After a few days reflection...

[TSANHO]

I don't feel too as bad about Tuesday nights result and performance. Stay with with me...

Yes, it was by no means pretty but I think we have to give Solihull a lot more credit than what we did. They came with a game plan and executed it better than any team I have seen so far and to put it further into context can you imagine the pummelling we would have received if we had faced them 5 games ago.

Although we struggled to keep the ball moving we did create the chances to win the game and we never gave up battling or fighting for the cause....and we took another point.

We will be ok 👍

[Elite_Pie]

I don't feel too as bad about Tuesday nights result and performance. Stay with with me...

Yes, it was by no means pretty but I think we have to give Solihull a lot more credit than what we did. They came with a game plan and executed it better than any team I have seen so far and to put it further into context can you imagine the pummelling we would have received if we had faced them 5 games ago.

Although we struggled to keep the ball moving we did create the chances to win the game and we never gave up battling or fighting for the cause....and we took another point.

We will be ok 👍

Thanks for that Neal.

[ncfcog]

I think you are right in that they had a game plan, but they had also just lost 3 on the bounce before we played them.

Our whole approach and mentality towards these games needs to change. On paper we have one of the better squads in the league. We should not be letting anyone bully us. If we had approached the game in a more positive mind set, kept the ball on the ground, pushed higher up the pitch they would have been forced to sit back allowing us to push on. Instead we fell into their trap and they very nearly benefitted from it themselves with an awful miss from a very free header second half.

Yes I think we can get better but we need to man up, with the squad we have we should have a win every game mentality in this league, unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case right now.

[countygump]

I think you are right in that they had a game plan.

Absolutely. Unfortunately, we didn't and never have had, afaics.

[crazyfists]

When your manager has shown since he started a reluctance to attack teams and go for the win at home then it's very concerning. I think we all are at different places though as to what constitutes being OK. For some it's just staying in the league, for others it's mid table and for the rest it's should be pushing for playoffs. Having seen the standard of the other teams and the players we've signed it should be pushing for the playoffs, it's not rocket science, it's football and we should be in the next month or so really pushing on. Chances are we won't though.

[slack_pie]

I think you are right in that they had a game plan, but they had also just lost 3 on the bounce before we played them.

Our whole approach and mentality towards these games needs to change. On paper we have one of the better squads in the league. We should not be letting anyone bully us. If we had approached the game in a more positive mind set, kept the ball on the ground, pushed higher up the pitch they would have been forced to sit back allowing us to push on. Instead we fell into their trap and they very nearly benefitted from it themselves with an awful miss from a very free header second half.

Yes I think we can get better but we need to man up, with the squad we have we should have a win every game mentality in this league, unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case right now.

Totally agree with this. We need to stop being so cautious and attack teams, especially at home. Stop playing into their hands. We should be going into every home game with an expectation of winning. I'm not saying we must win every game, but at least look like that's the plan. Play like the home team, play like the biggest club in the division, ffs.

[countygump]

When your manager has shown since he started a reluctance to attack teams and go for the win at home then it's very concerning. I think we all are at different places though as to what constitutes being OK. For some it's just staying in the league, for others it's mid table and for the rest it's should be pushing for playoffs. Having seen the standard of the other teams and the players we've signed it should be pushing for the playoffs, it's not rocket science, it's football and we should be in the next month or so really pushing on. Chances are we won't though.

I'd just like to see an intent to try and actually win some matches, something Ardley has failed to demonstrate, this season or last.

[TSANHO]

I agree to a certain degree, they lost three on the bounce but only last week people were saying we had two hard games coming up...and the Solihull one was much more difficult than the Yeovil one, where for large parts we played ever so we'll. It's just getting that one performance to click to spark a winning run.

I disagree with us not having a go at teams, we can't win the ball in the middle of the pitch and push further up when the ball is just being torpedoed back up as far as the pitch as possible. We did Ty to play the ball and mix it up, unfortunately we just came up against a team who put in a really good away performance.

At the time I wanted Neal to make some changes, but apart from what he actually did do the only other change I would have made would have been Booty for Rose, but with the game being so finely in the balance I don't hold it against him too much (now) for sticking.

