⚽ Match Thread vs. Lincoln City 08.08.23 [EFLC R1]

[matt_magpie]

The more adept the opposition, the more you need a spoiler/ball winner to break up play, or as we've seen you get hurt if you are not good enough defensively.
Are we pursuing defenders? If we are, we've had no success. Yet we've been able to attract midfield and forwards!!
My feeling is we hadn't been actively pursuing or if we had, we haven't prioritised it.
That I personally feel is a huge mistake, but that's only my opinion and one I voiced last season despite the success.

I’m not sure their as recognisable now in the old guise of your Roy Keanes, as highlighted earlier it’s more athleticism in pressing opposition into mistakes which didn’t exist 10 or 20 years ago cos players just won’t that fit, I do think we will miss that in Mcgoldrick replacing Ruben.
I do think we are after a defender but it’s not happened for us yet, definitely now with the awful news for Baj.

[nw6pie]

Great post KM, and interesting what you say at the end.

The brothers have shown that they have patience. They know that Rome wasn't built in a day. They took 4 years to achieve their first goal, making steady progress each year in terms of reaching that formula that would do the business.

Likewise, there's no need for breakneck measures for the next step. If it takes 2,3,4 years, so be it. Let's see where momentum takes us but realistically, the next step is another project.

The first part of that I agree with - let's give the lads who got us back into the EFL a chance to show what they can do. It's doubtful all of those will survive the process though, maybe 1 season, 3 months or 1 month even (as you say re: the window) will be all they get. But at least we've given them the chance they deserve.

Very good point about athleticism - the difference between us and Lincoln was rather stark in that respect.

And I’m sure the owners will be adopting the same slow-and-steady approach this season as before. Top half and competitive would be fine by me this season, using it as a learning curve.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

I would add that L2 is a step up in terms of athleticism (I like that description) and that doesn't come overnight, you can't suddenly go up a level in terms of athleticism, it takes weeks, potentially. It's not just being able to run faster for longer, but it's being able to think quicker, execute the basics under more pressure etc.

Unfortunately a pre season can only address the physical side, the mental side comes with competitive games. I think the mental side comes quicker than the physical side though (if you are capable of the step up). I am sure they will get there, but they are starting from behind. I think last season we were happy to accept mistakes at the back for the benefits it brought going forward, I wonder if we will end up in the same place eventually this season (either with our current defence of a bolstered one). To get a defender in who would suit our style in this league means we need someone who can think faster and execute more reliably that you may normally expect from a L2 defender, which may be harder to find. Ironically, we may find it easier to address our defensive issues as we move up the leagues and our style becomes more of the norm.

I wonder if that is why the transfer window closes a month into the season - it gives managers and recruitment teams time to identify those that are struggling and address that in the transfer market?

This is an excellent post and for me is one of the key differences making the step up from the NL to League 2 athleticism. As you go up the leagues players become more athletic as well as skillful. The highest level has the most athletic and most skillful players of all. This is where the players need time to acclimatise and adapt as we are a passing and possession based team.

There are a number of players who have played in the EFL before, but some have not for a few seasons. These players will be the leaders and guides for those who haven't. Senior players such as McGoldrick, Bostock, Chicksen, Slocombe, Brindley and JOB. Plus the younger group of Jones, Palmer, Morias, Crowley, Randall and Stone.

Then you've got the group who have limited EFL experience whether it be one season, the odd appearance or loans which include Rawlinson, Scott, Cameron, Baldwin, TAR, Bajrami and Austin

Then there are those who have never played in the EFL before this season such as Langstaff and Nemane along with the two promoted youth players Lucien Mahovo and Luther Munakandafa.

They've all been rewarded for their loyalty and for getting the club to the EFL. Let's give them time, patience and the chance to prove they can do it at this level.

[uysapie]

This is an excellent post and for me is one of the key differences making the step up from the NL to League 2 athleticism. As you go up the leagues players become more athletic as well as skillful. The highest level has the most athletic and most skillful players of all. This is where the players need time to acclimatise and adapt as we are a passing and possession based team.

