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Is it too early to worry?

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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby kevin kents tasce » Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:50 pm

I will eat humble pie very happily if i turn out to be wrong! In face I hope I am am wrong.

I'm not basing it on just two games, I'm basing it on the pre-season too, but I don't think we'll finish in the top 10 if JD sees the season out.

I don't want to be Mr.Hindsight at the end of the year so would rather offer my opinion before it happens
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby Vicar Jeremiah » Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:52 pm

I've seen all three games now and we look like a mid/lower mid table side. Flitcroft screwed up twice so I don't miss him. I can't believe Dempster played Logan tonight, strange decision. Sadly I think Carlisle will kick our backside on Saturday.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby Sandy Pate Best Stag » Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:55 pm

Get a grip.

We put out an under strength team which has never played together before. Some of that team had not played any football in anger yet this season and were far from match fit. This was always the plan and was stated as such days before kick off.

Yes there were obvious faults but give Morcambe some credit as they certainly didn't look relegation fodder to me. They played some pretty and effective football and were always a threat. They looked organised and knew what they were doing. I don't think they will finish bottom half and will comfortably stay up.

Get behind the lads and stop undermining them.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby pemill » Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:56 pm

There's the obvious concern re the defence but that killer instinct is still missing, in all 3 games we have equalised, had momentum but not put the opposition away.

To answer the poster question, I'm concerned rather than worried, we could take a beating on Saturday.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby Parkinsons Perm » Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:57 pm

Sandy Pate Best Stag wrote:Get a grip.

We put out an under strength team which has never played together before. Some of that team had not played any football in anger yet this season and were far from match fit. This was always the plan and was stated as such days before kick off.

Yes there were obvious faults but give Morcambe some credit as they certainly didn't look relegation fodder to me. They played some pretty and effective football and were always a threat. They looked organised and knew what they were doing. I don't think they will finish bottom half and will comfortably stay up.

Get behind the lads and stop undermining them.


By God there's mixed logic in that post :roll:
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby Vicar Jeremiah » Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:59 pm

Sandy Pate Best Stag wrote:Get a grip.

We put out an under strength team which has never played together before. Some of that team had not played any football in anger yet this season and were far from match fit. This was always the plan and was stated as such days before kick off.

Yes there were obvious faults but give Morcambe some credit as they certainly didn't look relegation fodder to me. They played some pretty and effective football and were always a threat. They looked organised and knew what they were doing. I don't think they will finish bottom half and will comfortably stay up.

Get behind the lads and stop undermining them.


Morecambe will finish bottom half
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby Jamie » Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:14 pm

Sandy Pate Best Stag wrote:Get a grip.

We put out an under strength team which has never played together before. Some of that team had not played any football in anger yet this season and were far from match fit. This was always the plan and was stated as such days before kick off.

Yes there were obvious faults but give Morcambe some credit as they certainly didn't look relegation fodder to me. They played some pretty and effective football and were always a threat. They looked organised and knew what they were doing. I don't think they will finish bottom half and will comfortably stay up.

Get behind the lads and stop undermining them.


They play for a point. They will almost certainly finish bottom half. They looked sharper and better organised than us a lot tonight so some credit where it's due but really it just shows how poor we were.

As for under strength, the two midfielders I'll give you, and white certainly was fully fit. But most of that team know all about each other.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby Sandy Pate Best Stag » Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:21 pm

Jamie wrote:
Sandy Pate Best Stag wrote:Get a grip.

We put out an under strength team which has never played together before. Some of that team had not played any football in anger yet this season and were far from match fit. This was always the plan and was stated as such days before kick off.

Yes there were obvious faults but give Morcambe some credit as they certainly didn't look relegation fodder to me. They played some pretty and effective football and were always a threat. They looked organised and knew what they were doing. I don't think they will finish bottom half and will comfortably stay up.

Get behind the lads and stop undermining them.


They play for a point. They will almost certainly finish bottom half. They looked sharper and better organised than us a lot tonight so some credit where it's due but really it just shows how poor we were.

As for under strength, the two midfielders I'll give you, and white certainly was fully fit. But most of that team know all about each other.


Don't think they were playing for a point, they went ahead twice for a start and didn't mind committing men forward to increase the lead even with ten men.

Cook, Donahue and Smith haven't started before or even played together and they were in important positions for the team. Apart from Rose, the substitutes have very little league experience and probably wouldn't be considered regular starters. I don't think many on here would be happy if that was our regular starting eleven.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby adamstag » Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:27 pm

Don’t think it’s a time to worry, but certainly a time to take stock quickly where it’s going wrong.

We shopped 4 goals in August the season we won the conference - there’s plenty of time for things to be ironed out and we’re still unbeaten in the league.

Carlisle will be an interesting one for sure - we can’t do the same again - we seem to start slowly in games and can’t keep going behind.

