Match Discussion: Game 9 - The Cardinals (H)

[PON_News]

Game 9 - The Cardinals (H)

Team: Woking

Date: 02/10/2021

Where: Meadow Lane

What line-up should Ian Burchnall opt for? What will be the key areas for the Magpies to get a victory? What do you think the final score will be?

Have your say below, join in with the Pride of Nottingham match discussion.

[Super_Danny_Allsopp]

This will be a tough game. Woking will be direct and physical and we only have a young CB who isn't all that strong, plus 2 full-backs. 

[Chris]

I'm hoping we play an attacking focused formation, as we would be able to control the game if our passing/tempo was spot on. I agree that Woking will try to be direct, most likely trying to make the most of the corners and set pieces.

Jim O'Brien deserves to be given a start, he's worked hard when given a chance.

If this is for Ruben Rodrigues or Ed Francis, I am confident we can adapt to give him a chance to influence the play. Otherwise,I wouldn't change much, unless injuries etc determine that it must. I can see the game being quite open.

[Dripsey3]

Woking are a decent side. They ended Chesterfield's unbeaten run during the week. They have scored 13 goals in 6 games so they know the goal is. They do concede goals. 9 in 6 games. Tahvon Campbell is their danger man. 6 goals in 6 games. Woking went to Torquay and won 4-0. They only lost 1-0 to Wrexham away. To me it looks like they raise their game for the high profile games and make it very difficult for the so called favourites for promotion. I expect a very difficult afternoon for Notts. I think Woking will create chances against what isn't our first choice defence. Our attack needs to up their game considerably if we are to have a chance of winning this game. We are unbeaten at home so you would expect a better performance than last week. I hate to say it but I think Woking will win this game. 2-1 to Woking is my prediction.  

[menzinho]

Hopefully Lacey will return, I agree Woking will be a lot more direct than Altrincham so he’ll be needed.

They are a big team but they were slow at the back last season. Knight and Knowles caused them so many problems with their running in behind and I think we’ll need Nemane and Mitchell to do the same. With Roberts out if you go back to Woots and Ruben upfront like last season in a 3-5-2 then I’m not sure where Nemane/Mitchell would play… You’d have to go 4-2-3-1 with Ruben in behind, Mitchell on the left and Nemane the right...

Effiong will probably have a masterclass against us and I've no idea what the score will be but I’ve got a feeling it’ll be a bit of a goal fest (cue drab 0-0 draw).

[liampie]

i fear playing chicksen and brindley as cbs against woking, they drift out wide and forget to cover at key stages in the game. i do feel more confident about playing at home, i think that does help and if the fans make the atmosphere good, it should lift the game.

i agree that o brien deserves a start, but i cant see ruben being rested.

[allardyces tash]

@menzinho I fear another 1-0, I hope its Notts that gets the win.

[Countyman]

It would be a positive sign to see the club bounce back with a win.

I don't know what to suggest in terms of changes but something has to be done to try to improve on the recent performances.

[Joshua]

2-0 Notts is my prediction.

I think the first 45 minutes will be uneventful, with a few chances on goal for both teams but nothing clear. Second half, changes will make things start to happen. I think Aaron Nemane will end up on the score sheet. Now is his chance to come in, stay fit and establish himself into the squad.

[TheSkipper]

Give Matt Palmer the ball, make space and that will keep Notts moving forward.

We have to be a lot more creative.

I don't want to see Notts attempt to walk into the back of the net, someone has to try their luck from distance. With Cal Roberts out, we might be one dimensional.

[Wilfordpie]

My prediction would be 1-0 to notts, not the most exciting game but enough to keep fans happy.

[Dripsey3]

Woking score 3 goals in 8 minutes and lead 3-1. You can't win the league in October but you can certainly make it almost impossible to win it. Notts are creaking and creaking badly at the moment. 

[Elite_pie]

Right from the start of the season I've given 3 reasons why I don't think we'll succeed:

1. We concede too many soft goals.
2. We are lightweight in midfield and are too easy to play against.
3. Our style of play seems based more on stats and analytics than what's needed to get you out of the National League.

