⚽ Match Thread vs. Doncaster Rovers FC 03.05.25 [EFL L2]

[the_anticlough]

It's not our record against top sides that I?m interested it makes no odds to me the season is ow finished league table wise, I think out of all the teams these are the hardest in terms of set up and style for us to play against and this is perhaps why some fans are downbeat.

So a different style? Maybe more physical and direct? Compared to us trying to win by tactics, technique and skill?
The league record is the same. They're better in some areas, we're better in others. What if it all clicks in the areas we're better than them? We could blow them away.

All fans should go into the play-offs realising 75% chance you don't go up. The main promotion train has already pulled out of the station. That's gone. 75% we're still a L2 club next year just like another 50% of the play-off field.

But much better we spend the next week giving our 25% chance a shot. Everyone starts from zero and it's a totally new competition. Being 'downbeat' is such a pointless state of mind.

[The_Pie_Man]

So a different style? Maybe more physical and direct? Compared to us trying to win by tactics, technique and skill?
The league record is the same. They're better in some areas, we're better in others. What if it all clicks in the areas we're better than them? We could blow them away.

All fans should go into the play-offs realising 75% chance you don't go up. The main promotion train has already pulled out of the station. That's gone. 75% we're still a L2 club next year just like another 50% of the play-off field.

But much better we spend the next week giving our 25% chance a shot. Everyone starts from zero and it's a totally new competition. Being 'downbeat' is such a pointless state of mind.

Conversely, there is no point in being excessively positive either. That is like telling yourself you are going to win ?100m on the Euromillons just because you have bought a ticket.

We cannot kid ourselves. We have been rotten for months. Nothing will change in a week. We will not magically pull three brilliant performances in the bag.

I am all for getting behind the team and I hope against hope Maynard and the squad turn it round, but nobody who watched that game today can have any real hope that will happen.

[legs77]

I agree no point being downbeat what happens is out of our control.

I know we are as good as the rest as the table shows that over 46 games which is alot of data.

We could beat Wimbledon for sure we already have this season.

[SinceSept1959]

Kellan Gordon put more effort into moaning at the notts fans than he did all match, which sums up the majority of this notts squad.

I saw a quote about the US national team recently that described them as both underachievers and unlikeable, and throughout this season, particularly today, I've come to realise that those adjectives sum up a lot of our squad pretty well too unfortunately.

First half or second half ?
KG was the only player capable of beating his man every time and providing an attacking threat. Far too often in space and good positions but not given the ball.
Notts obsessed with playing down the left rather than choosing the right pass on the opposite flank.
Amazingly , Gordon withdrawn and JJ kept on despite Jodi not being up to speed.
Team selection very puzzling. Didzy on the bench but obviously not fit enough to get on to the pitch. A need to win game where Traore and Morais would gave been a sensible option on the bench.
If only our players had the same commitment as loanee George Abbott.

[the_anticlough]

Conversely, there is no point in being excessively positive either. That is like telling yourself you are going to win ?100m on the Euromillons just because you have bought a ticket.

We cannot kid ourselves. We have been rotten for months. Nothing will change in a week. We will not magically pull three brilliant performances in the bag.

I am all for getting behind the team and I hope against hope Maynard and the squad turn it round, but nobody who watched that game today can have any real hope that will happen.

Well today was a dead rubber. They always had far more incentive. When your chance is 4% the main goal is just staying healthy.
I don't know why anyone had any positive expectations before this weird game today.

As I just posted on the other thread, I'm advocating the exact opposite of being 'excessively positive'. 75% we fail, they're the inescapable odds. But knowing that, you give it your best shot and don't mope, there's no point in that.

It's Win-Win, we go up or we most likely get a fresh start with a new Head Coach
You can't go up with only 6 players worthy of the level, ravaged by injuries and with a flawed head coach.
ALL the NL promotion winning team are gone (bar Jodi, who was late to the party anyway, and a few peripherals), it was always going to take the club some time to build a completely new team for the next level.

The tone on here is way too resigned and defeatist IMO.
Or deluded and entitled, depending on your perspective.

[1955pie]

1 back? 5 losses from the last 7 games...4 points from the last 21... its horrific reading... Jatta goal... at least it's something for him

Not quite right Irish.
4 losses last 7 games. 2 wins. 7 points
4 losses last 9 games. 3 wins. 11 points.
Not good but not quite as bad as you said.

[1955pie]

I wish someone would show the owners, management and players a clip from any home game between 2000 and 2007.

These attendances are unbelievable and what we're being served up is garbage.

Out of the 23 home games the only ones that stick out positively are MK Dons and 10 minutes against Bradford.

They've bored the arse off me for most this season and I've absolutely no hope we'll be taking a lead to Cherry Red a fortnight tomorrow.

I think it is a week on Friday at 8pm.

[The_Pie_Man]

Well today was a dead rubber. They always had far more incentive. When your chance is 4% the main goal is just staying healthy.
I don't know why anyone had any positive expectations before this weird game today.

As I just posted on the other thread, I'm advocating the exact opposite of being 'excessively positive'. 75% we fail, they're the inescapable odds. But knowing that, you give it your best shot and don't mope, there's no point in that.

It's Win-Win, we go up or we most likely get a fresh start with a new Head Coach
You can't go up with only 6 players worthy of the level, ravaged by injuries and with a flawed head coach.
ALL the NL promotion winning team are gone (bar Jodi, who was late to the party anyway, and a few peripherals), it was always going to take the club some time to build a completely new team for the next level.

The tone on here is way too resigned and defeatist IMO.
Or deluded and entitled, depending on your perspective.

I do not think it is either entitled or deluded to expect more than 4 points from the last 21 available at home.

Maybe that is just me and we should just be grateful to have a club to support. Maybe we should get the Trust back.

[nw6pie]

The worrying thing in recent weeks is the lack of patterns in our play at home. We seem incapable of breaking the press, and when we do get the ball forwards, Jatta is both incredibly isolated and incapable of holding up play/drawing a foul. Their forward, Street, gave our defence a torrid time. He’s scored 13 on loan from Lincoln since joining Donny in January - now there was a good piece of business in January. We, however, are weaker without Crowley in the middle of the park to carry us forwards.

I was embarrassed watching Grant and Whitaker today - lightweight and anonymous, yet another game where they failed to turn up and support Jatta.

Have we got three big performances in us to win the playoffs? Not on what we’ve seen for most of the season. But as ever, it’s the hope that kills you.

[the_anticlough]

I do not think it is either entitled or deluded to expect more than 4 points from the last 21 available at home.

Maybe that is just me and we should just be grateful to have a club to support. Maybe we should get the Trust back.

Make no mistake, that was a disastrous run and one which will have to be accounted for... will be accounted for

But there's a time for everything. And that time is not when we've just entered into a 4-club tournament, all starting from scratch, with all four teams equally as crap as each other. Game on.

And EFL play-offs...this is why we dreamed of getting out of the NL, to play in games like this...
Auto-promotion was blown, but where does that get us now?