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Archived News from December 2008

WEYMOUTH PREVIEWS PLUS COMMENTARY DETAILS
24th December 2008 20:44


If you can't get to Field Mill on Saturday, then as usual StagsWorld will bring you full match commentary by Nigel Pinnick, Steve Hartshorn and Martin Shaw. To sign up to StagsWorld, click here.
A reminder that StagsWorld subscribers can watch video footage of ALL the goals from EVERY Stags league and cup game this season. To view the goals, StagsWorld subscribers should go here and sign in.
A reminder that commentary of all Stags away games is available online, free to air, at bbc.co.uk/nottingham, brought to you by David Jackson and Martin Shaw.

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Back to 4-4-2 for the Stags
http://www.chad.co.uk/stags/Back-to-442-for-the.4808749.jp
19 December 2008 , By Stephen Thirkill
MANSFIELD Town will go into tomorrow's (Saturday) vital Blue Square Premier clash at home to Weymouth playing their favoured 4-4-2 formation.

Caretaker bosses Adie Moses and Mark Stallard reverted back to the formation from the deeply unpopular 4-3-3 favoured by former boss Billy McEwan in last week's FA Trophy defeat to Wrexham.

The formation was hated by sections of the Field Mill crowd, who saw the new starting line-up as a major reason for the club's dramatic dip in form.

And for the new management pair, who will manage the side for the first time in front of the Stags' faithful, the traditional formation is the best way to improve results and performances,

Stags currently sit fifth bottom of the Blue Square Premier table following a shocking run of just two wins in their last ten league outings.

Said Stallard: "I think the players are more comfortable in this formation. Most players in this country know 4-4-2 and going back to this formation was one of the first things me and Adie wanted to do.

"The players are familiar with it and it helps to take the pressure of them a bit so they can just focus on their game. We also play better with two strikers up front than one."

The formation change will suit Forest loanee Emile Sinclair, who this week extended his Stags' stay by an extra month.

Stallard added: "We carry more goal threat with two strikers and playing with a partner suits Emile much more than playing as a lone striker.

"We are delighted that he will be here for another month. Emile is an excellent player who is linking up well with O'Connor. We are short of numbers at the moment and it can be very hard with a thin squad.

"We asked the board to extend the loan period for another month and it's great that they have done this. Emile has a lot of pace and defenders do not like dealing with that for 90 minutes. This goal threat is something we now have to build on in future matches.

"It is important that we build on our performance against Wrexham and continue to create the amount of chances we created in the second 45 minutes."

The two caretaker managers have varying fortunes on their injury problems - with Moses back in contention for a starting place but Stallard still out.

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Sinclair stays at Stags for third month.
Read full story at mansfieldtown.net here

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Sinclair stays at Stags for third month
CHAD.co.uk, 18 December 2008
STRIKER Emile Sinclair is staying at Mansfield Town for a further month, it was revealed on Thursday.

Full story at CHAD.co.uk here

The Nottingham Forest forward, who has cored four goals in 11 starts for the Stags, told the club's official website mansfieldtown.net: "I am enjoying it here and everything is going well for me. I am very happy to stay here for a further month."

He added that he was happy with the change in formation to 4-4-2 from 4-3-3 under the new caretaker managers, saying: "It definitely suits me playing up front as a partnership of two.

"I feel I am more dangerous playing up front in a 4-4-2 formation."

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Moses: Stags had to switch back to 4-4-2
Evening Post, December 19, 2008

ADIE Moses today revealed it took him and Mark Stallard seconds to revert back to a 4-4-2 formation to take Mansfield Town forward.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Moses-Stags-switch-4-4-2/article-559698-detail/article.html

