Saturday 9th March

[Optipez]

It’s a pointless comparison for me between Williams and Maynard. Williams was a complete idealist who was more than willing to die on his sword, I think Maynard’s done the right thing in trying to fix the flaws we had defensively - we were in purgatory under Williams, could blow crap teams away and that was it. I don’t think it was ever a sustainable approach.

The problem is, Maynard doesn’t seem to have a particularly clear plan, he’s just relentlessly changing things every 15 minutes hoping he lands on a solution and it’s bizarre. I’m still behind him because I think he’s suffered atrocious luck since taking over - there’s not a defensive player in the squad who hasn’t made a blunder that’s cost us points and I’d argue out of all of our defenders and goalkeepers, Macari is the only one that doesn’t look like a non-league player (arguably Baldwin 90% of the time) - so what he’s meant to do, I have no idea - I don’t think any Notts fan could pick a team at the moment they’d be remotely happy with.

The concerning anti-Maynard argument of course is that we know we’re shit defensively and need an overhaul in the summer, but we’ve also got no fluency in attack which is unacceptable given the players we have but I also think representative of his incessant swapping and changing of formations throughout the games.

That defence is making him look a turkey and Langstaff has missed a couple of chances at crucial times that he'd tuck away when he's on a roll. I'm pretty sure he'll get sacked before the season ends but I'm less sure that it will be the cure all fans think.
Whatever happens, Montague our recruitment chief needs to do better than this seasons 3 or 4 out of 12 success rate .

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

The recruitment chief was previously passing with flying colours, an easy B+ grade if not higher. This season that's a D at best.

Huge drop off, combined with the unfortunate loss of passing maestro Palmer and the (in hindsight) likely loss of a talented head coach means this was almost inevitable.

We went through a period in a lower divisions where managerial appointment and player recruitment was at a record high success rate, we all know that isn't the norm. I expected it to drop off a little but not off a cliff this first season back in L2.

 

[EnglishRed]

Have taken a look at the highlights though obviously not seen the whole game. The second yellow for the Morecambe player seemed incredibly harsh, clumsy foul and nothing malicious in a situation where it was actually a Shrimps attack. Free-kick and nothing else should suffice. While I don't agree with the current interpretation of handball rules, the penalty seemed a correct call under those.

I am also not 100% about the interpretation of handball currently but as you say the penalty is always hoping to be given at this moment given where the players hand was. The red card was silly on the Morecambe players side, two needless niggly yellows which every single team has fallen foul of. We've had a couple getting red cards for the same thing this season.

The referee was poor but that's not our problem and the constant allegation we are paying off officials is just boring now. He also didn't give us a pretty clear penalty in the first half and was generally poor throughout the game for both sides.

Morecambe weren't very good considering where they are in the league and their current form, and their fans probably need to reflect on that a bit more rather than indulge in conspiracy theories. They are well short of the standard needed for the Play offs as far as I can see.

 

[Conker]

Did not quite appreciate how good DKD goal was yesterday, that’s 18 in the league now from essentially an attacking midfield role. Should comfortably do 20+ now.

 

[Agombar stool]

The Mansfield comms are always good value. Into the 7th minute of 8 minutes of injury time and Will Swan attempts to dribble the ball in our half but gets dispossessed. Feigning impartiality brilliantly the main fella exasperated shouts 'WILL SWAN YOU ABSOLUTE IDIOT' which actually made me laugh, despite me willing an equaliser.

Fun game yesterday, 5 goals in total but could have been a lot more. I thought the 9 goals scored against Harrogate could have been potentially repeated given the first 20 or so minutes when we were all over the place.

 

[AdamStag]

The Mansfield comms are always good value. Into the 7th minute of 8 minutes of injury time and Will Swan attempts to dribble the ball in our half but gets dispossessed. Feigning impartiality brilliantly the main fella exasperated shouts 'WILL SWAN YOU ABSOLUTE IDIOT' which actually made me laugh, despite me willing an equaliser.

Fun game yesterday, 5 goals in total but could have been a lot more. I tgought the 9 goals scored against Harrogate could have been potentially repeated given the first 20 or so minutes when we were all over the place.

Absolutely bloody no idea where he got 8 minutes from, but the fans really got behind the players towards the end willing them over the line.

Whereas defensively swindon were a shambles earlier on in the game they were a decent side and over both games have looked a lot better than their position, that drinan looked a quality player.

The issue we have is that we can be incredibly wasteful compared to the chances we create and it has came back to haunt us before, we should scored several while at 1-1 with Mk tuesday for instance.

Would expect swindon to be back up there next season.

 

[FGR-Star]

Good for you enjoy non league football next season your set up fits.

I will, thanks.

 

[Agombar stool]

Absolutely bloody no idea where he got 8 minutes from, but the fans really got behind the players towards the end willing them over the line.

Whereas defensively swindon were a shambles earlier on in the fame they were a decent side and over both games have looked a lot better than their position, that drinan looked a quality player.

