Transfer News Summer Transfer Preview

[Foley]

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!!

I am.not sure that many want to get rid of them!
My question was more relating to whether Greg Leigh would be happy being back up ( if Murphy stays Des clearly prefers Bennett in big games).
Bennett seems to fit Des's style more than Leigh.
Interesting that in a number if games Leigh has come on as a wide MF player when we are trying to see out a game rather than at left back.

 

[Marked Ox]

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'll disagree on this point, he is fine as a defensive right back with the way Des sets his system up. He is no longer an attacking full back though after the injuries caught up with his speed.

He can be replaced with better but he is a right back in the way Des wants to play. If we do get promoted then we would need 2 new right backs though, otherwise SL as one of 2 (with him as the back up) in L1 I'm fine with.

 

[Nadi-]

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.

I note you are prepared to accept Leigh and Bennett can be used with different different skill sets.
Likewise McGuane comes into play when possession is required, When Goodrham and Rodrigues are less affective.

 

[tonyw]

I note you are prepared to accept Leigh and Bennett can be used with different different skill sets.
Likewise McGuane comes into play when possession is required, When Goodrham and Rodrigues are less affective.

I don't want to continue paying what we're surely paying McGuane just for a player that we can bring on to slow the game down in the last 15-20 minutes if we're winning. Especially when Josh McEachran can also do that (whilst simultaneously being willing and able to ping a 50 yard cross-field ball when needed).

Greg Leigh has shown that he can adapt his game to fit within Des' system, even though he's clearly more comfortable when he's able to maraud forward (and Joe Bennett is perhaps a more natural fit behind Murphy). I didn't see any sign from McGuane that he could do the same - in fact, I think he was poor from the day Des walked through the door until he was finally, mercifully dropped after Bolton.

 

[tonyw]

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?

Not worth the risk for me.....who's really going to pay a significant fee for a player who's now 25, and has yet to put together a full season? I think there will be better, or at least more proven, consistent players available on a free this summer.

It's been said before - but look at Portsmouth. They were brutal last summer - released 14, including some players who had been pretty key for them. But Mous knew that they didn't fit how he wanted to play.....if we're serious about competing for the automatics next season, we need to do the same.

(course if we do win the playoffs, then we're going to have to be even more brutal!)

 

[Whingit]

McGuane could be useful when we come up against a low-block and have loads of possession, such as Stevenage the other week. The way we want to play and the way we have to play sometimes are two different things, so it's always good to have options.

 

[battman]

I think it may be worth triggering the extension for McGuane, seeing if there’s an appetite from other clubs to pay a fee, and keeping him as a useful squad. Probably depends on how much he’s earning though; if it’s a big wage you may just be better off releasing and exploring other options.

 

[Osleroad]

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.

Don't see how that works out- if Murphy goes then he'll be replaced like for like-Greg has a role in the squad any which way.

 

[WRox]

Don't see how that works out- if Murphy goes then he'll be replaced like for like-Greg has a role in the squad any which way.

I think if we lose Murphy, we’ll struggle to replace with someone as explosive so could need a bit more adventure from left back. A lot of assumptions there though, and agree - he’ll have a role anyway.

 

[Joey]

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?

I'd also argue that McGuane was sensational at the start of last season as well and was already tailing off this year before Manning turned up, so there may be a psychological issue there as well as style of play clash. It seems he comes back invigorated after a break and then struggles to maintain it, a shame because he was probably the best player in the whole league for the first couple of months.

A pity but assuming we're backing Des I don't see much point holding on to a player presumably on a good wage who only plays sparingly, unless we feel we can get into his head over the summer and coach out the cautiousness that leads him to look for the safe sideways option. I'd also say that when he's at his best in August and September he plays more aggressively going forwards and barely Murphy there's no one else in the squad who goes past a man so easily. If we can get that version and encourage him to shoot more and look for a more incisive pass then great but it's a lot to ask. I think he's actually got as many goals from open play as Brannagan this season.

 

[tonyw]

I'd also argue that McGuane was sensational at the start of last season as well and was already tailing off this year before Manning turned up, so there may be a psychological issue there as well as style of play clash. It seems he comes back invigorated after a break and then struggles to maintain it, a shame because he was probably the best player in the whole league for the first couple of months.

A pity but assuming we're backing Des I don't see much point holding on to a player presumably on a good wage who only plays sparingly, unless we feel we can get into his head over the summer and coach out the cautiousness that leads him to look for the safe sideways option. I'd also say that when he's at his best in August and September he plays more aggressively going forwards and barely Murphy there's no one else in the squad who goes past a man so easily. If we can get that version and encourage him to shoot more and look for a more incisive pass then great but it's a lot to ask. I think he's actually got as many goals from open play as Brannagan this season.

I'll give a thumbs up for the general notion, but reply for the stats pedantry.....believe Cam scored three goals from open play this season, and McGuane only two - one of which was in the Cup.

 

[Kiewhite]

Let’s not even discuss negru going. The man has the potential and age to with hard work go to the very top. Stay in league 1 and he can easily be in the 1st 11 next year or challenge. Get to championship and loan him out he’s 1 I don’t want to loose just yet

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

Let’s not even discuss negru going. The man has the potential and age to with hard work go to the very top. Stay in league 1 and he can easily be in the 1st 11 next year or challenge. Get to championship and loan him out he’s 1 I don’t want to loose just yet

He’s not getting in for Elliott Moore anytime soon.

 

[Hook]

I think it may be worth triggering the extension for McGuane, seeing if there’s an appetite from other clubs to pay a fee, and keeping him as a useful squad. Probably depends on how much he’s earning though; if it’s a big wage you may just be better off releasing and exploring other options.

Herbie Kane? OOC this summer. No way is he sticking around at Barnsley.

 

[Joey]

I'll give a thumbs up for the general notion, but reply for the stats pedantry.....believe Cam scored three goals from open play this season, and McGuane only two - one of which was in the Cup.

12 goals, nine penalties and a sole free kick against Derby isn't it? I'm sure his only open play goals were deflected efforts against Wigan and Fleetwood.

Not saying that two goals is a good haul, if anything it just highlights that Brannagan has probably underperformed really in terms of goals. Tremendous penalty record but for the amount of shots he has he should have had a few more. I'd also be taking him off of free kicks and corners pretty lively.

 

[ttg17]

Herbie Kane? OOC this summer. No way is he sticking around at Barnsley.

Would love to see what he could do here played in his proper role. Still only 25.

 

[tonto]

Herbie Kane only 25! He looks much older.

 

[tonto]

Would like him back perhaps

 

[holdsteady]

Herbie Kane only 25! He looks much older.

He looks a bit younger than he did when he was here but think he has had a bit of help with that.