League Two Stags v Rovers

[Rockford's Love Child]

Yes but why did we change the policy so much when we were close to the top 7 last season? We’ve made a deliberate decision to remove some of the oldies and bring in a much younger side risking the chance that when the few experienced players we do have are injured, we’re struggling.

At this rate even when Davies etc are back I’m not convinced we’ll finish with more points than last season which is surely the objective?

Even if the change in recruitment policy was wrong - and it is far too early to know - there is absolutely nothing Mellon can do about it. The dye has been cast, the squad has ben assembled.

I just don't think it is fruitful to question the entire squad, and entire recruitment strategy, after every single defeat. We just need to give Mellon the space to get the best out of a very inexperienced squad. If at the end of the season the approach is a failure, then Palios and Vaughan will have to face the criticism that comes their way.

However, for the time being I would just rather support the manager and these young players.

 

[Sparky]

Yes I probably should move on from thinking about last season. I just find it frustrating when we weren’t far away. But still lots of time and I’m sure Palios knows he’ll have to be patient too and manage his own expectations as the owner. However if another defeat at home next Saturday I’m not sure some of the SWA would see it that way. Already the social media noise is very negative (as it is in the world we live in and totally over the top)

 

[Ian]

We were guilty of missing good chances today. We don't get many, so you can't be missing these:

 

[Ian]

 

[Sparky]

Shocking finish. Just asking to be powered across the keeper and whip it into the far corner. Ends up being a back pass

 

[2 right feet]

Dont know what the answer is really, we dont appear to have a plan, teams play us and set up to nullify our threats or attack our weakness', we don't seem to do that its just the same loads back go long dont shoot, only 2 games in but its not looking good already

 

[Boz]

MM singing the praises of Lewis in the post match doesn’t seem in line with the commentary, where he seemed to be having a quiet match. Would have been better if he’d taken that chance though.

 

[Ian]

I didn't think he was great and he should have buried that chance really. Standout player for me was Bristow who I was very impressed with.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I think Bristow will be a big player for us.

In defence of Lewis, he is probably the only midfielder we have got who breaks into the box to get on the end of chances like that. He has got a decent goalscoring record, and on another day he would have scored.

 

[Sparky]

Yes given Lewis natural ability to get into the box plus his experience and size, he’ll likely be a regular as will OConnor. That just leaves another place in the midfield trio and I’m not sure Micky would play Hawkes and Lewis unless we’re at home.

 

[Charlton1975]

Sounds like a more encouraging performance, albeit well beaten again. Could be a long season...........

 

[drwhoman]

Only two games but in the bottom four. Badly need some inspiration from somewhere. Away at Accrington on Tuesday, a team that have done very well considering their limited resources. It would be nice to see one or two incomings next week And they badly need Turnbull to offer leadership.

 

[ADD]

Have to say it was a much better performance no doubt and Lewis should have done better and equalised but that shouldn't paper over the cracks.
Much talk after last week about how much better we will be when the CB's are back but reality was that they were a far better footballing side in midfield and in attack. Lovely nice triangles and passes behind the man whereas we were more workmanlike. Still far too many long aimless balls to nobody in particular. We created only two chances the header from Bristow which he started with a lovely cross field ball and the Lewis miss from a lovely long ball by Byrne to Cogley. The Hemmings chance was created by Mansfield with an awful back pass which was well saved.
By contrast they created many chances with aside from the goal a ball cleared off the line, they hit the post and Doohan made an excellent save from Akins at the death. 17 shots to 6 according to the BBC. Also for their goal the man marking the scorer was Hemmings whilst it was Hemmings who headed off the line - hardly a surprise we have no outlet when our main striker is back defending so much.
MM has much to do as we have now been beaten by a good side who arguably should have won easier and a physical side where we were hopeless. He made one sub - Clough made 5. I appreciate he is trying to make a point to MP about the squad size but it sounds like we are at best going to get a loan striker in now so when Nevitt is not looking like scoring and seems if anything to have regressed since last season why not throw Taylor on? Merrie well who knows?
Finally credit to Jameson - he was so much better and in a week seemed to have learnt how to head a ball. Looked far more accomplished both on the ground and in the air.

 

[2 right feet]

I dont understand the squad size argument we have one of the largest dqauds in the division most running in 21 players quite a few sub 20 including Stevenage were running on 23 with one out on loan

 

[ADD]

I dont understand the squad size argument we have one of the largest dqauds in the division most running in 21 players quite a few sub 20 including Stevenage were running on 23 with one out on loan

MM has always liked a big squad I think we can agree but you are right perhaps I should have said squad quality as in MM has players on the bench with very little likelihood they will be put on at any point.

