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Post by jimmycarterxi on May 3, 2017 23:27:28 GMT
IF Dunks goes I wish him well. When he first got in the team he made me very nervous every time the ball went near him but last season, 2015/16, he was undoubtably the most improved player we had. Scored important goals as well. If that's the last we've seen of him my final memory will be when the players came round the pitch at the end of the game on Sunday , he was singing along to the Tony Martinez song. Was it Barnet at home last season when he had a nightmare? Was lucky to be on the pitch at half time, when first came into team I couldn't look every time he received the ball......however his game has improved so so much in the past 18 months, will be sad to see him go
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Post by jimmycarterxi on May 3, 2017 23:29:12 GMT
I'd have kept him. I enjoy watching Dunks play. He gives his max every game. True,he had his bad games but they were pretty infrequent. His limit is back up Championship. Wouldn't be surprised if there is an element of truth to the report. What's to say we haven't tried to keep him??
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Post by itsoneofthem on May 4, 2017 3:57:36 GMT
IF Dunks goes I wish him well. When he first got in the team he made me very nervous every time the ball went near him but last season, 2015/16, he was undoubtably the most improved player we had. Scored important goals as well. If that's the last we've seen of him my final memory will be when the players came round the pitch at the end of the game on Sunday , he was singing along to the Tony Martinez song. Was it Barnet at home last season when he had a nightmare? Was lucky to be on the pitch at half time, when first came into team I couldn't look every time he received the ball......however his game has improved so so much in the past 18 months, will be sad to see him go I think that was Exeter on Boxing Day, got subbed at half time to stop the inevitable, but really should have walked by then.
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Post by middlebartonyellow on May 4, 2017 4:15:38 GMT
Of course the clubs being mentioned could probably pay him 3 times what Oxford can pay him I would have thought. No brainer for Dunkley.
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Post by ZeroTheHero on May 4, 2017 7:50:32 GMT
I'd have kept him. I enjoy watching Dunks play. He gives his max every game. True,he had his bad games but they were pretty infrequent. His limit is back up Championship. Wouldn't be surprised if there is an element of truth to the report. What's to say we haven't tried to keep him?? If that was the case, I am surprised that he didn't feature more in the games at the end of the season. You don't show a player how well regarded and indispensable he is by dropping him.
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Post by Paul Cannell on May 4, 2017 8:18:06 GMT
Tend to agree with Zero. It seems The App has determined that the signs of real progress are too long a-coming and turned Dunkley loose. It's disappointing but Dunks' positioning hasn't really improved this season and his head is still the shape of a thru'penny bit. He does care and give it all, but.....
Apparently he stayed over in Nottingham; went to check into the PremierTravelLodge - "The name's Cheyenne." "Have you got a reservation?".
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Post by osleroad on May 4, 2017 9:02:08 GMT
Surely Mapp wanted to see Raglan in extended run to see if was worth keeping and Chey had played a lot of footy and was a bit jaded? Anyhow they will both way up options.
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Post by oufcyellows on May 4, 2017 9:05:06 GMT
Surely Mapp wanted to see Raglan in extended run to see if was worth keeping and Chey had played a lot of footy and was a bit jaded? Anyhow they will both way up options. I think one of the only mistakes mapp made this season, was dropping raglan after a decent run to get Nelson back in the side, and not trying him back in the team earlier, especially after xmas when chey was looking dodgy and we had a hectic fixture list
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Post by Denissmithswig on May 4, 2017 9:14:45 GMT
Surely Mapp wanted to see Raglan in extended run to see if was worth keeping and Chey had played a lot of footy and was a bit jaded? Anyhow they will both way up options. I think one of the only mistakes mapp made this season, was dropping raglan after a decent run to get Nelson back in the side, and not trying him back in the team earlier, especially after xmas when chey was looking dodgy and we had a hectic fixture list This.
I think we would of conceded less goals with Raglan in the side than Chey this season as he is more assured and calmer. It is no coincidence that Nelson looks better with Raglan as he isn't having to worry about covering every time Dunkley slips or gets dragged out of position.
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Post by manorman on May 4, 2017 10:32:00 GMT
Raglan being cup tied was a problem for us as he was unable to get properly match fit. Mapp sees players in training every day so obviously makes his selection on that basis more so than what we see on a match to match basis. This is probably why Hemmings was not selected up front more often. It is also the reason that Dunkley was selected ahead of Raglan - Mapp simply thought he was the better option. What I think has unsettled Dunks a bit this season is that he has been asked to play on the left which is not his favoured side. Clearances and tackling are a different proposition when you are not naturally left footed. At the end of the season I agree that if he was going to keep Raglan he had to give him a run of games to assess him properly. Personally I was impressed with Raglan but he is not a threat in the opposition box like Dunkley. We all agree that we need a left sided centre back so if Martin recovers and proves to be at least as good as Raglan then I would certainly keep Dunkley who offers something different and let Raglan or Martin go and pursue the search for a genuine left sided centre back. Skarz is not an option for me as back up.
