⚽Match Thread vs. MK Dons FC 26.12.24 [EFL L2]

[dobbsad]

Don’t forget that Dan Crowley, plus Macca and JJ, were all included in the PFA’s team of the 23/24 season. For a reason!
DC was the only one of these “best players win the league” still playing for us, when injured in October. So little wonder our form dropped in this latest absentee and delight when DC’s reappearance and return to fitness, shows in the upturn! Class player.

[MancMagpie]

The division is starting to play out as many of us anticipated at the start of the season with 14 teams in with a realistic chance of getting promoted coming up to the halfway stage. Walsall are pulling away at the top and next week at home it will be a perfect opportunity to stop them and close the gap. First though another team up next in Cheltenham who we need to get something from to keep them out of the playoffs and at arms length.

Dropping out of the playoffs may have been a bit of wake up call and we have had to fight to get back in them and stay in there by beating Bradford and MK Dons.

We are now only two points behind automatic promotion places with a game in hand so are right in the mix. That’s a decent place to be in and it’s something we need to maintain.

As for SM I’ve not doubted once throughout his tenure the players are not on board. All teams have a bad run or a blip. We have had injuries to key players in the first half of the season. Crowley is back and that’s lifted the team, Abbotts getting on the scoresheet now, JJ will be returning soon hopefully. Our defence has gone back to being solid. There is an opportunity to in January to bring players in, so lots to be positive about for the second half of the season. On paper we should be stronger in the second half of the season than the first half. Plus those who joined in the summer will have now had six months to settle in.

Keep the faith.

Amen Sir.

[the_anticlough]

Don?t forget that Dan Crowley, plus Macca and JJ, were all included in the PFA?s team of the 23/24 season. For a reason!
DC was the only one of these ?best players win the league? still playing for us, when injured in October. So little wonder our form dropped in this latest absentee and delight when DC?s reappearance and return to fitness, shows in the upturn! Class player.

Well said and needs saying.
This is the correct perspective on Dan Crowley. He's elite for L2 and it's a privilege to see him in a Notts shirt.

[OchPie]

Should also say that I thought that MK, for all we were the better team, showed why they could well be up there at the end of the season. Bass made saves you'd have expected but some of their shooting wasn't all that far off giving him much sterner tests. Their in-box decision-making was at times inexplicable - but that could be sharpened up too.

I wasn't worried about losing for most of the game (which is a big change to recent months), but I could have seen them making us work for a point. Their two 5-10 minute spells of pressure right before our second and in the run-up to the final whistle, I thought were pretty decent.

[irish_pie]

Dan Crowley returns and our form picks up remarkably... 2 clean sheets in a row against 2 very tricky sides... Cheltenham won't be easy especially as they beat Crewe at home today but I am more convinced we can get a result on Sunday... not 1 player had a bad game today, absolute team performance and the interaction with SM at the end convinces me they are giving their all for the man and the fans... a very happy Christmas to all my fellow pies 😀

[countygump]

Should also say that I thought that MK, for all we were the better team, showed why they could well be up there at the end of the season. Bass made saves you'd have expected but some of their shooting wasn't all that far off giving him much sterner tests. Their in-box decision-making was at times inexplicable - but that could be sharpened up too.

I wasn't worried about losing for most of the game (which is a big change to recent months), but I could have seen them making us work for a point. Their two 5-10 minute spells of pressure right before our second and in the run-up to the final whistle, I thought were pretty decent.

Great result! Not an easy place to collect points, well done to all.

[countygump]

[OchPie]

SM says the yellow was for two of them coaching from the technical area at once. Didn't even know about that rule.

[countygump]

Highlights:

https://www.skysports.com/football/v...two-highlights

[Med Pie]

Honest post match from their manager

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQy2vWXnEYs