Chris

Prior to this past Tuesday’s game against Carlisle United at Meadow Lane, Kevin Nolan spoke about how there was ‘no mini crisis' happening at Meadow Lane. At a glance, it does seem that the two home game defeats against Crawley Town and Exeter City could be labelled down to a mistake in switching from a successful formation, whereby the tactics truly did work well with our system. However, the post-match interview did leave some questions when Nolan himself ranted about ‘the players don’t listen’, ‘we would have been okay if they had’ and that he believed some of them had started believing ‘their own hype’. The majority of fans I know merely don’t want to see Notts lose their focus, which for me has been the case – I feel the poor performances in recent weeks stem from a lack of confidence. Meanwhile, the heavy defeat in the FA Cup is something which would have naturally impacted on the players' confidence, yet provided we cover the basics and work hard – Notts should be fine. This season has seen some amazing results and for a while it seemed unlike Notts – yet again in the recent weeks things have been very disappointing. The nonsense after losing two games really disappointed me, as for the first time this highlighted how we had lost or focus on what really mattered. Focusing on ‘some’ silly comments and projecting them as if the majority of fans wanted Kevin Nolan out just seemed quite surreal for what seemed like a small error on the manager's part – again most people just feel like the league table position is something we need to fight for. It’s vital we regain some consistency within League Two, whilst ensuring focus and improved performances. This is the stage of the campaign whereby clubs that lose their momentum really do struggle and I do believe that we are capable of continuing the form. Coming into the 2017-18 season I would have happily accepted mid-table and, truth be told, I still would – provided that everyone within the Notts County camp fought for it. I wouldn’t really say we have been unlucky, some may say that we should have beaten Swansea City in the first tie and this would be fair – yet the two defeats from the formation switch in my eyes really did impact the harmony of the squad. Especially at a point when new faces were coming into the squad and then we reverted away from something we had been incredibly successful with. I also personally hope that this recent thing is nothing more than just a loss of focus from the pressure which is mounting on the club – the level of expectations might have increased but honestly most fans I know are sensible and will back the club wholeheartedly. It’s time to see Notts return to improving, focusing on what they did right in the earlier part of the season and hopefully we can cut down on the changes being made to the starting line-up. Fingers crossed this virus issue goes away, yet for me this cannot be used as an excuse. I am hopeful that a win against Newport County might bring a fresh amount of belief within the club and, that we might be able to focus on our away form which hasn’t been the best this season. It’s important we have a real crack at securing promotion this term and, I only believe it’s possible with the right focus. So let’s forget the past few weeks, let’s avoid blaming the match officials and lets just drive Notts across the finish line. COYP! Share your thoughts about this feature article on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County travel to Newport County on Saturday on the back of a victory against Carlisle United which provided much relief to the club's contingent and fans, keeping the Magpies in the playoff places. The Exiles are much improved this term compared to previous seasons but go into this game having lost their last three in League Two. Pride of Nottingham takes a closer look at Newport's form, key players and tactics in this weekend's Scouting Report. Head to head Notts have met Newport 49 times in competitive action: 26 games have been won by the Magpies, 14 by the Exiles, and there have been 9 draws. Newport won this fixture 2-1 at the tail end of last season, which saw the Exiles survive in the Football League by the skin of their teeth and prompted a pitch invasion at Rodney Parade. They haven't beaten Notts in consecutive home matches in the Football League since March 1971. The Magpies have only failed to score once in their last 14 meetings with the Exiles in all competitions, netting 30 goals in those matches. Run-down of their last six features Saturday 13th January – Grimsby Town 1 Newport County 2 Friday 19th January – Newport County 2 Crawley Town 1 Tuesday 23rd January – Newport County 1 Morecambe 1 Tuesday 30th January – Lincoln City 3 Newport County 1 Saturday 3rd February – Colchester United 2 Newport County 0 Tuesday 13th February – Mansfield Town 5 Newport County 0 The Players – Fact Sheet Highest Goalscorers: Padraig Amond 11, Shawn McCoulsky 11, Frank Nouble 8 and Joss Labadie 6. Persistent Foulers: Joss Labadie 10 yellow cards and 1 red card, Frank Nouble 9 yellow cards, Ben White 7 yellow cards and Matthew Dolan 6 yellow cards. The Key Players Former Notts midfielder Joss Labadie has been influential in Newport County’s midfield, providing assists and attacking support, and also goals to his own tally. On his day he can be a force to be reckoned with and he’s one of those players in League Two who can be considered a game changer. In attack, they have three very attacking minded players in Frank Nouble, Padraig Amond and Shawn McCoulsky – the latter being a player who causes many headaches for his counterparts' defence. Ben White is also a tricky player who likes to get forward and frequently challenges his rivals with a mix basic skill and hard work. Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses The Exiles are one of those teams you can’t just predict how they will play, but looking at their form and goals conceded you would have to fancy our chances on the day, provided Kevin Nolan’s men put in a true performance of their ability. At the back they’re very dodgy, a mix of poor zonal marking and a lack of applications means they are often punished by school boy errors at the back. On the ball, they are comfortable in possession and can make good use of it. However, they do tend to be wasteful and a lack of confidence is a major knock towards how they play or even express themselves on a pitch. If their opposition scores early or dominates the game, they generally struggle – yet hard work can often see them claw themselves back into games. It does look like their poor form is mostly down to the sheer amount of goals conceded, so it would appear likely that Notts could cause further problems by ensuring they break carefully and take any chances that present themselves on goal. As I say, defensively Newport do not look like a very good team and if we can bypass their physical side we should do well. The key would be to keep the ball moving promptly, whilst making good movement in and around their back four. Any chances from free-kicks must be used wisely and, I can see an effort easily going in if a chance presents itself – the Exiles keeper seems prone to missing saves from the top right corner. Notts must be strong in possession and, ensure that they play with strength in numbers but must avoid losing concentration at the back. Provided our defence and keeper do their jobs, it should be fairly straight forward but much of this will come down to how Kevin Nolan’s men play. There should be too many changes, and certainly 4-4-2 would give Notts some comfort, yet I would avoid isolating the front by using one striker – as they will play into the hands of Newport’s style of play which is common for League Two. Share your thoughts about this scouting report on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County return to League Two action on Saturday with a trip to Barnet, who sit bottom of the table. Although the Magpies were superb last time out in the league, winning 4-1 against Crewe, they will be eager to put the 8-1 loss to Swansea City in the FA Cup behind them while also seeking to get back into the automatic promotion places. Pride of Nottingham's latest Scouting Report provides a thorough analysis of the opposition. Head to head Notts have met Barnet just 18 times in competitive fixtures. The record stands at 10 Notts wins, 5 defeats, and 3 draws. Our last five fixtures have yielded 3 wins - including the last 2 - and 2 losses. Run-down of their last six fixtures Saturday 30th December – Exeter City 2 Barnet 1 Monday 1st January – Barnet 1 Swindon Town 2 Saturday 13th January – Crawley Town 2 Barnet 0 Saturday 20th January – Barnet 1 Lincoln City 1 Saturday 27th January – Cheltenham Town 1 Barnet 1 Saturday 3rd February – Mansfield Town 3 Barnet 1 The Players – Fact Sheet Highest Goal Scorers; Shaquile Coulthirst 10, Simeon Akinola 5, John Akinde 4 and Jamal Campbell-Ryce 4. Persistent Foulers; Jack Taylor 4 yellow cards and 1 red card, David Tutonda 6 yellow cards, Michael Nelson 4 yellow cards and Andre Blackman 2 yellow cards and 1 red card. The Key Players The Glovers Bees goalscorer Shaquile Coulthirst is a player that poses a real threat to the Notts back-four, his ability to play off the defenders shoulder – whilst maximising his pace is a real concern as he could prove very difficult to handle. In midfield, Ryan Watson is also someone who contributes to Barnets attacking ability – as his eye for a pass can be something which splits the defence and, going forward he likes to get in on the action with the strikers. Ricardo Santos at the back is someone who should be very switched on and, his simple play can be quite misleading – however the magpies’ may struggle to get the better of him due to his awareness at the back. Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses Barnet have taken a massive downward fall in recent seasons, however on their day they’re not a bad League Two outfit. They have plenty of ability across the field, with some very capable and quick players at their disposal. However, their issue greatly falls under a lack of confidence and belief within their own play. Good sides tend to punish them for their defensive relapses, yet they can score goals themselves – which isn’t something Kevin Nolan’s men should neglect to remember on the day. Performance wise, they struggle to get into games – they can have a lot of possession but fail to make use of it. Whilst they do appear decent going forward, the confidence is a massive sign when you see what they often do with the ball in the final third – often making use of scrappy play or a wonder goal to score. Defensively, they’re very poor and this is their biggest issue on the field. Nobody seems responsible to marking and, although Ricardo Santos does very well to bridge in this major lack of concentration – they aren’t exactly helping themselves. They seem a squad that’s instructed to go out and earn a point, nothing more – so they often fail to ask questions of their oppositions defence despite doing well in games. Tactically for Notts, they need to avoid being deep and inviting the Bees to attack. After the Swansea game our midfield needs to take hold of the game as early as possible and get a real feel for how the game may pan out. I fully expect Barnet to make some rash challenges, so the players will need to show no fear with silly challenges in an attempt not to be bullied when on the ball. The flanks will be a key area on the pitch for Notts and, the use of Mason Bennetts pace up top might allow for floating passing from distance to allow changes to be created in and behind the Barnet’s back four. Notts just have to be direct, build carefully and avoid rushing passes. Chances will naturally come with Notts push and use what pace we have at our disposal but it’s of great importance that we don’t leave ourselves exposed at the back or invite Barnet to play. This will require a good performance from Notts and each player must support both attacking and defensive play. Share your thoughts about this scouting report on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

How amazing would it be to see Notts make yet another round in the FA Cup? I think it would be incredible, and tomorrow night Kevin Nolan’s side will head into a game against Swansea City whereby we could progress to the 5th round. This season has been very surreal, it’s almost at the complete end of last year’s spectrum and I believe the hard work on the field is paying off dividends. It’s a tough ask from our squad playing in the fourth tier of English football to go to a Premier League side and play in such a fashion that could snatch a win. However, I feel we are very much in contention to achieve such a result and even if we don’t, it’s just nice to see the clubs name up there in the headlights. Our home tie against Swansea provided that we could match them and at times play well enough to deservedly do so. The second half at Meadow Lane was a joy to watch and I would hope that we could encourage another similar display, even if we are away from home. In the recent league game against Crewe, we rebounded very well to the opening shock of conceding early, and the players showcased a real belief in determination in getting a positive result in front of 17,000 spectators. I feel we need to approach the game forgetting about whom our opposition are, or how many divisions are between them and us. Approaching the game with the mindset that we won’t be outplayed, nor will we surrender, yet to make a solid statement and push to see just how much further we can go. There’s no reason why we can’t just go and express the type of football we want to play or achieve something which most may feel is impossible – I’ve always said that Swansea is a team I fancy our chances against. Kevin Nolan has also recently expressed his feelings towards the tie, stating that he's "really looking forward to it". "I know Swansea had another good result at the weekend so it will be a tough one, but we go there full of confidence." he added in a recent press release. Unfortunately, Swansea have also lost two key players in Wilfried Bony and Leroy Fer, who have been sidelined for the rest of the season due to serious injuries. The Premier League will also be their main focus and, despite this, I feel Carlos Carvalhal will field a side which he believes is still strong but again it may not risk a few of their other bigger named players. Regardless of who plays, I would hope we go there believing that we can continue our FA Cup journey and, I would hope there’s a high level of belief within the Notts camp. It really would be incredible to see us progress to the fifth round and take on Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. As supporters we have had a very turbulent time over the last 3 to 4 years and it’s fantastic to now see just how well Notts are doing. Alan Hardy has restored the faith of many Notts fans and Kevin Nolan has introduced a winning way to Notts – something which no fan isn’t thankful for. Now let’s go to the Liberty Stadium and showcase further that amazing turnarounds can happen if you fully set your mind on it! Share your thoughts about this feature article on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County put in one of their best performances of the season in front of the biggest Meadow Lane crowd of the 21st century in Saturday's 4-1 win over Crewe Alexandra. The Magpies endured a wobbly start as Shaun Miller drilled home on the rebound after just eight minutes for the breakthrough. However, Noor Husin struck back on the quarter-hour mark with a ferocious long-range effort before Elliott Hewitt put the hosts ahead just before half time. Hewitt then got his second of the game and County's third by finishing off a great team move on the hour mark and putting the Pies out of reach. Derby County loanee Mason Bennett then added the cherry on top late on with his debut Notts goal to wrap up a wonderful afternoon for the Black and White Army. Pride of Nottingham was at the Lane for the occasion and took photos of fans - check our gallery to see if you're in this week's Faces of PON! Share your thoughts about this week's Faces of PON on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.