We are just where I thought we'd be I'd I'm honest, mid table....and we are currently putting in mid table performances. I stand by my opinion that we are doing the right thing in sticking with him.

[bridpie78]

I don't feel too as bad about Tuesday nights result and performance. Stay with with me...

Yes, it was by no means pretty but I think we have to give Solihull a lot more credit than what we did. They came with a game plan and executed it better than any team I have seen so far and to put it further into context can you imagine the pummelling we would have received if we had faced them 5 games ago.

Although we struggled to keep the ball moving we did create the chances to win the game and we never gave up battling or fighting for the cause....and we took another point.

We will be ok ��

I think you need to go and reflect for a couple more days matey

[TSANHO]

Thanks for that Neal.

Great contribution there Caesar 👍

[queenslandpie]

I don't feel too as bad about Tuesday nights result and performance. Stay with with me...

Yes, it was by no means pretty but I think we have to give Solihull a lot more credit than what we did. They came with a game plan and executed it better than any team I have seen so far and to put it further into context can you imagine the pummelling we would have received if we had faced them 5 games ago.

Although we struggled to keep the ball moving we did create the chances to win the game and we never gave up battling or fighting for the cause....and we took another point.

We will be ok 👍

I will issue a formal reply at 5pm Saturday your time!

[Gubbie]

From what i have seen we have played both excellent attacking football with some very bad missed chances in every game and also some shambolic football and defending. I just hope with the fitness and team getting to know each other things should pick up as in results very soon. I at least am prepared to give NA the benefit of doubt

[MAD_MAGPIE]

Totally agree with this. We need to stop being so cautious and attack teams, especially at home. Stop playing into their hands. We should be going into every home game with an expectation of winning. I'm not saying we must win every game, but at least look like that's the plan. Play like the home team, play like the biggest club in the division, ffs.

The key word for me in this is cautious because that is what I would describe our style on Tuesday. At home I want us to have the confidence to take the game to teams. A horrible 0-0 game like that away from home is fine, but not at home.

The thing is it relies on the players out there to have the courage and confidence to make something happen. Jim O'Brien is one who will try and do something and is prepared to face the consequences if it doesn't pay off. As Keith Curle used to say the players need to be free to express themselves.

We need teams to come to Meadow Lane and be intimidated by the size of our ground, and the large crowds which are higher than alot of teams in this league are used to. Let's use that to our advantage. Let us not be afraid of playing at home.

I think in time at home we can dominate teams and possession by playing passing football and do it in an attacking sense. We've seen it in glimpses this season.

We are typical of a mid table side at the moment. We are either really good, or really bad. We have been clinical at times, but also missed plenty of chances. We have defended well at times, but sometimes shambolic.

I don't want to see Ardley sacked as I desperately want the manager and players that have been assembled to be successful. Besides I don't think he will be sacked unless something goes drastically wrong. I think he will be here for the whole season. Now the squad is complete and once we've got rid of two games a week by the end of this month there will be more time to spend on the training ground working on drills and routines etc...

[Getsmart]

You make it sound like we were the better team on Tuesday and that Solihull Moors came to spoil the game. I haven’t seen the stats but I’d be surprised if they didn’t complete more passes in our half than we did theirs, also they must have had a few more corners than us? In fact we very rarely passed the ball at all, had a couple of corners that’s it.

NA said we could have taken it with the last gasp header, which I admit was a fantastic move, plenty of players in the box, that’s what we need to be seeing at HOME. They however had the best chances beforehand, the free header their striker had, which should have been troubling Slocombe, and the free kick which hit the upright which definitely had Slocombe beat.

We were fed scraps on Tuesday night, only plus was the clean sheet, probably due to them missing their top goal scorer....

[Frigiliana Pie 1]

There seems to be a consensus that Notts should be attacking at home and/or dominant at home. That would be desirable, but consider this for a moment...

So far this season, 107 matches have been played in the National League - 37 home wins, 31 draws and 39 away wins. That seems a relatively low number of home wins to me and begs the question of whether the key to success in this League is either sitting back when playing away and trying to snatch a 1-0 with a breakaway, or possibly going for all out attack in your AWAY games??

