More time?

[Chicken Balti Pie]

A lot of people are saying it's on the players and that they need to take responsibility. If this is the case, what is the point of having a manager? It's his job to organise, motivate and get the best out of them collectively according to their strengths and weaknesses.

A lot of people are also saying it wouldn't be any different if LW were still in charge, yet LW's home form was as strong as ever winning 4 of his last 5 at Meadow Lane, scoring 16 goals and conceding 5.

Basically we needed to keep gung ho at home where it was working but away we needed to be more measured, that was the tweak we needed, instead we get this

[optipez]

If the distinction between home and away games had been made on that comparison list, it would carry a whole different meaning,. Maynard has had 5 of those 8 clubs at home (LW had 3) as well as the more winnable fixtures at home. The two 'like for like' opponents LW lost to at home were against the current top two.
LW beat all of the next three opponents coming up (Crawley, Accy & Bradford) so it will probably become a mute point anyway in the next 10 days.

I agree it's not a perfect comparison but the goals against column has been consistent all season.
We don't have a decent keeper and without Baldwin, who has been far from perfect this season we can't pair a decent set of centre halves.
I'm not saying Maynard is blameless but nor do I think he's clueless. I've not heard him say anything ridiculous or actually field a team that I think is just wrong. Keeping a club mid table in the NL on a tiny budget part time is not something many can do.
I'm happy he's playing Jimbo ahead of Bostock, that Macari has taken the place of Brindley and that we played Chicksen to try to stop us being so vulnerable down the flanks with just Nemane and Jones getting done week after week.
I do blame Montague this season, we've signed 12 and only 3 or 4 look an upgrade, the rest just bench warmers.
I think the playoffs are gone, I think internally the club should now accept that and take the pressure off. We still need to go all out to win each game but part of our problem now is the desperation to be in the playoffs, it's colouring everything and for me the reality is we do not have a promotion winning squad, we're just not quite strong enough in key areas.

[Rincewind_rooftrouser]

This is where I'm at. I thought we were ok today up and till the throw in that lead to the first goal. I thought JOB was the spoiler we needed in midfield and thought he had a good game alongside Robertson. I also felt Nemane had a very good game as well as Macari. A shame JOB had to come off at 70min but you can't expect more from him in that role at his age. I felt he was a loss along with Baldwin through the enforced injury. But once again two aerial balls into the box and we were found wanting. The manager can't be blamed for that we've been doing these things all season.

The comparison between LW and SM results against all the eight teams is still paper thin like when I posed this a few weeks ago. (See below) However under LW we were losing against these sides but there was the credit of last season and other notable good results and performances in-between.

I'm not advocating a defence for SM or trying to prove LW is no better. It's interesting and remarkable that despite trying to approach our defensive problems in two ways one outscoring the other team (aka Moniz) the other respecting the point (aka Ardley) yet the outcome against these sides has merited the same results apart from Gillingham.

Under SM as we may have expected the attacking threat has took a hit to try and remedy the defensive frailties. The game today was a perfect example. Under LW we lost to Wimbledon 4-2 but today lost 0-2. The same result but a different score line.

What's not done or doing SM any favours is at home the consecutive defeats are stacking up but also the entertainment levels and conviction have dropped.

For me whoever is head coach next season the club have simply got to upgrade the defence and bring in League Two experienced central defenders (see Crewe, Wimbledon, Mansfield) and a Patterson type of goalkeeper. The alarm bells on this are ringing loud and clear and have been since Sutton on the opening day. The January transfer window is never a magic bullet. The summer is when the most and best availability is out there.

Luke Williams = P8, W2, D1, L5, GF10, GA18, GD-8, Pts 7
Barrow 1-1 (Draw)
Gillingham 2-1 (Won)
Mansfield 1-4 (Lost)
Newport 3-0 (Won)
Wrexham 0-2 (Lost)
Crewe 0-1 (Lost)
Sutton 1-5 (Lost)
AFC Wimbledon 2-4 (Lost)


Stuart Maynard = P8, W1, D1, L6, GF9, GA16, GD-7, Pts 4
Barrow 1-1 (Draw)
Gillingham 1-3 (Lost)
Mansfield 0-1 (Lost)
Newport 3-1 (Won)
Wrexham 0-1 (Lost)
Crewe 1-3 (Lost)
Sutton 3-4 (Lost)
AFC Wimbledon 0-2 (Lost)

To pick out the Sutton results as an example though, it didn't take long for LW to change things and acclimatise, to the extent that we were more or less unplayable at times even though the defence was never fully sorted. So far SM has followed up the Sutton debacle with a home defeat to nil where the positives are that we were ok (up to a point) before they scored. I don't see any signs whatsoever that SM has a plan to put things right & if he presents himself to the players as he does to the media then there's surely very little chance he will get real buy-in.

