Vital Oxford’s Best XI of the Season

It has been an inconsistent season for Oxford United but it ended with the U’s reaching the play-off semi-finals.

The U’s made a slow start, losing seven of their opening ten league games and being knocked out of both cup competitions, before producing a record-breaking run in the middle. Then, a late surge towards the end of the campaign saw Oxford move into the top six on the final day.

At times, there has also been inconsistency in team selection as a result of injuries. However, here is our Team of the Season:

Read: Oxford United Season Review

Back Five

Jack Stevens

Academy graduate Jack Stevens made 35 league appearances for the U’s this season after dislodging Simon Eastwood from the number one spot in November.

The 23-year-old had only made nine senior appearances before his inclusion against Ipswich Town, with the majority coming in the Football League Trophy.

Oxford had failed to keep a clean sheet under Eastwood in the league, but Stevens managed two from his opening three games before keeping 13 shutouts in total.

Still young, the goalkeeper has room to develop but his inclusion into the first team has been one of Karl Robinson’s best decisions since he took over.

Despite signing a new long term deal, there is no guarantee that he will keep the jersey next season, with Eastwood also committing his future to the club, giving Robinson the option of two very good goalkeepers.

Josh Ruffels

Mr Consistent, Josh Ruffels has barely put a foot wrong at left-back. The 27-year-old played in 47 matches this season and added a career-best six goals and six assists.

The Oxford-born defender came up against some talented wingers in the early part of the season but, on the whole, managed to nullify any threats across the campaign.

A goal in a 3-2 win at Plymouth was followed up by a brace at Burton, before the defender added the match-winner against Fleetwood, and strikes at Crewe and AFC Wimbledon.

However, Ruffels is out of contract in the summer and talks have hit a standstill, so the defender looks likely to depart after eight years at his hometown club, with Nottingham Forest reportedly interested in signing him.

Rob Atkinson

It’s hard to believe that Rob Atkinson has only played one season in the Football League, given how well he has performed for the U’s.

Signed from Eastleigh in January 2020, the centre back was loaned back to the Spitfires before returning towards the end of the season.

He made his debut in the opening day defeat at Lincoln and was wrongly sent off late on. Injury also ruled him out of a handful of fixtures but the 22-year-old still managed 39 league appearances.

Goals in a win over Shrewsbury and the second leg of the playoffs against Blackpool meant he was the lowest scoring defender, but his displays at the back still earned him a spot in League One Team of the Season. As a result, Bristol City have shown interest in the defender.

Elliott Moore

Alongside Atkinson, as has been the case all season, is Elliott Moore. Not only did the 24-year-old play in all 46 league games this season, but he also played every minute in the division.

Made captain following the U’s defeat to Swindon, the centre back has been commanding and has controlled what has become a solid back four.

Like Ruffels, Moore has also chipped in with his fair share of goal contributions, scoring five times and adding four assists in the league.

Sam Long

At the start of the season, Sam Long wasn’t even guaranteed a spot in the starting line-up, but as a result of injuries and poor performances, the right-back has stepped up brilliantly when required.

Long played at right-back in the opening day defeat against Lincoln before filling in on the left for the injured Ruffels in the next two fixtures. Long then played the following seven games in the middle with Atkinson out injured.

He returned to the right for the 2-1 win at Wigan and cemented his position in the team. Only injury ruled him out, but the Oxford-born defender still managed 36 league outings.

Again, like Ruffels, Long has made important contributions at both ends of the pitch, scoring six and adding four assists. Arguably, his best goal came in a 3-2 win at Plymouth but his most important came at Grenoble Road as he netted twice in the final ten minutes as the U’s came from two goals down against Gillingham to win 3-2.

Unfortunately for Long, he picked up another injury in the final day win over Burton, which ruled him out of the play-off matches against Blackpool.

His performances won him both the Supporters’ and Players’ Player of the Year at the end of season awards.

Midfield Three

Cameron Brannagan

By Cameron Brannagan’s high standards, it has probably been a slightly disappointing season for the midfielder. That said, the 25-year-old missed a large part of the early campaign with a rare eye inflammation.

The former Liverpool man played a part in the opening four league games before missing over two months while recovering from his injury.