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Post by oufcyellows on May 4, 2017 10:42:33 GMT
Do u need a genuine left sided centre back when raglan hasn't looked any worse there than when he plays on the right. I agree dunkley is dodgy on the left, but Nelson was moved there to accommodate that and dunkley was still shaken and it also made Nelson worse. Dunkley is a threat in the opposition area, but that's doesn't have to be about height, didn't Edwards score more from corners than Chey this season? The difference is, both Nelson and raglan are much better positionally, and calmer with the ball at their feet. Both also can direct their headers out of danger, rather than straight back into trouble. I would still keep him if we had a chance, but as 3rd choice at present until he improves on his weaker aspects of his game
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Post by bazzer9461 on May 4, 2017 10:50:48 GMT
Do u need a genuine left sided centre back when raglan hasn't looked any worse there than when he plays on the right. I agree dunkley is dodgy on the left, but Nelson was moved there to accommodate that and dunkley was still shaken and it also made Nelson worse. Dunkley is a threat in the opposition area, but that's doesn't have to be about height, didn't Edwards score more from corners than Chey this season? The difference is, both Nelson and raglan are much better positionally, and calmer with the ball at their feet. Both also can direct their headers out of danger, rather than straight back into trouble. I would still keep him if we had a chance, but as 3rd choice at present until he improves on his weaker aspects of his game Unfortunately that has been my biggest bug bear with Dunks when clearing the ball And with time to do it he tends to head behind for a corner rather than out for a throw which looked easier
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Post by Denissmithswig on May 4, 2017 10:52:40 GMT
I don't get this thing about Dunkley being a threat in the opposition box? he has scored 3 goals this season, the same as Curtis Nelson.
Yes he wins a lot of headers at corners and free kicks but most go over the bar. For the amount of times he manages to get a free header at goal he should have a lot more than 3 goals in 52 games this season.
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Post by bigcrompy on May 4, 2017 11:16:09 GMT
What's to say we haven't tried to keep him?? If that was the case, I am surprised that he didn't feature more in the games at the end of the season. You don't show a player how well regarded and indispensable he is by dropping him. We don't know if and when a contract was offered, then rejected. If a month ago, then probably fair enough Dunkley getting dropped for the final few games, esp if Raglan has indicated a desire to be here next season.
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Post by horseman on May 4, 2017 11:19:38 GMT
without wishing to pour cold water on the raglan/nelson pairing, there were 2/3 incidents of unmarked players in or around the six yard box against the shrews which but for poor finishing may have had different comments on here.
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Post by ZeroTheHero on May 4, 2017 12:14:53 GMT
If that was the case, I am surprised that he didn't feature more in the games at the end of the season. You don't show a player how well regarded and indispensable he is by dropping him. We don't know if and when a contract was offered, then rejected. If a month ago, then probably fair enough Dunkley getting dropped for the final few games, esp if Raglan has indicated a desire to be here next season. True. He might have already rejected a contract or the club might have decided - with players on the books as defensive cover and a new left sided defender needed - that we wouldn't offer him one. Either way, his non-appearance for the last five matches of the season (since April 5th in fact) is pretty significant IMO.
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Post by oufcyellows on May 4, 2017 12:16:43 GMT
without wishing to pour cold water on the raglan/nelson pairing, there were 2/3 incidents of unmarked players in or around the six yard box against the shrews which but for poor finishing may have had different comments on here. I'm sure that could be said about games dunks played in as well. For instance I thought he's was dam lucky not to get sent off at Wembley.
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Post by foley on May 4, 2017 12:17:59 GMT
I don't get this thing about Dunkley being a threat in the opposition box? he has scored 3 goals this season, the same as Curtis Nelson. Yes he wins a lot of headers at corners and free kicks but most go over the bar. For the amount of times he manages to get a free header at goal he should have a lot more than 3 goals in 52 games this season. I don't think that it is just the goals that he scores. Opposition teams realise that Dunkley is a threat in the air. I reckon that Edwards managed to find so much space as the opposition were keeping an eye out for the short corners or the corners aimed at Dunkley. To me we looked more dangerous at set pieces with Dunkley in the side. It would be interesting to see Maguire/ Robbie Hall's view.
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Post by Young Money on May 4, 2017 12:22:26 GMT
It's a bit weird to see Raglan being praised to high heaven on here recently (especially by a couple of people) when I remember early in the season he had a few distinctly average games and no-one had much good to say about him. I think Dunkley has far more natural attributes and I wouldn't be especially enthused seeing Raglan as our first choice CB next season, although I'd be happy enough with him as a backup.
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Post by oufcyellows on May 4, 2017 12:24:54 GMT
Nelson had a few distinctly average games early in the season, maguire had a lot of distinctly average games after xmas. Fact is we looked a lot stronger at the back in those last few games than we have for a long time.
