Chris

Purely based on the commentary and reports I have read (of which I have read multiple), I have voted for Charlie Whitaker, who is looking like a very important young player to retain.

Just to let everyone know, @Hi Humans ツ is my eldest daughter, Ellie. Her predictions, I believe, are a joke for @super_ram. I don't know how seriously she's taking this competition, but she doesn't mean any harm.

An effective manager for lower-league teams. I feel Shrewsbury have made a sensible appointment to replace Gareth Ainsworth. I can understand why Gillingham wanted him; it hasn't worked out with Shrewsbury this season, but at Gillingham it should be smoother to transition into what their potential is.

Cal Roberts is a great player; it's a shame his injuries have impacted his career so much, but it's great to see him doing well. Scunthorpe have had a lot of problems in recent years; how they splashed the cash when they didn't really have it impacted the club. I hope with Robert's form, things are picking up for them and that he can help them gain promotion back to the EFL in the near future. It would be nice to see him playing at that level, but it's more important to just see him enjoying football.

I don't think it's constructive to pick at a keeper who's covering; the club clearly have faith, and I don't think all of the blame Sam Slocombe gets is fair. Notts treated Aidan Stone awfully; some fans did, and somehow Slocombe has proved he can be called upon when he's needed. Two players like Alex Bass would be a luxury, but I agree with the sentiment that he's good enough to be back-up. I also echo that we should ensure that we play to his strengths. When you put your focus on tactics over ability, it will always lead to weaknesses. Strengths must be factored in before you come up with a strategy and game plan. Under Luke Williams, Notts insisted that he had to play the ball out from the back, using his feet, and the problem more than anything is the players in front of him not making space. Bass becomes very vocal and annoyed when this happens; it's also part of why we concede because nobody is focusing on going forward. Modern football sees good players who are approaching the end of their playing days disregarded and treated poorly. Slocombe is perfectly fine as a League Two keeper, and looks much better with our defensive improvements, but we need to stop this backward passing when teams are wise to the movement. It's just asking for mistakes, and whilst Slocombe might have plenty of time, we need to remember he's not comfortable in this scenerio. You'd never insist a right-footed winger should use their left foot. Nor would you tell a striker to spend most of his time defending, at the cost of attacking. As I say, it's all about strengths, making space and working as a team.

Newport County are a difficult team to play at home; their ground just makes it feel more comfortable for them, and it's not an easy place to play 'pretty football'. Newport also fit the mould of being a team that is happy to bully, waste time, frustrate, and just do anything within their power to stop teams playing. They are fully capable of mixing how they play, so I would hope that between Matt Palmer and George Abbott we can control the midfield battle. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if we struggled to get shots on target but retained the usual higher amount of possession. We need to be direct and dangerous, but steady at the back. If Notts can make good movement, maybe it will prove different, but I just feel this is one of those games where Newport will either sit for the draw or shock us on the counter-attack.

Michael Appleton has been on the bounce in recent years, and if he is able to settle for the long term at Shrewsbury Town, I do think he will turn out to be a very good appointment. I rate him as a coach; he's a decent manager, but he seems attracted to clubs where I feel he would never be seen as a long-term solution unless he were finding things a breeze. Personally, I think Shrewsbury is the right kind of club for him to succeed with.

I agree, there are smaller countries that struggle to put together a national team and still find approval. I can't say I know why they aren't already recognised as an international football team, but they should be.

It's about right for MK Dons; they'll be hoping Luke Williams can do what he did for us, but I don't think the platform they offer is a suitable one. Williams would be wise to avoid rushing to jump into his next appointment, as tempting as the offer might be. If he truly wanted to be closer to his home, I fail to see how MK Dons is any better. The clubs have got bigger issues than who's in charge of the team; they really need to allow the next manager to help settle things down, and the club needs to start working together. The impression I get is that the owner and other people involved have too much say in the operation of the club. I want that player; I want that manager. Sign them; they are doing well for X club. Without any real plans.

I read it when it was first published, and I am pleased by how open Cedwyn Scott is when talking about it. Dealing with depression is hard; if you spend more time locking it up, finding a way to let it out can be hard. Sometimes it can be dismissed as "attention-seeking" when it's just the person trying to find release. This is why I feel it's important for Scott to speak so forthrightly. I am also pleased Notts did everything they could to support him, because it's one of the better parts of the club's handling of the players, and it shows just how important mental health is. I'm still disappointed he left, but that's more because I rated and liked him as a player. I do wish him all the best with Carlisle and understand that he's closer to a support network up there. He always played with the passion that we wanted from the team, so I hope it works out for him.

