Notts v Crewe

[LongEatonPie]

Almost a local one but with the rubbish signal upgrades going off between Derby and Nottingham on the rail not sure how easy this trip will be for Crewe.

There have been signs of improvement in the last 2 games, a point against Stevenage after leading 3 times and another point at Northampton picking up our first clean sheet since game 1. That said a balance needs to be struck between the two games now to get the mix so we score as well as defend. A few players returning from injury most of which got minutes in a 3-2 reserve win at Peterborough.

Actually fairly confident of getting our first win here which I haven’t been since the opening game.

I’ll go 2-1 Notts. 6k through the gate.

 

[Wooderson]

No wins v only scored in 2 out of 9, should be a classic!

In all seriousness, we HAVE to be looking for our first win here against a Crewe side who don’t sound in a great place according to their fans on here. Centre of the park continues to be a bit of an issue for us, but we’ll be looking to get some joy out of Crewe’s defence, especially Boldewijn facing up against Nicky Hunt. And if Crewe play the two big lads up front, I’d hope Ward and Turley could deal with that. I see Bowery played 90 last night too.

I’m not sure we’ll keep another clean sheet, but I will go for an optimistic 2-1 win and widespread relief in Nottingham on Saturday night...

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

I will be somewhere in beautiful Andalusia checking my phone, nervously. Not as nervous as Big Al, he must be papping it big time every game now

 

[JJ1532]

Death, taxes and the Alex losing against Notts County at Meadow Lane. It's just such a given at this stage, especially as you guys are needing a win. We haven't won at Meadow Lane since 1997 and I don't see that changing. Hopefully we don't start Hunt and instead go with Whelan and O'Connor at full back. Probably won't do much better, but the thought of Boldewijn against Hunt gives me cold sweats.

Would snap your hand off for a point at any time between now and 4:50pm on Saturday. Would be a great result given our current state.

 

[Optipez]

There comes a point where you run out of excuses, we have to win. We've a highly paid big squad, pretty much all available playing a team out of sorts and we're at home.
Plus, historically Crewe are a team we tend to do well against. We're a fifth of the way through the season and we must surely win one at some stage.
1-1 draw written all over it.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

We always seemed to do well against Crewe especially at Meadow Lane as we almost always outbullied them. Men against (talented) boys, is that going to be the case this time???? I’m not sure we appear from far from physical but totally agree with Optipez. It’s boring now Notts sort it out scrape a win

 

[TimeyWimey]

Men against (talented) boys, is that going to be the case this time????

Not a chance this time round. Be men against untalented boys.

Always feared Notts County based on one game in 2002. I think Danny Allsopp handed us our backside in our first home game when we thought we'd walk the league. tbf, we nearly did in the end, but it wasn't nice at the time.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Don’t mention Danny Allsop, when we had him, Paul Heffernan and Mark Stallard as our front three options, although it was another tough time for the club in that period, those three were very exciting to watch. All talented , all very different forwards.

Untalented and talented sides have all beaten us this season

 

[Optipez]

We aren't a physical team this year, that's been our main problem. We did do better last Saturday though against a poor but physically big Northampton.

 

[Crewelad87]

Looks an absolute nightmare to get to for us. A50 is closed with a 30 mile diversion. And problems on the trains also.

 

[valefan16]

Looks an absolute nightmare to get to for us. A50 is closed with a 30 mile diversion. And problems on the trains also.

A52 be an option wont it? All be it a bit slower.

 

[Pie and chips]

Go to Stockport and change there to get to Nottingham and back on the train

Looks an absolute nightmare to get to for us. A50 is closed with a 30 mile diversion. And problems on the trains also.

 

[The Alex]

I'm driving there, it's only closed up to Uttoxeter isn't it? Shouldn't be too much of a problem.

 

[jacobncfc]

Finally!

Got to hand it to Kewell there, tactical switch at half time won us the game. First half was poor again and, whilst we created a few chances, Crewe did too and had far too much space in midfield. The switch to 4-2-3-1 allowed us to dominate and get Alessandra and Boldewijn into the game, really we should’ve had it sewn up at 3 or 4-1 before a nervy last ten minutes or so.

Should do wonders for confidence, and three unbeaten is a step in the right direction for sure.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Right now that embarrassing monkey is off our back and temporarily out of the relegation zone let’s talk the playoffs

 

[JJ1532]

Yawn, standard defeat at Meadow Lane. Next.

 

[Optipez]

We deserved it, but blimey that was a nervy last few minutes. We really ought to have scored three or four but a win's a win.

 

[darren gregory]

Can only presume County lulled Holland 74 into playing hoofball hence the win

 

[Youpies]

Odds on a Crewe relegation??? Losing to us is a terrible state

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

As expected there is so much trash at the bottom end of this division. Trash city

 

[Wooderson]

Deserved win, particularly after our 2nd half display. Pleasing to have only conceded one in the last two games after 24 in the previous 7!

Think we will start to climb the table now we have tightened up a bit (hopefully Milsom and Hewitt will establish themselves as the midfield two) as we have goals in us at the other end, Hemmings and Boldewijn are proving excellent attacking signings so far. Not sure we will trouble the play-offs or anything like that, but a Chesterfield-style disaster, that some were predicting just a few weeks ago, should be averted!

 

[The Alex]

So, we started shit, Notts scored, after that we were by far the better team for the first half but made nothing of it because we have 4 strikers on our books who are all 30+ and average at the very best, don't know what Shaun Miller has to do to get a game. I was dreading half time, it was so predictable we'd come out with our tails between our legs after another Artell mastermind team talk. Tom Lowery was brilliant in the middle for us, Kirk was a disgrace. I don't know what the solution for us is, sacking Artell will do nothing, the problem lies very deep in the club, non league is inevitable with the current ethos we have in place.

