⚽ Match Thread vs. Maidenhead Utd. 06/08/22 [NL]

[Kyle95]

Can’t believe how short some peoples memories are and, without trying to sound patronising, I kinda feel sorry for those people who couldn’t see that Wootton was great for us over two seasons. The difference he made when he first came in was significant….it is early days but I noticed not one of our more direct balls forward found a man today.

Wootton was a victim of Buchnalls style of play. I’d wager he’d welcome playing alongside someone like Langstaff.

As for today, a welcome three points of course but it did flatter us and papered over some pretty concerning cracks. I know Taylor scored a stunner but his overall play was laborious and clumsy (no idea why we’ve put the most one sided player onto the side of his weaker foot.

We actually created very little and I can remember only one cross into the box by either wing back. Apart from the goal, I think we created maybe two other opportunities, which is poor against a side of Maidenheads obvious limitations.

A quick mention for Ed Francis, whose days at the club I thought were numbered. He read the game superbly at times today and although fairly one footed I thought the improvement in his play and aggression were a credit to his effort he must have put in…and also to the new manager.

LW hinted he is still in the market for players. On that showing we are still two quality wingbacks short….which is frustrating seeing that this has been the case since we got relegated.

Big tests to come over the next few weeks, let’s see what we’re really made of.

Wootton was a victim of Buchnalls style of play' You mean the style of play that helped Kyle get the best goal return of his career?

[laddo]

I take your point as maybe it's dominated this thread, but we are a club rich in history. Talking about the past is important. It's also very relevant to compare a new striker to one recently departed.

It's fine to talk about the past , especially when we've had the good times we've enjoyed as supporters.

Also no problem talking about Wootton as long as people mention that even under IBs laborious and slow play they remember that he scored plenty goals each season and brought a lot more than just that to the party. That seems to have been lost in the mix somewhat.

Plus let's not forget all the players we've let go or departed who go on to do nothing. They never really get a mention. We shouldn't just talk about the "ones who got away" which after all every single club could produce a long list that fall into that category.

I'm just happy we won, the replacement who people have rightly questioned due to the unknown quality at this level has to date in his very short Notts career produced the goods. That should be the story imo

[Magpies1959]

I think to get the best out of Langstaff away from home, he probably needs Scott alongside him as a target man. I think Langstaff is capable of holding the ball up if played to feet, but will struggle, as showed today, with anything near head height, against six foot plus defenders.
In the short time he was on Scott did win some headers and looked quite pacey and eager to harry defenders.
It will be good if we can have more than a lone target man up front option, as has been the case with Wootton in the side.
Although they scored over 50 goals for Gateshead last season they didn't play as a central strike force as Langstaff played more as a right winger. Having said that, I think they seem very intelligent footballers and am sure they would link up well down the middle.
If as seems likely we are going to be more direct this season, especially away, it means there is more chance the ball will not come straight back at us, if we can hit a target man or play into the channels for either Scott or Langstaff to chase.
Special mention to Francis today who carries on improving especially the ball winning side to his game.

[i961pie]

They had their goalkeeper red carded after 28 minutes and like us had no sub keeper on the bench. A lot of Chessie fans are blaming the officials, but after seeing a video of the event it was a clear red card for deliberately stamping on an opponent after the ball had been cleared. I think that means a 3 match ban, so they will need to get cover in before they play us on 20th Aug.

Only realised today that game is now a 5:20 kick off, so it must be on BT Sport.

Bugger! it my daughters 40th birthday party that evening, I could have made it if it was 3-o clock kick off.bloody tv😰

[drillerpie]

It's all about opinions but this trashing of our top scorer three year running seems unduly harsh. He held us together at times and worked like a dog. He's good in the air, often he was starved of service and was too often left completely isolated by himself and expected to get back for all set pieces and when we were under the cosh.
Away from home Langstaff would likely be grateful to have Kyle Wootton holding the ball up for him and sharing the load when he's getting bounced around by some big old units.
Maybe L2 is a stretch too far but for us he was great and I'd take him back in a heartbeat.

Well I would answer that by saying that I'm not really trashing him personally - I've always said I think he was a hardworking and honest player and good luck to him.

