Saturday 16th November

[Mid-Cheshire-Alex]

I thought Notts were very average at best. They had a few missing, but so did we, and some of our lads on the bench are still not ready for much game time just yet. The penalty looked daft, and Longy probably did deserve a red even though I doubt he meant it, but no way we’re losing that game to such a bang average team, who we seem to have in our pocket the last few seasons, well at least since they have come back from non-league.

On to a week on Monday, big game against the Vale, a proper local derby despite what some say on either side, but in a weird way I respect what they are doing as they have had some basket case owners and managers over the recent years, and they are are proper old school club. But they should beat us shouldn’t they, with all their money and having 3 decent players in each postion (so I have read on here), anything else would be a disaster for them, wouldn’t it?

 

[RJM92]

Didn’t something similar happen to you lot last year at Crewe too, can’t remember exactly but I seem to recall you all moaning about something from this same game?

They were all crying and assaulting the linesman as one of their players handled the ball in the 98th minute, similar today throwing flares on the pitch after we scored

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Maybe take your blinkers off for a second. Ok take your best two strikers out your starting side, then also remove your best two creative attacking midfielders. Now using your imagination one of which was the best player in this league by far last season. A stretch potentially but give it a go. Then you may understand why we created so little. I imagine you would have done the same if you were without that quality quartet

If we were so open how come you only scored one apart from the incorrect award of the penalty...Wasteful finishing? poor decision making by attacking midfielders.

Deserved defeat like I said but very much expected.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

I thought Notts were very average at best. They had a few missing, but so did we, and some of our lads on the bench are still not ready for much game time just yet. The penalty looked daft, and Longy probably did deserve a red even though I doubt he meant it, but no way we’re losing that game to such a bang average team, who we seem to have in our pocket the last few seasons, well at least since they have come back from non-league.

On to a week on Monday, big game against the Vale, a proper local derby despite what some say on either side, but in a weird way I respect what they are doing as they have had some basket case owners and managers over the recent years, and they are are proper old school club. But they should beat us shouldn’t they, with all their money and having 3 decent players in each postion (so I have read on here), anything else would be a disaster for them, wouldn’t it?

Here we go... ok who did you have missing ?

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Absolute gash? We don't concede goals! We are defensively phenomenal. And defence is part of Football, don't forget.

You created one chance all game, and our excellent keeper dealt with it. You were wide open all game. For around 15 mins before the red card, we fluffed our lines with about 5 counter attacks when you had 1 defender. Your manager is non league and that shows. So naive.

Football fans are infuriating. Same with Walsall last week. Show some respect for a decent league 2 team.

Defensively phenomenal? You were up against a National league North striker coming back after several issues in the first half and I don’t even know who you were up against 2nd half cos we were all over the place.

Quality wise it was a shit game that had nothing on our game against Donny last week, I’ll be amazed if you’re anywhere near 2nd come the end of the season.

Also you’re a rip off club with ugly fans and a dump of a ground. And that’s not even me being bitter.

 

[Mid-Cheshire-Alex]

Here we go... ok who did you have missing ?

About 4 lads who have recently played 1st team football and 3 who were on the bench with hardly any minutes in the tank. But so what, didn’t matter what the team was we put out, we deservedly won with a bit to spare I thought.

 

[dannyc5]

Defensively phenomenal? You were up against a National league North striker coming back after several issues in the first half and I don’t even know who you were up against 2nd half cos we were all over the place.

Quality wise it was a shit game that had nothing on our game against Donny last week, I’ll be amazed if you’re anywhere near 2nd come the end of the season.

Also you’re a rip off club with ugly fans and a dump of a ground. And that’s not even me being bitter.

Reasonable last paragraph. Definitely not bitter.

As I say, Football fans are hilarious. So blinkered.

And I wouldn't have it any other way, we're all the same.

 

[JJ1990]

Here we go... ok who did you have missing ?