Notts County came from a goal down to record a superb 4-1 win over Crewe Alexandra in Saturday's League Two encounter at a packed Meadow Lane. In front of a bumper crowd of more than 17,000 thanks to Alan Hardy's "2 for Crewe" offer, the Magpies fell behind to Shaun Miller's goal on the rebound. However, Notts were level seven minutes later when Noor Husin rifled home in a stunning drive from all of 25 yards out. Elliott Hewitt put the hosts ahead just before half time before adding a second on the hour, before Derby County loanee Mason Bennett scored on his debut to cap off a memorable win. How did the game pan out from a tactical perspective? Pride of Nottingham's Chris takes a look with this weekend's Tactical Talk. Was the result fair? As I made my way to Meadow Lane yesterday, each time I encountered a fan that I know, they spoke about how confident they were about Notts hammering Crewe. I really didn’t think this would be the case, yet on the pitch, Crewe’s opener of the game lifted Notts and it urged them on to better themselves. The win was incredible for such a huge attendance and it was pleasing to see fans re-finding the buzz of winning ways. We should have scored more when you think about it, so nobody can argue it wasn’t deserved. How did Notts play? The first 10 minutes we started very shaky, the Crewe goal had me thinking ‘here we go’ but I was proud of how Notts responded. Our midfield took much of that burden and drove towards Crewe with sheer determination! It wasn’t a case of ‘will we score’ but ‘when’. Ending the first half, Notts had played some very entertaining stuff at times and the 2-1 lead was vital. It was what I would describe as a complete performance from the back to the front, as Collin looked great in goal and our attacking play looked lethal – we really did play with a lot of confidence. How did Crewe play? Exactly as I expected and had mentioned within my scouting report. They used their physical side to attempt to intimidate Notts, whilst using scrappy play to get the edge over us at the beginning. On the ball they played some good football and always seemed capable of giving us a game. However, at the back they were woeful and failed to cope with our play. Overall, it wasn’t a ‘bad’ performance on their part – Notts were simply too good and refused to bow down to them, yet they played quite well in spells. Did our tactics work out? Absolutely! I would have liked to see Mason Bennett start. However, we got a glimpse of what he could do against a defence, which was as if a rabbit was caught in the headlights. The formation, just common sense at this stage and it gives us much more time on the ball in midfield – it allows our players to get a good understand of how to play. We attacked understanding what Crewe had about them and balanced our play according to that. Tactically Kevin Nolan was spot on and he adjusted well even when the game was completely in our hands. How did the referee perform? He seemed to like the attendance more than perhaps the Notts board, I felt some of his decisions were quite poor and at times just baffling – yet he wasn’t noticeable once we had control of the game. It could have easily been different on another day, yet a focused Notts squad took the niggles from his performance away. Who do we play next? Next up Barnet – Notts will have to put on a repeat performance as the last two games have really impressed us fans and it will be for The Bees’ to attempt to derail the progress that had been made on the pitch. How should we play them? We should approach them with the same belief and, focus as we did against Crewe. When Notts click on the field, there’s no denying how good or entertaining we can be and this match will be another perfect opportunity to build on from that had gone missing in the two home league defeats. It’s vital that we go into the game fully focused, so no blunders to open with – as the Duffy mistake against Crewe could have changed the game completely. Barnet will see our fixture against them as a way to prove themselves and quite possibly as a way to gain further momentum as they attempt to gain safety within League Two. For this reason Notts will have to focus on playing a solid game at the back, and build on any chances when going forward – allow the midfield to control the game and carve open those chances we do have the ability to create. I’d welcome seeing Mason Bennett start, we’ll know more about what type of options he will give us and I think Jon Stead has earned a break. Ameobi and Bennett would be the right options for me in attack against Barnet. As the game slows down, it will naturally open up and this is when we can reintroduce players such as Stead. It will be about remaining focus, and hopefully a good performance against Swansea City on Tuesday night might encourage our lads further – yet if we do bow out gracefully from the FA Cup, let’s not be downhearted. We have a job to finish in League Two and, I have complete faith that we do have the ability to complete it. Crewe fan views Share your thoughts about this tactical analysis piece on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans. Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.