watford has 2 to 3 small, tricky players, they didn't look dangerous.
Virtually no shots in target in the game.

 

[Osei Yaw]

My only worry is that (apart from the last few games) when we were winning 4-0, 5-0 it was Murphy who was the catalyst of those victories by being just a clear step above this level. If he leaves we will struggle to recruit a left winger who can operate at that level, and without that we will look a little less threatening.

I agree with Murphy being the difference maker and playing above this level... but he's also on wages that are a clear step above League 1. If he doesn't re-sign for next season, then we should take comfort that we could put his wages towards 2 good players to replace him (assuming we keep the budget the same).

As much as I've enjoyed watching his performances over the last couple of months, I am a little twitchy that we are overly reliant on one or two players coming up with something for us. With essentially a cup final to go for this season then that's not a problem for the here and now, but over the course of a season then it's no good (as we have just seen).

I expect a pretty big rebuild whichever league we're in next season.

 

[ChamonixOx]

Two players standout this season, Brannagan and Moore. The latter has been a man mountain. Strangely some questioned him in the past, but for me, has been one of the best defenders to play for Oxford and never played as well without him this season. Colossal defender who reads the play so well. Deserves legendary status alongside players such as Colin Clarke, Dave Roberts, Malcolm Shotton, Gary Briggs, and Matt Elliot in my view (which is praise indeed)!

 

[chromeyellow]

Agree that Moore and Brannagan have both been excellent but are you really saying Josh Murphy didn’t stand out this season?

 

[Eric Blair]

A team of stand outs to be honest. If you are going to bring up Elliott Moore (rightly) then also Ciaron Brown.

 

[Yellow River]

Moore is a much better player under Buckingham than he ever was when Robinson was here.
The same is true of Murphy.
It’s not rocket science but Brown is a better central defender than a leftback. Bennett is a leftback.
I also think Brannigan is playing the best football of his career this season.
Goodrham playing regularly has helped his development immensely, and again playing his best football under Buckingham.

The signings of Beadle/Cumming, Bennet, Leigh, McEachran, Rodrigues, Dale and Harris have helped transform us from a team that was heading for League 2 under Robinson to a team that will be playing Championship football next season.

Some people are just better coaches and man-managers.

 

[ChamonixOx]

Agree that Moore and Brannagan have both been excellent but are you really saying Josh Murphy didn’t stand out this season?

If you look back on my posts you’ll see I always felt Murphy has outstanding talent, I did even suggest on once that he was one of the most talented players I’ve seen in a Yellow shirt, Premier League standard (although I feel on reflection more Championship), but in the above reference to Moore and Brannagan I used the word ‘season’, and the difference between Josh and these two, is that consistency. No one would doubt Josh’s contribution in the run in, and in Buckingham he has his ideal motivator, but over the season he has yet to demonstrate the same level as the other two for us, whether that reflects previous managers or otherwise.

 

[chromeyellow]

Murphy wasn't picked by Manning,

Since he's been picked he;'s been outstanding, The best player in league 1.

The fact that Liam Manning disliked him says a great deal about the man.

No Josh Murphy no Championship

 

[Swaby39]

Murphy wasn't picked by Manning,

Since he's been picked he;'s been outstanding, The best player in league 1.

The fact that Liam Manning disliked him says a great deal about the man.

No Josh Murphy no Championship

I don’t think it’s quite as simple as that.

Horses for courses. Both managers made good choices for what they each respectfully needed to get the team playing their way and both got the results needed to get us here. So it’s not all about Murphy.

Murphy may not have been for Manning (rightly or wrongly) but it’s not like results suddenly turned with his inclusion - we were fine without him. But once Manning left, so did that style of play and Murphy became central to how Desball plays out and thats what is more important now.

 

[chromeyellow]

I don’t think it’s quite as simple as that.

Horses for courses. Both managers made good choices for what they each respectfully needed to get the team playing their way and both got the results needed to get us here. So it’s not all about Murphy.

Murphy may not have been for Manning (rightly or wrongly) but it’s not like results suddenly turned with his inclusion - we were fine without him. But once Manning left, so did that style of play and Murphy became central to how Desball plays out and thats what is more important now.

It was as simple as that. Manning didn't pick Murphy.

Clearly Manning didn't have much faith in what he was doing since he jumped ship as soon as he could and did his best to make as difficult as possible as he could for his successor.

I didn't say it was "all about Murphy" I did say I didn't see how he can be left out of the list of outstanding players this season.

But I see you're still hankering for Manning.