Mansfield Town at home Saturday 16/10/21

[Larry]

I though McWilliams has his best game with us in a long time, definitely suited to the base of a midfield, suits his major strengths, tackling, workrate and aggression, and asay from his weaknesses which is picking out the killer pass.

Me too, I thought his natural aggression was more controlled and put to good use today.

[Winslow Lee]

Etete had good game but needs someone playing off him,......Rose?

Disagree, we’ve tried 4-4-2 for pretty much the whole season and it hasn’t worked, really hope we stick with Etete up front on his own.

[Shoemender]

Disagree, we’ve tried 4-4-2 for pretty much the whole season and it hasn’t worked, really hope we stick with Etete up front on his own.

Maybe, but how many goals has he scored up front on his own?

[cobbler151]

Personally I think the club needs to offer Koiki and Horsfall a contract ASAP. Its a wide open league, I'd happily take a settled  back four going into next season, league 1 or 2

Can't bear another
Pierre
Watson
Jackman
Bayo

Will they won't they sign, although forward planning and logical thinking never our towns strong point.

[Manwork04]

Personally I think the club needs to offer Koiki and Horsfall a contract ASAP. Its a wide open league, I'd happily take a settled  back four going into next season, league 1 or 2

Can't bear another
Pierre
Watson
Jackman
Bayo

Will they won't they sign, although forward planning and logical thinking never our towns strong point.

Don’t forget Robert’s, one of the best keepers we’ve had for a while.

[Winslow Lee]

Maybe, but how many goals has he scored up front on his own?

As a whole though the team look far more cohesive and dangerous and I might be wrong but I feel the goals will come for Etete if we persist with the 4-2-3-1. I’m just not convinced bringing back in a striker with 1 goal in around 40 appearances and going back to a system that hasn’t created much all season is a good idea.

[threeinabed]

As a whole though the team look far more cohesive and dangerous and I might be wrong but I feel the goals will come for Etete if we persist with the 4-2-3-1. I’m just not convinced bringing back in a striker with 1 goal in around 40 appearances and going back to a system that hasn’t created much all season is a good idea.

agreed

[Shoemender]

As a whole though the team look far more cohesive and dangerous and I might be wrong but I feel the goals will come for Etete if we persist with the 4-2-3-1. I’m just not convinced bringing back in a striker with 1 goal in around 40 appearances and going back to a system that hasn’t created much all season is a good idea.

You're probably right, but at times, on his own he had no support. I think he should have left him on with Rose and taken Lewis off who was totally ineffective. Probably saving him for Tuesday.

[Terryfenwickatemyhamster]

No moaning here. Mansfield are an underperforming, but we’ll backed side. Cloughie should be under ten times the pressure that Brady was getting from some before this game. Well done NTFC.

[cobbler151]

Don’t forget Robert’s, one of the best keepers we’ve had for a while.

Is he only on a 1 year?
Absolute no brainer.
Can't understand how Walsall fans didn't rate him.

[bungle]

You're probably right, but at times, on his own he had no support. I think he should have left him on with Rose and taken Lewis off who was totally ineffective.  

The main problem is that we don't have a genuinely creative midfielder/no.10 type who can pick a pass, contribute goals themselves or link effectively with a centre forward. Lewis, Flores and Pollock have all been tried there and none of them have had much of an impact in terms of goals or assists.

In the short term, I'd like to see Brady try swapping Connolly for Lewis and moving Hoskins inside so that the attacking triumvirate behind Etete became Pinnock, Hoskins and Connolly. Connolly's end product has left a lot to be desired but his pace causes problems against L2 defences and I think he's offered more of a threat than Lewis based on the games I've seen. The solidity of the DM pivot of McWilliams and Sowerby should give Brady a bit more scope to experiment with different options further forward.

In the long term, I'd like to see Brady bring a number 10 type in for January, even if it was a loanee.

Definitely agree with others that the club need to be proactive about offering Horsfall and Roberts new contracts. Both would be extremely hard to replace and both would potentially have significant re-sale value.

[Jim Hall Fixit]

The main problem is that we don't have a genuinely creative midfielder/no.10 type who can pick a pass, contribute goals themselves or link effectively with a centre forward. Lewis, Flores and Pollock have all been tried there and none of them have had much of an impact in terms of goals or assists.

In the short term, I'd like to see Brady try swapping Connolly for Lewis and moving Hoskins inside so that the attacking triumvirate behind Etete became Pinnock, Hoskins and Connolly. Connolly's end product has left a lot to be desired but his pace causes problems against L2 defences and I think he's offered more of a threat than Lewis based on the games I've seen. The solidity of the DM pivot of McWilliams and Sowerby should give Brady a bit more scope to experiment with different options further forward.