We had Kane Hemmings and Conor Thomas missing, 2 starters. We had one of our best CBs in Jamie Knight-Lebel away on international duty. Chris Long and Jack Lankester, 2 top L2 attackers, were only fit for the bench. Our best CM, Jack Powell, was an unused sub after spending 12 months on the sidelines until recently. Omar Bogle was making just his 2nd start.

We can do this all day, it's so silly making excuses about missing players. Every team goes through this several times a season. Injuries/absences happen, got to get on with it.

 

[dannyc5]

About 4 lads who have recently played 1st team football and 3 who were on the bench with hardly any minutes in the tank. But so what, didn’t matter what the team was we put out, we deservedly won with a bit to spare I thought.

2 away on international duty, 3 on the bench just returning from injury who probably would start if fit, and Hemmings out long term.

But nope, Notts were the only team with injury issues today.

**Edit. Forgot about Thomas!**

 

[RavenBish]

We didn’t deserve anything, thought we were terrible to be honest, and my frustration with Maynard is that, knowing all our best players are out, why are we not playing that way? To get beat by effectively a counter attack from a corner when the only man back is that lead-footed gnome Sam Austin is criminal.

We have Jatta, Jones, Crowley (our 3 best players) and effectively Didzy out (not to mention Grant and Edwards as well) - Crewe should just take the win for what it is. 3 free points as it was an incredible time to play us. Attempting any sort of injury one-upmanship is futile as none of those players are Jatta, Jones, Crowley and Didzy - one is Kane Hemmings and the other came on and got sent off within a minute ffs.

No need to be bitter, deserved to lose, despite the worst refereeing decision of the season - but perspective and dignity from both sides please.

 

[dannyc5]

We didn’t deserve anything, thought we were terrible to be honest, and my frustration with Maynard is that, knowing all our best players are out, why are we not playing that way? To get beat by effectively a counter attack from a corner when the only man back is that lead-footed gnome Sam Austin is criminal.

We have Jatta, Jones, Crowley (our 3 best players) and effectively Didzy out (not to mention Grant and Edwards as well) - Crewe should just take the win for what it is. 3 free points as it was an incredible time to play us.

No need to be bitter, deserved to lose, despite the worst refereeing decision of the season - but perspective and dignity from both sides please.

Reasonable post.

But comments like 'ugly fans shit ground' (to go with the nonce comments last week) are always going to get fans backs up.

 

[RavenBish]

In fairness, ugly fans shit ground could be applied to every lower league club. Apart from us as we have padel courts, a £2m fanzone…and ugly fans

 

[dannyc5]

In fairness, ugly fans shit ground could be applied to every lower league club. Apart from us as we have padel courts, a £2m fanzone…and ugly fans

Tbf the away end isn't fit for purpose any more. I believe the club want to upgrade it, just can't afford it.

And the Crewe away day in general isn't what it used to be, with most of the pubs around the ground now closed. Which is a real shame for away supporters. Not so bad for us, we can go elsewhere pre game.

 

[jacobncfc]

Love opposition fans getting all worked up when a player for another team winds them up. Notts County fans would do well to remember the horrible scum bag that was Lee Hughes doing it countless times. Every team has had utter shithouses playing for them over the years.

I can only imagine Alex Bass was saying something to Cooney in the run up to the penalty, probably trying to put him off, which is what caused Cooney's reaction. Fans forget that players do hear some of the abuse they get from the stands, so I have no issue with them giving some back.

Personally, I'm loving these opposition comments. You'd think we're Steve Evans's Stevenage side reincarnated. We're no better or worse at the gamesmanship than any other side. We just get to do it more often because we're leading in most games. Simple solution is, score before we do and boom, the timewasting and tactical fouls will stop.

I fully agree, I didn’t even notice you being particularly shithousey today tbh, albeit against a reserve Notts going forward. You completely deserved the win, better team on the day.