The role I see in David McGoldrick is a player that performs by example, and when in form is difficult to see replaced in the starting XI even at the age of 37. I can understand the comments about the reliance we have on him, but this is a sign of the quality he brings and the lack of cover for what he brings to the team. I am not suggesting we need to sign someone similar, as having difficult options is always helpful, but I am thinking about the skills players only gain from experience and having played at a much higher level. I would offer him another year, and I would hope he considered it. At this point, I don't begrudge him being one of our highest (if not the highest) earners. I think he has worked for it, and proven his worth. Though, I think moving forward we might need to offer a little less, knowing that his role could change at any point. None of us can say if he can keep going; he will know his body. I can admit I have been skeptical and a little cynical of McGoldrick at times, but there's no doubt he's been a major part in the club moving forward. If I were the club, I would see if he's interested in helping with the academy players and passing his wealth of knowledge to them in a playing/coaching role.

Having Will Jarvis fired up like he played against Crewe is very much deserving of the Man of the Match. I am hoping we can get that drive and forward-thinking from him on a consistent basis as he settles in more.

I probably won't have the time to watch the game live, but I will try to keep an eye on the score. @super_ram: fingers crossed the stand for your new TV will be set up in time for the game, as I know you will be watching. I expect updates from everyone who manages to watch the game. 😇

I know members and subscribers understand, but I had to take another step back just to get to grips with the downside to my health. I will be making every effort to crack on, and whilst I know nobody has asked for any explanations, I do feel bad about being inconsistent. I would like to thank all who subscribe and donate because it takes a huge amount of pressure off funding the site. Speaking openly, the amount in costs can be concerning with the cost of living, and everyone trying to get by with such silly prices for electricity, gas, and food. I do not take for granted the amazing support, not one bit.

@super_ram told me, but I find it hard to just watch England unless it's a major tournament. The Nations League isn't something I find all that interesting, though the backward passing is just an element of the modern game. Good win for England, but these types of games are more about introducing fringe and upcoming stars to the national team's setup in my eyes (which I support).

For me, fighters like George Foreman, Muhammad Ali, and Mike Tyson are what's missing from modern-day boxing. People like Tyson Fury would never have been able to manage any of those three, and that's what is missed. Due to the standard these days, it's rare for me to get excited about boxing in general, but I can certainly appreciate those fighters before. When I am in the mood, I do enjoy watching boxing documentaries and past fights on YouTube. It really shows the decline in the sport, where these days it's all about hyping the fight and the money, instead of a good fight itself. George Foreman will always be remembered for the great boxer he was and for his ability to sell grills faster than Hulk Hogan. My thoughts are with the Foreman family and his friends. Rest in peace, George Foreman.

You can see what David McGoldrick brings, and exactly what we have missed during his absence, but for me Nick Tsaroulla deserves my vote for all of his contributions to the game. He did very well, and took on players to open up chances. Great to have McGoldrick back, but Tsaroulla gets my vote.

I caught COVID twice; it wasn't very nice. It impacted my breathing and I had to use my inhaler again. Something I haven't done since I was about 13 or 14. For a period I was waking up in the middle of the night, being unable to breathe, which was later classified as 'long-term COVID'. It was horrible, and I felt terrible for those I know who got it. Two weeks doesn't sound all that bad to recover, but the chills and sweats, combined with tiredness and all the other nasty symptoms, I can understand why some were very cautious. It didn't help insisting that children still had to go to school; this helped the spread, and there is not much some youngsters can do. They lack the preparation and maturity to deal with this sort of thing. The worst thing that made COVID scary was that you didn't know what underlying conditions could cause more problems, and I know people who seemed healthy but passed away due to catching COVID. One of which was in their early 20s and a Notts fan. @Robbie: I am glad you avoided it.