Today only reinforced that opinion. For 70 minutes we didn't look in any real trouble, but once they equalised the way we fell apart was embarrassing. In short, they wanted it far more than we did. They grew in confidence, we hid. I don't know why they resorted to all the time wasting and play acting near the end, if they had gone at us we were in such disarray they could have ended up with 5 or 6.

[Piethagoram]

@Elite_pieanalysis spot on as usual. 

Defence remains weak, (both central and full backs) we cannot defend the high ball again.

need a Neal Bishop type to complement Palmer's Phil Turner impression.

Slick forwards find away past us too, whereas Wootton seems ponderous at times. No real urgency when we have the ball and many times, wrong options are being chosen.

 

[Chris]

Self-destruction in the biggest sense of the word.

Notts started to fall apart after the first 45 minutes, we played into Woking's hand. Frustration built, and then we started to make too many mistakes in areas of the pitch, which led to a team  who played very averagely starting to look far more flattering than they deserved. 

Woking wasn't even good, credit for the win because they pushed for what happened, but they only won because Notts took their eyes off the ball.

Whilst I have been saying since the early stages that we have defensive issues which need addressing, others thought it was the wrong area. We just watch, no effort is made to win the ball back, and attempting to block it seems a thing of the past.

There's a major lack of finishing up front, nothing which I personally blame Kyle Wootton for, but we simply rely on him to do far too more than he needs to do.

Kairo Mitchell isn't any better than Elisha Sam, no signs of him being a player who deserves to start as regularly, and it's clear now this will happen because we have no other adequate options.

He works hard at times, but usually when he comes more into it - the game is almost most certainly over.

Matt Palmer is too good for us, he didn't do anything wrong, and everything that looked lively came from his range of passing.

The Notts midfield doesn't need to be like Woking at all, I hope this is never the case! Ruthlessness can be taught, and encouraged. I think rather than having someone who does what Ruben Rodrigues started to do (mostly due to frustration), Notts simply needs to learn to press and win the ball back.

Issues for me is that we can't adapt very well in-game, I think we move in a passive way more than one of which is decisive.

I am sure I might get some criticising what I have written, yet it's my opinion, and I believe myself to have a good understanding of football. Of course, I acknowledge that I am not always right, and everyone has a sense of this themselves.

It's nothing major, but we went from controlling a game we should've won - as Notts was on top in the first half (despite being disconnected at times). Managing games is something that obviously fails when other teams adapt or try to cause chaos.

[Dripsey3]

The injuries we have had have disrupted us. No denying that. My worry is the lack of physicality in midfield. It's not really something we can address unless we dip into the loan market for a tough tackling midfielder who can win the ball back and be a presence on the pitch. I don't see it improving any time soon and it pains me to say that. Halifax will beat us on Tuesday. Sigh. 

[gtownjohnno]

1 hour ago, Dripsey3 said:

The injuries we have had have disrupted us. No denying that. My worry is the lack of physicality in midfield. It's not really something we can address unless we dip into the loan market for a tough tackling midfielder who can win the ball back and be a presence on the pitch. I don't see it improving any time soon and it pains me to say that. Halifax will beat us on Tuesday. Sigh. 

We need Mussa from Weymouth... 

[menzinho]

I thought we started the game well and deservingly went in 1-0 up. Their disallowed goal was a sign of what they are all about but we desperately needed to get a 2nd goal and then once Woking scored we just fell apart… 4-1 flattered them but I agree we’ve only got ourselves to blame for the loss.

They were massive and their game is all about physicality, but for 70 minutes we pretty much dealt with it. Once the second goal goes in we just lost all thought and composure though. Our approach is admirable but you need a balance and for me yesterday in the end we got bullied. Woking is one of those games where you want (need) Cameron and Rawlinson.

And to top off the bad result, it sounds like Knight is injured again.

[Chris]

@menzinho looked like his hamstring, but I don't know if you noticed, he was the player running laps after the game whilst Ian Burchnall was giving his post match thoughts.

That's a positive sign, although we'll have to wait to find out just how serious it actually is.

However, to go from struggling to walk, to running laps isn't something you would do if it was a major issue.