Wednesday 1st & Thursday 2nd January

[hellogregory]

It's easier to stay up from your position than it is to get promoted out the NL. Very few teams bounce straight back and if your new owners get bored and sell up its very easy to do a Scunthorpe or Stockport and spend years down there.

Maybe if we had a normal team it would be, but we don’t. We have a bunch of gutless serial losers who’ve been getting beat week after week for 18 months now.

Obviously in an ideal world we battle and stay up, but it aint gonna happen, I’ve accepted it now. We are down, 100%. I’ve seen teams that are up for great escapes in the past and this isn’t one of them. These lot aren’t up for the fight. Losing is ingrained in them.

So yes it will hard to bounce back, and it may take years, but we are going to have to try.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

This is the worst we've looked in a long, long time. Tom Hopper is such a waste of a shirt but with Tovide injured and Taylor too old for so many games in quick succession there's literally no other option.

As long as we beat Accrington on Saturday it doesn't matter too much but it's been a really disappointing showing so far.

What the fuck. In the last 4 games v Grimsby, AFC, Bromley and now Col U fans of the opposition have stated that its the worst you've played for a long time. We've dominated all 4 games and have fully deserved the 8 points if not the 12. Nothing to do with how we've played I suppose?

 

[ROVERS⚽️]

Not sure how many we’ve sold to be honest. I’ve got one for it. Hazard a guess it might be a similar number to what we took to Bradford but that’s pure guesswork. Moores job is almost certainly safe not necessarily because of the contract (we did sack Darrell Clarke after giving him a similar deal) but our owner is notoriously slow on these things and in her eyes he’s a “Championship level manager” and yes she has said that recently. My guess with the window open we are going to go for one more big heave in the transfer market than change manager.

It’s quite a big game for us both I feel, that would be a good following, I felt your Bradford one was personally . He did ok at Donny in league one finishing 9th in a season affected by covid but we had something like 59 points in 34 games so was in the play off mix to a degree, and then left us for sheff Wed when we was in 6th the following season but having only picked up 1 point in the previous 5 but it was coming into my March at that point, we ended 14th that season, relegated the next. It’s the type of run he got sacked for at West Brom even though they were 5th, probably where he is now with Vale, I think for Moore when performances drop with his style of play momentum can appear to fall rapidly. My thoughts were that when he took over last season you’d stay up so I feel he needs a good season this year, it’s a congested league and bad form could see a team fall into mid table pretty rapid. Be interesting to see what happens. Enjoy your trip aside from the result of course .

 

[Meadow]

The best set of results we could have expected. Down to sixth but playing Newport tomorrow. Win and we're back to second. Can we do it? No clue given our injurys. I'll be at work/driving home and following on Fotmob.

 

[leedsvaliant]

We're 5th in the league and I've lost complete interest. Says it all really. I can't be arsed to even summarise that game.

 

[Optipez]

Maybe if we had a normal team it would be, but we don’t. We have a bunch of gutless serial losers who’ve been getting beat week after week for 18 months now.

Obviously in an ideal world we battle and stay up, but it aint gonna happen, I’ve accepted it now. We are down, 100%. I’ve seen teams that are up for great escapes in the past and this isn’t one of them. These lot aren’t up for the fight. Losing is ingrained in them.

So yes it will hard to bounce back, and it may take years, but we are going to have to try.

You're 4pts adrift with a game in hand. You're nowhere near down.

 

[mozzavale]

Today was an improvement. Garrity's impact is enormous. He gets an extra 5 / 10 percent from everyone around him. Players that have looked average for weeks, looked like they gave a shit today. Both teams could have won it but think we had more clear chances, just snatching at things, which happens when you're in a run like this.

Some fans have given up, but I saw enough today to think we'll turn things around soon. Byers will add that bit more quality and control we're lacking when he's back. Considering we've basically had 2 months off, it's a miracle we're anywhere near the top 3.

Feels like 40 points has become a milestone we're struggling to reach. Once we get the next win, and / or reach 40 points, I think we'll go on a run. The title has gone, but the next two auto spots are there for the taking.

Not sure how many sold for Donny, but could be anywhere between 900 and 1,300. Shame, if we'd have won 2 or 3 in December could probably add another 1k on that.

