Sensational stuff as Notts produce best under Ardley
NOTTS County made it two wins out of two at Meadow Lane as they romped to a 4-2 win over Barnet.
The Magpies were 3-0 up inside 25 minutes with goals from Callum Roberts, Kyle Wootton and Enzio Boldewijn. Two goals from JJ Hooper gave the visitors hope until Michael Doyle made the game safe in stoppage time. LEIGH CURTIS analyses the big talking points from a thumping win.
THE BEST FOOTBALL OF NEAL ARDLEY’S REIGN SO FAR
It was breathless, it was beautiful and it was deadly.
The Notts manager has done a wonderful job of coaching a team that is widely recognised as one of the most entertaining in the division.
But while there were some fine performances last season, nothing matched the quality of the opening 25 minutes here against Barnet.
Barnet were put on a carousel as play switched from one side to the other and it could have been five or six before the interval.
Indeed, three of the four goals were exquisite in the way they were not only created but finished too. The pick of the bunch was Callum Roberts’ opener, which underlined the magnificent way Notts cruised through the thirds.
Roberts’ artistry, Wootton’s holdup play, the midfield knowing when to play safe and when to inject pace, was as close to harmony as you can get and it all contributed to the best football of Ardley’s reign since he arrived two years ago. It was sensational viewing.
BUT DON’T GET TOO COCKY
Notts were so good in the first 30 minutes that they started to get swept up in how brilliant they actually were.
Rather than stick to what had worked so well, they began to overplay and it felt as if they thought it was easy.
Barnet took full advantage to give themselves a route back into a game they should have been out of at halftime.
A furious Ardley read the riot act at half-time and felt his team thought “they were Real Madrid”.
There was a lesson there because a 3-0 lead became 3-2 in the second half leading to some anxious moments all of their own doing.
While Notts always looked as if they had another goal in them, there was no need to leave themselves facing such pressure.
A warning then, that even when you are as good as Notts were, if standards slip even a 3-0 lead is not entirely safe.
Fortunately, it didn’t prove costly as Michael Doyle wrapped the game up in stoppage time.
UNSUNG HERO
While the attacking players were taking the plaudits, one man’s contribution largely went unnoticed at the other end of the pitch.
Connell Rawlinson won last season’s player of the year and the defender has started this season superbly.
He produced a near faultless performance here and his ability on the ball is improving all the time.
Ardley wants his side to play out from the back, which means you need defenders who are comfortable on the ball.
And Rawlinson is now matching his defensive brilliance with real composure in possession, just like his centre-back partner Alex Lacey.
Along with his ruggedness and his measured defending, Rawlinson is now becoming one of the most important players in the squad.
He’s been sensational in these opening three games and, if he carries on, will have a real chance of retaining his player of the season crown.
WHAT IS IT WITH REFS AND WOOTTON?
Notts’ top scorer seems to get a bum deal from referees, who always seem to penalise him when he’s often on the receiving end.
There were numerous times he should have had a free kick but fouls
went unpunished.
Referees at this level don’t seem to understand the art of bustling centre-forward play in that players like Wootton pin defenders using their strength.
It’s not a foul when you are shielding the ball, yet the referees at this level take an exception to it.
There was one instance in the second half when Wootton was manhandled to the deck but the decision went against him.
He must wonder why he bothers.
MAGPIES FLYING HIGH AT STREAMING
By all accounts, Notts’ streaming was a success at the weekend. There was one moment in the second half when the feed went down but that was due to a brief loss of internet signal.
Given the problems other teams in the division have faced, the extra money ploughed into a production team used to streaming live events paid dividends.
There was plenty of praise for what Notts delivered to the fans as they had replays, interviews and had four cameras around the ground to give them action from every angle.
It will get even better as time progresses. It will never match being there in person but at least the fans aren’t missing out on what they hope is a successful season.