The issue we have is that we can be incredibly wasteful compared to the chances we create and it has came back to haunt us before, we should scored several while at 1-1 with Mk tuesday for instance.

Would expect swindon to be back up there next season.

Yeah, despite being porous at the back you did waste a fair amount of chances and Bycroft made 3 or 4 really good saves. With that said Hepburn-Murphy missed a sitter and you struggled against the pace of Elbouzedi. Drinan was signed from Orient on transfer deadline day and has been getting stronger. Yesterday was probably his best game and a great header for his goal.

You guys are clearly a very dangerous side and in DKD have an 18 goal number 10. His goal was a peach just after we equalised.

I think next season is a little bit up in the air, money is tight and we dont have a huge amount of players under contract. With that said, the ones we do have look talented and if we recruit and build a squad properly, who knows. Good luck in league 1.

 

[EnglishRed]

That defence is making him look a turkey and Langstaff has missed a couple of chances at crucial times that he'd tuck away when he's on a roll. I'm pretty sure he'll get sacked before the season ends but I'm less sure that it will be the cure all fans think.
Whatever happens, Montague our recruitment chief needs to do better than this seasons 3 or 4 out of 12 success rate .

Speaking of Notts defence I saw this graphic on Twitter

Crazy to think that most of those Notts goals have come this season.

 

[northstandexile]

And they had four seasons in conference so no additional goals then.

 

[Conker]

Yeah, despite being porous at the back you did waste a fair amount of chances and Bycroft made 3 or 4 really good saves. With that said Hepburn-Murphy missed a sitter and you struggled against the pace of Elbouzedi. Drinan was signed from Orient on transfer deadline day and has been getting stronger. Yesterday was probably his best game and a great header for his goal.

You guys are clearly a very dangerous side and in DKD have an 18 goal number 10. His goal was a peach just after we equalised.

I think next season is a little bit up in the air, money is tight and we dont have a huge amount of players under contract. With that said, the ones we do have look talented and if we recruit and build a squad properly, who knows. Good luck in league 1.

Yeah agree with that, you targeted a out of position Cargill at left back and to be fair it worked.

Yesterday could have easily been a 6-3 or something silly.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Oi! Where's the most goals scored in English league history?! We've got a good chance of being in that Top 5#foundermember

 

[Cloudy]

That was the the incident that the ref gave a foul for initially, the play then moves on and the linesman gives a handball for something that happened after this incident that the ref had already blown up for. I haven't seen the handball again but apparently it wasn't a handball anyway but general consensus is that the linesman overruled the ref for something he's got wrong.

Think that IS the incident the penalty was awarded for. Supposedly Rose was guilty of handball! Ref certainly didn’t give a foul.

Looked to be a criminal decision from behind the goal, even more so on the video

 

[JaredSUFC]

Imagine being so bad that the officials give you a penalty out of pity

 

[loz]

Speaking of Notts defence I saw this graphic on Twitter

View attachment 19896

Crazy to think that most of those Notts goals have come this season.

Your humour matches SOC. He''l be straining to outdo you now.

 

[GTFCfish]

Imagine being so bad that the officials give you a penalty out of pity

According to your gaffer it was stonewall.

 

[JaredSUFC]

According to your gaffer it was stonewall.

Got to love a bit of deadpan humour from Morison there.

The response from some Grimsby fans on X to that interview is fantastic. Verging on meltdown territory there.

 

[Spanishstag]

Don't be shy Adam, who reliably informed you?

I agree with you no way Nigel would leave Mansfield for Notts. His ambition as a football manager ended a while back.

Oh the joy of nutts love em if they could grasp reality they may even venture into the world of football

 

[Son of Cod]

Think that IS the incident the penalty was awarded for. Supposedly Rose was guilty of handball! Ref certainly didn’t give a foul.

Looked to be a criminal decision from behind the goal, even more so on the video

Are you sure he didn't give a foul? It all happened very quickly and through a flurry of bodies but I seem to remember seeing the ref signal. I was about eight feet in front of it on the second row right where it happened and it definitely felt as though the ball was going to be ours from a set play before the ref trotted over to the lino. The two min highlights don't show the full incident and aftermath, I'm hoping we might get extended highlights on MarinersTV.

Your humour matches SOC. He''l be straining to outdo you now.

A wonderful compliment for EnglishRed to receive.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Oh the joy of nutts love em if they could grasp reality they may even venture into the world of football

I quoted some reality earlier today regarding that extra season in Non-League

Oh and we've been in the world of (professional) football longer than everyone soooo

 

[chief]

Oh and we've been in the world of (professional) football longer than everyone soooo

...yet you have no tier 1 league titles while a team from the same city won 2 European Titles.

 

[pontoonlew]

Got to love a bit of deadpan humour from Morison there.

The response from some Grimsby fans on X to that interview is fantastic. Verging on meltdown territory there.

Morison should be calling it out as well though, he’s got the result now so what’s the point in keeping up the charade & give the EFL the chance to justify the decision. It’s an absolutely dreadful decision and is the result of officials getting away with it without any consequences. An opposing manager calling that out would go a long way after a game IMO, I’d expect Artell to do the same thing in the circumstances.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

...yet you have no tier 1 league titles while a team from the same city won 2 European Titles.