We’ve a great squad and I hope to god dempster gets it right
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby The One » Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:28 pm

kevin kents tasce wrote:I'm going to nail my colours to the mast.

We need to change it. I would love for Dempster to take us to a promotion but I just can't see it happening at all.

He has been backed with some excellent signings and whilst they might not all click straight away, there are some very worrying signs.

The pre season was a shambles. Playing u23 sides instead of proper opposition.

The team look unfit and undisciplined

He has changed the system multiple times already

There is no obvious strategy to how we play.

Hamilton has played 4 positions in 3 games!

Everyone keeps asking why we are letting goals in. Its as clear as day that we are not defending as a team and have tactical problems.

Say what you want about Flitcroft (who made his own mistakes) , but we we're in the top handful of every metric possible last year. We were a couple of injuries and a target man from promotion and only lost out to the other big spenders in the division at the death.

The window is still open and there is still time to turn it around. If I was JR I would be on the phone to Flitcroft offering an apology and asking for him to come back.


Agree with all you say. Pre season was a mess. Portugal jolly up playing Rangers served no purpose. Better off playing decent sides here not under 23 fodder.

We look unfit disorganised and have no direction, do not want DF back but we need experienced manager.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby tillydog123 » Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:51 pm

I have to blame JR for this one he appointed far too quickly
Had plenty of time to draw breath and interview a few old heads
Keith Hill would have been a perfect choice for me.
I know we all hated Evans but the pre season and everything when he took over had a buzz about it
this year things feel as flat as a pancake and its not feeling right at all.

JD is a very decent and calm bloke but it was too big a gamble and step up for me.

If it continues I would not wait too long JR to change the driver before its too late and don't leave it till Christmas but the results may speak for themselves anyway.
Last edited by tillydog123 on Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby bigalstag » Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:54 pm

Has never been the right man for the job He's not even got the experience of understudying a manager as an assistant. This will be one gamble to far, and he'll be gone by October. Cue another wasted season in this division.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby DogsDoDahs » Wed Aug 14, 2019 12:43 am

The manager made the mistake of not going for the throat when they went down to 10 men, leave cook on with rose and stirling james effectively going three up front against 10 men. It would have been a cricket score instead he filled midfield with side passes and to much safety first like young smith who i think is the future once he gains experience. Donahue should have played 90 mins he has a sublime left foot and Gordon looks like he will give good service to to the strikers. We dominated the game but over passed in midfield, and the final ball into the box was either under hit or over hit. It will come good and when it does thats when the confidence will start to flow. Expect it to start improving against orient not carlisle which at best could be a draw. Stopping the defensive marking errors is critical.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby Jimstag » Wed Aug 14, 2019 5:33 am

Can’t believe how big the JD our camp is after 2 league games and a reserved cup match!

It’s disappointing but not the end of the world yet! If we sort the defensive issues quickly then we’ll be on track, to do it I think 2 things need to happen. 1 the players, particularly defensively need to sort themselves out. For me the experienced players need to step up & JD needs to be decisive. 2 JD needs to work out his preferred system & lineup fast, this isn’t helped by injuries and suspensions already. For me Bobby, Mellis and Donahue are missing from what he’d like to put out there and I think that makes a big difference but that will take a little time and patience.

Back to the thread title is it too early to worry? No it’s not, I see both issues and potential in both the team and manager so give them a chance to sort it!
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby steiner » Wed Aug 14, 2019 5:50 am

We have looked average since the County fiasco last season,
Hoping for a better start to this season but we seem to be still haunted by the collapse of last season.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby cassellswasmagic » Wed Aug 14, 2019 6:00 am

Let’s take a step back and give JD a bit more time. It’s not like we’ve been hammered every game. Once Bobby is back and the defence is settled, hopefully we will push on. The biggest worry for me is still the midfield. We haven’t got one!!!
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby Gruff » Wed Aug 14, 2019 6:52 am

For what it's worth, no new manager was going to guarantee us winning the first 3 matches of the season. Just because we had the same core players from last season, the tactics were going to have to change and the players/style was going to have to adapt, because, let's face it, they didn't get promotion last season so something had to change.

We appear to have forgotten that, despite the ambitions of the Radford's and the fans, we all knew it was a gamble appointing JD but he has a pedigree in coaching the youngsters and has a track record of successfully managing them. The players have to adapt to his style.... that's football, and "fans" getting on the players/managers back after 3 games is absolutely ludicrous.

Logan will make mistakes, but will also stop us losing games, it's the life of a goalkeeper. He has kept us in matches, and will continue to do so. Barracking our own players on the pitch is disrespectful to the player, manager and club. Some "fans" are saying the players don't look up for it, well they're hardly getting the moral support and encouragement from the stands are they?