There are a number of players who have played in the EFL before, but some have not for a few seasons. These players will be the leaders and guides for those who haven't. Senior players such as McGoldrick, Bostock, Chicksen, Slocombe, Brindley and JOB. Plus the younger group of Jones, Palmer, Morias, Crowley, Randall and Stone.

Then you've got the group who have limited EFL experience whether it be one season, the odd appearance or loans which include Rawlinson, Scott, Cameron, Baldwin, TAR, Bajrami and Austin

Then there are those who have never played in the EFL before this season such as Langstaff and Nemane along with the two promoted youth players Lucien Mahovo and Luther Munakandafa.

They've all been rewarded for their loyalty and for getting the club to the EFL. Let's give them time, patience and the chance to prove they can do it at this level.

Just how much time do you propose? If the gamble doesn't work, we are in trouble.

The issue is the defence, has been for at least 5 seasons.

[Magpies1959]

The defence was certainly not the issue last season.

[uysapie]

The defence was certainly not the issue last season.

yes it was. we struggled at times and got away with it because most teams could not finish and pick us off. Check out the
playoffs to see the weaknesses.

[keldsyke]

yes it was. we struggled at times and got away with it because most teams could not finish and pick us off. Check out the
playoffs to see the weaknesses.

Absolutely it’s been a ticking time bomb

[MAD_MAGPIE]

Just how much time do you propose? If the gamble doesn't work, we are in trouble.

The issue is the defence, has been for at least 5 seasons.

More than the one league game and a cup game that some people have decided is more than enough time.

Today will tell us a lot more as to where we are at. Grimsby are a year in front of us so to speak.

I’m not denying there is improvement to be made, particularly defensively. There always is when you concede five goals a game. Plus there are valid points about the playoff games in terms of how our attacking threat was nullified at times.

The transfer window closes on 1st September. By the weekend before it shuts we will have played Sutton, Lincoln, Grimsby, Morecambe, Doncaster and Tranmere. If the worst case scenario is we get nothing from any of those games then there will be no denying we will be in trouble like the relegation season. We ideally need at couple of wins to keep our heads above water. Where I mean we need to give it time and be patient is not expect to be winning the majority of these games.

With the injury to Bajrami I’m sure it emphasises the need to bring someone in as well.

All we can do is watch and wait and see what happens over the coming weeks and get behind and the support this group of players. They’ve earned that.

[countygump]

More than the one league game and a cup game that some people have decided is more than enough time.

Today will tell us a lot more as to where we are at. Grimsby are a year in front of us so to speak.

I’m not denying there is improvement to be made, particularly defensively. There always is when you concede five goals a game. Plus there are valid points about the playoff games in terms of how our attacking threat was nullified at times.

The transfer window closes on 1st September. By the weekend before it shuts we will have played Sutton, Lincoln, Grimsby, Morecambe, Doncaster and Tranmere. If the worst case scenario is we get nothing from any of those games then there will be no denying we will be in trouble like the relegation season. We ideally need at couple of wins to keep our heads above water. Where I mean we need to give it time and be patient is not expect to be winning the majority of these games.

With the injury to Bajrami I’m sure it emphasises the need to bring someone in as well.

All we can do is watch and wait and see what happens over the coming weeks and get behind and the support this group of players. They’ve earned that.

I predicted we'd finish between 8th-11th this season. I never bought in to that stuff about us being faves to go straight through to L1. If we were to finish mid-table and use this season to see exactly what we need and build again, I have absolutely no prob with that at all. The thing I, and I would imagine, ALL, Notts supporters dread, is a repeat of 2018-19 debacle where we have a bang awful start. It's nightmare territory. The sooner we get a few points on the board the better the fan base will feel and the sooner the jitters will stop.

[Magpies1959]

I am not saying the defence could not have been better but it was not an issue as we scored far more than we conceded and got promoted. The defence at the moment is an issue, as we are a level higher, and as yet have not found our shooting boots.