I’m calling it…

[countygump]

Given the run that Stockpot are on, you would imagine top spot is gone. Any other position is do-able, provided, we keep on picking up wins. As Burchy said in his P/M last night, during the run in a lot of the top sides are due to play one another, so's they can't all be picking up 3 points.

[Thordardaughter]

Until IB comes up with a plan B against teams who successfully high press us we'll be playing in this division

I think the players came up with their own plan B last night when BW were pressing high they went long. Sometimes it came straight back but when Wootton won the ball we went on the attack. IB did seem not too happy about it but it seemed to work.

[Hoppie]

Given the run that Stockpot are on, you would imagine top spot is gone. Any other position is do-able, provided, we keep on picking up wins. As Burchy said in his P/M last night, during the run in a lot of the top sides are due to play one another, so's they can't all be picking up 3 points.

D&R results looks even better in the context of that form table.

[Hoppie]

I think the players came up with their own plan B last night when BW were pressing high they went long. Sometimes it came straight back but when Wootton won the ball we went on the attack. IB did seem not too happy about it but it seemed to work.

Agreed. I liked how quickly Notts mixed it up last night going through and over the press multiple times in the first half hour. Once arter went off though through seemed to stop and over became dominant which presumably made it harder to ‘control’ the game hence IB’s point.

[Frigiliana Pie 1]

Unsurprisingly Wrexham are stringing together some impressive results and I can see them finishing 2nd/3rd.

I still see us finishing in the playoffs.

I saw the Wrexham vs Halifax game on tv. Wrexham were extremely impressive and could have won by more. Halifax were never in it.

It looks like Stockport will take top spot so we’ll have to find a way of beating Wrexham in the playoffs. The rest look to be less of a problem.

[Glad2BeAPie]

Games after Cheaterfield are against teams lower than 10th, doesn't mean nothing but what an incentive to go for it.

[laddo]

Well I'd certainly rather play 9 sides outside the Top 10 than 9 sides in it.

I strongly approve of the opening post and KTD 'calling it', making his prediction for all to read. Let's hope he's right.

[jackal2]

Agreed. I liked how quickly Notts mixed it up last night going through and over the press multiple times in the first half hour. Once arter went off though through seemed to stop and over became dominant which presumably made it harder to ‘control’ the game hence IB’s point.

I'm genuinely conflicted on this style of play issue. For much of the game against Boreham Wood we played very attractive football and we got the result we deserved. The problem comes when the passing game doesn't click and we fail to 'grind out' wins, especially when we're pressed away from home.

I kind of admire Burchnall's principles and his determination to prove you can play excellent football and get promoted, like having your cake and eating it, but there's a thin dividing line between admirable adherence to principles and blind stubbornness. Maybe an experienced midfield general like Arter can be the team's brain on the pitch, knowing when to play the stylish pass and when to be pragmatic at the right times within games.

[kill_the_drum]

I'm genuinely conflicted on this style of play issue. For much of the game against Boreham Wood we played very attractive football and we got the result we deserved. The problem comes when the passing game doesn't click and we fail to 'grind out' wins, especially when we're pressed away from home.

I kind of admire Burchnall's principles and his determination to prove you can play excellent football and get promoted, like having your cake and eating it, but there's a thin dividing line between admirable adherence to principles and blind stubbornness. Maybe an experienced midfield general like Arter can be the team's brain on the pitch, knowing when to play the stylish pass and when to be pragmatic at the right times within games.

I agree to a point as I was relieved on Tuesday when Slocombe opted to go long in the second half. But then listening to their manager, he admits our style of play cut through them almost at will, against the best defence in the league. We just didn’t score more goals.
I think too much is being made of our style, and IB’s reluctance to change it. Does any manager have that ability? For all the long ball managers we’ve had, I can’t remember any of them adopting a passing game when ‘hoof it’ wasn’t working.
I think a managers style of play is his blueprint. You can’t really change it. However you can change system and personnel. And I would say IB has done that more than any manager I can remember.

[LaxtonLad]

I think the players came up with their own plan B last night when BW were pressing high they went long. Sometimes it came straight back but when Wootton won the ball we went on the attack. IB did seem not too happy about it but it seemed to work.

And it did work, Td. I've never been a fan of playing out from the back at our level. Whether Burchy liked it or not the early release upset the press of BW and gave us an option to move forward quicker. I think it must have been Slocombe's initiative as till then our fullbacks were dutifully standing wide in our penalty area, it was Slocombe's gentle underhand waving them forward that did the trick.

Methinks our goalie was reading the game better than the manager, certainly better than the BW manager as his players weren't sure of our next moves.