Reading on social media Notts fans are trying to say the ref was on our side which is utterly hilarious. Stead being the experienced striker he is constantly sucking our defenders in and grappling them looking for the foul up to the point they have to grab onto his shirt to stay on their feet. Funny that. Also, you should have been down to 10 men in the first half, the stamp on Alex Nicholls which was so high it was above the knee, the most terrible challenge I have seen in quite a while, but the ref was on our side ay?

Tootle played well for you and I'm pleased about that, a good guy and a good player.

Crewe lost at Notts County and the Pope shits in the woods.

 

[The Alex]

The thing is, despite the fact we were shit I'd say most players actually had a good game by their standards, barring Kirk and the 2 fullbacks we have on loan who were completely futile, especially the lad we've got from Preston. How is he a professional footballer? Needs to go back to the Irish league.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Two terribly limited sides devoid of any quality whatsoever although I expect Notts to improve now they've got that monkey off their back.

I agree with the above poster. Most our lot put in good shifts despite the lack of quality yesterday, Perry Ng was my standout and Jones and Wintle put in vastly improved performances considering they were of great assistance to Vale last week. Kirk needs to learn to run because he was at jogging speed all game yesterday and that's unacceptable but it'll click for him at some point. Corey Whelan was absolutely tragic though. Never seen a player so scared of passing a ball forward in my life and we employed Liam Nolan and Ollie Turton once upon a time. Yet when he did, the passes were often very good and he even set up Bowery for the goal. However every time he was on the ball he couldn't wait to look and pass it back. How is he Liverpool U23s captain?

Think some overreacted by saying it was the worst Crewe performance in ages because it wasn't. And strangely our centre halves defended competently in my eyes. But if you don't test the opposition keeper whilst letting in crosses for fun, then the game is only going to end one way...

Artell doesn't want to change the style of play either. So if we're gonna keep attacking so one-dimensionally in games then he needs to be sacked, it's as simple as that. Slow football to the wings, let the defence regroup and put in an aimless or harmless cross. That's our attacking gameplan in a nutshell. Try attacking through the middle and making a keeper work for once...

 

[The Alex]

Perry Ng was playing centre back and centre mid, surged forward more than Jones could be arsed to.

 

[jacobncfc]

Funny how different teams see things differently, assuming it was the lad on the left, I thought Kirk was really good and easily your best player. I also think that we’ve lost to far worse teams than Crewe this season, and it was a pretty watchable game of football in general.

On the ref, I thought our fans were pretty consistently kicking off about stuff that he got right. Milsom was fortunate not to be sent off, but ‘the most terrible tackle I’ve seen in a while’ is a bit of a stretch. One of those where the ball pops up quite high and he wasn’t sure where the Crewe player was. One of those where either a yellow or red is reasonable enough.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Funny how different teams see things differently, assuming it was the lad on the left, I thought Kirk was really good and easily your best player. I also think that we’ve lost to far worse teams than Crewe this season, and it was a pretty watchable game of football in general.

On the ref, I thought our fans were pretty consistently kicking off about stuff that he got right. Milsom was fortunate not to be sent off, but ‘the most terrible tackle I’ve seen in a while’ is a bit of a stretch. One of those where the ball pops up quite high and he wasn’t sure where the Crewe player was. One of those where either a yellow or red is reasonable enough.

It's funny you say that too because last week, I couldn't make the Vale game at home and thought Kirk was the best of a bad midfield 4. Yet those I knew in the ground said Ainley (who I thought was anonymous and poor) was our best and Kirk was our worst.

Like I said, that wasn't our worst performance of the season (easily Colchester away) but some made out it was. Our problem is we're trying to be too clever and a one-dimensional and predictable attack. I wouldn't be worried if Artell managed to get us attacking back as we did in the back end of last season but he's refusing to change his methods and it's badly ruining our season.

I don't think we'll go down, but it'll be another struggle till January and then improve season yet again. But if Artell doesn't change his tactics anytime soon and our goals keep drying up, then he must be sacked because it's like Davis is managing us again with this ridiculous style of play.

 

[The Alex]

Funny how different teams see things differently, assuming it was the lad on the left, I thought Kirk was really good and easily your best player. I also think that we’ve lost to far worse teams than Crewe this season, and it was a pretty watchable game of football in general.

On the ref, I thought our fans were pretty consistently kicking off about stuff that he got right. Milsom was fortunate not to be sent off, but ‘the most terrible tackle I’ve seen in a while’ is a bit of a stretch. One of those where the ball pops up quite high and he wasn’t sure where the Crewe player was. One of those where either a yellow or red is reasonable enough.

How is it a stretch? I'm talking from my perspective and I haven't seen a worse tackle than that in a while, it's a simple fact. Don't know if you've managed to see a replay of it but it's the type of challenge where the ref doesn't even need to think about it, he should be legging it at him and pulling the book out. If he had done what he should have it could have been a completely different story.

Glad you agree that your fans were getting outraged over nothing.

And if you think Kirk was good you mustn't have been watching very well or you've got the wrong guy. He jogged for 90 minutes, gave the ball away twice which resulted in 2 Notts County counter attacks which could have resulted in goals on another day, and delivered nothing but shit balls into the box or out for a goal kick. A lazy performance.

 

[The Alex]

"The ref was on Crewe's side"

 

[jbet]

I actually backed Crewe not to lose yesterday simply because I couldn't be having Notts at odds on given they hadn't won all season. However, I won't be putting any faith in the Railway children again given they simply can't create.

I said on our match thread last week that Crewe just don't create and were lucky to have got some of the results they had and I was told I was wrong. A team that averages a shot on target per game away from home is going to struggle. Genuinely think not sacking Artell soon will be gambling with their football league status.