Thread by @tomhwilliams23

🆕🧵 Here’s my thread on #Notts 3-0 win over @maidstoneunited

Firstly a mention to the travelling Maidstone support, amazing for a wet Friday night 👏

Video credit also to Maidstone for this one

#Notts #COYP ⚫️⚪️⚫️⚪️

We open with this clip showing the combative side Baj brings to the midfield. He spots the danger, and reacts really well, show how aware he is throughout the game. I’m also impressed with Nemane battling here, and I think LW deserves credit for increasing our intensity

Nemane holds his position really nicely here, making himself available and also giving him great body positioning to cross first time. Langstaff’s positioning is also excellent here; between the CB and Full Back, meaning he cannot be picked up to be marked

Baj on the right side of midfield pushes wide into the RWB position which allows Nemane to then play in his more traditional RW position. It’s a small thing, but by pushing across Baj creates that space for his teammate, and it’s lovely tactical movement

What a lovely turn and show of vision from Ruben; he had a great game, especially in this right channel where he and Nemane had a brilliant understanding. Aaron’s movement here is superb, staying wide enough to back his own pace to beat the defender

Nemane’s delivery has been consistently brilliant all season, and this might just be his best one yet. Hard, low, hits the back post with pace and it should culminate in a goal. What’s so impressive is he can cross with such accuracy while running at pace, doesn’t have to adjust

Ignore the offside, but let’s look at Brindley, doing what we’ve pointed out all season; getting the wide CB into the half space to cross causes havoc. You can’t defend it, and ML’s movement and positioning once again is fantastic, between the defenders opening the space

Just another short clip highlighting how Baj straying into those wide areas really opened up space. Clearly he’s been instructed to support Nemane on that right flank, and Nemane also shows good nuance in his game, not needing to make the run every time

Another short clip, but what I love about this one is that our wide CBs, who we so often highlight going forward, actually combine here. It sums up how we like to get them involved perfectly. Both are pushing up, pinning Maidstone in, and both have ball playing ability to do this

Ruben to Nemane was a constant theme throughout the game, but this pass here is absolutely sublime, as is the movement. It’s a perfectly weighted pass, but the vision required is amazing too. As soon as Nemane slightly moves he breaks the lines, such a rare skill

Ruben must be a nightmare to defend, and tbh at this level in a 1v1 he is almost guaranteed to beat his man. Teams need to double, maybe even triple up on Ruben, but this in turn opens space. The nutmeg and drive into space shows his flair; he had an amazing game

I was full of praise for Austin’s movement at the weekend, but a man who often gets overlooked is Matty Palmer. His movement here is sublime, so clever and shows his game IQ. He drops off, creating a passing angle, and bc he’s checked his shoulders he knows to play it first time

Tom Weal has been working on some new corner routines and once again it seems to have paid off. KC in that channel where he’s so good at crossing from is very clever, and ML must take the credit for reacting first; he’s so hungry to score goals, 16 already! Great work @wealy23 👏

Let’s play the 2nd goal in its entirety then break it down after. It’s a great team move, starting deep with Palmer and ending with a superb finish from Ruben. The spacing in the side is nice here, creating plenty of passing angles for the side as a whole.

Ruben’s turn here is sublime, and it goes back to what I was saying about needing to double up, and Maidstone simply didn’t do that. The pass into feet is superb too, and whilst it didn’t create the shooting opportunity the early release gave it the best chance of doing so

Maidstone didn’t like to double up on Ruben, but instead chose to do so on Langstaff. Yes it prevented him from getting a shot away here, but here he shows he has more to his game than just finishing, holding it til he can release it to Ruben. Great positioning & finish from RR

Baj had a great game, and he so often drifted into wide areas to provide extra support. This time he’s out on the left, and he shows great awareness to flick the ball over the top first time. The positioning from both is superb, and both have so much time and space

You’d think Baj and Palmer had played in midfield together for years, their understanding is brilliant and they compliment each other so well. Once again Ruben is in space and once again is one step ahead of the defender. Quick feet and shot nearly result in a goal

The Cedwyn Scott special. He did this all the time at Gateshead and already it’s become a signature move at Notts. It catches keepers off guard as they are moving away from the near post, so cannot adjust in time. Sides need to become more aware of this

It seems apt to finish here with something we did so well throughout the game; push the wide CB into an attacking area. This is an extreme example, but at times they almost play like attacking midfielders, giving us an extra outlet in attack. Won’t be long before Skip scores.