Not sure whether you can put tonight’s loss down to our mistakes - we were outshot 46-20, which might suggest Nottingham were on top for large parts of the game.
They were indeed but I am still not totally sure what went wrong, and I am reluctant to just say that a new D Man is the answer...I think we need to be a little more specific. I didn’t see Saturday’s game so can’t comment on it but tonight it was a lack of cohesion that seemed to be the problem with too many players having bad days.
Defensively we gave up too many shots but a fair few were from distance so I would take the SOG with a pinch of salt, one thing that was clear though was there were far too many lapses of concentrations. The Batch goal came out of the blue and got us right back in the game but seconds later we concede yet another goal straight from the restart.
My first thought is we need a spark but the more I think about it, I think it is actually the opposite that is needed.... it is a calming influence that is needed, losing Strachan has robbed us, not only of a quality hockey player but more someone who makes the players round him better players. It was noticeable when we went behind and nothing much was working, how many players started trying to do everything themselves rather than taking a breath and trusting that the game would come to them.
I still think we will win the league but this weekend has not been a good one.