15 games in, what have we learned?

[nw6pie]

Two things stand out for me…

1. Unlike the previous four seasons, there are no gimmes in League 2. Pretty much all of our games have been competitive (the 3-0 win against Newport being the biggest win; the less said about Sutton and Mansfield the better), and I wonder if that intensity has been a factor in the number of injuries we’ve been picking up. It’s rare that we’ve been able to take key players off this season with a game done and dusted.

The need for greater squad depth has been the biggest eye-opener for me so far. You basically need two strong first XIs and can’t carry anyone. It will take us a while to gain that strength in depth, which our rivals at the top all seem to have. Also, if you lose two players to season-long injuries, you really need to replace them if/when you can.

2. Think of the trademark Notts goal and it invariably involves a wing back putting a cross in and Langstaff/McGoldrick/Crowley getting on the end of it. Stop the wing backs getting in behind, though, and we can look toothless and struggle to create anything.

Jodi Jones has been excellent on the left-hand side, but for me his quality and attacking threat casts Aaron Nemane and TAR’s output in an unflattering light. AN was one of my favourite players last season, but he seems to be struggling a little to make the step up. Not sure why it is, but he seems to be lacking a little confidence at this level. Tobi always makes me smile when I see him on camera, but he feels like a defender learning how to attack (he never gives me the impression that he’s comfortable on the ball in an attacking sense).

Given how important this position is for us offensively, we might need to sign an upgrade in January (or next summer, at least).

Edit note - And I’ve just learned that I can’t count - should say 16 games in the subject heading!

[durhampie]

We haven't learnt how to take throwing's, and we still lose to the better teams.. Other than that we are doing ok..

[Glad2BeAPie]

Our defence is not good enough

[marky]

There are 4 really good teams and we are one of them. Sadly the other 3 are a little bit better than us at the moment. We need to defend better to get automatic promotion otherwise it's the play off lottery for us.

[countygump]

Our defence is not good enough

We have 30 games left to play and 24 points should see us safe?

[matt_magpie]

Realised everyone’s going to take points off each other, maybe Stockport will run away with it. We’re doing very well and I think we will improve as the season goes on but not going to be easy.

[Magpies1959]

Our home support is not quite as good as LW would have us believe.

[uysapie]

Squad depth is a problem.
Defence is an issue, too many errors.
20 points to safety.
This season is about consolidation.

[WarsopPie]

Two things stand out for me…

1. Unlike the previous four seasons, there are no gimmes in League 2. Pretty much all of our games have been competitive (the 3-0 win against Newport being the biggest win; the less said about Sutton and Mansfield the better), and I wonder if that intensity has been a factor in the number of injuries we’ve been picking up. It’s rare that we’ve been able to take key players off this season with a game done and dusted.

The need for greater squad depth has been the biggest eye-opener for me so far. You basically need two strong first XIs and can’t carry anyone. It will take us a while to gain that strength in depth, which our rivals at the top all seem to have. Also, if you lose two players to season-long injuries, you really need to replace them if/when you can.

2. Think of the trademark Notts goal and it invariably involves a wing back putting a cross in and Langstaff/McGoldrick/Crowley getting on the end of it. Stop the wing backs getting in behind, though, and we can look toothless and struggle to create anything.

Jodi Jones has been excellent on the left-hand side, but for me his quality and attacking threat casts Aaron Nemane and TAR’s output in an unflattering light. AN was one of my favourite players last season, but he seems to be struggling a little to make the step up. Not sure why it is, but he seems to be lacking a little confidence at this level. Tobi always makes me smile when I see him on camera, but he feels like a defender learning how to attack (he never gives me the impression that he’s comfortable on the ball in an attacking sense).

Given how important this position is for us offensively, we might need to sign an upgrade in January (or next summer, at least).

Edit note - And I’ve just learned that I can’t count - should say 16 games in the subject heading!

1. We are still crap at the back
2. We are still a small side and need a bit of height
3. Still can’t take a throwing
4. Still no squad depth
5. still making stupid substitutions around the 60 min mark for the sake of it
6. Not enough firepower

[ForeignLegion]

1. We are still crap at the back
2. We are still a small side and need a bit of height
3. Still can’t take a throwing
4. Still no squad depth
5. still making stupid substitutions around the 60 min mark for the sake of it
6. Not enough firepower


Apart from all that, 2nd in the table. Not too bad for the 1st season back I reckon.

[Notts78]

That 2 people on this thread think a throw-in is a throwing. No wonder Nemane struggles, he probably googled how to take a throwing.
The comment from Warsop about not enough firepower is laughable as we are one of the top scorers in the division with 3 players in the top 20 goal scorers.

