Cheltenham Town v Notts County

[Jon Palmer]

Live updates here throughout the afternoon: http://bit.ly/NottsCountyHome" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Nesty]

AMS injured?

[Nesty]

15:26 WATCH: Cheltenham Town take the lead through Danny Wright !!

[Nesty]

Downes and Parslow getting stick on the Echo feed, yet last week people were saying the defence was ok -

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Downes and Parslow getting stick on the Echo feed, yet last week people were saying the defence was ok -

Both slow and have their moments. Have been saying since pre-season that in the Conference you could get away with being slow, making dodgy headers and letting it bounce but in the League you can't. I don't think we will keep many clean sheets if they both play every game.

[Nesty]

I think many people had doubts that some of our squad would make the step up, but I am 100% convinced GJ could do no more than give all of his players the chance in L2 - with changes to the loan rules his options are now limited to using what he has or looking for out of contract players - but too early to panic

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Replace either Parslow with someone who does not have a 20p head, or Downes with someone who can run.

[Nesty]

As it stands we are 20th -

[darreno]

Playoffs? You're having a laugh. Long, hard struggle till May.

[Robin]

Downes had an absolute shocker today, his worst game for CTFC, he looked completely lost. He's a great captain and I'm sure he'll know that was a long way short of standard. Parslow was also lost and if I were GJ I would be thinking I can only start one of them after today and challenging them to prove me wrong. OK also for the defenders to get flack but Wright again not able to impose himself despite excellent work rate.

I said in the summer we needed 2-3 players an experienced striker, centre half an winger that seems to be ringing true right now and may end up costing us a play off place.

Notts County were poor, long ball team who rolled on the floor and wasted time at every chance but we are more than capable of beating teams like that. I think they scored every chance I think too.

[Rulistening]

Wait.. we had a defence playing?!. Watching us hoof the ball to players below 5'6 made me want to end myself.
as for the overall game Griffiths wasnt exactly winning me over when it came to installing confidence, I didn't really see asa hall do a whole lot when he was on the pitch. Wrighty actually looked semi decent most of the game but at the start he was utterly atrocious. And that jonny smith (not sure on the name sorry if its completely wrong, the bristol city loanee) has no end product. The decision to shoot in the 95th minute or so with everyone in the box was beyond stupid

[longmover]

Once Holman and Storer are back we'll be fine, did we look 2nd best for the whole 90? No, come the final whistle County were dead, all of them were sat on the floor our fitness enables us to keep pushing and we pushed and pushed but just didn't score. We'll finish mid table once everyone's back. I've never aligned with the idea 'must finish in the playoffs' (just because rover got back to back promotion. In your first season back: Don't get relegated and then go from there.

[CTFC03]

Absolutely not good enough today, some of the mistakes made today reminded me of the Yates era.

We have got to win next week.

[Hubert Parry]

Time to rethink. I'd go with the following next week:

Griffiths

Barthram
Dickie
O'Shaughnessy
Cranston

Storer (if fit, otherwise Rowe)
Pell
Munns

Dayton
Smith
Wright

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Time to rethink. I'd go with the following next week:

Griffiths

Barthram
Dickie
O'Shaughnessy
Cranston

Storer (if fit, otherwise Rowe)
Pell
Munns

Dayton
Smith
Wright

Looks good to me. That centre back pairing would be immense. Might actually be able to win headers.

[CTFC03]

Yep that formation looks spot on.

[Robin]

Absolutely not good enough today, some of the mistakes made today reminded me of the Yates era.

We have got to win next week.

Answer me who was the better team? Would anyone disagree that over 90 minutes were better? The issue is we defended so bad we practically gave them three goals, the rest we attacked and they defended (when they were not wasting time and rolling over).

I'm not saying that to deflect anything, result was not good enough but overall the effort was there and if we sort out the centre of defence and strikers we will do more than fine.

