Promising signs.

[i961pie]

Disagree. Stockport are used to what it requires to win games in non-league and although they had more guilt-edge chances, I thought possession wise - Notts were superior in touch and quality. They barely had the ball stick up front until their sub striker came on and were reliant on hoofing it into the channels.

Agree with the ponderous build-up, but with the new system and team it's to be expected.

Jon Stead would be useless in this league as his only talent of winning the odd foul is redundant when the referee refuses to blow for blatant pushes.

Was pleasantly surprised with Enzio's graft tonight - disappointed for him more than anything he ballooned the chance and didn't pass to Hemmings. Gonna be the scapegoat.

Wrong decision to bring Turner on then - Bird was the best out the three today.

I disagree about Bird, first half yes but in the second their centre forward was a bit to wise for him. He was getting bullied and pulled out of position to often.

[jonnyt1]

Promising? You watched a different game to me!

I thought 3-1 to Stockport would have been a fair result.

Kelly Evans is too lightweight for this league and needs to be replaced.

Slocombe also looks a little on the small side to dominate any crosses.

Enzio tried, but couldn’t hit a barn door and wouldn’t have scored all night long. Another day he might get a hat trick so I have some hope.

The defence now looks ok in general but looked worse with Turner on the pitch!

The big issue remains the lack of a target man, there number 9 would have made a great difference to us although he wasn’t massive. With out a doubt the best player on the pitch.

With a target man I still don’t think we will have the quality to push for promotion.

[Simon the Pieman]

We must remember we were a knat's knacker away from extinction and so any progress was good to see. At least we're all able to watch Notts.

[slack_pie]

Promising? You watched a different game to me!

I thought 3-1 to Stockport would have been a fair result.

Kelly Evans is too lightweight for this league and needs to be replaced.

Slocombe also looks a little on the small side to dominate any crosses.

Enzio tried, but couldn’t hit a barn door and wouldn’t have scored all night long. Another day he might get a hat trick so I have some hope.

The defence now looks ok in general but looked worse with Turner on the pitch!

The big issue remains the lack of a target man, there number 9 would have made a great difference to us although he wasn’t massive. With out a doubt the best player on the pitch.

With a target man I still don’t think we will have the quality to push for promotion.

We've needed a target man for ages though. Pretty much every other team has one, so they can't be that hard to find.

[Lullapie]

There were too many of last seasons problems still evident for me to agree with the OP. Their passing was quicker and more accurate than ours - twice in the first half we presented then with good chances by messing about at the back, and most of our forward play had the same slow, ponderous build up. We were second to most 50/50 balls although the effort seemed to be there. I know it's very early season and we have lots of new players but we don't seem to have any shape or real style of play. On the plus side we didn't lose, and Stockport may be one of the better teams in the division, but if I was one of their fans I'd be a bit disappointed to only take one point from the game.

Unfortunately by messing about with the ball at the back rather than getting it forward fast to the target man or wingers we don't have, opens a team up to those sort of errors.

[TSANHO]

Whilst a target man can have its advantages the downside is, like we saw with Ameobi, that every time a full back gets the ball they just play it long every....single....time....and we be one ineffective. The midfield gives up in showing themselves for the ball and we're back to the drudgery of the Nolan philosophy.

We actually have some decent footballers available to us so it would be a shame to see them wasted by just hoofing the ball to a one trick pony who usually becomes the butt of terrace criticism for his lack of footballing skill....and goals.

[Livid]

The defence didn't know each other, so needed protection from the midfield and this, in turn, left the strikers isolated.

The watchword remains, "patience"

[jacobncfc]

We looked distinctly like a team which has known each other for less than a week, surprisingly enough.

Any points we pick up at this stage are useful ones and see how we’re playing come the end of September IMO.

[DelroyFacey22]

Kelly Evans is too lightweight for this league and needs to be replaced.

Slocombe also looks a little on the small side to dominate any crosses.

And yet Kelly-Evans gave away a freekick for outmuscling someone, won his share of headers and only lost one 50/50 where he was side by side with a player all game and Slocombe dealt with more crosses in this game than Fitzsimons did all of last season.

Never change Jonny.

Edit: @ The OP, not sure why you would watch Declan Dunn come into that game and sit in midfield, put in a very composed performance and then decide he could play left mid in a 4-4-2 either. I'd start the team we had after Tyson went off on Saturday presuming Ardley doesn't think Turner is ready to start yet.

[Masson4]

I enjoyed the game last night and felt that Notts competed pretty well considering all. A new defence with no time to play alongside each other before the game looked solid in the circumstances. I did feel it was a mistake introducing Turner as a sub as at that time the points seemed a lot more important to me than the player running a bit of strength into his legs. The defence looked less secure when he came on.

I thought O'Brien had a very good game indeed and did all you might expect of him on the night. He did well, driving the team forward.

I reckon Notts will be fine as the season goes on. I'm not necessarily a huge fan of the manager and worry a little that he has an immovable association with the failure of last year. I do not think it would be wise to try and replace him at this time though and he must be given a fair chance.