Mansfield Town are in League One relegation form right now | OneFootball

Recent results have left the Nigel Clough's men looking over their shoulder towards the bottom instead of the play-offs

Mansfield Town's poor run has cemented them in the bottom half of the table.

After getting promoted in the 2023/24 season, Mansfield have been considered as one of the surprise packages this term.

Their good start was cemented on the opening day with a 2-1 away victory in Yorkshire against Barnsley and optimism has continued with multiple notable performances against the bigger teams, such as grabbing a 1-1 draw at home to Birmingham City that had them momentarily in the play-off conversation, but reality has hit and avoiding relegation now has to be the main goal.

Even before Christmas, the Stags had been competitive but sitting in the play-offs wasn't showing the full story. Several of the games were close encounters that could've gone either way – seven of their 11 wins won by a one-goal scoreline.

That has seemingly caught up with an aging squad and five defeats in a row were capped off by the worst of the lot, a loss against bottom-of-the-league Cambridge United despite the U's being reduced to ten men and one goal down.

Stags boss Nigel Clough was absolutely fuming about the performance. He described it as "a waste of two hours" and rightly so, several of the players were a shadow of their previous form, devoid of any confidence and looking like they were ready for the season to end with just under half of the season still to play. Clough was forced to bring in reinforcements.

Those reinforcements have come into the attack with a breed of youth and further experience brought in Brighton wonderkid Kaylan Vickers (20) and veteran striker Jordan Rhodes (34), who hasn't scored for Blackpool all season. It remains to be seen if they can help get the Stags back on track.

Mansfield Town's next 10 games are crucial

Clough admitted earlier in the season that the fixture list began to get more challenging later in the season and so points gained earlier in the season would prove vital.

He looks like he was spot on in his judgement as the Stags face two of the top six in their next five games and two teams in improving form in and around them in Blackpool and Lincoln City.

However, the first six-pointer of Mansfield's season will be at home to Northampton Town, where they will hope to continue their good run against the Cobblers, only losing one of their last six games, including their play-off triumph on route to Wembley three seasons ago.

Times certainly have changed since then, and they will want to extend their seven-point lead to their opposition. A gap of twelve points to the bottom four could comfortably get lessened if the Yellows continue to not pick up points. Something has to change.

What Nigel Clough can do to turn around Mansfield Town's fortunes

Throughout his tenure, Clough has put round objects in square holes. Evident by his decision to make number nine Jordan Bowery into a centre-back. Not only has he operated this way, he also had a six-foot-two central defender in Aden Flint playing up front despite playing in a back five with three centre-halves. It has been baffling at times for the Mansfield faithful, but they continue to back a manager that has brought the glory days back to Field Mill.

Nevertheless, there is massive concern about what is already an aging squad – with comfortably the highest average age in the league – and the ability to keep energy up that has seemingly petered out over the last weeks and months. It is no secret to Mansfield fans that the midfield is often where they struggle most.

The signing of Matty Craig was made to help midfield maestro Louis Reed and the dependence on his ability, but maybe Clough should instead look at playing them both. A diamond gives more control in the middle of the pitch but exposes the Stags down the side, hence why a back five has been deployed most of the season.

However, the wing-backs don't offer enough going forward and, in transition, expose the likes of Bowery and Flint, who don't have the legs anymore against the exuberance of players running in behind. In addition to this, crosses have become an unexpected problem given the height of some of the defenders, with clearances or silly individual mistakes pinning the team back, making the stadium and the team anxious unnecessarily.

The attack has not offered enough going forward either, and it will be hoped that the likes of Hiram Boateng and George Marris can offer assistance to the often isolated front two. Maybe Vickers can help bridge that gap like Davis Keillor-Dunn used to do.

It is far from doom and gloom at Mansfield but the reality is that their League One fate is at risk if they cannot right the ship. They have a big month coming up as they look to stay in a league it took them 20 years to return to.