Jump to content

Chris

Administrators

  • Joined

  • Last visited

View Profile Find content

Posts posted by Chris

    Not a good game but a great result, we'll take it and build further.

    Neither side looked 'good' but I do feel Macclesfield looked more lively, as I mentioned in my scouting report - they panic and if they took a little bit longer to decent how best to finish chances. Well, I think they could have caused us more trouble. Notts was very flat though, there was no signs of a game plan and I say this not to be negative but to give my honest opinion of the game.

    The usual players that 'lift' us, well they wasn't in the zone and I can't blame them for all the minutes they've put in.

    I would have taken Jon Stead off today, he wasn't coping and he looked unable to cause trouble. Instead of bringing on Nathan Thomas, I would have taken Stead off and introduced Kristian Dennis. Also, Shaun Brisley should have gone off sooner - he gets a lot of stick these days but he did struggle to be effective.

    Harry Kewell didn't seem to understand how to plan Macclesfield or how to change the tactics to get us going, however it's three massive points on the road and a fantastic win.

    • Like 2

    I'm not expecting or predicting a win, I think it's very likely that it will be a draw.

    2-2 would be my guess with Hemmings and Hewitt scoring.

    I very much hope I'm wrong and that Notts can grab the third back-to-back win but it just seems a little too much. Harry Kewell has spoken about how winning breeds confidence and how the players enjoy playing, so there's every chance but I just feel realistically both teams should cancel each other out.

    • Like 1

    I think the Macclesfield game may be more difficult with each time cancelling out the play, either that or it will be very scrappy. Notts seems to be playing with a cool head now, they seem to know what they have to do and getting hold of the game seems something they are more than capable at doing. I do feel Notts will play well, at least I hope and I am looking forward to going to the game.

    Whatever the outcome, I have faith that the clubs going in the right direction.

    • Like 6

    @Piethagoram Crawley's 22 should have been sent off.

    Plus the referee and match officials missed a clear punch which is violent conduct, then again I noticed several elbows and fist punches into the back of Notts players. It was very frustrating but Notts played very well. The performance was superb and I felt we handled them very well. They didn't have much of a threat and their shooting was woeful, there was chances a better team would have finished but Notts deserved the win.

    • Like 1

    I want to see further signs of progress, things right now are paying off and if Notts go into the game thinking one or two steps ahead of Crawley Town - I think we'll take the game to them. The key is midfield! I am also nervous about Enzio playing, it wouldn't surprise me if they come hard hitting and attempt to disrupt the play as much as possible. The game has to be played on the deck, we are starting to grow from doing.

    Also, I would throw David Vaughan back into the squad.

    Save some space for the weekend and don't let the key players get tired, start a strong squad but give some others a chance.

    I felt Notts started brilliantly and until Crewe scored, I felt the game would be fairly simple but the mistake (which no one can be blamed for) resulted the lead being taken away. It was awkward watching Notts after that, and despite Crewe looking quite comfortable with drawing - I couldn't help but feel someone needed to take the game and attempt to change it. I think in the first half we was somewhat lucky Crewe didn't take the lead.

    I warned that they had a good midfield that worked hard, they had two fairly capable strikers and moved the ball nicely.

    Second half Notts just dominated and the win was deserved.

    I'm very pleased they kept battling at it. It's a very good performance but it could have been much difference if the team had worked harder in the first half.

    • Like 2

    It's going to be a lively encounter.

    I'm a little nervous that we might feel we can pass Crewe off the park and I honestly don't feel it's that simple. I think we will have to control the game and slow it down at times just to find the pass to create good chances. I fully expect Crewe to focus on playing the ball on the ground, with pressing down the flanks. They play tidy football and for me their weaknesses are found at the back.

    They don't have the strongest keeper, yet neither do we so far.

    This is going to be close unless we break them.

    • Like 5

    I am more than happy with the direction of the club, it seems the defence and Ross Fitzsimons are making head way. I am happy that Ross did well yesterday, I'll give credit when it's due and I'm not afraid of that.

    It sounded like Notts may have been a little too defensive but this will come with time.

    The positives are there, the draw is a good one and I am pleased that the travelling fans (I wished I could have been there) had some sort of reward. It's time to look up and get behind the squad I think.

    I really hope Harry Kewell has a solid plan on how to attack Northampton and defend, the plan needs to be adaptable and he shouldn't wait until we concede to make these changes required.

