Ardley is a good bloke

[laddo]

If they are that much better why do we not see an improvement in our performances? The least we should be seeing is a more competitive showing with a regularity that puts opponents off from attacking us straight from the first whistle. If you think a reversion to Curle's pretty triangles in our own half tells us we are getting where we wouldn't be before the latest signings, then I would disagree. Some of the managers of the weakest teams in this league have shown us how to make the best of so-called lesser players by coaching them to play as a team. Acquiring "better" players doesn't necessarily translate into building a better team.

The last sentence I couldn't agree with more. It definitely helps a lot but doesn't guarantee a better team.

He's not getting the best out of them, whether that's due to his limitations as a coach or because of his defensive style or a combination of both I don't know.

Agree with Pedro's comments also

But this question LL has nothing to do with the former criticism of his signings, and being wasteful with his resources. I couldn't disagree more with the view of Carlton and Leggs that his signings aren't better than the previous. This has been the best recruitment for years , and that's not easy when no longer a league club. He's far less wasteful than previous managers.

[legs77]

I didnt say his signings were not better than Nolan I said he has signed Shields who is not better than Osbourne.

He has signed an untried kid in Long who realistically is he better than Bird ?

Im not saying Bird is like Maldini but this is one thing that p#sses me off with Notts giving young players a pro contract and then hardly play them....what is the point ?

Some of his signings have been good but lets be right he must have signed around 30 players so you would expect some to do well.

[LaxtonLad]

The last sentence I couldn't agree with more. It definitely helps a lot but doesn't guarantee a better team.

He's not getting the best out of them, whether that's due to his limitations as a coach or because of his defensive style or a combination of both I don't know.

Agree with Pedro's comments also

But this question LL has nothing to do with the former criticism of his signings, and being wasteful with his resources. I couldn't disagree more with the view of Carlton and Leggs that his signings aren't better than the previous. This has been the best recruitment for years , and that's not easy when no longer a league club. He's far less wasteful than previous managers.

Wasteful is a relative term, laddo. Are the managers of the like of Man. City, Man, U, Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool, etc, wasteful when they sign young schoolkids and teanagers* by the bucketload? The managers know that the vast majority of these young players will never, ever play for the first team. Yet there they are, picking up a wage and only brought in to deny other clubs the off chance that one of them might, just might, be another Rashford.

It might be possible that some of our new players may turn out to be better than what we already have (Cal Roberts for instance, played a blinder at first but what happened to him at Hartlepool? Did Ardley tell him in training where he was going wrong? Shields and Booty looked good at first, then Ardley waved his magic wand over them) but I am doubtful that Ardley knows what he's doing with them. I think they were on RADAR's radar and recommended to Ardley who signs them and then tells us he's been watching them for weeks, yeah, right, you've been watching them for weeks, you know what what they are like, how they play, their strengths and weaknesses - they are just what the doctor ordered, except they are either not fit or inexperienced in competitive football.

* Where I wrote "tean" I did mean someone between twelve and twenty but am not allowed to write "****".

[matt_magpie]

Wasteful is a relative term, laddo. Are the managers of the like of Man. City, Man, U, Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool, etc, wasteful when they sign young schoolkids and teanagers* by the bucketload? The managers know that the vast majority of these young players will never, ever play for the first team. Yet there they are, picking up a wage and only brought in to deny other clubs the off chance that one of them might, just might, be another Rashford.

It might be possible that some of our new players may turn out to be better than what we already have (Cal Roberts for instance, played a blinder at first but what happened to him at Hartlepool? Did Ardley tell him in training where he was going wrong? Shields and Booty looked good at first, then Ardley waved his magic wand over them) but I am doubtful that Ardley knows what he's doing with them. I think they were on RADAR's radar and recommended to Ardley who signs them and then tells us he's been watching them for weeks, yeah, right, you've been watching them for weeks, you know what what they are like, how they play, their strengths and weaknesses - they are just what the doctor ordered, except they are either not fit or inexperienced in competitive football.

* Where I wrote "tean" I did mean someone between twelve and twenty but am not allowed to write "****".

I doubt football radar have got that much info lower leagues and especially non league as they claim to cover 50 countries with the main objective to provide betting advice so also tracking overall team performance. I think Ardley has got a good eye for a player and probably a lot of contacts in the lower leagues, he’s assembled a squad in my eyes that’s better than last seasons we started with at I imagine half the cost.

