• We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies from this website. Read more here

Moxey and O'Shea

Egg

Well-known Exeweb poster
Joined
Apr 6, 2004
Messages
9,670
Frankly, I've lost track of how many different centre-half pairings we have tried this season. However, for my money, the most successful, by some considerable distance, has been Moxey and O'Shea.

Indeed, I'd go as fas as to say the two of 'em were imperious over the turn of the year. What is more, the statistics seem to support this view – in the 11 games Deano and Dara lined up together at the hear of our defence between December 15 and February 23, we won seven and drew one, averaging two points a game [over the season we've averaged just 1.5 points per game].

Deano missed the three matches after the Crewe game on February 23 with injury and we proceeded to take just one point from the nine available. Reunited with Dara for the visit of Colchester on March 16 we won 3-0. That was followed by another win in our next game, at Notts County, when Dara was on international duty and Troy Brown proved an able deputy.

Plainly, the 4-1 defeat in our next game, at home to Mansfield, was a big disappointment and, I think it's fair to say, neither Deano or Dara were at their best. However. Mansfield are clearly one of the best sides in League Two and while that performance undoubtedly represented 'a bad day at the office' I'm not convinced there was any need for Matty T to read too much more into it and to break up what has, on balance, been such a successful partnership. Again, I'd suggest this is borne out by the stats – we've taken just four points from the four games that have followed conceding seven goals in the process; that's just one less than the eight goals we conceded in the 11 games Dara and Deano lined up together between December 15 and January 23.

Now I'm a big Troy Brown fan and I can kinda understand why, in light of the Mansfield defeat, the manager felt the need to change things; similarly, I recognise there are 'lies, damn lies, and statistics'. However, it seems clear to me that our best chance of a top-seven finish depends on Matty T seeing sense and restoring two centre-halves who, IMO, are ideally matched, work well together, and have delivered an average of two points a game.
 

manc grecian

Very well known Exeweb poster
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
Messages
22,247
Location
following through
If we stand off teams and don't press them in midfield the it doesn't matter who the centre backs are.
 

Egg

Well-known Exeweb poster
Joined
Apr 6, 2004
Messages
9,670
If we stand off teams and don't press them in midfield the it doesn't matter who the centre backs are.
Plainly that doesn't much help. Apologies if I read this on here [think it was Twitter] but up until yesterday, Crawley hadn't scored more than one goal in an away game this season and the guy who bagged two [and should have had a hat-trick at the death] hadn't scored a goal anywhere. :-(
 

Red Devon

Very well known Exeweb poster
Joined
Apr 1, 2004
Messages
11,082
Frankly, I've lost track of how many different centre-half pairings we have tried this season. However, for my money, the most successful, by some considerable distance, has been Moxey and O'Shea.

Indeed, I'd go as fas as to say the two of 'em were imperious over the turn of the year. What is more, the statistics seem to support this view – in the 11 games Deano and Dara lined up together at the hear of our defence between December 15 and February 23, we won seven and drew one, averaging two points a game [over the season we've averaged just 1.5 points per game].

Deano missed the three matches after the Crewe game on February 23 with injury and we proceeded to take just one point from the nine available. Reunited with Dara for the visit of Colchester on March 16 we won 3-0. That was followed by another win in our next game, at Notts County, when Dara was on international duty and Troy Brown proved an able deputy.

Plainly, the 4-1 defeat in our next game, at home to Mansfield, was a big disappointment and, I think it's fair to say, neither Deano or Dara were at their best. However. Mansfield are clearly one of the best sides in League Two and while that performance undoubtedly represented 'a bad day at the office' I'm not convinced there was any need for Matty T to read too much more into it and to break up what has, on balance, been such a successful partnership. Again, I'd suggest this is borne out by the stats – we've taken just four points from the four games that have followed conceding seven goals in the process; that's just one less than the eight goals we conceded in the 11 games Dara and Deano lined up together between December 15 and January 23.