[OchPie]

It's not easy to get used to losing again, even though everyone else is doing so too (except Mansfield).

[matt_magpie]

1. We are still crap at the back
2. We are still a small side and need a bit of height
3. Still can’t take a throwing
4. Still no squad depth
5. still making stupid substitutions around the 60 min mark for the sake of it
6. Not enough firepower

Blimey, how many negative points do you reckon you would have had when we were last in League 2 ?

[Proactive not Reactive]

Fans are VERY fickle
We have very good owners and a good coach - this judging by how many clubs are in trouble and how many Managers have been sacked etc.

[Proactive not Reactive]

Blimey, how many negative points do you reckon you would have had when we were last in League 2 ?

Warsop could shorten that to 1 point in his opinion we are crap and he wants to support Manchester City

[LaxtonLad]

1. We are still crap at the back
2. We are still a small side and need a bit of height
3. Still can’t take a throwing
4. Still no squad depth
5. still making stupid substitutions around the 60 min mark for the sake of it
6. Not enough firepower

Do you think LW is rather out of his depth in L2? If so, do you believe he's capable of learning or is he stubbornly hoping that what worked in non-league will work in L2? Not that I'm advocating elbowing him, he deserves a decent run so long as we aren't plummeting down the league.

Personally I think all your points are valid and can be rectified but the one that worries me most is your point 5.
Point 3 is a bewildering problem, is the hesitation because we have no tall players to recieve the ball? Referees seem to be very patient with us.

A point 7 would be why do we persist with the waste of an opportunity given by a corner kick? Point 2 applies with this one. How often is a short corner seen on MOTD by players with a lot more abilty than ours? Can anyone remember when it didn't just lead to the enemy intercepting our tippy-tapping or a slow return back to our defence? Never, it seems, does it directly lead to a shot at goal. I could understand it if it was done quickly but the enemy manager knows how we like to fanny about with throw-ins and corners and immediately smothers the chance of anything done quickly.

[thefulltenyards]

We are doing better than was expected.
We are clearly better than a season of consolidation at this level.
Unsurprisingly there are better and more established teams in the league.
The chosen slimline squad lacks the required depth to challenge at the top.
The recruitment is still working well and the team are continuing to find gems.
As expected the defence is an issue and not good enough at top end League Two.
The locals love the football of display and the crowds so far are even better than hoped.
People can quickly forget what they predicted before the season started.
Regardless of results and league position some fans love to moan.

[slack_pie]

We are doing better than was expected.
We are clearly better than a season of consolidation at this level.
Unsurprisingly there are better and more established teams in the league.
The chosen slimline squad lacks the required depth to challenge at the top.
The recruitment is still working well and the team are continuing to find gems.
As expected the defence is an issue and not good enough at top end League Two.
The locals love the football of display and the crowds so far are even better than hoped.
People can quickly forget what they predicted before the season started.
Regardless of results and league position some fans love to moan.

Spot on. Pretty much summed up my thoughts.

The main thing I've learned is that L2 isn't as hard as I thought it might be. Despite all the issues people have mentioned with our squad depth and weak defence, we're second in the league. I predicted midtable consolidation, but now I genuinely think playoffs are a reasonable expectation. Can't really complain with that!

One thing's clear - if our owners stick around, we'll be seriously challenging for promotion to L1 eventually, whether this year, next, or the one after. That's progress.

[Thordardaughter]

I’m happy with the start we’ve had however.
Set pieces are mostly disappointing
We try to walk the ball into the net on a lot of occasions when taking a shot from distance (Gillingham and one for Wrexham that got a deflection) can sometimes pay off especially with a goal poacher like Macca hanging around.
A quick attack would be good now and again.
Defence definitely needs strengthening with a big, no frills centre half like Flint at Mansfield, is needed but pretty rare to find a good one and pay the wage.

[matt_magpie]

We are doing better than was expected.
We are clearly better than a season of consolidation at this level.
Unsurprisingly there are better and more established teams in the league.
The chosen slimline squad lacks the required depth to challenge at the top.
The recruitment is still working well and the team are continuing to find gems.
As expected the defence is an issue and not good enough at top end League Two.
The locals love the football of display and the crowds so far are even better than hoped.
People can quickly forget what they predicted before the season started.
Regardless of results and league position some fans love to moan.

100%

What I’d also like to add is we haven’t got a god given right to keep moaning we haven’t signed x, y and z.
The club is loss making, the owners are putting their OWN money in and should we be moaning that they are not sloshing around their cash in a scattergun approach but signing players they only think are good enough and value for money? Unless my memory doesn’t serve me right the other approach has nearly seen us go extinct a few times.
The views of some people saying they need ambition, don’t realise what we need and have c0cked up in the summer for me couldn’t be further from the truth, their just being patient to bring in the right players which in the long term will be beneficial and in the short term just means we work with what we have.

