Missed chances

[MagpieMeltdown]

I?ve been thinking about this for the past few days and wondered what the general consensus on here was.

The amount of chances we?ve missed this season and amount of games we?ve come away from saying ?we had enough chances to win 2 games there?, is staggering.

Now I?m not Maynard?s biggest fan by any stretch but I try and be fair. He can?t physically put the football in the back of the net, and I actually defended him earlier in the season when it kept happening and we didn?t get results.

I thought our luck would change and was happy with the performances.

But when we?re midway through March and we?ve watched the same game time and time again this season on repeat - good first half - should be out of sight - but it?s 0-0 - we go on to lose? surely there?s a fundamental problem with coaching or motivation there?

No one is that unlucky, surely?

[WarsopPie]

I?ve been thinking about this for the past few days and wondered what the general consensus on here was.

The amount of chances we?ve missed this season and amount of games we?ve come away from saying ?we had enough chances to win 2 games there?, is staggering.

Now I?m not Maynard?s biggest fan by any stretch but I try and be fair. He can?t physically put the football in the back of the net, and I actually defended him earlier in the season when it kept happening and we didn?t get results.

I thought our luck would change and was happy with the performances.

But when we?re midway through March and we?ve watched the same game time and time again this season on repeat - good first half - should be out of sight - but it?s 0-0 - we go on to lose? surely there?s a fundamental problem with coaching or motivation there?

No one is that unlucky, surely?

All will be fine now we have Morias to get us over that line and get us automatic promotion

[countygump]

All will be fine now we have Morias to get us over that line and get us automatic promotion

Hope he scores us a cartload full, *crosses fingers*.

https://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news...junior-morias/

[SmiffyPie]

Don't think anyone can fault motivation, either in the forward line or anywhere else. Generally AJ is a very good finisher with the ball at his feet and in a yard or two of space. He tends to miss (hit the bar normally so is it a miss) when the ball come high and fast into a crowded 6 yard box, thing about that is at least he is getting into the right position to have a go. DM scores mainly from range so that isn't an issue really. The reason we don't close game out is goals from other team members. And we do have some bloody hard luck.

[Mark_Ross]

Don't think anyone can fault motivation, either in the forward line or anywhere else. Generally AJ is a very good finisher with the ball at his feet and in a yard or two of space. He tends to miss (hit the bar normally so is it a miss) when the ball come high and fast into a crowded 6 yard box, thing about that is at least he is getting into the right position to have a go. DM scores mainly from range so that isn't an issue really. The reason we don't close game out is goals from other team members. And we do have some bloody hard luck.

I watched the extended highlights from Saturday:
There were at least two occasions when Palmer was in a good position to go for a goal, but he halted, messed about, giving lots of time for defenders to get back into position and then tried to pass into the crowds. Then there's the header by Whitaker at the end. He's simply GOT to make the keeper work.

Also: I think Notts could go much more direct at times. It's not about abandoning our "stylish play" - just mix it up a bit! These are not brilliant defences we are up against - they will make mistakes. And try a shot f'gawd'sake... keepers will make mistakes as well.

Regarding AJ: It's so frustrating. If only somebody could get him to head DOWNWARDS towards the ground. That really is the key. When the ball is bouncing up at defenders & the keeper et al - it is so much harder to stop.

Re Luck: It always balances out over a very long season. We may have been a bit unlucky not to get something out of Saturday, but look at the games Notts have won but didn't really deserve anything.

Injuries: Not an excuse. You just have to deal with them. Plus we have self-inflicted ones, like Crowley (one of our most creative players) leaving without a replacement.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

Don't think anyone can fault motivation, either in the forward line or anywhere else. Generally AJ is a very good finisher with the ball at his feet and in a yard or two of space. He tends to miss (hit the bar normally so is it a miss) when the ball come high and fast into a crowded 6 yard box, thing about that is at least he is getting into the right position to have a go. DM scores mainly from range so that isn't an issue really. The reason we don't close game out is goals from other team members. And we do have some bloody hard luck.

The facts are that AJ is the joint top goal scorer in league two has a 49% shot accuracy and has had 81 shots with a goal conversion rate of 21%. This is comparable with the other strikers in League Two and the top strikers in league one and the championship.

This reminds me of when we had Kyle Wootton who again scored enough goals but some fans highlighted he missed chances as well. All strikers do miss chances.

There are a few things that come into play here. Sometimes we miss chances in quick succession when we are on top which is understandable if we are creating chances. The other is missing chances at key moments in games. Both of these were evident in the Chesterfield game in the first half where we had chances in succession but were unable to capitalise. Then at the end of the game we had a chance from a header that went narrowly wide of the post.

What can highlight missed chances more is when your opponent scores as well. Again as an example on Saturday we get the equaliser on 80 minutes and the game swings in our favour which then provides the opportunity for us to push on and go for the late winner with the home crowd behind the team as well. But what it did was generate a response from Chesterfield allowing them to get the goal we needed to be scoring at their end.

That is key for me about other team members. JJ is the 3rd top goal scorer with 5 goals then Abbot with 4. There are not enough goals coming from other players to kill teams off. In the Munto season we had Davies and Westcarr who played in midfield and supplemented the goals from Hughes and Rogers.

In a nutshell we needed a goalscoring midfielder who's going to get 10-15 goals a season. At the start of the season JJ and Crowley were the contenders.

In the last nine games we will need the likes of Traore, Whittaker, Tsaroulla, Grant, Gordon, Abbott (plus Morais) and other attack minded players to try and get on the scoresheet to compliment Jatta and Didzy's goals or take the baton in games when they don't score or are unavailable for selection.

[SmiffyPie]

Has there ever been a team that has suffered more key player injuries than us? Doesn't feel like it!

[Shropshire_Pie]

Maybe we should attack the Kop end first. Maybe we can suck the ball in the net and get us off to a flying start. We always used to play that way 1st half when I started supporting Notts. Can't remember when it changed. Does anyone know?

[marky]

Maybe we should attack the Kop end first. Maybe we can suck the ball in the net and get us off to a flying start. We always used to play that way 1st half when I started supporting Notts. Can't remember when it changed. Does anyone know?

It probably changed the moments Notts supporters went in the Kop so April 2008.

[upthemaggies]

It probably changed the moments Notts supporters went in the Kop so April 2008.

You'd assume so, but it's possible there was a bit of a time lag over the choice of ends as far more people in the Pavis were sat towards the Lane end back then whilst the away fans were initially placed towards the Kop end of the Sirrel.

I'm fairly certain by the time of the Munto season, we were favouring attacking the Kop 2nd half.

There is a phone camera video uploaded to youtube of the very first 'home fans in the Kop' fixture v Accrington April 2008, it's absolutely appalling quality though, less watchable than a 1920s pathe newsreel. You forget how primitive phone tech was back then.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmkwCElOBmo