Tuesday 24th October

[Spanishstag]

Spanishstag implied it, but I think he was drunk.

Its still october i actually said i couldn,t believe that the bookies thought you and nutts would both get automatic promotion ,and like i say its still october lots of games to play ,weve played both of you and nothing ive seen has got me worried

 

[chief]

Ohh are Wrexham finally in the top 3?

Well it took them long enough.

Just shows that they had been more interested in their Hollywood circus and players vlogging than getting stuck in to get results.

Hopefully Carlisle come down if we go up. Can't be doing with their supporters if we're in the same league.

 

[chief]

about to say, if wrexham don’t win the league with the money they’ve got it’d be a failure.

I'm not sure many would agree with 2nd or 3rd being a failure...

We'll drop a couple of places on Saturday, we won't win at Notts County.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Its still october i actually said i couldn,t believe that the bookies thought you and nutts would both get automatic promotion ,and like i say its still october lots of games to play ,weve played both of you and nothing ive seen has got me worried

That's not all you said.

But you are correct it's only late November so plenty can and will happen.

The good news is so far this season, at this elevated level, has taught me that our passing possession based style of play and system works very well against the also rans, average Joe's and strugglers of League 2. On that basis alone we should be top 10 come end of the season and could finish in the playoffs. Not bad for a team that was playing the dog and duck last season.

 

[Boz]

I'm not sure what Apter has to do to start - he's the only one willing to run at his man and try to create something. O'Connor had a decent game too. For all Saunders' work rate and effort, he has one of the worst technical abilities I've ever seen in a striker. Reminds me of a prime James Norwood but with his boots on the wrong feet... Jennings had an off day all round - the amount of times he tried for a defence splitting pass and gave the ball away. Stockport on Saturday may be a cricket score.

I’d guess that particularly in away games it is felt the wide players need to be able to do some defensive work, which is why Apter doesn’t start. Maybe he’ll
be in the starting xi for our crunch game v FGR. Think Saunders gets the nod for the same reason. I don’t understand while all the strikers in the squad last night were out of form that there wasn’t at least a place on the bench for Sam
Taylor.

 

[EnglishRed]

Its still october i actually said i couldn,t believe that the bookies thought you and nutts would both get automatic promotion ,and like i say its still october lots of games to play ,weve played both of you and nothing ive seen has got me worried

Fair does I agree with that. I suspect that was more to do with a lot of giddy Notts and Wrexham fans putting bets on.

That said I do thing both us and Notts will make the play offs (one or both could do better). It's a competitive league but outside of one or two teams the quality isn't that high.I won't be too upset if we don't go up though, takes a while to adjust to a new league and we've been waiting for 15 years to be a League team again after all.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

A game too far last night, totally lacklustre. Salford were well organised but we were too slow moving the ball in the first half. Second half we were better but our crossing was woeful and when we did get a good ball in, we were either offside or the framework of the goal got in the way. We just couldn’t cope with Smith, we really can’t cope with crosses

 

[Master D]

Hopefully Carlisle come down if we go up. Can't be doing with their supporters if we're in the same league.

Don't reply, it automatically counts as being thoroughly triggered and the new one, sensitive.

 

[AdamStag]

Fair does I agree with that. I suspect that was more to do with a lot of giddy Notts and Wrexham fans putting bets on.

That said I do thing both us and Notts will make the play offs (one or both could do better). It's a competitive league but outside of one or two teams the quality isn't that high.I won't be too upset if we don't go up though, takes a while to adjust to a new league and we've been waiting for 15 years to be a League team again after all.

There’s no reason why you couldn’t do it for sure, both of you clearly need to strengthen in defence, you’ve both scored more than us but our GD is obviously much better, that’s the way forward.

 

[Master D]

We've got more than enough defenders but it's the passive nature in which they do their work. Nowhere near aggressive enough and we allow teams to get comfortable in games, concede and then end up in a mad scramble to get back into it.

Last night with 20 mins to go we basically had 2 centre backs, then Evans doing his best to hold in midfield with Mendy and McClean as full backs when they are both career wingers. Then Davies and Lee, who are both no.10s and 3 strikers up top.

It's no wonder we score so many late goals because Parkinson throws 27 kitchen sinks at it every game.

 

[Pilot_Phonic]

We had absolutely no urgency either that didn't help. Good to see 352 not work AGAIN but fair play to PP changing it. TOC was dreadful, but Tozer is not himself which is sad to see.

Good strikes from SPM and the white Pele but reality is, it shouldn't have got to that stage. We had absolutely no clue.

Sutton looked all puffed out from around 70 mins and seeing 10 players drop to the floor when we scored the winner was a testament at how relentless we are in the final stages of the game.

 

[Richard Cranium]

How come Wrexham seem to have conceded loads at home but look solid defensively away from home?

I know loads of Mansfield fans think Wrexham were terrible at our place but in truth we had a 30/40min spell first half were we should have scored at least 1 but other than Wimbledon, Wrexham are the best side I’ve seen here defensively. Second half much closer, intact if anything they probably had the better of the few chances in that half.

