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Post by jimmycarterxi on Feb 5, 2017 23:41:27 GMT
Is anyone able to find the squad that MAPP started with when he first became our manager? Be interesting to see how different the squad is now, and how much he has improved us. Morris Jakubiak G Long Barnett Howard Riley Marsh Brown Raynes Potter Newey Hunt Burns Holmes-Dennis Brindley Gnanduillet Rasulo Meades Shama Bevans Balmy Campbell Hoskins Whing Vassell Ashdown Clarke We've gone backwards 😉
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Post by bashamwonderland on Feb 6, 2017 0:00:59 GMT
#BringBackBalmy
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Post by Young Money on Feb 6, 2017 10:30:10 GMT
Is anyone able to find the squad that MAPP started with when he first became our manager? Be interesting to see how different the squad is now, and how much he has improved us. Morris Jakubiak G Long Barnett Howard Riley Marsh Brown Raynes Potter Newey Hunt Burns Holmes-Dennis Brindley Gnanduillet Rasulo Meades Shama Bevans Balmy Campbell Hoskins Whing Vassell Ashdown Clarke That can't be the team, it simply can't... what a way we've come. The only players you could think we'd want from that list now are as someone mentioned Riley and maybe THD... shows that fullback is our only even remotely problem area now.
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Post by jammydodger on Feb 6, 2017 10:31:53 GMT
Morris Jakubiak G Long Barnett Howard Riley Marsh Brown Raynes Potter Newey Hunt Burns Holmes-Dennis Brindley Gnanduillet Rasulo Meades Shama Bevans Balmy Campbell Hoskins Whing Vassell Ashdown Clarke That can't be the team, it simply can't... what a way we've come. The only players you could think we'd want from that list now are as someone mentioned Riley and maybe THD... shows that fullback is our only even remotely problem area now. Not the full team but all the players that left the club (loans incl.) in MApp's first season.
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Post by ryaniobirdio on Feb 6, 2017 15:33:58 GMT
Carlton Morris alone is enough to make me shudder.
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Post by aaronoxf on Feb 7, 2017 19:30:10 GMT
Best squad I have seen in 25 years of watching Oxford. Sure the likes of Ford, Elliott, Whitehead, Ricketts, Joey, Constable, Roofe, Robinson and Baldock were all great players but I have never seen such an amazing squad.
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Post by aaronoxf on Feb 7, 2017 19:32:31 GMT
Jesus, we have come a million miles since that team, it reads as a who's who of awful players. I would only take THD from that team, what a fullback he was
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Post by shosho on Feb 7, 2017 19:35:10 GMT
It's almost as if having a dedicated recruitment team is worth it.
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Post by charliesghost on Feb 7, 2017 21:25:27 GMT
Best squad I have seen in 25 years of watching Oxford. Sure the likes of Ford, Elliott, Whitehead, Ricketts, Joey, Constable, Roofe, Robinson and Baldock were all great players but I have never seen such an amazing squad. Huge call! The class of 96 were able to leave players out of the 14 who would be sure-fire starters today. Stuart Massey, anyone? David Rush? Mark Angel? Nelson might be going somewhere, but he is not close to Matt Elliott yet. And no-one is at Joey's standard. 20 goals in the Championship from the wing? I'd like to see Marvin score half that. Let's not forget that that squad did not just get promoted, they were 5th in the Championship at this time of year, when Elliott was sold. Realistically, they were Oxford's second best ever side, after the Billy Hamilton outfit that got to the top flight.
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Post by malcolmsmoustache on Feb 7, 2017 22:19:11 GMT
Massey, Rush, Angel- 'sure fire starters today'?! Hmm. No. Rush at a push maybe. Massey brave but limited. A marginally more talented McDonald. Mark Angel would struggle to make the bench. I'm all in favour of yellow-tinted specs, but this is a bit far. The only 'sure fire starters' from '95/96 would be Robinson, Elliott, Mike Ford, Beauchamp, Moody. The rest you could argue either way.
