Match Thread vs. Cambridge Utd. 20/02/18

[Notts78]

So you're blaming our poor form on Noble? How bizarre.

I'd say the loss of Yates, the FA cup run/extra games, ageing strikers and mauling vs Swansea would all come above Noble but that's just me.

Aging strikers? Stead has played just about every game. Doesn’t get injuries. Has been in good goal scoring form. Ameobi, yes, their could be an argument as he does struggle
Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday.
I would agree that we need someone with genuine pace to play up front with either Stead or Ameobi, or indeed both.
Personally, I think the buck stops with the manager. The constant tinkering with the line up is not allowing the team to build some continuity. Then their is 4-5-1. With the players we have and how we play, just NO.
There are only 2 ways with the players we have can we play 3 central midfielders. Both would mean no wingers.
4-3-3 which given the way we play would be my preferred choice. We can continue to hoof the ball forward but actually have 3 players not 1 to ‘aim’ for. We could also press the opposition higher up the field without killing our one striker, normally that geriatric Stead (not my opinion).
Then there is 5-3-2. 2 out and out wing backs in Jones and Tootle. This is the one for away games possibly.

If we were to go 4-3-3 my side would be
Fitz in goal, his distribution is very good
Tootle, Brisley, Hall, Jones
Noble, Hewitt, Husin
Grant, Stead, Forte

We need to start being more positive in our selections and how the team is set up to play so we actually turn teams around and apply pressure in the opposing teams defensive 3rd.

All my opinion, not necessarily right or wrong.

[LaxtonLad]

Aging strikers? Stead has played just about every game. Doesn’t get injuries. Has been in good goal scoring form. Ameobi, yes, their could be an argument as he does struggle
Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday.
I would agree that we need someone with genuine pace to play up front with either Stead or Ameobi, or indeed both.
Personally, I think the buck stops with the manager. The constant tinkering with the line up is not allowing the team to build some continuity. Then their is 4-5-1. With the players we have and how we play, just NO.
There are only 2 ways with the players we have can we play 3 central midfielders. Both would mean no wingers.
4-3-3 which given the way we play would be my preferred choice. We can continue to hoof the ball forward but actually have 3 players not 1 to ‘aim’ for. We could also press the opposition higher up the field without killing our one striker, normally that geriatric Stead (not my opinion).
Then there is 5-3-2. 2 out and out wing backs in Jones and Tootle. This is the one for away games possibly.

If we were to go 4-3-3 my side would be
Fitz in goal, his distribution is very good
Tootle, Brisley, Hall, Jones
Noble, Hewitt, Husin
Grant, Stead, Forte

We need to start being more positive in our selections and how the team is set up to play so we actually turn teams around and apply pressure in the opposing teams defensive 3rd.

All my opinion, not necessarily right or wrong.

Your team selection could work, Notts78. It would be less of a task for the midfield to move into the oppo's half and more of a chance of holding onto the ball for more than 5 seconds.

A promising striker and a competent holding midfielder, preferably fit ones, champing at the bit and fidgeting on the bench would give the option of complete change if necessary and would give the opposition manager something to think about other than sitting there laughing at us.

[ncfcog]

Aging strikers? Stead has played just about every game. Doesn’t get injuries. Has been in good goal scoring form. Ameobi, yes, their could be an argument as he does struggle
Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday.
I would agree that we need someone with genuine pace to play up front with either Stead or Ameobi, or indeed both.
Personally, I think the buck stops with the manager. The constant tinkering with the line up is not allowing the team to build some continuity. Then their is 4-5-1. With the players we have and how we play, just NO.
There are only 2 ways with the players we have can we play 3 central midfielders. Both would mean no wingers.
4-3-3 which given the way we play would be my preferred choice. We can continue to hoof the ball forward but actually have 3 players not 1 to ‘aim’ for. We could also press the opposition higher up the field without killing our one striker, normally that geriatric Stead (not my opinion).
Then there is 5-3-2. 2 out and out wing backs in Jones and Tootle. This is the one for away games possibly.

If we were to go 4-3-3 my side would be
Fitz in goal, his distribution is very good
Tootle, Brisley, Hall, Jones
Noble, Hewitt, Husin
Grant, Stead, Forte

We need to start being more positive in our selections and how the team is set up to play so we actually turn teams around and apply pressure in the opposing teams defensive 3rd.

All my opinion, not necessarily right or wrong.

Don't particularly like the 4-3-3 option, too narrow and the natural inclination of the two 'wide' forwards would be to drop deep and we are back to playing hoofball up to one up top again.

