BBC Sport

Martin Paterson: Notts County boss calls for squad streng...

Notts County head coach Martin Paterson urges the club not to be blinkered and to reinforce a squad 'running on fumes'.

Is any of that new from today, @Robbie, or all from the post-match interview?

@theAnticlough, it's from the post-match interview.

It's good that Martin Paterson is calling for reinforcements, but he needs to stress it more to the board and the decision-makers. We need another striker, perhaps two if Alassana Jatta does leave (it looks highly likely), and a keeper.

It makes it seem, by saying it to the media in the way Paterson has done, as if he knows Notts won't recruit any further.

We'll most likely sign a centre back and two midfielders.

Believing that the midfield just needs more quality or something different, when in fact we need a goalkeeper who can compete with Kelle Roos, and two strikers to give us further options up top.

@Chris, most likely on loan.

Given he said that players are running on fumes and we need extra bodies and then in the next sentence is saying we're looking at players and we're (the technical board) unified.

It's, one, suggesting they aren't, and two, that this feels like a last ditch effort to plead to the board to get players in. I'm personally not expecting what we should be and are expecting.

You get the feeling that because it's taken so long to bring someone in, that the most likely scenario is we are waiting on premiere league club transfer chain so they can release a loan player.

11 minutes ago, piedestrian said:

It's, one, suggesting they aren't, and two, that this feels like a last ditch effort to plead to the board to get players in. I'm personally not expecting what we should be and are expecting.

There's only so many loan players we can name in our match day squad and bench, so there is the risk of if our own players get injured we might get desperately close to that limit. I think the club has a tendacy of focusing on "one" player, at least in recent years and then you are surprised by the arrival more. I have no expectations of incoming players, unless Alassana Jatta does go during this transfer window.

The club must be realistic and see there's no sense of riding the entire season on two options being Matthew Dennis and Mai Traore.

I know, it's wishful thinking but without depth in the areas I mentioned I think we will have more of a challenge to be in for playoffs let alone promotion. In a few weeks time, we might be in a better position. Jayden Luker could emerge as an real option up front (when he recovers). It's safer if we act, rather than ignore the obvious.

For me it feels like we've (and I mean MP) has written off Traore, which is a huge shame because I still think he's got a lot to offer. Luker looked good when he's been playing so there are options, albeit semi untested, within.

The main sense of wonder is that have they already made the decision on Jatta by keeping him as we've not seen any movement - hence why he's reportedly disillusioned? I say it because Jatta was brought to replace Langstaff and Traore felt like he was brought because of the attention Jatta was getting.

They've both had bedding periods, but like you say @Chris we need to be on the front foot, at least until Jan and get that extra body in. Or two if we're still exploring another keeper.

I do feel like this window feels like something else is gonna happen, for better or worse.

I think this article from the BBC concentrating on a few sound bites, around the thoughts of Martin Paterson from the full post match interview were quite revealing.

Paterson stressing that he was "unified with the club" but then stressing the need for reinforcements, & making his wishes public too, does make me think that maybe we won't see any more players recruited before the window closes.

I believe we do need a new striker in to support Dennis even if Jatta doesn't leave. Paterson remarked that Dennis was running on empty during the last 20 minutes of the game on Saturday.

We know that Dennis works so hard. What will he be like after 20 games if he doesn't get enough support? We saw how Jatta's effectiveness deminished as the season wore on, & he had Didzy in the side too.

Maybe the club have news that the injured players, apart from Platt are close to coming back. It would give Notts a big boost if that was the case.

And what of Mai Traoré? He hasn't been given much of an opportunity since he joined the club. If he becomes fit he should be given a chance to show Martin what he can do, or just loan him out.

Then we have Scott Robertson & Lucas Ness, who when fit, could make a big difference to the side. Ness is regarded as our best defender so it tells me that the club might not be keen to return to the transfer market. I hope I'm wrong.

