Long time no see (see what I did there)

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Teddy

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Couldn't sleep and found myself thinking about George Long's development (as you do).

Nipped on the oxford forums and they seem pretty disappointed with him. They're pretty sure he is on the verge of being dropped tomorrow for their own youngster 'Crocombe' (who's done well in their cup games apparently).

Seems his moving away to get experience isn't going too smoothly. The whole point is he goes and makes his mistakes elsewhere, but if you make so many you stop getting picked...

Troubling, and not helping me nod off
 

Couldn't sleep and found myself thinking about George Long's development (as you do).

Nipped on the oxford forums and they seem pretty disappointed with him. They're pretty sure he is on the verge of being dropped tomorrow for their own youngster 'Crocombe' (who's done well in their cup games apparently).

Seems his moving away to get experience isn't going too smoothly. The whole point is he goes and makes his mistakes elsewhere, but if you make so many you stop getting picked...

Troubling, and not helping me nod off

Again only a few games in. Once again he's got to learn to not only fight for his place but keep it.

Moving away from home and getting familiar with a new place isn't easy, but he has to learn to deal with these things.
 
Moving away from home and getting familiar with a new place isn't easy, but he has to learn to deal with these things.

Are you trying to tell us that we all need a Swizzler to put an arm around the shoulder and find the nearest equivalent of the Milk Bar?
 
Are you trying to tell us that we all need a Swizzler to put an arm around the shoulder and find the nearest equivalent of the Milk Bar?
Ha ha no far from it, he needs to man up and get on with it
 
Again only a few games in. Once again he's got to learn to not only fight for his place but keep it.

Moving away from home and getting familiar with a new place isn't easy, but he has to learn to deal with these things.

Agree, Swiss. There are many intangibles involved with a (young) guy moving away from his parent club. FWIW, I like Long but his communication was poor, resulting in many 'ricks' in defence. Howard doesn't appear to be suffering from this.

As we're seeing, there are on-field dynamics that we can't see/hear from the stands. NC seems to be realising his best options in defence - which at the moment include Doyle & Collins. While it's easy to jeer a misplaced pass, we don't realise the communication and organisation some players bring.
 
Didn't someone tell us Long should be preferred to Howard, for the sake of his development?
Only in a mad house.

Blader! Blader!!! Where are you?.......

:)

UTB
 
On the other hand he'll learn more playing behind a bad defense than a good one, and get a lot more chance to shine...
 
If he fails at Oxford will Nigel still want him back ?
I'm asking because Porter failed at Chesterfield but still has a contract..
 
Some interesting opinions and wording in this thread. Thought he went to Oxford for experience, don't see how it would be possible to fail in that aim.
Experience is more than just time on the pitch.Some in the chat today were stating that Oxford conceding again must be somehow be as fault of Long. That was without even knowing happened for the goal.
I just don't get what some of our fans want from some of our younger players.
 
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The thread is about Long Pinch, so it seems rather apt to talk about Long here.

:)

UTB

OK, point taken. I wish George well for the future. For now, however, Mark, who had a superb game at Preston today, is our undisputed No.1 and rightly so.

Does that get round it?
:)

Some interesting opinions and wording in this thread. Thought he went to Oxford for experience, don't see how it would be possible to fail in that aim.
Experience is more than just time on the pitch.Some in the chat today were stating that Oxford conceding again must be somehow be as fault of Long. That was without even knowing happened for the goal.
I just don't get what some of our fans want from some of our younger players.

I have the opposite problem, Bob. Fans clinging on to the little darlings long after they demonstrate they aren't going to make it. Need I give examples?
 
For now, however, Mark, who had a superb game at Preston today, is our undisputed No.1 and rightly so.

Does that get round it?
:)
I've always been with you on that part Pinchy.

What a top keeper he is for us of late.

UTB
 
I have the opposite problem, Bob. Fans clinging on to the little darlings long after they demonstrate they aren't going to make it. Need I give examples?
While every they are on our books I'll hold out hope. Players develop at different ages, rates and a top player at 22 might not be at 24.

