Chris

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.

January brought Notts County joy in the FA Cup but disappointment in League Two, but February is a fresh month and we're all hoping the Magpies can kick on. First up this month is Crewe Alexandra, who come to Meadow Lane and are likely to play before one of the largest crowds seen at the ground for years. How have the Railwaymen done in recent weeks? Who are their danger men? Pride of Nottingham's Scouting Report sheds more light on these questions and more. Head to head Notts and Crewe have played 44 times in competitive games, and we have the upper hand with 21 wins to 14 defeats, while 9 draws have taken place. The Magpies are unbeaten in their last six home league games against Crewe (three wins and three draws), finding the net at least once in all six matches (12 goals). However, the Alex are unbeaten in their last three League Two clashes against the Magpies (one win and two draws). Our last meeting came in October last year at Gresty Road, a 2-0 defeat for us. Run-down of their last six features Tuesday 26th December – Chesterfield 0 Crewe Alexandra 2 Saturday 30th December – Cambridge United 3 Crewe Alexandra 1 Monday 1st January – Crewe Alexandra 2 Grimsby Town 0 Saturday 13th January – Carlisle United 1 Crewe Alexandra 0 Saturday 20th January – Crewe Alexandra 2 Wycombe Wanderers 3 Saturday 27th January – Swindon Town 4 Crewe Alexandra 3 The Players – Fact Sheet Highest Goal Scorers; Chris Porter 12, Chris Dagnall 7, Jordan Bowery 5 and Callum Ainley 5. Persistent Foulers; Perry NG 8 yellow cards and 1 red card, Michael Raynes 7 yellow cards and 1 red card, Brad Walker 7 yellow cards and Eddie Nolan 5 yellow cards. The Key Players Crewe Alexandra have some very capable players within in midfield, none more so than Brad Walker and Tom Lowery, two very creative players. One is your typical 'grab the game by the scruff off the neck' player, whilst the other works very hard to create decent chances. Up top Chris Porter and Chris Dagnall are both strikers easily able to unlock their opposition and, despite the Alex struggling, they've done well to get their team goals. Also up front, Jordan Bowery is a decent player at League Two level – he possesses something completely different from the other two strikers and his pace can be a tricky factor. Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses Crewe Alexandra are a decent League Two outfit, they are struggling financially and, as a result have been reduced to quite a small squad. They possess a very capable midfield and strikeforce, which I am surprised they have been able to retain during this January transfer window. Crewe’s main issues are their defence and lack of confidence within the camp. On the field, they try to play football in the right way. They’re a good passing side that like to move the ball around promptly. In possession of the ball they can use it well and, can punish teams by clever play – they try to hit teams creatively and with pace. The major downfall for the Alex is their inability to defend well, individual errors often leads to scrappy goals and poor marking can often be very costly too. Also, there’s a real lack of discipline across their team and this can easily take points from what can be a very tough side – they have fighting spirit which often sees them not give up but their poor play often is more than enough to change the final outcome. Notts will have to be mindful about allowing any incidents to become out of control, whilst ensuring players are protected when on the ball. Passing wise, it just has to be direct and creative. Husin and Noble have a real chance of unlocking for our forwards and Stead, Ameobi, Bennett and even Forte could find this useful (if the latter plays). The pace will certainly be useful to have up top, as will someone of Ameobi’s mould and print. I expect Crewe to try and keep it scrappy at the back, whilst keeping the ball down within midfield – almost how Notts tend to play themselves. Winning the ball back will be key, but making use of it without forcing play would be highly beneficial. The Magpies just have to be calm on the ball, mindful and creative. This is a very good chance to ensure we crack on, however we can’t expect to go into the game at Meadow Lane and expect to steamroll the opposition. 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.