With Mellis & Preston getting red cards, we have not had a chance to even start to get a settled team in any of the matches. Defensively we have played Preston, Sweeney, Pearce, Benning, White & Gordon. Midfield has seen CJ, OSJ, Khan, MacDonald, Melliss, Bishop, Smith, Tomlinson & Donahue. He's still finding his best XI for his tactics.

There are some positives here though, despite conceding goals in the first 12 seconds of every game so far, and never being in the lead, we have fought back in every game and scored 2 goals in every match. Get the concentration in early and stop the early goals, and we look likely to score.... Set pieces seem to be our nemesis at the moment, so we know that this is where we need to do something fast.

Please support the players, despite your frustrations...... I'm raspberry at what I do occasionally, but I don't need reminding of it constantly, and having the nuts wrenched off me when I do something right.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby BigGuy » Wed Aug 14, 2019 7:13 am

Gruff wrote:He's still finding his best XI for his tactics.


Isn’t that what pre-season is for? Oh hang on we didn’t really have one of those so have to waste the first half dozen games working on fitness and tactics, not to mention best formation.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby tillydog123 » Wed Aug 14, 2019 7:16 am

All very good posts about the first 3 games and some merit in all of them and the biggest issue for me is lack of clear way of playing, there does not seem to be a JD style of play.

At least Cox was hoof and that was his style and we all knew it.

I still maintain JR appointed far too quickly, he should have sacked Flitcroft and then given himself a few weeks to sort his head out and discuss with the directors etc....or maybe they did do this.?? there was no need to appoint so quickly in my view and JD could have been appointed to assistant manager maybe to give him some experience.

The Cowleys at Lincoln appear to be flying high and they seem to have the right management set up for real success ....I don't feel we do

Keeping the faith for another half a dozen games or so and do wish JD well.

Carolyn is a first class business woman and understands football and business very astutely in my view but you would never appoint her to be the head of the FA overnight should a sudden vacancy occur.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby Dp1976 » Wed Aug 14, 2019 7:20 am

Jd out of his depth for me, despite the murmurings in the press of players liking him I’m not sure they do, body language and some attitudes look terrible.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby Parkinsons Perm » Wed Aug 14, 2019 7:35 am

BigGuy wrote:
Gruff wrote:He's still finding his best XI for his tactics.


Isn’t that what pre-season is for? Oh hang on we didn’t really have one of those so have to waste the first half dozen games working on fitness and tactics, not to mention best formation.


Gruff, have you worked his tactics out yet?
Looks like the man himself hasn't, it's been directionless rubbish so far with just as many players out of position than under DF.
Mark my words, JR wants promotion badly and if we've fallen behind in 10 games time then JD will be gone
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby Chrisuknottm » Wed Aug 14, 2019 7:42 am

Dp1976 wrote:Jd out of his depth for me, despite the murmurings in the press of players liking him I’m not sure they do, body language and some attitudes look terrible.


Someone else on another thread mentioned that the players are behind him. How do we know that? Is any contracted player going to come right out and say they disagreed or had misgivings about the manager their owner and Chairman and CEO appointed? The club media machine is just giving us the same deadpan flannel that every club trots out after games...I totally agree with the body language and aura the players have. Can anyone truly put their hands on their heart and say that the team looks like it believes??
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby victor A block » Wed Aug 14, 2019 8:05 am

He needs more time, but I wonder whether he commands the respect of the players. Not exactly been there and done it, has he?

I noticed last night when Cook went down injured and he asked Rose to warm up, Danny simply jogged down to the North Stand and stood talking to the Morecambe reserves. Dempster had to tell him 3 times to start warming up. Throw in the indiscipline of 2 stupid sendings off and a goalkeeper who in the last 2 games has had on pitch rows with Pearce and yesterday White, who had to be dragged away by the Chief after their second goal.
Just little indicators that things are not right and that's without talking about the actual passages of play and a previous almost water tight defence that now looks more like Clowntys of last season.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby Amber Andy » Wed Aug 14, 2019 8:14 am

Any manager new to the football league needs time. When he was appointed I thought he would need an experienced "old head" to guide him. History shows that Adam Murray failed because he had no one experienced to help him. I don't just think JD is the problem, I think the whole manager set up is weak.As a result our players don't seem fit, some appear to lack discipline and our once very reliable defence looks full of holes. The longer we go without a win all these things will worsen.
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Re: Is it too early to worry?

Postby Chrisuknottm » Wed Aug 14, 2019 8:21 am

cassellswasmagic wrote:Let’s take a step back and give JD a bit more time. It’s not like we’ve been hammered every game. Once Bobby is back and the defence is settled, hopefully we will push on. The biggest worry for me is still the midfield. We haven’t got one!!!


As Ive said elsewhere.....by the time Bobby is back in late October / November we could be well adrift in the bottom three and doing a County
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