Saturday 14th December

[The_Viking_Magpie]

A draw for Notts today would be far from a disaster but I've said that far too many times already this season.

It won't be a draw today, someone to win by a single goal.

 

[WhiteRussian]

We are on a run of one win on the trot.
Be afraid MK, be very afraid.

And we are 6 wins on the bounce. The only thing certain is we're going to implode spectacularly at some point.

 

[leedsvaliant]

On a packed train to London. It's what Saturdays were made for! We desperately need to get back on the horse today but I think we'll struggle. Bromley seem like King shithouses who just launch balls into the area....we aren't in the best of form so this seems like a disaster waiting to happen. Good day in London awaits though!

 

[Grimsby Road]

Start of 4 really big one's at home for us - I would take 6 or 7 points now if offered tbh whatever way . Crewe will be a tough test , assuming we might have more of the ball and they sit in a bit with the way they have looked in other games .

Importance of a good performance whatever the result or we could get to the stage were we are probably perceived as flat track bullies (rightly imo) battered by the better teams but beat the weaker teams which is still better than a year ago and something most Town fans would have taken at the start of the season.

 

[Son of Cod]

Start of 4 really big one's at home for us - I would take 6 or 7 points now if offered tbh whatever way . Crewe will be a tough test , assuming we might have more of the ball and they sit in a bit with the way they have looked in other games .

Importance of a good performance whatever the result or we could get to the stage were we are probably perceived as flat track bullies (rightly imo) battered by the better teams but beat the weaker teams which is still better than a year ago and something most Town fans would have taken at the start of the season.

Listening to their guy on thr DN35 preview has filled me with a bit of additional confidence. Sounds like one of their main weaknesses has been winning the midfield battle which where we're currently purring and comfortably the strongest area of our squad. Thompson, McEachran and Green look like a top combo for this level, hopefully they start today and pickup where they left from last weekend.

 

[Agombar stool]

Listening to their guy on thr DN35 preview has filled me with a bit of additional confidence. Sounds like one of their main weaknesses has been winning the midfield battle which where we're currently purring and comfortably the strongest area of our squad. Thompson, McEachran and Green look like a top combo for this level, hopefully they start today and pickup where they left from last weekend.

Artell getting a tune out of McEachran? Always liked him at Swindon, clearly a really tidy footballer.

 

[Son of Cod]

Artell getting a tune out of McEachran? Always liked him at Swindon, clearly a really tidy footballer.

Yes mate, he's been very good. Like you say very tidy in possession. We've started moving the ball quicker now and he's started looking like the lynchpin of that. He's played most of the season in the holding role as Curtis Thompson has been out until recently but he seems to have a bit more licence to get into more impactful areas now he's back. He had a right stinker at Notts but he's got better and better since then. I was a bit worried he might get bullied after some of the Swindon fan comments when we signed him but he's really busy off the ball and more aggressive than I was expecting. I think he's up there in terms of tackles won per match in the division.

 

[Agombar stool]

Yes mate, he's been very good. Like you say very tidy in possession. We've started moving the ball quicker now and he's started looking like the lynchpin of that. He's played most of the season in the holding role as Curtis Thompson has been out until recently but he seems to have a bit more licence to get into more impactful areas now he's back. He had a right stinker at Notts but he's got better and better since then. I was a bit worried he might get bullied after some of the Swindon fan comments when we signed him but he's really busy off the ball and more aggressive than I was expecting. I think he's up there in terms of tackles won per match in the division.

I was talking to someone in the pub before our game against Morecambe (who is way more into tactics and sees the game much better than I do) and we were talking about McEachran. Apparently his tackle count at us was very high but I think because of his height it went almost unnoticed. Glad to hear he is doing well, similarly Louis Reed who is thriving at Mansfield was seen by some as nothing more than a 'stat padder' as his short passing was always so evident. But these kind of players are absolutely important.

 

[Son of Cod]

I was talking to someone in the pub before our game against Morecambe (who is way more into tactics and sees the game much better than I do) and we were talking about McEachran. Apparently his tackle count at us was very high but I think because of his height it went almost unnoticed. Glad to hear he is doing well, similarly Louis Reed who is thriving at Mansfield was seen by some as nothing more than a 'stat padder' as his short passing was always so evident. But these kind of players are absolutely important.

Yeah definitely. Reed has always impressed me whenever I've seen him. My mate who is a Blackpool fan singled him out in their match earlier in the season too. Can definitely see how McEachran's tackling can go amiss. I'd have bet good money that Kieran Green wins more than him purely because he's more full pelt and swashbuckling but clearly not the case. Just checked and McEachran is 6th in the division according to Fotmob. Not bad considering it's probably not what most would class as his primary responsibility. Will be interesting to see if that decreases now Thompson is back.

 

[Son of Cod]

Jatta, McGoldrick and Crowley all start for Notts. No excuses now. Anything other than a 3 goal victory and we can officially brand them a one man team.