[countygump]

It's not easy to get used to losing again, even though everyone else is doing so too (except Mansfield).

Not in the league, but they lost 0-1 last night, (EFL Cup), against a Port Vale side who had a certain Mr Debrah playing at the back for them.

[SmiffyPie]

100%

What I’d also like to add is we haven’t got a god given right to keep moaning we haven’t signed x, y and z.
The club is loss making, the owners are putting their OWN money in and should we be moaning that they are not sloshing around their cash in a scattergun approach but signing players they only think are good enough and value for money? Unless my memory doesn’t serve me right the other approach has nearly seen us go extinct a few times.
The views of some people saying they need ambition, don’t realise what we need and have c0cked up in the summer for me couldn’t be further from the truth, their just being patient to bring in the right players which in the long term will be beneficial and in the short term just means we work with what we have.Agree with this generally but the points made by other posters are still valid. Defence is still our weak point (but is getting better) and we are still reluctant to use the middle of the pitch as an attacking option. It seems to me that possession has been drilled into the team to such a degree that other in play options don't register.

[queenslandpie]

What is clear and stated left right and centre is that our owners are in it for the long haul, are exceptionally patient people and for the most part make brilliant decisions. So the squad will slowly build like it has, the club will slowly build like it has, and with a little bit of luck in a few years it will be very hard to get a ticket for a home game. Right now we are very very fortunate. Enjoy it.

[thefulltenyards]

Sorry say that again. Some fans have said the owners lack ambition? I have not read that this season however if true then it is ludicrous and very amusing. I can't believe that any one actually thinks that since the owners arrived. Criticising the defensive capabilities of the squad is valid and easily arguable. As is the need for more depth in central midfield but to complain that the owners lack ambition is a breath taking opinion which is hard to compute.

Maybe they are just trolling.

[Notts78]

Sorry say that again. Some fans have said the owners lack ambition? I have not read that this season however if true then it is ludicrous and very amusing. I can't believe that any one actually thinks that since the owners arrived. Criticising the defensive capabilities of the squad is valid and easily arguable. As is the need for more depth in central midfield but to complain that the owners lack ambition is a breath taking opinion which is hard to compute.

Maybe they are just trolling.

I think this is fair. I think some forget the contract extension for Macca would likely have meant a sizeable increase in wages. I can’t imagine Didzy, Bostock and JJ are on typical L2 wages either. Although we have a small squad, I think it’s one full of quality and one that isn’t on the cheap.

[countygump]

Looks to me like we need improvements all through the team.



https://twitter.com/i/status/1577181621530214400

[nw6pie]

Looks to me like we need improvements all through the team.



https://twitter.com/i/status/1577181621530214400

Our throw-ins were also rubbish in 1902, I see.

[Kent Magpie]

For me I think we have learned that:
1. We are still a bit naïve and when we come up against streetwise teams we struggle, but we are learning quickly.
2. We need to do something about our physicality - we seemed to bounce off Wrexham players! It's not simply a case of getting bigger players in, but how do we take physicality out of the equation as much as possible. I don't know the answer to that other than the obvious.
3. Our system is not the finished article. Possession is the foundation of or approach, but we need to enhance this with a sprinkling of unpredictability - others have mentioned it - taking a chance with a shot, using the space created in the centre.
4. We are quick learners and will improve both individually and as a team
5. Our defence is getting there, but will always be suspect to the odd mistake because that is how we play
6. We are good enough to go up one way or another
7. As we go up the leagues our style will be more suited to the standard we will be playing at. The work persisting with this style now will stand us in good stead going forwards.

We have nothing to fear from this league, we have great attendances, great owners and a good recruitment system.. our coach is excellent, but our system gives me confidence that we do not depend on him as an individual and we will continue on our upward curve when he moves on.

[Elite_Pie]

I've learned that we're a pretty good team.

[Notts78]

I've learned that we're a pretty good team.

Which some seem to forget.

We are currently at our highest league position for what? 6/7 years.

[Old_pie]

For me I think we have learned that:
1. We are still a bit naïve and when we come up against streetwise teams we struggle, but we are learning quickly.
2. We need to do something about our physicality - we seemed to bounce off Wrexham players! It's not simply a case of getting bigger players in, but how do we take physicality out of the equation as much as possible. I don't know the answer to that other than the obvious.

I've thought for a while we are a bit like Emma Raducanu. Good skills, brilliant at times but no Serena Williams, tough and streetwise. Let's hope that it'll come without running through as many coaches as Emma seems to need.