I realise that the deadline day signings have split fans' opinions, we can debate how good they appear on paper or discuss their careers so far, but the important part is to welcome any new signing into the club and hope that they can help us. Notts have fought hard this season and we have seen such a huge turnaround that even now I find it hard to believe. The club right now is experiencing a fresh start and we now have the right kind of foundations in place. Success on the pitch is often measured in quality, but also desire and I think our club has the right type of balance – although I do openly admit I had hoped for a permanent striker to sign. This said, I feel in League Two Mason Bennett does offer us something which we don’t really have and that his pace could be the thing which ignites us on the pitch - as a signing he should naturally take the burden off the midfield to score goals. It’s also important after Exeter City’s midweek win that we get back on track ourselves, as I feel the wheelbarrow doesn’t need to break just yet – this is more optimism and hope mind. Crewe Alexandra are the perfect team for us to be playing right now, especially since the great performance we put in against Swansea City in the FA Cup. That said, we need to match that performance and even attempt to outplay it. The Alex won’t be an easy pushover despite their league position, not at all and I think the fact that they play some decent ground football should test Notts. Yet their poor form is also a beneficial factor for us, as we could go into the game respectful yet be confident at the same time. On paper people will naturally think it should be easy, yet football is never straightforward and, as Notts fans, we only know too well what it’s like playing an underperforming side. The 2017-18 squad is completely different compared to previous squads and I feel they will want to see the success continue – I certainly believe they will show a lot of character as we fight for our finishing place. There’s just that underlining question of formation and, I hope after Kevin Nolan’s seen how useful it is – reverting back to it against Swansea, that he will see it makes sense to continue using 4-4-2 within the league. We would be stronger, much stronger sticking with a formation that we know inside-and-out. I fully expect Nolan to choose 4-4-2, I think he will see that the two league defeats weren’t down to much else – yet with the inclusions of our new signings, we should be stronger up top and at the back. Notts really need to put a convincing showing on Saturday, we need to forget about the attendance and just rise to the task of getting back on track. The amount of fans or potential fans shouldn’t be daunting and, if we get behind the lads – singing them on. With the Kop fully behind the game, I feel we will find our form – it’s time to start believing! 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 have earned a place in the hat for the fifth round of the FA Cup after holding Premier League side Swansea City to a 1-1 draw in Saturday's fourth-round match at Meadow Lane. The Magpies began brightly but their opponents soon stepped up a gear and had the hosts under the coash before finding the net on the stroke of half time through Luciano Narsingh. Kevin Nolan's charges were much improved in the second half, however, as Jorge Grant spurned three gilt-edged chances in quick succession. Eventually, County's pressure was rewarded as veteran striker Jon Stead turned home on the hour to draw the Magpies level and ultimately clinch a replay at the Liberty Stadium. Pride of Nottingham was at the Lane to watch the action unfold and took plenty of photos of the Notts fans. Have a look through our gallery in this week's Faces of PON, published on our Facebook page, and don't forget to tag yourself and your loved ones! 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.

Jon Stead kept up his record of scoring in every round of the FA Cup as his equaliser earned Notts County a deserved replay in a 1-1 draw with Swansea City in the fourth round. Luciano Narsingh's strike on the stroke of half-time put the Premier League's bottom club ahead at Meadow Lane but the Magpies went up a gear after the restart, with Jorge Grant coming close on three occasions in quick succession. Stead, who famously put in a superb performance for Bradford City in their fourth-round upset of Chelsea several years ago, then fired home on the hour mark to guarantee a place in the hat for round five and a replay at the Liberty Stadium next month. How did the game pan out? Pride of Nottingham's Chris takes a look with this weekend's Tactical Talk. Was the result fair? Both Notts and Swansea really went head-to-head yesterday. Swansea obviously looked full of energy and naturally looked very creative, as any Premier League team should. Notts struggled to match them at times in the first half – however over the course of the 90 minutes, the magpies’ actually improved and grew in confidence. A draw is very fair, some fans feel we should have won but honestly both teams could have done this. How did Notts play? First half we naturally did a lot of chasing, yet there wasn’t much wrong in terms of heart or performance. Notts just naturally struggled at times due to Swansea making it different through their play. One note for me is the lack of pressing at times and I feel defensively we should have shaken off the nerves sooner. In the second half, Notts really took the game to the Swans and the game became very open as a result. There was a lot