New Notts County Manager Mark Cooper blasted his side’s dreadful defending following the heavy 4-0 Good Friday defeat at promotion chasing Portsmouth according to the Nottingham Post.
In Cooper’s first match in charge of The Magpies, the former Peterborough United and Swindon Town boss witnessed his side’s collapse as goals from Kyle Bennett (two), Christian Burgess and Marc McNulty sent Notts County crashing to a devastating defeat at Fratton Park.
Mark Cooper’s sides have a reputation of being difficult to beat and are built with a strong backbone but after the heavy defeat to Pompey the Notts County boss slammed his side’s sub-standard defending, something which he will be looking to address quickly should County end a slump of just one win from their last 10 league matches.
“A lot of people told me before I came, that Notts conceded a lot of goals,” Cooper told the Nottingham Post.
“For 42 minutes, we saw them off but then the softest of goals unlocks us. It changed the whole complexion of the game.”
“If you look at all four goals they did not come from brilliant play. Just mark your man and make sure you win the headers.”
“The players have to take responsibility, because they have had three managers, different permutations, different teams, different systems, but if you don’t want to head the ball when it comes into the box you’ve got no chance.”
“For the first goal there was no danger. Kyle Bennett picks the ball up 15 yards inside our half, he runs down the touchline and rolls it into the net.”
“You could go and watch a game on the park and that wouldn’t happen.”
Wycombe Wanderers will provide the next stern test for Notts County when the two sides meet in Mark Cooper’s first home match in charge tomorrow afternoon.
