Joshua

Being a part of the Pride of Nottingham has boosted my confidence. There are so many members whose views on Notts matters I eagerly await. It certainly fosters a sense of community. When I joined as a young teenager, I mostly kept to myself. However, being invited to moderate was one of my proudest moments here.

Curtis Edwards’ comments have been very positive. The more I hear and read about him, the more excited I become about his signing. He appears to be a strong player and his calm demeanour should complement his teammates like Matt Palmer well. Hopefully, Scott Robertson can also find some calmness with both of them around him.

It’s going to be fantastic to see Matt Palmer back on the football pitch. He’s a crucial part of the squad and he deals with that pressure effortlessly. His composure and determination on the field are impressive, so it’s no surprise he’s managed during his injury. I reckon in his mind, he was still playing every ball he saw. That passion is just second nature to him. Congratulations, Matt Palmer on your engagement.

Curtis Edwards is a competent player who has built his career abroad. His signing has taken me by surprise, but considering our ambitions and the peak of his career, it makes sense. Settling in Nottingham or returning to England seems like a logical step.

I'm not saying this to be negative, as I think it's a superb signing. It might not be the most glamorous, but don't doubt for a second what he brings. He's a quality player and speaks very well. Once he puts on our shirt and gets a few games, those doubters should love him.

This is precisely the kind of signing we require, not solely due to his experience or the number of EFL matches he’s played, but also his stature and mindset. The club is doing a commendable job in introducing voices on the field, Rod McDonald will undoubtedly interact effectively with his colleagues. I believe it’s a splendid acquisition.

The Reedtz have truly begun to revamp Meadow Lane, their efforts are making Notts fans proud and steering us back to the Football League. They are certainly not lacking in ambition. It’s wonderful to witness their investment and the tireless work that the ground staff are putting in. The club still has the vibe that it can achieve great things, so it’s an exhilarating time at the moment.

Without a doubt, our pitch is among the finest in the English Football League. We’re truly lucky to have owners who are putting their resources in the right places. They’re supported by an amazing team of ground staff. These dedicated individuals work non-stop to ensure we have the best playing surface possible. It’s truly wonderful to witness!

For all the good things the Reedtz family continue to do, the least we can do is support the team and hope for a good start. I fully back Stuart Maynard; he's a nice guy, and I hope the stronger defence shows he can lead the club forward. Either way, I'm excited and looking forward to the season.

The club has put in a great deal of effort to recruit the right players to address a few areas we fell short in last season. With a nearly revamped defence, our strength in both attack and defence is quite exceptional. Many League Two teams would likely be envious of having Nick Tsaroulla, and we’re fortunate to have him on our side now.

It's very sad news about Matija Sarkic. Rest in Peace.

Rest in Peace, Kevin Campbell.

With only five games left, it would be pleasant to end up in the middle of the table or slightly above. Given that we have more games away than at home, I believe we stand a good chance of securing some victories. It’s always a surprise to see how much better we perform on the road these days. I anticipate a tight game as they are familiar with our style of play, which could pose a challenge. However, if we dominate the attacks, I believe we have the quality to pull off a surprise. I have high hopes for Macaulay Langstaff and Alessandra Jata. Personally, I wouldn’t field David McGoldrick or John Bostock from the start as their performances have been problematic. Their brilliance hasn’t been on display for some time, and considering McGoldrick is likely our top earner, we should expect more from him. I believe we are more likely to see this if he comes off the bench in this game, rather than playing for 70 minutes.

It is hoped that Rishi Sunak will soon become a forgotten figure, much like a humorous cartoon. The upcoming elections are likely not something he is eagerly anticipating. It is my hope that this time, people will cast their votes with wisdom.

I found the game enjoyable. MK Dons took their opportunities, even though they didn’t seem particularly impressive until they scored. Their goal was beautiful, but it was a pity that their player behaved so unprofessionally with his celebrations and antics. He should have been sent off, not just for that, but also for several fouls he committed during the game. I didn’t see them causing us any trouble, and I thought that us scoring a goal just before the end of the first half would give us a boost going into the second half. It seemed like the players had been spoken to, as they came out with more determination. I also disagree with Stuart Maynard. I thought we performed better in the second half than in the first, but overall it was a good performance. Aaron Nemane can be a shadow of himself, but when he gets into the game, he’s unstoppable. I wish Jodi Jones would work on his crossing, as many of them tend to be overhit and end up being wasteful. Adam Chicksen setting up Jatta was a real highlight. That was a great goal to celebrate. It was typical of Notts to collapse at crucial moments, with individual mistakes costing us the full amount of points. The players should take confidence from having played well against MK Dons, a team that believes they are much bigger than they actually are.

