After the dissapointing defeat against Chesterfield, Notts are now just 3 points ahead of where they were last season when Notts were in fourth place with 61 points from 36 games. Notts went on to earn 11 points from the last 10 games to finish on 72 points.

I think we need a minimum 10 points to be sure of a playoff place. That's 3 wins from 10 plus 1 draw. I think that has to be the priority for now. I think it may be all we can ask for at the moment with suspensions & injuries.

What are your takeaways/thoughts?

A takeaway for me is we don't seem to have the big game mentality. Even before the sending off we didn't look composed and get a hold of the ball and move it around the way we usually do. When the stakes are high we don't have the calmness to go along with being on the front foot. I had the feeling we still would have lost even with 11 players.

2 minutes ago, McPie said:

A takeaway for me is we don't seem to have the big game mentality. Even before the sending off we didn't look composed and get a hold of the ball and move it around the way we usually do. When the stakes are high we don't have the calmness to go along with being on the front foot. I had the feeling we still would have lost even with 11 players.

It was similar situation under Maynard & although we managed to get ourselves through the National League playoffs under Williams, we nearly blew those massive games too.

27 minutes ago, McPie said:

A takeaway for me is we don't seem to have the big game mentality. Even before the sending off we didn't look composed and get a hold of the ball and move it around the way we usually do. When the stakes are high we don't have the calmness to go along with being on the front foot. I had the feeling we still would have lost even with 11 players.

My feelings too @McPie 

MP's instincts were to make us more solid with Platt and McDonald, Palmer and Norburn.....that's not playing 'our way', it was taking out extra insurance and paying them too much respect. In that sense, we got what we deserved. Macari might not have the gravitas, and seems like someone you can sub off, but he's been crucial to the football we've played and has been one of our most consistent performers.

Then there's the issue of playing a guy who's main strength is box-to-box pitch coverage and winning the ball back in a goal creator/scorer's position. More extra insurance - Palmer/Norburn/Iorpenda - that's 3 non-scorers right there. You should only play 2 IMO.

Agreed. Our line up didn’t look right. We were unbalanced.

I think MP was hoping that Iorpenda & Tangen would chase around and pressurise them, Norburn would give Oslmer time & room to operate and we’d be solid at the back and “repel all boarders” in the air.

None of that worked really - Dennis remained isolated, the ref came on their bus & sends Norburn off butvalkies them to get away with thuggery. We responded brilliantly, twice, to going behind but that was it - we didn’t sustain any control of the ball and we struggled to create anything in the second half. We looked “done” after an hour but Bennetts did provide some spark going forward & Iorpenda produced a cross that might have been converted.

Overall, Cook out thought us and they got away with provocation and physicality that we didn’t match or counter.

@YoopEyes said. "Overall, Cook out thought us and they got away with provocation and physicality that we didn’t match or counter".

Unfortunately we've seen many examples of that over the years. It's good that Notts have become more physical under Patto, but we are still losing the tactical battle in important games.

They certainly did a job on Norburn winding him up, & I don't think Palmer stands up against this amount of physicality either. I'd like to see Iorpenda next to Norburn in the central midfield areas. I think we are missing Robertson's tenacity too.

I also think that Grant should have played instead of Tangen. He's hardworking & never stops running. I think that against the physical teams certain Notts players are required to start to counter that physicality, like Norburn, Robertson, Ndlovu, & Grant. Unfortunately, Suspensions & injuries have hurt us.

Grant should start every game if he’s fit. He is, technically, the most gifted & creative footballer we have and whatever he lacks he makes up for with energy, effort and awareness.

He should have been in ahead of Palmer and Tangen on Sat for me. He should certainly have come on straightaway in the second half.

17 minutes ago, YoopEyes said:

Grant should start every game if he’s fit. He is, technically, the most gifted & creative footballer we have and whatever he lacks he makes up for with energy, effort and awareness.

He should have been in ahead of Palmer and Tangen on Sat for me. He should certainly have come on straightaway in the second half.

