David couldn't sit on the coach's seat for this game, especially as it was an away match, and he had no intention of going to the stadium. However, just before the match, David received an unexpected official invitation from Manchester Club. Gino Pozzo had invited him to watch the game together in a box at Fitmere Stadium.
David didn't want to be around Gino Pozzo, who he knew would likely gloat if Notts County lost. But after some thought, David decided to accept the invitation. He reasoned that it would be much more satisfying to see Pozzo's smug face falter after his team lost.
Notts County's schedule had been intense lately, with a series of challenging opponents ahead. First, they were facing Manchester Field, who were second in the league standings, followed by Brighton, the league leaders. After Brighton, Notts County had a tough League Cup match against Premier League team Middlesbrough—arguably their strongest opponent so far this season.
The general consensus was that these three games would be the toughest stretch for Notts County. If they managed to continue their good form, the season would remain promising. But if they faltered, their chances would suffer.
Sitting in the box at Fitmere Stadium, David didn't even bother to engage with Gino Pozzo. Their relationship had already soured, and neither felt the need to pretend otherwise. Pozzo, too, kept quiet.
David looked around at the old Fitmere Stadium and couldn't help but chuckle. He'd once thought Meadow Lane Stadium in Nottingham was a dump, but now, seeing the state of Fitmere, he realized Meadow Lane could last a few more years with some investment.
Fitmere had originally boasted around 10,000 seats, but due to fire regulations and poor maintenance, its capacity had been reduced by half. Only about 5,000 fans could attend the match now, and even that was a stretch. For this particular game, if you excluded the Notts County fans, there were no more than 4,000 spectators in attendance.
This was typical for Mansfield, a club that had long struggled in the Premier League. Despite being a part of England's top division, they were relegation candidates year after year. The local fanbase was small, as Nottinghamshire had only around 280,000 people. Compared to larger cities like London or Liverpool, it was practically a small town. With three professional teams in the area, the local fan market was saturated.
Notts County had a strong fanbase due to its rich history as the oldest professional football club in England, but it was dwarfed by the larger and more successful Nottingham Forest, which had won two Champions League titles. Mansfield, caught between these two giants, struggled to maintain relevance.
David couldn't help but feel a sense of superiority. While he knew it wasn't fair to compare his club to Mansfield, it still gave him a certain satisfaction to see an old rival in such a pitiful state.
Of course, Notts County still had a long way to go before they could become the true representative team of Nottinghamshire.
As the game kicked off, Mansfield started with a fast, aggressive attack, hoping to overwhelm Notts County early. They controlled the ball for the first few minutes, but Notts County wasn't rattled. Their opponents had used the same strategy in earlier matches, exploiting Notts County's lack of cohesion in the opening stages.
Löw wasn't about to make the same mistake. While he trusted his players, he knew Notts County was still a new team. He instructed them to stabilize defensively in the early stages.
After 10 minutes, while Mansfield still had possession, Notts County's defense held strong. Their Italian-style counter-attacking football began to shine through. Alonso, after receiving a pass from Ram, started organizing the team's attack from midfield, deliberately slowing the pace of the game. This strategy was more in line with Notts County's strengths than the frantic pace Mansfield had hoped for.
Alonso, aware of the limitations in the team's current style, decided not to force a long pass but instead to focus on building up play from the back.
As the game settled, Notts County gained confidence. Alonso shifted the ball to Iniesta, who faced an aggressive Mansfield defense. The opponents had clearly studied Notts County's tactics, and Iniesta was seen as the biggest threat. But Iniesta, with his superb ball control, avoided the pressure and passed to Misimovic in the middle.
Misimovic, using the outside of his foot, chipped the ball over Mansfield's two central defenders and into the penalty area. Hubner, ever alert, had already anticipated the pass. He positioned himself perfectly and, with a deft touch, shrugged off the defenders to take the ball and set up a one-on-one opportunity with the goalkeeper.
The veteran forward, who had worked his way up from the lower leagues to Serie A, didn't hesitate. As the goalkeeper rushed toward him, Hubner calmly slotted the ball past him, giving Notts County the lead.