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Post by berliner on Feb 7, 2017 22:25:12 GMT
The only 'sure fire starters' from '95/96 would be Robinson, Elliott, Mike Ford, Beauchamp, Moody. The rest you could argue either way. Whitehead between the sticks as well (as much as I like Eastwood). Probably Gilly as well insofar as his partnership with Elliot was outstanding, but am hopeful Nelson and Dunks can be that pair.
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Post by 54-46 on Feb 7, 2017 22:52:43 GMT
I'm wondering how the leagues differ now? Obviously the football is less physical now across all levels. I remember the 95/96 team playing basic football extremely well - it was passing, using width etc, but not as technical as now I don't think.
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Post by socrates on Feb 7, 2017 23:00:13 GMT
Bonkers to reckon this is the greatest squad ever when we have two fit out and out strikers
Bonkers to compare the two eras as totally unfair on our current crop
The 96 vintage were on the cusp of something extraordinary before Elliott went. It is arguable that we only recovered from his sale about 4 seasons ago!!!
By the way purse, jemson and Bobby ford were also very very good players
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Post by pottersrightboot on Feb 7, 2017 23:11:10 GMT
The current squad would hammer 95/96 vintage.
Lower league football is much higher quality product now.
Why ? Less Prem spots available for young British talent in 2017. The young British talent now rocks up at clubs like OUFC.
Going further back, watched some truly terrible second division football in the seventies.
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Post by jimmycarterxi on Feb 8, 2017 1:44:30 GMT
Best squad I have seen in 25 years of watching Oxford. Sure the likes of Ford, Elliott, Whitehead, Ricketts, Joey, Constable, Roofe, Robinson and Baldock were all great players but I have never seen such an amazing squad. Huge call! The class of 96 were able to leave players out of the 14 who would be sure-fire starters today. Stuart Massey, anyone? David Rush? Mark Angel? Nelson might be going somewhere, but he is not close to Matt Elliott yet. And no-one is at Joey's standard. 20 goals in the Championship from the wing? I'd like to see Marvin score half that. Let's not forget that that squad did not just get promoted, they were 5th in the Championship at this time of year, when Elliott was sold. Realistically, they were Oxford's second best ever side, after the Billy Hamilton outfit that got to the top flight. Never thought I would say this but totally agree with you, the 95/96 team a joy to watch, I think out of the final 16 league games we won 13 drew 2 and lost 1, the game at Crewe will always be a highlight!! If this current team get promoted then we can try and compare
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Post by charliesghost on Feb 8, 2017 7:08:45 GMT
Massey, Rush, Angel- 'sure fire starters today'?! Hmm. No. Rush at a push maybe. Massey brave but limited. A marginally more talented McDonald. Mark Angel would struggle to make the bench. I'm all in favour of yellow-tinted specs, but this is a bit far. The only 'sure fire starters' from '95/96 would be Robinson, Elliott, Mike Ford, Beauchamp, Moody. The rest you could argue either way. So a side that was 5th in the Championship is the equal of one 13th in League 1? That is counter-intuitive, to say the least. On the detail, we think that Nelson may have a future as a Championship centre-back. Bit different from Gilchrist, who was a Premier League player at this peak. Nigel Jemson? I love Chris Maguire, but realistically he is half a step below Jemmo. Rush was clearly a more accomplished centre forward than anyone we have at the club right now. Not that that is saying much! I think it's better to look at it the other way around. Which of our current side would have a chance of displacing that side. Ledson, I reckon. Eastwood is, I think, Whitehead's equal. Rob Hall, if he gets consistently back to his best (ie plays like Sunday more often). Certainly none of the defenders as things stand. I love dreaming, but facts are facts. If this side was as good as that side, we would be gunning for automatic promotion.