[Nesty]

we have been dealt a very difficult hand this season, with rule changes not helping the fact that GJ owed it to the squad that got us here to L2 to prove they could step up. One or two of the squad were injured and in Storer's case suspended= Two more (Downes and AMS) had condition put in their offer to prove their fitness - but in honesty have they? Munns has been injured , as has been Dayton. One we had great hopes of (Holman) has also been injured, We had the elongated scenarios with Phillips and Dickie (and eventually signed the latter), all in all its been a stop/start affair, and we keep hoping that eventually the t's will be crossed and the i's dotted.
I just hope that it is sooner rather than later before too many floaters make up their mind to give it a miss. only 2,600 home fans - we cant keep assuming that people are on holiday.

[CTFC03]

For most of the game I thought it was quite even, we did have spells of pressure and made some decent moves but the mistakes today were just stupid (short corner taken quickly with the keeper running into the box, what was all that about?). I think at 2-2 had we have kept it like that for 5 minutes or so I think we would have won but we have got to get a grip and fast.

[Robin]

Time to rethink. I'd go with the following next week:

Griffiths

Barthram
Dickie
O'Shaughnessy
Cranston

Storer (if fit, otherwise Rowe)
Pell
Munns

Dayton
Smith
Wright

Harsh on Asa Hall, I thought he did fine today, also don't think we should drop both Downes and Parslow, it should be one or the other in this league.

[Hubert Parry]

Hall was positionally woeful.

[Reliant Robin]

I wouldn't write Downsey off just yet. He wasn't sharp today, but what do people expect? He's been rushed back in with very few games, so is not at all match fit and he was up against a very experienced Notts County strike force. It's little wonder he was found wanting today. Once he's got his sharpness back he will be fine.

I think criticism of Dan Wright is unfair too. I thought he had a decent game.

Not sure what the injury was to James Rowe, but he had to be helped to the treatment room when he went off. Can't see him being fit for the next game.

[Hubert Parry]

I saw Downes plenty of times for Torquay in their relegation season and he looked out of depth most of the time. Good for 95% of the game but always liable for a fatal error

[Robin]

I wouldn't write Downsey off just yet. He wasn't sharp today, but what do people expect? He's been rushed back in with very few games, so is not at all match fit and he was up against a very experienced Notts County strike force. It's little wonder he was found wanting today. Once he's got his sharpness back he will be fine.

I think criticism of Dan Wright is unfair too. I thought he had a decent game.

Not sure what the injury was to James Rowe, but he had to be helped to the treatment room when he went off. Can't see him being fit for the next game.

Agree it's too soon to write him off but that was so bad today, he looked so out of his depth it was scary, his distribution and defending just looked at least a league below. The guy is a great leader and I want him to succeed but a huge improvement was needed on that. Parslow was almost as bad though, they looked like poor conference standard defenders today to me.

As for Wright I would disagree, his effort was superb as always but all too often the defenders had him exactly where they wanted him, he posed no threat other than the goal he scored, he rarely created any decent flick ons for the team either. He's just not doing it for me.

[theidlerich]

Very disappointing. Conceded two very, very sloppy goals; Downes good positionally for heading away and being the right position to intercept passes; but ability to turn and chase - as we knew - is going to let him down; and it did badly! Parslow out of sorts, consequently defensibly we were very shaky. Thought Smith was a live wire, but rarely saw his passes come to anything; our 'forward line' doesn't have his vision nor intuitive positioning. Much huffing and puffing up front; two decent goals from DW and Pell; wish Dayton had more efforts towards goal rather than pass, he has a half decent shot. Think we may be in for a long season.

[Jerry St Clair]

Here's the goals. The defending doesn't look any prettier on video.

http://www.skysports.com/efl/championsh ... tts-county" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[THECHOIRBOY]

It was sloppy but let's not forget Downes has had no pre season

For me we got better when we went to a flat back four (where all four played together last season)

I think Smith may be better as an impact player based on today and we really really need to find a midfield that gels. Really hope storer can be the same player in league two

[Leckyfan]

Can't agree with most of the criticism of Downes. Thought he was solid for most of the game, won 80 percent of his headers (but fading towards the end, which is hardly surprising), and made the assist for our second goal.

