Robbie

It's Matchday.

I get what you are saying @Wheelbarrow repair man regarding two strikers working together up front. This used to be the standard for most teams in the past. The decline in the use of two strikers nowadays can be attributed to tactical shifts favouring formations that prioritise midfield control & defensive solidity. So for instance, by have two forwards playing off each other & creating space will be a traditional 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 formation which would be the British style of play. As we've discussed before,teams prefer the continental style nowadays, which as far as I'm concerned can be too predictable against teams sitting back, & employing the high press. Maybe, as you suggested, Maynard should try the 4-4-2 or 4-4-3 style ( twin strikers) or at least change things if the 3-4-2-1 isn't working.

Crawley 0-1 Shrewsbury Town Peterborough 0-1 Rotherham Barrow 1-0 Morecambe Cheltenham Town 2-1 Swindon Doncaster 1-1 Crewe Alexandra Harrogate 2-1 Newport County???? Salford City 1-2 Grimsby Town Tranmere Rovers 1-2 Bradford

@Wheelbarrow repair man Hughes may have played as a defender as a junior. Most youngsters play in different positions until they find the position that suits them best. I think if a team could have a player that can play as a centre forward one week & then play centre half another, depending on the circumstances, would be utopia for a club.

Good topic @Wheelbarrow repair man Notts under Williams & Maynard have for the most occasions have played with a formation of 3-4-2-1 with either Macca, Cedwyn, Didzy & Jatta being the one furthest forward on occasions. I can remember Macca playing on the right wing in the Newport away game last season It seems to me Williams & Maynard prefer to have attacking midfielders supporting the striker up front. That marries in to Notts's style of play and formation of 3-4-2-1. In attack, Notts's tactics & shape allow for a lot of positional fluidity, we will often see the deeper midfielders pop up in more advanced areas, whereas the attacking midfielders have the license to take up varying positions, from wide areas to playing alongside the forward striker. Williams & Maynard have played two strikers as a partnership, but again there's lots of fluidity there two with one popping up on the wing & sometimes interchanging either in front or behind each other. I think Didzy does this role of an attacking midfielder come striker brilliantly & I think Maynard is trying to fit Cedwyn into this role too, but again, the two roles are still interchangable.

@Wheelbarrow repair man I checked on Google & Lee Hughes was never a defender originally, but of course as an attacker he would have had defensive duties to perform. I remember him doing that for Notts on occasions. As we all know, Dave Watson was a centre forward who became a defender full time.. I believe Stuart will continue to use one of the defenders off the bench, like Cundy, during the last 15 minutes of the game, if a forward has to come off, & there is no one else available off the bench. I think that defenders can have a role to play as a forward if they are tall & are good with the head, especially in the last 15 minutes or so of a game, when opposition defenders are tired.

We've seen it plenty of times in the past, defenders coming on & playing upfront when a forward went off injured in the times when only one substitute was allowed. We've even seen defenders turned into forwards & vice versa in the past on a permanent basis. Notts have used Cundy this season as a forward because of his height up front. Stuart Maynard thinks this tactic may be of use to Notts in certain situations. Notts have quite a lot of tall defenders that Stuart can choose from now that players like McDonald & Ness are fit to play. What do members think of the idea of putting a Notts defender up front if the circumstances dictate. Do you think it a good tactic that should be explored fully?

It is reassuring to see Matt almost back to full fitness & leading the team from the centre of midfield. Over the coming weeks, as he gets more match time, I'm sure that his influence will grow & the team will be all the better for it. Matt is now part of a dwindling number that experienced the euphoria of winning at Wembley. It was a special day that will never be forgotten. Matt is confident that the team that Stuart has built can only get better, & Matt is absolutely determined to ensure that will be the case. The trip to Chesterfield will be tough, & Notts will have to be at their best to get a positive result, but there is every chance that they will. And the news that David McGoldrick is available for the game will be a big lift for the players & fans alike.

It's been a wonderful sunny day here today. Right from this morning long periods of sunny weather. Trouble is it's been cold and temperatures are going to drop again tonight. I kept a gas heater on last night to keep chill away, first time since early spring.

You've brought up another good point there @Wheelbarrow repair man I think Notts have been guilty of that on occasions. It was ok to a certain extent when Notts had Macca on the end of things, but now the forwards we have have a different style. Stuart should be instructing his players to shoot more. Didzy has a deadly curl on his shots that he needs to use much more. And the final ball into the box has to be incisive & not a hopeful ball in, like we saw against Gillingham & Port Vale.

Interview with Dave McVay in 2006. Talks a little about the book, & that the book might be turned into a film. Good read for those younger fans that never saw Dave play & do not know him well. Interview: Dave McVay Author of Steak Diana Ross - Nottingham Culture LEFTLION.CO.UK "People are born and bred as Notts supporters. There's a certain animosity towards...

Can you tackle from behind in football in the UK? The tackle from behind has been outlawed from the game so you need to aim to make your tackle from the side and across the path of your opponent. If you are chasing back towards your own goal and your opponent is ahead of you then you will have to get your tackling foot around the side or it will be deemed a foul. Source Google. So unfortunately it is up to interpretation of the Ref, so long as a player looks like they are tackling from the side and touches the ball most Refs allow it

He's back and he's available against Chesterfield.

@Wheelbarrow repair man Talking about the "low block that teams employ against us, I believe Notts should do the same thing to teams when Notts are away. Notts have a good defence, & good defensive midfield players that could make that tactic work. Sit back & hit teams on the break, is a very good tactic. Notts do have the offensive players to be able to do that. It worked quite well at Carlisle, why not do it every away game? I think Notts could learn a lot from the Gillingham & Port Vale games.

Is this a human in a suit? I think not. The artificial intelligence is moving at an alarming rate

@Wheelbarrow repair man I agree. Listened to Maynard's presser pre Chesterfield. He talked about what we've been discussing. Teams using the tactic of the "sitting in a low block" when they play Notts at Meadow Lane. Notts not breaking teams down & not being clinical enough at home, So he knows what the problems are, he just has to solve them quickly.

Elon Musk introduces Optimus Robot. Do you think this is a really good thing, or does it give you concerns?

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Stuart Maynard has confirmed that David McGoldrick is back in contention this weekend https://x.com/Official_NCFC/status/1844668799653425447?t=e-mFU7P0GGN5QLYtyjnLWA&s=19