of character, passion and desire in this game from a Notts perspective and reverting back to 4-4-2 really showed why we had done well in previous games before the formation switch. How did Swansea play? They played well, credit where credit is due. However, going 1-0 up there was a lot of time-wasting – in fact, I recall times even before they scored but this is quite normal in football. Swansea looked creative, very direct and they played neat overlays, which put Notts often on the back foot. The Swans were a joy to watch at times, and I feel if their strike-force had played better – the outcome might have been vastly different but this doesn’t take anything away from their performance as they did well. Did our tactics work out? Reverting to 4-4-2 must have taken some swallowing of Nolan’s pride, it was clear that 4-5-1 isn’t a formation which would work for Notts – could you imagine how many limited chances we would have had against Swansea if we hadn’t have reverted? I felt the line-up was pretty spot on, it was nice to see Terry Hawkridge starting and I felt we had a lot of width about our play – something that has been lacking even before we went to five midfielders in previous League Two games. It was clear that Kevin Nolan had told the players to go out and enjoy themselves. Notts played organised but almost with a certain level of freedom. Attacks were carefully played out, although at times passes did stray or certainly became rushed – this for me was down to nerves and, I feel the tactics were spot on. How did the referee perform? There were periods of the game that I felt he liked breaking the action up, solely just to sound his whistle but overall by the end of the game I actually felt he did alright. Second half he noticeably improved, and as a result allowed the game to flow better. It was nice to see him standing his ground when players attempted to sway his decisions, something which most recent officials haven’t done well but this referee did okay. No real complaints as such from me. Who do we play next? Focusing on the FA Cup here, it’s obvious that the fourth round replay will be against Swansea – yet it will be interesting to see who we might possibly get in the 5th round, provided we make it that far. I actually feel we stand a greater chance of upsetting them away from home. How should we play them? I sent out a tweet before the game against Swansea City echoing my thoughts on how Notts should be balanced and, defensively aware. I felt breaking out on the counter would serve us well, especially if we didn’t commit too many players forward. This would ring true playing them in our 4th round replay, it’s important that we don’t get a rush of blood and go all attacking on them. We need to build carefully, pressing them into wider positions as a way to open the game up. Jorge Grant did really well with taking a lot of the play forward, with the likes of Elliot Hewitt running himself into the ground. These will be things we must repeat when fancy Swansea next. I would like to see our two strikers stay further up the field, however if we can find a way to get the best out of Liam Noble – I feel his energy being found could give us two players to unlock any opening which may present themselves. It’s important we go and, in the process ask questions – ensuring that Swansea City’s defence doesn’t have it easy. If we pressure them in the right way, I feel a cup shock could very well be on the cards – as winning a team at their home ground often happens against the big boys as it lifts the opposition players. Swansea City fan views (from The Fans Network) Londonlisa2001: I thought we were absolutely woeful. We were a little better in the first half than the second, but we didn't give a crap. Not giving a crap and playing at half speed when you saunter out a 2 goal victory is one thing, doing it and not being able to beat a team that together quite possibly gets paid less than Bony is on is a disgrace. I didn't see it as a chance to walk around and build patterns, I saw it as a chance to give it our all (at least until safe), and score some goals in an attempt to create some confidence and put some zip and spark into our lacklustre forward line. Cockneyswan: After watching that abject performance, I think Carlos message must have been "ok if you can win it without too much effort do it, however if we lose don’t worry, we got bigger fish to fry." Unfortunately Notts co delighted with another pay day. Jackrabbit: I only saw the second half but it was obvious that County wanted it more. I sincerely hope Bony is unfit and lacking match practice because he was dreadful - slow, ponderous, clumsy and indolent. Both he and Abraham were AWOL in the goal area. A centre forward needs to be pressurising the goalkeeper, be on hand for crosses in front of the goalkeeper and be available to tuck away rebounds - neither of them were ever there when they needed to be. Abraham was our only touch of class at the start of the season. What has happened to him? Ki made mistakes but he looked classy - he passed the ball well and tried to slide balls inside the fullback for Narsingh to run on to. He doesn't deserve the special bile he gets on here. At least he looks like a footballer. Ayew must have been as underwhelmed as we were by the Swans performance because when he came on he decided he would beat County on his own. All in all Swans looked like a team that were saving themselves for a big game on Tuesday night. I thought County were terrific. 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.

