⚽Match Thread vs. Mansfield Town FC 03.02.24 [EFL L2]

[the_anticlough]

Agreed.
However, to make us better I think will take moving some emphasis from attack and putting it in defence, if only when playing away.
So we might see a decline in the number of goals we’re used to scoring.
I’m fine with that if it puts more points on the board.

Well the very early returns on that are not encouraging - 3 hours of football, 1 goal and 1pt gained out of 6

We had (have) a clear identity and momentum. Posts over the last day or two show how readily some would squander that and return us to a team with an insecure manager, who changes systems at the drop of a hat, with boring low-scoring draws and defeats as the staple fare. Back to what these fans grew used to, basically. And maybe those extra 4-5000 fans who kept on coming for the action-packed, high-scoring games can disappear and leave the stands for those who prefer their football defensive, cagey and negative.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

Yeah, I think some people will use the fact he was previously part time as a stick to beat him with if results aren't great, but in reality, even the most experienced manager would struggle to come in and replace a popular and successful predecessor during this tough run of fixtures. Maynard needs time and support. As far as I'm concerned, the rest of this season is about him making the necessary tweaks to make us better, so we can approach next season as genuine promotion contenders.

Exactly where I’m at with it all. I can see why some fans maybe anxious for us to get promotion this season. Fear of losing players like Macca and Jones despite them being under contract. Of course it would naive to think they may not go but like with LW will they be the right ones to prize them away?

Also the fact Wrexham are up there looking like they might be passing through league two and us not keeping up with them. They’ve got a far bigger budget. Then add in Mansfield to which them being a division higher than us again would be a bitter pill to swallow. They’ve been trying for four years under Clough to get out.

We are in the mix for the playoffs and if we can stay within the mix that will do for me this season. If we dip and fall out of them to mid table then it would be shame but only because of the fact we’ve been in the playoffs most of the season so far and it will feel like we’ve fizzled out.

It’s completely impossible to judge SM after two games as well. I think upon reflection only conceding two goals against Barrow and Mansfield has to be a big positive. So the necessary defensive tweaks have worked and yes goals scored maybe less to start with as it’s a trade off. The thing is in both games we were hard to beat which is the first priority. The approach we had at Mansfield and the chances created in the first half on other days would get us wins on the road against other teams in the league.

SM has a period now to settle in, get to know the squad implement the tweaks and playoffs would be a nice bonus. If anything it’s a good thing he’s in the building now rather than say if LW had gone in the summer.

[matt_magpie]

Well the very early returns on that are not encouraging - 3 hours of football, 1 goal and 1pt gained out of 6

We had (have) a clear identity and momentum. Posts over the last day or two show how readily some would squander that and return us to a team with an insecure manager, who changes systems at the drop of a hat, with boring low-scoring draws and defeats as the staple fare. Back to what these fans grew used to, basically. And maybe those extra 4-5000 fans who kept on coming for the action-packed, high-scoring games can disappear and leave the stands for those who prefer their football defensive, cagey and negative.

You have to look at the opposition, Mansfield have the best defence by someway and I think Barrow are just behind Stockport.
SMs known for his attacking expansive football and he’s just trying to tweak it as we clearly have issues. We got absolutely embarrassed by Mansfield at home and Saturday was a hard fought game.

It’s all about balance, some teams we can go at but some teams we will have to adapt and especially away as we haven’t got as strong squad in comparison to other teams whereas last year we had a top 3 squad and meant we could go and attack more teams and away too.

[the_anticlough]

You have to look at the opposition, Mansfield have the best defence by someway and I think Barrow are just behind Stockport.
SMs known for his attacking expansive football and he’s just trying to tweak it as we clearly have issues. We got absolutely embarrassed by Mansfield at home and Saturday was a hard fought game.

It’s all about balance, some teams we can go at but some teams we will have to adapt and especially away as we haven’t got as strong squad in comparison to other teams whereas last year we had a top 3 squad and meant we could go and attack more teams and away too.

First part of that I agree with - I'm not reading too much into these particular two games. It's looked pretty much the same approach overall.

Second part, adapt as in SM's 'tweaks' is fine. But any reversion to a much more defensive set-up (not the case at Mansfield) would give us no chance. It's not who we are.

[maddogslater]

We'll know more after Fridays match, almost a must win.
Have a feeling it will have to be decisive and stylish to please the doubters too, not an easy task.

[matt_magpie]

We'll know more after Fridays match, almost a must win.
Have a feeling it will have to be decisive and stylish to please the doubters too, not an easy task.

The owners won’t be judging SM after 2 or 3 games and probably not too much after 10 unless it’s a total car crash which it certainly hasn’t been in his first two.
We had the same with LW, loads of people doubting him because he was unknown and was getting bashed by some for too many draws initially.
Bar Wrexham away coming up we have a decent run of games to the end of the season and if we’re at it we should get a few points.

[crazyfists]

If you watch SMs interviews when he came to the club, every single journalist asked him about sorting out Notts defence. He is trying to do that. If in turn it takes abit longer to get the attacking side going as well as it was again then I feel he should be given the time to do that. Can he is the question I'll be interested in. Still we were playing against good defences on his opening two games so will see how the next month goes. COYP

[Countrywalking]

The new manager needs time to sort the mess in defence that was left by Williams.

[crazyfists]

It's an interesting point though posted by AC. We've brought in new crowds due to the way we play, doing well and the excitement of our games. If, to make the defence better, we lose some of that excitement, will that translate into less people turning up. I just hope we can do both, a better defence and still have some good attacking play. I thought we were unlucky versus Mansfield especially away at their ground where we don't usually turn up. Looking forward to the rest of the season, I think SM will be a good manager for us though.