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

[kill_the_drum]

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.

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.

[slack_pie]

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.

Absolutely, me too. It's clear that something needed to change towards the end of Williams' reign, and a more pragmatic approach away from home will help restore confidence among the players and fans.

[SmiffyPie]

Absolutely, me too. It's clear that something needed to change towards the end of Williams' reign, and a more pragmatic approach away from home will help restore confidence among the players and fans.

Correct. It's not all about attacking football, especially when you're attack is ineffective more times than is acceptable.

[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.

[matt_magpie]

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.

The fact we let in 9 goals in the previous 2 games against 2 teams in the bottom half to just 2 against 2 in the top 4 shows he’s trying to sort it. It’s all about balance, we could have possibly won both and there’s the fact we do need another quality striker to freshen it up as we have, hopefully gives room for optimism.

[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