I make no apologies for lifting an interesting post on another site, (SlockNCFC16) who has written..

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There are many facets of our team that are failing at the moment, and having gone to York today it's clear that our midfield is the most obvious area requiring improvement. I have seen on this board that some people seem to think our best player, Aborah, is too lightweight to be accommodated in midfield, and/or that he doesn't actually bring enough to the team. Well, having watched Alan Smith (or The General as some Notts fans behind me were ironically referring to him) contribute absolutely nothing whatsoever against a team bottom of the league at the start of play, I say we drop Smith for Aborah. For one thing, you can't honestly argue against Aborah's inclusion while ever Smith is playing like that, because it can't get any worse than that pitiful excuse for a performance. Banton also seems to add little to the team besides some aimless chasing, and I am struggling to see the logic behind bringing him in besides Fullarton wanting someone in the dressing room who he actually knows and can rely on.

I acknowledge that Aborah's defensive abilities leave a fair bit to be desired and that his inclusion requires at least one defensive midfielder in the side to keep balance. The fact is though that without him our attacks just go nowhere; we never find that incisive pass or quick ball out to the wingers and our strikers are reduced to chasing after scraps, which as anyone today would have seen, McLeod is just not interested in doing. Instead we faff around with it and allow the other team to get into position and see out our attacks which all end up being played in front of them, or we just hoof it quickly and give our strikers no chance against league 2 centre backs; either way we become depressingly easy to defend against.

Curtis Thompson made mistakes today, and as a young player he will make further mistakes, but I think he does a decent job as a defensive midfielder and would do better with better players like Aborah around him. Noble would also be freed of having to create chances which is clearly not his forte, and could instead focus on being that box-to-box midfielder he is best at and contributing to the score sheet more often. It wouldn't be perfect, but it would at least make us more interesting and faster going forward, and having failed to seriously trouble a team bottom of the league for any sustained period today I challenge anyone to argue that we don't require something different going forward. What's certain is that today's uncoordinated and negative nonsense, being unable to put in anything approaching a decent cross and being unable to play through the middle cannot be allowed to continue.

I should also add that I am fully aware that none of these suggestions will likely ever happen and that Mr Fullarton will almost certainly dispense of Aborah as soon as is possible (no doubt with the blessing of a Mr G Branston) but I figured I'd put it forward anyway since it seems so obvious to me as something that would make us a much more interesting and effective side.

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I echo these core sentiments.... and if there is a Transfer Committee for "departures", I hope there are people to stand up to Jamie, to say this is wrong. I felt gutted in the past when players like Masson Needham Yates Short Johnson Draper left and I will expect the same feeling if Stanley is shown the door. We need to be building sides around the "talent"

 

@Elite_pie  I know you may not be Stanley's biggest fan, given your previous postings along the lines of how many assists has he made. By playing so deep he is always the first outlet to begin attacks. Noble is normally the most forward of the midfield and consequently gets the "assists". I would hope that especially away from home a 4-5-1 formation could allow Stanley a more forward Jan Molby type pinger of the ball

It's true I'm not as keen on Aborah as some, but I would still like to include him in the team because we need some creativity in midfield.  I would definitely play him in a more advanced role, but I think that would only be effective in a 5 man midfield, and as I can't see a back 3 working that would mean only one up front.  I see him as a bit of a luxury player who would be a real asset if we put the right players around him, I'm just not convinced we have the right players to see him at his best.

1 minute ago, Elite_pie said:

It's true I'm not as keen on Aborah as some, but I would still like to include him in the team because we need some creativity in midfield.  I would definitely play him in a more advanced role, but I think that would only be effective in a 5 man midfield, and as I can't see a back 3 working that would mean only one up front.  I see him as a bit of a luxury player who would be a real asset if we put the right players around him, I'm just not convinced we have the right players to see him at his best.

You're probably right. As the defence has been so weak all season, then the flair and technical ability of Aborah can be a luxury. He probably needs to play alongside a battler, a Ricky Ravenhill. We don't really have one, apart from Thompson, and most would want Noble in the team aswell. 

This whole Aborah thing is quite silly, he's clearly a good player - he's by far one of our best signing at the start of the season. Completely more defensive than Atkinson or Bambi (Adams) and its actually their main duty to defend.

Either play him or don't, there's no need to create a panto.

Ive got to sdmit to being a Arborah fan but its winter time and i bet he aint liking the conditions......hartlepool on a cold wet miserable tuesday night.....

1 hour ago, Super_Danny_Allsopp said:

You're probably right. As the defence has been so weak all season, then the flair and technical ability of Aborah can be a luxury. He probably needs to play alongside a battler, a Ricky Ravenhill. We don't really have one, apart from Thompson, and most would want Noble in the team aswell. 

I'd agree that Aborah has flair and ability, but would say all the more reason to play him if the defence is weak. At a lot of matches this season Aborah has soaked up pressure from the opposition by his ability to retain the ball. And he provides an outlet for the defence as he has the confidence to accept a pass from then when he is being marked.

22 minutes ago, Riverleeno said:

I'd agree that Aborah has flair and ability, but would say all the more reason to play him if the defence is weak. At a lot of matches this season Aborah has soaked up pressure from the opposition by his ability to retain the ball. And he provides an outlet for the defence as he has the confidence to accept a pass from then when he is being marked.

