Game 9 - The Blues (A)

Team: Carlisle United

Date: 01/10/2024

Where: Brunton Park

What line-up should Stuart Maynard opt for? What will be the key areas for the Magpies to get a victory? What do you think the final score will be?

Have your say below, join in with the Pride of Nottingham match discussion.

The moment has arrived to cast your vote for the Pride of Nottingham’s Player of the Month. We’ve carefully shortlisted the candidates, and while these aren’t my personal picks, they align with the preferences of our Facebook group, whose votes will also be counted. Twitter voting will be available shortly.

We encourage you to share your thoughts and reasons behind your choice. Let us know why you believe your selected player deserves the title. Your input is valuable and helps us celebrate the standout performances of this past month.

With Notts having such a professional set up behind the scenes at Meadow Lane, it can only assure teams like Spurs, that their assets will be properly looked after. With all respect to other League 2 teams, who may lack the set up at Notts, the physicality of the league is a deterrent when putting players out on loan, and can be a concern. But as evidenced with the way Abbott has transitioned seamlessly into the Nott playing system, we can benefit from loaning gifted players from premiership teams who are safe in the knowledge, their asset is well looked after. 

As the article indicates, albeit speculatively, our track record of assisting premiership teams can only bring mutual, win-win benefits to Notts in the long term.

Yes of course, it would be better to have long term players playing, but remember, the Notts playing system comes first, and whoever is playing that position is there because they can deliver whilst in that role. Bringing with them what it is that the premiership team has identified in them can only benefit Notts.

 https://tothelaneandback.com/2024/09/28/callum-olusesi-could-head-out-notts-county-loan/

Congratulations @Countyman in becoming a PON Grand Master.

Hot on the heels of Saturday's games we have the first midweek round of the season, just to keep you all on your toes. All of these games kick off at 7.45 p.m., and remember your joker! Good luck!

Norwich City v Leeds United

Sunderland v Derby County

Birmingham City v Huddersfield Town

Crawley Town v Mansfield Town

Leyton Orient v Exeter City

Doncaster Rovers v Barrow

Newport County v Salford City

Tranmere Rovers v Swindon Town

Here is your shortlist for the Notts man of the match.

Matty Platt, Scott Robertson, Alassana Jatta, Dan Crowley, Sam Austin, Alex Bass, Matt Palmer or Jacob Bedeau.

They is a Strong Rumor coming from the Lane. Let me state Again. This is Just A STRONG RUMOR.

It appears that Jodi Could be OUT FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS.

For the Sake of the Magpies Promotion Hopes, Lets Hope that, that's all it is RUMOR.

The Reluctance of any Official Quote From the Club, Will Only Fan The Flames And Add Strength To The Rumor.

Those are the thoughts of Former Manchester Untied and U.SA. Goal Keeper Tim Howard. In an Interview Howard has stated that he believes that Pep has Ruined Football by making all Teams believe that they can play, like his Manchester City side Possession Based High Pressing Brand of Football. The Trouble is a Vast Majority of Teams can't play that way. Guardiola has had immense success with his Expansive Style Of Football, however where he has the World Class Players to adapt to and carry out this style of Football poorer Teams haven't. So is this why  we are seeing more and more Defensive mistakes and Teams giving away silly goals? Because they think they can play Pep ball, when they actually can't?

The arrival of Luke Williams at the Lane saw Notts adapt the Possession High Pressing Brand Of Football, and like City the Magpies were successful playing this type of Football. And whereas Man City had Erling Haaland to score the Majority of their goals, Notts of course had Macca, who was ably supported by Cedwyn Scott.  And despite the scoring goals like they were going out of Fashion, Notts also let in  a high amount of Goals. Williams Mantra was OK the Opposition score 4 goals we'll score 5 and so it went on, and on a couple of Very Important occasions the matches against Boreham Wood in the National League Play Off Semi Final and again it the Play Off Final Notts almost came unstuck both times, falling behind in both games and only a Mammoth effort by the Players and William's Man Management skills finally Brought success  back to Lane with Notts returning to the Football League.

A Stroke of Luck or Genius by the Notts Recruitment team saw Macca arrive at the Lane, before Williams had been appointed, but would Notts have been has Successful without Macca's Goals? Maybe Not? So is that the way to Counter and Nullify Pep ball, by taking out his teams Top Scorer? After all City don't seem as Sharp in front of goal when Haaland isn't in the team, but City still win Games because they have players to fill the gap left by Haaland. Where as Teams with a Smaller Players Budget haven't, so out of necessity they have to change their style of play, if they Don't and stick to the same system they then seem to struggle. 

