[FM23] Notts landing

[Blarney]

Match 4

[Blarney]

August Review

Schedule

Well I guess it could have been worse.  We did manage 2 draws but with 2 losses on top of that.  Something certainly isn't working or we're just not ready for League One.  Or it was just a bad month, but whatever it is we'll need to figure it out quickly.

Table

In the drop zone is obviously not where we want to be but everyone has only played 4 games so we're only 8 points back from the top spot and 3 points from being mid-table.  We're not in panic mode yet, but we can't afford to keep slipping.

Notts Attacking Stats

Cedwyn is doing fine and Barry is helping with a couple of goals but beyond that there's not much to be excited about.  Overall our numbers are okay.

Notts Defending Stats

Our save percentage on shots is not good.  Our defense isn't playing terrible but we're giving up a lot of goals.  I'll have to remedy this by probably pulling another defender back.

Team Stats: League

Offensive conversion is good, opposition conversion is horrible.

Player Stats; League

Attacking Data

Defending Data

We are not going to get far giving up 2.5 goals per game......

Finances

[Blarney]

Coaches Meeting

I don't need to tell you that this is not the start we envisioned, even if privately we had some concerns coming into the season our play, especially on the defensive line has not been good.  We all know Mair's quality so we can't fault him on allowing so many goals early on even though we probably expected he wouldn't have it quite as easy as he has the past 2 seasons.  I don't think this formation is working the best for us at the moment even though we are scoring a decent amount we're far too porous on the back end.  We're going to have to pull another body back to help in defense.

This means probably going away from the wing game again... which honestly hasn't hurt us the past 2 seasons even though I think it's our best formation with the personnel we have available.

We could just pull the center-attacking mid back to a defensive-mid position but personally I like having 2 attackers up front as it seems to put more pressure on the opposition.  We might test just a 5-2-3 wide formation using wing-back and wingers up front but I'm still worried about having the 2 midfielders playing up as I think we need to focus more on defense.  If we use wingers then we really need more traditional midfielders in a supporting role but that leaves us with holes on the defense I believe.

So my thought right now is to use a diamond formation... 5-4-1 with 3 men on the defensive line, 2 wing-backs a defensive mid, 2 traditional mids, 1 center attacking mid and a striker... or we could move the center attacking mid up to a shadow striker position.  I don't know that I love this formation but for now I think it gives us the best defense while still maintaining strikers up front.  As we get more comfortable in League One we'll rotate out of this and try other things, but for now I want the boys to settle down and not worry about having to shut down everybody they face.

We'll at least try it for a couple/few games and see how everyone plays their roles in it.

For now, just keep working hard on getting everyone ready for matches and attitudes as high as they can be.  We knew this wasn't going to be a walk in the park but we can't afford to let the season get away from us, especially on the mental side.

Thank you.

[Blarney]

Matt Smith Injured

He's arguably our best midfielder.... and now he's going to miss probably half the season.

[Blarney]

Match 5

Postgame Presser

Not to pour salt on the wound but that makes 5 without a win in League One.  How is the attitude in the changing room?

Not great, but that's to be expected.   Would you rather they were partying and acting like everything was perfect when it's not?  Granted, I don't want them coming down to hard on themselves either, but at the same time they need to understand the circumstances we're in at the moment, which I know they do.  The thing is we're not that far off.  We haven't really been blown out so we're competitive, just on the losing end of things at the moment.  The lads want to win so they're giving their everything to make that happen.  Now it's on me to find out why we're not and tweak what we can and turn things around.

You've had a good run for 2 seasons and have enjoyed pretty much full support from the fans, is there any concern about the mood changing with them if things don't improve?

Let me say this so it's not misunderstood.  We love our supporters.  Without them there is no Notts County... but at the same time I can't concern myself with any criticism or swing in support that might come at a whim because of a bad match or two or three.  It's not my job to manage how they want but rather to manage how I know to win.  I answer to the board and if I'm not winning they will say something to me.  Not that I'm not always appreciative of what the supporters have to say... but nobody can manage if they're constantly concerned about a little criticism here or there.

