Can Notts Reverse The Poor Results Against Top 7 Sides?

[Robbie]

Notts have made a good start & in their first 10 league matches they have won 5 & lost only 2.

Unfortunately, Notts have played 3 of the top teams but have lost two of them & drawn 1. That is just 1 point from those three matches. Four of their wins came against teams currently in the bottom 6.

Last season, Notts had a poor record against the top 7 sides only gaining 19 points from a possible 60.

This season Notts know that they will need to take more points from these top of the league tussles to either get into the playoffs or better still get automatic promotion.

Notts will be meeting Doncaster & Walsall soon who are in the top 7 presently, & Notts will be hoping for a positive result against those two.

Can Notts reverse this trend of poor results against the top teams in league 2? I think they can but they need to counter the way that teams are playing against them, especially at home, & Notts need to be more unpredictable in the way they play too.

Notts County may have to wait for Doncaster Rovers and Walsall to address recent issue: View

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Notts County's defeat to Port Vale on Saturday continued the Magpies' poor run of...

 

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

To be Honest @Robbie unlike you I'm not sure if they can, the Magpies seem to freeze (no that's the wrong word) show teams in the Top Seven to much Respect, they perhaps come across as lacking a Killer Punch against high Flying Teams, there is something which seems to be Missing in the team's make up something which stops the Magpies getting points from the League's Big Guns and I can't put my Finger on it, to fully explain it in this Comment Section.

How many times have we Fans seen Notts just totally out play and out class the opposition and give them a Good Hiding and then think on this Form Notts can beat ANY TEAM in this League? Then suddenly just revert back to an Ordinary run of the Mill Side. The only Conclusion I can come up with is the Fact the Magpies lack Leadership on the Pitch. Yes I know there are players who can Shout and Scream at their Team mates but that's Not the same as a Player who's skill can turn a game around, and Inspire his Team Mates and lift them to take on any opposition and beat them Regardless of their Position in the League.

[Robbie]

I think that is part of it when you say there is no leadership on the pitch @Wheelbarrow repair man 

I think that Matt Palmer has lots of respect from the players & fans but I don't think he's a leader on the pitch as such. I also don't think he's up to full fitness yet.

I think the team, the way they play, is still far too predictable for me. I just think Notts play it around at the back too much. 

If teams continue to sit back and just employ the hard press against Notts they have to counter it by either going long or quick incisive passing to get the wingers down the flanks to get behind the defenders.

If the opposition aren't giving Notts room they have to create space themselves.

In away matches Notts get more room because the home team attack Notts much more & leave space behind that Notts can exploit.

Unfortunately, space is at a premium at home & Stuart is going to have to solve this very quickly,  because every team that comes to ML will just copy each others tactics against Notts.

[Nocturnal-Magpie]

Notts don’t need to worry. The club will be promoted when it’s the right time, and it’s more important to be patient.

I might be in the minority, but the results will only come if we’re good enough. I’m happy to watch how the season unfolds.

Getting into the playoffs would be great, and promotion through the automatic spots would be a dream. But there’s still a lot of football left to play.

[Robbie]

@Nocturnal-Magpie Stuart has already improved the Notts defence no end, so that's a massive positive 

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@Robbie I Couldn't Agree More With All The Points You've Made. It would seem has with Last Season Notts Playing System has been Worked Out All and visiting Clubs will now adopt and play in a way to Frustrate the Magpies at the Lane. As you say Notts will be afforded more Space away from home which they can hopefully  exploit, saying that it's Now Down to Stuart Maynard and his Staff to work out a New System which will make the Magpies less Predicable and Put Notts on the Front Foot mainly at Home, because despite the Excellent Start Notts have had on the Road, most of their points will come from Games at Meadow Lane.

