CliftonMagpie

He has said all the things you would want to hear from a loan signing: he is here to prove himself, to be part of the team, and to help bring success. The talk of something special is something that many optimistic fans can feel about the season. Having a young defender come in makes perfect sense to me. It is not a loan signing for the sake of it, but rather an addition of quality, which is nice to see.

The game was very good. Notts played in such a way that they struggled, and credit to Alfreton, they acknowledged how good of a team we were. I don’t think they had much chance to get going because we wanted the ball so much. It’s difficult to defend, and what made it worse for Alfreton is that we fielded such a strong squad with the intention of giving them longer in the game.

I’m not listening to anything yet. Do you have any suggestions? One thing I want to do is listen to old albums in-depth.

David McGoldrick will be an essential player in our quest to achieve back-to-back promotions. While some fans may prefer to take things one step at a time, it is important that we have faith in the abilities of this squad. Luke Williams, in particular, is a real driving force behind the team’s success. It is heartening to see experienced players such as McGoldrick and O’Brien thriving under his guidance. Watching the training videos released by the club, it is clear that the team is focused and determined, yet still able to enjoy themselves and have a good time. Maintaining this balance between focus and enjoyment is crucial for success on the pitch. The smiles and laughter evident in these videos are a testament to the positive morale within the team, which can only serve to benefit us in our pursuit of success.

What I like about David McGoldrick is that he’s always talking to the players around him, he’s always smiling too! His homecoming gives us a fairytale type story and on the back of promotion from the National League last season, well it brings optimism with it too. I have enjoyed seeing him so far, I think once the season begins we’ll start to see more of the class he brings. His experience from his days in the Championship and Premier League is going to be a big boost for us.

I find it suspicious that @super_ram first attended a Notts game at Meadow Lane, rather than at the Baseball Ground and some other random team. It’s starting to paint a very clear picture, that tells me he is indeed a secret Notts County fan first and foremost. This Super_Ram is trying to keep his secret going, but I have said it before we can tell he loves Notts more! Can we have a whip-round to buy him a proper football shirt? ???? This is a lovely and excellent read, I am only pulling your leg Super!

It’s good to have people like Tobi around. He seems to have recovered from his injuries, and from what I’ve seen of him during the pre-season, my confidence in his ability has increased. He appears to be a great guy who will boost morale in the dressing room. Luke Williams’ comment about charging him on the coach for away games is amusing, as is the campaign to have him do every post-match interview. The media team might consider giving Tobi a camera to capture a behind-the-scenes look at the club.

@Chris Is it Brad McGowan? He played for Alfreton Town.

After seeing the goal, Notts moved the ball well and Cedwyn Scott’s finish was very tidy. In time, we will have players splitting the opposition’s defence. I have full faith that David McGoldrick and Dan Crowley will be able to do this, but we must be mindful that this is still a workout focused on experimenting and trying new things. It was a good performance in terms of possession and retaining the ball, as this builds confidence.

It’s going to be a good test to see Notts playing Boston United. I hope that Luke Williams continues to give some of the youngsters game time. It’s always exciting to see new talent on the pitch. I’m also hoping that Sam Slocombe is close to making a return. Fitness is key in these pre-season games, and it will be a good run out for the team. Fingers crossed for a great match!

I appreciate that the club and Luke Williams are addressing this issue head-on, as it instils confidence in their abilities. Some managers prefer to avoid discussing ongoing concerns to prevent panic or negative feedback, but I believe this only generates more concern. For example, with Junior Morias, when we don’t know what’s happening, it’s easy to forget about him and assume he’s been forgotten. However, it may just be a minor issue preventing him from starting pre-season. Addressing issues directly is wise, although the longer Morias struggles, the more I question his acquisition. Nonetheless, I have faith that he will eventually come good.

