Thread by @tomhwilliams23

🆕🧵 Here’s my thread on #Notts 3-1 win over #Alty

A good professional win, and whilst it wasn’t our best performance we did play well

We should have the @notts_stats report out around midday tomorrow

All credit to Altrincham for the video on this one

I’m starting slightly different this week, highlighting the impressive first start of Tobi Adebayo-Rowling. He was a real threat down that right hand side, and his final delivery was consistently strong. The low hard delivery has been very successful for us this season

TAR keeps a very wide position, just like Nemane does, and in this regard he fit in seamlessly. This clip also shows how Quevin operated in a deeper role, the position I expected him to play in when he was signed. From here he’s able to dictate play a lot better

The striking thing in this clip is Tobi’s pace. He beats Jones for pace easily, despite giving the defender several yards hesd start. Scott’s work here is immense too; he might not be getting as many goals as ML but his overall game is superb. Holding it up & playing a good ball

Here we see TAR pick his head up and make a great decision, laying it off to Macca for an easy tap in. Many would have panicked here but he stayed composed and found the right pass. The positioning of ML is superb; he’s always in the right place at the right time, making it easy

Scott’s low shot is parried into a dangerous area, and once again we see ML pounce. His awareness is ridiculous, but he also has what every great striker has; the willingness to gamble, and the belief that every chance will fall his way. He follows it in and gets the reward

3rd goal comes from a Slocombe long ball, & as he seems to do consistently he hits the right area. We thrive off of second balls, and TAR shows immense quality here. ML should be happy with the header too; looping into the far corner, a tough skill, and 👏 AC for following it in

Another thing Notts have done really well this season is getting the progressive centre backs involved high and wide. Both Cameron and Brinds are able to arrive in the space just in front of the box, offering them a great angle to clip a ball in. It will lead to many goals

This Castro free kick somehow had less xG than the one he scored against York, but he strikes this one equally well. Whilst he won’t get every one right, it’s really promising that his set piece threat is on show. Not only will it deter defenders fouling us, it’ll guarantee goals

This clip really shows our team shape perfectly. When I’m possession the central CB drops in and our team almost forms a 1-3-1-2-1-2 formation. The two outside CBs push forward and almost form a midfield 3 with Palmer, ensuring plenty of passing angles but also pressure on them

Now onto the negatives, and Notts looked a bit shaky at the back. This was in the first half, and Altrincham beat our offside trap beautifully. Credit must got to Dinanga who gets back inside and times his run really well, but the defence must take some flack too, as shown next

Tobi firstly is too deep; he’s playing everyone onside, but tbf this isn’t really his fault. I feel the 3 central defenders weren’t as alert as usual. Of course we all suffer lapses in concentration, but pacey strikers will fancy their chances against us. We miss Baldwin’s pace

As was highlighted by birthday boy @colin_sisson Notts are vulnerable to low crosses. Their goal came from a low driven cross, & whilst it’s good movement from Dinanga you have to question the lack of bodies. I love the attacking work of our wing backs but they do get caught out

Again it’s good attacking play from Altrincham, but I do worry that we are quite static as a defensive unit at times and struggle to track runners. If sides know they can stretch us with runners we may run into problems; as we have so much of the ball we avoid it tho

Chicksen makes a vital challenge here, and shows how important he is to the side at both ends of the pitch. However again we do get caught out with lack of personnel we have in defence. These are the perils of our style tho so it’s something we have to live with.