menzinho

I think the signing of Richardson earlier in the week shows we are committing to playing a 3-5-2 formation now (at least as our ‘plan a’ anyway). I expect he’ll start and with him and Joel in the wing-back positions, that’s about as strong as you can get at this level. Southend are in free fall at the moment, they could well be on for 3 successive relegations. As Dover are as good as relegated that leaves two relegation spots, that’ll help but it’s still not looking good for them. We come into the game refreshed and with everyone raring to go and I think if we get an early goal Southend could be in for a bit of punishing chasing shadows kind of game. Looking at the table you’d think this game has home win written all over it, but you can never be sure with Notts!

Pleased, but I think I’d describe that performance as a bit messy and disjointed. J’OB kind of changed the game for us. Even though it wasn’t exactly great from us. Too many times we passed the ball and got no-where or tried to play a perfect 60-yard ball. We didn’t play through the lines or move the ball quickly enough in the transitions. The first half was a bit of mirror football, very similar not much in it at all. Then second half Dagenham came out tried for 10 minutes and then where like, “nah we’ll just stick with the 1-1 thanks”. The game was there for us to win it and we did, eventually! I’m still not sold on Cal in CM, when he was up the pitch on the right-hand side you saw what he’s about, two brilliant balls one for the goal the other a should be goal for Ruben. I want to see Cal back in that RW position...

We're pretty good at ML at the moment, but I agree Dagenham aren't a team to be underestimated. They seem to go through spells of being either really poor or really good. They started the season really well, then really struggled. However they are capable of smashing a few goals in. Just got to hope the memories and dread from the 3-1 loss here last season is still lingering for them! In terms of us, we've settled back on the 3-5-2 and the team kind of picks itself at the moment. I don't think J'OB will come straight back into first 11 and I can't see Mitchell displacing either Ruben or Wootton. Hopefully we're not becoming too predictable to play at the moment, I'd like to see us get back to creating a bit more (and scoring more!) I've suddenly become a bit superstitious about predicting the score, haven't done it since the three straight losses!

All in all considering their home form it’s not a bad result, just the loss at the weekend means 1 point from 2 games so we really need a win against Dagenham to just make sure we don’t start to fall away. No-one above us won and Grimsby, Halifax and Bromley all lost so that’s a point gained on them! And it’s great that Altrincham scored two late goals against Chesterfield… Good wins for Wrexham and Stockport, is that the two big money teams slowly on the rise now?

Really pleased for Mitchell, gets his two goals against Tamworth but wasn't able to keep his place and keep that possible momentum going. It’s really hard for a striker to be in and out the team, he didn’t have much time on the pitch but he was desperate to make an impact. Probably a shame Ruben couldn’t get a goal in-front of his parents but in the grand scheme of things it’s a minor inconvenience on what was an otherwise great day and team performance. And smashing the attendance record, almost makes you feel like the NL isn’t that bad after all!

It’s going to be a big crowd, hopefully record breaking too! It would be nice to beat it by a good few hundred as well. 12,000 fans in attendance would be incredible. We tend to do well with a big crowd at ML, the atmosphere should be even better than Stockport and that will help spur the players on. Solihull will absolutely want to spoil the occasion but I hope the crowd makes it a little too daunting for them. Picking the team is quite a challenge at the minute (a good one) Cal’s form isn’t great at the moment, but a game like this is where he really could shine. Then you've got the likes of Vincent and Nemane who probably deserve to start. Some big choices for IB to make.

Yeah, pleased with the result and the performance. Agree with IB post match comments that it was a shame we couldn't push on a get another goal. Now it's our turn to play at home, and given the draw is made tonight it could potentially be even more of an incentive if we draw either a L1 team (or Mansfield). It showed that the gap to the NL and L2 isn't much if anything nowadays, I'm currently watching Dagenham v Salford just waiting for the 2nd round draw and although Salford are 1-0 up there's not a lot in it and it could easily be 1-1...