The home friendlies have shown us how we need to prepare defensively. Those were very good exercises for that, and I think Telford played quite well, although we definitely looked a lot better. The squad is progressing well, and these games aren’t about winning. Although winning does breed confidence, it makes a massive difference to their fitness and the structure of the formation we play.

Hello there, @BeestonPie. Welcome to PON, it's good to have you here.

Interesting choice of games out of all the 23 teams. I think some of the local games, such as Mansfield, Doncaster, and Walsall, are ones that I am personally looking forward to. Having gone to Wembley with @liampie, I am very keen to make sure we meet up or travel to those types of games. I am interested in Stockport County because I want to see how Kyle Wootton does.

Yes, @ARLukomski mentioned him, and I agree. I think he looked good for the time he had on the pitch. He played a calming and careful game, which was positive.

It’s sad to see the duo of Charlie and Stall come to an end, but hopefully they can bring someone in who can connect with the fans on a similar level. I think we’ve been lucky to have Charlie, after the sad loss of Uncle Colin.

Fair play to Steve Cooper for his approach in speaking with Luke Williams. It reminds me of the stories of Jimmy and Cloughie. While we can enjoy banter between our rivalry, it’s good to know that the club personnel can get along, as it opens the doors to signing potential good players from them. Also, the home shirt is really starting to make me want to buy it. It’s good to see what the gaffer thinks of the squad and pre-season.

The switch to a 4-4-2 formation was a welcome change. The 5-3-1 gives us those extra bodies in midfield when we can dominate a team, but it’s less effective when we play a team that does what we do to lesser oppositions. I thought defensively Notts looked composed; we moved the ball around well and created space. There were groans that we did this a little more than some fans would like to see, but it prevents us from needlessly giving the ball away. It also works teams into opening space up, so we have to be patient at times in our build-up. When we went for it, Notts looked superb, and I would hope Forest fans can give us the respect we deserve for keeping their quality mostly quiet. I thought both teams showed a lot of respect for each other, and although Jim O’Brien had cause to lash out, as he was fouled and stomped on, it never boiled over, which it shouldn’t do in these types of games.

I would like us to keep the squads the same as in the Forest friendly, with changes coming in the second half. It would be a good indication of how the players measure up against different levels of teams and give the squad a chance to settle as we approach the final pre-season friendly. This should help the youth players, who need some of the senior players to give them confidence.

We have a lot to be optimistic about. The first game against Sutton will hopefully show us a bit more. The depth is a good thing, and Luke Williams has a clear plan for how he wants his team to play. I think he knows what his starting 11 would be, even if he’s not publicly saying so. I also believe that we may try to start the season without signing any more players.

Southend needs a lifeline; it’s terrible what they’re experiencing, but we’ve been there. I hope they manage to sort it out in time.

Luke Williams should proceed with his plans and ignore the moaning fans. I think dropping the youngsters at this point would be harmful. A strong defence would be a good call, but the more I think about it, you would hope the players react to the minority of so-called fans who threw their toys out of the pram. I think Forest will allow us to play much more than Stoke City did; they came and acted like it was a cup match. Fair play, but I would be surprised if they didn’t.

I have been very busy with work commitments, but I will be returning to this. I don’t want to say that I will have the next clue or round-up, then struggle to do it. Keep your eyes on this.

I’m looking forward to the game, even though the sunshine has now disappeared. I think we’ll want to focus on our ball retention against Stoke City, while defensive threats will show how our existing players will cope. If we can play our passing football against them, I think they may struggle, but they do enjoy long throws and hoofing the ball.

Notts County’s preparations for their pre-season games against Stoke and Forest underline their hunger for success. The team is ready to measure up against tough adversaries, and key figures like Macaulay Langstaff have been providing insights into their meticulous groundwork. Langstaff’s confidence in his team’s abilities shines through, despite the formidable opposition they’ll be facing. With the newcomers fitting in well and adapting quickly to the team’s style of play, Notts County is eyeing strong showings against Stoke and Forest as they progress with their pre-season preparations unflinchingly.