⚽ Match Thread vs. Newport County AFC 23.11.24 [EFL L2]

[OchPie]

We have now achieved consistency, can't win regularly home or away. We are as unlikely to be promoted as we are to be relegated. It really is very disappointing.

Only two teams in the league seem to be able to, as of now - MK Dons and of course Port Vale. There are three automatic spots.

We're not playing as we might have wanted but we're in 4th because really, neither is anyone else. We're 10th in the form table. The longer we stay mid-table in the form table, the more guaranteed we'll be to end up there - but there's a lot of season left.

[keldsyke]

As with supporters of any club, they will get bored and stop attending if they believe momentum has been lost along with any tangible evidence of genuine ambition on the pitch. They don't turn up to be "educated" and told what to think, they pay money to be entertained.

All of the last three gates have been less than the previous one. Too early to tell if that's an indication that people are deciding they've had enough (of Maynard at least) or just other factors (opposition/ko time/weather), but as I've said before, you can't take support for granted and nobody is just going to sit there and accept they "need to be more mature and patient", they will do what fans have always done and go and do something else and spend their money elsewhere until the club gets its' act together again, be that a change in the dugout that gets people excited or a significant upturn in results.

Not saying we're at that point now, we are 4th, but as we saw last season, the tide can turn very quickly and I can't see many fans accepting a repeat and the excuses that go with it. 3 in wins in 11 is likely to become 3 in 12 after Walsall away. That's a quarter of a season's worth of lower mid-table form.

Excellent post and I agree 100%, just to counter it I?m not so sure we would be posting this if JJ was fit and playing.

[Boomerangpie]

A very frustrating game and ultimately disappointing performance and result. Expected a comfortable victory with Jatta and McGoldrick back however Maynard was not brave enough during the game and as we know the backups to the current absentees just aren?t at the required level.

A draw with Newport was always going to spark questions about Maynard?s future, criticism of good overall recruitment by the club. Attendances will always fall when games aren?t won and or performances aren?t good but let?s not kid ourselves the attendances are at unbelievably high level which historically for Notts will always be a struggle to maintain. Poor run of form against unexciting opposition with limited support and the attendance was still over 9000!

Seems like the fanbase is currently split with some accepting of the situation hoping to stay in the mix by the time Jones (and others) return. Which we are clearly doing so far. Others seeing this undoubted poor run of form as we grind out draws as a chance to change head coach if it continues.

One thing I did not expect to read is that we are as likely to get relegated as we are promoted. Or did I read that wrong?

[SinceSept1959]

Newport have an absolute unit strolling around the technical area in a club t-shirt.

Pretty sure it?s ex-Notts man, David Pipe. Loved him when he was here.

It certainly was Pipes , very well respected by Notts fans for his performances during hard times on the pitch.
I hadn't realised it was DP and thought he was a fitness coach acquired from some Welsh RUFC.
Managed to have a word with him and their head coach as they were about to board their team coach.
Two really nice guys, my young grandson had a selfie with Pipes, who took the time to ask yg about his burgeoning school and youth football career.
One of the Newport coaching staff was not too happy with a certain Pizza Co. because they were very, very, late delivering after match pizzas for the players !

[jackal2]

We're not playing as we might have wanted but we're in 4th because really, neither is anyone else. We're 10th in the form table. The longer we stay mid-table in the form table, the more guaranteed we'll be to end up there - but there's a lot of season left.

The reason we're not playing the way we might have wanted is most likely that we've been missing two (or sometimes more) of our best creative and attacking players, so while we're not conceding goals like we did last season, we've lacked a bit of a cutting edge to turn some of the recent draws into victories. When the likes of Jones and Crowley return, if they're deployed in the right positions on the pitch, then our goal output should increase.

There's also a fair prospect that the club will invest in a significant striker signing in January, given that Didzy's contract is up in the summer and even if he doesn't retire, I could only see his deal being extended on significantly reduced terms given his age, so I suspect there's some capacity set to become free in the budget there.

[Woodypie]

A very frustrating game and ultimately disappointing performance and result. Expected a comfortable victory with Jatta and McGoldrick back however Maynard was not brave enough during the game and as we know the backups to the current absentees just aren?t at the required level.

A draw with Newport was always going to spark questions about Maynard?s future, criticism of good overall recruitment by the club. Attendances will always fall when games aren?t won and or performances aren?t good but let?s not kid ourselves the attendances are at unbelievably high level which historically for Notts will always be a struggle to maintain. Poor run of form against unexciting opposition with limited support and the attendance was still over 9000!

Seems like the fanbase is currently split with some accepting of the situation hoping to stay in the mix by the time Jones (and others) return. Which we are clearly doing so far. Others seeing this undoubted poor run of form as we grind out draws as a chance to change head coach if it continues.

One thing I did not expect to read is that we are as likely to get relegated as we are promoted. Or did I read that wrong?

No, other way around. We are consistently average and so as unlikely to be promoted as we are unlikely to be relegated. We are an average team, and so I would expect Notts to finish in an average mid table team.

[Boomerangpie]

Isn?t that just a different way of saying the same thing? Or am I being a bit dim.

Either way we are far more likely to be promoted than relegated this season for the obvious reasons.

Of course the most likely outcome is neither which is the same for the vast majority of clubs.

[upthemaggies]

That three and a half week spell aside when Maynard won 4 on the bounce, he's been a disaster.

Leaving those 3 and a half weeks out, his PPG would be 1.06, which would be 49 points over the course of a full season.

In other words, other than late August into the first two weeks of September, it's been relegation form since he arrived.

[Boomerangpie]

Is it fair to remove 4 wins from his record? As you will be fully aware it is easy to manipulate statistics to suit.
His PPG this season to date is 1.65.

[matt_magpie]

That three and a half week spell aside when Maynard won 4 on the bounce, he's been a disaster.

Leaving those 3 and a half weeks out, his PPG would be 1.06, which would be 49 points over the course of a full season.

In other words, other than late August into the first two weeks of September, it's been relegation form since he arrived.

Serious question and I am not over defending him but just on yesterday if you were manager who would you have picked and what would you have done differently?