Pre-season is complete. The predictions have been posted. The scent of the season opener will soon be wafting through stadiums up and down the country. Proper football is finally back.
The Stags concluded their preparations on the pitch with victories at Oldham and Matlock, and off the pitch we’ve had injury news, potential incomings and outgoings and expectations for the season outlined, so lets get to it.
Intensity lacking but Stags put away Oldham
With a week to go before the opening league fixture, Mansfield departed Boundary Park with the dissatisfied words of manager Nigel Clough ringing in their ears, despite a 3-0 victory.
On the face of it, the scoreline depicts a comfortable victory by a wide margin, but the reality was a little different. Clough bemoaned the lack of intensity his side displayed throughout the encounter, pointing to the fact the home side could have been two goals to the good before Mansfield had stirred. The lack of energy could be the result of the marathon trips the squad had been subjected to over the previous week, or the rigorous training schedule that pre-season presents. Nevertheless, the manager was pleased to see strikers Lucas Akins and Rhys Oates on the scoresheet again, with their 8th and 4th goals of pre-season respectively. Akins swept home the first following a Callum Johnson cut back from the right, and added a second by diverting a low Hiram Boateng cross from the opposite flank. The third goal was a cracker from Oates, cutting in from the left and curling a shot into the far corner from just inside the box.
I must admit my initial concern at seeing Jordan Bowery lining up at centre back when the team news came through on Saturday afternoon, an experiment that was tested at times last campaign when we were short on numbers, and in my opinion just does not work. When asked about this after the game by iFollow commentator Martin Shaw, Clough said that Bowery played as a defender purely to get the required minutes into his legs. Hopefully that is the final time we will see Bowery in the middle of the defence this season, which is no slight on JB9, he is just simply not a central defender.
Absent from the line up were Baily Cargill (back spasm) and Stephen Quinn (chest infection). Clough said later in the week that he wanted to line up with his strongest team, but the pairs unavailability meant that it wasn’t possible. Ollie Clarke and Will Swan missed out with their continuing niggles, whilst it was confirmed John Joe O’Toole will be out for two months with an ankle injury. George Maris only played the first 45 minutes as his wife was imminently due to give birth. George Williams and James Gale would be fit to feature against Matlock on Tuesday. James Perch was still said to be making his mind up as to where he will play his football this season. Nigel Clough also revealed that George Cooper is scheduled to head out on loan to the National League North.
Mansfield win on annual trip to Matlock
Onto Tuesday night, where over 1000 fans enjoyed a second Stags success at the beautifully picturesque Proctor Cars Stadium. With Clough and Bobbie the dog ensconced behind the goal as has become tradition, Mansfield made nine changes from the triumph at Oldham, with only George Maris and Jordan Bowery keeping their places. George Williams wore a Mansfield Town shirt for the first time, whilst James Gale returned from a knock as promised. Kieron Freeman was also back for another outing at left back, having failed to earn a contract at Oxford United. You have to think that the players given the evening off are in pole position to feature from the start at Crewe on Saturday.
Despite going behind inside the first minute after Freeman found himself out of position, goals from George Maris and Jordan Bowery, back in a more familiar forward role, put the Stags in control. Both assists were provided from the left hand side by Hiram Boateng. The hosts equalised on the verge of half time via a lovely finish from the edge of the box by Harry Wakefield. In the second half, goals from Jakub Kruszynski and a second from Bowery wrapped up the win. Williams was withdrawn at half time following a steady 45 minutes, whilst Kruszynski enjoyed a productive second half, his low centre or gravity and dribbling ability causing a number of issues for The Gladiators.
Nigel Clough was again unhappy with the lack of intensity but pleased that his side carried a constant threat, both on the night and throughout the friendly games over the last few weeks. The Stags have racked up 32 goals in 8 games.
‘We’re trying to get promoted’
Speaking on iFollow ahead of the new season, Nigel Clough was not shying away when asked his aims for the season ahead. Promotion is the aim, as it has been for what seems like forever, The Stags along with Newport hold the longest current tenure in League Two following their respective promotions in the 2012–13 season. That aim will be tougher than ever to achieve, with the manager conceding that two thirds of the league will fancy their chances of challenging.
Clough also confirmed he is looking to bolster his central defensive options. With O’Toole out for a couple of months and Perch looking increasingly unlikely to commit his future to the club, an injury to Alfie Kilgour or Baily Cargill would mean George Williams being forced into action earlier than would be ideal. Cargill has already suffered a few scrapes which have perhaps accelerated the urgency of the managers search.
