Ratings vs Cambridge

[The_Don_ORiordan]

The problem is we have better central defenders than we do full backs. The only way to combat this is to try and play the wingbacks like today.

What it does when they don’t overlap and get forward is leave us very very narrow. This works ok in league 2 where most attacking is down the middle or in the channels, but leaves bugger all creativity except on the grind through midfield, where we had no creative presence at all.

We are short 5 good players to play this system well, but probably even more at any flat back four system....

[optipez]

Schofield 7. One good save, kicking suspect at times but that's the least of our problems.

Barclay 7. Looked solid for a young man with little experience.

Duffy 7.5 Marshalled the defence well.

Bird 6.5 Some of his long passes didn't come off but in a dreadful season he looks to be the only positive. Strong and did his job defensively.

Hewitt 4.5 He's a centre midfielder or nothing. Should have been subbed as he created hardly anything out wide.

Allessandra 5. First game back, probably rusty, certainly not at his best.

O'Brien 7.5. Played well. Hope to God he can maintain that standard and drag the rest up rather than being sucked into the general torpor of the rest of the midfield.

Milsom 5. Got through the work but distribution was woeful.

Evina 5. Like Hawkridge, Adam Campbell, Shaun Harrad and countless others over the years who've drifted through the Lane just not quite good enough to be a league player.

Stead 5. Stead maintains a standard. When we've been incredibly bad he looks good, when we look organised he looks what he is, a model pro who has got old and lost what pace and mobility he once had.
He should be used as an impact sub as he is a clever player and would see defensive weaknesses he could exploit.

Dennis 7. Ran his legs off and nearly made himself a goal from very little. If we stay up, feeding him will be crucial.

Subs
Thomas 2. I find it hard not to get personal about Thomas, being a headless chicken is one thing but he should have been nowhere near that free kick at the end, I had no expectation of him hitting the target and sure enough he was nowhere near. He ducks headers and tackles and whilever he's near the first team we'll be in the bottom two.

Bad as it was we did look organised, defence held up well and O'Brien looks an improvement.
If we get Hemmings, Enzio and Tootle back on the pitch consistently and above all else sign a big mobile target man we might at least put up a fight til the end.
I have my doubts about Ardley or at least his ability to make a quick impact. Maybe like Allardyce before him it's going to take a relegation and close season for him to turn it round.
A lot of similarities between this season and Colin Murphy's relegation season. Play offs, a team that had ran it's course high hopes for the next season ending in a miserable relegation without a fight.

[BigFatPie]

Schofield 7 Did well, looked composed and confident. Kicking needs working on.

Hewitt 5 Made a few good contributions going forward in the first half. Can’t defend though, which is a bit of a problem for a sort of right back.

Evina 5 One fantastic, Cafu type run in the first half, but I hope he’s enjoying the use of his new arsehole which their right winger ripped for him.

Duffy 7 Gets lots of stick from people with questionable political views, but it’s nice to see him on the pitch, if only to bring back some vague, fond memories of last season.

Bird 6 Decent, but occasionally seems to think he’s a young Glenn Hoddle.

Barclay 6 Hmm, If people are questioning whether 3 CHs were really necessary for a home game against Cambridge, he might have been the one to go.

O’Brien 7 Did the talking and frantic gesturing and general leadership role which you’d expect from a bloke called Jim. Good beard.

Milsom 4 Yep terrible. Let Hawkridge go this week haha.

Alessandra 6 I thought he did alright, plenty of energy.

Stead 4 It kind of sums up our pre season that Shola left and Steady got another year. A past it Shola would still offer a physical presence even if injured a bit, while Stead just plays like he’s injured.

Dennis 5 Ironic that an in the box striker did virtually all his work outside the box. Would have been a real asset in a decent side, but he’s not in one and seems to be a bit of a jinx. I’d be seriously worried if I was a fan of a club buying him off us.

Thomas 0 The phrase I’ll drive him back to Sheffield myself isn’t quite sufficient for this bloke. I’ll hire a limousine, and fill it with champagne, prostitutes and dwarfs if I never have to see this bloke in a Notts shirt again.

[i961pie]

Schofield 7 Did well, looked composed and confident. Kicking needs working on.

Hewitt 5 Made a few good contributions going forward in the first half. Can’t defend though, which is a bit of a problem for a sort of right back.

Evina 5 One fantastic, Cafu type run in the first half, but I hope he’s enjoying the use of his new arsehole which their right winger ripped for him.

Duffy 7 Gets lots of stick from people with questionable political views, but it’s nice to see him on the pitch, if only to bring back some vague, fond memories of last season.

Bird 6 Decent, but occasionally seems to think he’s a young Glenn Hoddle.

Barclay 6 Hmm, If people are questioning whether 3 CHs were really necessary for a home game against Cambridge, he might have been the one to go.

O’Brien 7 Did the talking and frantic gesturing and general leadership role which you’d expect from a bloke called Jim. Good beard.

Milsom 4 Yep terrible. Let Hawkridge go this week haha.

Alessandra 6 I thought he did alright, plenty of energy.

Stead 4 It kind of sums up our pre season that Shola left and Steady got another year. A past it Shola would still offer a physical presence even if injured a bit, while Stead just plays like he’s injured.

Dennis 5 Ironic that an in the box striker did virtually all his work outside the box. Would have been a real asset in a decent side, but he’s not in one and seems to be a bit of a jinx. I’d be seriously worried if I was a fan of a club buying him off us.

Thomas 0 The phrase I’ll drive him back to Sheffield myself isn’t quite sufficient for this bloke. I’ll hire a limousine, and fill it with champagne, prostitutes and dwarfs if I never have to see this bloke in a Notts shirt again.