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Post by charliesghost on Feb 8, 2017 7:15:09 GMT
The current squad would hammer 95/96 vintage. Lower league football is much higher quality product now. Why ? Less Prem spots available for young British talent in 2017. The young British talent now rocks up at clubs like OUFC. Going further back, watched some truly terrible second division football in the seventies. There is a little bit of truth in what you say, but only a little. By 1997, the Premier League had already been around for five years and the second tier was very, very strong. The idea of our current attack 'hammering' Robinson, Ford, Elliott, Gilchrist and Whitehead is laughable. I'll be charitable and suggest that you had had a couple before writing that! And as for the attack? Moody, Jemson and Rush were all three better than anything we have at centre forward now. This is not to disparage the current squad. But I think they would be humble enough to laugh at the idea of them hammering a side chock full of Premier League-class players (I make it seven of that squad who played PL football) who were in the Championship play-offs when they were broken up.
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Post by foley on Feb 8, 2017 7:26:40 GMT
The only 'sure fire starters' from '95/96 would be Robinson, Elliott, Mike Ford, Beauchamp, Moody. The rest you could argue either way. So a side that was 5th in the Championship is the equal of one 13th in League 1? That is counter-intuitive, to say the least. On the detail, we think that Nelson may have a future as a Championship centre-back. Bit different from Gilchrist, who was a Premier League player at this peak. Nigel Jemson? I love Chris Maguire, but realistically he is half a step below Jemmo. Rush was clearly a more accomplished centre forward than anyone we have at the club right now. Not that that is saying much! I think it's better to look at it the other way around. Which of our current side would have a chance of displacing that side. Ledson, I reckon. Eastwood is, I think, Whitehead's equal. Rob Hall, if he gets consistently back to his best (ie plays like Sunday more often). Certainly none of the defenders as things stand. I love dreaming, but facts are facts. If this side was as good as that side, we would be gunning for automatic promotion. I have to agree with this. The team were right up there in the Championship and had some excellent players. The only thing that I would say is that we were pretty reliant on Elliott- witness the collapse after he left us. In addition until the second half of the season in which we went up, we were effectively a pretty average League 1 side (until Elliott's blockbuster at Carlisle (?))
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Post by pottersrightboot on Feb 8, 2017 8:47:08 GMT
The current squad would hammer 95/96 vintage. Lower league football is much higher quality product now. Why ? Less Prem spots available for young British talent in 2017. The young British talent now rocks up at clubs like OUFC. Going further back, watched some truly terrible second division football in the seventies. There is a little bit of truth in what you say, but only a little. By 1997, the Premier League had already been around for five years and the second tier was very, very strong. The idea of our current attack 'hammering' Robinson, Ford, Elliott, Gilchrist and Whitehead is laughable. I'll be charitable and suggest that you had had a couple before writing that! And as for the attack? Moody, Jemson and Rush were all three better than anything we have at centre forward now. This is not to disparage the current squad. But I think they would be humble enough to laugh at the idea of them hammering a side chock full of Premier League-class players (I make it seven of that squad who played PL football) who were in the Championship play-offs when they were broken up. No, I've not been drinking. Several of this current side will play in the Premiership. I'll give you Ledson and Nelson for starters. Care to disagree? And the Premiership of 1996 was light years behind the Premiership now. Correct me if I'm wrong but only Elliott - who was already in his late twenties - and Gilchrist of that 1996 side went on to play in Prem. Wasn't Jemson on the slide from the Prem? Look of course I can't prove this but the idea that dear old Fordy would have Rob Hall or Johnno in his pocket makes me laugh. My key premise is L1 higher echelons now pees all over L1 higher echelons then. And being 'charitable' to you Chas, I've been watching Oxford longer than you 😉
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Post by arthurturner on Feb 8, 2017 11:37:53 GMT
The current squad would hammer 95/96 vintage. Lower league football is much higher quality product now. Why ? Less Prem spots available for young British talent in 2017. The young British talent now rocks up at clubs like OUFC. Going further back, watched some truly terrible second division football in the seventies. Didn't we just. Watching Witney Town in the 70's was vastly more entertaining than anything Gerry Summers produced at The Manor!
