Match Discussion: Game 27 - The U's (H)

[Robbie]

Top scorers in this league but woeful in defense. The desire looks like it's gone 

[Morten Johansen]

What a horror show.

[Dripsey3]

It's not all Stuart Maynard's fault but I have yet see anything to convince me that he is the man to manage Notts County. It gives me no pleasure to say that. Thankfully we are 20 points clear of the drop because I don't see how we will pick up a single point between now and the end of the season. 

[Robbie]

 

 

22 minutes ago, Dripsey3 said:

It's not all Stuart Maynard's fault but I have yet see anything to convince me that he is the man to manage Notts County. It gives me no pleasure to say that. Thankfully we are 20 points clear of the drop because I don't see how we will pick up a single point between now and the end of the season. 

We have to say it as it is. It's not good enough and the players have to take responsibility.

[Fan of Big Tone]

This was a truly awful result, we really should have bolstered the defence during the transfer window and for that the blame lies with the recruitment team, certain players simply are not good enough for this league.

Maynard just has to try and turn this around for his own sake but he’s got a mammoth task, we’ve gone from promotion hopefuls to relegation form and it’s not his fault but he’s the one who’s got to sort it out.

[menzinho]

I’m pretty optimistic in general but I’m struggling to find the positives after viewing that.

It had all the hallmarks of what seems to been ingrained into us this season; give away an early goal, a defender with an assist for the opposition’s striker and conceding a penalty (must be like the 20th we’ve given away this season).

It’s so frustrating given we have to work really hard to score goals with all our passing and movement, the opposition just needs to cross it into our box and they’ve got 50/50 chance of scoring. Conceding goals has been a problem all season, even before Stuart was appointed, it’s just becoming too deflating now. It’s almost like it’s added motivation/confirmation for opposition too, they’ll know before a ball is kicked that they can score against us!

I really hope this season doesn’t nose-dive, play-offs looks a world away at the moment but we can’t fall into a slump, we desperately need to show a bit more nous and desire.

[Robbie]

The stats speak for themselves.

 

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

Maynard Out, get Out of My Club Notts diving into a Relegation Battle. And other such posts being screamed about on Social Media. The Booing at the end of this evening's  match told it's Own Story and lets be honest Who even the Most Loyal Notts Fan wasn't disheartened by this display? The Magpies were at Home the team facing them are bottom of the League it should have been a cut and dried 3 pointer. The way things are going Notts might not get another point this season as Fans have stated and who can blame them? Stuart Maynard may last till the end of the season or we might see Jim O'Brien back in the Caretaker Head Coach role. What ever happens, the Players must also take their share of the Blame each one should take a long hard look in the Mirror  and ask  themselves Could I Do Better? And lets face facts there are a lot of Notts players who are Not League 2 standard. Luke Williams with his man management skills could get the best out of mediocre players, but unfortunately the present Gaffer can't.

If he is to survive Stuart Maynard needs to to ditch his current game plan and start from scratch and learn how to grind out results even if it means sticking all eleven Notts players behind the ball  if it means parking the bus then park the bus and then hope to get a goal on the break. Even a 0-0 Draw is better than a loss.

[DonnyNotts]

Poor, entertaining...but poor

[Robbie]

6 hours ago, Wheelbarrow repair man said:

Maynard Out, get Out of My Club Notts diving into a Relegation Battle. And other such posts being screamed about on Social Media. The Booing at the end of this evening's  match told it's Own Story and lets be honest Who even the Most Loyal Notts Fan wasn't disheartened by this display? The Magpies were at Home the team facing them are bottom of the League it should have been a cut and dried 3 pointer. The way things are going Notts might not get another point this season as Fans have stated and who can blame them? Stuart Maynard may last till the end of the season or we might see Jim O'Brien back in the Caretaker Head Coach role. What ever happens, the Players must also take their share of the Blame each one should take a long hard look in the Mirror  and ask  themselves Could I Do Better? And lets face facts there are a lot of Notts players who are Not League 2 standard. Luke Williams with his man management skills could get the best out of mediocre players, but unfortunately the present Gaffer can't.

If he is to survive Stuart Maynard needs to to ditch his current game plan and start from scratch and learn how to grind out results even if it means sticking all eleven Notts players behind the ball  if it means parking the bus then park the bus and then hope to get a goal on the break. Even a 0-0 Draw is better than a loss.

I've been saying that for a while. Notts need to change and grind out results. Ten behind the ball, pack the midfield. Play O'Brien, stick Jatta up front, Macaulay can link up with him on the break.