Now I'm a big Troy Brown fan and I can kinda understand why, in light of the Mansfield defeat, the manager felt the need to change things; similarly, I recognise there are 'lies, damn lies, and statistics'. However, it seems clear to me that our best chance of a top-seven finish depends on Matty T seeing sense and restoring two centre-halves who, IMO, are ideally matched, work well together, and have delivered an average of two points a game.
Said the same yesterday at the game that up until Mansfield they had been playing very, very well together both had an absolutely Weston Super that day and it was probably not worth looking to deeply at considering they were up against by far the best forward pairing in League 2...I’ve always liked Troy but I’m not totally convinced he’s as solid as he should be.
 

scottus86

Active member
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Messages
2,940
Location
Crediton
Agree, and I'd stick with this pairing until the end of the season, they just seem to know where one another will be and are the only pair to have formed a partnership.
 

benjisheps

Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2015
Messages
263
Agree, and I'd stick with this pairing until the end of the season, they just seem to know where one another will be and are the only pair to have formed a partnership.
Don't think Matt Taylor will have a choice as sounds like more bad news for Troy Brown who is going to have another scan and doesn't sound good!
 

Dannyred

Active member
Joined
Mar 10, 2019
Messages
1,313
Deano is a must with his experience, I thought dara had an awful game today.
 

Egg

Well-known Exeweb poster
Joined
Apr 6, 2004
Messages
9,670
Frankly, I've lost track of how many different centre-half pairings we have tried this season. However, for my money, the most successful, by some considerable distance, has been Moxey and O'Shea.

Indeed, I'd go as fas as to say the two of 'em were imperious over the turn of the year. What is more, the statistics seem to support this view – in the 11 games Deano and Dara lined up together at the hear of our defence between December 15 and February 23, we won seven and drew one, averaging two points a game [over the season we've averaged just 1.5 points per game].

Deano missed the three matches after the Crewe game on February 23 with injury and we proceeded to take just one point from the nine available. Reunited with Dara for the visit of Colchester on March 16 we won 3-0. That was followed by another win in our next game, at Notts County, when Dara was on international duty and Troy Brown proved an able deputy.

Plainly, the 4-1 defeat in our next game, at home to Mansfield, was a big disappointment and, I think it's fair to say, neither Deano or Dara were at their best. However. Mansfield are clearly one of the best sides in League Two and while that performance undoubtedly represented 'a bad day at the office' I'm not convinced there was any need for Matty T to read too much more into it and to break up what has, on balance, been such a successful partnership. Again, I'd suggest this is borne out by the stats – we've taken just four points from the four games that have followed conceding seven goals in the process; that's just one less than the eight goals we conceded in the 11 games Dara and Deano lined up together between December 15 and January 23.

Now I'm a big Troy Brown fan and I can kinda understand why, in light of the Mansfield defeat, the manager felt the need to change things; similarly, I recognise there are 'lies, damn lies, and statistics'. However, it seems clear to me that our best chance of a top-seven finish depends on Matty T seeing sense and restoring two centre-halves who, IMO, are ideally matched, work well together, and have delivered an average of two points a game.
So, with Moxey and O'Shea restored to the centre of defence, we've got four points from our last two games and have conceded only once. #justsaying
 

Antony Moxey

Very well known Exeweb poster
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
Messages
42,716
Location
Exmuff
So, with Moxey and O'Shea restored to the centre of defence, we've got four points from our last two games and have conceded only once. #justsaying
No need to be just saying Egg, anyone with eyes in their head could see it was a mistake bringing back Troy. You might shuffle things around elsewhere but I’d suggest you don’t break up a successful central defensive partnership unless there’s an injury or suspension or a loss of form. That’s the only way Troy should have regained his place, not just because he was no longer injured.
 

iscalad

Very well known Exeweb poster
Joined
Aug 22, 2007
Messages
26,162
Location
Far away across the field
Bournemouth interested in Dara.
 
Top