Ben Nelson

[Tommy Fresh]

Just now, Tommy G said:

I'm talking about the pedigree of player they are used to having at Oxford, not the amount of defending he needs to do. 

 

Sounds like it was Maresca admiring Nelson than a bid rejected

 

"Leicester turned down bids and maintained a high valuation that ultimately scared clubs off" from October.

[when_you're_smiling]

Part of a ‘backlash’ might be due to some of the quite vocal posters on here calling for the youngsters to play, which is fine, but many also seem to naively think that they will all be top end of the Championship quality straight away. That was never likely.

 

Statistically long term it’s unlikely that most of our promising kids will be good enough at that level, never mind right now with little experience and in fairly toxic conditions.

 

I’d be fine with going with all the youngsters, but you’re going to get the inconstancies and mistakes. They’re not just going to straight away be good enough to waltz into the top two like some seem to think.

 

Nelson is seemingly the best equipped and has already had a couple of good games for us this season (alongside a couple of stinkers), but being a CB at a side who are set up for a relegation fight and to be compact against more expensive sides is very different to being a centre back at a club like ours which is more expected to be on the front foot.

[trooky]

What are all the negative posters saying? 

 

Marti should drop Nelson after 1 bad game and bring back Faes? 

[Aleksz]

Some absolute waffle in here. People want the team built around our brilliant youth until the standard peaks and troughs of form that come with playing them. 

[Rubbersoul]

29 minutes ago, when_you're_smiling said:

Part of a ‘backlash’ might be due to some of the quite vocal posters on here calling for the youngsters to play, which is fine, but many also seem to naively think that they will all be top end of the Championship quality straight away. That was never likely.

 

Statistically long term it’s unlikely that most of our promising kids will be good enough at that level, never mind right now with little experience and in fairly toxic conditions.

 

I’d be fine with going with all the youngsters, but you’re going to get the inconstancies and mistakes. They’re not just going to straight away be good enough to waltz into the top two like some seem to think.

 

Nelson is seemingly the best equipped and has already had a couple of good games for us this season (alongside a couple of stinkers), but being a CB at a side who are set up for a relegation fight and to be compact against more expensive sides is very different to being a centre back at a club like ours which is more expected to be on the front foot.

It’s a good job we aren’t a top end championship side then 

[filbertway]

4 hours ago, when_you're_smiling said:

Part of a ‘backlash’ might be due to some of the quite vocal posters on here calling for the youngsters to play, which is fine, but many also seem to naively think that they will all be top end of the Championship quality straight away. That was never likely.

 

Statistically long term it’s unlikely that most of our promising kids will be good enough at that level, never mind right now with little experience and in fairly toxic conditions.

 

I’d be fine with going with all the youngsters, but you’re going to get the inconstancies and mistakes. They’re not just going to straight away be good enough to waltz into the top two like some seem to think.

 

Nelson is seemingly the best equipped and has already had a couple of good games for us this season (alongside a couple of stinkers), but being a CB at a side who are set up for a relegation fight and to be compact against more expensive sides is very different to being a centre back at a club like ours which is more expected to be on the front foot.

Not sure I understand your first paragraph. 

 

If its backlash against people who are promoting the use of youth, then its not those same people who don't understand the peaks and troughs that come with that.

 

Maybe im misunderstanding your point though to be fair. My blood is about 50% alcohol at this point

 

[gurru991]

On 22/12/2025 at 07:08, filbertway said:

Not sure I understand your first paragraph. 

 

If its backlash against people who are promoting the use of youth, then its not those same people who don't understand the peaks and troughs that come with that.

 

Maybe im misunderstanding your point though to be fair. My blood is about 50% alcohol at this point

 

Sounds like you are down a pint .... better get after it !!

[Mike Oxlong]

Over hyped but underplayed to get a fair reflection of whether he's good enough 

[Fazzer 7]

3 hours ago, Mike Oxlong said:

Over hyped but underplayed to get a fair reflection of whether he's good enough 

Definitely overhyped. Looks to have no pace or strength to me, also timid in the tackle. Does have time on his side to improve. 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

On 22/12/2025 at 10:30, Aleksz said:

Some absolute waffle in here. People want the team built around our brilliant youth until the standard peaks and troughs of form that come with playing them. 

Like I've said before, people SAY they want youth because it's trendy to say that.

 

Then when youth lads have a poor run of form (which is completely expected at that age), they are immediately hung out to dry. Aluko will be the next one, mark my words.

[Fox92]

4 minutes ago, Fazzer 7 said:

Definitely overhyped. Looks to have no pace or strength to me, also timid in the tackle. Does have time on his side to improve. 

Doesn't seem to lose a lot of challenges though. I thought QPR was his worse game for us, before that he's been fine. Doesn't help he had a bad injury and has played less than 10 competitive games. 

