⚽Match Thread vs. Crewe Alexandra FC 24.02.24 [EFL L2]

[kill_the_drum]

Considering we’re a team that rarely puts a corner in the box, how could we possibly give them a 2v1 on the very first corner?
Absolutely atrocious defending.

[Togtastic]

I am not sure one way or the other about Maynard but what I do know is that we don't have any real leaders on the pitch. A player or players that are constantly demanding and directing others, driving them on for 90 minutes. JOB does this but brings a degree of chaos and inconsistency within his own game. We are soft and pretty and increasingly ineffective. I don't want to revert to 'hoofball' but we have forgotten how to fight when things don't go as we want. I have no time for Cameron and his antics and if one single person can tell me what he brings as a captain, what positive example he sets, I will gladly listen because it escapes me.

[hissingdwarf]

If nothing else, a little self satisfaction on the Kyle Cameron issue. I’ve been calling him out as ineffective, mistake prone, a cheat and definitely not captain material for the past 12 months.
Seems the tide is turning against him from most fans now.

Shocking that the same issues are still around after 12 months.

How many times can fans post about defensive issues, players being ineffective and having no desire to get to a ball or man first before the club changes its stance?

Genuinely believe that the 11k figure will drop in next few months and we will have squandered the chance to keep the fan base growing due to the same old Notts issues.

[upthemaggies]

Genuinely believe that the 11k figure will drop in next few months and we will have squandered the chance to keep the fan base growing due to the same old Notts issues.

The support is currently almost 4k higher than it was the season we went down in 2019 and 3k higher than last season, suggesting there's a large percentage of the current average who've come on board as a result of the Wembley trip/the play off semi/the big offer fixtures as either friends or family of existing fans and have never seen the club struggle and never experienced negative atmospheres. Some will stick (as I did when we crashed from the top flight to tier 3 in the mid 1980s), but a lot won't if this slump continues. Plus we will lose some of the longer term fans who either pick and choose their games or tend to drop out when the club apparently lacks ambition.

I very much doubt we're going to be seeing a return to 5k gates anytime soon, but a drop back towards 7.5k for example would be a massive lost opportunity to push on.

The upcoming fixtures offer the chance to turn things around, if that isn't taken then early 2024 is going to go down as a very significant period for regret.

Tue.27.Feb SUTTON UTD (24th)
Sat.02.Mar bradford city (15th)
Sat.09.Mar WIMBLEDON (12th)
Tue.12.Mar crawley town (8th)
Sat.16.Mar accrington s. (14th)
Sat.23.Mar SALFORD CITY (19th)
Fri.29.Mar swindon town (18th)

[Rainbowpie]

If nothing else, a little self satisfaction on the Kyle Cameron issue. I’ve been calling him out as ineffective, mistake prone, a cheat and definitely not captain material for the past 12 months.
Seems the tide is turning against him from most fans now.

Shocking that the same issues are still around after 12 months.

How many times can fans post about defensive issues, players being ineffective and having no desire to get to a ball or man first before the club changes its stance?

Genuinely believe that the 11k figure will drop in next few months and we will have squandered the chance to keep the fan base growing due to the same old Notts issues.

I have also been saying this about Cameron for about 18 months. He really is a very poor footballer
I can't think of 1 positive atttibute to his game. It leaves me gobsmacked that managers pick him week in week out, let alone chosen for captain


People screaming out for a new goalkeeper but we are in desperate need of a decent replacement. Dont underestimate the difference this would have across the team by having lSomeone who can do all the things he can't . Defend, stay on his feet, be strong in a tackle, win headers, carry the ball forward with confidence. Wins their personal battles instead of pointing the finger. Encouraging instead of hiding
Constantly passing people into trouble

I watched Mk Dons against Wrexham the other night and Mk Dons defender Ohora look like just the player we need. He looked like premier league compared to Cameron.