I think they’ll be right up there challenging for the top 3, one quality addition at the back and they’ll piss it I reckon.

County just seem to lack depth so depends if they get any bad injuries or not, again a defender or two would give them a great chance, not that it matters at the moment, you score 2 and they’ll score 3!

Entertaining league this season, loads better than last years shit

 

[Spanishstag]

That's not all you said.

But you are correct it's only late November so plenty can and will happen.

The good news is so far this season, at this elevated level, has taught me that our passing possession based style of play and system works very well against the also rans, average Joe's and strugglers of League 2. On that basis alone we should be top 10 come end of the season and could finish in the playoffs. Not bad for a team that was playing the dog and duck last season.

Maybe not but i said that, and both of you need to strengthen in january its a long old slog and like i also said from what ive seen when we played both of you i saw nothing that has both of you ahead of us atm but its only october

 

[AdamStag]

How come Wrexham seem to have conceded loads at home but look solid defensively away from home?

I know loads of Mansfield fans think Wrexham were terrible at our place but in truth we had a 30/40min spell first half were we should have scored at least 1 but other than Wimbledon, Wrexham are the best side I’ve seen here defensively. Second half much closer, intact if anything they probably had the better of the few chances in that half.

I think they’ll be right up there challenging for the top 3, one quality addition at the back and they’ll piss it I reckon.

County just seem to lack depth so depends if they get any bad injuries or not, again a defender or two would give them a great chance, not that it matters at the moment, you score 2 and they’ll score 3!

Entertaining league this season, loads better than last years shit

I think the general annoyance there wasn’t at wrexham at all, it was our inability to take chances that night, we should’ve been 2/3 up at half time and the game would’ve been put to bed, yet like many games at that time we’d left ourselves open to a draw/defeat through our own inability to convert tian anything else. Maybe we’ve been a tad too cautious and somethings twigged.

I’d expect a very challenging game in the cup against wrexham if they field a full side

 

[Pilot_Phonic]

How come Wrexham seem to have conceded loads at home but look solid defensively away from home?

I know loads of Mansfield fans think Wrexham were terrible at our place but in truth we had a 30/40min spell first half were we should have scored at least 1 but other than Wimbledon, Wrexham are the best side I’ve seen here defensively. Second half much closer, intact if anything they probably had the better of the few chances in that half.

I think they’ll be right up there challenging for the top 3, one quality addition at the back and they’ll piss it I reckon.

County just seem to lack depth so depends if they get any bad injuries or not, again a defender or two would give them a great chance, not that it matters at the moment, you score 2 and they’ll score 3!

Entertaining league this season, loads better than last years shit

We are more attacking on the flanks, where McClean and Barnett are on the shoulders of the defence, so when we get countered, it naturally goes down the sides then into the middle as thats where there is massive gaps.

Away from home we tend not to go gung ho so much and get a goal and sit on it.

 

[Master D]

How come Wrexham seem to have conceded loads at home but look solid defensively away from home?

I know loads of Mansfield fans think Wrexham were terrible at our place but in truth we had a 30/40min spell first half were we should have scored at least 1 but other than Wimbledon, Wrexham are the best side I’ve seen here defensively. Second half much closer, intact if anything they probably had the better of the few chances in that half.

I think they’ll be right up there challenging for the top 3, one quality addition at the back and they’ll piss it I reckon.

County just seem to lack depth so depends if they get any bad injuries or not, again a defender or two would give them a great chance, not that it matters at the moment, you score 2 and they’ll score 3!

Entertaining league this season, loads better than last years shit

We are too defensive away from home and too attacking at home. It's like watching different sides. At the moment it's hard to grumble much though, we are drawing away and winning at home.

I honestly don't know why teams don't turn us round if they win the coin toss either, every one of our mad comebacks has been at that end where the crowd behind the goal plays a big part in teams crumbling at the death. Maybe we've won the toss in every game, no idea.

There's usually just a digger and a man in a hi-vis at the other end.

 

[jacobncfc]

How come Wrexham seem to have conceded loads at home but look solid defensively away from home?

I know loads of Mansfield fans think Wrexham were terrible at our place but in truth we had a 30/40min spell first half were we should have scored at least 1 but other than Wimbledon, Wrexham are the best side I’ve seen here defensively. Second half much closer, intact if anything they probably had the better of the few chances in that half.

I think they’ll be right up there challenging for the top 3, one quality addition at the back and they’ll piss it I reckon.

County just seem to lack depth so depends if they get any bad injuries or not, again a defender or two would give them a great chance, not that it matters at the moment, you score 2 and they’ll score 3!

Entertaining league this season, loads better than last years shit

We need to get through to January in touch and then get a couple more bodies in. We’re actually coping pretty well at the minute with a bit of an injury/suspension crisis, but as we saw against you, that won’t fly against better teams in the division. Have three or four players who aren’t up to it or obviously out of position in one line up and you’re going to get punished, it’s probably the one area where we haven’t adapted to the new level and are running a squad like we can still go out and loan someone whenever we fancy.

We have at least started to see some of our mystery players get involved since that disaster though. Macari in particular has had an excellent first couple of games, and Williams finally seems to have decided he can trust Morias to play a bit.

