Joshua

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.

I’m hopeful that this is just a temporary phase. Most supporters are fantastic, and while I don’t blame them for booing, I personally wouldn’t do it. I agree that we’re going through a tough time, but the situation with Jamie Fullarton was completely different. As a younger fan, it makes me appreciate where we are now and what our current owners are trying to achieve. We’ve had some bad luck this season, especially with the loss of Luke Williams, but I’m committed to giving my full support.

The Notts Women’s team need to start improving their performance. I’m not sure how many teams in their division get relegated, but I hope they can turn their season around. Consistent losses and draws can always put you at risk of dropping into the relegation zone.

The problem isn’t so much with VAR itself, but rather with the individuals who are officiating and supervising it. The mistakes are still due to human error, because of how incidents are interpreted. When a referee or match official can reach a different conclusion, it suggests that there’s still a lot to be done to fine-tune the errors that can arise from ambiguous situations in football.

Hello, @ShannockPie. Welcome to PON. I hope to see you join in with our discussions.

The emphasis must be on improving our defence. I didn’t believe Sutton deserved their lead, but they secured it, and that’s what determines matches. I thought Notts did well to re-enter the game, despite the terrible errors at the back. It demonstrated some resilience, but regardless of the circumstances, Sutton knew they could retake the lead. They can revel in this victory; it won’t prevent their relegation. Terrible winners, but they aimed to turn our fans against our players, which was achieved with ease.

It’s tough to predict when our next victory will occur, but it can’t come soon enough. Bradford has made significant progress since our last encounter, but Notts must disregard recent performance and use it as a learning experience. If we want to prevent losing another manager, which would be an additional setback, this is the match that can demonstrate to the fans that their support is both valued and necessary. Regrettably, I foresee a draw, 2-2, due to our tendency to concede too easily.

I appreciate that Stuart Maynard recognises the threat that Crewe poses with their ability to change formation, but we’re no different. We’ve looked good once we adjust and tweak things. I reckon if you sit back and trust that the tactics you started with are enough to finish a game, it can lead to disappointment. I’m sure strong teams can stick to their plan, but being able to respond to a threat is just as crucial.

It’s encouraging to see him receiving commendation while at Rochdale. His experience there, along with his time in the Irish premier league, is valuable. We’re handling his development well, but there comes a point when we need to halt the loans and provide him with real match experience. I concur that I hope this happens more next season.

He seemed tense in his latest press conference, but I believe the indications are encouraging. However, we need to start achieving better results. The performances are mostly satisfactory, and I have no complaints about how the defence has improved, except for the Gillingham match. I don’t hold Stuart Maynard responsible for that. I’m hopeful that we’ll defeat Crewe and maintain a good form, especially as the season is drawing to a close.

Once I’m done with my current posts, I’ll make a point to follow some members whose comments I find enjoyable, as well as take the time to follow certain parts of the site. I think it’s worth noting that I’ll actively browse and not just wait for information to come to me. There’s a lot more pleasure to be had from digging in and exploring - that’s how you discover new things you haven’t seen before. But the follow function is equally important.

Welcome to the community here at PON, @TruroPieSi. It would be great to see you on here in the near future.

I believe that when Notts begins matches in a better way, we are moving towards creating opportunities rather than trying to make things happen. At that stage, we appear to have exhausted our ideas and I think there’s a need to be more precise.

I understand that when we lend players, supporters of those teams might wish for a local player to get an opportunity. I get that. I also recognise that while young players won’t improve without playing, they need to be good enough to begin their journey. If they perform well, they become part of the team. The significance of the loan system is to increase the depth in key areas, not just with any player or youngster. This could be with seasoned talent, which is harder to find in the loan market, or promising young players who are more available but also more sought after. We’ve been lucky to have some top-notch loan players, so not all loan signings are poor. However, you have to play them to determine if they’re any good.

Crewe is likely to contest for the ball, I don’t envision them letting us keep it without a fight. Notts needs to apply pressure to regain possession and utilise it effectively. It’s a great chance to secure an additional 3 points and put our recent unavoidable losses behind us. I predict Macaulay Langstaff will score twice, with the final score being 3-1. Jodi Jones is expected to score the other goal for us.

If you’ve backed Notts before the Reedtz brothers’ era, you’d be familiar with this situation, and it’s disappointing. I fear we’re falling out of the promotion race as teams typically hit their stride at this stage, and we’re not. The midfield was largely to blame for the goals. People can keep pointing fingers at Aidan Stone, but no goalie could have stopped the opportunities Gillingham created. With three centre backs, insufficient wide cover, and a static approach to middle pressing, Notts faltered due to a lack of ruthlessness. Fixing this will take time, and Stuart Maynard needs to be afforded that time.

The Reedtz brothers have chosen Stuart Maynard, and that’s good enough for me. I have faith in their choices and think that Maynard has a lot of potential. He might need some time to adjust to things at Meadow Lane, as it’s a big leap from Wealdstone, no disrespect to them. But he’s inheriting a good team and we might see a few more join. I reckon there’s still scope to look for a player like Matt Palmer and perhaps another to play in the striker’s support role.

Notts didn’t really step up their game. We should have capitalised on the fouls they made, even though the referee didn’t seem keen on giving proper penalties. Barrow didn’t pose much of a challenge, but Notts’ playstyle required high quality to alter the result. In my opinion, Jodi Jones was the only player who seemed capable of making a difference.

Stuart Maynard brings a fresh perspective. I appreciate his concise yet detailed responses to questions. He seems to be a thoughtful individual who pays attention to every aspect that can make a difference. He’s somewhat similar yet distinct from Luke Williams. I sincerely hope the team makes a positive impression on him.

Saturday feels different with a new manager at the helm. It's crucial we support the team and trust in Maynard's process, whether it's a win, draw, or loss against Barrow. The key for me will be how we manage the game, cutting down on mistakes and staying focused for 90 minutes. Predicting a solid 2-0, keeping those 3 points in Nottingham!