Match Thread vs. Yeovil Town 05.03.22 [NL]

[matt_magpie]

What a dull, nasty, niggly game that was. We weren't too bad in the first half, and two sublime crosses from Cal Roberts should have seen us two goals up. After we gifted them a goal the second half reminded me of the relegation season under Ardley - no discernible pattern of play, just a bunch who looked like they had never played together and couldn't even do the simple stuff. Only when we hit the ball long in stoppage time did we pose any sort of threat. Kyle Wootton has been one of my favourite Notts players, but today he was beyond awful. Eli looked a threat early on, but faded with the rest. Ruben, if anything tried a bit too hard and very little came off for him. Cal Roberts was our only real creative threat, which Yeovil recognised and treated him accordingly. Still plenty of points to play for, but on the evidence of today securing a playoff place is by no means a given. If we do make it, sixth place might be the best we can manage.

Can’t disagree with any of that, I was slightly hungover today which didn’t help but I thoroughly didn’t enjoy any of that game, we were terrible, I wouldn’t say they deserved to win but we certainly deserved to lose, strangely it was a point gained.

[Stan Marshall]

What a dull, nasty, niggly game that was. We weren't too bad in the first half, and two sublime crosses from Cal Roberts should have seen us two goals up. After we gifted them a goal the second half reminded me of the relegation season under Ardley - no discernible pattern of play, just a bunch who looked like they had never played together and couldn't even do the simple stuff. Only when we hit the ball long in stoppage time did we pose any sort of threat. Kyle Wootton has been one of my favourite Notts players, but today he was beyond awful. Eli looked a threat early on, but faded with the rest. Ruben, if anything tried a bit too hard and very little came off for him. Cal Roberts was our only real creative threat, which Yeovil recognised and treated him accordingly. Still plenty of points to play for, but on the evidence of today securing a playoff place is by no means a given. If we do make it, sixth place might be the best we can manage.

Pretty accurate summary from Elite.
Roberts was superb today. Just a shame about Ruben & Wootton.

[Elite_Pie]

Nope. Notts we semi effective for about 20 minutes in the first half and then garbage for 60(9) minutes. Couldn’t string a pass together. Had no idea how to play out without Cameron. And I think teams have cottoned on to the one type of goal we are trying to score (it’s not fifa ffs). If we’re in the 18 yard box shoot! unless someone is clearly in a better spot. If I see one more cut back/sq pass to no one from a player in a perfectly good shooting position I’ll… get all shouty or something.

I admit that while not being a member of the 'Gerrit forward' brigade, I am definitely somewhat old school. I'm trying hard to see the benefits of our modern 'possession at all costs' game, but after working a position for a cross or shot when we instead decide to pass all the way back to the keeper it frustrates the hell out of me. I get that if we have the ball they can't score, but if we go away from their goal we can't score either.

[matt_magpie]

I admit that while not being a member of the 'Gerrit forward' brigade, I am definitely somewhat old school. I'm trying hard to see the benefits of our modern 'possession at all costs' game, but after working a position for a cross or shot when we instead decide to pass all the way back to the keeper it frustrates the hell out of me. I get that if we have the ball they can't score, but if we go away from their goal we can't score either.

Agree again but on the flipside who would score, a Lee Hughes in this side would have a field day in most games at home certainly, how Rubens missed that I will never know but having said that it was a carbon copy of the one his missed a few games ago.

[jackal2]

I admit that while not being a member of the 'Gerrit forward' brigade, I am definitely somewhat old school. I'm trying hard to see the benefits of our modern 'possession at all costs' game, but after working a position for a cross or shot when we instead decide to pass all the way back to the keeper it frustrates the hell out of me. I get that if we have the ball they can't score, but if we go away from their goal we can't score either.

Agreed.

We're definitely overplaying at times, and I think IB's long-term future will depend on whether he admits this and puts it right. I'd also like to see some crunching tackles to really get the crowd going. The way we play at present can make the game seem a bit sterile and lacking in passion.

As you say, it's not a case of suddenly abandoning everything we do in favour of direct 'Gerrit forward' football, but I'd like to see a bit more menace in our team. Even great footballing teams like Liverpool of the mid-80's and Ferguson's Manchester United still had their nasty side with the likes of Graeme Sounness and Roy Keane.

In fact, I'd like us to play like Arsenal in the early days under Wenger when they had Adams, Petit and Viera providing the steel behind the silk!

[Hoppie]

Agree again but on the flipside who would score, a Lee Hughes in this side would have a field day in most games at home certainly, how Rubens missed that I will never know but having said that it was a carbon copy of the one his missed a few games ago.

Perfect example today… the one rawlinson nodded down to the edge of the 6 yard box. Wooton was so slow to react. Lee Hughes would have been there waiting…

[Hoppie]

I admit that while not being a member of the 'Gerrit forward' brigade, I am definitely somewhat old school. I'm trying hard to see the benefits of our modern 'possession at all costs' game, but after working a position for a cross or shot when we instead decide to pass all the way back to the keeper it frustrates the hell out of me. I get that if we have the ball they can't score, but if we go away from their goal we can't score either.

I like the way we play for the most part and don’t even mind the back and sideways to keep the ball. But when we’re 20 passes in, we have the ball in and around the 18 yard box and the goal is there to be shot at - do it. Sam seems to be the only one with that mindset. The rest seem more interested in serving it up on a plate for Wooton.

[i961pie]

Thought exactly this when I saw the crowd figure - no chance. 223 from Yeovil

I think they added on at the very least a thousand.

[nw6pie]

I think they added on at the very least a thousand.

There was some talk on the tannoy about some special event in the Family Stand yesterday - maybe the attendance reflected the number of tickets given out rather than genuine attendance? Though I’m not sure what way that benefits the club.

[countygump]