 

[Sparky]

The issue over recruitment stems from last season. So many poor signings, Mani, Mcmanaman, Maguire, Walker, Maynard, Duffy to name half a dozen. This season when everyone is fit we’ll have an overload of defenders. At that point Merrie may as well ask to go out on loan as he’ll have no chance of playing. I always liked him but another example of a signing that hasn’t worked out. Yes there have been some successes like Hemmings, Cogley, OConnor and Tom Davies, but question marks still in my view around Doohan and Hawkes. Too early to judge McAlear.

Don’t forget though that Mansfield and Bristol rovers had poor starts to the season and ended up top 7 so lots to play for still. There are just some big concerns what what we’ve seen so far. As ADD mentions we’ve now lost to two sides with different footballing styles

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Have to say it was a much better performance no doubt and Lewis should have done better and equalised but that shouldn't paper over the cracks.
Much talk after last week about how much better we will be when the CB's are back but reality was that they were a far better footballing side in midfield and in attack. Lovely nice triangles and passes behind the man whereas we were more workmanlike. Still far too many long aimless balls to nobody in particular. We created only two chances the header from Bristow which he started with a lovely cross field ball and the Lewis miss from a lovely long ball by Byrne to Cogley. The Hemmings chance was created by Mansfield with an awful back pass which was well saved.
By contrast they created many chances with aside from the goal a ball cleared off the line, they hit the post and Doohan made an excellent save from Akins at the death. 17 shots to 6 according to the BBC. Also for their goal the man marking the scorer was Hemmings whilst it was Hemmings who headed off the line - hardly a surprise we have no outlet when our main striker is back defending so much.
MM has much to do as we have now been beaten by a good side who arguably should have won easier and a physical side where we were hopeless. He made one sub - Clough made 5. I appreciate he is trying to make a point to MP about the squad size but it sounds like we are at best going to get a loan striker in now so when Nevitt is not looking like scoring and seems if anything to have regressed since last season why not throw Taylor on? Merrie well who knows?
Finally credit to Jameson - he was so much better and in a week seemed to have learnt how to head a ball. Looked far more accomplished both on the ground and in the air.

Mansfield have spent an absolute fortune on players in recent years and have probably the best midfield in the division with quality in that area we can't match, so it is no great surprise if they looked a better footballing side (assuming they actually did).

The first team squad this season is not particularly big by League Two standards.

 

[Ian]

so it is no great surprise if they looked a better footballing side (assuming they actually did).

They probably shaded it but we also passed it around quite well at times. There were silly errors and moments were we could have kept hold of the ball but had we taken our chances we could have come away with a point. You couldn't fault the lads attitude and effort yesterday, we are just lacking a bit of quality in certain areas which we will address when the injuries ease off.

 

[Ian]

 

[Boz]

They probably shaded it but we also passed it around quite well at times. There were silly errors and moments were we could have kept hold of the ball but had we taken our chances we could have come away with a point. You couldn't fault the lads attitude and effort yesterday, we are just lacking a bit of quality in certain areas which we will address when the injuries ease off.

Ian, unsure what you're suggesting in the last part? For the short-term absences, we've got an experienced central defender Turnbull and an attacking option which will give us something different in Mumbongo, though it's hard to say what we should expect from him. Davies probably back by the end of the month and Morris around the start of October. Defensively we can wait for that duo to return and either will improve us, but don't you think we need more attacking options now, irrespective of the injured players?

Thanks for posting the highlights, it's a shame that the source doesn't show the early penalty shout or Hemmings effort from the intercepted back-pass.
Their goal had a number of issues to consider. Could Bristow have done more to stop Boateng putting in the cross that led to the corner for the goal? I don't think Byrne from his perception had much option than to put it behind, the commentary team thought there should have been a shout from a team-mate as there wasn't an attacker right behind him. When the corner came in, it seemed a case of too many cooks and no head chef. Hemmings was seemingly marking the scorer, don't want to be too critical of an attacker doing a defensive job and he'd already saved us once with the effort headed off the line, but wouldn't it be better to keep a man up at corners, particularly now the Clarke explanation for that tactic no longer applies? Micky only switched to keeping a man up when we conceded the second goal v Stevenage.

While it didn't sound like Lewis had his best game, I was expecting a much worse miss than the reality. He got the effort on target, needed to take the opportunity quickly although maybe didn't strike it cleanly. It was nowhere near as clear-cut as those fluffed by Hemmings and Nolan in the Huddersfield friendly.

Next stop Accrington and it didn't sound from MMs post-match like there will be many changes.