 

[gary]

Newport away tonight followed by Fleetwood away on Sunday. I'd be happy with 3 points from those two game's. The turnaround time is a bit ridiculous really. It is what it is at this time of year I guess. At least it's back to one game a week after that .

 

[GTFCfish]

What the fuck. In the last 4 games v Grimsby, AFC, Bromley and now Col U fans of the opposition have stated that its the worst you've played for a long time. We've dominated all 4 games and have fully deserved the 8 points if not the 12. Nothing to do with how we've played I suppose?

I can't speak for those other 3 teams you mention but in our case it was completely true, we were complete garbage against you with one of our worst performances of the season.

 

[valefan16]

Today was an improvement. Garrity's impact is enormous. He gets an extra 5 / 10 percent from everyone around him. Players that have looked average for weeks, looked like they gave a shit today. Both teams could have won it but think we had more clear chances, just snatching at things, which happens when you're in a run like this.

Some fans have given up, but I saw enough today to think we'll turn things around soon. Byers will add that bit more quality and control we're lacking when he's back. Considering we've basically had 2 months off, it's a miracle we're anywhere near the top 3.

Feels like 40 points has become a milestone we're struggling to reach. Once we get the next win, and / or reach 40 points, I think we'll go on a run. The title has gone, but the next two auto spots are there for the taking.

Not sure how many sold for Donny, but could be anywhere between 900 and 1,300. Shame, if we'd have won 2 or 3 in December could probably add another 1k on that.

Just lacking confidence up front really, didn't really agree that they had the best chances, the winger was awful finishing but aside from the one save at him which looked more spectacular than it probably was and the deflected shot which went wide we never felt in real trouble.

Kyle John should of done better early on when he swiped at that chance when wide open and Curtis with the two misses, watching the highlights Tolaj really should score when he tried the half overhead considering he was about 6 yards out as well.

Moore was pretty spot on in when we get to the final third it gets a bit rushed/chaotic which is probably confidence.

 

[BlackCountrySaddler]

An unbelievable result for us at Notts County yesterday. The group I was with were all saying at half time we’d take the 1-0 loss as it could of easily be 3/4-0.

But, we did what we do every week and come out the second half a much different side. The press was constant, Sadler made two fantastic subs which changed the game.

I feel like County bringing on Jones was a mistake. He seemed well off the pace & couldn’t keep up with Gordon & Weir down our left. Our lads noticed this pretty quickly so we just attacked down our left which lead to the winner.

Great away day overall. I spoke to a few County fans who were of the same opinion.

I’d be very surprised if County don’t go up, they move the ball brilliantly & with a attack of Crowley, Jatta, McGoldrick & Jones, they will batter a few teams along the way.

 

[Bianconeri 1862]

feeling like I have some kind of PTSD after that second half

 

[Bianconeri 1862]

Walsall are going up. A big, strong, powerful well drilled team with resilience and talent. They don't over play but nor are they basic. They can soak it up and break and they can also get on top and pin you in.

Having said that we should have been out of sight by half time. You can't play top teams and not take your chances because top teams will dig in and bite you on the arse an hour later.
Really pissed off with that result and I don't blame Maynard, players have to be clinical and we need another striker to bring off the bench in games.

Agreed, very reminiscent of Mansfield and Wrexham

 

[Optipez]

Agreed, very reminiscent of Mansfield and Wrexham

They also reminded me of Notts under Sam Allardyce. We romped the league that season.

 

[RavenBish]

I feel like County bringing on Jones was a mistake. He seemed well off the pace & couldn’t keep up with Gordon & Weir down our left. Our lads noticed this pretty quickly so we just attacked down our left which lead to the winner

Probably the point of sympathy I have for Maynard is that is was the only move to make at 1-1. We were clearly trying to win the game which was commendable and Austin was absolutely cooked at wing back, he did an awful job at stopping crosses all game - would have loved a Macari in that situation as he’s one of our better one v one defenders when we push up and go man for man at the back but he’s out so c’est la vie. The only other wide player we had available was teenager Madou Cisse who is pretty much there to make up the numbers.

