‘The Problem’

[TSANHO]

Some more really good points on here...and maybe some middle ground on the pro and anti manager stance.

We all agree the defence hasn’t been good enough (yet) this season, but we do have the personnel to come in and make a difference. Granted, the relegation season we were terrible on crosses into the box but I think it unfair to claim the same for last season too.

Yes, perhaps we’re too ‘tippy tappy’ around the back at v1tal times, though much of our final 3rd play has been slick and effective. I too am happy to see the club taking a progressive ‘play it on the gound’ approach to our football but like some other posters have stated, it also has to be effective, so I think the manager needs to find some middle ground...especially for the level we are currently playing at.

Sam Allardyce always got undue flack in my opinion for his style of football but I always thought that his teams played good football in the right areas and didn’t mess around with it too much in defence. We certainly have the players to play in such a way.

I think a more progressive, slower approach on the pitch can be developed over time as, and if, we climb through the divisions, but for the mean time use it as a Plan B with a more direct physical approach as Plan A. I must hasten to add that this doesn’t mean reverting to the type of ‘football’ served up by the likes of Nolan et al!

[matt_magpie]

Can't understand some of these posts.

If Ardley isn't to be given a clean slate this season, he certainly should have had it last season.

We finished as close as possible to being promoted without it happening as you can.
We were the third top goal scorers
We had the second best defence
We lost the least number of games (joint with Barrow who played less games than us).
Some on here were saying that Barrow should not be promoted automatically because we were on a great run and could have caught them.

I am also pretty certain someone said we have the best record in 2020.

This season, fair enough we have lost two games against bottom teams, but think about the situation. Dover - first game of the season we lost by one goal (the mighty Stockport also lost - albeit against Torquay) and we lost by one goal to Maidenhead - after losing five first team players, four of them with Covid. I'm sure that no-one can genuinely make an argument that wouldn't have affected the rest of the players.

I am still pro-Ardley. Having said that, we need to be in the top 3 or 4 after 15 games - and we also need to be promoted. If we aren't, then it's goodbye (although I would forgive him if we lost in play-off final because of disputed penalty or offside 'goal').

Exactly, just cant understand what people expect. The football played on the whole has been very decent, if Ardley had been given time to assemble that that squad well into pre-season I have no doubt we would have been champions, facts are we lost too much ground the first 2 months with 2 games a week when he hadn't had time to get a squad together.
We may possibly have the best budget or at least top 3 but it doesn't entitle us to win every game, 9 points out of 5 games is far from disastrous.

[JulesGouls72]

One thing we shouldn't be is off the pace come end of the season, no excuses.

No but we may be off the pace by the time we next play. It may be even more imperative to hit the ground running when back on the pitch.

[SwalePie]

No but we may be off the pace by the time we next play. It may be even more imperative to hit the ground running when back on the pitch.

Agreed, that's a long break even if we do restart on the expected date. Fitness and sharpness will definitely decline.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

That's rightly a big criticism of Ardley, if Plan A isn't working and we need a goal I too wish he would bypass midfield more and go far more direct. I'm very happy to watch passing possession based football played on the ground, a real rarity at Meadow Lane over the years but there is a time and a place to get it in the mixer as much as possible.

Yes I do think there is a time and a place for the direct approach such as the last 15 min of a game is a good time if what you’ve been doing for the last 75 min is not working. Or if opposing teams are going full press. Don’t get me wrong our passing possession football when it works is champagne stuff as we have seen and can be very effective.

When Mansfailed were in this league and won it under our former player Mr “Yer Know” (Paul Cox) used to bring on Matt Rhead in some games towards the end and they lumped the ball to him to get the ball in the box as much as possible. Likewise it was the same for Lincoln when he was there. He gave a different dynamic especially if teams adopted the high press. They also won the league.

If we had a Rhead, Ameobi or Jimmy Spencer type target man who we could bring on say towards the end of a game (or where teams adopt the high press on us) and we go back to front and they win the ball in and around the edge of the box and lay it off for others to run onto is that plan B? Can Elisha Sam be that man?

[durhampie]

Yes I do think there is a time and a place for the direct approach such as the last 15 min of a game is a good time if what you’ve been doing for the last 75 min is not working. Or if opposing teams are going full press. Don’t get me wrong our passing possession football when it works is champagne stuff as we have seen and can be very effective.

When Mansfailed were in this league and won it under our former player Mr “Yer Know” (Paul Cox) used to bring on Matt Rhead in some games towards the end and they lumped the ball to him to get the ball in the box as much as possible. Likewise it was the same for Lincoln when he was there. He gave a different dynamic especially if teams adopted the high press. They also won the league.

If we had a Rhead, Ameobi or Jimmy Spencer type target man who we could bring on say towards the end of a game (or where teams adopt the high press on us) and we go back to front and they win the ball in and around the edge of the box and lay it off for others to run onto is that plan B? Can Elisha Sam be that man?

The answer to that is NO. He shouldn't be anywhere near the football club..

[BigFatPie]

Sam Allardyce always got undue flack in my opinion for his style of football but I always thought that his teams played good football in the right areas and didn’t mess around with it too much in defence. We certainly have the players to play in such a way.
!

Correct, even Warnock as well. Some of the football we played at the end of the 90/91 season was great, but it was always in the opponent’s half.

Those two managers recognised the limitations of their players and played the percentages.

[laddo]

They are both excellent managers , the best we've had since Sirrel obviously.

Both played direct football rather the long ball.

Hooffffff

Punt

Gerrrriitforrrward

#shudder

[TSANHO]

They are both excellent managers , the best we've had since Sirrel obviously.

Both played direct football rather the long ball.

Hooffffff

Punt

Gerrrriitforrrward

#shudder

Could add Cotterill to that list too. The thought of football a la Nolan makes me shudder as well but do you think a more direct approach right now would benefit us?

One or two have already touched on it but I’d also like us to be more in opponents face’s. Not in an arrogant way so much but a confidence that we really are better than the opposition...we’re almost apologetic in our approach sometimes.

[nw6pie]

Could add Cotterill to that list too. The thought of football a la Nolan makes me shudder as well but do you think a more direct approach right now would benefit us?

One or two have already touched on it but I’d also like us to be more in opponents face’s. Not in an arrogant way so much but a confidence that we really are better than the opposition...we’re almost apologetic in our approach sometimes.

You have to play the game that best suits your players - and that isn’t a direct approach with most of this squad. We don’t have much height, so it’s unlikely we’ll win many headers if the ball’s knocked long, but it’s obvious you need the ball in the opposition half if you want to score. Persisting with playing out from the back when you’re chasing a game often looks like a lack of urgency, and that’s something Notts have got to work out - in most of the games this season, we’ve lost our forward momentum as the clock has ticked down.

Here’s a basic stat that highlights the problem:

Goals scored in first half = 7
Goals conceded in first half = 2

Goals scored in second half = 3
Goals conceded in second half = 5

In other words, 70 percent of our goals were scored in the first half.