 

No pace is irrelevant. Some of the greatest defenders of all time lacked pace, but made up for it in terms of reading the game. 

 

He will be a solid defender with time.

[reynard]

23 minutes ago, Fazzer 7 said:

Definitely overhyped. Looks to have no pace or strength to me, also timid in the tackle. Does have time on his side to improve. 

Not sure who is overhyping him. A few posters on here rate him, Oxford fans, on the whole, thought he was decent for them. He's only played around 25 matches a this level in his career, some as a substitute. That isn't even a season. Steve Walsh didn't start his Leicester career too well but he turned out ok.

 

It isn't just about age with the younger players, it is also about experience and how many games they have played. Nelson will find his level, in time, what that will be, we will have to wait to find out. Possibly not with us though. As you say still plenty of time. He's young, inexperienced and is going to make mistakes. it would help him if he had better defenders around him.

[Stadt]

Playing with shit players and a shit manager at a club in turmoil. He's more than held his own - just so bizarre youth team players with no direct fee associated are held to a higher, let alone the same stander than internationals we've paid lots of money for.

[Ric Flair]

On 12/04/2025 at 20:54, Lambert09 said:

“Personally, I think he's top top drawer and is destined to have a long career at the top level.

His biggest impact I think is his ability to carry to ball out and progress the play forward.

We have decent defenders at this level in Brown, Moore & Helik however, when Nelson was out of the side I felt like we were so easy to defend against as the opposition knew the ball was either going to go long, sideways or short to one of the midfielders. I think he adds another dimension to our game and has allowed us to carry more of a threat and get up the pitch more.

As others have mentioned he perhaps doesn't dominate forwards as much as he could/should, but I think that will come. Easy to forget he has only just turned 21 and has less than 50 first team games. 

I have heard whispers of the Chelsea interest and it doesn't surprise me. If I was advising him I'd say to sit tight and have a full season in the Championship with Leicester next season. After that I think he'd be more than ready to make the step up to the Premier League”

“I see Nelson as a future England international.
Needs to stay injury free and needs to play.”

 

 

 

 

On 26/04/2025 at 17:04, moore_94 said:

 

 

On 26/04/2025 at 23:32, Lambert09 said:

Today at 15:43

#184

Said recently that I thought he's been really good but not absolutely amazing, but today he was colossal.

Possibly the best Oxford United centre half showing I've seen for a good few years. If he turns in that calibre of performance on a regular basis moving forward, he's going to be worth a lot of money.

Easy to see why we didn't send him back in January despite his injury. That goal alone was worth every penny he's cost us this season. Good luck, young man, and thank you.

 

On 27/04/2025 at 00:28, coolhandfox said:

Oxford Forum:

 

Ben Nelson looked like an adult taking part in a kids kickabout at times today. He was absolutely and totally in control. One of the best centre back displays I’ve seen at the Kassan Stadium.

 

On 27/04/2025 at 19:23, Fox on the Rox said:

Oxford Mail player ratings for yesterday's match

 

 

On 27/04/2025 at 21:37, Oxfordlad said:

Just popped on here to look at what you thought of Nelson and why he’d been let out on loan this season.  You have got some player here.  An absolute rock in defence and always looks the most assured footballer on the pitch…..an absolute certainty to play for England at some point.  
 

We wouldn’t be a Championship team next season if it wasn’t for him.  Best defender we’ve had since Matty Elliott.  
 

Looking forward to our visit to you lot next season.  Visited Filbert Street many times so will be first trip to current stadium 

 

 

 

On 29/04/2025 at 20:50, Fox on the Rox said:

Made EFL Team of the Week

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJCIZGYtJYg/?img_index=1&igsh=MXFzZjF6bWRwamw0NA==

Some snippets from last season

[inckley fox]

1 hour ago, Fox92 said:

Doesn't seem to lose a lot of challenges though. I thought QPR was his worse game for us, before that he's been fine. Doesn't help he had a bad injury and has played less than 10 competitive games. 

 

No pace is irrelevant. Some of the greatest defenders of all time lacked pace, but made up for it in terms of reading the game. 

 

He will be a solid defender with time.

Maresca specifically praised him for being quick. Maybe, like with Big Wes who was quick but didn't always show it, we're missing something. Or maybe Enzo just hadn't been paying attention.

[CornwallFox]

Really good prospect, should be staying in the team all season

[honeybradger]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some snippets from last season

It's honestly saddening the number of people chomping at the bit to have a go at him on here.

 

Faes has been catastrophic for us yet you still have fans adamant he's our best centreback coming into this season, Vestergaard was worse than Nelson against QPR yet he's still somehow considered one of the best centrebacks in the league by fans.