[Robbie]

Also @Wheelbarrow repair man Jodi used to take two players with him and out the game, & Crowley could exploit that space, so could others, but Jodi's not their for a while so someone else has to make that space now.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

Aye You're Right @Robbie the Question is Who? Realistically there is No One at Jodi's Level. That's why it's Down to SM to make the Changes in the Notts Game Plan. The Magpies have learned how to cope without Macca's Goals, Now they need to Do So During Jodi's Absence and his Set Of Skills.

[Robbie]

@Wheelbarrow repair man

Notts just have to go long much more than what they are doing at home. Bass needs to punt the ball upfield on more occasions.

Bass needs to kick long more when he has a goal kick to find Jatta upfield.

Tsaroulla needs to be on the left side where I think he is more effective.

Another tactic would be just to let the opposition come on to Notts & for Notts to hit on the break for once.

Just any way to create more space and room upfront needs to be found.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@Robbie

Lets hope Stuart Maynard is thinking along the Lines you've just outlined, he's been in the Job at Notts long enough to know by now, playing Pretty Football Does Not Work in this League, there are times the Magpies need To Win Ugly, either Away from the Lane or During Home Games. It Doesn't Matter how the Magpies Play, just as Long as They Win.

[Robbie]

@Wheelbarrow repair man

I agree.

Listened to Maynard's presser pre Chesterfield.

He talked about what we've been discussing. Teams using the tactic of the "sitting in a low block" when they play Notts at Meadow Lane. Notts not breaking teams down & not being clinical enough at home, 

So he knows what the problems are, he just has to solve them quickly.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@Robbie

That's Good News at least unlike Williams, Maynard seems to be up for Changing things about and Mixing things Up. But like you say he has to Solve those Problems Swiftly, because if he Doesn't the Pressure on him will Start to Build and that may begin to Force him into making Mistakes which is neither Good For The Team or Him.

[Robbie]

@Wheelbarrow repair man

Talking about the "low block that teams employ against us, I believe Notts should do the same thing to teams when Notts are away.

Notts have a good defence, & good defensive midfield players that could make that tactic work.

Sit back & hit teams on the break, is a very good tactic. Notts do have the offensive players to be able to do that. It worked quite well at Carlisle, why not do it every away game?

I think Notts could learn a lot from the Gillingham & Port Vale games.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@Robbie

Another thing Notts might try is should a player see an opportunity  have a crack at Goal instead of trying to walk the Ball into the Back of the Net. It has worked on a couple of occasions, so there's No Harm in trying to do it on a Regular Basis.

[Robbie]

You've brought up another good point there @Wheelbarrow repair man

I think Notts have been guilty of that on occasions. It was ok to a certain extent when Notts had Macca on the end of things, but now the forwards we have have a different style. 

Stuart should be instructing his players to shoot more. Didzy has a deadly curl on his shots that he needs to use much more. And the final ball into the box has to be incisive & not a hopeful ball in, like we saw against Gillingham & Port Vale.

[KingMaynard]

I think we can, but we need to be mindful of injuries because this is the biggest thing which impacts our performances. I know some fans enjoy criticising Stuart Maynard again, but he's doing well. Yes, we are defensively stronger now, but I do think compared to last season, we are weaker in the striker department, mostly due to not replacing Macaulay Langstaff. Jatta will get goals, but we can't rely on him to involve himself as other strikers might. We have to present him with a good opportunity or hope it works out.

[liampie]

ideally notts will start to pick up results against the top 7, but i think its more an issue with inform teams. league two is proving to be very tight, afc wimbledon might show its more "form" that is the problem rather than the position. then again, it could reveal its the top 7 that we do have problems with. i think they are games where we at least want to be drawing, as this would help when the points turn into a much crucial resource.

[Robbie]

I think that January is a big month in the season, where teams strengthen their squad & players leave.

I think that the January transfer window will be a big window for Notts. 

We know that Notts certainly need a new specialist striker, & someone with pace on the wings.

Then there's Dan Crowley who has not yet extended his contract. Will Notts sell him in January before his contract ends?

If so Notts will need another attacking midfielder.