Increased expectations?

[tarquinbeech]

Can we look on that as a good sign that we have played badly at times and are still top?

I'd like to ask the guys who get to see a lot of the games what we are doing well this season that we did badly last season, who is playing a lot better under KN that's been around for a while and which of the newcomers is making the biggest difference?
From the bits I pick up, seems Grant is one that's made a big difference?

Also for those who watch a lot - what % chance in all honesty do we have of being Champs?

And...
While I'm on a roll with the trips down memory lane, how many teams can say they beat a team 5-1 with Bobby Moore in defence and Best up front? Notts can haha! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egdiijeJWsg
Check out goal No.4 - Busby nutmegs Bobby Moore and smashes it into the roof - these are the days I want back.

I've watched every game on iFollow.....sometimes it ain't pretty BUT KN gets 100% out of his players over the 90 minutes.....if we drop to 85%/90% which often happens for periods of the game, we struggle because we have no real "world beaters" that can turn on individual performances (Grant is the one possible exception, maybe Jones as well when he's fit)....basically, KN is getting a TEAM performance and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts....so far.

If Duffy struggles, Brisley backs him up......both Toots and Dicko/Jones overlap with the wingers Hawk/Aless and Grant.....Yates is awesome in midfield, for a 19 year-old he is scary going into the tackle, and now he is finding the net he is arguably more important than Grant......my only reservation is Shola alongside Stead and the 60 odd balls lumped up to them every game BUT it takes the pressure off the back four and gives Yates, Milsom or Hewitt something to scrap for.......and it works most of the time......Kels is correct, I've changed my mind gradually, if it ain't broken, why fix it...the Table doesn't lie.

We might see a few more balls through the midfield wants Noble shows us what he can do......plus a pacy striker might see us play balls into the channels rather than lumping it down the middle....time will tell

[AltyPie]

I've watched every game on iFollow.....sometimes it ain't pretty BUT KN gets 100% out of his players over the 90 minutes.....if we drop to 85%/90% which often happens for periods of the game, we struggle because we have no real "world beaters" that can turn on individual performances (Grant is the one possible exception, maybe Jones as well when he's fit)....basically, KN is getting a TEAM performance and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts....so far.

If Duffy struggles, Brisley backs him up......both Toots and Dicko/Jones overlap with the wingers Hawk/Aless and Grant.....Yates is awesome in midfield, for a 19 year-old he is scary going into the tackle, and now he is finding the net he is arguably more important than Grant......my only reservation is Shola alongside Stead and the 60 odd balls lumped up to them every game BUT it takes the pressure off the back four and gives Yates, Milsom or Hewitt something to scrap for.......and it works most of the time......Kels is correct, I've changed my mind gradually, if it ain't broken, why fix it...the Table doesn't lie.

We might see a few more balls through the midfield wants Noble shows us what he can do......plus a pacy striker might see us play balls into the channels rather than lumping it down the middle....time will tell

...and our % chance of being Champs IYO?
Surely either we've over achieved and been lucky in these first 17 games or we have a very good chance?

[BigFatPie]

I want to see us go up as Champions - of course.
I want those great days back such as when we went to Tottenham and only got beat because Gazza didn't get sent off after elbowing Harding in the face - remember that game?
My best Notts memory is standing behind the goal at Tottenham and seeing O-Riordan's rocket heading straight towards me - I'd have caught that ball if the net hadn't been in the way - great days. 26 years ago bloody hell.
That goal is on Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhHlBkoOoU0
Gettin!
I also remember on the bus down there, the bus driver stopped and asked, about 1km from the ground, if anybody wanted to get out and walk. Bus went silent. There were no takers strangely.

Your football posts sound like what a Russian bot would sound like if it had been programmed to pretend to take an interest in football in general and Notts in particular.

THEY'RE TAKING OVER I TELL YOU!!

[slack_pie]

At this stage, anything below 7th would be a massive disappointment. Whether me stay in the top 3, make the playoffs or drift down the table will largely depend on what happens in January. If the Forest boys go back and we don't recruit a decent, young forward, we'll struggle to keep up our current form.

One thing is clear: Nolan knows what it takes to win football matches at this level.

My guess is we'll continue grinding out results, doing enough to secure a playoff place, but I fear better-equipped teams will start to pull away from us in the second half of the season.

I'm going to predict that Notts will draw Mansfield in the playoffs. Any all know how that will end.

[Proudpie]

It would be disappointing not to make the play offs now and I fully expect us to achieve that as a minimum. Hang onto Grant and Yates in January and bring in a decent pacy young striker and automatic promotion should be absolutely the target.

Well according to the Nottm Post there will be mimimal activity in January
I read previously that Notts had a hit list of 3 or 4 players
All paper talk but a new striker and maybe a centre half are in my opinion critical for promotion or playoffs

[tarquinbeech]

...and our % chance of being Champs IYO?
Surely either we've over achieved and been lucky in these first 17 games or we have a very good chance?

I agree with Slack, anything below 7th is a disappointment come May after such a splendid start.

My odds would be 10% as Champions, 50% Top 3 and 75% Top 7 as of now.......if we recruit a pacy striker and Noble slots in well then I would add 10% to all those numbers.....I am feeling very optimistic

[kill_the_drum]

I know fans of Luton, Mansfield, Stevenage, Crewe and Coventry.
They all say exactly the same thing about their team. We’re good when we get the ball down and play.
The fact is we’re watching basement football. No team has players good enough to pass it around when the opposition presses. But again being League two, no team has the fitness to press throughout a game.
That’s why we have periods where we pass it and periods where we knock it long.
League two is s**t football. To get out of it we need to be less s**t than the rest.
And so far we’ve been the least s**t team in the league. So let’s just enjoy it and hope it continues.

[AltyPie]

Your football posts sound like what a Russian bot would sound like if it had been programmed to pretend to take an interest in football in general and Notts in particular.

THEY'RE TAKING OVER I TELL YOU!!

Ты мудак, и я надеюсь, ты умрешь от сифилиса.

[60YearsAPie]

Ты мудак, и я надеюсь, ты умрешь от сифилиса.

"You're an *******, and I hope you die of ********" isn't very polite, Alty!

[BigFatPie]

I assume Altypies post translates as something like “Hey guys, remember the day when Sven turned up, wow!”. Gettin!