It would seem that last season Notts kept to the style Williams had so successfully adopted in the National League, and Despite the Thumping by Sutton on the opening day, the Possession type football bought Notts more success and they began winning games, however before Williams made the move to Swansea, the Cracks at Notts were beginning to show as teams had worked out how to Deal with the Magpies style of play and we all Know what Happened then. While still maintaining a Good amount of the style of Football Notts have had success with, new Head Coach Stuart Maynard now has a New Defensive Unit and he's managed to Mix things up and kept the opposition guessing. He may have to change things further, after the injuries to Jatta Scott and Jones have cut the Notts attack down to the Bone.

Right my Fellow PON Members thinking Caps on. What in your Opinion are the Most Famous Words in Football ever said? They could have been spoken by a Player, a Manager/Coach a Radio or Television Commentator. Just a few words or sentences that you ,will always remember about the Beautiful Game. Mine came from when I was a Kid back in the 1960's and the 1966 World Cup Final between England and West Germany and where spoken by BBC Match Commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme and they were:-

There's People On The Pitch, They Think It's All Over. It Is Now.... It's Four.

As Geoff Hurst's thunderous shot hit the back of the West German Net and he completed his Hattrick.

Now Over To You.

How many connections can we think of between The Mighty Magpies and Carlisle United? Let’s keep the guesses to a minimum of one for now.

I’ll start by mentioning defender Shaun Brisley.

Can you think of any players, staff members, or managers that connect the two teams? Remember, let’s start with one person for now.

Match Discussion: Join in and share your thoughts!

Game 8 - The Shrimps (A)

Team: Morecambe

Date: 28/09/2024

Where: Mazuma Stadium

What line-up should Stuart Maynard opt for? What will be the key areas for the Magpies to get a victory? What do you think the final score will be?

Have your say below, join in with the Pride of Nottingham match discussion.

As @Fan of Big Tone is on holiday, I've continued his chat thread for him this week.

Good afternoon everyone. It's a miserable murky Monday here with occasional rain, & a little windy.

Looks like being an at home day. Maybe watch a DVD later. Just bought an Errol Flynn collection. 

Think I'll watch "The Adventures of Robin Hood"

I good old swashbuckler film will brighten up the day.

Same procedure as every week - these all kick off at 3pm on the above date, and remember your jokers!

Middlesbrough v Stoke City

Millwall v Preston North End

Blackpool v Burton Albion

Wigan Athletic v Exeter City

Gillingham v Barrow

Newport County v Crewe Alexandra

Woking v Sutton United

Yeovil Town v Aldershot

I know what you're thinking are Pep and Jose that Good? What are you some Kind of Idiot? Of course they are look at all the Titles and Trophies they've Won between them. This is of course True you only have to look at their Wiki pages and see how Good they are and I'm Not Denying that, but there's something that Bugs me about both of these Football Managers/Head Coaches and that is During their Careers, neither has really ever had to Struggle at any team they've Managed both have gone to Big Clubs where Money was available and having as Much Cash as you need to buy the Players you want, isn't in my Opinion the sign of a Good Manager/Head Coach.

Pep Guardiola.

The Three teams Pep has Managed/ Coached have Been Barcelona, ( only Real Madrid have offered any competition to them) Bayern Munich ( not much opposition) and Manchester City (Liverpool and to an extent maybe Arsenal, have stood in the way of City winning the Premier League). He's never been in charge of Poor Team, wherever he's been Money has been available for him to Purchase the Best Players by the owners. Like most Coaches he hasn't had to lie awake in his bed at night, wondering if his Top Scorer will be fit enough to play Saturday or if his loses, then his Job is on the Line. Never has he heard Guardiola Out Chants or You Don't Know What You're Doing. No Pep has had as had an Easy Coaching Life compared to most of his Peers.

So what in my eyes and I'm sure of many other Non Manchester City Fans, would Make Pep into a True Coaching Great? Lets see him take over a team in EFL's League 2 and take them up through the Leagues and into the Premier League and Win a Major Trophy. Yes a side  that would offer him a Challenge, A Club where they had to watch every single penny, were he would have to Coach and Man Manage his players to get the Best out of them. This is of course Pure Fantasy on my part Guardiola would never accept such a Challenge and So in My Opinion can never rank along side the Likes of Brian Clough  Jimmy Sirrel Dave Basset or any other Managers, who have taken their Unfashionable Teams to the Heights of the the Old First Division or Premier League on player Budgets which are  probably less than what the Tea Lady at City gets paid.

The Same could very Much be said about Mouriniho, so I wont bother repeating myself. Just lets see Jose take an unfancied team from the Lower Leagues and make them into Premier League Champions or Trophy Winners. But It Will Never Happen.

