Quote Originally Posted by MAD_MAGPIE View Post
I'm just going to wait a couple more weeks but from the signings we have made so far I'd like to think we will be competitive and be in the top seven.

For the past two seasons I and others on here have talked about hitting the ground running. It's so important to get the points on the board from day one rather than playing catch up. Obviously we saw Torquay drop away last season and they will be starting the season in this league with us so nothing is guaranteed.

One thing season one and two taught us is that Notts in the National League was a bit timid at times and a bit focused on the oppostion. From the back end of last season we saw a Notts under IB that Notts in the National League should be. A team that walks around with it's chest out and goes and attacks teams and let them worry about us. The mentality and mindset of playing like we are the biggest club in the league is half the battle.

The one big change I would like to see this season is an improvement in performances and results against the lesser teams such as the likes of Dover, Wealdstone, Kings Lynn etc.. In both seasons we have stuttered against these kind of teams and disappointed and dropped points.
Exactly this. Far too often we have dropped points against sides in the bottom half by allowing them time to settle into the game and not attacking them from the off - a way too negative approach given the players at our disposal. We will drop points against sides battling for promotion but there is no real excuse for some of the turgid displays we have seen against part-timers. I simply can't see this happening this season. It feels like the owners have given IB licence to be attack-minded in his approach, and they showed with how long they gave NA (despite him clearly not being their man) that they are certainly not trigger-happy like previous incumbents.

My min expectation is top 3 but I think we will win the thing.