[Blarney]

PizzaTrophy: Northern Section Group B

[Blarney]

Match 6

[Blarney]

Match 7

Postgame Presser

Tough loss against the team at the top of the table.  Do you take anything away from this?

We lost.  I've been asked this before and I'll give the same answer, I don't believe in moral victories but at the same time it's always good to be competitive in matches like this rather than get blown away.  It at least shows that you're in the game instead of world's apart.

[Blarney]

Match 8

Postgame Presser

A resounding victory for your side today.  This has to feel good compared to how most of your matches have gone so far this season.

Would that they were all this easy but then it probably wouldn't be as fun.  Yeah it's nice to have one go our way without me walking the touchline frantically hoping for the best.  The lads were very happy as well.  The season has been a little rough to start so it's good to get an easy one and not feel the pressure that we have been.

[Blarney]

September Review

Schedule

2 up, 2 down.... we can live with that.

Table

It's still early but we're surviving.  If we continue this way I'm considering the season a success.  I'm still looking for growth from some of my youngsters.

Notts Attacking

Notts Defending

League Leaders: Team

League Leaders: Players

Finances

Ouch!  We are bleeding cash at the moment.

[Blarney]

Match 9

[Blarney]

Papa Johns Northern Section Group B

Match 2

Postgame Presser

You had a chance to secure the section and advance with a win here.  How disappointed are you to not get the victory?

As disappointed as we are with every loss.  It's not over, it just means we need to finish it with our final match.

Edited February 4 by Blarney

[Blarney]

Match 10

[Blarney]

Match 11

 

[Blarney]

Match 12

Postgame Presser

This makes it 4 in a row without a win and also puts you back in the drop zone.  Needless to say this season isn't going well at the moment.  Do you have any thoughts on what's going wrong?

Yeah... we're not winning.  And not winning generally means you're losing.  And losing in league play generally means you have the potential of being relegated.

With respect, your answers appear to be very short this season.  Is it fair to say the pressure is mounting on you and the club?

There is no more pressure this season than there has been the past couple.  The difference is we were winning then and we're not now.  If anybody, including the board or the supporters thought this was going to be easy they were fooling themselves.  That's not making excuses.  We know we're playing poorly right now but it's not like we're just sitting back and accepting it.  We have good players here.  We just have to figure out how to play good together and turn this thing around.

In other news.... Cedwyn Scott ended his 8 game skid without scoring a goal.  This has to be good news.

We know what Scotty can do so we weren't overly concerned.  Nevertheless, it is certainly a nice thing to have ended that drought.

Edited February 4 by Blarney

[Blarney]

Match 13

[Blarney]

Match 14

[Blarney]

October Review

Schedule

It was looking to be a really bad month until we got the 2 wins to end the month, including a 3-1 victory where we finally managed to get more than 1 or 2 shots to go in the back of the net.  Still... I'm not taking much solace from the fact that we are still not playing well.

Table

We pulled ourselves out of the drop zone but we're only a point clear.  Truth is that there really isn't much separation at the moment from going up or going down -- 8 points in all.  I expect the gap to widen over the next couple of months though.

League Leaders: Teams

Somehow we're still sitting 3rd in total goals scored... although our possession rate and conversion rate has fallen.  We are allowing a ridiculous amount of goals however and have a horrible opposition conversion rate.  Goalkeeper issue or defense as a whole?

League Leaders: Players

Cedwyn goes 8 games without scoring and still is 3rd in the league.  Nobody else of real note is on the leaderboard anywhere.

Notts Attacking Analysis

Notts Defensive Analysis

Finances

Once again we are bleeding cash.  Our expenditures - especially our payroll is too high - and we're just not taking in enough money.  This is an issue.

Thoughts

Our data analysis shows we're attacking well and defending well... but we're losing so something isn't "well" and I wish I could figure out what it is.

