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Current Player Thread Greg Leigh

Historically it feels like Oxford fans have always been against a wingback system. It probably doesn't help that it's only ever been used here as a defensive tactic, whereas I suppose in theory it could be attacking (as Boris has said, if it's more of a 3-4-3). I think setting the right tone from the first game next season will be make or break for Bloomfield. Get the right tactics and lineup, and get the win, fans will be on board. Show any hint that we're going defensive, or looking to continue our tactical approach from the Championship, and it won't take long for it to get toxic I fear.

Back to Greg though, I would definitely keep him! I suspect he'll tell us to b****r off though after the way we've treated him!
 
OnlyOneUnited said:
Historically it feels like Oxford fans have always been against a wingback system. It probably doesn't help that it's only ever been used here as a defensive tactic, whereas I suppose in theory it could be attacking (as Boris has said, if it's more of a 3-4-3). I think setting the right tone from the first game next season will be make or break for Bloomfield. Get the right tactics and lineup, and get the win, fans will be on board. Show any hint that we're going defensive, or looking to continue our tactical approach from the Championship, and it won't take long for it to get toxic I fear.

Back to Greg though, I would definitely keep him! I suspect he'll tell us to b****r off though after the way we've treated him!
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Im not against three at the back in certain situations. If you have better players than the rest of the teams in your league like Shef Utd did in L1 it's great. Also, in certain tactical situations. However, as a system played week in and out, it does get found out I.e Man Utd under their previous manager. Its also hard to build a whole squad around it so if your wing back gets injured for example, getting another similar player to come in. I don't think it is played that much at academy or grassroots level or even at professional level compared to four at the back so players are not that use to it..
 
werthersoriginal said:
Whenever we’ve done it attacking mainly consists of full backs labouring up the wings. Very dull, though obviously other teams manage it.
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That is why I mentioned about the right players being recruited to play that system if that is the one we wanted to go down.
Roosken, Spencer and Currie are very different types of wingbacks to the days of McNiven and Robinson!
 
Steve Gilbert said:
That is why I mentioned about the right players being recruited to play that system if that is the one we wanted to go down.
Roosken, Spencer and Currie are very different types of wingbacks to the days of McNiven and Robinson!
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I was thinking of Sam Stockley! Of the ones you mention only Roosken really seems a wingback.
 
I genuinely think both Leigh and Dembele would have given us more in this run in. Perhaps I’m harping back to last season when both made timely and important contributions but Dembele for example would have offered more than Woo has from the bench and I think, on the ball, he’d have given at least as much as MPH did. Donley has been a waste of space - one of our worst loans in recent times.
 
dickwalton1964 said:
I genuinely think both Leigh and Dembele would have given us more in this run in. Perhaps I’m harping back to last season when both made timely and important contributions but Dembele for example would have offered more than Woo has from the bench and I think, on the ball, he’d have given at least as much as MPH did. Donley has been a waste of space - one of our worst loans in recent times.
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Time stands still for no-one -these players are all 2 years older and have done their bit. Even Bradshaw is seemingly doing OK in Lg 1 which just shows the gap.
 
The gap is huge. And even bigger from the champ to the prem. Money talks.
What I would say is that if Currie, Spencer, Cumming, Deersnacker, Cam, for eg attract champ interest, we could fetch 15m plus in to the transfer budget. IF spent wisely, that could put us in a very strong position. Unfortunately I don’t trust the club to do that at the moment.
 
Gregortheox said:
The gap is huge. And even bigger from the champ to the prem. Money talks.
What I would say is that if Currie, Spencer, Cumming, Deersnacker, Cam, for eg attract champ interest, we could fetch 15m plus in to the transfer budget. IF spent wisely, that could put us in a very strong position. Unfortunately I don’t trust the club to do that at the moment.
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That's some pot to spend on transfers and at least gets; us into conversations. Our wage budget isn't one of the lowest but then our squad is somewhat bloated and we went all out to try and expand quality. Those strikers with experience and the stats to prove it are few snd far between and command v. large fees as we know.
 
dickwalton1964 said:
Donely has been a waste of space - one of our worst loans in recent times.
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This is genuinely confusing me. Am I watching a different player? Lots of people are criticising Donely and I just dont see it. He is by far the best number 10 we’ve had all season and has real quality about him. Compare him to Ebowei for example or Burey. Not only is he nothing like them in terms of contribution, I think he has been a real asset. Am I being blind or something?
 
Eric Blair said:
This is genuinely confusing me. Am I watching a different player? Lots of people are criticising Donely and I just dont see it. He is by far the best number 10 we’ve had all season and has real quality about him. Compare him to Ebowei for example or Burey. Not only is he nothing like them in terms of contribution, I think he has been a real asset. Am I being blind or something?
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You are comparing him to two wingers we had in league one though?
 
Eric Blair said:
This is genuinely confusing me. Am I watching a different player? Lots of people are criticising Donely and I just dont see it. He is by far the best number 10 we’ve had all season and has real quality about him. Compare him to Ebowei for example or Burey. Not only is he nothing like them in terms of contribution, I think he has been a real asset. Am I being blind or something?
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He's not a waste of space he's done some good stuff in league 1 he would probably be awesome, thats why I hope we keep Leigh great in league 2 especially if Currie is sold.
 
Eric Blair said:
That was in response to @dickwalton1964 saying he is the worst loanee of recent times. Regardless, I think he’s offered something different and is the best no. 10 this season. What do you think?
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Ah, that makes sense, I thought they were strange comparisons.

