Oxford away

Rollo Tomasi wrote:

It's you that are being mugged. Plymouth 0 has appeared in 13 of our matches this season. We average a fraction over a goal a game. You now pine for the days of Hourihane ! Well all can say is what would a Friio be worth. Jesus wept indeed.

You've kind of proven my point Hourihane has been the best chance we've had of developing a Friio type for years - not necessarily in style, but certainly in attacking prowess from the midfield. To buy in a proven "Friio" these days, well apparently the Argyle price is about 200k, but I think most clubs would be asking for a tad more. I'm saying we were mugs for taking 200k considering that there's been so many occasions in which we've failed to score, with him still in the side we'd be a far far greater side.

Hourihane is, potentially, a good player who played far too deep. Barnsley use him wisely. Anyone with his ability should be further forward. For that I blame Sheridan.

Well he first gained a goalscoring knack under Sheridan as he chipped in with a few vital goals in our relegation battle, largely thanks to Lee Cox doing the dirty work to give him licence to get forward. Last season we lacked a defensive midfielder to do that role and so Conor was having to sacrifice much of his drive forward to keep things sturdy in the middle. He still managed 9 goals... Sheridan then managed to acquire Lee Cox in the summer, presumably wanting to reform the midfield partnership that was so successful in his first 6 months as manager. Hourihane buggered off to Barnsley and the rest is history. Sheridan failed to recruit a good enough defensive midfielder to partner Hourihane after failing to get Lee Cox back and now he's failed to get a replacement in for Hourihane. So in part you could blame Sheridan there, but he was hardly helped by the board in this instance.

We 'd have been a potential top 3 side this season with Hourihane's influence.

For £200k we were mugged, and we all knew it at the time too. It was only the board who couldn't see.

ejh wrote:

We 'd have been a potential top 3 side this season with Hourihane's influence.

For £200k we were mugged, and we all knew it at the time too. It was only the board who couldn't see.

Broadly agree with the caveat that we'd have an entirely different side without Hourihane as not so much of his fee/wages could have been re-invested. However, I'd much sooner have one Hourihane than three squad players. I do think that SOME of the criticism on this forum is unwarranted at times but I genuinely think selling such a fantastic player for such a modest fee was the biggest mistake to have been made this side of administration.

Rollo Tomasi wrote:

Hourihane is, potentially, a good player who played far too deep. Barnsley use him wisely. Anyone with his ability should be further forward. For that I blame Sheridan.

I'm sure he'll be gutted that you blame him.

I think I touched a nerve there Les.

Likewise Rollo

Nah, not really. I criticised Sheridan for holding Hourihane back. You criticise the managerial abilities of three managers with 12 promotions between them. Not quite the same.

Rollo Tomasi wrote:

Nah, not really. I criticised Sheridan for holding Hourihane back. You criticise the managerial abilities of three managers with 12 promotions between them. Not quite the same.

12 eh, good research, I really did strike a nerve. Any relegations or were they sacked/stood down/or left by mutual consent just beforehand?

Something tells me that you'll always want the last word on this. Dilemma time!

Go for it Rollo.....

Come on Rollo..