I never felt I would live through something like COVID; it was a strange time. All the conspiracies got on my nerves, and I remember hating lockdown. The struggle to make sure you had food, etc, due to the demands created by the limits. I had a lot of discussions with supermarkets about getting Granny Pie and @super_ram theirs, as I worried that it would put them at risk. It's not like my dad could just leave my mum alone while he fetched a large amount of shopping, nor did I think he would manage. @cheeky~k8, and I basically made sure to check if anything was needed. During the period when you were told to isolate, we didn't have a lot of interaction with them at first, but we would make sure to nip by with essentials. I remember going to Asda in Hyson Green/Radford, and seeing people with shopping trolleys filled with water and toilet roll. Some of the fighting I witnessed shocked me; it showed how brain-dead and selfish some people were. I also remember some local shops increasing their prices as a means to profit at the expense of those who might need them. These places I will never support by shopping in; I would rather walk further and support one that did not. Going back to the memories of shopping, I thought to put my parents on the priority list for deliveries and, to be fair, Sainsbury's was the first to agree. ASDA and Tesco were very painful to deal with, as we spent most days constantly on the telephone. I also took to social media to highlight how my mum was bed-bound, and how my dad looked after her 24/7. Eventually, we got Tesco to agree, but they are a nightmare to deal with. Asda wasn't so bad, but there were still issues. The positive aspect of the situation was ensuring they got food delivered to them, and I think those who handled deliveries were unsung heroes during the pandemic. Whilst I hated having to queue in line with people, I got a sense of reality from going out. I also hated the period where @cheeky~k8 did all of the shopping, and refused to allow me to help because I was struggling with hEDS (hypermobile and dislocating joints). Looking back, I am amazed how poor common sense was amongst most people and all the selfishness. When the restrictions weren't so tight, and you would witness people sneezing/coughing without consideration for anyone else. Leaving used tissues on bus seats is both inconsiderate and thoughtless. Whilst mostly negative, I did feel it brought my family and some friends closer, for which I was very thankful, for that too, as it was a good distraction.

It's the first time I have seen Ilkeston Town's new crest, and whilst I am pleased they have got rid of the one which looked like it was Bristol City's. Their new one looks overdesigned at the cost of simplicity. some might like it, but I don't. It's a good thought to include the mining, but there is so much going on. I would also suggest eliminating the outer shape. The inner crest would otherwise look a lot better on its own, but it's nice to see it back.

I get the reasoning behind the thoughts shared, but Matt Palmer is creative, and the only downside to his game, to me, is the lack of goals from him. Not all midfielders will be goalscorers, but he does everything we would want in a midfielder, and he does that well. I do think he's more overlooked because he is more consistently involved in scoring, but he does make passes which open up the play. A lot of the threaded passes which put someone else through to create an assist come from his forward thinking, so I think this is an element in him not being considered so much as Man of the Match material. Yet he's usually among my candidates; it's just that I think we rely more on players in different ways, and he's someone who contributes defensively and in attack. Whereas some other players tend to be more attacking-minded, a fair comparison to me would be just how involved Jacob Bedeau is when attacking. He does both well, yet his overlapping ability and means of getting forward are part of his exceptional game. Palmer is used more as a player to transition play, to switch things up, and he commands the pace of play. Rather than being energetic, I think we know how important he is to our squad.

The council has had money to extend the lines, but keeps cancelling them, and I find it very annoying. Every time there is talk about the tram's extension, the cost tends to go up. I haven't used one for years now. I think a lot of people in Nottingham would rather see them not break down so frequently; this is another reason why I stopped using them. There's room for extensions, but the funds need to be in place and managed better. It can't be a case of "this is happening" and then, two years later, "we don't have the funds". What happened to the funds that were there to begin with? Nottingham, as a city, is one where a lot of broken promises happen. I read recently that the Broadmarsh development needs more money to flatten more of the unused land. It's no surprise that the council is facing financial difficulties.

I'm afraid I feel stumped as to who should start, but I do agree that it would be nice to see Conor Grant get the chance to make the XI. The biggest issue right now is making sure we control games, but are able to create chances. I don't think having one shot on target is acceptable for a professional team that enjoys such a high amount of possession. We need to be quicker in spells, and make instant decisions by ensuring the team makes movements to free up room that our more skilful players on target might exploit. Each game is growing in importance on the shoulders of the return of David McGoldrick and Jodi Jones. I had this conversation on Saturday with @super_ram, it's not about winning, but making sure we fight. The performance levels are quite poor, which shows in the results, but fortunately the table is still open. This game is a must-win match, or I will be concerned that doom and gloom will take over. Grimsby are a decent team, but one we should really be ensuring 3 points against, even if we are away from home. 3 wins and 2 draws for them in their last five. It's going to be tough, but the recent defeats Notts has had need to see a resurgence in their leaving everything on the pitch. If the players do, and we lose, so be it. I can accept that, as I can with not playing well, but teams like Grimsby have improved as the season progressed. Notts is experiencing setbacks at critical moments, which is proving detrimental. We navigated December, which was a tougher point than this, so I would hope we can now, in March.

