Chris

There was a lot of focus from Notts County fans on other teams around us during the Cheltenham Town game. I saw plenty of comments about pre-season title favourites Coventry City and about the nearest threat at the moment in Luton Town. Oddly not many comments mentioned Accrington Stanley, who have performed arguably better than most would have expected so far, and are definitely a solid team for this league. With the focus mostly coming in around a team who currently sit seventh as a I write this, and of course the team immediately beneath us in second, I wanted to express my thoughts as to why we as fans shouldn’t worry about the opposition and why the team should avoid doing the same thing. There are several teams I believe are capable of gaining promotion, with a handful being that extra quality that I feel could go onto win the League Two title in 2017-18. Wycombe Wanderers and Swindon Town are two teams often missed out in discussions since both sides have somewhat become inconsistent – yet both teams have done well enough to seize top spot in the table at various points during this campaign. However, both of the above teams didn’t quite have the focus to retain a place in the top three when it ultimately mattered. And despite the first half against Cheltenham not being up to much in my opinion (it screamed a draw to me), in the second half Notts regained their focus and played very well. In fact, I feel the confidence from playing the ball along the floor really shined and it’s what we have seen in previous games i.e Lincoln City. At the moment the dry spell seems to have been overcome, with Notts starting to play with a ‘cool edge’ to their game which reinforces my belief that we can be champions this season. For any fans still doubting the quality, I really would echo comments from managers and players higher up the football pyramid about how good ‘belief’ can be and when you combine this with a ‘core spirit’ from a hard-working approach to playing, then it’s only a case of failing to push your own boundaries. Claudio Ranieri himself said of Leicester City's Premier League triumph: "It was an amazing achievement. We wanted to do something special, but no one could have believed we would do this." Although on a much smaller scale, I believe that nobody would have dreamt about Notts going to places like Wycombe and Exeter and winning in style, nor being able to avoid a home defeat at Meadow Lane in the league during 2017 so far, especially after the amount of games the club lost last season. Likewise, I doubt highly that anyone would have believed we were capable of reaching - and remaining - top come November and we are fastly approaching December now in the same position. Our sole focus should be on taking games as they come, whilst worrying not that Luton won a game 7-0, as it’s really beside the point. If we allow our focus to fall on the teams beneath us, this will only lead to caution and pressure which isn’t exactly a positive thing – at which point should we stop worrying about teams that could leapfrog us in the league table? The attitude of showing no fear works well, teams from the lower tiers who have enjoyed success in the FA Cup will know you shouldn’t fear to play football. This is exactly why I am not remotely bothered currently about the results across the league, the only time it did matter for me was last season. Perhaps if we were chasing the playoffs things might be different, it still wouldn’t attach any concern and I’m not sure why others are bothered about Luton Town – are you? At the moment things are looking very good - we aren’t worried about Kevin Nolan leaving this season, so I take the same approach to who may or not overtake us in the table. Besides, I feel some of the bad patch after Mansfield Town came from worrying too much about fixtures and we have managed to return top due to good results. Let’s hope the Magpies can keep flying high, as future success can only be built on stable foundations and these are being put into place. 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 continue to set the pace at the top of the League Two table thanks to a 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday. Jorge Grant opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when Jon Stead's layoff was convincingly rifled home by the Nottingham Forest loanee. However, the Robins restored parity against the run of play when Carl Winchester was allowed space to unleash a low shot goalwards that snuck beyond Ross Fitzsimons. Kevin Nolan's side rode their luck early in the second half but eventually came good as Grant doubled his tally with a free kick. Just a few minutes later, Shaun Brisley added a third to preserve Notts' great home league form and top spot in the table. Pride of Nottingham was at Meadow Lane for the game and interviewed several Magpies fans ahead of kickoff. Questions asked include what the fans thought of the club having had the most managers over the last 20 years and Alan Shearer's comments regarding Kevin Nolan's future at the club. Share your thoughts about this week's Meet the Fans 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.

