I might sound like a perfectionist after asking this question, although I openly acknowledge that we have improved throughout the field - perhaps declining a little up front (in the goal scoring department) but overall things are much better.

However, I spent the weekend blinded due to having a bad migraine and I have only just watched the highlights against Oxford City.

I feel quite annoyed by the lack of marking and responsibility, these are the fundamental things which are costing us this season. I mean Oxford's first goal, you'd have thought there wasn't much difference between us and them. Yes form goes out the window, but we stepped off them and Duffy marks like how I walked home after being struck down by my migraine.

Honestly, I'm not saying this to moan - I just feel we need to learn to press and mark more wisely. Oxford appeared to be playing well, yet it doesn't seem like a complete performance and really I think we can consider ourselves lucky.

Thoughts? How much has the Notts defence improved in your opinion?

The club needs to strengthen the front and the back come January.

The defence has improved but they do forget the basics. Hewitt never bothered to try to block the Oxford player but given time I feel these issues will be addressed. I am hoping its something that can be fixed in training and then later in the transfer window further.

I would say the defence has been improved by specific training, to try to eliminate mistakes. How many goals conceded in the last days of Sheridan by the defence being caught in possession. By playing the ball long to Shola / Stead, it helps the defence not make its own self inflicted passing mistakes

Notts was in a self-destruct mode towards the end of Sheridan's reign.

Even then Nolan had done well to tidy things up, however the lack of pressing and trying to win the ball back does lead to us conceding. It's very basic, which is the main reason why it nags me. You waste more running backtracking than you do committing, I guess we just need to take a step back really.

Though I hope we cut some of the nonsense out.

A lot of the same issues still exist.

Notts are just better in possession now and players are up for it. In certain games the defence is awful and I think we can be lucky that we have a few unsung heroes at the back. At the start of the season many complained that we still had the same issues but choose to forget due to the league position. 

@upthepies Agreed. The margins between success and failure are so fine and our ability to score crucial goals in the last minutes of injury time, reaffrims this. Grant , is so key for our success at the moment. We are still operating with 3 of the back 4 that had taken us towards National League oblivion last season. Big question marks remain over Duffy but unless a stand out replacement can be obtained in January, maybe a loan deal, I dont really expect significant coming and goings in this forthcoming transfer window

The talk of the club debt would lead us to think that the loan system might be the only place we'll look, unless there's some decent free transfers which I presume won't be as likely due to the fact we'll need to balance the books a little.

I can't see us releasing many just for the sake of it. 

There's equal improvements to be made in all areas, not just the defence but we have only strengthened this area with two players. Dan Jones makes a big difference in my eyes and he's missed.

It's certainly improved. After 20 matches we've conceded 20 goals, compared to 34 at this stage last season (when we'd already hit 20th place) and 28 over the last 20 games of last season. So that's a continuous improvement. One goal per game on average is the same as Plymouth let in last season, and they were comfortably promoted in second.

Yes there are moments when we look shaky and you want to tear your hair out but we are for the most part robust, competitive and well organised. Personally I'd like to see Dan Jones restored to the side as he's a good footballer who offers us something else going forward. We could also do with another centre half who can really push Duffy and Brisley for a place as we're lacking that at the moment. We've been lucky to have been largely free from injuries and suspensions in that area but how long will that continue?

They have improved defensively as a unit a lot of opposition attacks are broken up in midfield by the combative Yates , put that with being fitter better organized and more confident then you have  ingredients for improvement , sure mistakes are still made and yes would be great to see s commanding centre back come in , but we are league 2 , so I kind of accept some to a degree .

theres been an improvement as a team but the defence is the weaker area. we can control games and crumble at the back, its almost like a switch and it just needs fixing. i think training can help but its not the best that it could be. we should be thankful that we have two quality keepers and a solid new cb.

The vulnerability is still there in defence but it has improved a hell of a lot.

I would agree that there needs to be further change but I think this will happen with time. It's not something I lose sleep over at all.