Navigating Notts Current Challenge

[Joshua]

I believe there’s a sense of fear and worry within the club, with the threat of relegation looming. However, I don’t think we’ll find ourselves in that situation. The points we’ve gathered in the first part of the season should suffice. I’m hopeful that things will start to fall into place for Stuart Maynard, as I see most of the problems stemming from the players themselves.

The team’s morale seems to be low, and they’re struggling to finish games on a positive note. I believe our promotion last season and the unity it fostered helped us climb the table initially. Having someone who could bring out the best in players certainly helped, especially after the defeat on the opening day against Sutton.

Notts has transitioned from a team that looked like they could beat anyone, to a team that’s fighting to draw, and then to a team that’s losing games, particularly ones where we start off well. If the players don’t believe they can win, that would be even more concerning.

I’m very supportive of giving Stuart Maynard time, but the more we lose and the closer we get to the bottom of the League Two table, the more I think the club will be under pressure to make a decision. The playoffs are definitely off the table, but finishing mid-table or slightly above halfway is still possible if we pull ourselves together now.

Getting out of slumps like this is tough, and losing games is hard. Winning can boost confidence and motivate players, but when the results are against you, it’s all about stopping the downward spiral and picking up whatever points are possible. Would sacking Maynard change this? I don’t think so. I believe it would lead to more problems.

[JustLikeJuve]

If Notts could secure a series of consecutive wins, even if a draw occurs, it would be beneficial. At this stage, it’s crucial to stop the losses. Considering where we are now compared to where the club was, I can understand why some fans want Stuart Maynard out. However, that’s not really the problem. The issue is how we are performing and perhaps someone else could organise the players enough to achieve better results, but we have problems that need to be addressed. Allowing Maynard to assist with this, while making the most of what we can from this season, will be more advantageous for the club in the long run.

[liampie]

i think we have just burned out, i know some people will say there are excuses being thrown around but our last campaign was very demanding on the players. we overturned a disappointing opening day but the fixtures are even more piled in league two. we have been hit with injuries, a well liked manager leave which seems like an end of a era. to say how long luke williams was here, it says a lot when it feels like he had been at the club for longer. losing him was very sad to see but i would always wish him well. he delivered something special from a good group of players but i dont think in truth he could have took us any further with the defensive issues we have. the club needs to address this, they need to make sure we have a strong group of commending centre backs. maybe some experience to help the younger lads, but i think players like connell rawlinson may have had their last season here. i hate naming names but i dont think we are any better with him in our squad. his experience ideally would be helpful for the younger lads, but hes just not clicking with us at this level. we need to think about how we can get the best out of lewis macari who will only improve with time.

[Robbie]

We have to remember that the vast majority of players in our squad were so used to winning and scoring goals match after match and breaking records along the way 

The atmosphere within the club was positive, energetic and there was a togetherness not seen at Notts for quite a while. This was from the Management, Players, the non playing staff and supporters.

There was a feeling of invincibility and that that would carry on into League 2. Apart from the first game of the season that sense of invincibility carried on, but the warning signs were already there, the number of goals being leaked and the feeling we had to score more than we conceded 

I think the game that began the slide was the home game against Mansfield, where they tore us apart in the second half.

Like any sport, what goes on in a player's head is important, if they are confident, they make less mistakes and play at a higher level, if they are not confident, mistakes creep in and they play at a lower level. We are still leaking goals, but now we are scoring less too. 

For me the whole squad has lost confidence in itself coupled with the fact that we are competing at a higher level and any loss of intensity will be punished severely.

Other factors for the slump. The great loss of Jason Turner, the poor recruitment, the change in Head Coach, the deterioration in positive atmosphere at the club, All this affects a club from top to bottom.

How do we turn things round? Win as many points as we can till season's end. Play how only this side knows how to play, by playing adventurous football again. Do the things that our opponents are scared off, attack, attack attack.

In the close season the Club needs to go into a rebuild and start again next season, with, I believe, Maynard at the helm.

 

 

[Ohh Tommy Johnson]

I think there are a lot of issues at paly here.  It is very rarely just one big thing that goes wrong in these situations.  Injuries have left us without some of our best players, we have been unable to rotate when fatigue or loss of form sets in. The disruption of having LW leave, and SM come in.  An inexperienced coaching team learning their trade, and some transfers not coming off as hoped.  Also losing Jason Turner changed the culture at the club (I'm not saying for better or worse, but a change at the top always leads to a change in culture).  The more I think about it, the more I think SM is the least of the issues. He must have shown something in the recruitment process - it wasn't a hurried process. So I  think he will be given every opportunity to show what he can do. Sadly, given a large section of the fanbase have already decided he has to go (indeed many did before he even arrived), the pressure is already really high which can't help.  Our current owners don't seem to be the panicking types, and Trew and Hardy show what happens when the owner flips and flops, so I don't think there will be changes there for a while. 

A couple of wins and a clean sheet will do wonders for fatigue and confidence, lets hope that starts tomorrow.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

Lets be Honest we can all sit at our keyboards and debate about what's gone wrong at Notts, and how we think it should be put right, but in the end it's down to the Club's owners their decision is what counts in the end. That's why I don't think they'll get rid of Stuart Maynard (yet) because it's been clear that he was the man the Brothers wanted to take over from Luke Williams, and to replace him would be an admission they got it wrong, and it's Human Nature nobody likes to admit their wrong. I would hope that the Owners and Recruitment Team are even now working on which players need to be released from their contracts, ( my thoughts on this I've expressed in another comment section on the PON site) and who should remain at the Lane for next season. And once this season is finished Stuart Maynard ( or who ever is in the Dug Out) will also have a say in which players he wants playing in the Black & White Stripes next season.  

Other than the coaching staff being looked into it would appear the Recruitment team also needs a shake up and a new head honcho be brought in, because for how many seasons have the Notts defence been a major Bug Bear with the Fans? We can see it so why can't the Recruitment team see it? But then again we can only express our opinions, the Be All and End All lies with the the Owners and So Far the Brothers haven't let the Fans down, they may have made some decisions we fans have found odd but everything has come good and I for one have faith in what they do and what ever needs doing at Notts to put things right they will do it.

[Robbie]

@Wheelbarrow repair man I believe Maynard will still be Head Coach at the beginning of next season. This squad is not his squad so I do expect a big rebuild for next season.

Favourites may well be sold on, but they will raise finance for rebuilding a squad that is a league 2 squad and not a National League squad. 

[Ohh Tommy Johnson]

I think there are a lot of issues at play here.  It is very rarely just one big thing that goes wrong in these situations.  Injuries have left us without some of our best players, we have been unable to rotate when fatigue or loss of form sets in. The disruption of having LW leave, and SM come in.  An inexperienced coaching team learning their trade, and some transfers not coming off as hoped.  Also losing Jason Turner changed the culture at the club (I'm not saying for better or worse, but a change at the top always leads to a change in culture).  The more I think about it, the more I think SM is the least of the issues. He must have shown something in the recruitment process - it wasn't a hurried process. So I  think he will be given every opportunity to show what he can do. Sadly, given a large section of the fanbase have already decided he has to go (indeed many did before he even arrived), the pressure is already really high which can't help.  Our current owners don't seem to be the panicking types, and Trew and Hardy show what happens when the owner flips and flops, so I don't think there will be changes there for a while. 

A couple of wins and a clean sheet will do wonders for fatigue and confidence, lets hope that starts tomorrow.