He returned for the 5-1 win at Burton on New Year’s Day and continued to put in a string of solid performances. Another turning point came in the U’s 2-1 win over Lincoln when Brannagan took the deeper role from the injured Alex Rodriguez Gorrin.

Brannagan continued the season in the role, keeping Gorrin on the bench. His influence on the game improved, while manager Karl Robinson felt he offered more from an attacking perspective when playing in that position.

Marcus McGuane

Like Brannagan, Marcus Mcguane has also missed a large part of the season with injury, but his impressive displays have earned him a spot in our team.

Signed on loan from Nottingham Forest in the summer, the 22-year-old hit the ground running in pre-season but took time to settle to competitive football.

He started the opening game of the season at Lincoln but sat on the bench for the next four. He returned against MK Dons, where he added two assists in a 3-2 win, but missed losses at Charlton and Fleetwood with a knock.

He returned slowly, adding two more assists before playing more minutes. But, his season would end in January after a thigh problem forced him off against Bristol Rovers.

Powerful on the ball and with an eye for a pass, McGuane could have been the difference in the playoffs if he was fit. That said, his performances impressed the U’s enough to sign him permanently ahead of next season.

James Henry

Also like Brannagan, James Henry probably hasn’t put in the sort of performances we have come to expect from him. That said, the midfielder became a key figure in the run-in towards the end of the season.

One reason for his inconsistent performances could have been down to Robinson frequently changing his position. He started the opening day defeat at Lincoln on the left of midfield before moving to the middle for the next two, where he scored and assisted in the win at Accrington.

Henry returned to the right-hand side of midfield for most of the early games but he struggled to make much of an impact, adding just three goal contributions before the turn of the new year.

However, a 4-3 win at Rochdale appeared to be a turning point. Coming on as a substitute, the midfielder assisted one and scored a peach as the U’s took all three points.

While he was still switching between the right and the middle, a return to action after missing seven games through injury saw Henry remain as a central player, and his performances helped the U’s to secure a play-off finish.

Front Three

Mide Shodipo

Signed on the summer deadline day, Mide Shodipo appeared a bit of a panic signing initially. With the potential return of Marcus Browne falling through, Oxford needed a winger. Fortunately, Shodipo stepped up and has performed well across the season.

Arriving on deadline day, Shodipo missed the first nine games of the season, which saw Oxford lose five and get knocked out of both cup competitions. However, the winger netted the winner on his debut as Oxford beat MK Dons 3-2.

It wasn’t the only winning goal he scored. The QPR man also added important strikes in a 3-2 win at Plymouth and 4-3 success at Rochdale, with both goals coming late on in the game. Shodipo also netted a brace at Burton as he ended the campaign with ten league goals.

While the addition of Brandon Barker affected his game time from January, it’s unlikely the U’s would have achieved a top-six finish if it wasn’t for his important goals.

Elliot Lee

As mentioned, Brandon Barker’s arrival in January was also important as the Rangers man scored three and added four assists. However, it was another deadline day signing that fills the other spot on the wing.

Elliot Lee also arrived at Oxford in January, but the Luton Town man seemed to have a more fitting impact. While Barker may have scored in the win over Swindon, Lee added six goals and three assists from just 18 league outings.

Those three assists and four of his strikes all came in the final eight games of the season, helping the U’s cement a top-six finish, while one of his other efforts was a last-minute equaliser at MK Dons, earning what proved to be a vital point.

Where Barker showed inconsistencies at times, Lee looked the complete player and performed at the same level when on the right of midfield or the middle.

Matty Taylor

Completing the line-up is the club’s top scorer, Matty Taylor. Having notched 17 while on loan last season, Taylor upped his tally by two this year.

He may have played more games this season, but the 31-year-old was also heavily relied upon with injuries to Sam Winnall leaving him as the only recognised striker.

But, Taylor did what he does best. A brace at Accrington set the ball rolling before he scored in narrow wins against MK Dons and Wigan respectively.

Although he netted in the loss against rivals Swindon, Taylor then scored six goals in five winning games with braces against Northampton and Bristol Rovers either side of AFC Wimbledon and Burton.

Taylor then hit a slight goal drought but netted on his 13th game without a strike with a brace against Doncaster. He would add a further five before the end of the regular season and scored on his 100th Oxford appearance in the play-off semi-final second leg against Blackpool.