A Quarter of the way through

[Who Needs Mourinho]

Both of them have beaten us....so not them!!!)

Yeah your fixtures haven’t been that bad have they?

That should make it more worrying but Devonshire seems to revel in taking points off the bigger/bankrolled teams so maybe not.

 

[Magpie Mike]

Yeah your fixtures haven’t been that bad have they?

That should make it more worrying but Devonshire seems to revel in taking points off the bigger/bankrolled teams so maybe not.

Agreed....The Devonshire factor is our only salvation at present.
He needs to get his contacts book out quick and rustle up a few deals.

 

[East Bank Shot]

Pretty much where I expected us to be when the fixtures came out, and when the squad was put together. We’ve had a tricky start to the season on paper, only playing 4 teams in the bottom half and picking up all of our 7 points against them. I’m hoping that come the end of this month, with games against Barnet and Weymouth to come, and Molesley’s new signings starting to gel, we should be a bit healthier.

 

[TonyM]

Expected bottom six and that's where we are. On the plus side we look far more competitive than last season and actually look like we have a plan, on the downside silly individual errors and a powder puffy front two means we haven't converted that competitiveness into points. Culverhouse still probably one of the safest managers in the league as most would accept we are punching above our weight, even now we are full time.

 

[Stoney Ground]

If we finish where we are that will be fine, we are in a mini league with the clubs below us. We are staying in games longer and other than Torquay have done ok. A fair few are moaning about the style of play, we do tend to overplay and concentrate to much on possession but some to want the manager changed are ludicrous.

 

[Aberstone]

If we finish where we are that will be fine, we are in a mini league with the clubs below us. We are staying in games longer and other than Torquay have done ok. A fair few are moaning about the style of play, we do tend to overplay and concentrate to much on possession but some to want the manager changed are ludicrous.

Agreed with all of that. The calls for change in MT are utterly ludicrous given our budget and that we’ve been competitive in 10 of the 11 games.

 

[MrGloverLover]

Incredibly worrying. After a run of 3 wins on the bounce we've fallen off a cliff and going by fans' feedback Saturday's performance is generally being regarded as the worst we've seen in many years. I'm not sure Sarll knows how to change things. There are rumours flying around of a takeover being imminent but i'm not holding my breath. It's badly needed but if it does happen it won't be for the right reasons or in the best interests of the club.

 

[Son of Cod]

Couldn't be happier with our start really, would have snapped your hand off if offered this start. There isn't a single player who isn't performing right now. I thought we'd start slowly and grow into the season. Really odd feeling, this kind of form doesn't happen to us early doors.

We are just hoping there are 2 teams worse than us.
Not sure there are however.

Surprised at that, thought you were decent enough against us and would have said you'd be staying up at the very least. You definitely looked like scoring could be a problem, but you were one of the most solid teams we've played so far.

 

[SuperHans]

Mixed feelings about our start really.

As others have said, 22 points from 11 games is a great return and if you keep that up over a season you’ll be 1st/2nd come May.

However, I can’t help but feel we should have more points on the board. 96th min equaliser for Bromley, 95th min equaliser for Torquay, late equaliser for Wrexham - all of which could’ve and should’ve been avoided.

Injuries are now really starting to mount up and we need some luck in that department shortly otherwise you feel we might start to see a drop in overall form.

Its a good start, but could’ve been an even better one very easily.

We need Oyeleke available more often, Jack Clarke to come back for good in November and Asante to be firing on all cylinders IMO if we are to seriously challenge for top spot.

 

[OneDecentLester]

Mixed feelings about our start really.

As others have said, 22 points from 11 games is a great return and if you keep that up over a season you’ll be 1st/2nd come May.

However, I can’t help but feel we should have more points on the board. 96th min equaliser for Bromley, 95th min equaliser for Torquay, late equaliser for Wrexham - all of which could’ve and should’ve been avoided.

Injuries are now really starting to mount up and we need some luck in that department shortly otherwise you feel we might start to see a drop in overall form.

Its a good start, but could’ve been an even better one very easily.

We need Oyeleke available more often, Jack Clarke to come back for good in November and Asante to be firing on all cylinders IMO if we are to seriously challenge for top spot.