The defender was put in caretaker charge with Stallard last week and admits he had become disillusioned with sacked boss Billy McEwan's 4-3-3 system.
And while their first game in charge ended in a 2-1 FA Trophy defeat to Wrexham last Saturday, he believes the strike partnership of Emile Sinclair and Aaron O'Connor will flourish.
He said: "As soon as the chairman gave me and Stall the job we knew we would revert back to 4-4-2.
"We have been playing 4-3-3 a lot recently and I was a little frustrated as a defender because the system did not quite suit the players we had.
%3Cbody%3E%3Cdiv%20id%3D%22adDiv%22%3E%3CA%20HREF%3D%22http%3A//ads.anm.co.uk/ADCLICK/CID%3Dfffffffcfffffffcfffffffc/AAMSZ%3D452x118/SITE%3DTHISISNOTT/AREA%3DFOOTBALL/SUBAREA%3D/ARTICLE%3D559698/acc_random%3D1162376254/pageid%3D/RS%3D10307.%22%20target%3D%22_new%22%3E%3CIMG%20SRC%3D%22http%3A//iad.anm.co.uk/anmdefaultad.gif%22%20ALT%3D%22%22%20border%3D0%20style%3D%22margin-bottom%3A%200px%3B%22%3E%3C/A%3E%3C/div%3E"You know Jason Lee will win his headers but the two wide players were a little too far apart. It tended to be Jason flick them on and from a defensive point of view the goalkeeper would collect it or the other centre half."
Moses added: "We knew we wanted to go 4-4-2 and wanted to play Emile up there because he has looked a different player up front. In the second half they were fantastic and Aaron had a couple of one-on-ones and Gavin Ward pulled off a great save .
"Aaron grazed the post and scored. I spoke to Dean Saunders (Wrexham boss) and he was just glad to get in with the 2-1 – they were hanging on."

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O'Connor looks to nail down Stags place
Evening Post, Thursday, December 18, 2008
AARON O'Connor is determined to nail down a Mansfield first team spot after starting his first game since the beginning of November at Wrexham.

Full story at Evening Post website here

The striker was confined to a substitute's role in the final weeks of Billy McEwan's reign at Field Mill.
But he was recalled by caretaker managers Mark Stallard and Adie Moses at the Racecourse Ground, where he responded with a goal.
Now the former Grays player hopes he can be a regular up front under the temporary bosses, or any new manager Mansfield's board appoints.
"It was good to get back in the side and start in my preferred position up front at Wrexham," said O'Connor..
%3Cbody%3E%3Cdiv%20id%3D%22adDiv%22%3E%3CA%20HREF%3D%22http%3A//ads.anm.co.uk/ADCLICK/CID%3Dfffffffcfffffffcfffffffc/AAMSZ%3D452x118/SITE%3DTHISISNOTT/AREA%3DFOOTBALL/SUBAREA%3D/ARTICLE%3D551060/acc_random%3D8026383696/pageid%3D/RS%3D10307.%22%20target%3D%22_new%22%3E%3CIMG%20SRC%3D%22http%3A//iad.anm.co.uk/anmdefaultad.gif%22%20ALT%3D%22%22%20border%3D0%20style%3D%22margin-bottom%3A%200px%3B%22%3E%3C/A%3E%3C/div%3E"This is a time when it is different for all the players. Some were in the side and might have dropped out for the moment; some might not have been in the side and have got back in, and others will fancy their chances when a new manager comes in.
"For me the changes have been a positive thing because I played at Wrexham when I otherwise might not have done. But now I have got a chance to stake my claim and show what I can do.
"It is the same for a lot of the young players and a new start for them. James Kay was different class at Wrexham and Lewis Trimmer also got on."
O'Connor insists Mansfield have been buoyed by their performance against the Red Dragons, despite a 2-1 defeat, and hopes to carry that into this weekend's league game with Weymouth.
He said: "There are a few days to work on things before Weymouth and I hope we can get better and better."

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Annerson could make Stags return
teamtalk.com, 17Dec2008

Sheffield United goalkeeper Jamie Annerson has not ruled out a return to Blue Square Premier League side Mansfield Town.

Annerson, 20, has just played two games for the Stags during an emergency loan spell after their first-choice goalkeeper Paddy Gamble was injured in a car crash.

Annerson told the club's official website: "I enjoyed the two matches and it was nice to be playing again. Unfortunately, we lost both games at Kidderminster in the league and at Wrexham in the FA Trophy.

"Hopefully, I'll get the chance to go back in January, but their goalkeeper has declared himself fit for the moment after his accident."

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Coverage of Tuesday's press conference from mansfieldtown.net here

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Weymouth match 'a must win' says Stags caretaker manager
Loan keeper Annerson returns to Sheffield United
CHAD.co.uk, 16 December 2008, By Stephen Thirkill
TEMPORARY boss Adie Moses says Saturday's clash with Weymouth in the Blue Square Premier is a 'must win' game for lowly Stags.

Full story at CHAD.co.uk here

The Field Mill outfit currently sit one place and one point above the relegation zone and have won just two of their last 10 league outings.

