By Chris
With Notts County two points clear at the top of League Two following Saturday's 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town, attention must swiftly turn to a taxing midweek fixture away at Yeovil Town.
Although the Glovers currently sit 17th in the table, they have claimed a number of big scalps this season, including Coventry City, Exeter City and Accrington Stanley.
How should the Magpies approach this game? Here is Chris's Scouting Report to analyse the fixture and the opposition from a tactical perspective.
History
Notts County and Yeovil Town have met 15 times over the years.
The first game took place at Meadow Lane on 4 November 1961, with the Magpies beating their opponents 4-2 in the FA Cup.
That was the only meeting of the two pre-21st century - the 14 meetings following that game all took place between 2004 and this year.
The last game was a League Two encounter at Meadow Lane last February, a goalless draw.
Yeovil have the upper edge in the head-to-head with seven wins, five defeats and three draws against Notts.
Run-down of their last six features
Saturday 14th October – Yeovil Town 2 Crewe Alexandra 0
Tuesday 17th October – Cambridge United 2 Yeovil Town 1
Saturday 21st October – Barnet 1 Yeovil Town 1
Saturday 28th October – Yeovil Town 3 Stevenage 0
Saturday 11th November – Carlisle United 4 Yeovil Town 0
Saturday 18th November – Yeovil Town 1 Swindon Town 2
The Players – Fact Sheet
Highest Goal Scorers; Otis Khan 7, Olufela Olomola 7, Francois Zoko 5 and Sam Surridge 5.
Persistent Foulers; Francois Zoko 5 yellow cards and 1 red card, Olufela Olomola 2 yellow cards and 1 red card, Nathan Smith 4 yellow cards and Otis Khan 4 yellow cards.
The Key Players
Midfielder James Bailey is Yeovil’s engine in midfield. If he’s playing at the top of his game, it influences the players around him. He has the ability to take hold of a game and instantly change, whilst pressing he can also unlock chances.
Francois Zoko on his day can be a major problem, both for the opposition but also his own team. If given space, he can cause headaches at the back – however this is provided he keeps his temper in check.
His strike partner Olufela Olomola, meanwhile, is also a very pacey option for Yeovil who likes to be direct, and his attitude and energy can really cause problems.
Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Yeovil Town mix their style between passing along the floor, whilst they also try to break teams down by keeping the ball in the air – quick passes usually enable them to move forward into the opposition territory and it does warrant some concern if allowed to play.
They like to inject pace onto the ball, but they seem to have a fairly weak grasp on their organization, whilst they tend to give silly fouls away which often leads to them feeling exposed at the back.
If caught out in possession it takes them a little time to adjust, something which good teams often use to their own advantage.
Despite looking comfortable on the ball, all it takes is for an individual to make one mistake and this can really be Yeovil’s undoing.
Defensively they just don’t seem committed when it matters, there’s little pressing and their loose marking makes it very easy for the opposition to have a shot.
Teams that work hard and perform well often manage to make the most of the chances gained, so it’s important for Notts to be strong within the midfield, yet patient upfront when it matters.
Picking the ball up and countering will be something Notts could use to their advantage, as is drawing fouls – free-kicks and other set pieces will naturally come if Yeovil are pressed.
If we play with our own tempo and pace, avoiding just focusing on one flank, Notts should enable space to open up within the centre of the park. Jorge Grant, Ryan Yates and Rob Milsom will be players who can maximise the opportunities which presence themselves.
Overall Yeovil aren’t to be underestimated, yet if the game can be controlled by Notts, it should fall in favour of the away team.
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