 

[DangerousSausage]

What a total nightmare. I didn't seriously think we'd be in the race for automatic promotion, but I never thought we'd be dependent on the points gathered in September and October to keep us out of a relegation fight.

I was at least encouraged by the reaction each time we feel behind, we worked really hard to score our goals. So how demoralising must it be for the players to see a hopeful cross causing chaos in our box, or to witness Sutton's striker (who has the first touch of a Sunday League player) slaloming through half our defence. As well as being exhausting for us to chase the game, it gives teams like Sutton - who need every point they can get - extra motivation. If we go 2-0 up in a game like that and hold on to the ball, the opposition's heads drop and we get the points. 

Possession-based football can work just fine as long as you do the basics at the back. You can prevent the opposition creating chances by starving them of the ball ("if they cannae get the ball, they cannae score a goal"). Unfortunately we were often sloppy in possession alongside the chaos at the back.

I'm at a bit of a loss right now and Maynard probably is too. We all know we're not good enough at the back and I don't think any manager will have us keeping clean sheets regularly. That's not his fault, but I don't think chopping and changing positions and formations so often is helping. If a player isn't sure where he should be standing or what his job is, he'll be nervous, he'll overthink in some situations and that causes hesitation and mistakes.

The gung-ho football of the Burchnall/Williams years is no longer working and the team needs to evolve. In the meantime, SM needs to find a way to win with the players he's got now, otherwise that'll be someone else's job next season. 

[Fozzy]

It is embarrassing, no other word for it, Sutton have scored 40 goals all season, but 9 of them have been against us, and I hate to keep banging on about it but we had warnings in pre season that the defence wouldn’t be good enough. Then August came and it showed from the off that they weren’t good enough, what does the club do? It signs a couple of kids to bolster it. January comes and it is now evident and has an imperative need for upgrade, what does the club do? Signs another kid!

This falls on Montague and his team, they have let the club and supporters down appallingly since the start of the season, only signing Macari and Robertson that look anything like half decent is shocking (juries out on Colkett and Jatta as not seen enough).
You can’t keep signing kids and injury prone players as you are hoping rather than anticipating that they will make a difference, you have to sign solid, experienced pros as well.

Maynard is fighting a losing battle here as the players just won’t perform for him, but chopping and changing formations mid game is just asking for trouble. You can’t experiment during a game just find a system and stick to it, it’s not as if we’ve got a barn door striker on the bench that we can chuck on to cause havoc for the final 15 if chasing a game.

A lot of players need to leave in the summer, but the ones more likely to go are the ones who are actually still trying to perform.

 

 

[TheSkipper]

Defensively, it wasn't great; the keeper didn't perform well. I'd say Aiden Stone and Sam Slocombe are better. The young lad struggled and made poor decisions and clearances. Stuart Maynard is unlucky; this issue predates his arrival, and he has limited impact beyond training and squad selection. Those who booed have a right, but some are fickle fans who only support Notts when we're winning. Criticising the players is embarrassing; they're trying, and morale is low. Jim O'Brien was great and made a massive difference; without him, it could have been a repeat of the opening day against Sutton. Poor defensively, but the attacking side wasn't the problem.

[Fan of Big Tone]

Excellent post @TheSkipper well said.

[Elite_pie]

1 hour ago, TheSkipper said:

Criticising the players is embarrassing; they're trying, and morale is low. 

I saw it differently.  What happened after we got back to 3-3 was a real concern. When we should have been going all out for the winner, we were totally bossed at home by the worst team in the division. It was like we'd thrown in the towel, the lack of fight was alarming.

[AmericanPie]

No one ever criticises Jodi Jones for his weak marking and defensive duties. The second mistake, anyone else would have faced consequences for. He's a great player, but it emphasizes that errors occur, and scapegoats are formed. Dan Crowley has been truly impressive since joining; if fans can be critical and boo, he certainly has the right to silence them when performing well. If he wasn't, I would understand. Disappointed with the club, players, and fans.

[Joshua]

The emphasis must be on improving our defence. I didn’t believe Sutton deserved their lead, but they secured it, and that’s what determines matches. I thought Notts did well to re-enter the game, despite the terrible errors at the back. It demonstrated some resilience, but regardless of the circumstances, Sutton knew they could retake the lead. They can revel in this victory; it won’t prevent their relegation. Terrible winners, but they aimed to turn our fans against our players, which was achieved with ease.