However if our tactics are to bypass the midfield completely, it's not going to suit Aborah's game, at all. 

2 minutes ago, Super_Danny_Allsopp said:

However if our tactics are to bypass the midfield completely, it's not going to suit Aborah's game, at all. 

And it won't be the entertaining attractive football which Ray Trew said he wanted to see this season.

Just now, Riverleeno said:

And it won't be the entertaining attractive football which Ray Trew said he wanted to see this season.

Ray has probably by now lost interest again. He said Moniz re-ignited his passion, or words to that effect, but before that we had a very low budget for the division and playing defensive football aswell.

 

Ive got to sdmit to being a Arborah fan but its winter time and i bet he aint liking the conditions......hartlepool on a cold wet miserable tuesday night.....

It hats just as cold in Holland. Try the North seas coast at Ijmuiden, alkmaar or Haarlem or the wastelands of north Friesland, Groningen, leeuwaarden etc.

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15 hours ago, notts-joe said:

This whole Aborah thing is quite silly, he's clearly a good player - he's by far one of our best signing at the start of the season. Completely more defensive than Atkinson or Bambi (Adams) and its actually their main duty to defend.

Either play him or don't, there's no need to create a panto.

..a panto.....yes, we want our fans shouting at the oppositions defence "He's behind you" as he sets up another goal

@ivansneck agreed about The Netherlands. Texel was freezing.

2 hours ago, Piethagoram said:

..a panto.....yes, we want our fans shouting at the oppositions defence "He's behind you" as he sets up another goal

Oh no he didn't.

3 hours ago, ivansneck said:

It hats just as cold in Holland. Try the North seas coast at Ijmuiden, alkmaar or Haarlem or the wastelands of north Friesland, Groningen, leeuwaarden etc.

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Seconded, it doesn't just get cold in England!

It seems to me that we have a number of players who thrive in a five-man midfield, Aborah being one of them. If he plays in a four-man midfield with two wingers, we're far too exposed. If we want to let our more creative players shine, we're going to have to sacrifice a man up front.

It's frustrating - it's like buying a good jigsaw, only to find that the pieces don't fit together.

@DangerousSausage Izzy hasnt scored away from home... so think a 5 man midfield is a better bet away from home

4 hours ago, ivansneck said:

It hats just as cold in Holland. Try the North seas coast at Ijmuiden, alkmaar or Haarlem or the wastelands of north Friesland, Groningen, leeuwaarden etc.

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So your good at geography.....ivansneck....more like ivanshampton....remember him.??lol

Sadly I've been to many matches in such places! Frost bite in many of them!

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2 hours ago, DangerousSausage said:

It seems to me that we have a number of players who thrive in a five-man midfield, Aborah being one of them. If he plays in a four-man midfield with two wingers, we're far too exposed. If we want to let our more creative players shine, we're going to have to sacrifice a man up front.

It's frustrating - it's like buying a good jigsaw, only to find that the pieces don't fit together.

Why can't we play a 4-1-3-2 formation that way we could have Noble & Aborah easily in the same team.

The reason for me is that JF just wants to play hoof in into the clouds and then have the midfield running round like headless chickens looking like there actually worth having on the pitch, simple tactics require simple players, not skilled ball players..

its sad how these situations cause nothing but friction.

Supposedly from what JF said, Stanley hasn't been well and gave in a sick note.

Could this be the same as the Lee Hughes story?

Well, he has also said that he returned to training on Monday, so let's see if he makes the bench for Saturday.

Fullarton won't play him though, as it will mean he has to totally change his system in order to accommodate him. It will be a case of who goes first, Stanley, or Fullarton?

2 hours ago, notts-joe said:

Supposedly from what JF said, Stanley hasn't been well and gave in a sick note.

Could this be the same as the Lee Hughes story?

I think we should take this on face value, at first. Aborah was ill on Friday and JF has a policy that if you're not present a week in advance (for whatever reason) you're not eligible for the squad.

If this is a consistent policy, then good. Make a policy and stick to it. If this is an excuse and Aborah is playing silly buggers/has been victimised, then hopefully it can be resolved, our best player deserves to be in the squad. 

34 minutes ago, Fozzy said:

 

I'm concerned by how some fans seem to have taken a disliking to Aborah, as I feel he's fallen victim to a little 'hype' and 'sensationalizing'. I do think fans who say if Aborah doesn't make the bench within the next two games, he's probably likely not to be seen in the squad again or released. There seems to be something preventing him, I don't believe for a second it's because he don't defend.

He does, just hasn't been the same since his injury but players do tend to take time.

I hope your right SDA.

8 hours ago, notts-joe said:

I'm concerned by how some fans seem to have taken a disliking to Aborah, as I feel he's fallen victim to a little 'hype' and 'sensationalizing'. I do think fans who say if Aborah doesn't make the bench within the next two games, he's probably likely not to be seen in the squad again or released. There seems to be something preventing him, I don't believe for a second it's because he don't defend.

He does, just hasn't been the same since his injury but players do tend to take time.

I hope your right SDA.

I hope the lad can force his way back into the team as Notts need all the players to put their shoulder to the wheel. A few tricky games coming up and they need everyone to do their bit...especially on Saturday.