Catling’s Corner Stags Blog: Thanks for the praise Muzza!

I’ll start this week’s blog by telling people of some appraisal of my blog by manager Adam Murray, which by my amazement he sent me through Twitter.

I’m not going to tell people what was said but after it being in the press this week about people doing blogs and whatever else on the internet it was brilliant to hear from him.

I cannot tell people of my amazement when I got his messages on Twitter and thank you again for the praise Muzza.

On the way to the game I was asked who I thought was going to come in for Chris Clements and Nicky Hunt, and for a change I got both right with Lee Collins and Jack Thomas being their replacements.

I’ll stay on the subject of these two and give my opinion and a few others opinions whom I’ve asked on this pair during the game.

Collins stepping in as captain and had a very shaky start to the game for the first half.

But as the game went on he did very well, though I don’t think he is a right back that’s for sure.

Jack Thomas was quiet and did okay. He put himself about but I’m guessing by the standards he set last season, he’d want to do a lot better.

But Jack is one of us and it won’t be long before he’s back to his Mansfield best.

On a lesser note Mitchell Rose picked up his fifth booking and will not play at Stevenage tonight.

He will be a huge miss as he and Krystian Pearce in my opinion have been our best two players this season.

On the flip side Nicky Hunt will be back and I do think we missed him a little on Saturday.

His runs forward and knowledge at right back have been instrumental this season for how well we have done.

I also think Matt Green still looks very rusty and seems to struggle if he doesn’t score.

I have asked other people about what they think is up with Greeny and the answers I got were that he’s not playing up front with someone.

But a player of Green’s quality should still be doing better.

Matty Blair was finally back for the Stags after nearly eight months out and he came on and showed a little 10 minute glimpse of what he’s got.

Welcome back Matty and just to say you’ve got some making up to do to us Stags fans because we still remember the York goal against us! But come on Matty do us proud.

The man of the match in this game for me was the once again immense Pearce.

This man is brilliant and I hope he keeps up this quality all season

The partnership of Pearce and Tafazolli has been a brilliant pairing so far this season and I hope for many many more clean sheets as we go on!

I think a mention is deserved for Brian Jensen as well as he didn’t do anything outstanding, but with a goalkeeper of his standard you’d expect to save the shots he did during the game.

So to sum up the game, I do think it was a fair result as both teams had chances but we showed we are good defensively and could have nicked it in the end.

Plymouth are a better team in this league and showed why they are near the top.

As stated above I think they’ll be up there come the end of the season, but hopefully with us.

So Muzza I hope this blog you’ll like and please tell me again if you think this is fair and honest with what I think and others. So come on Adam Murray’s Barmy Army and COYS!