⚽ Match Thread vs. Chesterfield FC 15.03.25 [EFL L2]

[SmiffyPie]

Maybe next season we will really go for it eh? eh?

[1955pie]

Yes. Next season.

[irishpete]

Maybe next season we will really go for it eh? eh?

Dunno. No guarantees in life. Could easily go tits up. Should have struck whilst the iron was hot in Jan & signed players that could go straight into the team, not squad fillers

[upthemaggies]

Can someone please give me a definition of a ?strong league? as mine appears to be wrong and makes me some apologist that needs quashing.
Is a strong league one where 2/3 abundantly rich teams dominate just like every elite league I can think of? Or is it when a number of teams are evenly matched and any number could win it?
.

To clubs like Bromley, Sutton, Morecambe, Barnet etc, L2 will always appear to be a strong league, to clubs like Notts, Bradford and Swindon it should feel as though they are in the shallow end of the pool surrounded by clubs wearing arms bands.

For what it's worth, I think last season was bordering on the unique for L2, you wouldn't normally have a club at this level with the pizazz of Wrexham and I think it would be fair to say Stockport and Mansfield were untypically strong for this league as well.

A low points tally for the team in 3rd place isn't necessarily an indication of a poor crop by comparison, it could be taken as evidence of a more broadly competitive one - top to bottom - but if top 3 is your goal, as opposed to consolidating or hoping to get lucky in the play offs, then you'd have to conclude that it would be a wasted opportunity to miss out in a season with a low points finishing line.

Whatever the quality of the league, it's not always easy to stay focussed and disciplined under pressure to consistently grind out the wins, which is where the manager really can make a difference.

[countygump]

Dunno. No guarantees in life. Could easily go tits up. Should have struck whilst the iron was hot in Jan & signed players that could go straight into the team, not squad fillers

This^^^ And it's not the 1st time. My only criticism of 'The Boyzs"

[matt_magpie]

“Resistance”? “Ruthlessly crushed”? It’s only a few people sharing their opinions about Notts - nothing more, nothing less.

Nobody is saying things are perfect at the club, but it’s indisputable based on the league position that we’ve improved from last season. Obviously I’d love it if we were 15 points clear and about to clinch promotion, but we’ve still got nine games left to get into the top three. I personally don’t think we’ll do it due to our poor home form, but live in hope.

As for the strength of the division, isn’t it a good thing that most of the teams are much of a muchness, making things more competitive? I assume this is what the EFL wants with its restrictions on how much you can spend on your team? Better that than the table being determined by the size of your budget.

He?s a strange fella nw6pie, goes on the attack straight away calling people ?apologists? if they don?t think it?s total doom and gloom as uses the exact same words when people don?t agree ?ruthlessly crushed? sad and weird
The best bit is he doesn?t go to the games.

[The_Pie_Man]

He?s a strange fella nw6pie, goes on the attack straight away calling people ?apologists? if they don?t think it?s total doom and gloom as uses the exact same words when people don?t agree ?ruthlessly crushed? sad and weird
The best bit is he doesn?t go to the games.

Ok, Comical_ali_magpie - I will bite. Again.

Have you got any proof whatsoever that I do not go to games? If you do, please provide it - I cannot wait to see it. If, as I suspect, you do not, kindly shut your mouth.

With fondest regards,

A well wisher.

[Boomerangpie]

Good God - it is a convention of apologists.

It is not, in any way, a *strong* league. What an utterly deluded notion. The standard of the division is shocking. Week after week, we play teams who set out solely to defend with their low block and every time, we struggle to deal with it. I have not seen a team this year that I would describe as impressive. The fact that we are as bang average as everyone else is not something to be proud of.

We are hardly playing bloody Liverpool and Real Madrid! There is not even a Stockport or a Wrexham. The reality is that we are meekly losing to dross like Vale and Chesterfield, due to a combination of (mostly) average players and a manager who could not spell proactive if he was given a dictionary.

Realism is required. Then again, given the names of the most recent contributors, is the line of argument a surprise? Any resistance to the status quo must be ruthlessly crushed!

What a strange post. I think you are inside your own head reading some of your posts.

Let me get this right you think the standard of League Two is shocking. You think big spending Port Vale and Chesterfield are dross. It?s weaker this season because of doesn?t have a fourth tier anomaly that was Wrexham and to a lesser degree Stockport. We have mostly average players and a reactive (unimpressive?) manager?

This is the fourth tier of English football. Let?s not forget.

With all that in mind you predicted we would finish 15th so you should be happy with our position right now and throughout the season. If being happy is a stretch then you must be pleasantly surprised all things considered?

[Boomerangpie]

So who is coming down, Burton, Crawley, Cambridge, Shrewsbury? Barnet and any one of another 6 or 7 coming up....none of that lot are likely to strike fear into L2 next season.

Thank you Sir.

This has been my point whenever I keep repeatedly reading that this season is a golden chance for Notts because it is such a poor and weak League Two.

If it is indeed those 5 plus 1 more, who or how many of them are going to finish Top 3. I predict 1, which could easily be the total this season. Right now 2 are in promotion contention out of the 6. Next season?s League Two could very well be weaker than this season. Another golden chance

[PedroTheFisherman66]

Dunno. No guarantees in life. Could easily go tits up. Should have struck whilst the iron was hot in Jan & signed players that could go straight into the team, not squad fillers

Dont you realise that's not the model..we dont do boom n bust with these owners ...
Ps I dont believe they are meant to be squad fillers. They are youngsters that have been identified to have the potential to become very good first team players with the correct coaching and time invested in them.Good enough to become not only first teamers but match winners that would be desired by others if their gamble and investment comes to fruition...x