Very true, all we have is 1 FA Cup and 1 European title to our name, 94 and 95 were such great years. Impressive no doubt but our big brother neighbours have the better of us on that score.

Still they can never take them away.

 

[JaredSUFC]

Morison should be calling it out as well though, he’s got the result now so what’s the point in keeping up the charade & give the EFL the chance to justify the decision. It’s an absolutely dreadful decision and is the result of officials getting away with it without any consequences. An opposing manager calling that out would go a long way after a game IMO, I’d expect Artell to do the same thing in the circumstances.

Call out what though? Human error? And name me one under pressure manager who wouldn’t have said the same thing in similar circumstances.

The EFL don’t have to ‘justify the decision’ - it happened. Was it the right one? Almost certainly not. But why would the EFL need to justify the decision?

Like it or not match officials have got to make big decisions in a split second, based on how they’ve initially seen something, something they’ve seen just once.We’ve all had big decisions go against us (Harry Smith’s red card at Gillingham and not having a clear foul given in the build up to Doncaster’s equalising penalty are just two that have gone against us this season), unfortunately human error is an almost inevitable outcome in some situations. It’s frustrating when it goes against you, but what is the (realistic) alternative?

Let’s be honest, if Grimsby had taken only half of the clear cut chances they had on Saturday the result would have been academic before the penalty decision, which when push comes to shove is the core issue here.

 

[DippyDon]

Morison should be calling it out as well though, he’s got the result now so what’s the point in keeping up the charade & give the EFL the chance to justify the decision. It’s an absolutely dreadful decision and is the result of officials getting away with it without any consequences. An opposing manager calling that out would go a long way after a game IMO, I’d expect Artell to do the same thing in the circumstances.

This post has got me thinking about the ghost goal against Wrexham again...

 

[GTFCfish]

Even though I was massively pissed off with that penalty on Saturday I do think back to a previous relegation battle we had in 17/18 away at Swindon when we were given a penalty when Cardwell tripped over his own feet, and it was outside the box and we went and won 1-0.
Without that we could well have gone down that year as had we lost that game (and we were getting battered at the time of our pen) then Barnet would’ve been breathing right down our necks and it could’ve turned out very differently.
So much as it was an awful decision, I’m not gonna dwell on it any more.

 

[Pilot_Phonic]

This post has got me thinking about the ghost goal against Wrexham again...

Didn't cross the line did it!

 

[Son of Cod]

Call out what though? Human error? And name me one under pressure manager who wouldn’t have said the same thing in similar circumstances.

The EFL don’t have to ‘justify the decision’ - it happened. Was it the right one? Almost certainly not. But why would the EFL need to justify the decision?

Like it or not match officials have got to make big decisions in a split second, based on how they’ve initially seen something, something they’ve seen just once.We’ve all had big decisions go against us (Harry Smith’s red card at Gillingham and not having a clear foul given in the build up to Doncaster’s equalising penalty are just two that have gone against us this season), unfortunately human error is an almost inevitable outcome in some situations. It’s frustrating when it goes against you, but what is the (realistic) alternative?

Let’s be honest, if Grimsby had taken only half of the clear cut chances they had on Saturday the result would have been academic before the penalty decision, which when push comes to shove is the core issue here.

Plenty of managers would have come out and said it was a fortuitous penalty. However, we already know Morison is a complete whopper after that recent interview that went viral so no real surprise with his response. Let's not pretend this was your standard miscarriage of justice or that our missed chances are the core issue though, this was about a lino with a bruised ego flexing the only modicum of power at his disposal. We shouldn't be sat here discussing our missed chances.

 

[pontoonlew]

Call out what though? Human error? And name me one under pressure manager who wouldn’t have said the same thing in similar circumstances.

The EFL don’t have to ‘justify the decision’ - it happened. Was it the right one? Almost certainly not. But why would the EFL need to justify the decision?

Like it or not match officials have got to make big decisions in a split second, based on how they’ve initially seen something, something they’ve seen just once.We’ve all had big decisions go against us (Harry Smith’s red card at Gillingham and not having a clear foul given in the build up to Doncaster’s equalising penalty are just two that have gone against us this season), unfortunately human error is an almost inevitable outcome in some situations. It’s frustrating when it goes against you, but what is the (realistic) alternative?

Let’s be honest, if Grimsby had taken only half of the clear cut chances they had on Saturday the result would have been academic before the penalty decision, which when push comes to shove is the core issue here.

He’s called it a stonewall penalty though, how on earth does that help anybody? Take the bit of luck with some grace and hope it maybe aids the thing we all want, better decisions.

You make it sound like a bit of human error, the linesman’s flagged for something from miles away, you have to be certain you’ve seen it from there and he can’t have been, because it hasn’t even happened.

Artell has now received an apology for the decision, fat load of good that is.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Just checking has any club not had at least one horrific decision by the officials go against them this season?