[freemuzzy]

I've learned that we're a pretty good team.

100%. Why are most of the comments (‘lessons’) negative when we’re 2nd in the division, wildly overachieving (in terms of comparative budgets) in our first season back in the EFL?!

Lessons:

1. Our manager is incredible in pretty much every aspect and the ideal figurehead. Look at the class he conducts himself and the respect he always shows the opposition and officials, compared to say Parkinson at Wrexham. And that’s before we even get to the coaching/on the field elements. It’ll be a sad day when he gets an offer good enough to tempt him away.

2. Every defeat doesn’t need to = full-scale catastrophe, particularly in this division where everyone beats everyone and there’s 4 promotion spots available. Enjoy the ride and trust the process.

3. A couple of mid-season signings of the ilk of Jones and Bostock last campaign would be absolutely ideal, probably a CM and CB (in priority order) and give us a push for the 2nd half of the season. Possibly a bit of a lesson in our first season back adhering to the transfer windows in terms of manageable squad size.

4. The vast majority of players new to the EFL have shown themselves to be more-than capable at this level, notably Langstaff, Cameron and Austin.

5. Dan Crowley was an incredible signing.

6. Jodi Jones could definitely still play a lot higher, considering he wasn’t a regular starter last season (and when he did it was either from the right or as an attacking midfielder) he has been the surprise of the season for me in a new position. I worry about clubs coming in for him and Langstaff in January.

7. Still to see a better midfield pairing than Palmer and Bostock at this level.

[slack_pie]

I've thought for a while we are a bit like Emma Raducanu. Good skills, brilliant at times but no Serena Williams, tough and streetwise. Let's hope that it'll come without running through as many coaches as Emma seems to need.

I agree. We're a very 'nice' team in many ways, which is a double-edged sword.

You can tell a lot about a team by the way they react when they go behind at home. Once Mansfield and Wrexham went ahead, we seemed to fall apart. If we'd gone ahead at their place, they would have been bombarding our goal until they equalised.

[Kent Magpie]

I've thought for a while we are a bit like Emma Raducanu. Good skills, brilliant at times but no Serena Williams, tough and streetwise. Let's hope that it'll come without running through as many coaches as Emma seems to need.

I like that. It's a good analogy. It's about finding a way to win, and I am not sure we can do that at the moment.

My thinking was we are like Wasps were - great rugby but lacking a resilience that the likes of Exeter and Saracens (aka The Cheats) had. I think had Wasps survived they would have added that steel, the ability not to take a step back under pressure, and I think we will too. At the moment I feel when we come under pressure we go into our shell and fall back on well rehearsed patterns rather than taking the game to the opposition, but as I said, we have the foundations it's a case of adding bricks to our wall (for a tortured analogy).

[Kent Magpie]

I agree. We're a very 'nice' team in many ways, which is a double-edged sword.

You can tell a lot about a team by the way they react when they go behind at home. Once Mansfield and Wrexham went ahead, we seemed to fall apart. If we'd gone ahead at their place, they would have been bombarding our goal until they equalised.

Falling apart is a little harsh (at least against Wrexham), but we quickly ran out of ideas and seemed to just run through our patterns with no real threat. Bombarding their box wouldn't have brought us much joy, but there were things we could have tried which may have borne fruit. I feel we still wouldn't have equalised even if we were still playing now.

[Magpies1959]

Likening us to Radacanu, is a bloody insult, and a crap analogy. We are learning fast and improving season on season. She had one brilliant season and has fallen apart. I will accept she looks as good as us when we are on it.

[slack_pie]

Falling apart is a little harsh (at least against Wrexham), but we quickly ran out of ideas and seemed to just run through our patterns with no real threat. Bombarding their box wouldn't have brought us much joy, but there were things we could have tried which may have borne fruit. I feel we still wouldn't have equalised even if we were still playing now.

Yeah, fair enough. What I meant is we didn't put them under the intense kind of pressure they would put us under if we were leading in the second half at theirs. The game just sort of fizzled out.

[Old_pie]

Likening us to Radacanu, is a bloody insult, and a crap analogy. We are learning fast and improving season on season. She had one brilliant season and has fallen apart. I will accept she looks as good as us when we are on it.

How many brilliant seasons have we had?

[PedroTheFisherman66]

Likening us to Radacanu, is a bloody insult, and a crap analogy. We are learning fast and improving season on season. She had one brilliant season and has fallen apart. I will accept she looks as good as us when we are on it.
I'd do her !...