 

Nelson has one bad game and it feels like he's on his last straw before being completely written off for some. I just cant comprehend why the academy players are held to a higher standard than the highly paid seniors who required a fee to bring in, should be the other way around.

[BKLFox]

1 hour ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

Like I've said before, people SAY they want youth because it's trendy to say that.

 

Then when youth lads have a poor run of form (which is completely expected at that age), they are immediately hung out to dry. Aluko will be the next one, mark my words.

“Fans” are notoriously reactionary and will comment touch by touch and not think about that phrase ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts’ especially when things aren’t going their way. [insert into most young player threads]
 

I’m more than happy with Nelson to be the 1st pick CB knowing he’ll have the odd wobble but also realise he’s better than the odd wobble.

I’ve said before I’d really like a future partnership of Nelson and Wilson-Brown with some experience aiding the pair but certainly not WF or JV.

 

With regards to ‘the next 1’ to be targeted it’ll be Monga I think and just because he’s been built up to much and to quickly, closely followed by Page.

I think once he gets a good run of games Aluko will be fine, he’s certainly the most ready out of those 3.
Silko is getting what he needs currently although will probably end up being another McAteer, as will Marcel.

Might as well finish commenting on them all, Jakob is more than fine & I certainly don’t write him off for a misjudged pass in a game we were winning 3:0 & in away he’ll learn more from that than keeping a clean sheet that particular day.

Some of his saves have kept us in games or kept the score down, he comes for crosses and generally makes them. My only real critique given he’s still young for a keeper is he needs to be more vocal, I get the impression he’s frightened to bollock Vestergaard etc he needs to be talking & telling them where to go and giving them grief / praise like Kasper would, if he can come out of his shell more he’ll be better for it.

[Aleksz]

1 hour ago, honeybradger said:

It's honestly saddening the number of people chomping at the bit to have a go at him on here.

 

Faes has been catastrophic for us yet you still have fans adamant he's our best centreback coming into this season, Vestergaard was worse than Nelson against QPR yet he's still somehow considered one of the best centrebacks in the league by fans.

 

Nelson has one bad game and it feels like he's on his last straw before being completely written off for some. I just cant comprehend why the academy players are held to a higher standard than the highly paid seniors who required a fee to bring in, should be the other way around.

Nothing new. How it basically goes is there are those that want young players involved, then there are those waiting to shoot that down, and take "we should player X, he's exciting and highly rated" as "We should play player X as he is going to be the messiah and turn the rest of these shitters into decent players". You'll see the same in the Monga and Page threads, next up Aluko, Next after that Evans.

Edited 24 December 2025 by Aleksz

[kiddo]

He's fine, he's a very good prospect.

 

Bound to make the odd mistake, but it doesn't matter so much this season as it's a write-off anyway. 

 

Just got to give him a chance and persist with him, what's the alternative, bringing Faes back?!

[Chelmofox]

I know we are in perpetual freefall right now. But...

 

I wanted to say i really enjoyed watching him play yesterday. I thought he was really good in the first half and showed pace driving up the pitch quickly, and played good quick balls out to the wing. Sadly, he has 2 donkeys either side of him and a 48 year old Riccy P who is inverting up the pitch giving the ball away constantly. This approach is the way forward for us, we just need to bed Aluko into the team, get a new CB who can actually kick a ball (or isn't a curly haired c*nt).

 

Really hope he continues to get picked and develop. Playing next to Vestergaard isnt a good future for him - he needs a better player to be along side.

[Fox92]

Just now, Chelmofox said:

I know we are in perpetual freefall right now. But...

 

I wanted to say i really enjoyed watching him play yesterday. I thought he was really good in the first half and showed pace driving up the pitch quickly, and played good quick balls out to the wing. Sadly, he has 2 donkeys either side of him and a 48 year old Riccy P who is inverting up the pitch giving the ball away constantly. This approach is the way forward for us, we just need to bed Aluko into the team, get a new CB who can actually kick a ball (or isn't a curly haired c*nt).

 

Really hope he continues to get picked and develop. Playing next to Vestergaard isnt a good future for him - he needs a better player to be along side.

Shame he got done for the first goal.

[Chelmofox]

2 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

Shame he got done for the first goal.

That was his fault? I recall watching a complete bell end boot it into a Watford player. 

Edited 27 December 2025 by Chelmofox

[Fazzer 7]

2 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

Shame he got done for the first goal.

Yep. Nutmeg'd with ease. Then made little to no effort to recover the situation. Likewise when he stayed down their penalty box. Watford broke away to the halfway line before the penny dropped and made an half arsed attempt to run back. He's got no pace, all legs and looks weak for his size. 

[Fazzer 7]

4 minutes ago, Chelmofox said:

That was his fault? I recall watching a complete bell end boot it into a Watford player. 

Yea well Okoli is absolute dross as well.