We're in almost every game but we just tend to give up 1 more than we score... which would tend to tell me that we're not defending well, but my analysists tell me we are.

When I pull back players to help defend we don't score.  When I push them ahead we give up goals.  So my thinking is we're just not good enough, it's just a small talent difference at the moment.  Unfortunately there's nothing I can do about that because we can't really do anything but free transfers and there's only a few people that appear to be better than my guys are that might be available.  I think my bigger concern is that a few of the contracts I've handed out just aren't working out to be worth it... and I'm not sure I can even give those guys away.

Right now I'm almost in a "just hold on" mode and hoping that we can just survive the season and hopefully my young guys will grow throughout the year and we can be slightly more competitive next season.

Edited February 5 by Blarney

[Blarney]

New Signing

Andre Dozzell

I've had holes in the middle of my lineup with Matt Smith injured and others not really playing well.  I think that's been part of my defensive concerns, so hopefully we can solve some of them by placing another warm body there.  I don't know that he's going to add much... but at this point it can't hurt to try.

[Blarney]

West Ham

Really.... West Ham????

This was completely out of the blue.  This is my first job offer and it's a Premier Division club... with me faltering severely in League One.

This is interesting.

Very... very.... very interesting.

I don't want the job, I have zero interest in going to West Ham, but I'm exceedingly curious what would happen if I accepted the interview and how the Notts board would respond.  Meaning would they take it as I want to leave and do everything they could to keep me.... or would they just say, fine go and sack me?

**This is a time where I'm going to do something I normally don't and save the game and accept the interview just to see what happens and if I get sacked, go back and reload the original save.  I just really really want to see what happens here and why they want to talk to me.**

Edited February 6 by Blarney

[Blarney]

This is getting interesting

The funny thing is the Notts board hasn't said a word.  Hasn't requested a meeting.  Hasn't told me to lay off.  Nothing.

Strange.

[Blarney]

Job Offer

Wow... I really didn't think they'd offer me the job.  I can't imagine how they'd think I'm qualified after just 2 seasons in charge at Notts -- albeit 2 straight promotions, but facing relegation this season with the way we're playing.  My only reason for even talking to them was to get the Notts board to start paying attention to things we need to fix but they haven't even said a word in the 2 weeks that this has been going on.

I don't really want to go to West Ham as my whole function here was to get Notts to the Premier League but we're really struggling here right now and I think with how fast we got promoted and how quickly our wage budget got out of hand we're probably 2-3 years away from fixing this.  I think I'm going to take the night to figure out how to proceed.

[Blarney]

Match 15

[Blarney]

Match 16

[Blarney]

FA Cup First Round

Postgame Presser

Out in the first round much like with the Carabao Cup has to be a little disappointing.  What's the attitude in the changing room currently?

Yeah we're disappointed.  But moreso because we know we're better than this.  Honestly, maybe it just gives us a better opportunity to focus on league play which is much more important at the moment, but it's notl ike we didn't want to win here.

Edited February 7 by Blarney

[Blarney]

Pizza Northern Section Group B

Match 3

Postgame Presser

After winning your first match it seemed set up that you would advance past the group stage yet 2 bad losses in a row means you're going home in this competition.  You've failed to advance in any competition this season, out in the first round of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup and now out in the group stage of the Papa Johns Trophy... this can't be what the board or you intended.

I'll take that as a question and respond with a no, it's not what any of us wanted.  Next question.

So far really nothing seems to be working as planned in league play or otherwise... are there plans to make any changes?

We have to stay the course inasmuch as we have what we have here and we need to make it work.  Any and all changes will come from within.

Edited February 7 by Blarney

[Blarney]

Match 17

[Blarney]

Match 18

[Blarney]

Match 19

[Blarney]

Match 20

Postgame Presser

You've just completed what may be arguably your worst month of managing professional football.  You were winless for the month, losing in 5 league matches and then the FA Cup and your 3rd match in the Papa Johns Trophy.  At times your players looked absolutely mentally drained and sluggish on the pitch.  Rather than ask what the attitude is in the club, which is somewhat obvious... at this point are you concerned there is no coming back from this?