A brace from Notts County top scorer Jorge Grant helped keep the Magpies at the top of League Two as they beat Cheltenham Town 3-1 at Meadow Lane. The loanee opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when he guided the ball into the far corner following good work from Jon Stead which culminated in a layoff into the centre. Cheltenham, however, were level just five minutes later as Carl Winchester steered home a low effort beyond Ross Fitzsimons with what was the Robins' first shot on target. Notts rode their luck but went on to retake the lead when Grant's 25-yard free-kick took a wicked deflection to wrongfoot Scott Flinders for his 13th goal of the season. The Magpies then made the game safe when a well-worked corner ended with Richard Duffy flicking towards the back post for Shaun Brisley to head home. PON's Chris photographed Notts County fans before, during and after Saturday's victory - 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 have extended their lead at the top of League Two thanks to their 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday. The Magpies took the lead on the half-hour mark through Jorge Grant following Jon Stead's layoff but Carl Winchester hit back within five minutes to equalise. However, a quickfire double from Notts in the opening stages of the second half - through Grant and Shaun Brisley - gave Nolan another home win. Here is Chris's detailed analysis of the Meadow Lane encounter. Was the result fair? The first half had 'draw' written all over it, but the second-half performance was very impressive when things clicked, and the victory is well deserved. I do feel sorry for Cheltenham in some senses, yet this is football but it was nice to see a team continue to give Notts a game even after going 3-1 down. How did Notts play? There’s very little to write about within the first half, it was scrappy and uneventful mostly. Out of nowhere Notts took the lead – at a time whereby it looked very likely to end a draw. After Cheltenham scored, our defence looked totally depleted and nervous. Second half started very lively, and the midfield pushed to take the lead and then after the game just seemed much different. It certainly wasn’t pretty at times, but overall it was a very good team performance and a well deserved three points. How did Cheltenham play? Their defence was rocky due to trying to be more offensive, I could see this being the case myself and I mentioned it within the scouting report. I disagree that they ‘played badly’, I thought they moved the ball around well and certainly gave Notts a game even after going 3-1 down. They just seemed unlikely to score, yet their goal was a brilliant move and certainly if they had of clicked themselves it could have been more difficult. Yet overall it was a decent performance, we just outplayed them in the second half but credit to Cheltenham they never gave up. Did our tactics work out? I think the way both teams started it just cancelled each other out. Prior to our goal we looked the most likely to score, but everything was just a bit uneventful due to a lack of quality on goal. In the second half things changed, and as a result Notts played with more tempo which forced the play. How did the referee perform? He was a bit baffling at times, yet I’m always going to say it – he’s the typical standard for League Two. My gripe is I felt he always seemed keen to have words with Notts players, whilst after going 3-1 up – it was like he couldn’t award any genuine foul in our favour simply because we looked likely to score. I counted at least five punishable challenges which were never given, luckily it didn't cost us in the end. Who do we play next? Yeovil Town – They’re not the same side that we played a few seasons ago, although they are a decent outfit and one that does tend to raise to playing games against teams such as Notts. How should we play them? We just have to assert the same level of pressure as we did against Cheltenham in the second half, our performance similar to how we did against Exeter City. Be confident in possession, wise on the ball and move into the areas whereby we can make the most of the space gained – if we put them under pressure I honestly think they will cave in but that said we need to avoid causing problems within our own defence. Yeovil are a side which will easily make the most of opposition indecisions at the back, and any worrying will lift them. If we can avoid making too many changes, this will also aid us but that said I do expect to see at least three – I just wouldn’t go beyond five at all. Our midfield can play in such a style that it can take the pressure of ourselves, whilst enabling confidence upfront. It’s important we strive for this, as any of our strikers could make the most of this. Cheltenham fan views (from The Robins Nest Forum) Runlistening: Conceding 2 goals in 2 minutes again.. how does this keep happening? I know this was always going to be a hard game but soon as we concede 1 you know another one is going in in 1-2 minutes... Longmover: Whatever they have been instructed to do isn't working, It's the management job to get the instructions to stick, they're (Gary Johnson's) players, he bought them in. Oldun: Oh good show! Lose to top of table team and its knives out for Gary. Now there's a surprise! Only six subs, very weak bench due to injuries and suspensions (all Gary's fault) Deflected second goal. (Gary's fault) By the way... Luton scored seven today, which shows how terrible it was not to win last week. Gary will have to go; we really can't carry on like this, not winning every time we play. And I hate sarcasm too. Another_FoD_Robin: So if we have six players on the bench Oldun whose fault is it? I thought as a football manager you bring players in and take players out. I accept budget and we can't take into account some bad luck but the bottom line is GJ is meant to bring players in to strengthen the squad. Or to ensure players coming in can do a job. GJs job is to motivate and instruct what to do during games. So on the back of game management - the players need to take responsibility too. I as an amateur player understand how to manage a game so please explain to me why players who are professional struggle. The little things add up... 