Reply With QuoteVery good post TMP summing up the game, and our main issue.
No effective midfield, no promotion, no party.
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Smash and grab today,mainly down to the substitution made…
Flattered to deceive for many parts of the game..
Our answers in midfield are defiantly not jumbo although he will give everything..
Francis is not the answer either,I’ve just
Never been impressed with him..
Rodders just didn’t look himself until the subs were made…
We gave them way to much room for both there goals which were avoidable
The first goal where quiglygot the ball across when we had two defenders should never happen and at the other end where Asante scored,the marking was shocking..
It’s early door still but I hope the owners and Williams realise that if the midfield isn’t sorted out then you can wave goodbye to any promotion this year
A big plus is langstaff…bloody awesome young man and hopefully Cedwyn when he fit will fire some goals into this team…
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Very good post TMP summing up the game, and our main issue.
No effective midfield, no promotion, no party.
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Certainly true.Originally Posted by laddo
I'd say we need two proper warriors adding to the squad, not necessarily to both play at the same time (although that will sometimes be needed away from home), but to give us some depth and steel in the team. We've already got the creative attacking midfield talent in players like Rodrigues and Austin (and Palmer in a different way) but we've got to address that soft centre. We can't rely on Ed Francis.
Plus, as other have said, I think it's time to acknowledge that we don't have players complete enough to continue with a wing-back system. Chicksen is more a defender than an attacker; Nemane and Taylor are better attackers than defenders; and Tobi Adebayo-Rowling isn't even trusted to put on the bench at present. Time to go to a back four where defenders can defend and attackers can attack. Simplicity is the key.
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You've hit the nail on the head for me in this paragraph. There is nothing wrong with trying to play football on the ground and passing it around but please can we do it in the oppositions half. I can also understand and get the discontent and sense of anxiety within the stands because as you say it's stressful when the opposition adopt the high press when we are passing and "recycling" it in our defensive third as one of it's key features is to put our defenders and goalkeeper under pressure and force them to make the error. So when an opposing player nearly intercepts a pass from a LB to CB or from GK to LB or any variation you want in our defensive third it feels like we are playing with fire. The thing is the high press tactic does need a lot of energy to sustain it for a full 90 min.
One thing I noticed yesterday was that on occasions we were also trying to play it out of our box when it was full of Chesterfield players and they had a corner or were playing in our defensive third. I get it but it puts us at risk of getting picked off if we are not careful and also stifles a quick counter attack. It's the national league just kick or head the ball out of our box. The Chesterfield No.5 with the blond hair and pony tail was just the type of big physical head it and kick central defender (like Ellis) that I'm talking about.
No wonder Notts is the most stressful team to support. How some of our older fans have lived to a ripe old age is one of life's great mysteries.Can we be enlightened by any over 60's on here.
Last edited by MAD_MAGPIE; 21-08-2022 at 10:29 AM.
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Disagree about Francis, I think he has the potential to be far better than Palmer who according to some wants away. (I'd let him go) we played some of the best football pre-season with Francis as the holding midfielder and without Palmer on the pitch. "Just my opinion"
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I think overall the fans have been a little harsh on Francis, i suspect due to his less glamorous role in the team compared to a Vincent for example who benefits from less defensive responsibility and not playing as much.
Saying that when I've seen him he's not been as bad as I read on here. Maybe he suits or should I say is needed more in away games. I like his passing and positioning but he wasn't strong or disruptive enough for me last season.
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I thought he played well and really got stuck in against Maidenhead, and would have been MOTM but for Langstaff's two goals. Unfortunately though, he didn't really back that up with his subsequent performances, and you don't want weakness in that position when you're under pressure away from home. Defensive midfield in the National League is tough and uncompromising role to play, and at times Francis looks like a boy trying to perform man's role (in the sense that Graeme Souness meant it!)
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Not wanting to harp on about the booing, or just lack of supportive noise from our fan base, but I fear this will inevitably lead to a loss of confidence in players, in turn affecting results and turning fortress ML into a place where opposing team will relish visiting. Add this to our deficiencies, from recent seasons, away from home and things could get messy.
To be fair to Chesterfield fans, they stayed with their team even after giving up a two goal lead. That is support we can only dream of.
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That's the risk, but therein lies the lesson for the Head Coach or whoever seems to favour overplaying in bad areas. Read the room (or in this case the crowd) and adapt the playing style so it doesn't bring unnecessary pressure on your players. This isn't a plea for long-ball football - God forbid I never want to see Steve Thompson-style football again in my life! - but just restrict the risk taking to the parts of the pitch where it threatens the opposition and not ourselves!
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I once left a Steve Thompson home game at half time........ I had to queue to get out the ground.
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