I totally agree. Grant brings such a lot to the Notts side. I don't understand why he gets so much criticism from some of the Notts fan base. He needs to be in the side for the last 10 games in my opinion.

For me the problem with not just Grant but all those who play the 10 role is a lack of end product. Yes there are moments of skill and energy, but it's the lack of goals, they just don't seem to do enough to affect the game. I think that's been our main problem this season. We have a strong defence and midfield. Strikers who are scoring goals. It's just that 10 role that is lacking for me.

The McGoldrick departure looks worse by the week

We've had some really good number 10s such as Ruben, Dan & Didzy, who had an eye for scoring goals. The first two were genuine number 10s, Didzy was a striker that was used just behind the striker & was able to adapt to the role as an AM.

Tangen has possibly been brought in to carry on that success. It will be interesting to see if he has similar success as the previous three. Whether he has the skill to do it is another thing. We haven't seen it yet.

I still believe that Grant is the best option available in the AM role at the moment.

We played better once Ollie Norburn was sent off; this needs to be addressed.

I understand that it puts more focus on playing as a team, but if Norburn had remained on the pitch, we actually might have drawn or even won. The quality is there, but I think the departure of Will Jarvis makes us look a little less of a threat, even though we barely played him. The thing about Conor Grant is that he does so much work off the ball and on it, people stick to the "he doesn't score," which can be valid, but he's almost become the new scapegoat for easy criticism without any reflection on what he does bring to the team.

Nobody always plays well, but he gives his effort, and those who were abusive towards him at Walsall (which I heard) need to reflect on players who didn't care about Notts, their performance, or the fans.

1 hour ago, Robbie said:

I still believe that Grant is the best option available in the AM role at the moment.

I don't disagree @Robbie I think MP has to work with what he has. Grant is probably the best of the current options. I can't see Jayden Luker coming back to have an impact.

@McPie I think that even if Jaden came back it would take several matches for him to get up to speed again with his teammates.

Refering to the January transfer window it looks like only Belshaw & Ndlovu have been successes up to now.

The massive issue with Grant is that because we only play 1 centre forward the attacking midfielders need score goals. He’s got got 2 goals and 2 assists and in a team like ours he should be doing better. Look at Charlie Whitaker playing in a side that is so much worse than ours yet he’s scored 9 goals... Talking about keeping Didzy maybe we should've tried just as hard to keep Whitaker.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Grant's work-rate and commitment to close down but for me he’s just a useful squad player to have. When Ruben played as a No.10 he scored goals and set them up, as did Scott, then Crowley and Didzy. I thought Hall was on the way to doing it but after he got sent off against Bristol he’s just looked off the pace.

@menzinho

Whitaker may be scoring goals for Tranmere but Tranmere have conceded 65 goals & are still not safe from relegation. Grant is a much stronger all round player than Whittaker, & he's the type of player that Patto prefers, hard working, a team player & stronger defensively.

6 hours ago, menzinho said:

The massive issue with Grant is that because we only play 1 centre forward the attacking midfielders need to score goals. He’s got got 2 goals and 2 assists and in a team like ours he should be doing better.

Absolutely correct. Getting goals and assists from your No.10s in this formation is a non-negotiable 'must have'

MP has dropped Grant multiple times now - he gets back in because nobody else can claim the shirt.

The position has been a tremendous let down, verging on a disaster. We shouldn't speak about 'best' options there, but 'least worst'

Having said that, where are we now?

Hall's form has collapsed completely. It may be too late for Luker to come back. Kouhyar was given starts there and was terrible. Iorpenda should be playing deeper. Dennis and Ndlovu are suspended. It's not looking good with Tangan (did Montague mess up or has MP botched it - our only attempt to solve our biggest issue in the window?)

So we'll have to get behind Conor Grant tonight and hope he does well. But he should know that getting a No.10 pick for a promotion-aspiring club does mean that goals and assists are expected and that's the main thing you'll be judged on.