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. 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Here we are in mid-November and Notts County continue to hold top spot in League Two. Up next for us is a home encounter with Cheltenham Town, who currently sit 16th in the table. How are the Robins likely to line up? What tactics could they use? What's their style of play and how should Notts counter it? Here is a thorough analysis by PON's Chris about the weekend's game and the opponents. History Notts County and Cheltenham Town have met just 10 times over the years. The first meeting came in Division 2 on 28 September 2002 at Whaddon Road, and Notts comfortably won 4-1. Notts are ahead in the head-to-head with 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses. Run-down of their last six features Saturday 7th October – Cheltenham Town 2 Swindon Town 1 Saturday 14th October – Port Vale 3 Cheltenham Town 1 Tuesday 17th October – Cheltenham Town 2 Grimsby Town 3 Saturday 21st October – Cheltenham Town 1 Lincoln City 0 Saturday 28th October – Wycombe Wanderers 3 Cheltenham Town 3 Saturday 11th November – Cheltenham Town 2 Luton Town 2 The Players – Fact Sheet Highest Goal Scorers; Mohamed Eisa 7, Kevin Dawson 6, Brian Graham 5 and Danny Wright 5. Persistent Foulers; Kevin Dawson 3 yellow cards and 1 red card, Brian Graham 4 yellow cards, Harry Pell 4 yellow cards and Jordan Cranston 3 yellow cards. The Key Players Harry Pell is the standout player for me, he’s a comfortable and confident player on the ball – who likes to make direct runs into space which allows the game to open up for Cheltenham Town. He also has a good eye for finishing and can be a treat from set pieces. Upfront Mohamed Eisa also has an eye for goal, however he’s also very skilful on the ball and likes to take on runs when possible – he naturally draws defenders onto him and this generally doesn’t affect his game. Jordan Cranston has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring and he will be missed by the Robins - he is pacey, likes to get on the ball as much as possible and influences the game positively with his passing ability. Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses Cheltenham Town tend to press their opposition which leads to some good displays, however they’re largely inconsistent in terms of their performance and often get punished due to individual mistakes. On the ball they are confident and build nicely as a unit, they make use of numbers and aren’t afraid to commit players to their attacks. However, this leaves them vulnerable at the back and due to their attacking style – this tends to invite play onto themselves. Good teams often find plenty of space and opportunities to shot on goal, but in certain situations this can cancel out play leading to scrappy play. There’s a good amount of pace within the Robins’ side and this certainly something which opposition teams can struggle against – whilst their attitude to never surrounding does mean that they can often make up for the individual mistakes which leads to them conceding. The good football that they do express can result in them controlling the game, yet this is something which doesn’t happen as often as their manager Gary Johnson may like. Notts will have to be physical to assert authority on the ball, whilst maintaining confidence under any direct pressure. Our midfield will be key to unlocking chances, however I fully expect them to be required to help with defensive duties and as such it’s important we don’t over stretch ourselves. Corners will be a useful tool for the Magpies’ and if we make use of the space which opens up from set plays, I can certainly see this as being a useful form of attack for Notts. There’s no doubt Cheltenham are a decent outfit within League Two and as such, we shouldn’t underestimate them. Share your thoughts about this Scouting Report 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.

Hello and welcome to episode 32 of the Pride of Nottingham PONcast, presented by Chris and JJ. In this week's episode we discuss Notts County's draw against Stevenage and look ahead to the League Two fixture against Cheltenham Town, with a view to what tactics the Magpies should utilise in the Meadow Lane encounter. We also touch on comments made by Alan Hardy about signing "three to four" reinforcements in January and look to who Notts should recruit, as well as which players should be moved on, either on loan or permanently. We also analyse the Sky Sports League Two Predictor picking Notts as this season's champions and talk about the club "fans" that went on Soccer AM, which led to considerable criticism by the Black and White Army on social media. All this and more only in episode 32 of the Pride of Nottingham PONcast! Share your thoughts about this week's PONcast 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.