We had nothing on the bench aside from Grant and Jones who have both been out for 3 months. I think we saw the value of having a second striker when Matt came on and went up top with Lowe, it completely changed the game and we don’t have that currently - another striker is the clear priority for January.

 

[Jimmy Anderson]

How many goals do we give away at the moment?. Nice to snatch a win without creating many chances today, we’ve missed our fair share this season though. Nice to see Sharp score again, I still can’t work out what has happened to the Ironside from last season. Fair play to Fleetwood I think they’ll do ok with the new manager and climb the table abit, getting a double over them isn’t a common occurrence for us. How many are Vale expecting to bring on the weekend do any vale fans know?. Be an interesting game, is Moore’s job safe with the big contract or a few more bad performances and could be gone?. Big game Saturday.

Less than 500 cos we're a wank boring bottom half crap team and all fans have had enough of watching it.

 

[Jimmy Anderson]

We are absolutely shit people need realise we arnt a 5th place team we are a bottom half boring to watch team. Not won at home since October and not won away since November. Something like 7 weeks since last win and 1 goal scored in last 6 games it's not worth your time and money watching it basically throwing your money away

 

[jacobncfc]

Probably the point of sympathy I have for Maynard is that is was the only move to make at 1-1. We were clearly trying to win the game which was commendable and Austin was absolutely cooked at wing back, he did an awful job at stopping crosses all game - would have loved a Macari in that situation as he’s one of our better one v one defenders when we push up and go man for man at the back but he’s out so c’est la vie. The only other wide player we had available was teenager Madou Cisse who is pretty much there to make up the numbers.

We had nothing on the bench aside from Grant and Jones who have both been out for 3 months. I think we saw the value of having a second striker when Matt came on and went up top with Lowe, it completely changed the game and we don’t have that currently - another striker is the clear priority for January.

Yep it was won by the substitutes and I can’t really question Maynard on that, Grant and Jones were the only real options we had. Neither of them could get to the pace of the game at all, which is understandable after months out and it being at such intensity, but it’s all we could try really. Hinchy for McGoldrick could’ve worked to get a grip of midfield maybe but would’ve been a bit negative.

We lost the game in the first half, though, despite playing so well. We should’ve been at least 2-0 up, maybe even more, and if that’s the case it’s harder for Walsall to come out so up for it and still believing the game is live, and easier for us to set a plan to hold onto it.

We’ve got a good shot at top three, I think, but we need to get this month right with two or three additions to give us some depth and we still need to get better at finding a way to cope when teams get on top of us. The back three is generally good and I think they did pretty well yesterday but they’re sitting ducks when the rest of the team is being physically beaten up like that.

Good game, though. Not many teams will have a half as impressive as either our first or Walsall’s second all season.

 

[Crewelad87]

*wrong thread

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

feeling like I have some kind of PTSD after that second half

Must admit I’m a tad fed up with getting our arses handed to us in second halves by anyone half decent and seemingly having no answer either tactically or personnel wise. Does Jamille Matt only ever score against us?

Felt we were really building up some momentum after those 3 previous results and performances. Now Swindon at half 12 looks orrible.

 

[jacobncfc]

Must admit I’m a tad fed up with getting our arses handed to us in second halves by anyone half decent and seemingly having no answer either tactically or personnel wise. Does Jamille Matt only ever score against us?

Felt we were really building up some momentum after those 3 previous results and performances. Now Swindon at half 12 looks orrible.

We just don’t seem willing to do what any normal team does in that situation and just take our medicine for a bit and try and get up the pitch.

Bloody Crowley doing one-twos with the centre backs with about six men pressing him at the same time. Pretty sure Jatta dribbled the ball out for a corner at one point trying to come short and get us on the ball. My man, get your long legs running into the channel and win us a throw-in.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Some excellent reporting and views from both Pies and Saddlers from yesterday's game.

Similar to the game at the Bescott, it was of quality, entertaining and close. Both games could have gone either way but the street wise and more L2 approach undertaken by Walsall got them the two victories in the tightly fought contests.

I was impressed with Walsall for 3 of the 4 halves , god knows why they started yesterday's game so lethargic by comparison.