I can't see IB making lots of changes, if anything I think the choice is whether to start with the team that finished against Grimsby or stick with the 3-5-2. I think it'll be close and it's the first game in a long time where we go into a game under no real pressure so will that suit us more? Players should be up for it though and I see no reason why we can't provide a little cup upset. Can't remember why it's a Sunday though, is it on the BBC Sport website or something? There's only 3 FA Cup games on at 3 o'clock surely they're aren't going to put final score on just for that!

7 from 9. Terrific response, in a week that could’ve seen us really lose ground we’re now 5 points off the top and with so many games still to go we just need to be in and around there. That was never going to be a 2-0 walk-over kind of game, yes attacking performance not the best but we know what we are capable of on our day. It’s a massive plus to see the defensive side of us look so much more assured recently. Think the stat is that we’ve not lost a game with Cameron and Rawlinson in the side. Long may that continue!

Another big crowd which in a weird way probably suits us at the minute. And it’s likely both of Grimsby’s main strikers/attackers McAtee (6 goals) and Taylor (5 goals) are out so it’ll be as good a time as ever to play them. They play a 4-2-3-1/4-4-1-1 so I think sticking with the 3-5-2 will be of use. This is from their paper about Grimsby’s midfield after the Wealdstone game: “Wealdstone had an extra man in there and it was evident as they popped the ball around and picked up pockets of space with ease”. And our 3 centre backs could easily pass the ball out by the sounds of it, this is on their striker, John-Lewis: “Held the ball up well at times but struggled to press Wealdstone's defenders as they played the ball out of the back.” Only problem we have now is, where do you play Roberts in a 3-5-2? ????‍♂️ He’s just not someone who I think fits in a midfield 3… Overall I’d be happy with a draw considering their home form.

Heading in the right direction? Loved it today, admittedly after we gave away the pen and then the two corners that followed, I absolutely thought we we’re going to throw the game away inside those last 2 mins. But credit to the players we didn’t! Absolutely deserved the win. It was a really good performance, everyone played well and the things I’d maybe questioned like the ability to get stuck in and manage a game were put to bed (for now!). Bring on Bromley!

Antoni Sarcevic is on the verge of signing for them! ???? Just got promoted to league 1 with Bolton and is their captain, he's a very good player... Stockport spending big, again!

Apparently Stockport have sold around 1,800 tickets! It’s going to feel like/is a big game. The result against Tamworth was a boost but they are two levels below and Stockport’s players will be considerably better. I’d expect the likes of Palmer, J’OB and Cameron all back in the starting line-up. And it’s a massive bonus that Rawlinson will be in contention for this game too. I’d stick to a 3-5-2 personally, especially if Roberts is out. Then you’ve got the option to play Rodrigues upfront or drop him into midfield and play Mitchell with Woots. We could switch back to a 4 man defence and bring Nemane on if it isn't working out. No idea what the final score will be, wouldn’t be that shocked if we lost, equally wouldn’t be shocked if we won 3-0. All I know is that we don’t seem to do boring games at ML at the minute…

That is very generous of you to give them a game against 10 men! ????????

Much needed win and thank god we got to play Yeovil when we did because they sounded pretty toothless. Probably should’ve scored more, but given the recent results I’m not complaining. We really are quite a threat from set-pieces now, that’s another goal from a corner. Ruben had a good day, he’s back in goal-scoring form. And Cameron back too, I think he will have given everyone a boost going into that game. Mini-crisis averted!

I don’t quite know how we got ourselves into the situation of being overran like that. Where was the midfield for that goal? Why was it just Sam there? But yeah I totally agree he doesn’t do enough to stop the initial run, he's got to at least try and tackle him.

