Chapter 42: Blackburn

Upon returning to England from the United States, David received a call from Soriano. As he had anticipated, Soriano agreed to take the position of CEO at Notts County. After wrapping up his work commitments in Spain, Soriano would bring his family to England within two weeks to officially begin his role.

David was elated by the news. Finding a competent CEO in such an era was no easy task, and Soriano, a rising star with a financial background, was a perfect fit. David knew he had secured a strong leader for the club's operations, someone capable of helping him realize his ambitious plans for Notts County.

David quickly informed Soriano that there were two major projects waiting for him: the construction of the team's new training base and stadium. David intended to give Soriano full control over the operational aspects of the club, offering only initial guidance during the early stages of each project.

While David was busy with these plans, Notts County was performing impressively on the field. During his time in the U.S., the team secured two more victories in the Premier League, defeating Blackpool and Wigan Athletic. These wins stretched Notts County's unbeaten streak to seven games, propelling them to second place in the standings, just two points behind Brighton at the top.

However, it was Brighton, the surprising newcomers, that were attracting the most attention. Despite only losing to Notts County, they had won all their other matches, cementing their place as a formidable force in the league. Notts County, on the other hand, wasn't too concerned. With their solid form and tactical growth, David was confident that, barring any major injuries, Notts County would close the gap and regain the top spot soon.

As the league progressed, David's focus shifted to the cup competitions. The draw for the third round of the League Cup paired Notts County against Premier League side Blackburn Rovers. Though Blackburn had recently been promoted, they were still considered a tough opponent, having won the Premier League just six years ago. Despite their pedigree, David wasn't discouraged. He knew that Blackburn might not prioritize the League Cup, given their focus on Premier League survival.

Before the cup match, Notts County had three league games to play, the first of which was against Cardiff. David rotated the squad, giving the starting lineup mostly to substitutes. Cardiff, assuming Notts County was fielding a weakened side, expected an easy victory. However, David knew that even his bench players were future stars, capable of playing at a high level.

The match against Cardiff was intense. Notts County dominated possession, peppering the Cardiff goal with shots. However, Cardiff's defense and goalkeeper kept them at bay, blocking and saving numerous attempts. By halftime, Notts County had taken 21 shots, but none had found the back of the net. David couldn't help but marvel at Cardiff's goalkeeper, who seemed to possess superhuman reflexes, preventing several shots that seemed destined for goal.

Despite making attacking adjustments in the second half, including bringing Mertesacker forward as a target man, Notts County couldn't break Cardiff's defense. In stoppage time, Altintop had a shot that narrowly missed the post, and the game ended in a 0-0 draw. It was a frustrating result, as the players had dominated the game but couldn't convert their chances.

David and Luff, the manager, reassured the players, reminding them that a draw was not the end of the world. However, the inability to break down Cardiff's defensive setup highlighted a crucial area for improvement: Notts County needed to develop strategies to overcome teams that set up defensively against them.

With the draw, Notts County lost their second-place spot in the standings to Mansfield, who had also won their match. Despite their strong form, Notts County was slipping down the table, now in third place. The gap between Notts County and the top was widening, though it was still early in the season.

Meanwhile, Gino Pozzo, a prominent figure in the football world, remarked on Mansfield's growing prospects. He believed that Mansfield, not Notts County, would be the team to eventually rise to the Premier League, possibly even as champions. Pozzo thought that while Notts County's recent streak was impressive, it was clear that other teams were beginning to figure them out.

The match against Cardiff had shown that teams could nullify Notts County's attack by stifling their passing game. As Pozzo pointed out, once opponents became familiar with Notts County's style, they could easily counter it. The question was whether David and his team could adapt and evolve quickly enough to stay ahead of the competition.