Match ratings v Sutton (home)

[drillerpie]

Stevie Wonder would see the difference. Could we beat Morecambe 5-0 now under SM? The players no longer believe in what they are doing. So there is no difference except we aren't scoring as many and we are letting more in? There has to be a reason, luck evens itself out.

Yes, very droll. The 5 - 0 obviously made a big impression on you.

The fact that in the last 14 games in all competitions of LW's tenure, going back to October, we lost 9, with plenty of defensive ****shows on display, and saw plenty of the infinite defensive passing triangle of doom leading to aimless hoof, while taking 12 points from 11 games in the league (relegation form) seems to have escaped your attention though.

What I'm saying is there's not much difference between last night and when I watched Sutton 5 Notts 1, or Notts 4 Forest Green 3, or Colchester 5 Notts 4. That's 3 games where we looked dangerous going forward but showed a complete inability to keep goals out against poor opposition. Same as last night.

I also sat through Notts 3 Grimsby 2 where we rode our luck massively and Grimsby 5 Notts 5 where we couldn't keep the ball out of our net for the last 2 mins of added time when the whole team was trying to so nothing more than keep the ball out of our net for 2 mins.

Before last night against the bottom four teams we had conceded 20 goals in 5 games. So do I think that the fact we conceded four last night in shambolic fashion is down to Stuart Maynard's tone of voice or his previous occupation? No I don't.

[ladyretfordpie]

Ashby Hammond - 5 - when he first came in I liked how comfortable he was with his feet and his good distribution. Now seems to go long a lot, especially after Jatta came on, which didn't work tonight. Doesn't make many saves. Most notable moments were parrying a ball out for a goal to them (good save) and a mix up with Baldwin for a high ball which led to a corner which led to a goal for them. Not as keen as I was.

Cameron - 5 - started the match with a determined surge forward, can't remember much after that. Often seems to me marking 10 yards of space when goals go in, although that could be a zonal marking thing.

Baldwin - 4 - did a brainfart at a really bad time. Wish he would have the odd shot now and then.

Warner - 5 - kind of OK until his injury. I think his physique is a red herring though, he's big but he's not a rugged centre half.

Rawlinson (sub) - 4 - kind of made sense to bring him on against their big lump but he ended up making their big lump look like David Silva for one of their goals. I would say car crash but it was more like watching the Exxon Valdez exhibiting a slightly tighter turning circle than the MSC Costa Concordia.

JoB - 6.5 - was a bit worried to see him in the XI but he played well. With him we lose a bit of control but gain urgency and the impulse to drive forward.
Robertson - 6 - didn't stand out as much as in recent games but played well IMO.

Jones - 5 - quite anonymous apart from the assist and got caught out for their first goal. A rare off night.

Nemane - 6 - seemed to be playing with a bit more grit than usual both attacking and defending wise.

Bostock (sub) - 5 - didn't do anything memorable and our general malaise descended about the time he came on. Not good news for him that he is being outperformed by JoB currently.

Crowley - 7 - back to his early season form. Played very well and two very different but equally well taken goals.

Austin - 4.5 - I thought a few good attacking moves broke down with him and he missed a very good headed chance. Hope I'm not being harsh on him as I like him (a solid citizen, as Big Ron used to say) but don't think he is cut out for L2.

Langstaff - 5.5 - good penalty and maximum effort of course, but he is missing one good chance a game lately and it is costing us. Blazed into the Kop when through with the keeper to beat.

Jatta (sub) - 5 - Ran around and tried but didn't accomplish much. We seem to be using him as a target man and I think he is more of a running onto the ball kind of forward. Presumably he signed for us as a winning team playing good football and for the entire time he has been on the pitch he's been battling for fight balls lonned from the back. Must be wondering what he has walked into.

Maynard - that result will have swayed a few people who were giving him the benefit of the doubt due to difficulty of opposition until now. Personally I don't see that much different under SM from when LW was in charge other than our chances that were going in aren't, and opposition ones that weren't, are. We did and still do struggle against man marking and massed ranks, however tonight there was space to play and create and we should have won. Testing times, and if he was in any doubt that he has a job on his hands, losing to Sutton at home will make everything clear. We will see if he is up to the job of resurrecting a play off bid and sorting out a defence that is in all kinds of trouble.