    Go in positively and avoid conceding early, allow the players to grow in confidence.

    3-1 is my score prediction for Notts.

    Stead, Hemmings and Ward to score.

    • Like 2

    I'm getting more nervous the closer Saturday gets, just imagine how the players would feel - especially the few who are still massively out of form. I really hope Harry Kewell doesn't slot Elliott Hewitt straight back into the team.

    There's better players in terms of consistency that should go in to the squad.

    Despite my comments I about Rob Milsom in the recent PONcast, I do feel him and David Vaughan are the way forward.

    We have to go into the game thinking we can get something, I am sure Jon Stead will be looking to use his experienced head to lift those around him. He's already done better than Richard Duffy did last season as the clubs captain in my eyes.

    Notts have to figure out how to be direct and to control the game via the centre of the park.

    I really hope David Vaughan returns because I think he can and will make a difference, I really don't get why people are critical of him but not of Ross Fitzsimons. The defenders need to chase everything and block whatever they can, reduce the shots on target and allow the creative players to do their jobs. I can see Notts scoring maybe one or two, but I see Northampton leading at first.

    I just feel that the fire at the back won't be there from the start.

    • Like 1

    I wasn't impressed much at all by Ross Fitzsimons, even early on because he drifts around the pitch like some sort of cattle watching over the game - the amount of time he has to quickly back track because of this.

    He did look confident training, he looked focused and I thought he would have had a good game but he didn't.

    The defence looked better, there are still issues but I feel these can be fixed because of the positive signs shown. Notts looked lost in the opening minutes, it was awkward to watch. I don't get the comments about how well Notts looked at this point, especially by David Jackson when interviewing Harry Kewell. I felt we looked lost and like a team that had no ideal. It was simple hoofing, however never in a useful direction. It was like nobody wanted the ball and when they had it, they had no idea what to do.

    Eventually the game opened up, yet I had been yelling for ages to keep the ball down on the ground.

    We looked quite useful passing it around and the penalty was a huge relief as it felt like we could go on to win the game.

    The first two goals Notts conceded was terrible, Fitzsimons totally to blame for both because he should have been in a position to try and do something. He just watched nothing, as they scored two very easy goals. His positioning is somewhat of a joke now, he ties himself to the nearest post and makes no effort to try to get a hand/foot onto the ball. When you leave that much space open, the opposition will score because he doesn't make himself bigger - he does absolutely nothing and his lack of a reaction is pissing me off. Even after Kasper let several goals against Bournemouth he reacted, he shown passion and aggression which to me shows some sort of desire.

    Fitzsimons distribution is pointless, every time he lumped the ball forward it never seemed to go anywhere near one of our players.

    There was several times he called have rolled the ball out, or kicked it to a defender out wide without watching it come straight back. Look I felt Stevenage was quite poor, they never really looked dangerous and at the back they was woeful but we allowed them back into the game.

    It's not the defence, although they can do better. It's not the midfield, it's our keeper - the amount of shots on target that he has allowed to go beyond him is shocking.

    The outfield players such as, Jon Stead, Enzio Boldewijn and Lewis Alessandra all busted a gut to create chances. They worked hard, Noor Husin for me did well, however I do feel we missed David Vaughan as fans said at half time to me everything came through our midfield due to his absence.

    Sooner or later, there will be pressure on our outfield players to score goals that will revert in a shift of confidence and a lack of pressure because of the sheer amount of goals we concede. We have fixed and add recruitment everywhere else but in goal, we have seen improvements everywhere else but in goal. Fitzsimons needs someone to push him, someone to remind him he won't automatically start games.

    He could be a great backup keeper, however he's no number 1. His moaning to the defence to go up when he wanted to give the ball back to Stevenage is a joke, he should listen to his team-mates and Harry Kewell who instructed him to release the ball by throwing it etc.

    As @Magic magpie has said, I thought people said Kevin Nolan instructed the keeper to lump forward? Why has this not changed.

    • Like 6

    I most understand where he's coming from, however I don't think a sane person can say we have played well under him.

    45 minutes against Grimsby isn't enough.

    Exeter was a shambles, we are lucky we wasn't punished by more goals and force Fitzsimons deserves praise for some of the saves. However, I still feel he should have done better with some of the goals he conceded. His awareness and positioning seems very poor.

Important Information

Pride of Nottingham uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. To approve, simply continue using the site or click 'I accept' Terms of Use.

I accept