Talking Notts: "Technically Butcher and MacKenzie as good as any"

Smith: Welcome back NCM users to another Talking Notts. We have to start with - finally a win! The relief after Neil MacKenzie struck that magnificent late free-kick to beat Shrewsbury on Saturday was unreal. I've been so moody of late and that win changed everything. Now it has to be onwards and upwards.

McParland... Needs to inspire a run

It is vital we push on and go on a run even better than the one after Charlie McParland first took over. Is it going to be possible?

Moss: It's a bit of a cliche but it is amazing what confidence can do. It didn't look like Notts could buy a win but now who knows. There's no point in getting ahead of yourself because Rochdale is a tough trip. Any result from Spotland will be decent but if you are looking to climb into the top half of the table which I'm sure evryone is then those are the kinds of places you are looking to go and win at. The win against Shrewsbury may just give the players the belief.

Smith: Definitely. You say Rochdale is a tough place to go, but they aren't setting the world alight. With your fountain of League Two knowledge what can you tell us Notts fans about the difficulties of Spotland. I think some are quite confident of a Notts win. Myself, I fancy us for a point. Certainly four points from that and the following away game at Dagenham would be a huge return for us.

Moss: I would go along with that. Four points from the next possible six would be an achievement. As for the trip to Spotland, Keith Hill has assembled a good side since taking charge. You may remember seeing Dale struggling at the lower end last season until after Christmas Hill came in and in a sense changed the way they played their football. They like to use the width and are at their best when going forward. Sides have had a tendency to defend deep against them and that is how teams have got their rewards against them. They've picked up in recent weeks and are finding the goal. That was shown with their win at Rotherham. But they themselves are on a confident run and look like troubling any side at the back. Glenn Murray is one player in particular to keep an eye on.

Smith: He is. I remember him notching as they beat us at Meadow Lane last season in a terrible Notts home performance. They did look dangerous then and it was shortly after Hill took over. From a Notts perspective I'd like to see MacKenzie restored from the start. I think Richard Butcher and MacKenzie are our best midfielders as proved by their performances so far but there appears a reluctance to play them together. I don't know why. They are

Lampard and Gerrard... Similar debate to Butcher and MacKenzie

different to me. Yes they both go forward and score, but Butcher is a box-to-box player and does like to get stuck in. People have compared it to the Lampard/Gerrard debate for England - but I believe that MacKenzie and Butcher can play together and they proved that during the second half on Saturday.

Moss: I agree they are the best two central midfielders at the club and therefore must play together. I am also a fan of Matt Somner but in recent weeks he has done very little to warrant his starting shirt. Technically Butcher and MacKenzie are as good as any in the division so there's no problem on that side of things - they will score and create. I think they've proved that already this term. As for the added steel they will have to toughen up, be prepared to get stuck in and it could be a great partnership.

Smith: Somner has been poor lately as you say, and I have a feeling McParland will give Butcher and MacKenzie a crack on Saturday. Another attack minded central player in the ranks is of course Jay Smith who seems to have been out for an age wih his injury. I was wondering what your thoughts were regarding the recent allegations of his Facebook status about having his weekend ruined by the gaffer. Naturally this is based on a bit of rumour, but there seems to have been quite a reaction. We are both Facebook users, what do you make to it all?

Moss: Well only Jay Smith knows the full story. And it is clear that a number of assumptions have been made throughout this issue. But the fact remains that his status was perhaps not as professional as it should have been for a professional footballer. And I think the Notts fans deserve better. I'm sure though that Smith has a certain degree of regret and I can only hope fans let his football do the talking in the future.

Smith: Moving on to League Two in general now. Another managerial casualty today as Brentford and Terry Butcher parted company. For me it is a deserved sacking. The statistics show he lost 13 of his 23 games in charge and that is unacceptable. But I have a feeling you will disagree...

Moss: Well as you fully know I am a supporter of continuity and time.

Butcher... Sacked by Brentford

Brentford have been on a downward spiral for the last couple of years now and fans who thought they were going to bounce straight back out of League Two are greatly mistaken. The division is a lot tougher than that. It takes more than a few good players - it takes character. You only have to look at Chris Casper at Bury and Stuart McCall at Bradford to see how things can turn around given time. But that is easy for me to say from the outside. Brentford have woefully struggled this season and I am sure there a lot of supporters happy to see the back of him.

Smith: Was it a surprise to see him go? You predicted whoever lost their weekend match with Grimsby the respective manager would go. Is that illustrating the nature of the game at the moment. There are just so many sackings. And had Butcher's men won on Saturday, would he still be there and would Buckley be a goner? I think Butcher would have gone anyway because at the moment it seems once the fans are unhappy they are too hard to turn around. Steve Thompson with Notts was a perfect example of that.

Moss: It's the very nature of the game. Football is a business now - it has always been a results business but now it is much more than that. It's very cruel and very unforgiving. Jose Mourinho was sacked so if he can be, anyone can. Buckley is still on thin ice but victory may buy him a few more games. At the end of the day, both Grimsby and Brentford are as bad as each over at the moment and that's why loss was always going to result in a sacking.

Smith: Generally in League Two as we are coming up to the halfway point, who do you see as certs for promotion and relegation and who could go either way for you?

Moss: Well I'm going to stick by my guns for MK Dons and Posh for automatic. The other slot could be a number of teams - Rotherham, Chesterfield and Darlington would be my main bets though. Take you pick for

Capello and Beckham... To be reunited with England?

the playoffs. As for at the other end Dagenham are my favourites to go along with any of the other sides in and around there. I wouldn't rule Accrington out of the running yet either. They could slide. Sides like Wrexham, Mansfield, Grimsby and Lincoln should have enough to pull away from danger. Yourself?

Smith: Well Notts will be mid-table I think. Initially that disappoints me but with the usual soap opera that has gone on I'll take that. Up top Peterborough will win it for me followed by MK Dons and Darlington. Playoffs will comprise Hereford, Wycombe, Chester and Chesterfield. Going down I see Dagenham and Macclesfield. Just to end then mate, Fabio Capello for England? I think he is the best alternative to Jose Mourinho who I wanted before he ruled himself out.

Moss: I know Capello has got a good record but I can't see him shaking things up enough. I really wanted Jose and I am on a downer now we are not going to get him. We'll wait and see and it looks more and more likely to be the former Real Madrid man. Which is good news for Beckham who needs juts one more game for his hundred caps. Thanks for reading and we'll be back with Talking Notts in due course...