Can't think that and honestly don't think that.  We couldn't have done what we did the past 2 seasons and not have it in us to fight back when things aren't going our way.  We've come back from too many matches where we were facing defeat.  Now, I know the season isn't one match but it shows what we have in us.  I have to believe that my guys know they're better than this, we just need something to go our way.

Are you worried about your job?

Again, can't be.  That's out of my hands.

Have you had conversations with the club about your position here?  There were reports that West Ham came calling and that you accepted an invitation to sit down with them and discuss their opening and that maybe you were even offered the job.

No, I have not had conversations with the board about my job here and I don't plan to do so.  The job here is mine until I'm told it's not so worrying about it or asking about it solves nothing.  As far as the West Ham job, a Premier League club came calling and I talked to them because I was curious, mostly because that's our goal here at Notts County... but I was never going to take that job, not at this time.  I will not go into whether the job was there to take or not.

Edited February 7 by Blarney

[Blarney]

November Review

Schedule

Is there really anything to say here.  It's our worst month ever.  Not only did we not win, we just played horribly.  4 goals scored in 6 league matches, while giving up 19... including 6 in one match. 

Just terrible.

Table

Needless to say we are where we deserve to be.

League Team Stats

There's not much to say other than we're just not good right now.  Our defense is just terrible.  Our offense is even worse.

League Player Stats

Notts Player Attacking

Amazingly, Scott's numbers aren't horrible but he's about the only guy on the team on the attacking side having any sort of a good season at all.  Barry was signed to make a difference and the only difference he's made so far is costing me a lot of money.  We just promoted Benjamin up from our U21 squad and he's had a couple of good games but we'll see if it makes a difference.

Notts Player Defending

As depressing as the offensive numbers were, the defensive numbers are just as bad.  Mair has a 71% save rate... Kova has a 66% save rate.  Just terrible.  Our tackling has been the only thing we've been good at but otherwise........ we're not good.

Finances

And to make matters even better (sarcasm)......... we continue to lose money.

[Blarney]

Match 21

[Blarney]

Match 22

[Blarney]

Board Requests Meeting

[Blarney]

Second Chance?

[Blarney]

Match 23

[Blarney]

Southampton Job Offer

This just gets more interesting.  We're sitting at the bottom of the table, fighting relegation and I've had a SECOND Premier League Club come calling for my services... all while the Notts Board is considering firing me.

This really makes no sense.

None.

First off.... I'm a year ahead of where the board expected us to be in the first place.  Who cares that we're struggling this year... we shouldn't even be in this position and if it wasn't for me we wouldn't be... so to be hounding me and threatening my job, no they wouldn't be and shouldn't be unless they thought I was the problem.

Second... it's humorous that a League One club is threatening to fire me and not one but two Premier Clubs are begging me to take their managerial position.

I'm still not going to take it, I'm going to see what happens here, but it's just making me laugh.

[Blarney]

And Another Board Meeting.....

[Blarney]

And that's Game, Folks

[Blarney]

Back-to-back promotions... ahead of schedule... and sacked.

I don't know that I deserved it but it doesn't seem realistic.  I would think that I would have been afforded more time to turn things around even though the club was playing horribly.

Where did it go wrong?  We got promoted too quickly.  If we had another season in League Two my young players would have had more time to develop rather than be thrown to the wolves in League One.  On top of that my contracts got out of control.  Every "decent" player on my squad cried that they thought they were being underpaid and demanded new contracts and I capitulated to many of them.... to the fault of mine, obviously.  I had multiple contracts that were just wholy ridiculous and players that were way overpaid and not performing... and I couldn't get rid of any of them.

Those are obviously good reasons in real life that there would have been concerns, but even still I'd think that there would be enough good graces there to afford me a little time to work things out.

But nope... another save, another wipeout.

Thanks for watching!

Edited February 8 by Blarney