[Magpies1959]

Me too, we agree on something Pedro :D

[Could'vebeenacontender]

We went in with a small squad but of high quality
Some managers prefer this as all the front line players will get regular football so it's a happy, united camp
But now we are starting to see long term injuries to some of our mainstays which leaves us pretty short of decent back-up
We've done well to be where we are but it's not going to be easy to keep going at this level

[Mark_Ross]

We went in with a small squad but of high quality
Some managers prefer this as all the front line players will get regular football so it's a happy, united camp
But now we are starting to see long term injuries to some of our mainstays which leaves us pretty short of decent back-up
We've done well to be where we are but it's not going to be easy to keep going at this level

Our first choice side is as good as anybody's in L2, but the reserves are not quite up to the same standard.
Hopefully our excellent recruitment will come up trumps again as the season progresses.

I'm in agreement with the consensus positive comments on this thread.
There's much to be very happy about for Notts fans.

[1955pie]

I agree. We're a very 'nice' team in many ways, which is a double-edged sword.

You can tell a lot about a team by the way they react when they go behind at home. Once Mansfield and Wrexham went ahead, we seemed to fall apart. If we'd gone ahead at their place, they would have been bombarding our goal until they equalised.

To my mind there seemd to be a distinct lack of "captaining" from our captain. When we went 2 down thay all just stood there with their hands on their hips. OK the odds were against us but a 2 goal deficit with about 14 minutes to play plus stoppage time is not a totally lost cause.
Listen to KCs' post match comments from about 1:25 in - he didn't inspire confidence.
https://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/2023/october/post-wrexham-player-281023/

[durhampie]

To my mind there seemd to be a distinct lack of "captaining" from our captain. When we went 2 down thay all just stood there with their hands on their hips. OK the odds were against us but a 2 goal deficit with about 14 minutes to play plus stoppage time is not a totally lost cause.
Listen to KCs' post match comments from about 1:25 in - he didn't inspire confidence.
https://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/2023/october/post-wrexham-player-281023/

We are lacking the physical presence of Bajrami....

[matt_magpie]

We are lacking the physical presence of Bajrami....

Ehh? He hardly played really last season so how can we be missing him?
We’ve missed Bostock and unfortunately we’ve got no one near his ability to come in.

[durhampie]

Ehh? He hardly played really last season so how can we be missing him?
We’ve missed Bostock and unfortunately we’ve got no one near his ability to come in.

Bostock has not reached the same heights this season as per last..

[OP67]

Bostock has not reached the same heights this season as per last..

It was no coincidence we collasped at home to Mansfield whan Bostock went off at 1-1 injured. He was missed massively against Wrexham for sure.

[matt_magpie]

Bostock has not reached the same heights this season as per last..

I don’t think anyone has really bar Jones to be fair because it’s a level up but I think Bostocks been decent and I certainly think we missed him when he went off against Mansfield and we needed him Sat. He’s a big game player, the occasion doesn’t affect him and we have no one else like that, well in my opinion anyway.

[thefulltenyards]

It would be very hard indeed for Bostock to match the heights reached last season once he got up to speed, especially in the final run in where he was superb. He is certainly a big game player as shown by his excellent free kick goals at Wrexham and in the playoff final, where his performance was sublime whilst teammates were subdued.

He is a big miss. I agree that Bajrami would have been a nice replacement in the circumstances with some physicality in midfield if not injured himself.

[durhampie]

We will miss Palmer equally as much..

[matt_magpie]

We will miss Palmer equally as much..

100%, if he’s out too now we are going to be up against it.

[Proactive not Reactive]

As said previously on this thread weeks ago before Bostock got injured - just hope Bostock nor Palmer get injured as they are the heartbeat of the team where as anyone else gets injured we could probably cope and have done in certain instances.
I think Bostock played well last season when he got up to speed with fitness which took until February and I think he's played just aswell this season especially v Grimsby and FGR where he even got on the scoresheet.
Although his best performance in a Notts shirt was at Wembley where he was head and shoulders above everyone on the pitch and dragged us back with his calmness and confidence when it could have easily turned out like Harrogate where we lost the game before we had got started.
To me him and Jones have been our standout performers so far this season.

[Mud Pie]

As said previously on this thread weeks ago before Bostock got injured - just hope Bostock nor Palmer get injured as they are the heartbeat of the team where as anyone else gets injured we could probably cope and have done in certain instances.
I think Bostock played well last season when he got up to speed with fitness which took until February and I think he's played just aswell this season especially v Grimsby and FGR where he even got on the scoresheet.
Although his best performance in a Notts shirt was at Wembley where he was head and shoulders above everyone on the pitch and dragged us back with his calmness and confidence when it could have easily turned out like Harrogate where we lost the game before we had got started.
To me him and Jones have been our standout performers so far this season.

totally agree. JB was a major part of getting us over the line on the big occasion, penalty notwithstanding! Matty too. Their the engine of the side as I see it and think we'll struggle a bit if they'fre both out.

