Come Christmas, I will have been going to Meadow Lane for 48 years, and I have been a regular away traveller for 40 years. I can safely say that never in that time have I witnessed a Notts team so spiritless and devoid of confidence as they were yesterday. To use a well-worn cliche, the ball is like a hot rock. Nobody wants it or really knows what to do with it when they get it. They are terrified of making mistakes......which then makes mistakes more likely.......and there's nobody willing to take responsibility, take the game by the scruff of the neck, and show any authority. No leader.
FGR must've thought Christmas had come early. They're not a great side but they're well organised, have a set pattern of play, and they all know their jobs...which breeds confidence. They arrived in Nottingham unbeaten in the league and there was never any danger of that changing yesterday. They'll have very few easier wins this or any other season.
It didn't help Notts' cause that injuries meant using a makeshift defence. Hewitt is not a centre half, and Hawkridge is not a full back. The faster we get Tootle and Hall fit the better. Davies will be available for next Saturday.
Of course we now have Jones out for 2 or 3 games after his r*d card. The referee was roundly booed for sending him off, but I can tell you for certain that it was a bad challenge and the ref had no choice. I'm not sure wether Jones left the ground, but he certainly went in two-footed and that's serious foul play. No argument.
Harry Kewell has his work cut out. Hopefully he'll bring a breath of fresh air into the club and get some confidence into the players. They need organising from back to front. They need to be given jobs and told what's expected of them, without expecting too much. If Kewell can at least get them organised and back to doing the basics properly I think there is enough talent to get out of this awful mess.
It'll be interesting to see wether we bring in one or two free agents over the next week or two. Hardy hinted at this in his pre-match interview. A goalkeeper, a midfield ballwinner, and perhaps a left back please.
Natty
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