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Post by bigcrompy on Feb 8, 2017 14:40:19 GMT
The current squad would hammer 95/96 vintage. Lower league football is much higher quality product now. Why ? Less Prem spots available for young British talent in 2017. The young British talent now rocks up at clubs like OUFC. Going further back, watched some truly terrible second division football in the seventies. There is a little bit of truth in what you say, but only a little. By 1997, the Premier League had already been around for five years and the second tier was very, very strong. The idea of our current attack 'hammering' Robinson, Ford, Elliott, Gilchrist and Whitehead is laughable. I'll be charitable and suggest that you had had a couple before writing that! And as for the attack? Moody, Jemson and Rush were all three better than anything we have at centre forward now. This is not to disparage the current squad. But I think they would be humble enough to laugh at the idea of them hammering a side chock full of Premier League-class players (I make it seven of that squad who played PL football) who were in the Championship play-offs when they were broken up. Without enjoying being pernickety too much, I assume the point of this thread is comparing two Division 3 equivalent teams together. Well; Jemmo signed in July 1996 after promotion so it isn't reasonable to compare him to THIS Div 3 outfit. Presumably if we were promoted again this year we would attract a higher calibre of player again, whom it would be fairer to compare to Jemson. I still can't decide if I'm making a point or not…!
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Post by charliesghost on Feb 8, 2017 15:21:55 GMT
There is a little bit of truth in what you say, but only a little. By 1997, the Premier League had already been around for five years and the second tier was very, very strong. The idea of our current attack 'hammering' Robinson, Ford, Elliott, Gilchrist and Whitehead is laughable. I'll be charitable and suggest that you had had a couple before writing that! And as for the attack? Moody, Jemson and Rush were all three better than anything we have at centre forward now. This is not to disparage the current squad. But I think they would be humble enough to laugh at the idea of them hammering a side chock full of Premier League-class players (I make it seven of that squad who played PL football) who were in the Championship play-offs when they were broken up. No, I've not been drinking. Several of this current side will play in the Premiership. I'll give you Ledson and Nelson for starters. Care to disagree? And the Premiership of 1996 was light years behind the Premiership now. Correct me if I'm wrong but only Elliott - who was already in his late twenties - and Gilchrist of that 1996 side went on to play in Prem. Wasn't Jemson on the slide from the Prem? Look of course I can't prove this but the idea that dear old Fordy would have Rob Hall or Johnno in his pocket makes me laugh. My key premise is L1 higher echelons now pees all over L1 higher echelons then. And being 'charitable' to you Chas, I've been watching Oxford longer than you 😉 I think you make a highly contentious argument that the Premier League has improved in that time. During that period, PL clubs were highly competitive in European competition, and some of the top names in world football played their best football here. Now, they play in Spain, or at Munich mostly, and come here either to push their career forward (Suarez) or to finish it when they can't quite cut it elsewhere (Ibrahmiovic). I think it is true that the Championship has basically improved (tho watching how poor Rotherham were, not so sure), but League 1? I'd said the jury is 'out' a bit. Championship clubs have much bigger squads now, so your theory that there has been a smooth push down of quality players does not really wash. On 'poor old Fordy', as you patronisingly call him, he was a far better performer than anything we have at left back now, and had very good games against better players than Robbie and Marvin. I recall some excellent goals, too, and from left back in open play, which isn't something we're exactly over-burdened with right now. I stand by my point: a top half Championship side from 20 years ago can be regarded without too much contentiousness as a better side than 13th in League 1 now. And whether one is old enough to have watched the club in the 60s really makes very little difference to one's expertise on that. On your theory, Nick Harris should be advising MAPP on team selection as he's 'been watching Oxford United longer than anyone else'....