Back on to the wingers. I think teams are starting to suss out that reverse pass into the box that Crowley and Nemane have been doing so cutely. Agree with the poster that said we should be working on 'through the middle' options for when our wingers are double/tripled up on. eta, rather than just passing it across to the other wing. This is where McG could/should carve a role for himself.

[Iremongersrighthand]

We might be good enough to make the playoffs, but automatic promotion may be a bridge too far.

[Rez1862]

Twitter reckons Palmer out for possibly the season. Really concerned about our midfield without Palmer or Bostock...

[Rainbowpie]

I took my daughter for breakfast with the players this morning as part of her sponsorship of David Mcgoldrick
We shared a table with Mcgoldrick, Stone and Bostock
It was a fabulous morning where we could chat to the players over breakfast then watch them training
At the table i asked Bostock about his injury.
He said he tore his groin during the Mansfield game and was initially told he'd be out for 6 weeks. But he's made good progress and is hopeful to be back for the Crewe game
Another thing that was noticeable was the absence of Matty Palmer. He was not at breakfast and he didn't train. I didn't get the chance to ask about his situation tho
Brindley did not train either

[SmiffyPie]

Worst nightmare!
This is the other side of the small squad coin.

[durhampie]

Worst nightmare!
This is the other side of the small squad coin.

Thats the chance you take with a small squad and then sign players who are not fit or injured..

[Proactive not Reactive]

Thats the chance you take with a small squad and then sign players who are not fit or injured..

So should we have a large squad like 2019 and have lots of disgruntled players not in the squad week to week causing mischief
Damned if you do and damned if you don’t
Every opportunity you think you get you criticise the club the Coach or the players negative isn’t a strong enough word - twisting the knife is probably more appropriate

[1955pie]

I took my daughter for breakfast with the players this morning as part of her sponsorship of David Mcgoldrick
We shared a table with Mcgoldrick, Stone and Bostock
It was a fabulous morning where we could chat to the players over breakfast then watch them training
At the table i asked Bostock about his injury.
He said he tore his groin during the Mansfield game and was initially told he'd be out for 6 weeks. But he's made good progress and is hopeful to be back for the Crewe game
Another thing that was noticeable was the absence of Matty Palmer. He was not at breakfast and he didn't train. I didn't get the chance to ask about his situation tho
Brindley did not train either
What about Chicksen or Morias?

[Elite_Pie]

Twitter reckons Palmer out for possibly the season.

That would be a massive blow. I don't do Twitter, but I really hope this is an example of the bullsh!t that others say regularly appears on there.

[queenslandpie]

How many brilliant seasons have we had?

Well last season was pretty brilliant we were extremely unfortunate to have been bettered by a league one squad in the national league.

[Rainbowpie]

What about Chicksen or Morias?

Both we're at the breakfast, didn't see Morias at training but could've been there
Chicksen trained lightly with Bostock, Morias could have been with them as there was 4 training separately, Randall may have been the other one
Also, Cameron was at the breakfast but didn't see him train
It might not mean anything, i certainly don't want what i saw or didn't see to be used as an injury list. Everyone position trained in different units so i didn't see everyone

[durhampie]

So should we have a large squad like 2019 and have lots of disgruntled players not in the squad week to week causing mischief
Damned if you do and damned if you don’t
Every opportunity you think you get you criticise the club the Coach or the players negative isn’t a strong enough word - twisting the knife is probably more appropriate

Go and play with your Subbuteo Mr Happy Clapper failed Football manager..

[ncfcog]

Go and play with your Subbuteo Mr Happy Clapper failed Football manager..

Have a go at other posters by all means but please don’t bring Subbuteo into it, that game is beyond reproach!

[thefulltenyards]

I feel truly sorry for any Notts fan who has not been happy clapping over the past 15 months. The club have given the supporters so much joy and excitement during that period when we have been Top 3 in both leagues almost throughout. It takes some effort to continually question and find the bad and negative whilst Williams has been in charge.

Used to absolutely love Subbuteo as a kid guaranteed hours of fun playing. Only downside was the need to get mum to get the creases out of the pitch and when playing the game on carpet an accidental but fateful stray knee taking a player out at the knee. Career ending injury and heartbreak.

[slack_pie]

Used to absolutely love Subbuteo as a kid guaranteed hours of fun playing. Only downside was the need to get mum to get the creases out of the pitch and when playing the game on carpet an accidental but fateful stray knee taking a player out at the knee. Career ending injury and heartbreak.

