Match Thread Mansfield v City | League 2 | 17 October

His problem has come from two years of poor recruitment, leaving us still with square pegs and round holes. Hopefully we can find a formation that allows squad members a chance to play in something like their best positions.

 

@Bradford End come on your time has come. Let’s hear it

 

And even though we won 2 - 1 we got lucky in the last 10 minutes or so, they did everything they could to equalise hitting the bar and having shots cleared of the line.

 

Depends what other mates/former players of Stuart’s are available or players he’s just seen play are available.
God forbid the club have some kind of scouting network.

 

I’m not sure the players are the sole issue here. We’ve looked pretty clueless on the pitch this season. There seems to be no tactical plan of how to approach the game. Are we playing it out from the back and moving through the midfield to the forwards? Are we working it wide to cross it? Are we booting it long into the channels to gain territory? Are we pressing high up the pitch? Are we dropping back into our own half?

So far we seem to have players doing what they want and no coordinated approach to games. If we had a plan/approach but the players weren’t good enough I could accept that as work in progress, but currently we look clueless.

 

going to be a walk in the park for Mansfield, 3-0

 

Surely a win here. Draw minimum, but I'd be disappointed to come away with only a point.

We need a reaction to what was a morale-deflating defeat against Harrogate.

I still think we're being a little bit hysterical after the cup defeat to a significantly better side (who cares?), but that doesn't change people's overall sentiment of disappointment.

Let's get the win.

 

It's hard to call this one. As I alluded to earlier in the week, both teams respectively out of form (at home/on travels), so to make a genuine call based on form,,,,,,,, well.

Ive suggested a low scoring draw based on the stats, though I note, just like Monday night, the punters are backing the opposition (5/4 Mansfield into evens).

Back in January in that shameful 3 - 0 defeat, when GB was so lucky to keep his job, Mansfield had poor home form drawing 2 from 7, with no home wins and 1 in 11 wins full stop.
Speaking of Bowyer, (using McCalls 10 games in charge in his third stint) he amassed 11 points from his final 10 games in charge (2-5-3) vs McCall whom has amassed 12 points (3-3-4).

Today is about an aligned performance. About taking the game by the scruff of the neck and exerting pressure on Mansfield in a fluid performance.
Do I think it will happen. I have doubts but would be happy to be proven wrong. I honestly can't think of a game this season where for sustained periods, we have controlled the game but more importantly look compact from front to back, or being decent in possession.

1-1 draw.

 

Similar performance and result as last season going down 3-0 with a couple of goals from a player we held talks with over the summer, Nicky Maynard

 

Hopefully a win. Go back to a familiar formation and don’t make too many changes. I think the formation against Harrogate had an influence on the performance levels. Consistency builds confidence.

 

Difficult to predict after Monday’s performance and players pulling out of training. Mansfield appear in a similar position to ourselves I would be happy with a 0-1 to City. I will be watching the Challenge Cup Final live on tv and keeping up with City on Bantam Talk.
A win for Salford and City Happy Day’s

 

That new lad Samuels must be good
On the bench and leading the attack with Novak
Must have been a 2 for 1 offer

 

I think it has to be a 3-5-2 kind of formation. At least that gets Wood and whoever the chance to get forward. 4-4-2 is a grim watch with the players we have

 

Problem we've had stems from no cohesive structure to our transfer policy, leaving us with a squad of players that, individually, are probably no better or worse than most other league 2 sides. But like Harrogate showed, when players know their roles within a structure then their thinking and anticipation of others around them is always quicker than the opposition. When you spend nearly all game chasing the ball you usually tire out with around 15/20 minutes left. Some mistake it for being unfit, its not. First and foremost, despite us having an unbalanced squad, we need to go with a set up that suits those individuals at our disposal, not a set up that the manager has concocted because of opposition worries. I agree that a 3-5-2 kind of formation would be advantageous, it showed benefits in earlier games. Wood and French have looked good in this set up and we need to make sure we get the best from Clarke and Watt who have also shown good form. I'm expecting that Leeds will want Hosannah to get regular game time and Samuels will be eagar to please so i expect them to make an appearance but becuase of the square peg round hole scenario i'm not sure how or where they will play. Upfront remains a conundrum where none of them look convincing.

 

George Lapslie is a good signing for them and may tip the balance against us,

 

Very good (when fit), seen him a few times for Charlton

 

Forum meltdown predected to arrive by 5pm

 

Aye, one for the kids, “when i was a lad, you were able to...”

 

Yes unless it's a 2/3-0 win nothing less or the McCall out brigade will be flooding the forum.

No sure why fans are expecting any sort of good result at Mansfield, during the transfer window we were told Mansfield were going for it with their great signings, where as we bought little quality, why should we expect anything but a defeat.

 

Stuart Says,
"Mansfield will be another tough challenge because they play three big centre backs and a holding midfielder, which we obviously have to consider.
"But, we are constantly looking at different systems and it is important we are adaptable to suit different opponents.

oh Dear!