Interesting theory

[LaxtonLad]

Nolan was doing a similar job to Cowley before he ripped everything up and tried to start again. We had solid tactics that worked effectively. No-nonsense defending, ball-winning midfield battlers, a target man or two up front, and a sprinkling of creativity. The aim was to get the ball forward early and play our football in the final third. It worked really well. Then in the summer, he attempted to reinvent Notts as a silky passing side with no real leaders or ball winners, and the rest is history. The reason Cowley and Lincoln are so successful is they have kept the same style of play and built on it by adding better personnel. I'm fairly sure that if Nolan had done the same, we'd be up in or around the playoff positions now.

You can only play the silky passing game if you actually have the ball. We seem to have too many midfielders who are waiting for a loose ball rather than trying to tackle someone and take it off them.

[Trickytreesreds]

Problem is if he sets up not to lose he gets hammered for lack of ambition. I'd like to see how a defensively solid 442 with Jones in left midfield and Alessandra right midfield works with Enzio and Hemmings up top.

It didn't work against Barnsley but they're a very good team, and least we'd have more height, solidity and plenty of pace on the counter.

I get that Driller.
But you don't have to set up to be defensive.
The point is, your back is garbage and they are not good enough.
Sorry, just the way I see it. All this slagging of Vaughan etc, is wrong in my eyes. Expecting that old man to run/track/tackle is a waste.
So cut it how you like, with that quality, you may as well play 6 at the back

[Bridg4d_Pie_]

It’s Kewell and...”have” gone.

Hey Joe taking apart the spelling error & dodgy grammar, why are the Board not looking at that avenue of thought, after all both Nolan & Kwell are at the novice end of their careers as Managers. When we played Oldham at the Lane last Tuesday we were playing most of our passing football in the second half of the game on the edge of 18 yard box to midway up our own half, at times we could not go any further forward because I forwards were isolated as the midfield at certain tines were far to deep so the ball came back once again. That happened time & time again we have always had that trait though playing to deep. It maybe because we lack a quality holding midfield player & a ball winner in the middle as apposed to Hewitt who tends to run around at times to shut the player on the ball down.

Just a thought so to speak.

[drillerpie]

I get that Driller.
But you don't have to set up to be defensive.
The point is, your back is garbage and they are not good enough.
Sorry, just the way I see it. All this slagging of Vaughan etc, is wrong in my eyes. Expecting that old man to run/track/tackle is a waste.
So cut it how you like, with that quality, you may as well play 6 at the back

Enzio is the kind of player who you might not ask to track back but at least he gives something in return. He's probably been involved in 80% of our goals in one way or another.

Vaughan just looks like a dead weight though. Really good player in his time but wrong player for League 2 at his age.

[Elite_Pie]

All this slagging of Vaughan etc, is wrong in my eyes. Expecting that old man to run/track/tackle is a waste.

Of course we should expect him to run, track back and tackle. Neal Bishop still does it and he's a couple of years older than Vaughan. If we leave him to just stroll around midfield he needs to play decisive passes. So far his passes have created half a dozen chances, but every one of them has been for the opposition! If he can't run and he can't pass, what does he offer the team?

[legs77]

Nolan was doing a similar job to Cowley before he ripped everything up and tried to start again. We had solid tactics that worked effectively. No-nonsense defending, ball-winning midfield battlers, a target man or two up front, and a sprinkling of creativity. The aim was to get the ball forward early and play our football in the final third. It worked really well. Then in the summer, he attempted to reinvent Notts as a silky passing side with no real leaders or ball winners, and the rest is history. The reason Cowley and Lincoln are so successful is they have kept the same style of play and built on it by adding better personnel. I'm fairly sure that if Nolan had done the same, we'd be up in or around the playoff positions now.

I agree.

[marshall55]

Big question is, has Hardy stuck his nose in to the style of play, signings etc. Maybe Nolans hands were tied.

[ncfcog]

Big question is, has Hardy stuck his nose in to the style of play, signings etc. Maybe Nolans hands were tied.

I think there is probably some truth to this, but maybe indirectly. AH will of course want bums on seats, splashing the cash closed season helped to drive ST sales and the type of players signed ie Vaughan, Enzio, Hemmings, Dennis etc all appeared to be signed on the basis we would be pi55ing the league with beautiful flowing and passing football. Bigger crowds guaranteed, Nolo proving himself to be the next England manager in waiting and plenty of plaudits for AH himself . . . not quite turned out like that has it!

[magpie_mania]

But December onwards it wasn't working, we went to winning 1 in 3 after a tremendous start but I think the start was fortunate, we did well with injuries and we won some games I don't think we deserved to and I think other teams clocked the tactic and put measures in place.
I think too much is being made of this style of play, I don't think anyone including Hardy expects us to be like Man City but wants an improvement on the dross tactic used last season which ultimately didn't work in the end and was awful to watch. I think if we had continued with it and signed similar personnel we would have been around mid table or below this season. The issue for me is we have signed badly, most people on here said Hewitt was no good in midfield without Yates and he was highlighted as a reason for our poor performances towards the end of the season(which was a bit unfair) yet now after signing ump**** CMs Hewitt still looks the best option, never got a left back and Dennis is struggling, last season we had Shola, not prolific but brought a lot more to the team than Dennis has up to now. I had alarm bells in pre season shipping goals but I do think we will start to stabilise and move up the table, we have had some decent performances under Kewell but he can only pick from what he has.

Not sure you can compare Shola & Dennis - different kind of player.

[Elite_Pie]

Not sure you can compare Shola & Dennis - different kind of player.

That's true. Shola was useful.