Half my Subbuteo players were stuck together with Blu Tack. Great game. I remember going into that toy shop in the Broadmarsh Centre as a kid (long gone now, forgotten its name) and staring at all the Subbuteo teams and accessories, and the pure joy of unpacking a new team.

[Proactive not Reactive]

Go and play with your Subbuteo Mr Happy Clapper failed Football manager..

Thought Subbuteo was before your time Mr Negative Dinosaur where does McGoldrick play ha ha
Look up the word Supporter and look up the sentence Finding fault with everything
For reference I did play subbuteo a lot best kids game ever.
If supporting the team is a happy clapper then guilty as charged,I know from the workplace that people respond better to encouragement and from playing footballer(albeit at a lot lower level) that I misplaced a lot of passes and definitely wasn't meaning to and I'm certain that's the same for the Notts players.
I wasn't a failed football manager every club I managed were in a better shape when I left then when I joined and I didn't get sacked from any, how many times have you raised your head above the pulpit and been responsible for something rather than sit on the outside criticising ?

[BigFatPie]

The first 16 games have confirmed what seemed to be the received wisdom pre season, that we have very good attacking players, a somewhat dodgy defence and a thin squad.

The manner (and opposition) of the two home defeats have cast a disappointing shadow on what has otherwise been a very good start. If Palmer is out for the season that’s a huge blow especially if Bostock is out for much longer.

[durhampie]

Thought Subbuteo was before your time Mr Negative Dinosaur where does McGoldrick play ha ha
Look up the word Supporter and look up the sentence Finding fault with everything
For reference I did play subbuteo a lot best kids game ever.
If supporting the team is a happy clapper then guilty as charged,I know from the workplace that people respond better to encouragement and from playing footballer(albeit at a lot lower level) that I misplaced a lot of passes and definitely wasn't meaning to and I'm certain that's the same for the Notts players.
I wasn't a failed football manager every club I managed were in a better shape when I left then when I joined and I didn't get sacked from any, how many times have you raised your head above the pulpit and been responsible for something rather than sit on the outside criticising ?

If you had read my post instead of being an ar*se wipe, then you would realise in what i said was right.. Morias was signed when Injured, Randall was signed and was clearly not fit, or injured, Toby was signed when still recovering from a leg injury. These are facts...So stick them up your cassock ....

[thefulltenyards]

Gents can you two stop with the needless name calling and try sticking to discussing football please? It risks ruining another good interesting debate on Notts. Ta muchly

[Elite_Pie]

Gents can you two stop with the needless name calling and try sticking to discussing football please? It risks ruining another good interesting debate on Notts. Ta muchly

What gives you the right to tell others how to behave?

You're breaking the rules being on here, might be wise to keep your gob shut.

[ForeignLegion]

What gives you the right to tell others how to behave?

You're breaking the rules being on here, might be wise to keep your gob shut.


Ha ha, and we’re off and running.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

I think this is fair. I think some forget the contract extension for Macca would likely have meant a sizeable increase in wages. I can’t imagine Didzy, Bostock and JJ are on typical L2 wages either. Although we have a small squad, I think it’s one full of quality and one that isn’t on the cheap.

/\ This for me. I much prefer the club to have a quality over quantity approach when it comes to recruitment. To be competitive at this level we needed to sign players who were able to play at this level. After 15 games what we have learned is that the recruitment made previously and this summer has given us a squad that is capable of challenging right at the top end of League Two. Is that sustainable for the next 31 games? Time will tell.

The same applies to go up to the next level. There is no point getting promoted to league one be the cannon fodder (Forest Green last season) and fall back down from where we came. We had too much boom and bust from 2000-2019.

The strategy the club seems to have requires patience. If we cannot sustain a top three place this season and even if we don't get promoted via the play-offs or finish below the playoffs, then I'd imagine we will strengthen accordingly so we can push on again next season. Just like we did in the National League. Stockport are a good example of this as they are in their second season and now looking very strong after finishing 4th last year.

What we need to learn instead of what have we learned is to be patient and trust the radar.

[thefulltenyards]

What a great post. Broaden the mind, think longer term and reference the past.
For supporters of many years who have seen it all the good the bad and the ugly, for the fans who go home and away week in week out being patient really should not be an issue. The recruitment under the current owners using their unique (to this club) approach has performed consistently well and has got gradually better. For all those supporters and fans especially this should be very easy to trust.

[magpie_mania]

Half my Subbuteo players were stuck together with Blu Tack. Great game. I remember going into that toy shop in the Broadmarsh Centre as a kid (long gone now, forgotten its name) and staring at all the Subbuteo teams and accessories, and the pure joy of unpacking a new team.

Was the toy shop Skills?

[PedroTheFisherman66]

Was the toy shop Skills?

Subbuteo was rubbish!! Striker was much better ...!