This week, the biggest sports news company in the world officially backed Notts County to win the League Two title. The Sky Sports League Two Predictor believes that the Magpies will finish top of the standings ahead of the likes of Luton Town, Coventry City and the other big sides in the division. My initial reaction was yet again to pinch myself, as the 2017-18 League Two campaign really has been something much different than previous seasons and it’s something which I hope isn’t just the start – I hope it’s the beginning for more to come. It also seems like Notts might be turning a small corner in the way that people view the club, I actually feel like we have returned to being the family club we've always strived to be and youngsters are seeming to buy into this also. Being in a good position for promotion from League Two will naturally help, yet I feel we are becoming a fairly trendy side to support and although I would point out that it’s early days, I actually feel much of this is down to the takeover of Alan Hardy, as without him we wouldn’t have the right type of young manager at the helm. Kevin Nolan certainly adds a lot of interest and I think this is shown even more so by how he’s linked within various clubs managerial positions. But yeah, seeing the club tipped for promotion by the sports giant Sky – it seems so surreal. Even seeing the club return back to first place is something that seems different, as usually we don’t have this much luck – in fact the recent draw against Stevenage would have perhaps seen us fall down the table previously. Yet we have managed to remain top, even after a fairly frustrating dry spell too – so this says a lot about the current ambitions for the club. I’ve been saying for a while just how much difference the hard work that goes into the club makes, and if we as fans are right – well, being where we are right in November is an excellent place to be. Quite a few people have said to me that Notts haven’t given up a lead once we reached this point in the season, and I very much hope they’re right. Christmas will be the spell where we will know more, yet I have faith that we can maintain pressure on promotion this season. Provided we can continue to grind out results, yet improve and move away from the relapses within the starts to games. I’m not going to dwell on the route-one stuff, as I feel it’s being said more than enough now but we do look very good passing along the turf. And as I mentioned earlier, I hope that this point is the beginning for more to come. I honestly feel like the foundations are good and people care passionately about the club – not just in terms of us fans but the people who continue to restore the pride and traditions of this club. Stability seems like a long time due, and if we continue to see players recognised within the Team of the Week – along with Kevin Nolan in contention for the Manager of the Month award(s), than surely Sky are onto something with their backing. Although it’s flattering to be tipped for the League Two title, we still have more than half the amount of games left to be played and that’s a long way to go. I’m just mindful of the expectations and added pressure, I just feel like it doesn’t change what we left to do. Nolan and his players just have to crack on with each game as they come, whilst avoiding disruption. I’m quite content to enjoy the roller coaster remaining positive with regards to where we might finish, facts like these are nice but play no motivation towards me getting carried away at all. 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 been held to a 1-1 draw against Stevenage in Saturday's League Two encounter at Broadhall Way. Danny Newton gave the hosts the lead seven minutes before the break, but Elliott Hewitt hit back for the Magpies before the hour. Boro found themselves under pressure and had to dig deep to ensure they could hang on to a point come the final whistle. In this Article, PON's Chris looks at how both sides played from an analytical and tactical level. Was the result fair? I think the result was spot on, both teams could have claimed victory but ultimately each side cancelled the other out. Whilst both clubs have suggested that they are deserving of the win, I think neither side captured the full 90 minutes and this makes the draw very fair in my opinion. How did Notts play? Stevenage made it very difficult for Notts within the first half, however our own problems at the back meant we struggled to assert ourselves properly and this played straight into their hands. In the second half Notts were much brighter and the confidence throughout lifted, it’s one of those Jackal type performances which needed better application within the whole game but the second half was pleasing. The draw came through hard-work more than anything, but it was a much improved second half for the Magpies. How did Stevenage play? As expected, they allowed their midfield and defence to break the game up. Whilst from a creative point of view their strikers never seemed out of ideas, they threatened throughout the game and had created some very good chances which should have been converted in the first half. That said, Stevenage were very physical and at times quite thuggish but they played well. Did our tactics work out? The issues weren’t so much tactical in the first half; it was more of a case of application on behalf of certain players. We invited the play and in turn this added pressure, but tactically we were fine – a few chances during the break on how to improve and more effort meant the tactics worked out well. Notts just needed to figure this out within the first half, as it could have been a different story had we have played how we did in the second half sooner. How did the referee perform? I felt he protected Stevenage more so than Notts, however he wasn’t the worst official to referee a League Two game – yet he did seem to have an home team advantage and it was equally frustrating to see fouls on our players ignored only for a softer incident to be awarded to Stevenage. Who do we play next? Cheltenham Town – I keep seeing fans mentioning how we have ‘winnable’ games within this month, and yes this game is one I would usually have in favour for Notts but the way I see things is that any game is one we could win. The Robins are like Stevenage, they’ll make it difficult for us and as