[OP67]

If nothing else, a little self satisfaction on the Kyle Cameron issue. I’ve been calling him out as ineffective, mistake prone, a cheat and definitely not captain material for the past 12 months.
Seems the tide is turning against him from most fans now.

Shocking that the same issues are still around after 12 months.

How many times can fans post about defensive issues, players being ineffective and having no desire to get to a ball or man first before the club changes its stance?

Genuinely believe that the 11k figure will drop in next few months and we will have squandered the chance to keep the fan base growing due to the same old Notts issues.

Glad I'm not the only one that has never rated Cameron. He's got even worse in L2 and just falls over when robbed of the ball which is easy to do in the hope of a free kick!! As for his attempts at being a Captain, jeeeeeeeez. "I'm only worried about my own performance" is what he once said, pretty much says it all really.

I agree if we don't get back to the quick attacking exciting football we'll see the 11k drop to 8k quite quickly and that'll affect the budget for next season.

[durhampie]

If most of those with contracts beyond this season are still with us next, Then we will be looking at a quick return to the NL.. Bostock, Nemane,
McGoldrick, Cameron, Morias, Randall, Rawlinson and All 3 goalkeepers need to be shipped out at whatever the cost...

[crazyfists]

Pretty sure we would have been in for him had LW left a bit earlier.

These have been my thoughts driller, we would have been in for him. Alot of us said when SM started that it wouldn't take much for the part time manager, BT engineer comments to come out. I think the players are really letting him down. Where's the desire and their own pride.

[legs77]

These have been my thoughts driller, we would have been in for him. Alot of us said when SM started that it wouldn't take much for the part time manager, BT engineer comments to come out. I think the players are really letting him down. Where's the desire and their own pride.

We are clearly low on confidence and maybe some are letting him down to a degree.

Part of the issue is squad depth we are pretty much having to play Bostock/McGoldrick in all matches as there has been nothing to bring in, now at their age we probably didnt/dont want to do that.

I cant help SM isnt helping either we need to keep it simple yet he is changing fornations/tactics on a regular basis which can confuse players with their roles.

Communication / man management is key LW had it does SM ?

[MAD_MAGPIE]

We are clearly low on confidence and maybe some are letting him down to a degree.

Part of the issue is squad depth we are pretty much having to play Bostock/McGoldrick in all matches as there has been nothing to bring in, now at their age we probably didnt/dont want to do that.

I cant help SM isnt helping either we need to keep it simple yet he is changing fornations/tactics on a regular basis which can confuse players with their roles.

Communication / man management is key LW had it does SM ?

The thing is we either have a plan A, B or C or we don’t and just have a plan A.

If the manager does not change things when it’s not working then people will say they are rigid, not flexible, a one trick pony. Change it when it’s not working or trying to implement another plan and they are branded, clueless out of their depth or confusing players. People can’t have it both ways, but when things go wrong it’s easy to say do the opposite as that is better and will work. Rather than doing the harder but correct thing and that is working on and improving what you did right for so long. This is why we must not change our philosophy because to do this for me would be an act of desperation.

Football is constantly changing and players moving around changing positions in game is something that is going to become more common in future years the way I see it probably over the next 10-20 years. It’s also not like we haven’t been doing it before now either.

I’m not talking about a goalkeeper playing as a striker or those kind of extremes. But for example Macca playing on the left wing (as Gateshead I believe) or lone striker, the goalkeeper playing as an extra central defender (we do this) a left sided winger playing right and vice versa (we’ve started doing this with JJ an AN) JJ also plays a different role for Malta. A defender taking the ball into central midfield and a midfielder dropping into cover their position. We have done this loads with Palmer, and Bostock.

It will be orchestrated, planned for and worked on in training. It keeps the opposition guessing and on their toes and confuses the hell out of them. I can’t remember which game it was (may have been Morecambe at home) but we were absolutely brilliant at interchanging positions during the game it was a joy to behold.