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Post by Young Money on May 4, 2017 12:29:20 GMT
Yeah but we also had different full backs for a lot of them, and also played with the pressure off
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Post by oufcyellows on May 4, 2017 12:43:09 GMT
Possibly, it's all about opinion, you can't say I'm surprised raglan is getting praise as he had a few average games months ago, like that makes it fact. There is nothing strange about it, no different to those of us that are saying that dunks has had a lot more average games than that recently. Imo Nelson and raglan is the best centre back pairing we have had this season. And in the 5 games they played together we only conceded 2 goals. Dunks has his plus points but also a fair few negatives. The only negatives I've seen written about raglan are that he's not as tall( 2") and that he's not left footed (didn't seem to effect him)
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Post by oxfordmitch on May 4, 2017 13:04:47 GMT
For me Raglan has not had a bad game for OUFC when playing at centre back (I think we're all still trying to forget Shrews away).
By the reckoning of Dunkley still has potential at 25, surely Raglan still has plenty of potential being a few years younger?
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Post by bigcrompy on May 4, 2017 13:31:09 GMT
For me Raglan has not had a bad game for OUFC when playing at centre back (I think we're all still trying to forget Shrews away). By the reckoning of Dunkley still has potential at 25, surely Raglan still has plenty of potential being a few years younger? One year younger.
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Post by lambchop on May 4, 2017 14:09:30 GMT
My Mrs says Dunkley will stay. To be honest she hates football, doesn't know who Dunkley is and only answered me to shut me up. Conclusive proof I think you'd agree.
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Post by Paul Cannell on May 4, 2017 15:14:39 GMT
She posts on here, I think I know who she is.
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Post by lambchop on May 4, 2017 15:22:29 GMT
She's from Sussex - just saying
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Post by Young Money on May 4, 2017 16:09:21 GMT
Possibly, it's all about opinion, you can't say I'm surprised raglan is getting praise as he had a few average games months ago, like that makes it fact. There is nothing strange about it, no different to those of us that are saying that dunks has had a lot more average games than that recently. Imo Nelson and raglan is the best centre back pairing we have had this season. And in the 5 games they played together we only conceded 2 goals. Dunks has his plus points but also a fair few negatives. The only negatives I've seen written about raglan are that he's not as tall( 2") and that he's not left footed (didn't seem to effect him) The point is talking about him like he's the messiah and answer to all our CB prayers, he's done ok, hit and miss, definitely had less good games than Dunkley has. I just don't think he's as good as you're making him out to be
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Post by oufcyellows on May 4, 2017 16:14:30 GMT
Possibly, it's all about opinion, you can't say I'm surprised raglan is getting praise as he had a few average games months ago, like that makes it fact. There is nothing strange about it, no different to those of us that are saying that dunks has had a lot more average games than that recently. Imo Nelson and raglan is the best centre back pairing we have had this season. And in the 5 games they played together we only conceded 2 goals. Dunks has his plus points but also a fair few negatives. The only negatives I've seen written about raglan are that he's not as tall( 2") and that he's not left footed (didn't seem to effect him) The point is talking about him like he's the messiah and answer to all our CB prayers, he's done ok, hit and miss, definitely had less good games than Dunkley has. I just don't think he's as good as you're making him out to be Well he would have had less good games than dunkley, he's only played 16 for us. 10 of which I would say he was very decent in. Do I think he's the messiah - no, haven't said that. Hit and miss - Definitely something I would use to describe dunks. When raglan makes a mistake, it's not normally as costly as dunks. Would I sign someone better- of course, but mapp obviously see something in him as well. Sometimes a partnership is stronger than a sum of its parts. Would u say dunks and Nelson are stronger than Nelson and raglan. When u have already said dunks can't play on the left, and it was also obvious that Nelson was worse on that side ?
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Post by Young Money on May 4, 2017 16:28:42 GMT
The point is talking about him like he's the messiah and answer to all our CB prayers, he's done ok, hit and miss, definitely had less good games than Dunkley has. I just don't think he's as good as you're making him out to be Well he would have had less good games than dunkley, he's only played 16 for us. 10 of which I would say he was very decent in. Do I think he's the messiah - no, haven't said that. Hit and miss - Definitely something I would use to describe dunks. When raglan makes a mistake, it's not normally as costly as dunks. Would I sign someone better- of course, but mapp obviously see something in him as well. Sometimes a partnership is stronger than a sum of its parts. Would u say dunks and Nelson are stronger than Nelson and raglan. When u have already said dunks can't play on the left, and it was also obvious that Nelson was worse on that side ? I agree with what you're saying about partnerships; HOWEVER I'd rather have Nelson and a new great left sided CB with Dunkley as backup than Nelson, the new left sided guy and Raglan as the backup.
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