1 minute ago, DangerousSausage said:

I can't say too much about the match as I only saw the end of it when it was already done and dusted. Under LW we could gloss over days like yesterday as we'd had a good start to the season and were sitting near the top. Now the table tells a more realistic story.

We had a soft start to the season that probably led many of us to think we're better than we are. But as soon as we started playing the current top six or seven we started to struggle, and it hasn't changed. We are just not effective enough at either end of the pitch to decide tight games in our favour. We've won just four games by a single goal this season. It's not a new problem, but it''s one that Stuart Maynard hasn't got to grips with yet.

We seem to have missed an opportunity to strengthen our back line over the last couple of transfer windows. But the root of the problem goes back further: Ian Burchnall inherited a team that looked terrified to leave our half of the pitch and placed a lot of focus on being braver and taking more risks. Since then, every time we've signed a player (even defenders), the feedback from fans of their previous clubs has been the same: "he's great going forwards, but a bit dodgy at the back". It's given us a few years of brilliant football, but now we're lacking players who simply focus on the bread and butter of preventing the opposition scoring.

We should definitely mix it up more during games to keep the opposition on their toes, but trying to turn into a long ball team with our skillful but physically weak team is a recipe for disaster. Until last season we played with a target man in Kyle Wootton - it would be handy to have an option like him again for League Two, but that ship has sailed this season sadly.

I agree, we just need to mix things up. Be less predictable, stop playing into the hands of our opponents, who are all playing in a similar way against us.

I think SM is trying to do that already to be fair. Luke Williams tended to stick to his favoured team and formation, and after a while the opposition knew exactly how we were lining up. SM has tried to switch things around - but do that too many times and you'll end up with confused and nervous players in unfamiliar positions.

I've reached the point where there's zero time for me to be patient in passing the ball back, nobody seemed to try to make a forward run, and it took things quickly against Notts. Crewe were by far the better team, although their dark arts frustrated me because did they need to do it? Notts made the game very easy for them to cope with, I am not sure the time-wasting and players dropping like flies made much difference. If anything, it gave Notts more time after the 90 minutes when they did turn up to do something - which by that point it was always too late. It's difficult to feel sorry for anyone in this situation because everyone played very poorly.

Whilst, I don't think Stuart Maynard deserves to be taking all the blame. He's reaching a point where it's difficult to overlook some of his current issues which I do honestly feel are being caused by the players.

Jodi Jones, Macaulay Langstaff and Aden Baldwin are the only players I felt did enough to warrant a positive mention. Baldwin prevented numerous attempts on goal, Langstaff didn't stop trying and everything that seemed to be bright came through Jones.

Crewe scored two very easy first goals.

I still don't like seeing teams attempting to interfere with the keeper, it's gone beyond the presence of being there and a light bit of pushing to something on a whole different level. I've seen officials give free kicks just for a push. Yet there's no excuse for any of our players for switching off, it was a well worked goal by them and anyone who could have done something simply became a bystander. Our players need to stop watching the game at times as if they're not actually on the field and be more aware of what they can do in order to defend situations.

Crewe's second goal is by far more irritating. Major communication error between two players, one of which should have left the ball clearly for the other to deal with - without appearing to try to hold the other's hand.

I have seen one of said players get far more comments thrown his direction, but the player who wasn't going for the ball and didn't go for the ball. They made the situation very dangerous and are at fault, as anyone with a pair of eyes can see by the point the header was in motion. It became a risk of injury or collision which turned it into a comical error. Why can't we get that close to marking the opposition? Doing so to our own player is just void of responsibility.

Then an unfortunate bounce straight to a Crewe player, to which again, Notts were ball watching and not the player.

I honestly didn't see contact made for the penalty, I saw it in slow motion and I thought the Crewe player clipped their own heels in order to try to get our keeper sent off. There was time for him to easily lob an open net. Even watching the highlights and going frame by frame I am unconvinced it was anything but that.

It doesn't really matter, we had nothing to suggest that we could make a game of it. Usually by the 70th minute Notts tend to get a surge and therefore look better and whilst the changes helped to make us more attacking minded. The damage had already been done, pushing for our first, left us open for their third, and it was game over by that point.

You have the game finished by the 90th minute mark, to which all of a sudden we become brighter and play as if we have half an hour to go.

Crewe didn't make it difficult for us to play, we did. There should be no false credit to Crewe, because it comes down to us not being good enough. The thoughts of the players, whether it be about morale, focus, or their uncertainties regarding Maynard, are of great importance. They let us down and this is the first time I felt there was little in their defence of how we played. I believe the players are letting Maynard down too.

The signs are that we aren't capable of reaching the playoffs, that is fine.

If some of the issues is pressure, Maynard must find a way to take it off the players shoulders but if they can't help themselves - I am not sure if he can do anything to change it. Given the opportunity, I would go Neil Warnock mode on them at full time. Perhaps, even Sir Alex Furguson.