Further up the pitch, the gaffer confirmed Clarke and Swan are highly unlikely to feature at the weekend, Clarke with his calf problem and Swan with a very slight groin strain. They both operate in areas of the pitch where adequate cover is available, and so no unnecessary risks are being taken with their fitness at this early stage of the season.
Crewe (A) - Fan Preview
I’m hoping throughout the season that this will be a regular feature, where a fan of our opposition provides insight ahead of the weekends game. First up, Tim Robinson from The Railwaymen Podcast (@railwaymenthe on twitter/X) provides the lowdown on Crewe Alexandra :
What are your expectations for the season? After a season of consolidation, and with Lee Bell entering his first full season as manager, we expect to avoid relegation and firm up our identity as Bell’s ideas become more coherent in our playing style. It’s perfectly possibly, in what looks like a much tougher league, that we could both progress on last season, and actually fail to achieve last year’s 13th place finish. The experts have us finishing 18-21st but Crewe fans are on the whole more optimistic. I fancy we have had a sneaky good summer, and will confound some of the naysayers.
Thoughts on your manager and former Stag, Lee Bell? Largely because it was ANOTHER internal appointment, the initial news, after Alex Morris stepped down, was met with scepticism from the fanbase, a criticism more of the chairman than of Lee Bell. However, so far Bell has done a lot right and very little wrong. Bell seems to be able to get his ideas over to the players well, and whilst he’s working with one of the smallest playing budgets in the EFL, he does have the benefit of a continual drip drip of talent from the academy to draw on, and having come through the Alex academy himself, he won’t be afraid to chuck them in. There’s signs these ones will be good too. O’Riordan and Tabiner had very promising first seasons, Zak Williams missed most of last year but is still only 19 and looks fit and strong. Adebisi and Offord feel like part of the furniture now, and younger pros Holicek, Lunt, Finney and young full back Zak Kempster-Down could have roles to play this year. Holicek is very highly rated and in the expected absence of Chris Long could make his full debut on Saturday.
How would you rate your summer business out of ten? I’m using the top end of what’s realistic for us as 10 on the scale, and with that in mind I’d score us an excellent 8/10 at this stage. Considering we lost our best two players last season in Agyei (Orient) and McDonald (Harrogate), plus a number of other first choice players, we had a number of obvious priorities. We knew we needed right back, wide midfielder, playmaker in the middle of the park, a keeper and ideally an experienced leader at the back. So for Bell to tick all those boxes, with high rank targets, of mostly proven quality at this level, and get them in by Day 1 of preseason was very impressive. Ryan Cooney (RB, Morecambe, 24) has promotions with Bury and Morecambe on his CV. Shilow Tracey (RW, Cambridge, 25) should be the skilful wide man Agyei replacement. Jack Powell (CM, Crawley, 29) is exactly what we needed in the middle of the park to help instigate Bell’s desired style. Harvey Davies (loan GK, Liverpool, 19) will aim to be as successful as Arthur Okonkwo and James Beadle were in between the sticks. More recently, Mickey Demetriou has joined (CD, Newport, 33) to add leadership to the backline. At this stage it’s probably the best window we have had in years.
Who will likely catch the eye for Crewe at the weekend? Shilow Tracey looks an exciting attacking talent. I’m really looking forward to seeing how he and Courtney Baker-Richardson link up as the season progresses.
How do you think Mansfield will do this season? The top end of this division looks extraordinarily congested. How do you fit 6 teams into 3 spots, or 10 into 7? I like the squad, I like the recruitment. I like that Clough has gone back for players he knows like Pym and Swan. I probably have more question marks about Clough than some of the other managers at the top end of the division, particularly his insistence on playing players out of position. In a normal year I’d still have the Stags in the top 3 easy. This year think Mansfield’s range is probably something like 3-10. I’m afraid when I did my 1-24s I had you in 9th, but the play offs is 100% achievable and I wouldn’t be surprised by a top 3 finish either.
Score prediction? We were dynamite at home last season. I expect that to continue. Crewe 3-1 Mansfield
The Closing Question
Another new feature, and it’s pretty self-explanatory! This weeks closing question is, where will Mansfield finish in League Two 2023/24?
I reckon we’ll get play offs and have a chance at the top 3, but we’ll probably finish 4th or 5th
A good read that. Like the view of opposition supporters. Not having as big hopes for promotion this season as I had a year ago, due to the other big teams coming into the league, but a play off spot might be up for grabs, and another thrilling end to the season. Massive signing in Flint calls for optimism, but I've lowered my expectations and I'm just in it for the thrill of the ride. Can't wait for the season to start tho.
COYS!!!!