Peterborough v Oxford: play-off hopes over?

Oxford need Maguire fully fit – oxfordmail.co.uk

Recent defeats have effectively ended Peterborough and Oxford’s outside play-off hopes.

Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony said in pre-season that anything other than promotion is a failure. Although this blog’s prediction of 17th is also some way off, most will classify this as another disappointing season.

Peterborough United have failed to score in six of their last ten and controversially let Lee Angol, top scorer last term, go on loan to Lincoln. Alternative striking options are unconvincing: Craig Mackail-Smith and Paul Taylor are not the same players that graced London Road a few years ago while Junior Morias has never started a Football League game before this year.

Those strikers are relatively small in stature and so Marcus Maddison, who has dipped in form lately, needs to shoot more rather than cross. His goals and assists have been a big part of why Peterborough have been even competing for a top six berth in recent seasons. Maddison has now played over 100 games for Posh, so his team now relies on him to step up and show League One just what he is capable of.

Oxford’s main man this season has been Chris Maguire, a creative player who excels from dead balls scenarios. The poor performance without him against Bristol Rovers, in many ways sums up his importance to the side, even if other key players were missing.

It will be important for the club to tie him down to a long-term contract so that, even if he does go, it is not on a free this summer when his current deal expires. If he were to leave for a respectable fee, one would back the club to replace him, because they have got their recruitment spot on over the last two or three years.

The latest additions are loanee strikers Conor McAleny and Toni Martinez. McAleny has looked bright with four goals in seven appearances since joining from Everton, while West Ham’s Martinez has scored some memorable goals in the FA Cup.

The question is whether those players get the right service, which was not the case against the Gasheads. They did not create as many chances as usual and without Curtis Nelson, who carries the ball out of defence well, they were bullied by a powerful, high-pressing side.

Peterborough and Oxford have shown flashes of potential this season, but need reliable goalscorers in place for a whole season.

The Football Lab’s Verdict: 2-1
Betting tip: Peterborough to win at 15/8