Alex Smithies was going to be the next England keeper a few years ago. Who knows, he still might get to that level, but he's barely mentioned these days after never representing England at even U21s.
Remember "hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies" ;)
 
While every they are on our books I'll hold out hope. Players develop at different ages, rates and a top player at 22 might not be at 24.

Alex Smithies was going to be the next England keeper a few years ago. Who knows, he still might get to that level, but he's barely mentioned these days after never representing England at even U21s.
Remember "hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies" ;)

Well, I'm afraid it's No Hope or Bob Hope for Ironside, McFadzean and Kennedy.
 
I wouldn't read too much in to George Long have a tough time at the minute. Goalkeepers are well known as being late developers, it is relatively rare to see a young goalkeeper of a similar age to Long with as many first team appearances as he has got. He seems to have the attributes to make a great keeper, but lacks a bit of experience and nous at the minute but that will come in time.

A classic example of a late developer is Mark Howard, i didn't really rate him until last season, but he seems to now have the full game, and is one of the better keepers i have seen, not quite in the same class as a Tracey, Kelly or Kenny just yet, but i think he will be our number 1 for a few years to come. We have always been blessed with a knack of getting in an excellent number 1 relatively cheap.
 
Im not commenting on that anymore
As far as i can see the board are happy they dont have to spend any money the manager is happy not to spend any money and the fans are happy to see the board and manager happy to not spend any money
Im in a minority and im sick of being shouted down for not being happy at the situation
 
Im not commenting on that anymore
As far as i can see the board are happy they dont have to spend any money the manager is happy not to spend any money and the fans are happy to see the board and manager happy to not spend any money
Im in a minority and im sick of being shouted down for not being happy at the situation

But judge, to suggest you've been shouted down is, as is often said in culinary circles, to over-egg the pudding. All that's happened is that a few posters have offered a different opinion to your own, less than specific, clamour to spend.

I noticed that you'd commented that you'd been quoted incorrectly, well here's an example of the very same. Can you point me in the direction of where anyone has said they're happy with money not being spent? Then there's your claim that the manager is happy with spending no money. PIease judge, I can't find a comment anywhere that is even vaguely close to what you claim to be true, so please judge, if you could help with this it would be greatly appreciated.

No one has shouted you down, all that has happened is that you've been in first gear when it comes to letting your opinion be known, so I guess having seen your withering blast at the directors as well as the manager, these posters have decided to respond to your ill-informed comments. That's all it's been, not a case of shouting you down, just a different view of how they see things.

Maybe there's a reason you feel you're in a minority?
 
I wouldn't read too much in to George Long have a tough time at the minute. Goalkeepers are well known as being late developers, it is relatively rare to see a young goalkeeper of a similar age to Long with as many first team appearances as he has got. He seems to have the attributes to make a great keeper, but lacks a bit of experience and nous at the minute but that will come in time.

A classic example of a late developer is Mark Howard, i didn't really rate him until last season, but he seems to now have the full game, and is one of the better keepers i have seen, not quite in the same class as a Tracey, Kelly or Kenny just yet, but i think he will be our number 1 for a few years to come. We have always been blessed with a knack of getting in an excellent number 1 relatively cheap.
Good point about Howard, I agree he's turning into a top keeper through getting game time.

I'm not convinced about Long though. The game is full of good shot stoppers who aren't complete because they can't communicate well, command the box, come for crosses etc. Whilst you're dead right that long is very young for a keeper, it's by no means certain that it will come, because history and the game is full of examples where it didn't.

UTB
 
Im in a minority and im sick of being shouted down for not being happy at the situation

I think there are plenty of people disappointed with the club's investment so far. Exposing that anger or frustration depends on the closing of the transfer window and the form of the current team.

There's the question of what's rearly been spent because so much is undisclosed, but so far I, with you, suspect not a lot.

You don't have to repeat too much though. Take me, I think Porter is shite, but you won't find me stating that too often.

:)

UTB
 
From what I saw on the Football League Show - neither of the first two goals conceded by Oxford were Long's fault. His positioning and feet movement for the third were suspect despite it being a decent shot from quite a distance out. He should have back tracked quickly and tipped it over the bar.
 

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