[skandark]

Subbuteo was rubbish!! Striker was much better ...!

Was Striker the one where you pressed their head and the leg flicked out? Vaguely remember that one.

[slack_pie]

Was the toy shop Skills?

Yes! Upstairs, somewhere near Wimpy.

[PedroTheFisherman66]

Was Striker the one where you pressed their head and the leg flicked out? Vaguely remember that one.

That's the one .

[lunaspie]

Was Striker the one where you pressed their head and the leg flicked out? Vaguely remember that one.

I had Arthur Scargill causing havoc up front when I played.

[Magpies1959]

My mate had Subbuteo and pinned the cloth playing surface onto a sheet of plywood, much better

[Magpies1959]

Does anyone remember Waddingtons table soccer, awesome game. Me and my mate modified it by putting wire round the keepers legs and extending it through the plastic goal nets to enable us to have the goalie make moving saves lol. Glorified tiddlywinks really but great fun.

[the_anticlough]

It was Casdon Soccer for me
25125

[1955pie]

It was Casdon Soccer for me
25125

You've kept it all this time?

[upthemaggies]

I had this.......

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/kxkAAOSwYkFhfsG1/s-l1600.jpg


Also had Subbuteo, which my dad also had with the cardboard players that looked like this....
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTploAXC16KKsXpziroJ5uMYqxMM-L8tJ-CcjQrJHuip5dZndxLWgHYRthOZ4Ly-ccWojk&usqp=CAU

Played Table football the most though.

[Jampie]

I had to make do with Football Manager... but I started later I guess :)

re: actual question, for my part the team has wildly exceeded my expectations. I didn't expect us, in our first season back in L2, to be clinging to the auto promotion spots, even if it is potentially by our fingernails. I'm beyond delighted with how this season is going.

That said, I don't think any poster on here wasn't at least a little bit worried about our defence pre-season, and those concerns have certainly been borne out, as have concerns about our lack of squad depth.

The fact is that, as usual, the optimists had a point, and so did the pessimists. That's why I come here to read everyone's views; between them all the future's usually laid out one way or another.

[maddogslater]

Subbuteo and striker for me, used to have a sub , league season with about six of us complete with pitch invasions and punch ups, we'll it was the 70s.

[applepie2]

I had this.......

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/kxkAAOSwYkFhfsG1/s-l1600.jpg


Also had Subbuteo, which my dad also had with the cardboard players that looked like this....
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTploAXC16KKsXpziroJ5uMYqxMM-L8tJ-CcjQrJHuip5dZndxLWgHYRthOZ4Ly-ccWojk&usqp=CAU

Played Table football the most though.

“Notts. Forest” �� (I forgot that a horror emoji might not display)

[Elite_Pie]

“Notts. Forest” �� (I forgot that a horror emoji might not display)

Being called Notts Forest annoys them more than us!

[SwalePie]

Subbuteo was rubbish!! Striker was much better ...!

Loved the diving goalkeepers in the Super Striker version . Great game that!

https://boardgamegeek.com/image/49163/super-striker (https://boardgamegeek.com/image/49163/super-striker)

[PedroTheFisherman66]

Loved the diving goalkeepers in the Super Striker version . Great game that!

https://boardgamegeek.com/image/49163/super-striker (https://boardgamegeek.com/image/49163/super-striker)

I'm sure I remember throwing the ball into my own net ( numerous times)with these keepers..?!

[Iremongersrighthand]

Subbuteo was rubbish!! Striker was much better ...!

I had both and always wanted to get the Brazil team, but nobody ever stocked it😭. And didn't Striker have a smooth polystyrene type pitch with raised edges to stop the ball from disappearing?

[PedroTheFisherman66]

I had both and always wanted to get the Brazil team, but nobody ever stocked it😭. And didn't Striker have a smooth polystyrene type pitch with raised edges to stop the ball from disappearing?

Not unless that was the deluxe version. I remember the pitch being like a velvet covering (for want of a better description) that was on a folding board. Incidentally which was perfect for making jigsaw puzzles on !

[the_anticlough]

You've kept it all this time?

I passed it on to LW who used it to develop his position-based approach. You can make out Baldwin and Cameron at the back there... ;)

No, long since bit the dust.

[Davy500]

Apart from all that, 2nd in the table. Not too bad for the 1st season back I reckon.

Not really 2nd though, as several teams like Mansfiled and Morecambe have games in hand and Wrexham level, so real position is 4th or 5th and we got them to play away, does anybody think we will beat Mansfiled or Wrexham on their own pitch ?

But the real weakness is defense, 28 goals from 15 games, that is nearly 2 a game

But first season back, we looking good for play off place at present