[TheBlackHorse]

... since some on here seem to have the memory of a flea, from the start of his time at Notts, NA has been dealing with dire circumstances both on and off the pitch. His priority this season is to stop a leaky defence and has gone quite a way to do that. Midfield is still work in progress and so are the forwards. All this talk of attack, attack is naive. You need to build from the back - boring I know for some - but there it is. You don't need a plan on the pitch, just capable players who play as a team. Anyone on the pitch not capable or prepared to do that can go. That means you Enzio and Thomas.

[crazyfists]

... since some on here seem to have the memory of a flea, from the start of his time at Notts, NA has been dealing with dire circumstances both on and off the pitch. His priority this season is to stop a leaky defence and has gone quite a way to do that. Midfield is still work in progress and so are the forwards. All this talk of attack, attack is naive. You need to build from the back - boring I know for some - but there it is. You don't need a plan on the pitch, just capable players who play as a team. Anyone on the pitch not capable or prepared to do that can go. That means you Enzio and Thomas.

Yeah we're really solid at the back, the opposition never have better or more chances than us. Good to see Ardley had stopped us letting in goals from crosses as well in the year he's been here. Job well done Neal. Looking forward to us building on this clean sheet we got tomorrow......

[TheBlackHorse]

... so glad you see it that way too, crazy. You're clearly a man of patient attributes ... no attack frenzy for you, eh. No unrealistic expectations either. Good man - keep it that way. We'll be solid mid table in no time. COYP

[crazyfists]

Ha ha true mate I'm not known for my patience, I hope you're right and I'm wrong about Ardley.

COYP

[Davy500]

... since some on here seem to have the memory of a flea, from the start of his time at Notts, NA has been dealing with dire circumstances both on and off the pitch. His priority this season is to stop a leaky defence and has gone quite a way to do that. Midfield is still work in progress and so are the forwards. All this talk of attack, attack is naive. You need to build from the back - boring I know for some - but there it is. You don't need a plan on the pitch, just capable players who play as a team. Anyone on the pitch not capable or prepared to do that can go. That means you Enzio and Thomas.

Most people have the memory of how awful NA was last season, and was largely responsible for our relegation from the football league
All this tosh about the mess Notts were in when he arrived, yes out the bottom 2. Plenty of mangers went to other clubs in crisis like macclesfield and wimbledon and kept them up, it has only carried on into this season. The reason we are mid table is because the standard is lower than league 2
I wanted him sacked last january when he had already showed his incompetence
The only thing this season in NA,s defense is that all the best players were gone by the time he entered the transfer window. As in the past there is no point sacking NA if he is not replaced with somebody better

[TheBlackHorse]

... the players got us relegated, not the manager.

[Davy500]

Its his job to get the best out of the players, which he has failed miserably

[upthemaggies]

Its jhis ob to get the best out of the players, which he has failed miserably


From what we've been told, it sounded like the players last season wanted an easy ride, nobody was prepared to put the work in. Kewell gave them a kick up the behind and got some results, then they went back to not caring under NA. I fear the reason that the new crop of players wanted to join Neal Ardley is because he's seen as a soft touch. As a footballer whose ambition of playing at the higher levels has long since dissipated and family now comes first, you're going to accept a decent pay packet for an easy ride.
So far, I don't think you can accuse this season's players of not trying, but god help us if they do lose confidence in the manager, we'll sink like a stone chained to a block of concrete dropped from 1000 feet.

[countygump]

Its his job to get the best out of the players, which he has failed miserably

''It's time for the excuses to come to an end'', sez Stall on Matchday. I couldn't agree more.

[jackal2]

''It's time for the excuses to come to an end'', sez Stall on Matchday. I couldn't agree more.

They aren't excuses, there are perfectly logical and valid reasons why we were likely to struggle early on, taking into consideration the events of the summer. However, I agree that we're now at the stage where those reasons are of diminishing significance.

As I said in another thread, we may still be a way off consistently playing attractive, cohesive football, but we should now be capable of grinding out some results with the players we've got, even if we do it in ugly fashion.

[Bohinen]

As I said in another thread, we may still be a way off consistently playing attractive, cohesive football, but we should now be capable of grinding out some results with the players we've got, even if we do it in ugly fashion.

We aren't even capable of that.

[countygump]

We aren't even capable of that.

No we aren't. I'd gladly settle for a few ground out wins rather than ground out losses.