Much as it pains me to say, I thought Dan Parslow was the weakest link today. Maybe the shift from carrying sole responsibility for organising the back line (I've never thought him as a natural leader, but he stepped up well) back to being the 'quiet solid one' was just a bit confusing for him today?

Situation was compounded by fact that Jordan Cranston had one his weakest performances today, and even Rob Dickie looked out of sorts. O'Shaughnesy was unlucky to be taken off - I thought he was doing okay (but again, not as good as we have seen earlier in the season).

But full marks for effort. Pleased to see plenty of fans staying to applaud at the end. We're all in this together.

[Malabus]

Danny Wright was very hardworking today. Desperately needs his old partner back.
Thought James Rowe had a decent game before he hopped off.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Can't agree with most of the criticism of Downes. Thought he was solid for most of the game, won 80 percent of his headers (but fading towards the end, which is hardly surprising), and made the assist for our second goal.

Much as it pains me to say, I thought Dan Parslow was the weakest link today. Maybe the shift from carrying sole responsibility for organising the back line (I've never thought him as a natural leader, but he stepped up well) back to being the 'quiet solid one' was just a bit confusing for him today?

Situation was compounded by fact that Jordan Cranston had one his weakest performances today, and even Rob Dickie looked out of sorts. O'Shaughnesy was unlucky to be taken off - I thought he was doing okay (but again, not as good as we have seen earlier in the season).

But full marks for effort. Pleased to see plenty of fans staying to applaud at the end. We're all in this together.

Should not pain you to say it - Parslow was our weakest defender last season. Most goals we conceded last term came from him being too soft in the aerial challenge from set-plays and crosses or from poor positional play.

[andgarod]

The question has to be asked what game were you watching Leckyfan
Downes was woefully slow and the wrong CB was hooked
It was said above that the back four played together last season
Did Downes play many matches with Cranston

All that aside how many shots on goal did county have 3 or 4 and scored with 3
Were we outplayed no but giving chances away to quality strikers like Stead cost
We have 1 journey man lower league striker
If/When Holman comes back hopefully goals will come but that remains to be seen

Sorry if you all thought it would be a cake walk like Bristol rovers last season but we need to start improving

[Reliant Robin]

I can see where Leckyfan is coming from. It is probably fair to say that Downesey had a mixed game - that he wasn't all bad, as he contributed to some decent passages of play including the assist. It's predictable to look for scapegoats when we lose a game we could have won, and we definitely could have won this game as we were the better side overall. We were up against a highly experienced Notts County strike force, in truth their only weapon, because without them Notts County are nothing.

I suspect the fact that the way we got bullied by the vastly experienced warhorse Parkin at Newport last week, had a bearing on our defensive selection for the Notts County game - but this week we got caught out for pace and rustiness. Perhaps we should have held Downesy in reserve on the bench to be brought on if we were getting bullied, and kept 'Shoggy' at CB. Who knows? Hindsight is such a wonderfully alternative selection tool

[Robin]

It's not scapegoating Reliant, yesterday was a game we could and should have won (Notts were pretty poor) yet some absolutely shambolic defending cost us three goals, even with all our pressure that's a mountain to climb.

[cheltsaxon]

I can't believe Downes started it was clear in the friendly with Oxford he wasn't ready for a full start yet he made a mistake that cost a goal and looked very rusty and carried that onto yesterday!

[Reliant Robin]

It's not scapegoating Reliant, yesterday was a game we could and should have won (Notts were pretty poor) yet some absolutely shambolic defending cost us three goals, even with all our pressure that's a mountain to climb.

With due respect Robin, if you look at my post again I did say that it was a game we could have won. I didn't rate Notts County at all. Also, I stated Downesey was rusty, and perhaps should have been kept on the bench as insurance in case we were getting bullied again.

What I am alluding to is that the error was not with Downesey, I think he has been rushed back into a starting place prematurely with the intention of counteracting an experienced strike force. I believe the error was down to starting selection.