In my opinion, Notts needs to play intelligently. It was fascinating to observe how much ball possession Notts had in the match against Crawley. I don’t believe that having 80% or a high amount of possession is a bad thing, but Notts needs to utilise it more effectively. If we are taking risks to advance and consequently losing the ball more frequently, then so be it. Notts just needs to be more strategic in their approach to the game. I hope Sam Austin stays in the team, and I believe most players should start from the Crawley game. We need Jodi Jones to really push forward and attempt to take shots when the play opens up. This advice applies to all the players.

As a manager or head coach, you have to be cautious about certain decisions. I wouldn’t entirely blame Maynard, but there’s a point to be made. Robertson came with a fiery reputation, and if you see players losing their cool in games, it’s best to substitute them. The sending off was Robertson’s fault, and it turned the result against us. However, Maynard might need to consider these situations. If several players are already on a yellow card, it’s harder to decide who to take off to avoid suspensions. If you leave someone on who has a yellow card, then you risk them being sent off. Notts had three players on a yellow card: Robertson, O’Brien, and Slocombe. O’Brien is experienced enough to ensure he won’t be sent off, despite his physical style of play. Slocombe wasn’t likely to see red. Robertson, being young and fiery, always seemed a risk that would warrant a tactical decision to take him out of the game. Crawley had five yellow cards. Forster and Gordon, who both looked highly likely to receive another card, were taken out of the game. Lolos and Mukena remained, and then Maguire received a yellow card after coming on. I repeat, I wouldn’t completely point the finger at Maynard, but it’s a fair argument that we should have considered substituting Robertson.

Scott Robertson’s dismissal was a big blow to Notts, whether he deserved the second yellow card or not. In his position, he needs to be cautious. Some blame might fall on Stuart Maynard for not substituting him, but who else do we have who can fill this role without it being a weak spot? It could be argued that whoever replaced him could have been targeted for being out of position. That’s why we need a larger squad with more depth. It’s very disappointing, but I’m happy for Sam Austin. He’s earned his spot and has been patient. Right now, he seems to be a threat to the opposition and adds a positive dimension to our game.

It’s easy to criticise players when they’re not performing well and the disappointing results are accumulating, but it’s refreshing to see such positive tweets emphasising a player’s effort in a game that might not have gone as expected. On the field, no position is more scrutinised than the goalkeeper. I believe each of our goalkeepers has the potential to excel and also bring different styles to the table. Sam Slocombe has performed well since his return to action. His experience provides us with a slight edge at a time when we’re chasing points. While every player on the pitch can make an error, it’s usually the goalkeeper who bears the brunt of it all. Personally, I don’t mind having Sam Slocombe in goal. I think there are valid points to play either him or Aidan Stone. I personally believe Stone is better at distribution and command. Both are excellent at stopping shots. The downside for Stone is his confidence; once he’s beaten by the opposition, he can falter, but that’s something he can overcome with experience. It’s not that he doesn’t make some good saves after conceding, it’s just that it’s highly likely more will follow. Would we be in a better position if Luke Williams had stayed? I don’t believe there would be a significant difference. Luke Williams didn’t demonstrate any ability to rectify the flaws. He was excellent at bringing out the best in the players, motivating and inspiring them, but the downturn started well before he left Notts. While we might not be experiencing a series of losses as disheartening as we are now, I don’t think we would be any better off if Williams had stayed. Is this a call for reason or just wishful thinking? I’m inclined to agree with this statement, although Stuart Maynard isn’t doing himself any favours with his in-game decisions. I’ve noticed that he’s tried much of what the community has asked for, from changing the formation to giving other players a chance, and I think consistency is crucial from here on out. There are many issues, but blaming Maynard for everything seems wrong to me. I acknowledge that the team’s form doesn’t make it easy to support him, but this campaign is crucial for learning. Any mistake should be a learning opportunity, and this period could aid Maynard in his development as a manager. Assuming he manages to retain the board’s support, as currently, I can only see him losing support, which saddens me because I feel the club as a whole needs a bit of faith to turn things around. Is this a hope for learning and improvement, or simply a preparation for giving someone else the opportunity to settle with the squad ahead of a new campaign? Personally, I’m against the idea of sacking Stuart Maynard. It would appear as a weak appointment if the Notts board decided to dismiss him after offering him a three-and-a-half-year deal. However, I can understand the club’s perspective in wanting to give someone else the chance to prepare the squad for a new campaign. I believe Maynard would improve given time. He should be aware of what’s holding us back, something the recruitment decision-makers clearly don’t understand, at least not before Maynard joined the club. An experienced centre-back was crucial, and we focused too much on signing a player that was hyped by the media team for a transfer fee of £150,000, which could have been better spent on improving the defence. Alassana Jatta should be ready for next season, but until then, I can’t see him making much of an impact. We need to consider what to do with Will Randall and Junior Morias, two signings who have barely featured and show no signs of being considered for starting games. Ideally, going into next season, we should strengthen the defence, sign players to provide depth, ensure quality is available on the bench in all departments, and abandon the idea of having a small squad. We need cover. If players aren’t being played, they are either not considered good enough or should be loaned out so they can play competitive football with the mindset of recalling them if needed. Follow me on x.com (Twitter) at @20JOSHUA04, please subscribe to my blog here if you liked it and ensure you opt to receive alerts on any upcoming posts.