Just as big a worry is the damage this is doing to our biggest assets. JJ and ML are likely to go in the summer and any rebuild will hinge on the proceeds. If you really go along with the comments from now-AWOL Joe Palmer about not needing to sell then you probably haven't read the room, particularly the stream of young, cheap loan signings and the manager himself (make of Jatta's inter-group money shuffling move what you will)

[Woodypie]

My thoughts on Maynard have been clear for a long time. I don't think it is now an 'if' he is asked to go, so much as 'when'. Personally I think it will be damaging for next season to keep him in post till this season's end. Players seem uncertain and uncomfortable with the current situation. Getting a new coach in now might help for next season's planning, not least with ideas about who needs to go. I am serious about Warnock, I think a short term position would galvanise support and players. He clearly wouldn't be a long term option but can anyone doubt that he loves Notts? Alternatively, I would be happy to see O'Brien return as a caretaker.

[durhampie]

To pick out the Sutton results as an example though, it didn't take long for LW to change things and acclimatise, to the extent that we were more or less unplayable at times even though the defence was never fully sorted. So far SM has followed up the Sutton debacle with a home defeat to nil where the positives are that we were ok (up to a point) before they scored. I don't see any signs whatsoever that SM has a plan to put things right & if he presents himself to the players as he does to the media then there's surely very little chance he will get real buy-in.

Just as big a worry is the damage this is doing to our biggest assets. JJ and ML are likely to go in the summer and any rebuild will hinge on the proceeds. If you really go along with the comments from now-AWOL Joe Palmer about not needing to sell then you probably haven't read the room, particularly the stream of young, cheap loan signings and the manager himself (make of Jatta's inter-group money shuffling move what you will)

We have too many small players and no physicality in the team.. Yesterday we had Nemane marking the tallest player from a corner, result a goal... In this division we need some height and brute force, not a bunch of twinkle toed lightweights...

[upthemaggies]

My thoughts on Maynard have been clear for a long time. I don't think it is now an 'if' he is asked to go, so much as 'when'. Personally I think it will be damaging for next season to keep him in post till this season's end. Players seem uncertain and uncomfortable with the current situation. Getting a new coach in now might help for next season's planning, not least with ideas about who needs to go. I am serious about Warnock, I think a short term position would galvanise support and players. He clearly wouldn't be a long term option but can anyone doubt that he loves Notts? Alternatively, I would be happy to see O'Brien return as a caretaker.

I would think the caretaker option is the only realistic one still left on the table.

Warnock or somebody to the end of the season for a short term lift makes much less sense now than it did in January. 8 points adrift of 7th is bordering on the insurmountable with 11 games to play. It looks like Maynard will still be in charge for Crawley at least, so the gap may be bigger by the time he departs, if he does go this season.

Bringing in a new manager who we intend to still have in charge for the start of next season could be very damaging to the new man if he struggles to turn things around before May, he'd be walking in to a club low on confidence and with a bad atmosphere as opposed to starting afresh in the summer with a pre-season to settle in with.

It does make sense to leave Maynard in charge for these next 3 away games, so long as he doesn't totally "lose the dressing room". The next home game however, if we haven't won before then, could turn seriously toxic. It might have been a lot worse yesterday - crowd reaction wise - had we fallen behind early instead of late in the game when people could just walk out rather than have to sit there becoming increasingly frustrated and angry.

[Woodypie]

I would think the caretaker option is the only realistic one still left on the table.

Warnock or somebody to the end of the season for a short term lift makes much less sense now than it did in January. 8 points adrift of 7th is bordering on the insurmountable with 11 games to play. It looks like Maynard will still be in charge for Crawley at least, so the gap may be bigger by the time he departs, if he does go this season.

Bringing in a new manager who we intend to still have in charge for the start of next season could be very damaging to the new man if he struggles to turn things around before May, he'd be walking in to a club low on confidence and with a bad atmosphere as opposed to starting afresh in the summer with a pre-season to settle in with.

It does make sense to leave Maynard in charge for these next 3 away games, so long as he doesn't totally "lose the dressing room". The next home game however, if we haven't won before then, could turn seriously toxic. It might have been a lot worse yesterday - crowd reaction wise - had we fallen behind early instead of late in the game when people could just walk out rather than have to sit there becoming increasingly frustrated and angry.

Fair point, a manager for next season needs a clean start, not damaged by this season's failings.

[Bohinen]

I was reading about Warnock's so called failure at Aberdeen and he was really only brought in to steady the ship whilst the club looked for a permanent new manager. He identified the weaknesses in the side, just like he did when he came to Notts (in our case, Leonard, Mills and Birtles). Then he got them through to the Scottish Cup semi finals and asked to leave on a high note, urging the club to sign a permanent manager, which they are close to, apparently.

Whilst I don't think he could turn things around at Notts at this late stage, at least things couldn't get much worse. Maybe he could then mentor Jim O'Brien, who would do a better job than Maynard anyway. I think JOB might be better than any other manager the brothers and Monatgue bring in for madcap reasons justified by following the data.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/...en-fc-32313322

[marky]

I don't want Jim o Brien in charge because we still need him ON the field which shows how badly our recruitment has been. The problem is every time I say this I get told I'm being negative towards him.

[durhampie]

I don't want Jim o Brien in charge because we still need him ON the field which shows how badly our recruitment has been. The problem is every time I say this I get told I'm being negative towards him.

Jim has been our best player for the last few games, the likes of Bostock and co should try emulating him...