Asante will be like a new signing won’t he, so excited for the come back. Just hope and pray the injury hasn’t affected him too much and he comes back even stronger than the player we had before (take some doing that!)

 

[Stocky]

Not technically a quarter for us as we've only played 10 but Rusked out of it so far.

I've gone from thinking we may just miss out on automatic promotion to thinking we will miss out on the play offs unless we have a serious re think.

 

[Optipez]

Not technically a quarter for us as we've only played 10 but Rusked out of it so far.

I've gone from thinking we may just miss out on automatic promotion to thinking we will miss out on the play offs unless we have a serious re think.

You've won four of your last five, seems like a pretty decent upturn in form.

 

[SuperHans]

Asante will be like a new signing won’t he, so excited for the come back. Just hope and pray the injury hasn’t affected him too much and he comes back even stronger than the player we had before (take some doing that!)

I’d be playing 4-3-3 with Kabby, Rowe & Asante starting once he’s back.

 

[Shrimper_95]

Couldn’t be much worse!

 

[Optipez]

Couldn’t be much worse!

Suspect you've hit rock bottom. Brown looked a terrible appointment and it turned out to be.
All thoughts of promotion now gone and the reality of being down here will have hit the owner full in the face now. Suspect your next manager will be an improvement and as you're well supported with parachute payments you can build and pull away from the drop zone.

 

[Stocky]

You've won four of your last five, seems like a pretty decent upturn in form.

Aldershot could have got something second half Saturday. We invited them on at 1-0. Ruskball is not promotion ball.

We don't create many chances. Weymouth hanging on last week really could have been short term pain long term gain because we've got an 8th tier team at home in the cup, defeat vs you in the next league won't get him the bullet and then we have Barnet and Dover to paper over a few more cracks.

Which is me £30 down with a mate as I said Rusk would be done by Halloween.

 

[RavenBish]

Probably a bit more positive than most Notts fans. If Rawlinson, Cameron, Lacey & Slocombe don’t all get injured in the space of a week then I think we’re sat in the top 3-5 at worst despite things not really clicking.

As unconvincing as we’ve been, I think we’ve got a fairly balanced squad and the only area of the pitch we look a bit subpar is central midfield - Palmer is class but Francis hasn’t been the Doyle replacement we were promised, Vincent is the 2021 Matty Wolfe and O’Brien is good for a 20 minute man-possessed cameo but not a reliable permanent option in a 2-man midfield.

My only big worry is that I think IB is finding it difficult to get Rodrigues and Roberts in the same team. Rodrigues is clearly best as a striker and Roberts as an inside forward which is why we’ve ended up 4–2-4. When he’s played Rodrigues out wide or in midfield he’s not looked as effective and, whilst he’s the most talented player in the division, Roberts is an absolute liability defensively if you play him as an 8 or wide in a 442.

also think it’s been one of the better summer recruitment exercises we’ve had in recent memory - Cameron & Palmer are excellent, Nemane looks great now he’s fit and I prefer Taylor to Miller so far (small sample size). It’s really only Francis for me that looks like a misfire and unfortunately he was one we seemed to put quite a few chips on.

 

[jacobncfc]

I’m quite confident Francis will come good, he’s had a couple of excellent games but is clearly adapting to the physicality of men’s football. He’s got a sweet left foot and takes up the right positions, he’ll be fine. As a loanee I’d be a bit disappointed, but as our own asset I think he’ll prove a good one.

I do think we’ve fucked up signing him and Vincent as two ‘projects’ in that area of the pitch, though. As you say, Roberts is hopeless defensively and while Rodrigues is game to try and do his bit, it mostly consists of wild and unnecessary late tackles. I think we probably should’ve known this and brought in a genuine holding midfielder we can rely on. There’s too much responsibility on Palmer to hold everything together on his own at the minute, which is a big ask even if he’s obviously a class player.

 

[RavenBish]

I do think most of Francis’ weaknesses would get hidden more in a 3 man midfield but he is so painfully weak and slow that he essentially has to be the Vanarama Busquets to warrant his place in the team.

 

[Optipez]

I do think most of Francis’ weaknesses would get hidden more in a 3 man midfield but he is so painfully weak and slow that he essentially has to be the Vanarama Busquets to warrant his place in the team.

