For me though the frustration is about not being able to just stay a bit more compact away from home. It's not great to concede early but it was a real blow to concede just before half-time especially having done so well to take the lead. Given we look to dominate we know we have to be switched on to deal with counter-attacks but it sounded like we really struggled with that in the second half.

I think given the same team started the last 4 games in the space of about 10 days the levels were always going to drop slightly but the squad is thread bare at the moment. Particularly worrying that we had no attacking options on the bench! But James Sanderson seems light a bit of bright spark, seems to have been fast-tracked into first team so maybe we’ll see a bit more of him before the season is over.

I think Tranmere have got a very good manager in Nigel Adkins too. Clearly improved them a lot since he’s come in, I’d expect them to push for the play-offs second half of the season now.

A bit of break now is actually very handy for us. It’ll give us a chance to get some injured players back, Robertson a bit of time to bed in and possibly another addition too!

In reply to your post @menzinho I agree with the problem dealing with the counter attacking threat. We saw when we played Wrexham away in the NL we were under threat on the Counter attack by a good side. Now we have many good sides in League 2 & we are under threat every week but it seems nothing has been done to counter that threat. We need a plan B.

Once I got home, I started writing a response to this on my phone. I felt very displeased with what I witnessed, and I couldn't put into words how I felt about the game. I kept changing my text until I ended up deleting parts of it. Then I just gave up, it seemed pointless.

I have nothing but respect for our players; it pains me to write things which they might disagree with or find unfair. However, I try to reflect on what I think, see and feel.

Kyle Cameron wasn't at his best, I honestly think the pressure is getting to him. I heard other fans say after the game that he's never been good defensively and that he's not that good going forward. I disagree, because I feel there's been times when he's been exceptional. I thought when he arrived he looked quite comfortable and, mostly, did well in the National League. Yes, he got caught out at times, but nothing like against Walsall.

It's not just Kyle, John Bostock looked unlike himself - could he still be carrying a knock? Maybe, but he was very poor on the ball. Likewise with David McGoldrick, he held the ball up and did some nice touches but largely had a pretty big off day. Lewis Macari was very encouraging in the first half, I thought he looked useful in the second and the decision to take him off for Richard Brindley left me questioning why.

I don't think the game suited bringing on Jim O'Brien either, he showed his surge in wanting to get us forward but largely fell into the same trap as everyone else. Losing possession by making weak passes or holding onto the ball for too long without considering passing it sooner.

In the first half, our game management allowed us to press and create chances. Notts focused on bringing the ball back far too much, especially when better passes were available.

I was extremely disappointed with Aaron Nemane, particularly in his defensive skills. He looked magic at times going forward, but unproductive too, and sometimes you felt he should have passed. I love seeing him take on players, but when you are being marked by 3 or more players, passing seems a much safer option. There's no fault on him for Walsall's first goal. However, Cameron should have been where Nemane stood.

Also, John Bostock and Sam Austin should have done better to cover the cross. Both put their feet in hoping to block it but neither actually focused on the ball. More hoping sticking out their feet would be effective enough, but it's not good defending.

Aidan Stone mostly could be forgiven for me, but his positioning wasn't the best. Yes, his distribution at times perhaps wasn't great, but he wasn't the problem. He made some very good saves in situations where you would feel the attacking player was favoured. I couldn't imagine how difficult his job became in the second half with the lack of pressing, covering, defending and effort.

Nemane should have put more effort to get back for their second goal, Walsall had another player who sprinted into a very good passing position and Nemane just stood as a spectator. He might not be great at defending, but a little effort wouldn't go a miss.

The marking in the middle is too focused on a crowded area, but we lack effort from the midfield to get back and cover. Yes, everyone watched the ball end up being played perfectly to Isaac Hutchinson. There was time for more thought to go into the organisation of our defence.

Jodi Jones really should have moved to get behind Hutchinson, he's watching it develop. The space opens up, by the time the ball is struck, only then does Jodi jog to cover. Although it's a bit belated, it's evident that everyone's defensive performance in the second half was absolutely dreadful. There is a lack of urgency, coordination, and communication. Our passing was disappointing, and we wasted every crucial minute when we could have pulled ourselves together. Mostly, I feel through a lack of effort and application.

As for Luke Williams, he's at fault for not demanding more and for extremely poor tactical changes.

No way should Dan Crowley have been taken off, he was one of the few players who were capable of stringing several successful passes together.

Junior Morais should have come on for David McGoldrick. Dan Gosling made sense, at least in principle. I wouldn't have introduced Jim O'Brien or Richard Brindley. I know these seem like attacking minded players, I can't help but feel Adam Chicksen and Will Randall (although the latter has been poor) would have given us more attacking options. We might want to consider how strong our bench is in games where we need to produce more creativity because that's where we lack in that department. The defensive issue is a big headache, when nobody wants to take responsibility for it.

This is an interesting one.  Have we had a game where we have been a bit meh? Neither good, nor bad?  It seems to me that we are like a well tuned machine, when it works it is fabulous, but if one component goes wrong the whole thing stops.  It also makes it difficult for someone to just slot in - hence it took a while for Bostock to find his feet and form a partnership with Palmer.  Now Palmer is injured, Bostock's role changes and this is taking time to bed in, especially as we have tried Austin next to him, and O'Brian.  At this time we need some consistency which we can't have right now.  Add to that Dan Gosling who is trying to fit into the system whilst not being match fit and we have a big problem in midfield.  That then puts more onus on Jones and Nemane and on the back 3.  

I love our system, and would hate us to try lumping it forwards as some fans seem to want... it won't work as we don't have the players to get into a physical scrap or fight an aerial battle.  What we probably do need is another plan that can take the pressure off certain areas of the pitch.  For example, we seem to lack a coordinator who can tell people where to be in defence.  Maybe we should think about one of the CBs dropping a bit deeper so they have a better view of how things develop and can tell the others where to be?  I don't know, I'm no tactician, but I think we need to change things a bit from time to time to take the pressure off from time to time.

Against Wrexham we seemed to go side to side all the time and never tried an incisive run into the box.  It sounds like when the confidence goes we stop doing the things that make us successful.    

On 09/12/2023 at 17:05, Dripsey3 said:

Every season, there's one team in League 2 that goes from promotion contender to fighting relegation. I hate to say it, but we fit that bill right now. It's plain as day that teams have figured us out yet there's no Plan B. New players aren't going to fix that. LW needs to adjust or we'll go into free fall and we all know what happens after that. 

 

As I write this we've lost to Tranmere by a similar pattern. I agree that teams have figured us out. Luke Williams has done wonders for us since he became Head Coach, but he is stubborn, continuing with the same tactics that aren't working especially away from home. I agree he has no plan B.