Match Thread vs. Hartlepool Utd. 28.12.20 [NL]

[Woodypie]

They do, Swale. If incompetence hadn't seen us relegated we wouldn't have been playing that game today.

[SwalePie]

A really, really frustrating game to watch. We were poor in the first half and deserved to be behind because they were quicker and sharper all over the pitch, but in the second half we did enough to deserve the win. The officials should have been wearing yellow shirts in the second half, they gave every decision that was even slightly borderline Hartlepool's way.

We didn't deserve to come away from this game with nothing, but the big question for the manager to answer is why did we only play to our potential for 45 minutes rather than the full 90? We have the players to be a good team, but we don't do it often enough.

Good summary.

[nw6pie]

Nothing went for us in the second half, not helped by comical defending from our two centre halves for the stupid red card. Can’t remember the last time the officials got so much wrong, either, but we’ve got to be more clinical. We scored 12 goals in our first four home games and just 2 in the last four - there’s our problem.

Credit Hartlepool for digging in when they were clearly tiring in the second half, but we’ve thrown that one away. We desperately need a fit Cal Roberts back and to find our shooting boots again. Last season we scored a succession of worldies; this season, we’re trying to walk the ball in all of the time.

[magpie_mania]

Too slow in build up, too sideways, too backwards, too much hoof.
Why do we need Slocombe to pass it 2 yards for someone else to launch it?
Why do we play 1 out and out forward and effectively 2 holding midfield players? We are at home for goodness sake.
No team wins leagues by playing 45 minutes per match
It's tactically garbage. And I don't buy the idea that we pulverized them for the last 30 minutes. It doesn't counteract the first hour.

I don't buy the idea we pulverized them for 30 minutes even. It was 45. We were certainly not played off the park in the first half as was claimed either.

What excuse have you got for the lino, as that 'goal' certainly did not look offside. Officials were terrible all the way through.

Incredibly disappointed tonight but can't be depressed overall.

[SwalePie]

They do, Swale. If incompetence hadn't seen us relegated we wouldn't have been playing that game today.

What is this in answer to Woody? Soz.

[Evesham Pie]

A really, really frustrating game to watch. We were poor in the first half and deserved to be behind because they were quicker and sharper all over the pitch, but in the second half we did enough to deserve the win. The officials should have been wearing yellow shirts in the second half, they gave every decision that was even slightly borderline Hartlepool's way.

We didn't deserve to come away from this game with nothing, but the big question for the manager to answer is why did we only play to our potential for 45 minutes rather than the full 90? We have the players to be a good team, but we don't do it often enough.

We've seen too often that Notts don't start with the desire / urgency to get on top and win games that we should be winning with the squad we have. Its partly the players but the manager is probably the bigger issue, too calm and considered and concerned about tactically matching the other side. Oh for a Bielsa.

[Kelton]

We should have scored 3 maybe 4 times. Again we focus on other things that went wrong but its our inability to convert chances that are costing us.

[Evesham Pie]

We should have scored 3 maybe 4 times. Again we focus on other things that went wrong but its our inability to convert chances that are costing us.

Very true. Wootton looks out of sorts and no other out and out striker in the team. I wonder whether we should give give Knowles a bit more game time - he seems to be able to convert reasonably well for the minutes that he's been on the pitch so far.

[eastwoodmagpie]

Terrible by Turner and deserved the red. Let’s hope Lacey is fit for next match.

It’s time like this Dennis would be on a hat trick now.
Really need an established striker.

If we did make the play offs would you be confident if Turner was in the team, far to slow and casual in my opinion.

[drillerpie]

And Wootton being brought down on the edge of the area that would have been a straight red.

Totally inept officiating. He didn't see anything wrong with the challenge on Wootton but when Sam was chasing back and his hand clashed with the hand of the player he was running alongside, the ref gave it even though it was off the ball.

Not to mention the goal ruled out when it looked level at worst, and the offside against Enzio all alone 12 yards out when he was a yard on.

We played well in the second half and dominated the last 30mins (maybe worth remembering that Hartlepool played 2 days ago though, to put that in context), but the first half was poor - we were second to too many balls and our midfield two, for whatever reason, couldn't lay a glove on them. Crawford will have enjoyed winning the 60/40 ball in Doyle's favour and leaving something on him for good measure.

Turner set a new record for two cluster****s in one half of football, although I have some sympathy for the sending off as he was stood still and had he not axe-kicked their striker in the face their guy would've nodded it past him and been through on goal.

Can't realistically see how we get automatic promotion this season.