such we need to be ready to play them and of course work harder on the field. How should we play them? I think if we play well the pressure will be off us, as the defenders don’t have a Matty Godden type player to deal with. We have to be confident from the off and practical within our thinking, how Notts attacks the game will be largely make things easier – as in control we will be able to keep the ball on the ground and move it wisely. This is going to be important again, as likewise with Stevenage – Cheltenham know exactly how to play route on football. Nobody should underestimate their ability to play good football as their recent draw to Luton Town will highlight, yet there is an inconsistency to their performance and as such it’s one of those cases will they be up for it or won’t they? I would suggest with us being top of the league at this stage it would be enough to say that they will be up for it, in which case Notts needs to be prepared and ready to highlight just how deserving we are to be in this position. Another draw for me would be disappointing, yet if both teams play well for both halves’ I couldn’t complain – let’s just try to focus on playing solid football. Stevenage fan views Danny da Bass: A fair result in the end I think. Good 1st half and resilient 2nd. Smiths error was a blow but would have taken a point against the top team before the game on the back of a dire run. I though King was emence and Pett had a reasonable shift. I was happy with the back 4 line up and thought this was to nullify their physical frontline. TVC is the better CB but perhaps a little inexperienced and not so physical. Wilkes could have cost us a pen. Overall happy. Tucks: I'd have taken it before the game. On the balance of the play I'd say they edged it but not by much so probably a fair result. Rankles a bit that we conceded from such a silly error. Poor pass back from Smith and Wilko didn't looked very interested in busting a gut to get to the ball (that may be my rose tints because I don't particularly rate Wilko mind). We're still in touching distance of the play-offs and we've taken a point off the side on top of the table at present so it could be worse. Peanut: Agree that it's a good point but unless putting in a shift means running around looking lost and giving the ball away on the rare occasion you've actually shown for it, then Pett didn't have a good game 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? 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So after the diversions of the FA Cup (a 4-2 win over Bristol Rovers) and the EFL Trophy (a 2-1 defeat at Lincoln City), Notts County get back to the main task of league football. The Magpies proudly sit atop League Two and will be hoping to maintain their spot at the summit on Saturday when they take on Stevenage away. Chris has written up a scouting report for the game and discusses how Notts should line up and approach their opponents at Broadhall Way. History Notts County and Stevenage have only ever met 11 times, the first meeting coming on 17 September 2011 at Broadhall Way (known as the Lamex Stadium) - the result on that day was 2-0 to the Magpies. Our last meeting was on 4 March last season, and it proved a humbling day as Stevenage claimed a 3-0 win at Broadhall Way. Our head-to-head record is five wins for Notts, five for Stevenage, and one draw. On a knife's edge then. Run-down of their last six features Saturday 30th September – Stevenage 2 Port Vale 0 Saturday 7th October – Crewe Alexandra 1 Stevenage 0 Saturday 14th October – Luton Town 7 Stevenage 1 Tuesday 17th October – Stevenage 3 Accrington Stanley 2 Saturday 21st October – Stevenage 1 Forest Green Rovers 2 Saturday 28th October – Yeovil Town 3 Stevenage 0 The Players – Fact Sheet Highest Goal Scorers: Matt Godden 8, Danny Newton 6, Jonathan Smith 4 and Ben Kennedy 4. Persistent Foulers: Jonathan Smith 5 yellow cards, Dale Gorman 3 yellow cards and 1 red card, Luke Wilkinson 2 yellow cards and 1 red card and Joe Martin 2 yellow cards. The Key Players Matt Godden is a very confident striker at this level, he enjoys working off the opposition defence and has the ability to find time within key areas due to his exceptions understanding of the game. His ability to read the game is what makes him stand out along with his natural shooting ability. His strike partner Danny Newton is also a threat due to his knack of shooting from distance. He’s more of a standard player, yet his non-league days have aided his work-rate as he is a very hard worker both on and off the ball. Joe Martin and Thomas Pett provide the creativity within midfield, they have goals within themselves but also are key to Stevenage’s attacks. Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses Stevenage build using simple passing which allows them to build whilst having options to pack out in order to cause difficulty in terms of defending from an opposition point of view. They play the ball quite well on the ground when allowed, however they can revert to route-one football and look a very capable side within the same process. Attacking-wise they have a real time spirit, which allows them to have a good understanding on how best to use the ball. On the ball their organisation is quite good, but when pressured at the back, the defence tends to create their own problems. At the back they are a very physical team which can draw fouls, however they allow their midfield to be the creative side and as such defensively they are quite reliable. I do feel that drawing free-kicks from their defenders will be a way whereby Notts can get the ball into effective areas, whilst any player confident to have a go at goal will surely have them being mindful. Notts simply have to play the ball on the ground, move within space and just overload their back line with our pace and aerial ability. Hoofing the ball will only play into their hands, which will allow them to dictate the tempo and take hold of the game – so we must be confident within possession and understand that they will get wary when pressure is asserted onto them from a defensive point of view. Playing with an attacking mind will take the edge of the game and allow it to open up, so let’s hope that players such as Jorge Grant, Shola Ameobi and Matt Tootle can find the space to influence the game. 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.