Sarcastic without a hint of humour? I can’t imagine anyone saying such a thing unless they were joking. But that’s not important now. We haven’t been great at bringing young players through, and we need to think about what’s best for them. Putting them in a struggling team where every move is criticised won’t help. It’s about getting them ready to improve without unfair judgement, not overprotecting them. The right time to play a young player is when the team is performing well and can support their development. Otherwise, we risk exposing them to negativity which can affect them more than older players. They might learn from tough times, but they could also pick up bad habits from struggling teammates. We should play them when we have the luxury to let them grow. That’s why, when the team was doing well before Luke Williams left and we had injuries, we should have given the young players a go. Sure, they played in less important matches, but league games are where they really learn, as those are taken more seriously.

We would concede many more goals if the U.S. women can't defeat a group of mostly ex-Wrexham players. How would a team of amateur women be any more helpful? I don't find your post as amusing as you seem to think. Undermining their spirits by placing them in a team that's highly likely to lose and could significantly dent their own morale. We passed up this chance when Luke Williams was around, and we were winning with a squad stretched to the limit. Now is not the right time; it would be disheartening for any young player.

The Jatta situation, I believe everyone thought he should come on. However, until Wimbledon scored, we appeared more likely to score. We had several close calls where the ball was either overplayed or just didn't fall right. Jodi made an effort, but I thought he was wasteful at times. In other situations, his passes were almost pinpoint, but nobody managed to connect. Nemane posed a greater threat in this scenario, providing us with the closest chances to score. I felt Austin played superbly. Defensively, we performed much better until the goals. Notts seemed to dominate Wimbledon until then. We're quite unlucky not to have secured the win ourselves. Currently, Notts seems to face a mysterious force preventing us from earning points at home. The fans were brilliant, and I'm pleased with that aspect from yesterday. In all fairness, taking Jim O'Brien off (though possibly due to fatigue) seemed like a mistake. The absence of Aden Baldwin also had an impact since he has been performing well lately.

Stuart Maynard hasn’t been praised enough for his hard work. He’s listened to us fans and tried our ideas, but player errors have cost us. It’s not really his fault. Our form is shaky, and we risk losing our footing and slipping further. The match against Wimbledon is our chance to correct course. Winning boosts morale, while repeated losses can really damage team spirit and that’s tough to turn around.

There were moments when we longed to see more of Sam Austin. He’s a skilled player and his occasional dips in form were understandable, given he was often plugging gaps in our team. Despite this, it’s tough not to think about starting him. He’s not afraid to take on opponents, he always pushes forward, and his main aim is to create opportunities. Since returning to the squad, he’s been truly impressive.

I don’t believe either team will keep a clean sheet in the match, but I do think there will only be three goals scored and it will depend on who copes with the stress better. Notts needs to concentrate and avoid conceding simple goals, like penalties and opportunities from bad marking. AFC Wimbledon are a decent team at this level, but I’d still prefer our squad. I hope the players can concentrate on the game and overcome any obstacles that come their way.