Today

[GodalmingYellow]

Any sort of comparison of JA with RD is going to make me laugh really quite a lot.

Funny this conversation has come round to Johnny Aldridge, as I was going to ask you (GY) whether you thought his knack of scoring more than one goal in a game, and accuracy with penalties, should detract from his impressive scoring record too.

Anyway, the comparison is perfectly valid. No-one is trying to claim that Duffy is as good as Aldridge - if he were, he wouldn't be playing in the Conference. But the goalscoring charts (at their respective levels) speak for themselves. And Aldo received considerably better service, from both wide players and strike partners, than Duffy ever has.

And as for the booing argument - if you criticise the whole team after a shocking performance, then fair enough. But if you single out Duffy for abuse, either during or after a game, then shame on you quite frankly. As you say, he's the best of what we've got, so let's get behind him, shall we?

I see no reason to apply different principles to JA. And he still has an impressive scoring record in non-penalty goals. Duffy doesn't have that yet. To turn the tables on you, are you seriously trying to suggest that a striker who scores 20 goals in a season, with half of them from penalties, is as useful as a striker who scores 20 goals in a season but who doesn't take the penalties? Fine if you are, but I'm not going to be able to take your argument seriously if that's the case.

There is no comparison with JA. JA was a much more impressive striker, and not just in the relative to divisional sense. He had intelligence, pace, dragged defenders all over the place, he worked with his team mates and not as an individual, and he didn't have the prima donna attitude of Duffy. And if that were not enough, he scored far more from open play. The better service he had was a result of the better standard we played at, and in compensation, he had to play against much better defenders, so that argument falls flat.

As for the booing argument, I'm not sure why you are choosing to repeat the point in response to me. I agree with you completely on that.

[Snake]

No one has mentioned Tommy Mooney yet, who was the last decent centre forward we had, and thatÔÇÖs surprising.

[Baboo]

As was this one

Okay Stattos - which Oxford player has the best penalty success ratio? Duffy's, of course, must be unbeatable cos he ain't missed. Have any others taken a significant number and not missed?

And who has the worst?

[Radley Rambler]

I can't remember Dave Fogg ever missing one.

His was a great style, if he hit the target it went in because the keeper would be in the back of the net with the ball - such was the power.

Ah memories...........

[A-Ro]

I can't remember Dave Fogg ever missing one.

Ah memories...........

I can remember Micky Bullock missing one - spooned it over the top of the Cuckoo Lane into the nurses home.

Ah memories............

[Kernow Yellow]

As for the booing argument, I'm not sure why you are choosing to repeat the point in response to me. I agree with you completely on that.

Sorry - I misread something you said earlier.

[Kernow Yellow]

No one has mentioned Tommy Mooney yet, who was the last decent centre forward we had, and that’s surprising.

Or Jemson.

Both of whom took a lot of stick for being 'lazy' despite being the most prolific strikers we'd seen for some time.

[Matt D]

oops, try posting that on the right thread:

i stand ready to be corrected, but i don't recall crosby ever missing a penalty in a competitive fixture.

the only time i ever saw him miss was from oxford city's clubhouse, finishing my half-time pint at the pre-season friendly. i nearly spilt my pint in shock.

[GodalmingYellow]

As for the booing argument, I'm not sure why you are choosing to repeat the point in response to me. I agree with you completely on that.

Sorry - I misread something you said earlier.

No probs.

Moody was another who was an excellent penalty taker, real net bursters.

We had someone who missed quite a few consecutively about 3 or 4 seasons back, but I can't remember who it was.

[YF Dan]

Dean Saunders had a very high penalties/goals ratio, and he missed loads of penalties too.

In fact, I'm sure there was an odd stat that if he got two penalties in a game, he'd score one and miss one. I'm sure it happened 3 or 4 times.

I can think of the League Cup semi against Luton, a 5-2 drubbing at home by Wimbledon in the proper first division...the others may come back to me

On the Duffer subject, can you possibly drop your top scorer? Anyone who gets into double figures with the abysmal lack of service he gets is almost undroppable as far as I can see.

[boris]

We had someone who missed quite a few consecutively about 3 or 4 seasons back, but I can't remember who it was.

Lee Bradbury?

[ty cobb]

As for the booing argument, I'm not sure why you are choosing to repeat the point in response to me. I agree with you completely on that.

Sorry - I misread something you said earlier.

No probs.

Moody was another who was an excellent penalty taker, real net bursters.

We had someone who missed quite a few consecutively about 3 or 4 seasons back, but I can't remember who it was.

I remember Moody missing a couple - one at home to P'Boro stands out.

Crosby certainly didn't miss one for us - every pen was perfect height and in the corner, if he can do it why can't England players??

GY - of course a striker who scores 20 in a season has generally done better then a striker who scores 12 with 8 pens. However, a striker who scores 20 in a season prob gets much better service then Duffy gets. It's not like he misses many chances is it (Rushden doesn't count I thought he did very well to get the ball)

When things start going wrong people get on his back like its his fault. If you asked him he would prob be aware that many Oxford fans don't rate him and for someone who's our best striker and top scorer I think that says quite a lot about the expectations of our fans.

[GodalmingYellow]

Sorry - I misread something you said earlier.

No probs.

Moody was another who was an excellent penalty taker, real net bursters.

We had someone who missed quite a few consecutively about 3 or 4 seasons back, but I can't remember who it was.

I remember Moody missing a couple - one at home to P'Boro stands out.

Crosby certainly didn't miss one for us - every pen was perfect height and in the corner, if he can do it why can't England players??

GY - of course a striker who scores 20 in a season has generally done better then a striker who scores 12 with 8 pens. However, a striker who scores 20 in a season prob gets much better service then Duffy gets. It's not like he misses many chances is it (Rushden doesn't count I thought he did very well to get the ball)

When things start going wrong people get on his back like its his fault. If you asked him he would prob be aware that many Oxford fans don't rate him and for someone who's our best striker and top scorer I think that says quite a lot about the expectations of our fans.

I thought we'd more or less finished this one Ty.

A striker who socres 20 in a season may get better service, or they may put themselves about more and create more opportunities.

We could argue this all day and not get anywhere. I don't think Duffer is a bad player for this level, and I think he does convert a good proportion of his chances, and he's the best we have. But he's lazy, arrogant, doesn't contribute much to team play and frequently gives the ball away, and there are many better than him at this level. He's not the best and he's not the worst. He's mediocre and I'm sorry if you feel that does him down too much, but I think its a fair reflection.

[Isaac]

I'd love to know where you get arrogant from GY? Jemson was the one arrogant players I can remember but that's largely because he always was talking about how great he was, Duffy always comes across ok in interviews and I'd love to know how you can interpret his style of play as being arrogant.

Lazy, I can see your point, although often the most effective strikers are labelled as lazy. As for giving the ball away, he plays up front, I don't think he gives the ball away more often than any other striker I've seen this year, especially bearing in mind he often gets it at his head.

[A-Ro]

often the most effective strikers are labelled as lazy.

Gary Lineker for example.