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Post by charliesghost on Feb 8, 2017 15:24:06 GMT
No, I've not been drinking. Several of this current side will play in the Premiership. I'll give you Ledson and Nelson for starters. Care to disagree? And the Premiership of 1996 was light years behind the Premiership now. Correct me if I'm wrong but only Elliott - who was already in his late twenties - and Gilchrist of that 1996 side went on to play in Prem. Wasn't Jemson on the slide from the Prem? Look of course I can't prove this but the idea that dear old Fordy would have Rob Hall or Johnno in his pocket makes me laugh. My key premise is L1 higher echelons now pees all over L1 higher echelons then. And being 'charitable' to you Chas, I've been watching Oxford longer than you 😉 I think you make a highly contentious argument that the Premier League has improved in that time. During that period, PL clubs were highly competitive in European competition, and some of the top names in world football played their best football here. Now, they play in Spain, or at Munich mostly, and come here either to push their career forward (Suarez) or to finish it when they can't quite cut it elsewhere (Ibrahmiovic). I think it is true that the Championship has basically improved (tho watching how poor Rotherham were, not so sure), but League 1? I'd said the jury is 'out' a bit. Championship clubs have much bigger squads now, so your theory that there has been a smooth push down of quality players does not really wash. On 'poor old Fordy', as you patronisingly call him, he was a far better performer than anything we have at left back now, and had very good games against better players than Robbie and Marvin. I recall some excellent goals, too, and from left back in open play, which isn't something we're exactly over-burdened with right now. I stand by my point: a top half Championship side from 20 years ago can be regarded without too much contentiousness as a better side than 13th in League 1 now. And whether one is old enough to have watched the club in the 60s really makes very little difference to one's expertise on that. On your theory, Nick Harris should be advising MAPP on team selection as he's 'been watching Oxford United longer than anyone else'.... And I note that you do not go down the route of claiming that Phil Edwards would 'have Joey Beauchamp in his pocket'. Would have to be a helluva lunchtime drinking session to stand that one up. Maybe just stick to: 'Cor, that Wes Thomas would have made real hay against Matt Elliott'! At least then we'll know you're joshing, old boy.
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Post by pottersrightboot on Feb 8, 2017 16:02:09 GMT
You're moving the goalposts. You're comparing the Championship side of 96/97 against our side now.
And you're missing my key premise again as well - which I spelt out for you if you'd bothered to read that far - higher echelons of L1 now - which is where we will finish this season - are better than higher echelons in 95/96.
The pace and skill of a L1 game now far outstrips that of 20 years ago - (my view has nothing to do with 'drink'). Do you not agree that?
We have excellently coached young footballers now, most of whom who have played at England youth levels. Check their careers out. Their pedigree far exceeds say Dave Smith, or Massey, or Martin Gray, or Angel. BTW I am not decrying these players , or 'patronising Fordy', I am merely saying what I am seeing on the pitch now as compared to then.
We have access to these great players now because they don't get a chance higher up the pyramid. 20 years ago the Prem had lots of young English talent. Again look at the stats - the amount of young English players in the Prem is at an all time low now - certainly a radically lower proportion than 95/96.
And Appleton, Fazackerly and the recruitment team are making hay in the current market - fattening up young high quality talent and selling it on.
Again you miss the point about second division football in the seventies,. I did see it, so did Nick Harris , (why bring him into it?) it was frequently crap. It enhances my point that lower league football is progressing. In fact, it is different planet these days.
My conclusion , the quality of lower league football now is far higher than it has ever been.
OUFC 2016/2017 would beat OUFC 1995/1996.