 

[Ainsty]

Just seen the team sheet. We are really down to the bare bones now.

 

[Grimsby Road]

McCreachran is a very good player tbf . We must have one of the best midfields in the league in terms of depth - Thompson /JM/ Green ; Khouri/Barrington/Jordan Davies

Ainley as 7th choice probably

I would be confident of any of those 6 playing , we are no way near as strong in other positions but midfield very impressive

 

[kieran_vale]

Notts paid the price for playing it around at the back on that Salford goal. We do the same very often despite our defenders being totally ill equipped to do it.

 

[RavenBish]

Very much Maynard’s legacy that. We’ve got some of the best attacking players in the division and yet we have this inane belief that we need our keeper and centre backs to play risky passes in order to create goals

Opposition teams have more than wisened up to it as well. There’s no fancy counter pressing against us like there used to be, just let us play in our own half and wait for an opportunity

 

[Son of Cod]

McCreachran is a very good player tbf . We must have one of the best midfields in the league in terms of depth - Thompson /JM/ Green ; Khouri/Barrington/Jordan Davies

Ainley as 7th choice probably

I would be confident of any of those 6 playing , we are no way near as strong in other positions but midfield very impressive

Yep, have to feel a bit for Khouri. Been very good for most of the season and probably needed a rest when Thompson and Davies came back so lost his place through no fault of his own and now is on the bench. I remain unconvinced on Barrington personally but that other five you've listed is easily the best midfield we've had for the last few decades.

 

[kieran_vale]

2-0 Salford. This has been a manager is getting sacked after the game performance from Notts. Nice flick from the Salford player to free Stockton though.

 

[AdamStag]

Watching the salford/notts game as couldn’t get down today for ours.

Are notts still opting out of defending or have i just caught the wrong match?

 

[Wootball]

The Notts superstars putting in a shift I see.

 

[valefan16]

Terrible from Notts, masters of their own downfall really. That first goal moments after being caught out and getting away with the same thing was madness.

Salford look much improved from the side we beat twice in August.

 

[RavenBish]

Maynard’s got to go - we’re not even bad at defending anymore now we’ve got decent defenders, we’re just so bad with the ball we’re better at creating chances for the opposition than we are ourselves - that is unacceptable given the players we have. He’s absolutely done in my eyes, and I’m not prepared to wait for Jodi Jones to come back and make him look even a semi-decent manager again

 

[1862]

We've not been great, but when playing it long the wind has been a massive issue so there aren't great options. I think the major issue we have (and I don't see the solution in the squad) is in midfield, just don't have anyone with any strength in there and it's telling on a day like today.

Was impressed with McAleny in the game at Notts last season and he's been good again today.

 

[Son of Cod]

Terrible from Notts, masters of their own downfall really. That first goal moments after being caught out and getting away with the same thing was madness.

Salford look much improved from the side we beat twice in August.

Yep, someone add Salford to the playoff/promotion WhatsApp group. Glad we went there in October and ragged a win. They've always got decent players for this level. Can see them chugging along consistently now.

 

[Boz]

1-1 h/t at Prenton ParkHarrogate took the lead due to mix up between keeper and defender the move started from a debatable free-kick, but the ref more than made up for it with refusing what looked like a blatant penalty to the visitors. Rovers level with deflected Dennis shot and have played a bit better since.

 

[Stocky]

This Maynard is making a right Ian Burchnall out of himself.

The thing is I still think Notts have the players to compete for top three, they should definitley make a change in my opinion.

 

[Optipez]

Decent team underperforming and losing confidence. It's only going to end one way for Maynard.

 

[kieran_vale]

That’s game over surely. Bit unlucky there on the ricochet to be fair to Notts on that though perhaps shouldn’t have shown Nmai inside on the initial shot. Nmai looks a decent player for Salford.

 

[RavenBish]

We should but we won’t. I think there’ll be too much stock into the fact we’ve had so many injuries and would we have 6 more points and be in the top 3 if Jones was fit? Probably yeah. I don’t think that’s a reason to keep a manager though, I think your manager should make his mark when your best players are injured and not just spend every week cursing our luck and saying things will be alright when Jones starts beating 3 players and putting it in the top corner every week again

 

[Wootball]

Notts' fans new all week , when I saw that McGoldrick wasn't starting (wrongly assumed he would be) I bet more than I should and will let my wife know. Crewe were very solid but we couldn't test them without

Jatta
McGoldrick
Jones
Crowley

That's an awesome foursome. Jatta alone would have caused more problems for your centre halves guaranteed.

Crewe got undeniably lucky with our starting lineup could have been very different with just 2 of the 4 starting.

I remember.

 

[We Are Sailing]

In fairness.. notts had a lot of luck earlier on this season. They're a playoff contender, but nowhere near a top 3 squad. With or without jodi jones.

I mean... the 49 year old mcgoldrick is a key player..

 

[jacobncfc]

Turns out a couple of players back from injury wasn’t the only thing the worst manager in the league needed to sort things out.