How does this team compare?

[DangerousSausage]

Watching the Notts class of 2023 running rings around Barnet on t'interweb last night, I wouldn't help but wonder: how would the current team fare against previous Notts teams?

It's clearly head and shoulders above anything we've put out in the National League so far, and of course the laughable excuse for a team we got relegated with. Going back to League Two it's a bit harder to compare. I think we'd have given Kevin Nolan's play-off team a good run for its money at least, but back then we were quite reliant on Grant's set pieces, whereas now about half the team are a goal threat. Apart from the two loanees, I'm not sure how many of that team would get into the side now. I'm tempted to think that today's side is the best we've had since the League One days.

Thoughts?

[Super_Danny_Allsopp]

Difficult to say. I know it may come across a bit Paul Mace, but this season will be a failure if we don't achieve promotion - as champions or via the play-offs. Should that horrific scenario happen and we don't go up, our squad will most likely to completely different the following season; ambitious, quality, young players don't want to stay in the NL forever. They would be looked back as a 'what-if' squad that were so close, but ultimately couldn't get across the line. If we go up as champions, they will be written into Notts folklore as the team that led us back into the light after years in the shadows. 

If you look back at some of the squads we had in L2; Steve Thompson, Jason Lee, Lawrie Dudfield, Gary Silk et al... it was amazing how on earth we survived. I think football has progressed, gotten more technical for sure, and overall the competitions are a lot better in terms of footballing quality. 

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It's hard work that has taken a good Notts squad to the top of the table, nobody would've thought it and I don't think anyone can genuinely say that they felt we would see be where we are. I predicted a good start, even breaking records but in truth I did feel the likelihood of us falling further down is more than likely.

The morale in our camp right now is on another level, when you get every player, including those on the bench - fighting, only good things will happen.

Considering every time we draw or go 2nd, I hear fans comment that we won't catch Wrexham but believe Chesterfield can. It would suggest that some areas don't have enough faith. Promotion is a must this season, but failing to do so - we can still hold our heads up high.

This is the hardest league to escape; we're in a good position to further progress the football pyramid. Take this squad to League One, tweak the fringe players with better quality and we'll be fine. Obviously it relies on retaining players or replacing them, but this is why I feel next season we need to avoid gutting this squad.

Doing a Craig Short will be the biggest back step, even more than failing to gain promotion during this campaign.

[DonnyNotts]

I'm old enough to remember Notts in the top flight with some good exciting players, although today's team are doing us proud at the moment, there's a long way to go to compare.

Edited February 18, 2023 by DonnyNotts
Mistake

[DangerousSausage]

I wouldn't worry about what happens if we don't go up yet. We'll likely lose important players whether we go up or not - as we did last season. We've got a recruitment team that does their homework instead of (as in the past) pulling names out of a hat, and new signings can be grafted into a hopefully largely intact team. The worst thing we could do would be to sweep the deck and start again, but that won't be happening. Missing out would be heartbreaking, but you've just got to keep banging on the door.

On 18/02/2023 at 18:16, DonnyNotts said:

I'm old enough to remember Notts in the top flight with some good exciting players, although today's team are doing us proud at the moment, there's a long way to go to compare.

Of course. The further you go back, the more difficult it is to compare, even when you're in the same league. Personally I don't think today's National League is any weaker than the fourth division of 1997-98, although I think our team from that season might bully today's side. But really my question was aimed at more recent seasons, say since we got stuck in League Two from 2003-04 onwards.

Personally I think the current side is better than anything we've fielded in League Two from that time onwards, with the sole exception of 2009-10. As @Super_Danny_Allsopp says, some of the players and teams we've been watching were desperately poor and many of them ended up in non-league soon after leaving us (not always in the top tier of it either). If we'd fallen into the Conference then (and we only escaped through luck), we may well not have come back.

[liampie]

i dont think any comparisons should be made because each team had different circumstances for their success, i know what people are saying when they do but i suppose i cant due to the time i have followed notts. i have only seen little success on the pitch and very few good teams.

i will say, unlike any other squad or time i have known that i believe notts can grow even more stronger if we continue the current level of hard work.

this squad does not have to worry about missing out on promotion because for the first time in ages i think we will be able to compete with any side. i obviously want notts to go up, but if we miss out, knowing we can go ahead and fight to be champions makes it all the more special. besides mansfield had throw everything at the club in hope something would bring success, since day one in the national league we have built foundations and its those firm blocks that can lead to success.

[menzinho]

On 15/02/2023 at 23:43, Super_Danny_Allsopp said:

If you look back at some of the squads we had in L2; Steve Thompson, Jason Lee, Lawrie Dudfield, Gary Silk et al... it was amazing how on earth we survived. I think football has progressed, gotten more technical for sure, and overall the competitions are a lot better in terms of footballing quality. 

Definitely, I think if this team came up against any of those 2004-2008 squads, assuming they play like they can they should be able to beat them by 2 or 3 quite easily.

I even think they'd beat the team that got us relegated from L1 under Derry/Moniz. I can see Palmer, Austin and Rodrigues running rings around Alan Smith and Gary Jones. And Langstaff and Scott up against Hayden Mullins who was about 37 and Haydn Hollis... Offt! Roy Carroll would have a hard time keeping a clean sheet.