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Post by sihath on Feb 8, 2017 16:05:37 GMT
No, I've not been drinking. Several of this current side will play in the Premiership. I'll give you Ledson and Nelson for starters. Care to disagree? And the Premiership of 1996 was light years behind the Premiership now. Correct me if I'm wrong but only Elliott - who was already in his late twenties - and Gilchrist of that 1996 side went on to play in Prem. Wasn't Jemson on the slide from the Prem? Look of course I can't prove this but the idea that dear old Fordy would have Rob Hall or Johnno in his pocket makes me laugh. My key premise is L1 higher echelons now pees all over L1 higher echelons then. And being 'charitable' to you Chas, I've been watching Oxford longer than you 😉 I think you make a highly contentious argument that the Premier League has improved in that time. During that period, PL clubs were highly competitive in European competition, and some of the top names in world football played their best football here. Now, they play in Spain, or at Munich mostly, and come here either to push their career forward (Suarez) or to finish it when they can't quite cut it elsewhere (Ibrahmiovic). I think it is true that the Championship has basically improved (tho watching how poor Rotherham were, not so sure), but League 1? I'd said the jury is 'out' a bit. Championship clubs have much bigger squads now, so your theory that there has been a smooth push down of quality players does not really wash. On 'poor old Fordy', as you patronisingly call him, he was a far better performer than anything we have at left back now, and had very good games against better players than Robbie and Marvin. I recall some excellent goals, too, and from left back in open play, which isn't something we're exactly over-burdened with right now. I stand by my point: a top half Championship side from 20 years ago can be regarded without too much contentiousness as a better side than 13th in League 1 now. And whether one is old enough to have watched the club in the 60s really makes very little difference to one's expertise on that. On your theory, Nick Harris should be advising MAPP on team selection as he's 'been watching Oxford United longer than anyone else'.... I'm not wishing to get involved in the merits of the 96 team compared to today's squad, but I couldn't let the highlighted claim go unchallenged Charlie. If we take 1996 (the year of the Oxford team we're talking about) as somewhere in the middle year of a 10 year period 1991/2 (start of the prem and English clubs allowed back into european competition) until 2001/2, English clubs made the final of the European Cup/Champions League just once (man Utd in 1999). English clubs made the semi-finals on 4 occasions in 10 years. Spanish and German clubs dominated the competition. In the UEFA Cup, one win and one other semi-final in 10 years. Italian and German clubs dominated. I don't remember English football in the 90's being a time of world class stars and teams being highly competitive in Europe. Clubs were still recovering from being out of european competition and the extreme riches of the modern PL and CL were still some way away.
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Post by KLYellow on Feb 8, 2017 16:28:32 GMT
Sorry I want to jump in with my view.
I disagree with some of the points posted. I feel that the premiership is a lot more technical, harder and competitive than football in 95 to 2000. We also have plenty of major stars here including Aguero, Hazard, De Bruyne, Sanchez, etc. We also have some of the best coaches in the world.
In comparing the current Div 1 vs 2nd tier in 95 to 2000, I would say Div 1 has improved.
Regarding some of our players at that time, only Matty and Joey were a cut above. Gilchrist and Whitehead were good solid players. Jemson was average, arrogant and on the slide. Rushie was also average and more interested in getting on the lash. How many times did Joey plant the ball on Mattys head??? It scared the crap out of the opposition, with so many flick ons or creating chances.
It's also worth pointing out about salaries. They were crap then with the average salary around 1500 pw which equates to only just over 2,000 in today's money. Championship and even a lot of Div 1 players are on quite a lot more.
Its also unfair to compare as we saw our legends for a lengthy period of time. Most of our squad have been with us for a short time. So let's wait, see where MAPP and the current squad take us and when they have 100 plus games under their belts, we can compare them to the stars of yesteryear.
Sent from my XIAOMI NOTE PRO using telepathy
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Post by malcolmsmoustache on Feb 8, 2017 19:27:29 GMT
There is an element of apples vs pears here, because whichever way you look at this, there are two incontrovertible facts:
1. Diet, nutrition and fitness now for professional footballers is light years ahead of 20 years ago- I would think it safe to say that 90%+ of lower league footballers are fitter than their counterparts were twenty years ago.
2. Whatever the merits of the Premier League, there is no doubt at all that it has pushed British/Irish players down the professional pyramid- today just over 30% of Premiership starters are British/Irish- twenty years ago, it would be 95%+.
So, comparing today's squad with '95/'96 is good pub chat, but there is no definitive answer- it's all opinion.
But what is true is that very good Oxford players from 20 years ago would not get a sniff of the Championship today, let alone the Premier League. I will give you three examples:
1. Jemson- gifted, lazy, but slow. Maguire his equal in terms of ability, and works far harder 2. Gilly- a hard-working centre-half, tough as they come, but just a bit too small and slow for the top flight. His form collapsed after Elliot left- Smith took him to WBA only because he knew him. Nelson is bigger, faster and better 3. Whitehead- technically a really good keeper, but prone to nerves, didn't talk to his back four (Hardwick was by far the better organiser), and never bossed his box. Would he be a Premiership keeper today? Never in a million years. Eastwood? Technically as good as Whitehead, and in my opinion better at managing the back four. Is he a Premiership keeper? Also no.
The two outstanding players from 95/96 were Elliott and Beauchamp. Would they play in the Premiership today (assuming that they were fitter, which they would be). Yes-without a doubt. Could we say that of any of the others from 95/96? Highly unlikely.
Of this crop, who might go on to play in the Premiership? Ledson, Nelson and maybe Lundstram- even Johnson.
Like I said, a good pub discussion, no definitive answer but this team and 95/96 would be a decent comparison- in terms of basic ability, and the levels each player will reach.
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Post by SteMerritt on Feb 8, 2017 20:06:21 GMT
I would say the 90s side is superior, but at about the same stage of the promotion season we were about where we are today. Let's see if the current crop can storm the rest of the season and take their crown...
...although the 83/84 team would have stuffed them both.
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Post by socrates on Feb 8, 2017 20:24:35 GMT
Just a few points on the 96-97 Champ team.
No one scored more than two goals against them in the league until December. And that was a 3-3 draw v West Brom.
That defence - the Mean Machine I think it was called - had countless strikeforces in their pocket. Elliott was, frankly, God-like. I doubt we'll ever see such a colossus bestride an Oxford pitch again. It was insane how good he was.
We had goals too. We absolutely dicked Barnsley, Ipswich and Sheff U all of whom finished in the top 6. Not to mention the lesson we dished out at Maine Road.
In a miracle world, if Elliott had stayed for the season we'd have probably made the play-offs. We were that good.
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Post by socrates on Feb 8, 2017 20:30:21 GMT
There is an element of apples vs pears here, because whichever way you look at this, there are two incontrovertible facts: 1. Diet, nutrition and fitness now for professional footballers is light years ahead of 20 years ago- I would think it safe to say that 90%+ of lower league footballers are fitter than their counterparts were twenty years ago. 2. Whatever the merits of the Premier League, there is no doubt at all that it has pushed British/Irish players down the professional pyramid- today just over 30% of Premiership starters are British/Irish- twenty years ago, it would be 95%+. So, comparing today's squad with '95/'96 is good pub chat, but there is no definitive answer- it's all opinion. But what is true is that very good Oxford players from 20 years ago would not get a sniff of the Championship today, let alone the Premier League. I will give you three examples: 1. Jemson- gifted, lazy, but slow. Maguire his equal in terms of ability, and works far harder 2. Gilly- a hard-working centre-half, tough as they come, but just a bit too small and slow for the top flight. His form collapsed after Elliot left- Smith took him to WBA only because he knew him. Nelson is bigger, faster and better3. Whitehead- technically a really good keeper, but prone to nerves, didn't talk to his back four (Hardwick was by far the better organiser), and never bossed his box. Would he be a Premiership keeper today? Never in a million years. Eastwood? Technically as good as Whitehead, and in my opinion better at managing the back four. Is he a Premiership keeper? Also no. The two outstanding players from 95/96 were Elliott and Beauchamp. Would they play in the Premiership today (assuming that they were fitter, which they would be). Yes-without a doubt. Could we say that of any of the others from 95/96? Highly unlikely. Of this crop, who might go on to play in the Premiership? Ledson, Nelson and maybe Lundstram- even Johnson. Like I said, a good pub discussion, no definitive answer but this team and 95/96 would be a decent comparison- in terms of basic ability, and the levels each player will reach. That is sacrilegious! Gilly SLOW? !!!!! The one that returned to us, yes when we in the COnf. But he was lightning. I never, ever saw anyone get away from him. And it was his pace combined with Elliott's reading of the game which made them such a formidable pairing. He played 61 times in the PL. So it took two managers quite a while to work out he was sloooow! Jesus
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