Notts play Halifax Town Women in the FA Women's National League Plate first round at the Millennium Stadium Feather stone at 2pm

Halifax play in the FAWNL Premier Div North which is a step up from the FAWNL Division 1 Midlands that Notts play in. 

It will be a tough game for Notts but they can go into the game with confidence due to their excellent recent form, winning their last two away games.

CMON U PIES!

Here is my shortlist for the Notts man of the match 

Tsaroulla, Crowley, McGoldrick 

Robertson, Platt, Austin, Abbott 

Hi everyone, when you read this I'll (hopefully) be sunning myself on the beach, but, thanks to the magic of technology, here are the next prediction league fixtures! However, I'll very probably be late in posting your results for this round. So here we go - these all kick off at 3pm on Saturday, and don't forget your joker!

Luton Town v Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield United v Derby County

Bolton Wanderers v Reading

Peterborough United v Bristol Rovers

Bradford City v AFC Wimbledon

Salford City v Walsall

Hartlepool United v Dagenham & Redbridge

Oldham Athletic v Yeovil Town

The final match of the season sees Notts wanting at least a draw & 2 bonus points to avoid the risk of being relegated.

No Not Me, I have Nothing but admiration for the Ex-Notts Manager. These are the words of Former Sunderland Goal Keeper Costel Pantilimon who played under Big Sam in 2015/2016. Despite Allardyce's tactics earning him praise and many admirers for his ability to pick up Results and then save the Black Cats from what appeared certain Relegation, his Romanian Keeper wasn't a Fan of what he called Big Sam's Strange Style Of Football. 

It wasn't the fact after 17 games that Allardyce replaced Pantilimon with Vito Mannone then Costel, No Sour Grapes? Apparently the Romanian wasn't a fan of being given a day off from Training either, which was something else he found Strange. The thing is there may have been Sunderland Fans who didn't like the way Big Sam set his team up or even his Style of play but if it Stopped Sunderland from Going down, when it seemed Relegation was almost a fore gone Conclusion it didn't matter what Tactics of Strange Style of Football Big Sam got his team to play.

It was after his stint at Sunderland Sam Allardyce became the England Manager, but was forced to Resign after 67 days in Charge after the Daily Telegraph Sting, which was a Disgrace, because I think Big Sam would have been a Good National Side Manager. And after his fall out with Allardyce, Pantilimon moved to Watford where he made a Mere 9 appearances, so Costel maybe you weren't replaced at Sunderland because you hated Big Sam's Strange Style Of Football, more than likely it was because you were a Lousy Keeper.

Right my fellow PON Members I'm going to have to ask for some help on this one. There's been a New Cup tournament Invented brought about or such, that being the National League Cup, to be played between National League sides and Premier u21 sides. Much to the Chagrin of a few of the National League sides. This got me thinking, what about all those Trophies that used to be around but are No longer played for? Some that I name may still be played for but under another name, so with your help lets see how Many Missing Trophies we can come up with.

The Anglo/Italian Cup. Had to be number 1, as this Trophy sits in the Trophy Cabinet at Meadow Lane. 

The Anglo/Scottish Cup. I'm not sure this was a Competition, it's just I seem to remember Derby being involved in it in the 1970's.

The Watney Cup. Another Trophy Competition I remember Derby being apart of in fact I believe they were the First ever Winners.

The Fairs Cup. This Trophy may have a different name now, but if memory serves this was the first European Trophy won by Don Revie Leeds side.

The Intertoto Cup. This European Trophy also may now have a Different name.

The Home Internationals Championship. Played for by the Home Countries of England Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland.

The County Cup. A trophy which always seemed to involve the Magpies and the Red Dogs across the Trent. This Trophy was played for long before I became a Notts Fan. I don't know if any other teams were involved or Not.

The Brian Clough Memorial Trophy. I know after Cloughie's Death Derby and Forest used to play for this Cup. I Don't Know if it Still Is?

Well there you have my fellow PON Members. Apologies if I've got any wrong or you know that the Trophies are still played for but under a New Name. I'd be Interested to know of any other Trophies that used to have place on the Footballing Calendar but are No Longer contested.

Mauricio Pochettino former Spurs and Chelsea Head Coach and a possible early front Runner to Replace Gareth Southgate as England Manager, has been appointed as the Head Coach of the United States National Side. It will be Interesting to see how he Coaches the side, if he will Adopt the European Style of Football or Pep ball the Expansive brand of Football or Go in a Completely Different Direction? The thing is does the American National Side have the required Skillful Players to play the European Way, or will Poch have to Mix things Up?

Thoughts?