Match Discussion: Game 20 - The Red Devils (H)

[PON_News]

Game 20 - The Red Devils (H)

Team: Crawley Town

Date: 28/11/2023

Where: Meadow Lane

What line-up should Luke Williams opt for? What will be the key areas for the Magpies to get a victory? What do you think the final score will be?

Have your say below, join in with the Pride of Nottingham match discussion.

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

Notts need to bounce back in this game otherwise it will seem we are on the slide. I’m confident that we can win at home in front of our own crowd.

[liampie]

i think at home we have a bigger advantage because on the road we just seem to have a bit less confidence and panic too much away from home. i dont really get the difference because we can play considerably better than what we did against wimbledon. i dont want to see any more pens being given away, they are so reckless and uncalled for that it makes me want to not bother watching.

hopefully we our fans fully behind the players they will make the right calls on the pitch but seeing two of our players make poor judgement calls that were blatantly going to give pens makes me frustrated.

crawley will make it hard i suspect, so notts does need to be at their best.

[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

I think Notts should do just fine against Crawley Town.

They can be a bit unpredictable at times; however, if Notts can keep to a solid game plan, the home advantage should come in hand. Defensively, we are more all over the place away from Meadow Lane, but it would be welcoming to maintain a clean sheet. I don't expect it, but what I do think will happen is Aidan Stone will return between the sticks.

What makes me think that? Well, Sam Slocombe is under a bit of scrutiny, and Luke Williams seems to protect his keepers.

Performance wise things do seem to be a lot more routine at home, so hopefully whoever starts will give their all, and defensively we don't fall apart giving the game away. Concentration, focus and spirit are all qualities I would welcome to see on Tuesday.

[upthepies]

If Notts starts off on the wrong foot, the crowd might become restless, which could add to the pressure. The players need to take more responsibility when defending; there’s no excuse for them to crumble. The strategy of playing three centre backs works at home, but perhaps a rethink is needed for away games. If we don’t secure at least a point against Crawley, it would be a big let-down. We have to face it, we’re doing well, but talk of promotion from the board and club only increases the pressure.

[thommo]

Having a high possession percentage doesn’t necessarily translate into success if it doesn’t lead to goal-scoring opportunities. I agree that at Meadow Lane, we seem more adept at breaking down teams, but we need to utilise the ball better and control the game. Macaulay Langstaff is starting to score regularly now, and I can’t help but feel we should be making things easier for him in attack and more solid when it comes to defending.

[Ohh Tommy Johnson]

17 hours ago, upthepies said:

If Notts starts off on the wrong foot, the crowd might become restless, which could add to the pressure. The players need to take more responsibility when defending; there’s no excuse for them to crumble. The strategy of playing three centre backs works at home, but perhaps a rethink is needed for away games. If we don’t secure at least a point against Crawley, it would be a big let-down. We have to face it, we’re doing well, but talk of promotion from the board and club only increases the pressure.

I don't think that the club and board are saying anything other than we are aiming promotion at some point. It's the fans that seem to think that means this season, but I haven't seen the club say that anywhere.

[allardyces tash]

I’ll take the game as it comes. All I ask for is effort and responsibility in defending. We’ve seen this for most of the season, so I can overlook the occasional mistake, even if it’s disappointing. I hope Luke Williams encourages the players to go out, make a statement, and aim for a clean sheet.

[Sirrels County]

Crawley might be a tough opponent. I don’t expect them to start poorly, and I think the real action will happen in the second half. The first 45 minutes might be a bit dull, with the excitement picking up after the break. That’s just how football is sometimes, but a victory would be a nice change after Saturday’s loss.

[RetroPie 𝕏 @Retro_Pie]

Please, let’s try not to criticise the players in the first half if the performance isn’t up to par. Let’s encourage them instead. I have a bad feeling that Crawley might score early, which could lead to a barrage of criticism towards the players. On paper, Notts should be fine, but I do worry about this team when they concede early and start to panic.

[CliftonMagpie]

I don’t think we need to worry. I believe we’ll win some, lose others, and draw elsewhere. I just hope we can regain our form because when we’re on a winning or undefeated streak, we seem to be a completely different team. We could be better defensively, but that’s lower league English football for you. Crawley is a decent team at this level, but I don’t fear any team at home.

[yelobeli]

There’s no need to panic. Yes; the defence was poor on Saturday, and tbe midfield didn’t click for much of game (we are really missing Matty P). But we fought back well, could have scored a 3rd before Wimbledon did. And we were very unlucky to lose so late to Crewe. 
Maybe we’re not a top 3 team in this division, but when we click like we did in the first half against Bradford, or for much of the Swindon gama, we can beat anyone. We’ll feel a lot better with three points tomorrow.

[Simon Clark]

I think the last few weeks have shown where we are, really. 

We're not as good as the best teams, we're better than the worst teams. 

If Sky is to be believed and we do have the 10th biggest budget in the league, we might just about out perform that.

With some good January recruitment, we can make a good bid for the play offs. 

With regards to the game tonight, I feel we are stronger than Crawley and should control the game and convert that control into goals and points. 

For all the criticism of our defence - and I give plenty - there is a whole lot of poor defending in this Division and our middle and final thirds are too strong for a lot.

[Morten Johansen]

I wouldn`t underestimate Crawley Town, but I reckon this will be a win for Notts.