[laddo]

I didnt say his signings were not better than Nolan I said he has signed Shields who is not better than Osbourne.

He has signed an untried kid in Long who realistically is he better than Bird ?

Im not saying Bird is like Maldini but this is one thing that p#sses me off with Notts giving young players a pro contract and then hardly play them....what is the point ?

Some of his signings have been good but lets be right he must have signed around 30 players so you would expect some to do well.

Well obviously not every player signed is going to be better even Sir Alex had some stinkers thrown in the mix.

But overall, he's definitely well in credit on this score IMO. As for Bird, he's ok, he's never really let us down when he's played, he's our 4th best centre back.

[laddo]

Laxton that's just guesswork you don't know that Radar recommended all or any of these signings and then the manager plays it off like they are his signings or acquired via the traditional way.

It's fine to criticise the manager, I mean look at this message board he gets blamed for almost everything. Some legit, some valid, some inaccurate and a lot ridiculous.

But if we are now saying he hasn't made good signings, hasn't got an eye for a player it's getting a little too silly. That's just personal agenda and mob mentality in full effect. He's definitely had more hits than misses when it comes to players in. Not many Notts managers can say that.

[LaxtonLad]

I doubt football radar have got that much info lower leagues and especially non league as they claim to cover 50 countries with the main objective to provide betting advice so also tracking overall team performance. I think Ardley has got a good eye for a player and probably a lot of contacts in the lower leagues, he’s assembled a squad in my eyes that’s better than last seasons we started with at I imagine half the cost.

Matt, as you say, Ardley may or may not have an eye for a player, that is a matter of opinion, and we may argue as to whether this squad is better or worse than last season's, that too is a matter of opinion but my point is that I don't believe Ardley is up to the job of managing them effectively. The fluctuations in performances of individual players and the team as a whole lead me to think this. I don't expect peak performance in every game but what I do expect is to see a team that looks like it's been organised to compete and not act like they haven't met before kick-off.

I haven't been to any away games this season but I've listened to radio commentary and watched Notts at home and it might be my imagination but in my eyes most of the goals we have scored have been individual efforts rather than the result of teamwork.

It is also a lack of teamwork and understanding that allows the "lesser" teams to run straight through us. We are piss-poor at defending crosses and free-kicks into our box, isn't this indicative of a manager who doesn't know to how to organise a defence?

[DelroyFacey22]

none of the players bought in are better than what we had so its wasting resources AGAIN.

One of the most innacurate comments I've seen on here in ages

Slocombe > Fitzsimons
Brindley > Tootle/Hewitt
Lacey > Duffy/Turley
Rawlinson > Brisley/Ward
Turner > Barclay/Davies
DKE/McCrory > Jones/Kellett/Evina/Milsom

Rose/Doyle/O'Brien > Husin/Vaughan/Patching/Crawford/Milsom (Christ we really struggled here last season)

Shields ~ Hawkridge (I think they're both equally sh*t)
Roberts > Alessandra

Hemmings > Thomas But Hemmings' wages at this level surely weren't sustainable and letting him go probably paved the way for multiple signings
Wootton > Stead
Dennis ~
Tyson > Remaye Campbell? Kinda irrelevant as he's not even here still

I don't even like Ardley particularly but recruitment is one problem he hasn't given us.

Complain about Shields all you like but at the time we had two wingers at the club, Enzio and Osborne, so a third, regardless of whether he was going to instantly set the league on fire was needed and now in Callum Roberts he's gone one further and actually improved the position.

Bird... Meh, he's always been alright, looks slow and clumsy, likes to attempt long passes that sometimes work and sometimes end up in the stands but you can tell Ardley just doesn't rate him that highly and as the manager and person that coaches him on a daily basis I think we can begrudge the guy at least one player that he's welcome to not pick if he doesn't think he can rely on him or he doesn't follow instructions clearly. He doesn't come across as the sharpest knife in the draw so it's not too difficult to imagine Ardley getting frustrated with him and I'd imagine someone like Long is a short term stop gap until Lacey and/or Turner are back fit, unless he turns out to be really good, then we've not lost anything and can extend his loan if we wanted to.

