Spine problems

[the_anticlough]

Don't want to overreact after a single defeat, but all of a sudden KN is looking at issues right down the spine of the team

Centre of defence - no knock on Duffy and Brisley who have been really solid, but there's an obvious lack of cover and now it's not an option, we MUST sign a new centre back.

Centre of midfield - we don't know yet how much we'll miss Yates, but today it had to be worry that the other engine room guy who got us into 2nd was put back in defence. Maybe the players are there for KN to find another winning formula for the rest of the season. I'm not sure what it is though.

Centre forwards - we thought this was the only real issue coming into the transfer window.

Good test for KN. I'm backing him to solve it all but work to do that's for sure.

[mattpie]

Centre forwards - we thought this was the only real issue coming into the transfer window.

I think we’ve known a cb was a high priority since August lest someone got injured?

[i961pie]

I think we’ve known a cb was a high priority since August lest someone got injured?

Since August 2013

[jackal2]

I think we’ve known a cb was a high priority since August lest someone got injured?

Since August 2013

Two more Brisleys is what we need! Nothing fancy, just big lads who head it, kick it and concentrate for 90 minutes.

[LaxtonLad]

I bunged this little gem on another fred before I noticed this one wasn't another moan about the NHS, so here we go again.

Five midfielders who have been training together for only a week is asking a bit much, especially if you're expecting one of them to take a striker's role when the chance comes. That's ok if the other midfielders know what's happening and what's expected of them. When Shola came on it was a different story, Exeter's central defenders had had an easy time till then but they knew what to expect from his appearance and they got it, you might say he's not fully fit, but start with him and by the time he tires we could be a goal or two up - cue Alan Smith!

[countygump]

I bunged this little gem on another fred before I noticed this one wasn't another moan about the NHS, so here we go again.

Five midfielders who have been training together for only a week is asking a bit much, especially if you're expecting one of them to take a striker's role when the chance comes. That's ok if the other midfielders know what's happening and what's expected of them. When Shola came on it was a different story, Exeter's central defenders had had an easy time till then but they knew what to expect from his appearance and they got it, you might say he's not fully fit, but start with him and by the time he tires we could be a goal or two up - cue Alan Smith!

Agreed. Nolo should have started with 4-4-2 and Stead and Shola up top. If the Sho-man tired or wasn't 100% fit, cue Forte. Nolo got his tictacs badly wrong, IMO.

[karl wheatly]

The thread title is 'Spine Problems' ??? Surely 'Spineless' would be a more appropriate title to a thread discussing this non-performance.

Let's just hope this isn't the beginning of yet another NCFC " great unravelling", such as the ones witnessed under Derry and Sheridan.

P.S. apologies to Kelsdyke & co. You are to be commended for your unerring optimism and faith but at times it's breathtakingly naive.

[countygump]

Don't want to overreact after a single defeat, but all of a sudden KN is looking at issues right down the spine of the team

Centre of defence - no knock on Duffy and Brisley who have been really solid, but there's an obvious lack of cover and now it's not an option, we MUST sign a new centre back.

Centre of midfield - we don't know yet how much we'll miss Yates, but today it had to be worry that the other engine room guy who got us into 2nd was put back in defence. Maybe the players are there for KN to find another winning formula for the rest of the season. I'm not sure what it is though.

Centre forwards - we thought this was the only real issue coming into the transfer window.

Good test for KN. I'm backing him to solve it all but work to do that's for sure.

Agreed. I though we missed Hewitt badly in his normal mid-field roll today.

[jackal2]

Pretty much agree with the OP.

Going into the transfer window it was already obvious that we needed another quality, experienced centre-half to provide real challenge/cover for Brisley and Duffy, and with the only other option (Hollis) leaving, there's now an even greater urgency to sort that out.

Today, we had to move Hewitt back to cover for Duffy, and Nolan's team selection suggests he doesn't have confidence in Noble, Virtue or Husin to perform in a two-man midfield, which is a real concern. Kevin Nolan's success as Notts manager has been built on a rigid, consistent 4-4-2 system, and any incoming players should be capable of adding strength to that system, rather than leaving the manager feeling uncertain enough to change it. God forbid we go back to inept days of Keith Curle-style 4-5-1, accumulating a huge squad of midfielders with little or no options in other positions!

And yes, obviously, the other main priority is a quality striker, even though Jon Stead has done OK in recent games. We need strength in depth in that position so we can continue with the two-up-front tactics that have been crucial to our upturn in fortunes for the past year.

[durhampie]

The team selection today left a lot to be desired. Hunt, supposedly motm was awful as per usual. We played with a 5 man midfield and were still out fought and second to every ball. We missed Yates badly, the guy from Liverpool is ok but does not match up to him The new signing from Palace looked out of his depth and should not have started in such an important game. The usual tactic of one up front once again totally failed. I dont know why we persist with this boring tactic.
On this showing we will soon be out of the automatic places unless we sign a decent CB and a new CB...