I can see why emotions were running high after the game. They went head to head by all accounts but that IB said it was a nothing incident just "handbags". The red card really got them fired up and in a weird way I wonder if had been 11 v 11 would they have got the same result? (We wouldn’t have had 10 mins of injury time that’s for sure). Sometimes in games red cards do inspire teams, us v Dagenham and Sutton last year just two examples. That said there’s obviously something not right to just capitulate like that. I’ve have liked have been at the game just to see the comparisons between that and the Woking game.

Halifax fans will say that’s justice for the red card but c’mon we had to see that through! I don’t know what to say…

I’m just hoping we can get a win, we’re going there with a point to prove now. A good result will show the character and desire of the squad.

I thought we started the game well and deservingly went in 1-0 up. Their disallowed goal was a sign of what they are all about but we desperately needed to get a 2nd goal and then once Woking scored we just fell apart… 4-1 flattered them but I agree we’ve only got ourselves to blame for the loss. They were massive and their game is all about physicality, but for 70 minutes we pretty much dealt with it. Once the second goal goes in we just lost all thought and composure though. Our approach is admirable but you need a balance and for me yesterday in the end we got bullied. Woking is one of those games where you want (need) Cameron and Rawlinson. And to top off the bad result, it sounds like Knight is injured again.

Hopefully Lacey will return, I agree Woking will be a lot more direct than Altrincham so he’ll be needed. They are a big team but they were slow at the back last season. Knight and Knowles caused them so many problems with their running in behind and I think we’ll need Nemane and Mitchell to do the same. With Roberts out if you go back to Woots and Ruben upfront like last season in a 3-5-2 then I’m not sure where Nemane/Mitchell would play… You’d have to go 4-2-3-1 with Ruben in behind, Mitchell on the left and Nemane the right... Effiong will probably have a masterclass against us and I've no idea what the score will be but I’ve got a feeling it’ll be a bit of a goal fest (cue drab 0-0 draw).

@allardyces tash do I need to take full responsibility for the loss now ? ???? In all seriousness it sounded poor, really poor. Off the pace all game, we’ve seen it in spells in games before but to be slow ponderous and off it all game just isn’t good enough. Thought that the injuries to the defensive players might have galvanised the attacking players but obviously not… Probably the most unsurprising thing was Cal got his 5th yellow card. It's days like these when you just think, I hate being in the national league.

I’ve had a look at their squad and they got some decent players, some players that were really good a few years ago. Players like Ben Pringle and AJ Leitch-Smith, it’ll be interesting to see if they’ve still ‘got it.’ I was impressed with them (and us) at the game at Meadow Lane last season, think the second meeting was a bit forgettable though. IB's big choice will be whether to play Chicksen or our new loanee, Brennan. Personally if we are going with a back three I think Chicksen deserves the start… A back four, Brennan probably would be better suited to partner Lacey. Can we keep our unbeaten start going? I hope so. I think it’ll be close though and so I’ll go for another hard-fought win. Altrincham 0 Notts 1. Rodrigues to score.

Far from our best, first half was sluggish almost everyone was off their game and it was far too easy for Maidenhead. Better second half though, we limited Maidenhead’s threats and looked more solid. Good to see Cameron has replaced Ellis nicely as a real threat in the oppositions box too. Did Lacey really get a touch? I was too far away to tell. I do still wonder if we need a more physically dominant midfielder though, someone who will break up play more and just be a general nuisance for opposing midfielders… I know we’re yet to see Vincent but I don’t think he’s exactly a brute!

Got to be slightly disappointed with that, strange that we went there last year played terribly, scored a fluke goal and won. Whereas yesterday the performance was better but we only got a point. That’s football for you though. I don’t think we created enough even though we dominated the play for the majority of the game. Will wait to see the highlights in regards to the potential penalty on Ruben but IB thought it should’ve been given. Weymouth defended well by the sounds of it and they had a guy in midfield Mussa who was big, strong and everywhere - I’m sure we will be tracking him now. Important now that we win on Tuesday, that way the draw won’t feel like a bad result.