I've always been a fan of 5-3-2 though with two flying wingbacks, 3 central midfielders to pick up the second ball in midfield and two outright strikers. Can resort to 5-3-2 if having to defend but quickly becomes 3-2-3-2 when on the front foot without it being too complicated for the players that they start losing their shape like they do trying to play 4-5-1.

Based on a 5-3-2 I would try . . .

Fitz
Toots, Hall, Duffy, Brisley, Jones
Hawk, Hewitt, Grant
Stead, Forte

I would be really interested to see how Forte would react to being told he was going to be starting every game for the next few games, could be the confidence boost he needs because he is the only player we have in the squad right now that possesses any kind of pace up front.

[Nigel_M]

Ameobi must surely be in the first choice starting XI. I too like the 5-3-2 formation but can't see Hawkridge as one of the 3. His best hope would be as an alternative to Tootle. I would try Grant in the old Mark Robson role behind the front 2, and then have Hewitt and Milsom as the 2 in midfield.

Our form dipped well before Christmas. It does look like we've run out of steam - and the run of penalties and sending offs for the opposition has stopped as well.

Nolan should take some of the blame for the slump - the bizarre selections that chucked away 2 home games, his obsession with alternating Dickinson and Jones, the failure to improve the forward options in the window and his incomprehensible insistence on selecting Husin are all big factors. He achieved more than we could have imagined in his first year at the club but we don't look close to achieving Hardy's crazy dream of championship in 3 seasons, in fact we don't look that close to getting out of this league in that time frame.

We'll finish around mid-table but I'm not convinced we've really improved the squad that much. Our success this season was very dependent on Grant and Yates who won't, in all likelihood, be around next season and nor will Ameobi and Stead realistically be first choice forwards. So we're going to need to revamp our forward line and midfield in the summer - it won't be a case of incremental progress but major surgery. Who of the existing contracted squad would we want to see starting on the opening day next season? Hewitt, Brisley, Jones, maybe Collin. Possibly Tootle if we had to?

[ncfcog]

Who of the existing contracted squad would we want to see starting on the opening day next season? Hewitt, Brisley, Jones, maybe Collin. Possibly Tootle if we had to?

I've considered this myself and it does leave you thinking "oh sh1t, I can count our squad on one hand!"

I can't believe I'm saying this but Hewitt, Tootle, Husin and Fitzsimons are probably the only players I would keep out of the current bunch.

Of those others who have played a few games this season and are Notts players;

Collin is just awful
Brisley all too often caught out of position
Duffer spends more time on his ar5e than his feet and is no way a leader of men
Dicko great attitude, a fighter but unfortunately a very average footballer
Jones ok going forward, terrible defender
Alessandra shows some nice touches but can't beat a man and always wants to wander into the middle of the park
Hawk works hard but the output doesn't always match the effort, worked well down the right early season with Toots though.
Noble . . . we are all waiting for this little time bomb to go off!
Walker not really shown a great deal when given the chance
Saunders looked quite reasonable during his Meadow Lane cameo when given the chance but not seen enough of him
Forte head/heart has gone
Ameobi legs gone but what a guy!
Smith needs to concentrate on coaching
Stead quite possibly our player of the season but unfortunately don't think he has another season in him

Apologies to those I've missed.

[JoePass]

I've considered this myself and it does leave you thinking "oh sh1t, I can count our squad on one hand!"

I can't believe I'm saying this but Hewitt, Tootle, Husin and Fitzsimons are probably the only players I would keep out of the current bunch.

Of those others who have played a few games this season and are Notts players;

Collin is just awful
Brisley all too often caught out of position
Duffer spends more time on his ar5e than his feet and is no way a leader of men
Dicko great attitude, a fighter but unfortunately a very average footballer
Jones ok going forward, terrible defender
Alessandra shows some nice touches but can't beat a man and always wants to wander into the middle of the park
Hawk works hard but the output doesn't always match the effort, worked well down the right early season with Toots though.
Noble . . . we are all waiting for this little time bomb to go off!
Walker not really shown a great deal when given the chance
Saunders looked quite reasonable during his Meadow Lane cameo when given the chance but not seen enough of him
Forte head/heart has gone
Ameobi legs gone but what a guy!
Smith needs to concentrate on coaching
Stead quite possibly our player of the season but unfortunately don't think he has another season in him

Apologies to those I've missed.

Whats the good news ?

[ncfcog]

Whats the good news ?

It won't be long before I can sit in my seat with a bit of elbow room again!