In the long term, I'd like to see Brady bring a number 10 type in for January, even if it was a loanee.

Definitely agree with others that the club need to be proactive about offering Horsfall and Roberts new contracts. Both would be extremely hard to replace and both would potentially have significant re-sale value.

Spot on Bungle. Even allowing for how awful Mansfield were, that was a much improved performance.
Kion on his own up front could work but by jingo if your going to play 4-2-3-1 you want a creative, forward thinking and attacking centre midfield player playing just behind them. Whatever Lewis is he is NOT that.
I like your idea of bringing Sammy into this role but what about growing Scotty P into the role?

The formation and Kion are definitely worth preserving with - I’m just not sure if Lewis is though??

[Jim Hall Fixit]

Does anyone else think McGowan's goal took a deflection off a defender before it went in? Neither RN or the Chron have mentioned it. Also who was the Chris who was co-commentating with Tim, I only listened to the radio once the match had finished and his surname was not mentioned once ?

I thought we deserved to win today, like in fact we did last week, Etete for me was immense but should have scored.

Let's hope for more of the same on Tuesday.

Right behind him when he hit it. There was a huge deflection. The shot was going straight to the goalie before the deflection.
Good on MacGowan though for having a go but it was a very lucky goal. We deserved a little bit of fortune though!!

[guest3338]

Spot on Bungle. Even allowing for how awful Mansfield were, that was a much improved performance.
Kion on his own up front could work but by jingo if your going to play 4-2-3-1 you want a creative, forward thinking and attacking centre midfield player playing just behind them. Whatever Lewis is he is NOT that.
I like your idea of bringing Sammy into this role but what about growing Scotty P into the role?

The formation and Kion are definitely worth preserving with - I’m just not sure if Lewis is though??

I thought Lewis was making some good runs and finding space. Unfortunately other players weren't too good at finding him.

[guest3063]

Right behind him when he hit it. There was a huge deflection. The shot was going straight to the goalie before the deflection.
Good on MacGowan though for having a go but it was a very lucky goal. We deserved a little bit of fortune though!!

"Huge deflection" 

Well I certainly didn't see at the time or on the replay.

[Deepcut Cobbler]

"Huge deflection" 

Well I certainly didn't see at the time or on the replay.

"Huge deflection" 

Well I certainly didn't see at the time or on the replay.

Yes, could see it on Quest last night...

[guest3063]

Yes, could see it on Quest last night...

If that's the case I stand corrected. If it can be described as "huge" though is a different matter.

[Knockingonabit]

Never sure about anything these days but...
Thought Guthie, under provocation, threw a right hook in a scuffle by the west/north corner?
Was behind the shot for the first goal and thought it took a deflection, doesn't show on the highlights however.
Regarding the subs Etete was hobbling a minute or two before being replaced.
The more defensively adept Harriman for Kioki seemed a fairly sensible move for the last few minutes, especially as the foul for the "penalty" looked a tired challenge.

[cobbler151]

The main problem is that we don't have a genuinely creative midfielder/no.10 type who can pick a pass, contribute goals themselves or link effectively with a centre forward. Lewis, Flores and Pollock have all been tried there and none of them have had much of an impact in terms of goals or assists.

In the short term, I'd like to see Brady try swapping Connolly for Lewis and moving Hoskins inside so that the attacking triumvirate behind Etete became Pinnock, Hoskins and Connolly. Connolly's end product has left a lot to be desired but his pace causes problems against L2 defences and I think he's offered more of a threat than Lewis based on the games I've seen. The solidity of the DM pivot of McWilliams and Sowerby should give Brady a bit more scope to experiment with different options further forward.

In the long term, I'd like to see Brady bring a number 10 type in for January, even if it was a loanee.

Definitely agree with others that the club need to be proactive about offering Horsfall and Roberts new contracts. Both would be extremely hard to replace and both would potentially have significant re-sale value.

Could not agree more about dropping Lewis and giving Connolly a go.
I think he must be hard trainer though because Brady seems to like him.
Agree on a no 10 being a priority in Jan too as I'm happy with Sowerby and McWilliams in the pivot.

[guest2995]

People mentioning about offering Roberts and Horsfall extended contracts and rightly so .
However , be prepared for disappointment .
Offering a contract is one thing , signing it is another when other clubs are paying bigger money .
Especially some in the league below ours .