But I do reserve the right to laugh when you get a decision go against you ‘cos that penalty is fucking bollocks haha.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

About 4 lads who have recently played 1st team football and 3 who were on the bench with hardly any minutes in the tank. But so what, didn’t matter what the team was we put out, we deservedly won with a bit to spare I thought.

4 lads? Who recently have played Lol. Who? Let's have some names

I agree, I've said twice Crewe deserved to win. I haven't seen anyone say otherwise.

 

[dannyc5]

I fully agree, I didn’t even notice you being particularly shithousey today tbh, albeit against a reserve Notts going forward. You completely deserved the win, better team on the day.

But I do reserve the right to laugh when you get a decision go against you ‘cos that penalty is fucking bollocks haha.

Fair. It was an awful decision. Nobody appealed for it. There was disbelief around me when it was given. Quite a bit of laughter as well.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

We had Kane Hemmings and Conor Thomas missing, 2 starters. We had one of our best CBs in Jamie Knight-Lebel away on international duty. Chris Long and Jack Lankester, 2 top L2 attackers, were only fit for the bench. Our best CM, Jack Powell, was an unused sub after spending 12 months on the sidelines until recently. Omar Bogle was making just his 2nd start.

We can do this all day, it's so silly making excuses about missing players. Every team goes through this several times a season. Injuries/absences happen, got to get on with it.

Kane Hemmings.... The defence rests.

It's not making excuses it's just starting facts. Pre-game both sets of fans commented that it was accepted it was a very fortuitous time to play Notts. And so it turned out to be with the expected result.

Final whistle ends and the sands have shifted and every team team has injuries and players missing due to AFCON qualification. I can't believe the opposition didn't create more.

Brilliant. Football fans never change.

 

[dannyc5]

Not to mention it was completely out of character with the refereeing performance in general! Barring the 1st ten mins when he clamped down, he actually let a lot go.

Awful decision, also inconsistent with how he reffed the game.

 

[leedsvaliant]

We didn't play particularly well today, all a bit pedestrian, like we never got out of 2nd gear. Morecambe are one of those teams who don't have any pattern to their play, which makes them really unpredictable. There's a lot of just percentage balls and hoping something comes off for them. Good at disrupting our flow though and they worked extremely hard. Their form has actually improved, so it wasn't perhaps the banker we assumed before the game.

We massively miss a Garrity or Byers in midfield to wrestle that control. The sooner one of them is back, the better as we're just 'making do' at the moment.

What won the game again was the substitutes. We've not got the strongest first 11 in the league but you'd be hard pushed to find a stronger squad. Whilst Morecambe brought on journeymen lower league players, we brought on 2 young and talented Premier league loanees, and that made the difference. It created a 10 minute spell where Morecambe struggled to get out, and the pressure told.

I'm glad for the rest until a week on Monday. It feels like our last 2 or 3 performances have been a bit laboured and in spite of going 5 points clear, we're not perhaps playing as well as we can.

Despite what some of their fans might say, I think Crewe will be one of our toughest games. They seem to be the form team at the moment and will be buzzing. Hopefully they don't employ the Graham Westley tactics....it gets our fans more worked up than most and we lose focus on the game.

A win would be absolutely massive though. Could take us 6 or even 7 points clear!

 

[dannyc5]

Kane Hemmings.... The defence rests.

It's not making excuses it's just starting facts. Pre-game both sets of fans commented that it was accepted it was a very fortuitous time to play Notts. And so it turned out to be with the expected result.

Final whistle ends and the sands have shifted and every team team has injuries and players missing due to AFCON qualification. I can't believe the opposition didn't create more.

Brilliant. Football fans never change.

Hang on mate, it's more than that.

Hemmings, Thibaut, Knight Lebel and Thomas not available (3 probable starters).

Lankester, Long and Powell not fit to start (2 certain starters).

We were significantly weakened as well.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Oh probable starters that changes everything, sounds about equal.

Give me a second to look up a couple of the them to see who they are.