I don't think the current situation has anything to do with Matt Palmer not having any form of authority as captain, but I do think David McGoldrick brings a level of experience and desire to win due to his successful stints higher up in the football pyramid. It's important that we don't start trying to pick faults where they don't exist, as for me the problem doesn't stem from him. I keep suggesting how I feel Stuart Maynard is weak at turning things around, making positive decisions to influence games which are out of reach, and despite the better second half, I would still point this out, but some of it must fall onto the players shoulders. Maynard has a difficult job, as any football manager does, but I think he needs to be braver in implementing changes before games are out of reach. I think he's quite good if things are going to plan, or we are simply outclassing teams, but he struggles if teams make it difficult. We can take the lead, and maintain it or even come back; but what we struggle with is stopping the momentum when it has swung too far in favour of the opposition. Not all decisions have to come from making changes, giving players clearer instructions in the game, or understanding why a team has the edge. Sometimes, it's none of this; it's simply that we are not creating good enough chances, and what can a manager do to change this? Instructions and quicker insights are one thing, as is ensuring that the majority of players are able to implement changes. Creatively, we can be a joy to watch, but a large amount of the time it is like trying to force chances. I think the departure of the Saunders brothers gave us a chance to bring in additional quality and, more importantly, an assistant who can give Maynard EFL experience. Personally, I think this role would be vital in assisting Maynard, as it is fair to say he is still learning and no League Two manager is perfect. He's got a lot of positives, but the negatives do seem to outweigh the positives in situations when our form is poor. I don't know if it's because he's stubborn, lacks understanding, or a mixture of many things, but I do wish he could be more practical, as games are playing out to ultimately fix what would allow us to salvage or win games. A good assistant, who fits in, along with another coach, could make a difference. It might be that nobody was available, but, all due respect to Joao Alves, I just don't think he is the right person to step up. I might be being cynical, but I think the decision is more about affording a larger playing budget and at the cost of moving forward properly. At no point am I blaming Alves; he is a good coach, but I do believe his position should have gone to someone who could give stronger support to Maynard at what is a crucial point. Knowledgeable assistants can make a big difference, and I just feel appointments like this tend to lead to mispairings and eventual sackings. I want nothing more than success for everyone within the club, but I still have my feelings and I just don't see the benefit. Many people, after Alves stepped up, were telling me how good he was, a result of the media putting out the interview with him, and I am sorry, most know nothing about him but what was said in that video. Lastly, I think signings do take time and Charlie Whitaker looks to be a good coup if we can continue to bring the best out of him and mould him further. Dan Crowley became one of those players I would refer to as a "get-out-of-jail-free card". One of those on whom the club relies too much, but Whitaker is a fresh canvas, and although he is not at the level Crowley is, I do think he could be a big part of our squad in the coming years. Maï Traoré needs time, but I can see why Notts has said that he needs time. He might not have settled just yet, and it's somewhat unfair to judge him, but he hasn't made the impact Alassana Jatta did, and what I have seen so far, he seems to be struggling more than he does well. Not all signings will have an instant impact, and we have to keep trying to get the most out of him, but I have to wonder, could the fee have been spent on a striker that could have made a quicker impact, considering we desperately need goals from someone in this role. Jatta and McGoldrick can't do it alone, and whilst we have goals across the team. If you consider our creativity and lack of converting some good chances, someone more potent could be a boost rather than needing valuable time to become good. Time spent chasing promotion can be detrimental compared to fading out of the form that took you to the top places. Traoré may do better next season, but I am unsure how he will improve without being given more time in the starting XI at the cost of someone who might contribute more. I do think he's a promising signing; it's just the 'promising' that right now stands out.

It seems a bit of a setback; this current form isn't good at all. I can put aside my frustration, because it won't help in the long term, but it seems almost like Notts are failing to meet the grade needed to finish in the automatic promotion places. I really don't believe it's because we are not good enough; I wonder if the players have doubts themselves, though. Wimbledon have pulled off a great result, they have good momentum going forward, and I wish it were us. I don't believe it's all doom and gloom, but the players must respond. Wimbledon, going into the game, had similar form to our own. They still do, to a degree, so there's hope that we can turn around these disappointing performances. A single shot on target is poor, especially with 64% possession. Something just isn't clicking right now, but the starting lineup looks more than capable of getting a result. Notts needs to start making the possession count, instead of sitting on the ball. Even the bench looks fine to turn things around, but the absence of Mai Traoré seems interesting. We can't afford any further injuries, and again it shows how much we are missing David McGoldrick. McGoldrick and Jodi Jones would be big boosts; Stuart Maynard must try to spot when things are working during games before it is too late. I wonder if fans who attended felt it was like Salford all over again? We responded well after that, so I hope we can move forward, but it's the wrong time to be losing form.