He's 6', and trains as a professional athlete. I just don't understand how he can have so little physical fight in him. He gets knocked to the ground and waves his arms at the ref demanding free kicks, why Burchnall, Doyle and his team mates aren't giving him an absolute rollicking and telling him to get on with it I've no odea. They're all too nicey, nicey.

 

[springerbfc]

Barnet have learned the lesson that Harry Kewell was useless. We've got a fairly decent squad, 8 points from last 12. Unbeaten in last 4, we are getting it together under Dean Brennon.

Three of those games were Weymouth, Kings Lynn and Dover. I think we need to reserve judgment on our squad until we have faced sterner opposition, minus HK…

 

[Wooderson]

I do think we’ve fucked up signing him and Vincent as two ‘projects’ in that area of the pitch, though. As you say, Roberts is hopeless defensively and while Rodrigues is game to try and do his bit, it mostly consists of wild and unnecessary late tackles. I think we probably should’ve known this and brought in a genuine holding midfielder we can rely on. There’s too much responsibility on Palmer to hold everything together on his own at the minute, which is a big ask even if he’s obviously a class player.

Hard to disagree with anything my fellow pies have said. Probably 6/10 so far.

As for physicality, I hope we are taking a look at Mussa at Weymouth. Might only be 21 and has fairly limited experience, but from what I saw myself last month and the reports from other fans, I think we could do with a bit of what he offers.

 

[B2TF]

Well, since we're all bigging ourselves up..........Southend, Stockport, Altrincham, and Weymouth were all superb performances, close to perfection, from start to finish. The Notts game, at 2-0 down and down to 10 men, I told my mate next to me, "we're still in this game", because in all honesty it could just as easily have been 2-0 to us at that point- we were driving forwards and creating chances all game. We played REAL football, scored 3 superbly crafted and taken goals, proving we're more than the "average team" some knobber on the Notts forum called us. But hey, you carry on talking yoursens up and us down, if it makes you feel better- although it sounds to me like whistling in the dark, if you understand what that means), and we'll see who are the "average" teams at the end of the season.

 

[MrGloverLover]

Quarter of the way through?? We're not even a fifth of the way through!

 

[Wooderson]

Whoever it was immediately after the final whistle who said the worst thing about our defeat to Halifax was that it would send B2TF into overdrive was spot on.

 

[AJS]

As for physicality, I hope we are taking a look at Mussa at Weymouth. Might only be 21 and has fairly limited experience, but from what I saw myself last month and the reports from other fans, I think we could do with a bit of what he offers.

Mussa was very good against us on Saturday. The only one for Weymouth that caused us any issues. He’ll go onto better things.

 

[MrGloverLover]

Mussa was very good against us on Saturday. The only one for Weymouth that caused us any issues. He’ll go onto better things.

I hope he has an off day on Saturday. If we lose to Alty tonight then the ultimate indignity of going out of the FA Cup to the seagull botherers could well lead to some unpleasantness

 

[iesty wfc]

As Englishred mentioned, we have been too inconsistent and have either had to hold on for 1 point when 3 was in reach to or salvage a draw

Parkinson doesnt seem to get too involved in the media and is leaving it to Tozer who is being more vocal. i think see where we are around Christmas time and that will show where we are going to spend our millions. will probably gazump Mullins £30k a week in the process

 

[GTFCfish]

Whoever it was immediately after the final whistle who said the worst thing about our defeat to Halifax was that it would send B2TF into overdrive was spot on.

 

[GTFCfish]

Southend, Stockport, Altrincham, and Weymouth were all superb performances, close to perfection, from start to finish. The Notts game, at 2-0 down and down to 10 men, I told my mate next to me, "we're still in this game", because in all honesty it could just as easily have been 2-0 to us at that point- we were driving forwards and creating chances all game. We played REAL football, scored 3 superbly crafted and taken goals, proving we're more than the "average team" some knobber on the Notts forum called us. But hey, you carry on talking yoursens up and us down, if it makes you feel better- although it sounds to me like whistling in the dark, if you understand what that means), and we'll see who are the "average" teams at the end of the season.

Up until this point it was believable.