 

[Wootball]

Oh probable starters that changes everything, sounds about equal.

Give me a second to look up a couple of the them to see who they are.

Now you're just being facetious. Hemmings was our starting striker every game this season until his injury. His 'replacement', Thibaut, was starting games and having a big impact until his injury. Chris Long is an odd one since he's always bloody injured, but if he wasn't so likely to get injured again he'd be starting. Lankester was our starting midfielder until his injury. He was on fire too, playing like a dream. Powell has just had 12 months out with a torn ACL and is making his comeback, but he was probably our best player until his injury last season and we massively miss him in midfield. We have good cover now, but an in form Powell is ridiculous at this level. Knight-Lebel is a starting defender for us and is away on international duty. Connor Thomas is a starting DMF until injury. That was Bogle's second start for us and Tracey is a winger that's being played as a forward due to our injuries. That should tell you a little.

They're all starting players or at the very least part of a very strong bench because of competition for positions. None of them are 'squad' players. Whilst our current situation might not be as bad as Notts, because we've got cover for our missing or injured players and tactically have adjusted to take them being out into account, we're certainly not at full strength.

Notts might be missing some solid players, I'm not questioning that, but to say that's the only reason we won today is disingenuous. Today we were just the better side, albeit with a crazy ref decision that pretty much ended the competition.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

But I didn't say that, once.

Of course it's not the only reason but I'm suggest it's significant contributing factor. Why wouldn't it be? Forget the rest, if we had a couple of that quartet starting it would have been at least interesting. Post full time those absentees are played down criminally.

"Solid players" - Jones, Jatta, McGoldrick, Crowley , yeah I will take that. Solid.

Right let me try and find a Notts fan who said you were the better side and/or deserved the victory

 

[jacobncfc]

Notts might be missing some solid players, I'm not questioning that, but to say that's the only reason we won today is disingenuous. Today we were just the better side, albeit with a crazy ref decision that pretty much ended the competition.

Let’s just cut to the chase and say we have a shit manager.

 

[Mid-Cheshire-Alex]

Tbf the away end isn't fit for purpose any more. I believe the club want to upgrade it, just can't afford it.

And the Crewe away day in general isn't what it used to be, with most of the pubs around the ground now closed. Which is a real shame for away supporters. Not so bad for us, we can go elsewhere pre game.

I’ve said this for a while about Crewe as an away day, it’s a bit grim these days, but sadly it was not that long ago that the Nantwich Road area was buzzing. I guess town (Market Hall, Hops, Borough etc) are worth the treck, near the ground is lousy these days, and I hate saying that as somebody who grew up in that area.

 

[dannyc5]

I’ve said this for a while about Crewe as an away day, it’s a bit grim these days, but sadly it was not that long ago that the Nantwich Road area was buzzing. I guess town (Market Hall, Hops, Borough etc) are worth the treck, near the ground is lousy these days, and I hate saying that as somebody who grew up in that area.

Yup, there's still some good pubs fairly close to the ground, but away fans don't really know about them. The pubs around the market hall are really good, but not directly outside the train station like away fans expect.

 

[jacobncfc]

Yup, there's still some good pubs fairly close to the ground, but away fans don't really know about them. The pubs around the market hall are really good, but not directly outside the train station like away fans expect.

Crewe is a great away day pub wise, it is a terrible away day when you consider it’s the most expensive price in the entire division for an away end that should probably be condemned.

 

[GTFCfish]

I’ve heard a rumour that both Crewe and Notts might have both had some players out injured, can anybody confirm?

 

[Mid-Cheshire-Alex]

Crewe is a great away day pub wise, it is a terrible away day when you consider it’s the most expensive price in the entire division for an away end that should probably be condemned.

I do think the away end/side is becoming an issue, especially for teams who bring a few. I think the club would rebuild it if the funding was there. I almost think it would be better to rip the seats out and make it all standing again.