Richard wood

[DRFCTom]

Improve the midfield protection and cut olowu’s stupid mistakes out and we’ll kick on imo.
Time for Bobby to shine

[The Beast]

I watch Richard Wood and I feel like getting my boots back out, he’s as stiff as a board. To be fair to him though I don’t think our full backs are much cop, Senior looks suspect, every time he gets the ball blasts it aimlessly down the line and our midfield is woeful, Tommy Rowe is carrying so much muscle but is now too old to carry it around the pitch, he’s 2 yards off the pace, a bigger concern to me than Richard Wood.
I always knew that if things didn’t start swimmingly, people would remember where Wood came from and make him the scapegoat.

Absolutely nothing to do with where he’s come from.

So why are we singling him out in performances where the whole team has been absolutely turgid. No centre half could look good behind that midfield, they can’t keep possession so we spend the entire game defending. Richard Wood is a ‘head it and kick it’ centre half, we all knew that, we’re getting totally outplayed football wise, every team in League 2 can play a bit now, we’re playing 80’s football, pinging it to the channel and trying to win the second ball, it doesn’t work.

[Bentley Bullet]

Opposing teams seem to anticipate play better than us, and therefore intercept the ball more frequently. This can result in a perfectly good ball becoming, instead, a stray pass.

Perhaps, in Wood's case, he's more used to having more alert, clever, and intelligent players around him from his Rotherham days, and is struggling to adapt to his new environment.

[idler]

Notts County we’re far better off the ball than us. Their movement meant the player in possession always had a couple of options. By comparison how many times were our players in possession quickly closed down by one or two opponents?
They looked to have at least two extra players most of the time.
We were outthought, outfought and outrun.

[dickos1]

To be fair notts county have had 2/3 years learning how this manager wants to play. Obviously not long ago they were struggling much more than we are and a few years of stability has got them to this.
We seem to be giving our manager 4 games before we’re writing him and his team off

[jmt23]

You naturally have to be very good off the ball to be a passing team, something we have been absolutely dreadful at for a few years now.

We were ok in the first half, we were patient, aggressive in the challenge and picked our battles. It wasn’t until a very basic free kick routine, found JO sleeping that they ever looked like scoring- they looked bang average and passive up until that point

I can’t comment about the second half,my son wanted some food  so I was stuck in a queue for over 30 mins, I missed their goals.

[roversdude]

To be fair notts county have had 2/3 years learning how this manager wants to play. Obviously not long ago they were struggling much more than we are and a few years of stability has got them to this.
We seem to be giving our manager 4 games before we’re writing him and his team off

Whilst I agree with this it is also obvious from the GM interview that the players aren’t putting into practice what the manager wants ie sprints/pressing etc. without wanting to harp back to dark times these are fundamentals

[GazLaz]

We are playing in a way (and it’s been the same for a few years) that whoever isn’t in the team is “better” than those in it.

[BillyStubbsTears]

To be fair notts county have had 2/3 years learning how this manager wants to play. Obviously not long ago they were struggling much more than we are and a few years of stability has got them to this.
We seem to be giving our manager 4 games before we’re writing him and his team off

Literally no-one is writing off McCann or the team.

You seem to have a problem with anyone, anytime making evidence-based criticisms and you blow them up into big black and white arguments.

Have a look at what people actually say and respond or don't respond to that. Give it a rest with these arguments against people who don't exist.

[mushRTID]

To be fair notts county have had 2/3 years learning how this manager wants to play. Obviously not long ago they were struggling much more than we are and a few years of stability has got them to this.
We seem to be giving our manager 4 games before we’re writing him and his team off

Literally no-one is writing off McCann or the team.

You seem to have a problem with anyone, anytime making evidence-based criticisms and you blow them up into big black and white arguments.

Have a look at what people actually say and respond or don't respond to that. Give it a rest with these arguments against people who don't exist.

Dickos has always exaggerated his points to try and belittle others. Not going to change now.

[mushRTID]

We are playing in a way (and it’s been the same for a few years) that whoever isn’t in the team is “better” than those in it.

I agree with this.
And it feels because we have a lot of players of similar ability who don’t make enough impact when they play.
I said last year when we signed Lavery, Lakin etc that we had a squad full of “squad players”.

Time will tell with this group but I hope some start to take things by the scruff of the neck and make their places in the team their own.

[DonnyOsmond]

Remember a few weeks ago when everyone thought we'd make a "statement signing"?

There's still a future million+ asset in Josh Martin available for free.

[dickos1]

To be fair notts county have had 2/3 years learning how this manager wants to play. Obviously not long ago they were struggling much more than we are and a few years of stability has got them to this.
We seem to be giving our manager 4 games before we’re writing him and his team off

Literally no-one is writing off McCann or the team.

You seem to have a problem with anyone, anytime making evidence-based criticisms and you blow them up into big black and white arguments.

Have a look at what people actually say and respond or don't respond to that. Give it a rest with these arguments against people who don't exist.

I think you need to get your head out your arse and read what people are saying both on here and social media.
Plenty are laying into mccann, his selection, his signings, the board, etc etc

[BillyStubbsTears]

And once again Dickos, you are conflating justified criticism with "writing off".

Simple questions. Do you think, on balance, we have been very poor in out first 4 league matches? And do you think it is unreasonable to discuss that?

[wilts rover]

It seems you're the one with the problem Wilts, that being you having to resort to switching forums in order to start an argument.