There are plenty of charlatans and chancers in football and he's not one of them, so I'll say it again, good luck to the guy and if the rumours of the money involved in his new contract are true, and he's got himself a nice new Merc as Kyle95 said, then good on him for hitting the jackpot. However I stand by all the criticisms I made of him which were just based on what I saw every time I watched him (admittedly I don't live in the UK so only televised games, ie play off games and games against top half opposition) and listening to the commentaries every week.

The other thing I would say is that everyone from the owners and manager down gets trashed on here, and I am not a big trasher personally but I suppose I am just pushing back when I see that certain players like Wootton are considered untouchable (and undroppable) and above criticism despite their very obvious limitations.

We were almost unanimously in agreement on here that last season our build up was too slow, we lacked bite in midfield, we didn't get in behind often enough, and we missed too many chances. Now obviously that was not all Wootton's fault, but I would say that you can't have Wootton play 95 mins every week and not expect 3 of those 4 to be recurring issues.

[drillerpie]

without trying to sound patronising, I kinda feel sorry for those people who couldn’t see that Wootton was great for us over two seasons.

Forgive them, for they know not what they do!

I'd say we were at least as good for him as he was for us, but hey, it's early days and Wootton might start banging them in at Stockport and Langstaff might hit a barren spell for us. Will be interesting to see how it pans out though.

[TSANHO]

Wootton was a victim of Buchnalls style of play' You mean the style of play that helped Kyle get the best goal return of his career?

He was left isolated to try and lead the line by himself with no real recognised striker to play alongside. When we had Thomas and Dennis to ply off him we saw the best of Wootton.

Sad to see Burchnall go were you? I was pretty fed up with his football and passive demeanour.

[laddo]

Haha yeah I heard that as well. Stall’s a good summariser, but you’ll never hear anyone on local radio call a player ‘massively over rated’.

A bit mixed today. Langstaff is clearly a class forward whose pace and movement is going to cause all sorts of problems this season. What a goal that near miss would have been. The rest of it is hard to judge because Maidenhead were terrible. I thought JOB did very well, as did Sam Austin, but there was a lot of sloppiness, and let’s be honest, we could have doubled that score if we were properly on it. I hope that’s not a sign of the lack of intensity we had under Burchnall.

Much bigger tests to come next week and the week after.

Reading that instantly reminds me of the opening fixture last season against a very accommodating Barnet. Perhaps the difference that day was we were more clinical (2nd half) hence the improved scoreline.

[maddogslater]

Langstaff's 2nd was a replica of Gary Lineker's against Germany in the 90 world Cup semi, so quick with his feet.
Notts looked a shambles for the first ten minutes and looked very nervy up until we scored.https://youtu.be/LdrvZmfyHSg

[optipez]

Well I would answer that by saying that I'm not really trashing him personally - I've always said I think he was a hardworking and honest player and good luck to him.

There are plenty of charlatans and chancers in football and he's not one of them, so I'll say it again, good luck to the guy and if the rumours of the money involved in his new contract are true, and he's got himself a nice new Merc as Kyle95 said, then good on him for hitting the jackpot. However I stand by all the criticisms I made of him which were just based on what I saw every time I watched him (admittedly I don't live in the UK so only televised games, ie play off games and games against top half opposition) and listening to the commentaries every week.

The other thing I would say is that everyone from the owners and manager down gets trashed on here, and I am not a big trasher personally but I suppose I am just pushing back when I see that certain players like Wootton are considered untouchable (and undroppable) and above criticism despite their very obvious limitations.

We were almost unanimously in agreement on here that last season our build up was too slow, we lacked bite in midfield, we didn't get in behind often enough, and we missed too many chances. Now obviously that was not all Wootton's fault, but I would say that you can't have Wootton play 95 mins every week and not expect 3 of those 4 to be recurring issues.

Driller, it was just a reply to the thread on Wootton really and yours was the last post at the end of it. It wasn't meant as a personal dig at you at all.
The view that Wootton limits us isn't uncommon, I've just felt he was hung out to dry playing up by himself at times and I think if we do the same to Langstaff we'll waste his talent too not for a lack of pace but because he'll be kicked and elbowed black and blue before the seasons out and have the sharpness knocked out of him.
Mick Vinter had Les Bradd, McCullough had Trevor Christie, Tommy Johnson had Gary Lund and as Wootton helped Dennis and Wes Thomas I think we'll have to find a way to play Scott, Mitchell or maybe a new signing to get the best from Langstaff over a season.