[BigFatPie]

One of the most innacurate comments I've seen on here in ages

Slocombe > Fitzsimons
Brindley > Tootle/Hewitt
Lacey > Duffy/Turley
Rawlinson > Brisley/Ward
Turner > Barclay/Davies
DKE/McCrory > Jones/Kellett/Evina/Milsom

Rose/Doyle/O'Brien > Husin/Vaughan/Patching/Crawford/Milsom (Christ we really struggled here last season)

Shields ~ Hawkridge (I think they're both equally sh*t)
Roberts > Alessandra

Hemmings > Thomas But Hemmings' wages at this level surely weren't sustainable and letting him go probably paved the way for multiple signings
Wootton > Stead
Dennis ~
Tyson > Remaye Campbell? Kinda irrelevant as he's not even here still

I don't even like Ardley particularly but recruitment is one problem he hasn't given us.

Complain about Shields all you like but at the time we had two wingers at the club, Enzio and Osborne, so a third, regardless of whether he was going to instantly set the league on fire was needed and now in Callum Roberts he's gone one further and actually improved the position.

Bird... Meh, he's always been alright, looks slow and clumsy, likes to attempt long passes that sometimes work and sometimes end up in the stands but you can tell Ardley just doesn't rate him that highly and as the manager and person that coaches him on a daily basis I think we can begrudge the guy at least one player that he's welcome to not pick if he doesn't think he can rely on him or he doesn't follow instructions clearly. He doesn't come across as the sharpest knife in the draw so it's not too difficult to imagine Ardley getting frustrated with him and I'd imagine someone like Long is a short term stop gap until Lacey and/or Turner are back fit, unless he turns out to be really good, then we've not lost anything and can extend his loan if we wanted to.

Isn’t it a bit hard to make those sort of comparisons when we’re now in a lower league?

[drillerpie]

One of the most innacurate comments I've seen on here in ages

Slocombe > Fitzsimons
Brindley > Tootle/Hewitt
Lacey > Duffy/Turley
Rawlinson > Brisley/Ward
Turner > Barclay/Davies
DKE/McCrory > Jones/Kellett/Evina/Milsom

Rose/Doyle/O'Brien > Husin/Vaughan/Patching/Crawford/Milsom (Christ we really struggled here last season)

Shields ~ Hawkridge (I think they're both equally sh*t)
Roberts > Alessandra

Hemmings > Thomas But Hemmings' wages at this level surely weren't sustainable and letting him go probably paved the way for multiple signings
Wootton > Stead
Dennis ~
Tyson > Remaye Campbell? Kinda irrelevant as he's not even here still

I don't even like Ardley particularly but recruitment is one problem he hasn't given us.

Complain about Shields all you like but at the time we had two wingers at the club, Enzio and Osborne, so a third, regardless of whether he was going to instantly set the league on fire was needed and now in Callum Roberts he's gone one further and actually improved the position.

Bird... Meh, he's always been alright, looks slow and clumsy, likes to attempt long passes that sometimes work and sometimes end up in the stands but you can tell Ardley just doesn't rate him that highly and as the manager and person that coaches him on a daily basis I think we can begrudge the guy at least one player that he's welcome to not pick if he doesn't think he can rely on him or he doesn't follow instructions clearly. He doesn't come across as the sharpest knife in the draw so it's not too difficult to imagine Ardley getting frustrated with him and I'd imagine someone like Long is a short term stop gap until Lacey and/or Turner are back fit, unless he turns out to be really good, then we've not lost anything and can extend his loan if we wanted to.

I agree with this to a large extent but it is a double edged sword.

I agree that bringing in good players is one of Ardley's good points, however he's been backed significantly by one desperate chairman on a spending spree, and one sensible but generous set of owners building for the future.

This has allowed him to bring in players almost exclusively from higher divisions, sometimes even two levels above, which no other manager in this division has been able to do and which makes the question marks over his performance even more valid.

As regards some of the inferior players we've got rid of, yes Lacey is probably a better player than Turley, yet Turley left us and made 10 appearances for the team that won this league last year.

I prefer Wootton to Stead, but Stead has made 25 appearances for the team currently in second place in our league.

I'm even boring myself now going on about Crawford but he made a number of appearances and got a couple of goals for the team that finished 5th in this league last year. He can't get anywhere near our midfield, ok maybe that's because we have Rose (proven L2 experience), JOB (signed from League 1) and Doyle (lower league legend, signed from L1), which begs the question, with all this talent, why are we not higher in the table producing consistent L1/L2 quality performances?