You are the one starting an argument. I answered your question - now you keep questioning me about it. Again if you don't like my answers - that's your problem.

You never answered my question. You just asked a silly question in response to mine.

I gave a complete answer to your question - with evidence. If you don't like it - that's your problem.

No, you didn't, but then I'm used to that with you, and I'm not going to provide you with a motive for straying from your usual hunting ground to spout your rubbish on this forum.

 I'll just ignore you.

'usual hunting ground' - what a load of b*llocks from the forums' favourite troll.

Only you thinking it is the players around Richard Wood making him look bad tells us everything we need to know about your opinions.

[Bentley Bullet]

I was more suggesting that better players (at Rotherham) making him look good.

Dipstick.

[wilts rover]

I was more suggesting that better players (at Rotherham) making him look good.

Dipstick.

Feed the trolls and they will bore. Even when they are 'ignoring you'!

[GazLaz]

We are playing in a way (and it’s been the same for a few years) that whoever isn’t in the team is “better” than those in it.

I agree with this.
And it feels because we have a lot of players of similar ability who don’t make enough impact when they play.
I said last year when we signed Lavery, Lakin etc that we had a squad full of “squad players”.

Time will tell with this group but I hope some start to take things by the scruff of the neck and make their places in the team their own.

What within the process of identifying players has improved in 6 months to go from signing players like Lavery to being able to identify good players? Nothing I’d say.

[Lesonthewest]

To be fair notts county have had 2/3 years learning how this manager wants to play. Obviously not long ago they were struggling much more than we are and a few years of stability has got them to this.
We seem to be giving our manager 4 games before we’re writing him and his team off

Literally no-one is writing off McCann or the team.

You seem to have a problem with anyone, anytime making evidence-based criticisms and you blow them up into big black and white arguments.

Have a look at what people actually say and respond or don't respond to that. Give it a rest with these arguments against people who don't exist.

He can't do it. I haven't read one post where someone is writing us off after 4 games. If you are being realistic, it's negative. If he doesn't like what you say he resorts to childish personal jibes. If you comment on the current game or team, he harps back to when O'Driscoll was here blah blah blah.

[BigH]

We are playing in a way (and it’s been the same for a few years) that whoever isn’t in the team is “better” than those in it.

The perils of a journeyman squad eh!

[dickos1]

And once again Dickos, you are conflating justified criticism with "writing off".

Simple questions. Do you think, on balance, we have been very poor in out first 4 league matches? And do you think it is unreasonable to discuss that?

Here are just a few of your overly negative drivel posted over the last few days

2 divisions off the required standard

No idea where we go from here

No better than last season

Baileys passing like going back to 1975

[sedwardsdrfc]

Think Dickos is getting excited he might get to do the whole argue for argument sake thing early this year.

[Chris Black come back]

Whatever motivations people might or might not have, when they have been saying the last 3 years how terrible it has all been and how bad we look, they have been proved objectively correct.

Being “negative” can also be being “right”.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Look at the direction of the club the last 3 seasons. Negative is just a reflection of the results/performances.

Would be weird if people are been negative when we are well in the playoffs but that’s not really what’s happening.

The point I worry about is when this performance level becomes acceptable and apathy sets in again. The club did the right thing to lift everyone in the summer by bringing in a very good manager and making moves in the market. Would be a shame if it doesn’t work out

[pib]

I was more suggesting that better players (at Rotherham) making him look good.

Dipstick.

He played in a back 3 at Rotherham too which is a very different system to what we’ve been playing.

[Herbert Anchovy]

The overreaction on here, and on other threads is incredible. Last season everyone on this board was crying out for a new manager and a new team. We’ve got both. The pay off for those significant changes though is that it takes time for everything bed into place. It’s completely unrealistic to expect things to change quickly, so far this season we’ve played 5 competitive games. We’ve looked good in one, ok in one and poor in three. It’s disappointing, of course it is, yet probably more realistic than some expectations on here. We need patience rather than a meltdown.

Also, in the 1980/81 season we lost 4, drew 1 and won 1 of our first 6 competitive games. We ended the season being promoted.

[dickos1]

The overreaction on here, and on other threads is incredible. Last season everyone on this board was crying out for a new manager and a new team. We’ve got both. The pay off for those significant changes though is that it takes time for everything bed into place. It’s completely unrealistic to expect things to change quickly, so far this season we’ve played 5 competitive games. We’ve looked good in one, ok in one and poor in three. It’s disappointing, of course it is, yet probably more realistic than some expectations on here. We need patience rather than a meltdown.

Also, in the 1980/81 season we lost 4, drew 1 and won 1 of our first 6 competitive games. We ended the season being promoted.

Sense at last

[Sammy Chung was King]

Put Faulkner at the side of Wood with Long, take Olowu out of the defence and have him as a holding midfielder with either Rowe or Bailey.

[Chris Black come back]

Not sure that’s ever going to be matched Sammy as a tactical suggestion. Extraordinary.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Back in the day maybe putting centre half’s in midfield would solve a problem but unless they are brilliant on the ball like a Stones type it’s just not a solution in the game now.

Is Olowu going to take a ball in a tight spot and turn out or even know who is around him. It’s one thing at the back because everyone is ahead of you. In the middle you’ve to be so much quicker in thought and then gave the touch to do it.

Personally I’d want us to coach the midfielders we have to play how we need before we try to coach a defender to play in midfield.