Moses, who was appointed caretaker manager alongside Mark Stallard following the sacking of Billy McEwan last Wednesday, said three points was vital to help kick-start their faltering season.

"This is a massive game for the club and is one we need to win," he said.

"We can take confidence from the second half display against Wrexham, the lads could have dropped their heads but we battled and fought our way back into the game.

"We got a really good response and created a lot of opportunities and could have got ourselves level again, we cannot ask any more than that from the team.

"Weymouth will be a tough game but we will prepare well for it and be going into the match looking to get the win to lift us up the table. We need to start getting some points on the board."

Club captain Moses, who is currently out injured, has also called his side to cut out costly individual errors after they conceded two 'sloppy' goals in the first 12 minutes in last Saturday's FA Trophy defeat against Wrexham.

Said Moses: "It was very disappointing to concede and to concede in the way we did. As a team we have discussed the goals, me and Stalls (Stallard) told them we cannot defend like this, but the players knew that anyway.

"We had a good chat about the Wrexham game and have taken positives out of it. Individual errors have cost us throughout the season, it is very frustrating and something we are working hard on in training."

Stags will make a change in goal for the game after Jamie Annerson returned back to Sheffield United, following the return to fitness of regular goalkeeper Paddy Gamble after his car crash.

Aaron O'Connor could also retain is place in the starting line-up ahead of Jason Lee after he linked up well with Emile Sinclair against the Dragons, but Ade Moses may not have recovered from injury in time for Saturday's fixture.

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Stags caretakers will give fringe players their chance
CHAD.co.uk, 16 December 2008, By Stephen Thirkill
FRINGE players will be given a chance to shine while caretaker bosses Adie Moses and Mark Stallard remain in charge of Mansfield Town.

Full story at CHAD.co.uk here

Speaking ahead of Stags crucial home game against Weymouth on Saturday, Moses said no-one was guarenteed a place in the starting line-up and that 'hungry' youngsters would be given the opportunity to show what they could do at Field Mill.

Said Moses: "Nobody is guaranteed a place in the team. We will pick what we think is the right team to beat the opposition we are faced with.

"It is a very hard position for us to be in, we cannot pick everyone or be everyone's mate. When we need to be ruthless then that is what we will be.

"The players have given us a great response, they know it is a tricky position for us to be in and we couldn't ask for more from them."

The statement will come as welcome news for number of upcoming players, including James Kay who impressed at left back on his debut for the club against Wrexham.

Added Moses: "James Kay was given his chance on Saturday and I think it was fully justified. I had not seen him play, but I had seen enough of him in training and in practice games to know he could do a job for us.

"He is a young, hungry and enthusiastic player who was itching to get a chance. We took young lads with us to Wrexham to give them a taste of what it is all about because they are a part of this club and its future."

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Life as a manager is so different, says Stags caretaker Moses
CHAD.co.uk, 16 December 2008, By Stephen Thirkill

STAGS caretaker boss Adie Moses has this week spoken of his experiences and difficulties of making the transition from player to manager.

Full story at CHAD.co.uk here

He was placed in charge of the mis-firing Stags alongside experienced striker Mark Stallard following the sacking of former boss Billy McEwan last Wednesday.

Speculation is now rife about who will be installed as the new permanent manager, with names such as Chris Wilder and Richie Barker heading the list of frontrunners.

But for the time being Moses, who is also club captain, is taking one game at a time as he plots with Stallard to win three points at home to Weymouth on Saturday.

Said Moses: "We were honoured to have been given this role and the responsibility that comes with it. It is a big challenge for us but one we are both enjoying.

"It is totally different being a manager rather than just a player. The days are longer and it is much harder to switch off. You have to think about many different factors such as planning training schedules, working out who is available for games, who needs reserve action and preparing for the next game.

"The role brings new demands and it is a hard position to be in because we are picking the team now, but in a few weeks we could be one of the lads again."

Moses, who is currently injured after picking up a knock in the 2-0 defeat to Kidderminster, is now trying to draw on all his experience gathered during more than a decade in football.

Added Moses: "It has been non-stop since we got the job. Me and Mark chat on the phone about what we want to do and it's been a real hotline.

"So much goes on behind the scene which you don't really realise as a player. You just turn up and take things for granted such as training schedules, but now we are having to prepare enjoyable and constructive sessions.

"Even with all the hours of training me and Mark have done as players it is still something I find a little bit strange. We are doing everything at the moment.

"We have got a job to do, it is a great challenge but something that I am personally enjoying."

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