 

[valefan16]

Notts will be an interesting one to watch as of course the footballing side of it is good but the pitches wont be into the coming winter months (especially with the weather forecast in the next week or two) so may have to adapt to that.

Walsall in fairness to them have probably got one foot in league one now, gone under the radar pre season compared to the usual suspects and the big spenders and done a really good job in December of opening a huge gap and capitalizing on everyone else in the promotion race being inconsistent or out of form. Even if the lose Lowe they just need an average run second half of the season to get over the line I would think, 30 points or so.

 

[dedwardp]

What the fuck. In the last 4 games v Grimsby, AFC, Bromley and now Col U fans of the opposition have stated that its the worst you've played for a long time. We've dominated all 4 games and have fully deserved the 8 points if not the 12. Nothing to do with how we've played I suppose?

Of course, it always is to some extent - I thought Swindon were decent and deserved to win as I've said elsewhere. That doesn't detract from the fact that we were also well off it compared to how we've been performing throughout our unbeaten run though.

I think we have a pretty decent core eleven or so but we're lacking quality beyond that and it told yesterday. Doncaster were one of the better teams I've seen, but we more than matched them on Sunday by pressing intensely throughout and never giving them a moment on the ball. The hassling and harrying all game forced them into errors time after time. But yesterday we looked leggy, which is understandable if you're trying to play that way without the depth to rotate or use the bench (only one sub made on Sunday for example), so I thought we were off the pace in that regard.

We were also really sloppy when we did have the ball yesterday too, and looked much worse than we have for a while, particularly going forward having rested the first choice front three. That would be forgotten if we now win at home on Saturday.

But yes, Swindon looked good and could have scored a couple more. And relative to how they played at our place a few weeks back, they looked like prime Brazil.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Where the fuck have Salford come from? They were proper gash. I'm guessing it's because nobody really cares about them that they've gone under the radar.

Walsall been unbelievable to be fair. Didn't have them any higher than midtable to be honest but their manager looks like he will be managing much higher than this level and they've absolutely nailed their signings. I imagine nobody knew anything about Lowe before he came and it was perhaps expected he'd be a back up striker but he's turned to gold. Reminds me a bit of Bristol Rovers with their loan guy from Newcastle...just absolutely ran the show. Also, in a slightly different light, we had Pope in 12/13 who I think had scored 5 the season before and scored 33. Sometimes you just land on a player that hits a purple patch.

They're 100% promoted. Only 2 automatic spots left and we won't be getting one of them. It's the age old issue with us of dropping off massively over the Christmas period and a real struggle to score goals. I think we'll have 2 or 3 seasons in this league before we're anything like. We need a settled team over a long period of time...we're never going to get anywhere with 5 or 6 changes every game.

 

[クレイグ]

Where the fuck have Salford come from? They were proper gash. I'm guessing it's because nobody really cares about them that they've gone under the radar.

Five wins on the bounce and 0 goals conceded. You hate to see it. they were terrible against us and we scored a perfectly good goal which wasn't given. Horrible club.

 

[valefan16]

Salford yeah, we beat them twice away in league and cup 2-0 both times and looked awful. That said they were pretty ruthless against Notts when I saw them on TV the other week, not really the big names this season and maybe thats helping in some regard.

 

[valefan16]

Where the fuck have Salford come from? They were proper gash. I'm guessing it's because nobody really cares about them that they've gone under the radar.

Walsall been unbelievable to be fair. Didn't have them any higher than midtable to be honest but their manager looks like he will be managing much higher than this level and they've absolutely nailed their signings. I imagine nobody knew anything about Lowe before he came and it was perhaps expected he'd be a back up striker but he's turned to gold. Reminds me a bit of Bristol Rovers with their loan guy from Newcastle...just absolutely ran the show. Also, in a slightly different light, we had Pope in 12/13 who I think had scored 5 the season before and scored 33. Sometimes you just land on a player that hits a purple patch.

They're 100% promoted. Only 2 automatic spots left and we won't be getting one of them. It's the age old issue with us of dropping off massively over the Christmas period and a real struggle to score goals. I think we'll have 2 or 3 seasons in this league before we're anything like. We need a settled team over a long period of time...we're never going to get anywhere with 5 or 6 changes every game.

