⚽ Match Thread vs. Shrewbury Town FC 01.12.23 [FAC R2]

[ajojones]

Are you on some kind of medication? Or is it anger caused by your parents dressing you as a little girl when you were younger? Crikey!

😆😅😅

[kill_the_drum]

I don't think it's a case of "no recruitment", but more "phased recruitment".

Self-evidently we invested heavily in attack-minded players in the summer. We took advantage of an exceptional opportunity to sign a player who wouldn't normally be found at our level in David McGoldrick, who even in taking a pay cut will still be a high earner by Notts' standards. We also signed Dan Crowley, who again won't have come cheap for wages, but who has proven to be an exceptional signing.

This investment probably came at the expense of investment in the defence, to a degree, but those are the resource limitations we face compared with, say, Wrexham, who might have more money to upgrade all parts of the team in one go.

We've got a team with plenty of attacking threat and goal-power, which has been key to making us very competitive in this league, but it probably means we'll have to wait for the January transfer window, and next summer (when certain out of contract players depart) in order for sufficient wages to be freed up to recruit the kind of quality in defence/midfield that we gained in attack last summer.

We're no different to most other League Two clubs in that respect, you have to evolve the squad gradually, in phases. You can't just write out cheques or sustain a wage budget to address all areas at once, especially when you're trying to recruit real quality.

Exactly this, well said.
Some fans will claim to love that the owners are attempting to do things in a sustainable way….until we lose a game of football.

[MarcusCole]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67579101

I feel robbed, I paid to watch that ****show. The same players week in week out keep making mistakes and nothing is ever done about it. They know when the next game comes around they will be back on the pitch with more opportunities to produce garbage. The most galling thing was even after his mistakes Baldwin stayed on the pitch.

Luke Williams is disrespecting us when he selects these players, we know they are **** and there are other options available but he still selects the same players who then produce the same garbage.

[keldsyke]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67579101

I feel robbed, I paid to watch that ****show. The same players week in week out keep making mistakes and nothing is ever done about it. They know when the next game comes around they will be back on the pitch with more opportunities to produce garbage. The most galling thing was even after his mistakes Baldwin stayed on the pitch.

Luke Williams is disrespecting us when he selects these players, we know they are **** and there are other options available but he still selects the same players who then produce the same garbage.

I think the annoying thing is we were possibly close to a big draw in the FA cup, for me the club and Williams have let the supporters down again (remember Coalville?although that was I by not taking the competition seriously. As for the defensive errors, again as a lot of us have been saying the warning signs were there last season, and have come to fruition this season. Good to see a new youngster given his chance though!

[nw6pie]

Just looking at the match stats on the Beeb, we only managed nine shots on goal for 76% possession (Shrewsbury had five efforts on goal, three of which were gifts from us). I know Shrewsbury defended so deep they were practically in the stand, but we lacked intensity throughout - with the honorable exception of Sam Austen, who really tried to make things happen whenever he got on the ball.

Through a combination of our clownish defending and Shrewsbury’s negative tactics, it was a very frustrating game to watch. It all felt a bit Burchball or Ardleyball at times.

[PedroTheFisherman66]

I don't think it's a case of "no recruitment", but more "phased recruitment".

Self-evidently we invested heavily in attack-minded players in the summer. We took advantage of an exceptional opportunity to sign a player who wouldn't normally be found at our level in David McGoldrick, who even in taking a pay cut will still be a high earner by Notts' standards. We also signed Dan Crowley, who again won't have come cheap for wages, but who has proven to be an exceptional signing.

This investment probably came at the expense of investment in the defence, to a degree, but those are the resource limitations we face compared with, say, Wrexham, who might have more money to upgrade all parts of the team in one go.

We've got a team with plenty of attacking threat and goal-power, which has been key to making us very competitive in this league, but it probably means we'll have to wait for the January transfer window, and next summer (when certain out of contract players depart) in order for sufficient wages to be freed up to recruit the kind of quality in defence/midfield that we gained in attack last summer.

We're no different to most other League Two clubs in that respect, you have to evolve the squad gradually, in phases. You can't just write out cheques or sustain a wage budget to address all areas at once, especially when you're trying to recruit real quality.

Well said that man!

[Magpies1959]

I would love to know how LW could be accused of not taking the competition
seriously, if you take out the three defensive mistakes, (the first goal more due to a bad pass and a loss of footing than a mistake), we win the game.
He has explained about the balancing act, of putting out competitive teams, for league and cup games, very recently, due to squad size.
It would be nice to hear about how Sanderson did, when he came on last night from anyone who went to the game. It was great that he scored, but will attract a lot of attention.

[Old_pie]

Lots of good points raised here. I know I've said this on here before but I think it's important to keep reminding ourselves to look at the league leaders Stockport. We have scored two goals more than them, but they have conceded 16 less goals than us. They are a year in front of us as this is their second season since getting promoted. So they have had two summers and a January transfer window to build a title challenging team. We've had a summer. It's a gradual process and double promotion in the professional game is something that is not easy. It's hard, difficult and challenging.

Wrexham are only a point in front of us and have only conceded five less goals and scored the same.

Barrow have got the best defence in the league, but can only dream of the firepower we have in Langstaff, Crowley and McGoldrick. They've been at this level three seasons.

Mansfield tough to beat as they've only lost once but have drawn plenty. They've been at this level a number of years and past two seasons finished 7th & 8th.

No team at this level is perfect and at the moment we are in the top six mix with three places for automatic promotion and only a point behind 2nd place. If we are still a point behind 2nd place in March as we come to the business end I'd take that now.

Stockport, Wrexham and Barrow are all more ahead of us as they took the top spot in their promotion seasons hence could get on the recruitment bandwagon a month or so earlier. We were a bit in limbo till the Wembley win and a hence behind the curve. I'd be pretty sure we missed out on a couple of targets because of that.

[Observerpie]

I saved myself over £50, possible train problems, frostbite and apoplexy by swerving last night's game. If the club isn't prepared to take this competition seriously then I'm certainly not prepared to put my hand in my pocket for it. I ended up watching the second half of Monza v Juventus and saw a masterclass of defending from Juve, quite refreshing after watching us this season.

[Elite_Pie]

It would be nice to hear about how Sanderson did, when he came on last night from anyone who went to the game. It was great that he scored, but will attract a lot of attention.

I think he touched the ball 3 times, one of them was a composed finish.

Can't really add to that apart from saying it will always be a memorable moment for him.