Mixed bag for me, start was obviously delayed by the injury, then once he had himself fit he did well, but has now tailed off. @werthersoriginal made a good point to me on a different thread that whoever we play in that role has struggled and he is right, it’s probably the hardest position to play for us as we don’t have enough of the ball for a number 10 to work of off.
 
Gregortheox said:
The gap is huge. And even bigger from the champ to the prem. Money talks.
What I would say is that if Currie, Spencer, Cumming, Deersnacker, Cam, for eg attract champ interest, we could fetch 15m plus in to the transfer budget. IF spent wisely, that could put us in a very strong position. Unfortunately I don’t trust the club to do that at the moment.
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Yeh and you lose the future.
No business looking to expand sells all the best
 
holdsteady said:
Ah, that makes sense, I thought they were strange comparisons.

Mixed bag for me, start was obviously delayed by the injury, then once he had himself fit he did well, but has now tailed off. @werthersoriginal made a good point to me on a different thread that whoever we play in that role has struggled and he is right, it’s probably the hardest position to play for us as we don’t have enough of the ball for a number 10 to work of off.
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Very true. @werthersoriginal has always struck me as a wise man.
 
holdsteady said:
Ah, that makes sense, I thought they were strange comparisons.

Mixed bag for me, start was obviously delayed by the injury, then once he had himself fit he did well, but has now tailed off. @werthersoriginal made a good point to me on a different thread that whoever we play in that role has struggled and he is right, it’s probably the hardest position to play for us as we don’t have enough of the ball for a number 10 to work of off.
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I also wonder if those extra NI World Cup games screwed him
 
Has Greg signed a new contract? I thought his ran out at the end of June but he seems to still be training with us. Hope he stays for L1
 
A strange situation with Leigh as he was put out in the cold by the club but, as he's such a popular figure, the fans were still singing his name during the end-of-season walk around the pitch after the Wednesday game.

Hopefully that will make it easier for him to come back into the playing squad (as well as having a fresh Head of Coach without the baggage of his predecessors).

Dembele is going to find it harder as, sadly, I can imagine the fans will get on his back if he isn't firing on all cylinders from the off. I hope to be wrong on that though as we're really going to need every available player until at least January, given the embargo.

We really do need to back the team fully during every game, rather than take frustrations with the club as a whole out on the players.
 
MJB said:
A strange situation with Leigh as he was put out in the cold by the club but, as he's such a popular figure, the fans were still singing his name during the end-of-season walk around the pitch after the Wednesday game.

Hopefully that will make it easier for him to come back into the playing squad (as well as having a fresh Head of Coach without the baggage of his predecessors).

Dembele is going to find it harder as, sadly, I can imagine the fans will get on his back if he isn't firing on all cylinders from the off. I hope to be wrong on that though as we're really going to need every available player until at least January, given the embargo.

We really do need to back the team fully during every game, rather than take frustrations with the club as a whole out on the players.
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League 1 is his game and I’m excited to see him play again.
 
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Greg Leigh is a top League One player, and a largely competent Championship one too.

We wasted him last season.

For some reason he was expected to be a top performer week in, week out. Whereas (for example) Sam Long's performances could massively fluctuate from one week to the next but he would still command the respect of the fanbase.

Players were afforded varying degrees of slack for occasionally being exposed against what might be a top, top Championship opponent. We threw the baby out with the bathwater on this one.
 
Greg Leigh had the capacity to show flashes of brilliance, two years ago when he last played in league 1. He was a good luxury attacking wide man.

Whether he can do that again now remains to be seen, and indeed if he is viewed as a full-time fixture at LB or LWB, our defence will be seriously compromised. I remember Bristol Rovers away, amongst others.

So I'm glad he is staying, but we will be incredibly vulnerable if he's our only option.
 
Basham Wonderland said:
Greg Leigh had the capacity to show flashes of brilliance, two years ago when he last played in league 1. He was a good luxury attacking wide man.

Whether he can do that again now remains to be seen, and indeed if he is viewed as a full-time fixture at LB or LWB, our defence will be seriously compromised. I remember Bristol Rovers away, amongst others.

So I'm glad he is staying, but we will be incredibly vulnerable if he's our only option.
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You'd assume he won't be the only option, given Currie, Roosken and Brown can all play on the left. We've even seen Spencer over there. It's the most oversubscribed position on the pitch at the moment.
 
carefreeoufc said:
You'd assume he won't be the only option, given Currie, Roosken and Brown can all play on the left. We've even seen Spencer over there. It's the most oversubscribed position on the pitch at the moment.
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Yes agreed, I'm just a bit nervous about some of those other names who might be heading off, considering our financial vulnerability at the moment. Wouldn't want to just be left with Leigh (and/or Roosken).
 
SamLongSlidingTackle said:
League 1 is his game and I’m excited to see him play again.
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Agree, he's an absolute physical specimen who offers a goal threat too, he'll do well next season.

He could even fill in higher up the pitch or a centre back given his heading ability and experience.

I'm happy he's here. Top bloke too.
 
Basham Wonderland said:
Yes agreed, I'm just a bit nervous about some of those other names who might be heading off, considering our financial vulnerability at the moment. Wouldn't want to just be left with Leigh (and/or Roosken).
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Agreed. Although Jerome did suggest on The Dub that of all the saleable assets, Currie might be the least painful one to get rid of. On paper, he's certainly correct in terms of cover.
 
I don't mind Leigh and the treatment of him has been shoddy at best given what he's done. I'm not sure I buy he will immediately look better in League One though. He was always a bit of a weak link defensively even the season we got promoted, and we required immediate improvement on him in the shape of Joe Bennett who came in and was a much better fit for us, and a much better player at that.
 
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