You'd hope with key players returning we will find form again, on paper the players are too good not to, Chislett got double figures a league above for us last season, Stockley got 15 in a relegation side a league above, Garrity double figures, Paton and Tolaj hit 20+ each last season so know where the net is, plus the return of the likes of Byers etc. Defensively Grimsby and Barrow horror shows aside we've been very good, 1 goal a game conceded and if you include the defeat to Doncaster 10 of the 24 we conceded came in 3 games so remove the anomalies for 21 games we've let in 14.

The players are certainly there to achieve our goals, it is down to either Moore not using them correctly, injuries to a degree in one area of the pitch (Midfield).

With the issues seemingly resolving with Garrity back, Byers close (again), Harper and Stockley back soon we should be looking much better, if we don't see a turnaround in form then something is seriously wrong and unfortunately that probably lands at the feet of Darren Moore. I think we will spend a bit this month too.

That said it does seem DM relies heavily on having the best players rather than being just an outstanding manager. If we want automatic though we need to see that turnaround begin in the next week or two.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Does make me laugh with pretty much half a season to play a side is being anointed as 100% promoted. Seem to remember people doing it with Leeds in 2010 when they won in the Cup against Man Utd and then they spunked a 9 point lead at the top and only went up on the final day.

Look at us last season. Playoff dead certs in March then went into relegation form and scraped a playoff place on the final day of the season.

I'm of the belief Walsall will more than likely go up and I'm obviously playing devil's advocate here but so much football to be played and so many things can happen. Could easily suffer an injury crisis and rack up poor form given we have 4 months of the season to go.

Our game yesterday I thought our performance was lethargic, half arsed and complacent for 90 minutes but luckily 3 of the subs and Conway were excellent enough to see us past a Carlisle side who I thought were promising going forward but were a total mess at the back and it showed. That Barclay is a terrible defender and almost single handedly chucked the game his individual performance was that bad.

The 8 minutes or so of injury time we actually played front foot football and looked dangerous and scored two goals which turned a 0 point situation into a 3 point one. Let this be a lesson to Lee Bell that you have to play front foot football against the dregs of this division, especially at home, and can't play 5 at the back reactive Steve Davis inspired dull football against sides there for the taking. An in-form Bromley await us at Gresty Road on Sunday but we have 3 really poor sides on paper after that and we've got to be looking at maximum points in those games.

2nd and 3rd are there for the taking. I still back us to be in the hunt for those places come the business end of the season but we need to stop being so safe.

 

[kieran_vale]

Does make me laugh with pretty much half a season to play a side is being anointed as 100% promoted. Seem to remember people doing it with Leeds in 2010 when they won in the Cup against Man Utd and then they spunked a 9 point lead at the top and only went up on the final day.

Look at us last season. Playoff dead certs in March then went into relegation form and scraped a playoff place on the final day of the season.

I'm of the belief Walsall will more than likely go up and I'm obviously playing devil's advocate here but so much football to be played and so many things can happen. Could easily suffer an injury crisis and rack up poor form given we have 4 months of the season to go.

Our game yesterday I thought our performance was lethargic, half arsed and complacent for 90 minutes but luckily 3 of the subs and Conway were excellent enough to see us past a Carlisle side who I thought were promising going forward but were a total mess at the back and it showed. That Barclay is a terrible defender and almost single handedly chucked the game his individual performance was that bad.

The 8 minutes or so of injury time we actually played front foot football and looked dangerous and scored two goals which turned a 0 point situation into a 3 point one. Let this be a lesson to Lee Bell that you have to play front foot football against the dregs of this division, especially at home, and can't play 5 at the back reactive Steve Davis inspired dull football against sides there for the taking. An in-form Bromley await us at Gresty Road on Sunday but we have 3 really poor sides on paper after that and we've got to be looking at maximum points in those games.

2nd and 3rd are there for the taking. I still back us to be in the hunt for those places come the business end of the season but we need to stop being so safe.

Aye for all we know someone in the bottom half may well come shooting through the field like Doncaster did last season or in our previous stint in this league Bolton who were languishing lower mid table for a long time and went on a run. Nothings ever won or lost in December or January.