"needs reinforments" makes it sound like its more than one.

i would hope we avoid the loan market because we have more than enough already, and we need players who are more permanent. i dont think we are far from having a squad with good depth, but if we sign a defender and midfielder due to injuries, its only going to lead to questions why we signed them or what the doctor is doing. i know with matty platt out there is a rumour we are looking for a short term replacement, but surely we can make do with who we have?

there has been no update on lewis macari, he was on the bench saturday and warmed up but is he allowed to play?

The board surely can’t believe the job’s done, especially if Jatta’s heading out. It would be a disaster not to bring someone in to replace him properly.

I agree with the calls for another striker, and I’d add a keeper to that list too. It’s hard to see why Kelle Roos keeps getting minutes when others are missing out. The focus seems to have been on midfielders, but it’s strange not to strengthen the areas where we’re clearly struggling. It doesn’t quite add up.

If nothing else, we need a striker. But with the way things are at the back, a centre half might be even more urgent.

@liampie, I agree with the avoidance of the loan market. Like me after a Paneer curry, we're bloated around the middle.

If we did end up with more loans, it really says a lot that we, or rather MP, doesn't value say Robertson or Ness or Jarvis or Traore. If that's the case then loan them out or sell them. Two of that four contracts expire at the end of the season and it'll just be for nothing but lost wage and potentially weird cup games.

Another view is imagine if we did go up, based on Iorpenda, Hall, Luker, Aljofree and Cotter (and seemingly another or two loans) performances. We'd be assured that we'd be going down because we'd have lost more quality that what we've just seen in the last year.

Also, we're meant to be astute and find transactional value in players we have contracted. Another loan and I'd worry because, similar to when Ince was in charge, it's quite easy to be a team of mercenaries and become quickly jaded.

It does seem to be quite a conflicting statement when you realise that we currently have 25 outfield players at the club (and that's excluding our youngsters). We've got to get players out as well not only for registration purposes but to avoid players becoming totally disheartened and potentially disruptive because they've got 0 chance of getting into the side.

It's interesting that the two players the club spent money on recently in Jarvis and Traore are nowhere to be seen so far this season. And these are attacking players too, I do wonder if that is causing a bit of friction behind the scenes.

I agree with the points about Traore he came in halfway through the season having never played or lived in England before, some players just need a bit of time to settle and I think we'd be mad to right him off so quickly. Let's not forget he's previously spent his last few seasons in the top division in Norway and at good clubs too. His last club Fredikstad lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace recently in the Europa League Qualifier, they'd beat us comfortably.

I had Jarvis down as one of my players I thought would be key for us this season. At the back end of last season (outside of McGoldrick) I thought he was a real bright spark for us going forward.

We have signed 11 players in the summer which includes 5 on loan, two players who are fit but not selected for Saturdays game sat in the main stand watching the Barrow game now Paterson is asking for more players ? Forgive me if im wrong but havent we continually been told that the head coach job at Notts is to get the best out of the players available ? If thats the case then the two players watching from the stands that the club paid good money for should be on the bench at the very least despite what they do or do not do in training . What if we sign 3 or 4 more players and in Patersons mind they dont deliver in training do we make them watch from the stands also.

Very good point @canuckpie Every head Coach we have had have players they have preferred over others. I thought the Technical Board would stop that sort of thing happening.

I don’t think it’s strange. He’s under pressure, and managers often say things like this when results aren’t going well. Martin Paterson probably knows how the club is handling recruitment. He might feel Notts aren’t looking for the type of player he thinks we need, and he could be hoping fans speak up more. Or maybe it’s just a way to shift focus because things haven’t gone our way. I do think we need a striker. Kelle Roos might be okay, but he’s not going to win awards or keep many clean sheets. Still, the defence has to take some of the blame too.

Good Evening and welcome to Master Mind. And our first Contestant Please. Your Name?

Martin Patterson

And Your Specialized Subject?

Stating the Obvious.

I Think this Proves Patterson Isn't the Right man for the Job. The Recruitment team don't have a Clue, and the Club need to ship players out who are Not League 2 Standard.