Please explain the strange Duffy comment???

[KintoreMagpie]

Etete - 5 - Lots of cameos in the past couple of months, but has yet to actually look like scoring. Maybe send him out on loan to the National League to toughen him up?[/QUOTE]

nw6 - Don't think we need to loan him out as in a couple of months I fear he will be part of a Notts team playing in the National League.

I had hoped that the new signings would have galvanised the rest of the team. Reading the comments on here it sounds as though the new recruits did OK which suggests that NA will have to undertake yet more surgery. The chances of him doing that and the patient recovering well enough to retain our league status are sadly diminishing by the day.

[Pies4u]

First game I've seen since Carlisle due to hols - new faces but same story. We have won 1 in 16, we've been eaten at home by Yeovil, Cheltenham, Macclesfield and now, amongst others, Cambridge. Yet, still some people seem to be in denial. The fact we have to select Hewitt, Stead, Milson, Evina & Milsom in our best XI illusrates why we are anchored to the foot of the table. They are simply nowhere near good enough for this league.

Yet, again, the opposition had 3 or 4 players who would walk into our team, we had none who would get in theirs. (NB: If you have Deegan, you don't need O'Brien)

Schofield - looked composed, did ok - 7
Barclay - battled on and did ok with Ibehere at times but distribution was shocking - 5
Duffy - steady & solid, organised the sprogs around him well - 7
Bird - very strong defensively but far too clumsy with the ball at his feet, gave the ball away every time he passed it - 5
Evina - the mazy run apart, got crucified by Amoo all day - 4
Hewitt - usual, ineffective display. Can't pass, easily dispossessed & by-passed, too slow on the ball - 4
O'Brien - shone like a beacon for a while then got overwhelmed by the dross all around him - 7.5
Milsom - another "crab like" display, best sideways and backwards passer in the league, no creativity - 5
Alessandra - not his usual sharp self, tried for a bit then faded - 5
Stead -usual, fell over a lot, won nothing, posed no threat to the opposition - 4
Dennis - he may have run around but to no effect but he can control the ball. In the absence of Hemmings he is the best e have, god help us - 4

Subs: Sadly, no impact.

The fat lady is starting to gargle. Can't see Hemmings & Enzio having any great effect on this side - we are very poor, very poor indeed.

[Woodsetts_Pie]

Schofield and O'Brien deserve 8/9.

Dennis in my opinion deserves credit beyond what some give him on here and on Fartbook. the guy runs his socks off, puts a shift in, and tries to make things happen. We don't play to his strengths in any way.

Duffy. Why he seems to need to berate and lambast any player at the side of him is beyond me. Barclay got both barrels on numerous occasions today, as have other players in the line up in previous matches. It doesn't help team spirit, cohesion, confidence. It demoralises. Also the thing about standing 4 yards beyond anyone else at attacking free kicks? It achieves nothing, hasn't all season. I presume it's Duffy's decision rather than a coached tactic as he's been doing it all season irrespective of who the manager is.

Hewitt. My "£2 pom" friend today pointed at Hewitt after 15 minutes and said "He's a passenger". Enough said. My answer was that he's a central midfield player - nothing else. At the moment he should be 4th or 5th choice at that. He has no positive effect on the game when played in a wide position.

Agree with Pies4u, - Subs made no impact at all, wasteful and ineffective are the two words that spring to mind.

All in all a huge disappointment to the supporters who turned out, and to people like me who coaxed others to come. The 2 who came with me both tried to pay me the £2 I'd paid for their ticket. I refused. I would have been embarassed to take it.

[maddogslater]

First game I've seen since Carlisle due to hols - new faces but same story. We have won 1 in 16, we've been eaten at home by Yeovil, Cheltenham, Macclesfield and now, amongst others, Cambridge. Yet, still some people seem to be in denial. The fact we have to select Hewitt, Stead, Milson, Evina & Milsom in our best XI illusrates why we are anchored to the foot of the table. They are simply nowhere near good enough for this league.

Yet, again, the opposition had 3 or 4 players who would walk into our team, we had none who would get in theirs. (NB: If you have Deegan, you don't need O'Brien)

Schofield - looked composed, did ok - 7
Barclay - battled on and did ok with Ibehere at times but distribution was shocking - 5
Duffy - steady & solid, organised the sprogs around him well - 7
Bird - very strong defensively but far too clumsy with the ball at his feet, gave the ball away every time he passed it - 5
Evina - the mazy run apart, got crucified by Amoo all day - 4
Hewitt - usual, ineffective display. Can't pass, easily dispossessed & by-passed, too slow on the ball - 4
O'Brien - shone like a beacon for a while then got overwhelmed by the dross all around him - 7.5
Milsom - another "crab like" display, best sideways and backwards passer in the league, no creativity - 5
Alessandra - not his usual sharp self, tried for a bit then faded - 5
Stead -usual, fell over a lot, won nothing, posed no threat to the opposition - 4
Dennis - he may have run around but to no effect but he can control the ball. In the absence of Hemmings he is the best e have, god help us - 4

Subs: Sadly, no impact.

The fat lady is starting to gargle. Can't see Hemmings & Enzio having any great effect on this side - we are very poor, very poor indeed.

Milson crab like indeed, building a fast attack in the second half ball comes to him, instead of carrying the momentum forward he stops does a three sixty then plays the ball back, momentum lost , attack breaks down.
Get Hewitt in the middle with O'Brien, play Duffy right back till Toots is fit.

[navypie]

Please explain the strange Duffy comment???

I found that strange. Let's not forget that fatboy is a great friend of mine though. See what I did there?

[SwalePie]

Get Hewitt in the middle with O'Brien, play Duffy right back till Toots is fit.

Good shout that