More time?

[Pietastic]

This is where I'm at. I thought we were ok today up and till the throw in that lead to the first goal. I thought JOB was the spoiler we needed in midfield and thought he had a good game alongside Robertson. I also felt Nemane had a very good game as well as Macari. A shame JOB had to come off at 70min but you can't expect more from him in that role at his age. I felt he was a loss along with Baldwin through the enforced injury. But once again two aerial balls into the box and we were found wanting. The manager can't be blamed for that we've been doing these things all season.

The comparison between LW and SM results against all the eight teams is still paper thin like when I posed this a few weeks ago. (See below) However under LW we were losing against these sides but there was the credit of last season and other notable good results and performances in-between.

I'm not advocating a defence for SM or trying to prove LW is no better. It's interesting and remarkable that despite trying to approach our defensive problems in two ways one outscoring the other team (aka Moniz) the other respecting the point (aka Ardley) yet the outcome against these sides has merited the same results apart from Gillingham.

Under SM as we may have expected the attacking threat has took a hit to try and remedy the defensive frailties. The game today was a perfect example. Under LW we lost to Wimbledon 4-2 but today lost 0-2. The same result but a different score line.

What's not done or doing SM any favours is at home the consecutive defeats are stacking up but also the entertainment levels and conviction have dropped.

For me whoever is head coach next season the club have simply got to upgrade the defence and bring in League Two experienced central defenders (see Crewe, Wimbledon, Mansfield) and a Patterson type of goalkeeper. The alarm bells on this are ringing loud and clear and have been since Sutton on the opening day. The January transfer window is never a magic bullet. The summer is when the most and best availability is out there.

Luke Williams = P8, W2, D1, L5, GF10, GA18, GD-8, Pts 7
Barrow 1-1 (Draw)
Gillingham 2-1 (Won)
Mansfield 1-4 (Lost)
Newport 3-0 (Won)
Wrexham 0-2 (Lost)
Crewe 0-1 (Lost)
Sutton 1-5 (Lost)
AFC Wimbledon 2-4 (Lost)


Stuart Maynard = P8, W1, D1, L6, GF9, GA16, GD-7, Pts 4
Barrow 1-1 (Draw)
Gillingham 1-3 (Lost)
Mansfield 0-1 (Lost)
Newport 3-1 (Won)
Wrexham 0-1 (Lost)
Crewe 1-3 (Lost)
Sutton 3-4 (Lost)
AFC Wimbledon 0-2 (Lost)

This is bloody brilliant - now there is a bit of statistical data to get beyond the emotion. I remember being at the Mansfield home game and my heart sank - I "knew" something had shifted and we weren't the same team. So if you look at those stats (and I know there has been a bit of further analysis - fair enough) basically Stuart in a time of transition and without our best player (Matty Palmer) has carried on at a similar level to Lord Luke. So the narrative about Stuart this Stuart that just doesn't add up. This is what p***** me off - because it's actually a fair comment he made in his last interview - the club need's its fans more than ever now.

We're on a slide and it we turn toxic and shatter people's confidence more the slide goes deeper and longer... Or we show our faith and belief and we help the club turn it round. I know they are professionals but psychologically to be working so hard, getting your spirits up only to lose by a goal, or get cheated out of an equalizer like at Wrexham AND have supporters lose faith in you is just going to make things worse. Until the last 20 yesterday that was a really hard working performance that made me proud to be a Notts supporter. They all desperately want to turn this round I reckon - let's get behind them and bring the best out of them!?