Bracegirdle - his cricket commentary style is probably great for cricket but awful for a football match. He winds me up even when I'm watching the video because what he says often bears no relation to what is happening on the pitch. If he is telling you about what his wife watched on TV last night you might think there's a lull in play bit there's actually tons of stuff happening. Must be awful trying to follow the action with audio only.

I've said exactly the same. I'm sick of him waffling when you presume there's no action but I know from watching the stream that there is play when he's doing this. It's just not good enough and Adam needs to get it full time. He might have rather a boring tone but he actually gives a proper commentary and at least is a Notts fan. Bracegirdle even got one of the basic rules wrong last night and Stall had to correct him. Come on Radio Nottingham, get rid of him. Noticed Charlie Slater hasn't been commentating on Radio 5 lately, please, please come back!

[ladyretfordpie]

Good ratings but I'd mark Bracegirdle 1. I too watch it on I player and can see the action but for those who can't it just be terrible. He never describes play and when he does he doesn't really say where it is on the pitch. He waffles on about crap and stats, talks over Stallard who is actually saying things we want to hear. He's, like Notts last night, were ****ing crap (Robertson, JOB and Crowley excluded)

here, here. I think you've been generous giving him 1!

[drillerpie]

Good ratings but I'd mark Bracegirdle 1. I too watch it on I player and can see the action but for those who can't it just be terrible. He never describes play and when he does he doesn't really say where it is on the pitch. He waffles on about crap and stats, talks over Stallard who is actually saying things we want to hear. He's, like Notts last night, were ****ing crap (Robertson, JOB and Crowley excluded)

Yeah he is basically doing a cricket commentary where the commentator is expected to churn out whimsical musing for hours and when something happens on the pitch describe it in detail afterwards.

This is completely the wrong way to do a football commentary though.

Lost count last night of how many times he started a boring anecdote and stubbornly refused to finish it despite the fact players were tackling each other, evading challenges, beating men and getting into good positions, making good passes etc.

[drillerpie]

I've said exactly the same. I'm sick of him waffling when you presume there's no action but I know from watching the stream that there is play when he's doing this. It's just not good enough and Adam needs to get it full time. He might have rather a boring tone but he actually gives a proper commentary and at least is a Notts fan. Bracegirdle even got one of the basic rules wrong last night and Stall had to correct him. Come on Radio Nottingham, get rid of him. Noticed Charlie Slater hasn't been commentating on Radio 5 lately, please, please come back!

Yes I would like to see a change too.

[Smigpie]

Jim MOM which was obvious when our manager took him off and didn’t explain why, would love to here that conversation. Crowley was close but owed that performance from the previous games when he didn’t show up.

[OP67]

Must be awful trying to follow the action with audio only.

I've often either found myself shouting "what the ***k is going on on the pitch" or just turning it off completely. You can tell he has very little interest in football in general. He needs to stick to the cricket that he obviously loves.

[SmiffyPie]

Jim MOM which was obvious when our manager took him off and didn’t explain why, would love to here that conversation. Crowley was close but owed that performance from the previous games when he didn’t show up.

Probably told JOB to give it all for 45 mins (and he did, best I've seen him play) and JB would come on for him. He also probably thought JB might give his all for the time he had on the pitch (and he didn't, another average side to side performance).

[upthemaggies]

Colin Slater tended to get piled on when things were going badly. Probably more than just a co-incidence that after all this time (a season and a half since he's been doing this regularly) people are suddenly giving Bracegirdle both barrels the day after one of the most embarrassing defeats we've ever seen at this level. I realise some have been unhappy with him since day 1, but commentators always seem to get the most stick when we're cr@p.

[marky]

Colin Slater tended to get piled on when things were going badly. Probably more than just a co-incidence that after all this time (a season and a half since he's been doing this regularly) people are suddenly giving Bracegirdle both barrels the day after one of the most embarrassing defeats we've ever seen at this level. I realise some have been unhappy with him since day 1, but commentators always seem to get the most stick when we're cr@p.

Even Notts CCC fans were heavily critical of Bracegirdle during the abysmal 2019 season saying he never said anything critical and too pally with players like Mullaney, Patel etc.