⚽ Match Thread vs. Chesterfield FC 20.08.22 [NL]

[countygump]

[jacobncfc]

My take from having watched that is I don't think I've ever seen us be worse and not lose the game. Definitely shows you what a quality poacher No 9 is worth. Langstaff got us a point we had no business getting there. I'd feel sick if I were a Chessie fan.

While I am ultimately relieved with a point, if we are serious about promotion back to the football league then we are a depressingly long way short at this moment in time. Our midfield is far too lightweight and our defence prone to simple errors.

General consensus among the Ches fans I know is that it was a good game of football and 2-2 was about right, for what it's worth.

[laddo]

In terms of the game two blatant problems stood out one in each half

1st half JOB putting in the effort but running in treacle trying to cover ground as the game bypassed him, ending up with a cheap foul and a yellow card. Unless protected with numbers he's not mobile or quick enough regardless of the effort and desire to play in the middle of the park in games against anyone good..

2nd half , late on we nearly conceded cos Palmer (who I'm a big fan of) is too weak in the tackle firstly losing a 50:50 as Chesterfield broke in our half. And then moments later losing out again on the edge of our box. All in the 87th minute and causing us problems.

These two individual moments sum up perfectly what our midfield is and has been missing for a long time. That one player who can run all day, with pace and get stuck in to win those contested balls.

As for the game started better than them until they scored, then we're god awful and second best until we scored. Then looked more likely to win it in a very open end to end basketball type game.

Lucky point but happy to show the character to come back from 2 down and stay unbeaten. If we'd win at Gateshead or Borehamwood I'd actually be happy with that start. I'm not

[TSANHO]

There was a weird feeling around the ground today. Fans weren’t really into it from the off (until we scored of course), but there was a real sense of frustration, bordering on anger at some points in the game….and I understand it to a degree.

The quality in the squad is the lowest we’ve seen since being relegated. In my opinion four or five of those players either aren’t good enough or just don’t understand what LW’s plan is. The system and style of play isn’t working. We’ve got players playing positions that make no sense at all, we create very little at all, and are set up more or less with 8 defenders…it’s no wonder the fans are getting upset already this season.

I actually thought OB was one of our better players today but in general he shouldn’t be starting anymore. The farce of our midfield has been going on for so long now it’s just not funny. Playing wing backs that literally never reach the oppositions touch line. When we do play long we play it to the shortest player on the pitch in Langstaff. I never want a Notts player to fail, but Mitchell isn’t, and never will be good enough….you can’t teach anticipation and he is always 2-3 seconds behind the game, no good for a striker.

Credit to the guys for getting back in the game but it was barely deserved and really does paper of the cracks. I’m not confident in LW at all. I’ll be be even less impressed if we don’t address the serious lack of quality in the squad in the coming weeks.

[countygump]

I think you're right about Mitchell, Tsanho. Though he certainly puts a shift in, the game seems to simply pass him by. I think you're right about the squad as well, poorest one I've seen since we went down. Let's hope a couple of signings are on the horizon.

[legs77]

I also think we could have had a few pens as well their CB pulled Langstaff twice in the first half.

Of course pundits will say "not enough for a pen" I disagree it is as if its a foul outside the box it is one inside.

King was lucky to stay on the pitch.

Draw was a fair result imo.

[countygump]

General consensus among the Ches fans I know is that it was a good game of football and 2-2 was about right, for what it's worth.

http://www.thecfss.co.uk/forums/inde...c=70020&st=160

[upthemaggies]

To be honest, LW seems to like to mix up a fair bit of direct play with the slow, passing build up. He's probably the most direct of the managers we've had in this division, but fans have just lost patience after years of watching us give chances away through pratting around at the back.

Burch was given the roughest treatment in the first few months after he'd been appointed, albeit when we were playing BCD with all of the reaction being online (lots of comparisons with Fullarton). Could be that LW just has to ride out a difficult probation period with the supporters before settling into the familiar pattern of winning more often than not, broken up by the odd slump which leads to fans sharpening their knives and then along comes an easy home fixture (which this league will always throw up) to restore order once again.

After today though I'm more convinced that there is a pressure cooker situation waiting to explode if we're not challenging for top spot and once again hovering around 5th-7th.

[Elite_Pie]

There was a weird feeling around the ground today. Fans weren’t really into it from the off (until we scored of course), but there was a real sense of frustration, bordering on anger at some points in the game….and I understand it to a degree.

The word 'weird' is the best way to sum up that game. We did ok until they scored, but until we pulled one back we were absolutely dire. In the first half Langstaff barely touched the ball, and Ruben did nothing in the final third. We know Ross Fitzsimons is a limited keeper, but for 60 minutes his Dad could have played in goal and kept a clean sheet, we were so bereft of attacking ideas. The double substitution changed things, and in Langstaff I think we've found a gem. Get the ball in the box and he will do the business. It was criminal the way we deprived him of any service for the first hour. One thing was glaringly obvious to me, if we play tippy tappy sideways and backwards passes (first 60 minutes) we are easy to contain, but if we take a few risks and get it forward quicker we will be hard to contain. A few random observations from today:

The home support was much like our performance, pretty dire until we scored.
We still don't have a cohesive midfield, and without a good signing it will stay that way.
Adam Chicksen is a valuable squad member with a great attitude, but he's not a wing back.
Feed Macauley Langstaff, and he will be challenging for NL top scorer.
Funny how the Spireites started moaning about the ref in the last 10 minutes, before that he blew his whistle whenever they went to ground.

Did we deserve a point? Over the 90 minutes probably not. This game did however show what we are poor at and what we are good at. I hope Luke Williams learned a valuable lesson today.

[Notts78]

I think you're right about Mitchell, Tsanho. Though he certainly puts a shift in, the game seems to simply pass him by. I think you're right about the squad as well, poorest one I've seen since we went down. Let's hope a couple of signings are on the horizon.

We cut our cloth accordingly.