[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

If the earlier encounter in the cup this season is anything to go by it should be a close encounter. Since Luke Williams has spoken about how different games are once you have played a team, at least we have this first-hand knowledge.

Personally, there's a lot to be said about the studying of their players and previous results.

I am hoping we can avoid making this tie as close as the 3-2 win, but I agree that we shouldn't panic. Defensively, there will be good and bad moments, it's trying to narrow these down and to better self-manage games.

[Ohh Tommy Johnson]

I am a bit concerned about this one.  I could see us coming unstuck if we don't apply ourselves.  This is the first stickyish patch we have had in a number of years, so it will be interesting to see how we set up and manage the game.  All things being equal we should win, but the additional pressure and expectation may just have a detrimental effect.  I think it will end up pretty close, but I would love to see us go in with a big halftime lead and then come out and close the game out in the second.  That would, hopefully exorcise a few demons which seem to be appearing.

[Sir Magpie]

We’re currently experiencing a typical transition, and unlike past League Two seasons, teams are securing the most beneficial results at home. Crawley might pose a challenge tonight, but Notts must strive to create opportunities. We need to improve defensively, but I also believe we need to stabilise our backline and only make changes when compelled by injury or suspension. Notts has the potential to defeat any team in this league at home, especially at the fantastic Meadow Lane stadium during night games. Let’s hope for the best outcome and performance tonight.

[NottsTastic]

Notts perform well when they’re not under pressure, but teams are starting to figure out how to fluster them and convert that into scoring opportunities. It seems we’ve done little to alleviate this or simplify our approach. Focusing on the basics could make it much easier to handle pressure from other teams.

If Crawley opts for a direct approach tonight, sending balls behind our defence, we need to stop trying to pass the ball and clear it by any means necessary.

We’re a good team, so it’s understandable that there’s frustration when Notts make things harder for themselves. I believe we need to stay focused under pressure, make sensible decisions, and avoid leaving our goalkeeper exposed, even though we play a high game. We need to put in the effort to cover, observe how the game develops, and respond more quickly when things open up.

[liampie]

i have a mixture of nerves and excitement, my boss has asked if i can stay half an hour behind which i have agreed but i will be in a rush to get to meadow lane. despite my disappointment about seeing the incidents in the last game, i still want to show my support because i do believe we have the role to play in supporting them.

that is why i reserve my criticism here but i do try to be positive minded.

i really hope we can show the best qualities we have as a team because we can do well, no doubt about it. maybe we need to start getting a bit of luck? we seem to have a tough break with injuries and decisions.

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

Oooh, I’ve just found out I can stream the match while here in Whitby on holiday, so it’s a night in with fish and chip supper and Notts on the box, thankfully this place has a smart tv. 

[Dripsey3]

Crawley are 6 points behind Notts with a game in hand. Like Notts, they are strong at home but weak on the road. They lost at Forest Green and Barrow in their last 2 away games. I think it will be a close game. Crawley will have learned from their FA Cup defeat. Notts really need to win or the wheels are in danger of coming off. 

[Ohh Tommy Johnson]

1 hour ago, NottsTastic said:

Notts perform well when they’re not under pressure, but teams are starting to figure out how to fluster them and convert that into scoring opportunities. It seems we’ve done little to alleviate this or simplify our approach. Focusing on the basics could make it much easier to handle pressure from other teams.

If Crawley opts for a direct approach tonight, sending balls behind our defence, we need to stop trying to pass the ball and clear it by any means necessary.

We’re a good team, so it’s understandable that there’s frustration when Notts make things harder for themselves. I believe we need to stay focused under pressure, make sensible decisions, and avoid leaving our goalkeeper exposed, even though we play a high game. We need to put in the effort to cover, observe how the game develops, and respond more quickly when things open up.

I can't see us changing from the possession based approach and hoofing it out / away.  We defend by keeping the ball.  I do wonder if we can make things easier for ourselves though - could a sweeper like approach work? Have someone quick who can tackle and pass, say Chicksen, playing just behind the back 3 with Jones and Nemane as wingbacks and Bostock being the pivot with help form Crowley and McGoldrick and Macca up top.  The difficulty is who in the back 3 could also support Bostock and still work as a CB - Cameron maybe? JoB? Doing that may make for a few more moments to make decisions. It may also concentrate the pressure on one player though as a lot would go through the sweeper and Bostock - mark them out of the game and it all goes belly up, so I can't see us doing that either! (It was fun musing though).

[Dripsey3]

A crucial 3 points. Notts responded well to going a goal down. 

[Piethagoram 𝕏 @piethagoram]

Notts defensively all at sea. Better teams would have punished us. If I hadn't heard Sam Slocombe being injured...I had assumed Stone was a tactical switch as keeper.

 

[menzinho]

Back on track, but nothing less I’d expect from this team right now. Their ability to get back to winning ways after a defeat is fantastic and that’ll keep us up in the promotion spots.

Pretty uneventful first half, I thought both teams were quite sloppy on the ball at times, Crawley were slightly better but most their chances were from distance. Just two very good induvial goals being the stand out moments. Second half I thought we improved and deserved the win in the end. We did rotate a few players but I thought our fitness levels looked good, we were able to maintain a press through-out and that ultimately sealed the game for us.

Really pleased for Morias, I feel he gets some unwarranted stick considering his playing time is minimal. The guys attitude is to be commended, never complains just works hard, hopefully he might get a start on Friday. He kind of deserves it.