 

[EnglishRed]

How come Wrexham seem to have conceded loads at home but look solid defensively away from home?

I know loads of Mansfield fans think Wrexham were terrible at our place but in truth we had a 30/40min spell first half were we should have scored at least 1 but other than Wimbledon, Wrexham are the best side I’ve seen here defensively. Second half much closer, intact if anything they probably had the better of the few chances in that half.

I think they’ll be right up there challenging for the top 3, one quality addition at the back and they’ll piss it I reckon.

County just seem to lack depth so depends if they get any bad injuries or not, again a defender or two would give them a great chance, not that it matters at the moment, you score 2 and they’ll score 3!

Entertaining league this season, loads better than last years shit

It's a bit skewed by the fact we conceded 15 goals in three games, and 12 in the other 12. But generally we are more conservative away, particularly at the start of the season we were a little naive in our home games, forgetting we are unlikely to just blow teams away like we did last year.

Weve looked much better later with Eoghan O'Connell in place of Tozer. Of course he got injured half an hour into the Sutton game. Tunnicliffe has only just come back from injury and Hayden is in and out with injury - those three are probably our best defenders.

Once we settle into a consistent back three our defensive issues should calm down. Adding George Evans as a defensive mid has also helped, also Okonkwo in goal.

 

[womble76]

On last nights showing. I've not seen a better side than Accrington yet.

 

[Conker]

What’s a defeat Adam

 

[AdamStag]

What’s a defeat Adam

According to stagsnet it last happened mayday weekend (ironically to harrogate)

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Morecambe going second if they win their games in hand, and Matt Smith, one of the biggest cart horses I’ve seen play this season, top scorer.

When did all that happen??

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Maybe not but i said that, and both of you need to strengthen in january its a long old slog and like i also said from what ive seen when we played both of you i saw nothing that has both of you ahead of us atm but its only october

Although you are foolish to ever judge a team or a player on one or two games (I find the league table a much better guide, Morecambe being a prime example)

I would put Mansfield ahead of both the promoted sides, as they should be as this is our first season back in L2.

Only team who look more impressive are the league leaders. Clearly to both Wrexham and Notts the step up hasn't been that big. We've only adapted our style slightly , recruited well but in low numbers and seem to being doing decent.

 

[Youpies]

Morecambe going second if they win their games in hand, and Matt Smith, one of the biggest cart horses I’ve seen play this season, top scorer.

When did all that happen??

But have Notts played a good team yet?

In all seriousness the difference between national League and league two is not as big as a lot of patrons on this board would like to think

 

[AdamStag]

But have Notts played a good team yet?

I'm all seriousness the difference between national League and league two is not as big as a lot of patrons on this board would like to think

There’s never going to be a massive gap, like how there is little difference between the top of league 2 and the bottom of league 1.

Clearly the further you go down the leagues the more the influx of money can make the difference.

 

[Pilot_Phonic]

I beg to differ. The quality of the top 6 of the conference is massive to the quality of the league teams.

 

[Stocky]

There's not a big gap. I was one of the voices reassuring the Notts and Wrexham fans this in the summer. We didn't even improve that much from our NL winning season yet still finished 4th, automatic was still possible on the final day and we missed out on penalty kicks.

We look better this season but the league looks more difficult.

We really looked a much better all round team than Crewe last night, the quality was starting to tell last 15 minutes of the first half IMO after a scrappy opening and the second half we just dominated in most areas without being magical.

Hopefully Barry's hamstring is not too bad as although he drifts in and out he can win games with magic and is great to watch. I do agree with Lee Bell's assessment last night that Wootton coming on actually posed them more of a problem as it allowed us a focal point to get Sarcevic, Collar, Bailey etc in the game and Olaofe could concentrate on being the one to make runs in behind. But Barry's loss will be felt in many games so hopefully not as long as feared.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Agree with Stocky.

I'm not talking the top of the NL (especially the 2 clubs who manage to escape) versus the bottom of L2 (we concede 5 to them) I'm talking promoted sides from NL versus top half L2.

Maybe this season L2 looks more difficult than last season is that because the 2 promoted clubs are better than the norm that go up? I guess the table at the end of the season will give us the answer.

 

[chipmunx]

Morecambe going second if they win their games in hand, and Matt Smith, one of the biggest cart horses I’ve seen play this season, top scorer.

When did all that happen??

hopefully that's the end of that for a while as we have Salford (H) Saturday and Morecambe (H) next Tuesday....

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

But have Notts played a good team yet?

I'm all seriousness the difference between national League and league two is not as big as a lot of patrons on this board would like to think

Attacking wise we’ve massively improved with McGoldrick, Crowley and a fully fit Jones so in that sense it’s no surprise we’ve adapted well.

At the back the same defenders as we had last season are coming under much more pressure, even from the lesser teams, and are sometimes not coping at all, so there’s clearly a difference in the leagues there. Tranny and Newport were cack though.

There’s a site here which gives the average points of the teams everyone’s played. We’ve had it a bit easier to be fair;

League Two run-in analysis

English League Two stats

www.soccerstats.com