Game 20 - The Ammies (A)

Team: Salford City

Date: 14/12/2024

Where: Moor Lane

What line-up should Stuart Maynard 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.

We will be fresh for this one after missing out from last weeks match, so I've got high hopes!

Robertson, Platt and Abbott should all be back now and we'll possibly even have Crowley back on the bench ????

It's not exactly the most intimidating of places to go and if Carlisle and Grimsby can beat them at home than we should be more than capable of picking up the 3 points!

The important games come thick and fast one after another. No less important is the trip to Salford City.

Notts will be looking forward to the return of important key players to boost their chances of getting a result on Saturday.

The match is an early kick off at 12:30 so if Notts can get a positive result by coming home with three points, Notts can jump back to fourth place before the 3pm matches.

This would be my side to face Salford..

Bass, Macari, Platt, Bedeau, Tsaroulla, Palmer, Abbott, Austin, McGoldrick, Brown, Jatta.

Subs.

Scott, Ness, Robertson Slocombe, Hinchy, Gordon, M Cisse

Strong side, & a fairly strong bench. I think there's a good chance of a win here if Notts play at their best 

I'll go for 2:1'Notts.

After listening to Stuart's pre Salford presser, Dan Crowley is available for selection against Salford, so I expect him to be on the bench.

We have to take into account Fans match fitness will need to improve for him to be 100%

And more good news. Grant & Edwards are doing light training, & non contact ball work.

If Brown starts, it will be effectively be 11 vs 10. I think SM knows this so he won't start hopefully. 

Salford are hit and miss. They are nothing special but are capable of a decent performance. They are the very definition of mid table team. I think we will win this 1-0. A badly needed 3 points for sure. 

It's Matchday.

 

We need a win to boost confidence. COME ON YOU PIES!

Notts team to face Salford.

Dan is back, so is Abbott & Platt.

Ness in for Macari.

 

The match is underway.

 

Update.

 

Goal for Salford.

 

Update.

 

Goal Salford.

 

Update.

 

Half time. Much to do.

Mark Stallard: 'We said before the game the difference would be in both penalty areas. Salford have been clinical.'

Salford thoroughly deserve their lead at half time, they are playing really well, when a Notts player has the ball there’s 2 or 3 players surrounding them, they are hunting in packs giving Notts no time on the ball. Bass looks very nervy, Salfords first goal was a gift.

I hope Maynard can sort it out in the second half.

Second Half begins 

CMON U PIES!!!

Update.

 

Goal to Salford.

 

Update 

Substitutions for Notts.

 

Final Score.

Mark Stallard: 'In a nutshell they just were not good enough today. Today is the first day I would say performance was nowhere near, we got beat in every department.'

Well that must rank as the worst result of the season, we never really looked like scoring, Jatta had a great chance at 0-0 but apart from that there was only one other shot on goal.

Only 2 points in 5 games now, this isn’t good enough.

That was a hard watch.

Dissapointing result today. I think we were outplayed in every department and that is so unlike Notts over the last couple of years.

The first goal was absolutely key and it stemmed from another bad error of judgement at the back once again.

Every team that plays Notts waits for these opportunities to come because Notts keep giving them to opponents.

Notts have never been able to counteract the high press by our opponents and until they do, I don't think that we will get success in this league.

In this league a team needs some players that can be physical and mix it with the opposition. The team also needs to be able to change their playing style when it is required.

Salford had a plan and it worked perfectly for them. Notts just couldn't counter act it. 

I think Notts have very good players & they can be successful, & with a few more additions in January they can turn things around, but I think the playing style has to change, especially how they build from the back.

Where to start? There's no point in sacking SM. The owners want to play a certain way and that won't change under a new manager.

The style of play favoured by the owners is not suitable in League Two unless you bring in players of a League One standard. That won't happen. 

We were shocking today. Rubbish. Hopefully the improvement starts now. 

Latest table after Saturday's matches. Notts in 11th place just 3 points from the playoffs.