Notts County have the opportunity to put their 2-1 defeat to Exeter City behind them with tonight's League Two home game against Crawley Town. How have the Red Devils been doing in the league? Who are their key players? And how are they expected to play? Pride of Nottingham's Chris takes a look in our latest Scouting Report. Head to head Notts County have played Crawley Town 11 times in their history. The first fixture between the two was on 10 November 2012 at Meadow Lane, a League One meeting which finished 1-1. Meanwhile the return fixture, played away on 9 March 2013, ended as a goalless draw. The record stands at seven Notts wins, two Crawley wins, and two draws - all games took place either in League One or League Two. Notts have won their last five games in a row agains Crawley, and seven of the last eight. Run-down of their last six features Saturday 23rd December – Accrington Stanley 2 Crawley Town 3 Tuesday 26th December – Crawley Town 0 Colchester United 2 Saturday 30th December – Crawley Town 1 Stevenage 0 Monday 1st January – Yeovil Town 1 Crawley 2 Saturday 13th January – Crawley Town 2 Barnet 0 Friday 19th January – Newport County 2 Crawley Town 1 The Players – Fact Sheet Highest Goal Scorers: Jordan Roberts 7, Enzio Boldewijn 6, Jimmy Smith 5 and Ibrahim Meite 3. Persistent Foulers: Jordan Roberts 7 yellow cards and 1 red card, Josh Yorwerth 5 yellow cards and 1 red card, Mark Randall 6 yellow cards and Jimmy Smith 3 yellow card and 1 card. The Key Players In midfield, Lewis Young is a versatile player who offers a lot of pace – the younger brother of Manchester United star Ashley Young will be a player which will be required to be marked tightly by the magpies defence. Also, Jordan Roberts is a tall posing player who has added goals to his tally this season. The creative spark within Crawley’s midfield – he has the ability to switch from an out-wide area to convert nicely within the centre park. Enzio Boldewijn is a threat up top and, on his day can really cause havoc in the oppositions defence. Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses Crawley Town are a physical but slow building team that focuses on creating chances from out wide, and hitting the opposition when space opens up. They tend to sit back in an effort to absorb the pressure, this allows them to get a good feel for the game, and ultimately understand their counterparts better. Due to this, the Red Devils can largely but put on the back foot from good play and as a direct result it puts them in danger – defensively they roll the dice a fair bit and rely on luck to survive conceding. On the ball, they like ot press deep and use aerial balls as a way to cause havoc – where pace can exploit their opposition they do show no signs of fearing taking a team on, and if losing being a goal or two down doesn’t deter them either. They’re a decent League Two team, who have the foundations to cause any side within this league problems. However, due to their style of play and inconsistent performances – they do make it an uphill task for themselves not only to remain in competition for any points but also when creating their own chances on goal. It’s clear that Notts will have to think more about how to hold the ball, whilst protecting their creative players. Frustration will also be something that Notts will have to keep in check, so it’s important that little niggles don’t become a larger concern as the game progresses – as both sides will be naturally guilty of making silly mistakes. I would like to see Notts use the flanks, as a way to gain ground but also switch to the centre of the park using timed overlaps as a way to directly cut in behind the opposition. More chances should naturally fall for both teams, however if Notts focus more on the ground and use their feet well – this will unlock the Crawley Town defence in my opinion. Set pieces and free kicks from an heading position may be an area whereby Notts could exploit. However, they shouldn’t be scared to have a shot from distance. 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.